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PRINCETON,  N.  J. 
.T^he^tephen  Collins  Douatioii. 


BX  9184  .A5  W3  1855 
Watson,  Thomas,  d.  1686. 
The  select  works  of  the  Rev 
Thomas  Watson,  comprising 


LIBRARY  OF  PRINCETON 


THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY 


LIBRARY  Of  PRINCETON 


THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARY 


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NEW  YORK : 

ROBERT   CARTER   &   BROTHERS, 
285    BROADWAY. 


1855. 


» 


I 


CONTENTS. 


Page 

An  account  of  the  life  of  Mr.  Thomas  Watson     v 

I.  A  BODY  OF  PRACTICAL  DIVINITY,  viz.  r 

Introduction  to  the  lectures  on  Catechisms  3 

A  Preliminary  discourse  on  Catechising  .           5 

Man's  chief  end  is  to  glorify  God        .  8 

Of  the  Scriptures             ...  22 

That  there  is  a  God                .             .  30 

God  is  a  Spirit                  .              .  .34 

God  is  Infinite          ...  28 

Of  the  Knowledge  of  God             .  .         41 

Of  the  Eternity  of  God          .             .  45 

God's  Unchangeableness               .  .         48 

Of  the  Wisdom  of  God           .              .  52 

Of  God's  Power                .              .  .56 

Of  the  Hohness  of  God          .             .  59 

Of  God's  Justice              .             .  .63 

Of  the  Mercy  of  God              .             .  66 

Of  the  Truth  of  God        ...  70 

But  one  God              ...  73 

Of  the  Trinity                  .              .  .          76 

Of  the  Creation         ...  79 

Of  the  Providence  of  God             .  .         83 

Of  the  Covenant  of  Works     .             .  89 

Concerning  Sin                .              .  .91 

Adam's  Sin                ...  95 

Of  Original  Sin                 .              .  .         98 

Man's  Misery  by  the  Fall      .             .  102 

Of  the  Covenant  of  Grace             .  .       105 

Christ  the  Mediator  of  the  Covenant  110 

Of  Christ's  Prophetical  office         .  .113 

Of  Clirist's  Priestly  office        .              .  117 

Of  Christ's  Intercession                 .  .       120 

Of  Christ's  Kingly  office          .              .  126 
Of  Christ's  IlumiUation  in  his  incarnation        130 

Christ's  Exaltation                  .              .  137 

Christ  the  Redeemer        .              .  .       141 

Of  Faith        ....  144 

Effectual  Calling               .             .  .148 

Of  Justification         .             .              .  151 


Pas^e 

Of  Adoption        ....  155 

Of  Sanctification        .              .              .  IGO 
OfAp3u-aije      .             .            ,             .167 

Of  Peace      ...  174 

Of  Joy                 .             .             .             .  178 

Of  growth  in  Grace                 .             .  1S2 

Of  Perseverance               .             .             .  186 

A  Behever's  privilege  at  death            .  193 

Of  the  Resurrection         .              .              .  203 

Of  the  Day  of  Judgment         .             .  207 

Of  Obedience  to  God's  Revealed  Will         .  211 

Of  Love        ....  215 

Of  the  Preface  to  the  Ten  Commandments  218 

Of  the  Commandments            .              .  241 

Of  the  First  Commandment          .              .  244 

Of  the  Second  Commandment               .  251 

Of  the  Tliird  Commandment         .              .  269 

Of  the  Fourth  Commandment              .  275 

Of  the  Fifth  Commandment          .              .  296 

Of  the  Sixth  Commandment                 .  307 

Of  the  Seventh  Commandment                   .  317 

Of  the  Eighth  Commandment               ,  325 

Of  the  Ninth  Commandment         .              .  329 

Of  the  Tenth  Commandment                ,  332 

Man's  inabiUty  to  keep  the  Moral  Law      .  339 

AU  sins  not  equally  heinous                  .  342 

What  sin  doscrveth          .              .              .  346 

Of  Faith        ,                            .              .  350 

Of  Repentanco                   .             .              .  353 

The  Word  read  and  preached,  how  effectual  337 

Of  Baptism         ....  357 

Of  the  Lord's  Supper              .             .  365 
Of  Prayer            .              .              .              .377 

Of  the  Preface  to  the  Lord's  Prayer  381 

Of  the  First  Petition  in  the  Lord's  Prayer  406 

Of  the  Second  Petition  in  the  Lord's  Prayer  417 

Of  the  Third  Petition  in  the  Lord's  Prayer  482 

Of  the  Fourth  Petition  in  the  Lord's  Prayer  511 

Of  tlie  Fifth  Petition  in  the  L'^'d's  Prayer  521 

Of  the  Sixth  Petition  in  the  Lord's  Prayer  555 


IV 


CONTENTS. 


rage 

II.  SELECT  SERMONS  AXD  TREATISES. 

SERMONS. 

1.  On  Christian  Prudence  and  Innoccncy         609 

2.  On  becoming  a  New  Creature  .       G21 

3.  On  the  Evil  Tongue  .  .  630 

4.  Not  being  Weary  in  Well-doing  .       637 

5.  On  knowing  good  and  doing  it        .  640 

6.  Christ  is  all  in  all        .  .  .646 


Papre 

7.  Farewell  Discourse  on  lus  ejection  656 

TREATISES. 

The  Art  of  Divine  Contentment           .  680 

The  Preciousness  of  the  Soul         .  732 

The  Soul's  Malady  and  Cure                 .  738 

The  beauty  of  Grace        .             .             .  7o5 
The  Trees  of  Righteousness  blossoming  and 

bringing  forth  fi'uit             .              .  762 


BIOGRAPHICAL     NOTICE 


or 


THOMAS   WATSON. 


Of  the  early  liistory,  birthplace,  or  parentage  of  Mr.  Watson  little 
seems  to  have  been  known  by  contemporary  writers.  He  received 
his  education  in  Emmanuel  College,  Cambridge,  where  he  was  noted 
for  being  a  hard  student,  and  received  the  degree  of  Master  of  Arts. 
In  the  time  of  the  civil  wars,  A.  D.  1646,  he  became  rector  of  the 
parish  of  St.  Stephen's,  AValbrook,  London,  where  he  executed  the  office 
of  a  faithful  pastor,  with  great  diligence  and  assiduity,  for  nearly  sixteen 
years.  His  pious  and  useful  labours  soon  spread  his  fame  in  the  city,  and 
procured  him  very  general  respect,  which  he  carried  with  him  to  his 
grave.  During  the  commotions  that  agitated  the  nation  in  his  time,  Mr. 
Watson  discovered  great  loyalty  and  attachment  to  the  person  of  Iving 
Charles  the  First,  and  totally  disapproved  the  methods  made  use  of  by 
the  army  to  bring  him  to  trial.  He  also  joined  the  Presbyterian  minis- 
ters in  a  remonstrance  to  General  Cromwell,  and  the  Council  of  War, 
against  the  death  of  that  monarch.  After  this,  in  1651,  he  was  concerned 
with  some  other  persons  in  carrying  on  a  correspondence  with  the  Scots, 
for  the  purpose  of  bringing  in  King  Charles  II.,  which  being  discovered, 
he  was  apprehended  and  committed  prisoner  to  the  Tower  along  with  Dr. 
Drake,  Mr.  Jenkins,  Mr.  Jackson,  Mr.  Robinson,  Mr.  Blackmore,  and  Mr. 
Haviland.  These,  after  some  time,  on  their  petitioning  for  mercy,  and 
promising  submission  to  the  government,  were  released;  Mr.  Christopher 
Love,  an  eminent  Presbyterian  minister,  was  publicly  executed  as  a  terror 
to  others. 


vi  BIOGRAPHICAL  NOTICE. 

Mr.  Watson  continued  at  his  living  till  Bartholomew-day,  1662,  when 
he  was  ejected  for  nonconformity.  The  farewell  sermon  on  this  occasion  is 
to  be  found  in  this  volume.  In  the  London  collection  there  are  three,  and 
another  printed  separate  without  the  author's  knowledge;  but  the  one  here 
given  is  that  which  had  his  approbation.  Notwithstanding  the  rigorous 
execution  of  this  unnatural  act,  Mr.  Watson  continued  the  exercise  of  his 
ministry  in  private  as  Providence  gave  him  opportunity.  After  the  fire 
of  London  in  1666,  when  the  churches  were  burnt,  and  the  parish-minis- 
ters unemployed  for  want  of  places  of  worship,  the  Nonconformists  fitted 
up  large  rooms  with  pulpits,  seats  and  galleries,  for  the  reception  of  those 
who  had  an  inclination  to  attend.  Of  this  number  was  Mr.  Watson. 
Upon  the  Indulgence  in  1672,  he  licensed  the  great  hall  in  Crosby-House, 
(then  belonging  to  Sir  John  Langham,who  patronized  the  Nonconformists), 
and  laid  the  foundations  of  a  very  flourishing  society.  Crosby-Hall,  which 
takes  its  name  from  Sir  John  Crosby,  sheriff  and  alderman  of  London  in 
1470,  is  a  beautiful  Gothic  building  with  a  bow  window  on  one  side;  the 
roof  is  of  timber  and  much  admired.  After  having  served  as  a  place  of 
>Yorship  in  connection  with  the  Presb3rterian  body  during  the  lifetime  of 
Mr.  Watson  and  his  pious  and  talented  successor  Stephen  Charnock,  it 
passed  into  the  hands  of  the  Independents,  and  ceased  in  1769  to  be  used 
for  religious  worship.  It  is  now,  after  having  for  upwards  of  thirty  years 
been  occupied  for  inferior  purposes,  and  thereafter  put  into  a  state  of 
beautiful  repair  at  the  expense  of  the  Corporation  of  London,  used  with 
propriety  as  the  business  oflices  of  the  London  Missionary  Society,  as  the 
place  of  meeting  of  the  Congregational  Union  of  England  and  Wales,  and 
for  other  public  religious  purposes  in  connection  with  evangelical  non- 
conformity. In  this  place  Mr.  Watson  preached  for  several  years;  till,  at 
length,  his  strength  wearing  away,  he  retired  into  Essex,  where  he  died 
suddenly  in  his  closet  at  prayer.  The  time  of  Mr.  Watson's  death  is  not 
mentioned;  but  we  apprehend  it  ^'^  have  happened  about  a  year  after  the 
Revolution. 

Mr.  Watson  was  a  man  of  considerable  learning,  a  popular  but  judici- 
ous preacher,  and  eminent  in  the  gift  of  prayer.  Of  the  latter,  the  follow- 
ing anecdote  affords  a  sufficient  proof  Once  on  a  lecture-day,  before  the 
Bartholomew  Act  took  place,  the  learned  Bishop  Richardson  came  to  hear 
him,  and  was  so  well  pleased  with  his  sermon,  but  especially  with  the 
prayer  after  it,  that  he  followed  him  home,  returned  him  his  thanks,  and 
desired  a  copy  of  it.  "Alas!"  said  Mr.  Watson,  "that  is  what  I  cannot 
give,  for  I  do  not  use  to  pen  my  prayers;  it  was  no  studied  thing,  but 


BIOGRAPHICAL  NOTICE. 


▼u 


uttered  piv  re  nafa,  as  God  enabled  me,  from  the  abundance  of  my  heart 
and  affections."  Upon  this,  the  good  bishop  went  away,  wondering  that 
any  man  could  pray  in  so  excellent  a  manner  extempore.  Mr.  Watson 
published  a  variety  of  books  upon  practical  subjects,  and  of  a  useful 
nature.  But  his  principal  work  was  his  Body  of  Divinity  in  176  Sermons 
upon  the  Assembly's  Catechism,  which  did  not  appear  till  after  his  death. 
It  was  published  in  one  volume  folio,  in  1692,  accompanied  with  a  por- 
trait of  the  author  by  Sturt,  a  Recommendatory  Preface  by  the  Rev. 
William  Lorimer,  and  the  attestation  of  twenty-five  other  ministers,  of 
principal  note  in  that  day;  and  has  since  passed  through  a  number  of 
editions  both  in  England  and  Scotland.  • 


A    BODY 


OF 


PRACTICAL  DIVINITY. 


TO  THE  READER. 


These  Catechetical  Lectures  of  the  late  Reverend  Mr.  Thomas  Watson — all 
but  one  written  with  his  own  hand — I  have  read  over,  together  with  some  Ser- 
mons annexed  to  them  ;  and,  since  my  testimony  is  desired  concerning  them,  I 
do  hereby  declare,  that — though  I  will  not  undertake  to  justify  every  expression 
or  sentence  in  them,  or  in  any  human  writing — I  find  them,  in  the  main,  agree- 
able to  the  doctrinal  articles  of  this  church,  and  unto  the  Westminster  Assem- 
bly's Confession  of  Faith  and  Catechisms  ;  and  I  believe  that,  through  the  bles- 
sing of  God,  they  may  be  profitable  unto  the  edification  of  all  that  read  them 
with  an  honest  desire  to  know  and  do  the  will  of  God  ;  or  certainly  there  are 
many  excellent  things  in  them,  which,  if  they  meet  with  a  well-disposed  serious 
mind,  are  very  apt  to  have  a  good  effect  upon  it ;  and  if  it  prove  otherwise  with 
any  that  happen  to  read  this  book,  it  will  be  their  own  fault  more  than  the  book's. 
Most  writers  have  different  styles  :  and  it  is  well-known  that  Mr.  Watson  had  one 
peculiar  to  himself,  which  yet  hath  found  good  acceptance  with,  and  has  been 
useful  unto  serious  people  ;  and  I  hope  this — by  reason  of  the  great  variety  of 
excellent  matter — may  be  more  generally  useful  than  any  other  thing  he  ever 
wrote.  I  little  doubt  but  every  sober  Christian  will  be  of  this  mind,  after  he  has 
read  his  Lectures  on  God's  attributes,  the  Ten  commandments.  Lord's  prayer,  &c. 
I  sincerely  profess,  I  have  no  other  end  in  giving  this  testimony  of  this  book,  but 
thereby  to  serve  the  common  good  of  Christ's  church,  and  not  the  private  in- 
terest of  any  person  or  party  in  the  world  ;  if  my  conscience  did  not  bear  me  wit- 
ness that  this  book  may  be  useful  to  that  excellent  end,  no  man  should  ever  have 
prevailed  with  me,  thus  to  prefix  my  testimony  and  name  to  it.  That  it  may  an- 
swer the  main  end  for  which  it  was  at  first  written  by  the  author — whom  I  always 
took  to  be  a  grave,  serious,  modest,  good  man — and  for  which,  I  hope,  it  is  now  pub- 
lished, to  wit,  the  edification  of  the  church  of  Christ  in  faith,  holiness  and  com- 
fort, is  the  hearty  desire  of  one  of  the  meanest  servants  of  our  most  blessed 
Lord  Jesus.  William  Lorimek. 


We  whose  names  are  subscribed,  having  seen  the  testimony  of  our  worthy  brother,  Mr.  William 
Lorimer,  after  his  perusal  of  this  book,  doubt  not  but  it  may  be  of  use  to  many, — as  the  former 
writings  of  Mr.  Thomas  Watson  have  been  ;  and,  with  that  desire  and  hope,  we  recommend  it  to 
masters  of  families  and  others. 


William  Bates, 
Matthew  Barker, 
John  Howie, 
Matthew  Mead, 
Edward  Lawrence, 
Samuel  Slater, 
Richard  Mayo, 
Matthew  Sylvester, 
Daniel  Buuges, 


Joseph  Cawthorne, 
Daniel  Williams, 
Kichakd  Wavel, 
Timothy  Ckuso, 
Timothy  Rogers, 
Nathaniel  Oldfield, 
Richard  Adams, 
Richard  Steel, 
Sa-vuei  Stancliff, 


John  Raynolds, 
Nathaniel  Vincent, 
John  Hiciies, 
Josei'H  Read 
Abraham  Hume, 
RiciiAKD  Stretton, 
John  Snowtu, 
Francis  Gla.scock, 
Daniel  William^. 


PRELIMINARY  DISCOURSE 


TO 


CATECHISING. 


Jfye  continue  in  the  faith  grounded  and  settled.  Col.  i.  23. 


Intending  the  next  Lord's  day  to  enter 
upon  the  work  of  catechising,  it  will  not  be 
amiss  to  give  you  this  preliminary  discourse, 
as  preparatory  to  it ;  shewing  you  how  need- 
ful it  is  for  Christians  to  be  well  instructed 
in  the  grounds  of  religion. 

"  If  ye  continue  in  the  faith  gi-ounded 
and  settled," — Two  propositions : 

Firsts  It  is  the  duty  of  Christians  to  be 
settled  in  the  doctrine  of  faith. 

Second,  The  best  way  for  Christians  to 
be  settled,  is  to  be  well  grounded. 

DocT.  I.  That  it  is  the  duty  of  Christi- 
ans to  be  settled  in  the  doctrine  of  faith. 
It  is  the  apostle's  prayer,  1  Pet.  v.  10. 
*'  The  God  of  all  grace,  stablish,  strength- 
en, settle  you."  That  they  might  not  be 
meteors  in  the  air,  but  fixed  stars.  The 
apostle  Jude  speaks  of  '  wandering  stars,' 
V.  13.  They  are  called  wandering  stars, 
because,  as  Ai'istotle  saith,  "  They  do  leap 
up  and  down,  and  wander  into  several  parts 
of  the  heaven ;  and  being  but  dry  exhala- 
tions, not  made  of  that  pure  celestial  matter 
— as  the  fixed  stars  are — they  often  fall  to 
the  earth."  Now,  such  as  are  not  settled 
in  religion,  will,  at  one  time  or  other,  prove 
wandering  stars ;  they  mil  lose  their  former 
strictness,  and  wander  from  one  opinion 
to  another.  Such  as  are  unsettled  are  of 
the  ti'ibe  of  Reuben,  '  xmstable  as  water,' 
Gen.  xlix.  4. ;  like  a  ship  without  ballast 
overturned  with  every  wind  of  doctrine. 
Deza  writes  of  one  Belfectius,  whose  reli- 
gion changed  as  the  moon.  The  Arians 
had  every  year  a  new  faith.  These  are  not 
'  pillars'  in  the  temple  of  God,  but  '  reeds' 
shaken  every  way.  The  apostle  calls  them 
'  damnable  heresies,*  2  Pet.  ii.  1.  A  man 
may  go  to  hell  as  well  for  heresy  as  adul- 


tery. To  be  unsettled  in  religion,  argues 
want  of  judgment;  if  their  heads  were  not 
giddy,  they  would  not  reel  so  fast  from  one 
opinion  to  another.  It  argues  lightness  : 
feathers  will  be  blown  every  way, — so  will 
feathery  Christians, — Triticum  non  rapit 
ventus,  inanes  pal(EJactantur,  C"VPR.  Tliere- 
fore  such  are  compared  to  children,  Eph. 
iv.  14.  "  That  we  be  no  more  children, 
tossed  to  and  fro."  Children  are  fickle, — 
sometimes  of  one  mind,  sometimes  of  ano- 
ther ;  nothing  pleases  them  long ;  so  un- 
settled Christians  are  childish ;  those  truths 
they  embrace  at  one  time,  they  reject  at  a- 
nother ;  sometimes  they  like  the  Protestant 
religion,  and  soon  after  they  have  a  good 
mind  to  turn  Papists.  Now,  that  you  may 
labour  to  be  settled  (as  Ignatius)  in  the 
faith,  in  unsettled  times  of  settled  judg- 
ments : 

1st.  It  is  the  great  end  of  the  word 
preached,  to  bring  us  to  a  settlement  in  re- 
ligion. Eph.  iv.  11,  13.  "  And  he  gave 
some,  evangelists;  and  some,  pastors  and 
teachers;  for  the  edifying  of  the  body  of 
Christ :  that  we  henceforth  be  no  more 
children."  The  word  is  called  '  an  ham- 
mer,' Jer.  xxiii.  29.  Every  blow  of  the 
hammer  is  to  fasten  the  nails  of  the  build- 
ing ;  the  preacher's  words  are  but  to  fasten 
you  the  more  to  Christ, — they  weaken 
themselves  to  strcnjrthen  and  settle  you. 
This  is  the  grand  design  of  preaching, — 
not  only  for  the  enlightening,  but  for  the 
establishing  of  souls, — not  only  to  guide 
them  in  the  right  way,  but  to  keep  them 
in  it.  Now,  if  you  be  not  settled,  you  do 
not  answer  God's  end  in  giving  you  the 
ministry. 

2d.  To  be  settled  in  religion  is  both  a 


6 


A  PRELIMINARY  DISCOURSE 


Christian's  excellency  and  honour.  It  is 
his  excellency ;  when  the  milk  is  settled  it 
turns  to  cream  ;  now  he  will  he  something 
zealous  for  the  truth,  walk  in  close  com- 
munion with  God ;  and  his  honour,  Pro  v. 
x\'i.  31.  "  The  hoary  head  is  a  crown  of 
glory,  if  it  he  found  in  the  way  of  righteous- 
ness." It  is  one  of  the  best  sights,  to  see 
an  old  disciple, — to  see  silver  hairs  adorn- 
ed witli  golden  virtues. 

3d.  Such  as  are  not  settled  in  the  faith 
can  never  suffer  for  it;  sceptics  in  religion 
will  hardly  ever  prove  martyi's  ;  they  that 
are  not  settled  do  hang  in  suspense, — when 
they  think  of  the  joys  of  heaven,  then  they 
will  espouse  the  gospel, — but  when  they 
think  of  persecution,  then  they  desert  it. 
Unsettled  Christians  do  not  consult  what 
is  best,  but  what  is  safest :  "  The  apostate 
(saitli  Tertullian)  seems  to  put  God  and 
Satan  in  balance,  and  lia\dng  weighed  both 
their  services,  prefers  the  devil's  ser%'ice, 
and  proclaims  him  to  be  the  best  master ; 
and  in  this  sense,  may  be  said  to  '  put 
Christ  to  open  shame,' "  Heb.  vi.  6.  They 
will  never  suffer  for  the  truth,  but  be  as  a 
soldier  that  leaves  his  colours,  and  runs 
over  to  the  enemy's  side ;  he  will  fight  on 
the  devil's  side  for  pay. 

4th.  Not  to  be  settled  in  the  faith,  is 
highly  provoking  to  God.  To  espouse  the 
truth,  and  then  to  fall  away,  brings  an  ill 
report  upon  the  gospel,  which  will  not  go 
unpunished  :  Ps.  Ixxviii.  57,  59.  "  They 
turned  back,  and  dealt  unfaithfully  ;  when 
God  heard  this,  he  was  wroth,  and  greatly 
abhorred  Israel."  The  apostate  di'ops  as  a 
wind- fill  I  into  the  devil's  mouth. 

5th.  If  ye  are  not  settled  in  religion,  you 
will  never  grow.  We  are  commanded  '  to 
grow  up  into  the  head,  even  Christ,'  Eph. 
iv.  15.  But  if  we  are  unsettled,  no  grow- 
ing :  "  the  plant  which  is  continually  re- 
moving never  thrives."  He  can  no  more 
grow  in  godliness,  who  is  unsettled,  than 
a  bone  can  grow  in  the  body  that  is  out  of 
joint. 

6tli.  ^\liat  great  need  is  there  to  be  set- 
tled; because  there  are  so  many  things  to 
unsettle  us,  and  make  us  fall  away  from 
the  truth.  Seducers  are  abroad,  whose 
work  is  to  draw  away  people  from  the 
prinr'iples    of    religion :     i    John    ii.    26., 


"  These  things  have  I  written  unto  you 
concerning  them  that  seduce  you."  Se- 
ducers are  the  devil's  factors ;  they  are  of 
all  others  the  greatest  felons,  that  would 
rob  you  of  the  truth  ;  seducers  have  silver 
tongues;  a  fair  tongue  can  put  off  bad 
wares  ;  they  have  a  slight  to  deceive,  Eph. 
iv.  14.  The  Greek  word  there  is  taken 
from  those  that  can  cog  a  dye,  and  cast  it 
for  the  best  advantage ;  so  seducers  are 
impostors, — they  can  cog  a  dye, — they  can 
so  dissemble  and  sophisticate  the  truth  that 
they  can  deceive  others.  Now,  the  style 
by  which  seducers  use  to  deceive,  is : 

1.  By  wisdom  of  words:  Rom.  xvi.  18., 
"  By  good  words  and  fair  speeches  they 
deceive  the  hearts  of  the  simple."  They 
have  fine  elegant  phrases,  flattering  lan- 
guage, whereby  they  work  on  the  weaker 
sort,  as  being  christed  with  Christ,  and  the 
light  within  them. 

2.  Another  slight  is  a  pretence  of  extra- 
ordinary piety,  that  so  people  may  admire 
them  and  suck  in  their  doctrine.  They 
seem  to  be  men  of  zeal  and  sanctitj^,  and  to 
be  divinely  inspired ;  they  pretend  revela- 
tions, as  Munster,  Michael  Servetus,  and 
others  of  the  Anabaptists  in  Germany, 
though  thefy  were  tainted  with  pride,  lust, 
and  avarice. 

3.  A  third  slight  or  cheat  seducers  have 
is  a  labouring  to  vilify  and  nullify  sound 
orthodox  teachers  ;  they  would  eclipse  those 
that  bring  the  truth,  like  unto  the  black 
vapours  that  darken  the  light  of  heaven ; 
they  would  defame  others,  that  themselves 
may  be  more  admired.  Thus  the  false  teach- 
ers cried  down  Paul,  that  they  might  be  re- 
ceived, Gal.  iv.  17. 

4.  The  fourth  slight  or  cheat  of  seducers 
is  by  "preaching  doctrine  of  liberty:"  as 
the  Antinomiau  preacheth  that  men  are 
freed  from  the  moral  law, — the  rule  as  well 
as  the  curse.  He  preacheth  that  Christ  hath 
done  all  for  them,  and  they  need  to  do  no- 
thinjr.  So  he  makes  the  doctrine  of  free 
grace  a  key  to  open  the  door  to  all  licen- 
tiousness. 

5.  Another  thing  to  unsettle  Christians 
is  persecutors,  2  Tim.  ii.  12.  The  gospel 
is  a  rose;  it  cannot  be  plucked  without 
prickles.  The  legacy  Christ  hath  bequeath- 
ed is  the  Cuoss.     While  there  is  a  devil 


TO  CATECHISING. 


and  a  wicked  man  in  the  world,  never  ex- 
pect a  charter  of  exemption  from  trouble ; 
and  how  many  fall  away  in  an  hour  of  per- 
secution? Rev.  xii.  3,4.,  "  There  appeared  a 
great  red  dragon,  having  seven  heads  and 
ten  horns :  and  his  tail  drew  the  third  part 
of  the  stars  of  heaven  :"  the  red  dragon,  tlie 
heathenisli  empire, — and  his  tail,  viz.  his 
power  and  subtlety,  drew  away  stars,  viz. 
eminent  professors  that  seemed  to  shine  as 
stars  in  the  firmament  of  the  church.  There- 
fore we  see  what  need  there  is  to  be  settled 
in  the  truth,  for  fear  the  tail  of  the  di-agon 
cast  us  to  the  earth. 

6.  To  be  unsettled  in  good  is  the  sin  of 
the  dcAils,  Jude  6.  They  are  called  '  morn- 
ing stars,'  Job  xxxviii.  7.  but  '  falling  stars ;' 
they  were  holy,  but  mutable.  As  the  ves- 
sel is  overturned  with  the  sail,  so  their  sails, 
being  swelled  with  pride,  were  overturned, 
1  Tim.  iii.  6.  By  unsettledness,  who  dost 
thou  imitate  but  lapsed  angels  ?  Tlie  devil 
was  the  first  apostate.  So  much  for  the 
first  proposition,  that  it  is  a  great  duty  of 
Christians  to  be  settled ;  the  sons  of  Sion 
should  be  like  mount  Sion,  which  cannot 
be  removed. 

DocT.  II.  'Tae  second  proposition  is, 
that  the  way  for  Christians  to  be  settled,  is 
to  be  well  grounded :  "  if  ye  continue 
grounded  and  settled."  The  Greek  word 
for  grounded,  a  metaphor ;  it  alludes  to  a 
building  that  hath  the  foundation  well  laid; 
so  Christians  should  be  grounded  in  the  es- 
sential points  of  religion,  and  have  their 
foundation  well  laid. 

Here  let  me  speak  to  two  things :  1.  That 
we  should  be  gioundcd  in  the  knowledge  of 
fundamentals.  2.  That  this  grounding  is 
the  best  way  to  settling. 

1.  That  we  should  be  grounded  in  the 
knowledge  of  fundamentals.  The  apostle 
speaks  of  the  '  first  principles  of  the  oracles 
of  God,'  Heb.  v.  13.  In  all  arts  and  scien- 
ces, logic,  physic,  mathematics,  there  are 
dome ]ira;co{/nita, — some  rules  and  principles 
that  must  necessarily  be  known  to  the  prac- 
tice of  those  arts:  so,  in  divinity,  there 
must  be  the  first  principles  laid  down. 
The  knowledge  of  the  grounds  and  princi- 
j)les  of  religion  is  exceeding  useful : 

1.  Else  we  cannot  serve  God  aright;  we 
can  never  worship  God  acceptably,  unless 


we  worship  liirn  regularly ;  and  how  can 
we  do  that,  if  we  are  ignorant  of  the  rules 
and  elements  of  religion  ?  We  are  bid  to 
give  God  a  '  reasonable  serAice,'  Rom.  xii. 
1.  If  we  understand  not  the  grounds  of 
religion,  how  can  it  be  a  reasonable  ser- 
vice ? 

2.  Knowledge  of  the  grounds  of  religion 
much  enricheth  ilie  mind;  it  is  a  lamp  to 
our  feet ;  it  directs  us  in  the  whole  course 
of  Christianity,  as  the  eye  directs  the  body. 
Knowledge  of  fundamentals  is  the  golden 
key  that  opens  the  chief  mysteries  of  reli- 
gion ;  it  gives  us  a  whole  system  and  body 
of  divinity  exactly  drawn  in  all  its  linea- 
ments and  lively  colours ;  it  helps  us  to  un- 
derstand many  of  those  difficult  things 
which  do  occur  in  the  reading  of  the  word; 
it  helps  to  untie  many  scripture-knots. 

3.  Armour  of  proof;  it  doth  furnish  us 
with  weapons  to  fight  against  the  adversa- 
ries of  the  truth. 

4.  It  is  the  holy  seed  of  which  grace  is 
formed ;  It  is  semen  Jidei,  '  the  seed  of 
faith,'  Ps.  ix.  10.  It  is  radix  amorisy  '  the 
root  of  love,'  Eph.  iii.  17.,  "  Being  rooted 
and  grounded  in  love."  The  knowledge 
of  principles  conducetli  to  the  making  of  a 
complete  Christian. 

2d.  That  this  grounding  is  the  best  way 
to  settling :  '  grounded  and  settled.'  A  tree 
that  it  may  be  well  settled,  must  be  well 
rooted ;  so,  if  you  be  well  settled  in  religion, 
you  must  be  rooted  in  the  principles  of  it. 
He,  in  Plutarch,  set  up  a  dead  man,  and 
he  would  not  stand :  "  O,"  saith  he,  "  there 
must  be  something  within  ;"  so,  that  we  may 
stand  in  shaking  times,  there  must  be  a  prin- 
ciple of  knowledge  within, — first  gi'ound- 
cd,  and  then  settled.  That  the  ship  may 
be  kept  from  overturning,  it  must  lun  e  its 
anchor  fastened;  knowledge  of  principles  is 
to  the  soul  as  the  anchor  to  the  ship,  that 
holds  it  steady  in  the  midst  of  all  tlie  roll- 
ing waves  of  error,  or  the  violent  winds  of 
persecution.  First  grounded  and  then  set- 
tled. 

Use  I.  See  the  reason  why  so  many  peo- 
ple are  unsettled,  ready  to  embrace  CAcry 
novel  opinion,  and  dress  themselves  in  a« 
many  religions  as  they  do  fashions ;  it  is 
because  they  are  ungrounded.  See  how 
the  aj)ostlc  joins  tJiese  two  together,   '  iiu- 


8 


MAN'S  CHIEF  END  IS  TO  GLORIFY  GOD. 


learned  and  unstable,'  2  Pet.  iii.  16.  Such 
as  are  unlearned  in  the  main  points  of  di- 
vinity, will  be  unstable.  As  the  body  can- 
not be  strong  that  hath  the  sinews  shrunk ; 
so  neither  can  that  Christian  be  stronjr  in 
reli^on  wlio  wants  the  grounds  of  know- 
ledge, wliich  are  the  sinews  to  strengthen 
and  stablish  liim. 

Use  II.  See  then  what  great  necessity 
there  is  of  laying  down  all  the  main  grounds 
of  religion  in  a  catechetical  form,  that  the 
weakest  judgment  may  be  instructed  in  the 
knowledge  of  the  truth,  and  strengthened 
in  the  love  of  it.  Catechising  is  the  best 
expedient  for  the  grou!:ding»and  settling  of 
people.  I  fear,  one  reason  why  there  hath 
been  no  more  good  done  by  preaching,  hath 
been  because  the  chief  heads  and  articles  in 
religion  liave  not  been  explained  in  a  cate- 
chistical  way.  Catechising  is  the  laying 
the  foundation,  Heb.  vi.  1.  To  preach,  and 
not  to  catechise,  is  to  build  without  a  foun- 
dation. This  way  of  catechising  is  not 
novel,  it  is  apostolical.  The  primitive 
church  had  their  forms  of  catechism:  so 
much  those  phrases  imply,  a  '  form  of  sound 


words,'  2  Tim.  i.  13.  and  '  the  first  princi- 
ples of  the  oracles  of  God,'  Heb.  v.  12. ; 
and  since  the  church  had  their  catechume- 
noi,  as  Grotius  and  Erasmus  observe,  many 
of  the  ancient  fathers  have  written  for  it, 
Fulgentius,  Austin,  Theodoret,  Lactantius, 
and  others.  God  hath  given  great  success 
to  it.  By  this  laying  down  of  grounds  of 
religion  catechistically.  Christians  have  been 
clearly  instructed  and  wondrously  built  up 
in  the  Christian  faith ;  insomuch,  that  Ju- 
lian the  apostate,  seeing  the  great  success  of 
catechising,  did  put  down  all  schools  and 
places  of  public  literature,  and  instructing 
of  youth.  It  is  my  design  therefore  (with 
the  blessing  of  God)  to  begin  this  work  of 
catechising  the  next  sabbath-day ;  and  I  in- 
tend every  other  sabbath,  in  the  afternoon, 
to  make  it  my  whole  work  to  lay  down  the 
grounds  and  fundamentals  of  religion  in  a 
catechistical  way.  If  I  am  hindered  in  this 
work  by  men,  or  taken  away  by  death,  I 
lioj)e  God  will  raise  up  some  other  laboiu'er 
in  the  vineyard  among  you,  that  may  per- 
fect this  work  which  I  am  now  beirin- 
ning. 


MAN'S  CHIEF  END  IS  TO  GLORIFY  GOD. 


Quest.  1.  WHAT  is  the  chief  end  of  man  ? 

Ans.  Man's  chief  end  is  to  glorify  God, 
and  to  enjoy  Him  for  ever. 

Here  are  two  ends  of  life  specified :  1st. 
The  glorifying  of  God.  2d.  The  enjoying 
of  God. 

I.  I  begin  with  the  first,  the  glorifving 
of  God,  1  Pet.  iv.  11.,  "  That  God  in  all 
things  may  be  glorified.""  The  glory  of  God 
is  a  silver  thread  which  must  run  tln-ousrh 
all  our  actions;  I  Cor.  x.  31.,  "  Whether 
thci-efore  ye  eat  or  (b'ink,  or  Avhatsoever  ye 
do,  <h)  all  to  tlie  glory  of  God."  Every  thing 
works  to  some  end  in  things  natural  and 
artilicial  ;  now  man  being  a  rational  cTea- 
tiire,  must  propose  some  end  to  himself, 
and  tliat  is,  that  he  may  lift  up  God  in  the 
world;  aiid  better  lose  his  life;  than  lose  the 
end  of  liis  living;  so  then,  the  great  truth 
asserted  is  this,  that  the  end  of  every  man's 
linng,  is  to  glorify  God;  this  is  the  yearly 
rent  that  is  paid  to  the  crown  of  heaven. 


Glorifying  of  God  hath  respect  to  all  the 
persons  in  the  Trinity ;  it  respects  God  tiie 
Father,  who  gave  us  our  life ;  it  respects 
God  the  Son,  who  lost  his  life  for  us ;  it 
respects  God  the  Holy  Ghost,  who  produc- 
eth  a  new  life  in  us ;  we  must  bring  glory 
to  the  whole  Trinity. 

When  we  speak  of  God's  glory,  the  ques- 
tion will  be  moved, 

Q.  JVIiat  we  are  to  understand  by  God's 
glory  ? 

Ans.  There  is  a  twofold  glory:  1.  The 
glory  that  God  hath  in  himself,  his  intrin- 
s-ical  glory.  Glory  is  essential  to  the  God- 
head, as  light  is  to  the  sun;  he  is  called 
the  '  God  of  glory,'  Acts  vii.  2.  Glory  is 
the  sparkling  of  the  Deity ;  glory  is  so  co- 
natural  to  the  Godlicad,  that  God  cannot 
be  God  without  it.  The  creature's  honour 
is  not  essential  to  his  being ;  a  king  is  a 
man  without  his  regal  ornaments,  when 
his  crown  and  royal  robe  arc  taken  away, 


MAN'S  CHIEF  END  IS  TO  GLORIFY  GOD. 


but  God's  glory  is  sucli  an  essential  part 
of  his  being,  that  he  cannot  be  God  with- 
out it;  God's  very  life  lies  in  his  glory. 
This  glory  can  receive  no  addition,  because 
it  is  infinite  ;  this  glory  is  that  wliich  God 
is  most  tender  of,  and  which  he  will  not 
part  with,  Isa.  xlviii.  11.,  "  My  glory  I  will 
not  give  to  another."  God  will  give  tem- 
poral blessings  to  his  children,  such  as  wis- 
dom, riches,  honour ;  he  will  give  them  spi- 
ritual blessings, — he  will  give  them  grace, 
— he  will  give  them  his  love, — he  will  give 
them  heaven, — but  his  essential  glory  he 
will  not  give  to  another.  King  Pharaoh 
parted  with  a  ring  off  his  finger  to  Joseph, 
and  a  gold  chain,  but  he  would  not  part 
with  his  throne,  Gen.  xli.  40.,  '  Only  in 
the  throne  will  I  be  greater  than  thou.' 
So  God  will  do  much  for  his  people ;  he 
will  give  them  the  inheritance  ;  he  will  put 
some  of  Christ's  glory,  as  mediator,  upon 
them ;  but  his  essential  glory  he  will  not 
part  with ;  '  in  the  throne  he  will  be 
greater.' 

2.  The  glory  which  is  ascribed  to  God, 
or  which  his  creatures  labour  to  bring  to 
him*.  1  Chron.  xvi.  29.,  "Give  unto  the 
Lord  the  glory  due  unto  his  name,"  and, 
1  Cor.  vi.  20.,  "  Glorify  God  in  your  body 
and  in  your  spirit."  The  glory  we  give 
God,  is  nothing  else  but  our  lifting  up  his 
name  in  tlie  world,  and  magnifying  him  in 
the  eyes  of  others  :  Phil.  i.  20.,  "  Christ 
shall  be  magnified  in  my  body." 

Q.  W/iat  is  it  to  glorify  God,  or  U'hereiti 
doth  it  consist  ? 

A.  Glorifying  of  God  consists  in  four 
things :  1st.  Appreciation,  2d.  Adoration, 
3d.  Affection,  4th.  Subjection.  This  is  the 
yearly  rent  wc  pay  to  the  crown  of  lieaven. 

1.  Appreciation.  To  glorify  God,  is  to  set 
God  highest  in  our  thoughts, — to  have  a  ve- 
nerable esteem  of  him :  Ps.  xcii.  8.,  "Thou, 
Lord,  art  most  high  for  evermore ;"  Ps. 
xc^di.  9.,  "  Thou  art  exalted  far  above  all 
gods."  There  is  in  God  all  that  may  draw 
forth  both  wonder  and  delight ;  there  is  in 
him  a  constellation  of  all  beauties ;  he  is  pri- 
ma causa, — the  original  and  spring-head 
of  being,  who  sheds  a  glory  upon  the  crea- 
ture. This  is  to  fflorifv  God,  when  we  are 
God-admirers ;  we  admire  God  in  his  at- 
tributes, wliich  are  the  glistering  beams  by 


which  the  di\ine  nature  shines  forth  ;  wo 
admire  him  in  his  promises,  which  are  the 
charter  of  free  grace,  and  the  spiritual  cabi 
net  where  the  pearl  of  price  is  hid ;  we  ad- 
mire God  in  the  noble  effects  of  his  power 
and  wisdom,  viz.  tlie  making  of  the  world, 
tliis  is  called  tlie  '  work  of  his  fingers,'  Ps, 
viii.  3.,  such  curious  needle-work  it  was, 
that  none  but  a  God  could  work.  This 
is  to  glorify  God,  to  have  God-admiring 
thoughts;  we  esteem  him  most  excellent, 
and  search  for  diamonds  only  in  this  rock. 

2.  Glorifying  of  God  consists  in  adora- 
tion, or  worship  :  Ps.  xxix.  2.,  "  Give  un 
to  the  Lord  the  glory  due  unto  his  name ; 
worship  the  Lord  in  the  beauty  of  holiness." 
There  is  a  twofold  worship :  1st.  A  civil 
reverence  we  give  to  persons  of  honour: 
Gen.  xxiii.  7.,  "  Abraham  stood  up  and  bow- 
ed himself  to  the  children  of  Heth," — 
Piety  is  no  enemy  to  Courtesy.  2d.  A  di- 
vine worship  which  we  give  to  God,  is  his 
prerogative  royal :  Neh.  viii.  6.,  "  They 
bowed  their  heads,  and  worshipped  the 
Lord  with  their  faces  towards  the  ground." 
This  divine  worship  God  is  very  jealous 
of;  this  is  the  apple  of  his  eye,  this  is  the 
pearl  of  his  crown,  which  he  guards,  as  he 
did  the  tree  of  life,  with  cherubims  and  a 
flaming  sword,  that  no  man  may  come  near 
it  to  violate  it ;  divine  worship  must  be 
such  as  God  himself  hath  appointed,  else 
it  is  offering  strange  fire.  Lev.  x.  2.  Tlie 
Lord  would  have  Moses  make  the  taberna- 
cle, "  according  to  the  pattern  in  the 
Mount,"  Exod.  xxv.  40.;  he  must  not  leave 
out  any  thing  in  the  pattern,  nor  add  to  it. 
If  God  was  so  exact  and  curious  about  the 
place  of  worship,  how  exact  will  he  be  a- 
bout  the  matter  of  his  worship  ?  Surely 
here  every  thing  must  be  according  to  the 
pattern  prescribed  in  his  word. 

3.  Affection.  This  is  a  part  of  the  glory 
we  give  to  God.  God  counts  himself  glo- 
rified when  lie  is  loved :  Deut.  vi.  5.,  "  Thou 
slialt  love  the  Lord  tliy  God  witli  all  thy 
heart,  and  \Wth  all  thy  soul."  Tliore  is  a 
twofold  love  •  1st.  Amor  concupiscentice,  a 
love  of  concupiscence,  which  is  self-love, 
as  when  we  love  another,  because  he  doth 
us  a  good  turn  :  thus  a  wicked  man  may 
be  said  to  love  God,  because  he  hath  given 
him  a  good   crop,  or  filled  his  cup  with. 

B 


lu 


MAN'S  CHIEF  END  IS  TO  GLORIFY  GOD. 


wine,  and,  to  speak  properly,  this  is  rather 
to  love  God's  blessing  than  to  love  God. 
2d.  Amor  amicitice,  a  love  of  delight,  as  a 
man  takes  delight  in  a  friend ;  this  is  in- 
deed to  love  God ;  the  heart  is  set  upon 
God,  as  a  man's  heart  is  set  upon  his  trea- 
sure. And,  this  love  is,  1st.  Exuberant, 
not  a  few  drops  but  a  stream  ;  2d.  It  is  su- 
perlative; we  give  God  the  best  of  our 
love,  the  cream  of  it,  Cant.  viii.  2.,  "  I 
would  cause  thee  to  drink  of  spiced  wine, 
of  tlie  juice  of  my  pomegranate."  If  the 
spouse  had  a  cup  more  juicy  and  spiced, 
Christ  must  drink  of  it.  3d.  It  is  intense 
and  ardent  ;  true  saints  are  seraphims, 
burning  in  holy  love  to  God.  The  spouse 
was  amove  perculsa, — in  fainting  fits,  '  sick 
of  lo^'e,'  Cant.  ii.  5.  Thus  to  love  God 
is  to  glorify  him ;  he  who  is  the  chief  of 
our  happiness,  hath  the  chief  of  our  affec- 
tions. 

4.  Subjection.  ^Tien  we  dedicate  our- 
selves to  God,  and  stand  ready  dressed  for 
his  ser\'ice.  Thus  the  angels  in  heaven 
glorify  him  ;  they  wait  on  his  throne,  and 
are  ready  to  take  a  commission  from  him  ; 
therefore  they  are  represented  by  the  che- 
rubims  with  their  wings  displayed,  to  show 
how  swift  the  angels  are  in  their  obedience. 
Tliis  is  to  glorify  God,  when  we  are  devot- 
ed to  his  service, — our  head  studies  for 
God, — our  tongue  pleads  for  him, — our 
hands  relieve  his  members.  The  wise  men 
that  came  to  Christ  did  not  only  bow  the 
knee  to  him,  but  presented  him  with  gold 
and  myrrh,  Matth.  ii.  11.;  so  we  must  not 
only  bow  the  knee,  give  God  worship,  but 
bring  presents,  golden  obedience.  This  is  to 
glorify  God,  when  we  stick  at  no  service, — 
when  we  fight  under  the  banner  of  his  gos- 
pel against  regiments,  and  say  to  him  as 
David  to  king  Saul,  1  Sam.  xvii.  32.,  "  Thy 
servant  will  go  and  fight  with  this  Philis- 
tine." Thus  vou  see  wherein  tlie  jrlorifv- 
ing  of  God  doth  consist :  in  appreciation, 
atloration,  affection,  subjection. 

A  good  Christian  is  like  the  sun,  which 
doth  not  only  send  fortli  heat,  but  goes  his 
circuit  round  the  world.  Tims,  he  who 
glorifies  God,  hath  not  only  his  affections 
heated  witli  love  to  God,  but  he  goes  his 
circuit  too ;  he  moves  vigorously  in  the 
sphere  of  obedience. 


Q.   Why  must  we  glorify  God  ? 

A.  1.  Because  he  gives  us  our  being,  Ps. 
c.  3,,  "  It  is  he  that  mad  ■  us."  We  think 
it  a  great  kindness  in  a  man  to  spare  our 
life,  but  what  kindness  is  it  in  God  to  give 
us  our  life  ?  We  draw  our  breath  from 
him ;  and  as  life,  so  all  the  comforts  of  life 
are  from  God ;  he  gives  us  health,  which 
is  the  sauce  to  sweeten  our  life ;  he  gives 
us  food,  which  is  the  oil  that  nourisheth  the 
lamp  of  life  ;  now,  if  all  we  receive  is  from 
the  hand  of  his  bounty,  is  it  not  good  rea- 
son we  should  glorify  him,  and  live  to  him, 
seeing  we  live  by  him  ?  Rom.  xi.  36., 
"  For  of  him,  and  through  him  arc  all 
things."  Of  him  are  all, — all  we  have  is 
of  his  fulness;  through  him  are  all, — all 
we  have  is  through  his  free  grace;  and 
therefore  to  him  should  be  all ;  so  it  fol- 
lows, "  To  him  be  glory  for  ever."  God 
is  not  only  our  benefactor,  but  our  founder ; 
the  rivers  come  from  the  sea,  and  they 
empty  their   silver   streams   into   the  sea 


again. 


A.  2.  Because  God  hath  made  all  things 
for  his  own  glory  :  Prov.  ^y\.  4.,  "  The 
Lord  hath  made  all  things  for  himself," — 
that  is,  '  for  his  glory.'  As  a  king  hath 
excise  out  of  commodities,  God  \vill  have 
his  glory  out  of  every  thing ;  he  will  have 
glory  out  of  the  wicked,  the  glory  of  his 
justice ;  they  will  not  give  him  glory,  but 
he  will  get  his  glory  upon  them  :  Exod. 
xiv.  17.,  "  I  will  get  me  honour  upon 
Pharaoh."  But  especially  he  hath  made 
the  godly  for  his  glory ;  they  are  the  lively 
organs  of  his  praise,  Isa.  xliii.  21.,  "  This 
people  have  I  formed  for  myself,  and  they 
shall  shew  forth  my  praise."  It  is  true, 
they  cannot  add  to  his  glory,  but  they  may 
exalt  it ;  they  cannot  raise  him  in  lieaA'en, 
but  they  may  raise  him  in  the  esteem  of 
others.  God  hath  adopted  the  saints  into 
his  family,  and  made  them  a  royal  ]>riest- 
hood,  that  they  should  shew  f(»vth  the 
})raises  of  him  who  hath  called  them,  1  Pet. 
ii.  9. 

A.  3.  Because  the  glory  of  God  hath 
such  intrinsic  value  and  excellency  in  it ; 
it  transcends  the  thoughts  of  men  and  the 
tongues  of  angels  ;  God's  glory  is  his  trea- 
sure, all  his  riches  lie  here ;  as  Micah  saifL 
Judges  xviii.  24.,  "  What  have  1  more  ?'* 


MAN'S  CHIEF  END  IS  TO  GLORIFY  GOD. 


11 


So  of  God,  wliat  hath  God  more  ?  God's 
glory  is  more  worth  tlian  licaven,  more 
worth  than  the  salvation  of  all  men's  souls  ; 
better  kingdoms  be  thrown  down,  better 
men  and  angels  be  aniiihilated,  than  God 
should  lose  one  jewel  of  his  crown,  one 
beam  of  his  glory. 

A.  4.  Creatures  below  us,  and  above  us, 
bring  glory  to  God ;  and  do  we  think  to 
sit  rent  free  ?  Shall  every  thing  glorify 
God,  but  man  ?  It  is  a  pity  then  that  eA'er 
man  was  made.  1.  Creatures  below  us 
glorify  God, — the  inanimate  creatures, — 
the  heavens  glorify  God,  Ps  xix.  1.,  "  The 
heavens  declare  the  glory  of  God."  The 
curious  workmanship  of  heaven  sets  forth 
the  glory  of  its  maker ;  the  firmament  is 
beautified  and  penciled  out  in  blue  and 
azure  colours,  where  the  power  and  wis- 
dom of  God  may  be  clearly  seen.  "  The 
heavens  declare  his  glory ;"  we  may  see 
the  glory  of  God  blazing  in  the  sun,  twink- 
ling in  the  stars.  2.  Look  into  the  air; 
the  birds,  with  their  chirping  music,  sing 
hymns  of  praise  to  God,  saith  Ansel m. 
Every  beast  doth  in  its  kind  glorify  God, 
Isa.   xliii.   20.,    "  The  beasts  of  the   field 


shall  honour  me." 


o. 


Creatures  above  us 


glorify  God ;  "  the  angels  are  ministering 
spirits,"  Heb.  i.  14.  They  are  still  waiting 
on  God's  throne,  and  bring  some  revenues 
of  glory  into  the  exchequer  of  heaven.  Then 
surely  man  should  be  much  more  studious 
of  God's  glory  than  the  angels ;  for  God 
hath  honoured  him  more  than  the  angels, 
in  that  Christ  took  man's  nature  upon  him, 
and  not  the  angels' :  although,  in  regard 
of  creation,  God  hath  made  man  "  a  little 
lower  than  the  angels,"  Heb.  ii.  7.,  yet,  in 
regard  of  redemption,  God  hath  set  him 
higher  than  the  angels  ;  he  hath  married 
mankind  to  himself;  the  angels  are  Christ's 
friends,  but  not  his  spouse ;  he  hath  cover- 
ed us  with  the  purple  robe  of  righteousness, 
which  is  a  better  righteousness  than  the  an- 
gels have,  2  Cor.  v.  21.  So  that  if  the  an- 
gels bring  gh^ry  to  God,  much  more  should 
we,  being  dignified  with  honour  above  the 
angelical  spirits. 

A.  5.  We  must  bring  glory  to  God,  be- 
cause all  our  hopes  hang  upon  him,  Ps. 
xxxix.  7.,  "  My  hope  is  in  thee."  And 
Ps.  Ixii.  5.,  "  My  expectation  is  from  him  ;" 


I  expect  a  kingdom  from  him.  A  child 
that  is  good-natured  will  honour  his  pa- 
rent, as  expecting  all  that  ever  he  is  like 
to  be  worth  from  him,  Ps.  Ixxxvii,  7., 
"All  my  springs  are  in  thee," — the  silver 
springs  of  grace,  the  golden  springs  of 
glory. 

Q.  Hoiv  many  waj/s  may  we  glorify  God  ? 
A.  1.  It  is  a  glorifying  God,  when  we 
aim  purely  at  God's  glory ;  it  is  one  thing 
to  advance  God's  glory,  another  thing  to 
aim  at  it.  God  must  be  the  terminus  ad 
quern,  the  ultimate  end  of  all  actions.  Thus 
Christ,  John  viii.  50.,  "  I  seek  not  mine 
own  glory,  but  the  glory  of  him  that  sent 
me."  It  is  the  note  of  an  hypocrite,  he 
hath  a  squint  eye,  he  looks  more  to  his  own 
glory  than  God's  glory.  Our  Saviour  de- 
cyphers  such,  and  gives  a  caveat  against 
them,  Matth.  -vi.  2.,  "  When  thou  givest 
alms,  do  not  sound  a  trumpet."  A  stranger 
would  ask,  '  What  means  the  noise  of  this 
trumpet  ?'  Then  it  was  answered,  '  they 
are  going  to  give  to  the  poor.'  And  so  they 
did  not  give  alms,  but  sell  them  for  honour 
and  applause,  that  they  might  have  glory 
of  men ;  the  breath  of  men  was  the  wind 
that  blew  the  sails  of  their  charity, — 
"  verily  they  have  their  reward."  The 
hypocrite  may  make  his  acquittance  and 
write,  '  received  in  full  payment.'  Chry- 
sostom  calls  vain-glory  one  of  the  devil's 
great  nets  to  catch  men.  And  Cyprian 
says,  "  whom  Satan  cannot  prevail  against 
by  intemperance,  those  he  prevails  against 
by  pride  and  vain-glory."  O  let  us  take 
heed  of  self-worshipping  !  aim  purely  at 
God's  glory. 

Q.  Hoiv  shall  we  knoiv  v:e  aim  at  God's 
glory  ? 

1.  AVlien  we  prefer  God's  glory  above 
all  other  things ;  aboAC  credit,  estate,  rela- 
tions ;  when  the  glory  of  God  coming  in 
competition  with  them,  we  prefer  his  glory 
before  them.  If  relations  lie  in  our  way 
to  heaven,  m'c  must  either  leap  over  them, 
or  tread  upon  them  ;  a  child  must  unchild 
himself,  and  forget  he  is  a  child ;  he  must 
know  neither  father  nor  mother  in  God'a 
cause,  Deut.  xxxiii.  9.,  "  Who  said  unlo 
his  father  and  mothor,  I  have  not  seen 
him  ;  neither  did  he  acknowledge  his  breth- 
ren."    This  is  to  aim  at  God's  glory. 


12 


MANS  CHIEF  END  IS  TO  GLORIFY  GOD. 


2.  Tlien  we  aim  at  God's  glory,  when 
we  can  be  content  tliat  God's  mil  should 
take  place,  though  it  cross  ours.  Lord,  I 
am  content  to  be  a  loser,  if  thou  be  a  gain- 
er ;  to  have  less  health,  if  I  have  more 
grace,  and  thou  more  glory  ;  whetlicr  it  be 
food  or  bitter  physic  thou  givcst  me.  Lord 
I  desire  that  which  may  be  most  for  thy 
glory.  Thus  our  blessed  Saviour,  "  not 
as  I  wiW,  but  as  thou  wilt,"  Matth.  xxvi. 
39.  So  God  might  have  more  glory  by 
his  sufferings,  he  was  content  to  suffer, 
John  xii.  28.,   "  Father,  glorify  thy  name." 

3.  Then  we  aim  at  God's  glory,  when 
we  can  be  content  to  be  out-shined  by 
others  in  gifts  and  esteem,  so  God's  glory 
may  be  increased.  A  man  that  hath  God 
in  his  heart,  and  God's  glory  in  his  eye, 
desires  that  God  should  be  exalted ;  and  if 
this  be  effected,  let  who  will  be  the  instru- 
ment, he  rejoiceth,  Phil.  i.  15.,  "  Some 
preach  Christ  of  en^vy :  notwithstanding 
Christ  is  preached,  and  I  therein  do  rejoice, 
yea,  and  will  rejoice."  They  preached 
Christ  of  envy,  they  envied  Paul  that  con- 
course of  people,  and  they  preached  that 
they  might  outshine  him  in  gifts,  and  get 
away  some  of  his  hearers :  well,  saith 
Paul,  Christ  is  preached,  and  God  is  like 
to  have  glory,  therefore  I  rejoice ;  let  my 
candle  go  out,  if  the  Sun  of  Righteousness 
may  but  shine. 

A.  2.  We  glorify  God  by  an  ingenuous 
confession  of  sin.  The  thief  on  the  cross 
had  dishonoured  God  in  his  life,  but  at  his 
deatli  he  brings  glory  to  God  by  confession 
of  sin,  Luke  xxiii.  41.,  "  We  indeed  suffer 
justly."  He  acknowledged  he  deserved 
not  only  crucifixion,  but  damnation.  Josh. 
vii.  19,,  "  My  son,  give,  I  pray  thee,  glory 
to  God,  and  make  confession  unto  him," 
An  humble  confession  exalts  God.  How 
is  God's  free  grace  magnified  in  crowning 
those  wlio  deserve  to  be  condemned ;  as 
the  excusing  and  mincing  of  sin  doth  cast 
a  reproach  upon  God  !  Adam  denies  not 
he  did  taste  the  forbidden  fruit,  but,  instead 
of  a  full  confession,  he  taxes  God,  Gen.  iii. 
12,,  "  The  woman  whom  thou  gavcst  me, 
she  gave  me  of  the  tree,  and  1  did  eat." 
If  thou  hadst  not  given  me  the  woman  to 
be  a  tempter,  I  had  not  sinned.  So  con- 
fession glorifies  God ;  it  clears  him,  it  ac- 


knowledge th  he  is  holy  and  rlg"hteous  what- 
ever he  doth,  Nehemiah  vindicates  God'a 
righteousness,  chap.  ix.  .'3.,  "  Thou  art 
just  in  all  that  is  brought  upon  us."  A 
confession  then  is  ingenuous,  when  it  is 
free,  not  forced,  Luke  xv.  18.,  "  I  have 
sinned  against  heaven,  and  before  thee." 
lie  chargeth  himself  with  sin,  before  ever 
his  Father  charged  him  ^\^th  it. 

A.  3.  We  glorify  God  by  belicA-ing, 
Rom.  iv.  20,,  "  Abraham  was  strong  in 
faith,  giving  glory  to  God."  Unbelief  af- 
fronts God,  it  gives  him  the  lie  ;  "  he  that 
believeth  not,  maketh  God  a  liar,"  1  John 
V,  10.  So  faith  brings  glory  to  God,  it  sets 
to  its  seal  that  God  is  true,  John  iii.  23 
He  that  believes,  flies  to  God's  mercy  and 
truth,  as  to  an  altar  of  refuge ;  he  doth  in- 
garrison  himself  in  the  promises  ;  he  trusts 
all  he  hath  with  God,  Ps.  xxxi.  5.,  "  Into 
thy  hands  I  commit  my  spirit."  Tliis  is 
a  gi-eat  way  of  bringing  glory  to  God,  there- 
fore God  honours  faith,  because  faith  ho- 
nours God.  It  is  a  great  honour  we  do 
to  a  man,  when  we  trust  him  with  all  we 
have, — we  put  our  lives  and  estates  into 
his  hand, — a  sign  we  have  a  good  opinion 
of  him.  The  three  children  glorified  God 
by  believing,  "  The  God  whom  we  serve 
is  able  to  deliver  us,  and  will  deliver  us," 
Dan.  iii.  17.  Faitli  knows  there  are  no  im- 
possibilities with  God,  and  will  trust  him 
where  it  cannot  trace  him. 

A.  4,  We  glorify  God,  by  being  tender 
of  God's  glory.  God's  glory  is  dear  to 
him  as  the  apple  of  his  eye.  No\v,  when 
we  are  tender  of  his  glory,  by  laying  to 
heart  his  dishonours,  this  is  a  glorifying  of 
him.  An  ingenuous  child  weeps  to  see  a 
disgrace  done  to  his  father,  Ps.  Ixix.  9., 
"  The  reproaches  of  them  that  reproach 
thee  are  fallen  upon  me."  Wlicn  we  hear 
God  re})roached,  it  is  as  if  we  were  re- 
j)roached ;  when  God's  glory  suffers,  it  is 
as  if  we  suffered.  This  is  to  be  tender  of 
God's  glory. 

A.  5.  We  glorify  God  by  fruitfiilnc*;s, 
John  XV.  8.,  "  Hereby  is  my  Fatlier  glori- 
fied, if  ye  bring  forth  much  fruit."  As  it 
is  a  dlslionour  to  God  to  be  barren,  so  fruit- 
fulness  doth  honour  him,  Phil.  i.  11., 
"  Filled  with  the  fruits  of  righteousness, 
which  are  to  the  praise  of  his  glory."     We 


MAN'S  CHIEF  END  IS  TO  GLORIFY  GOD. 


IS 


must  not  bo  like  the  fi<i^-tree  in  tlie  p^ospel, 
which  had  nothing  but  knaves,  but  like  the 
poinc-citron,  tliat  is  continually  either  mel- 
lowing or  blossoming  ;  it  is  never  without 
fruit.  It  is  not  profession,  but  fruit  glori- 
fies God ;  God  expects  to  have  his  glory 
from  us  this  way,  1  Cor.  ix.  7.,  "  Who 
planteth  a  vineyard,  and  eateth  not  of  the 
iruit  of  it  ?"  Trees  in  the  forest  may  be 
barren,  but  trees  in  the  garden  are  fruitful  ; 
we  must  bring  forth  the  fruits  of  love  and 
good  works.  Matth.  v.  16.,  "  Let  your 
light  so  shine  before  men,  that  they  may 
see  your  good  works,  and  glorify  your  Fa- 
ther which  is  in  heaven."  Faith  doth  sanc- 
tify our  works,  and  works  do  testify  our 
faith ;  to  be  doing  good  to  others, — to  be 
eyes  to  the  blind,  feet  to  tlie  lame, — doth 
much  glorify  God.  And  thus  Christ  did 
glorify  his  Father;  "  he  went  about  doing 
good,"  Acts  X.  38.  By  being  fruitful  we 
are  fair  in  God's  eyes,  Jer.  xi.  16.,  "  The 
Lord  called  thy  name  a  green  olive-tree, 
fair  and  of  goodly  fruit."  And  we  must 
bear  much  fruit;  it  is  muchness  of  fruit 
glorifies  God ;  "  if  ye  bear  much  fruit." 
The  spouse's  breasts  are  compared  to  clus- 
ters of  grapes.  Cant.  vii.  7.,  to  shew  how 
fertile  she  was.  Though  the  lowest  degree 
of  grace  may  bring  salvation  to  you,  yet 
not  so  much  glory  to  God ;  it  was  not  a 
spark  of  love  Christ  commended  in  Mary, 
but  much  love ;  "  she  loved  much,"  Luke 
vii.  47. 

A.  6.  We  glorify  God,  by  being  con- 
tented in  that  state  where  his  providence 
hath  set  us.  We  give  God  the  glory  of  his 
wisdom,  in  that  we  rest  satisfied  witli  what 
he  carves  out  to  us.  Thus  did  holy  Paul 
glorify  God;  the  Lord  did  cast  him  into 
as  great  variety  of  conditions  as  any  man, 
*'  in  prisons  more  frequent,  in  deaths  oft," 
2  Cor.  xi.  23.,  yet  he  had  learned  to  be 
content.  St.  Paul  could  sail  either  in  a 
storm  or  a  calm;  he  could  be  any  thing 
that  God  would  have  him ;  he  could  either 
want  or  abound,  Phil.  iv.  13.  A  good 
Christian  argues  thus :  It  is  God  that  hath 
put  me  in  this  condition :  he  could  have 
raised  me  higher,  if  he  pleased,  but  that 
might  have  been  a  snare  to  me ;  God  hath 
done  it  in  wisdom  and  love;  therefore  1 
will  sit  down  satisfied  with  my  condition. 


Surely  this  doth  much  glorify  God  •  God 
counts  himself  much  honoured  with  such  > 
a  Christian :  saith  God,  here  is  one  after 
my  own  heart ;  let  me  do  what  I  mil  with 
him,  I  liear  no  murmuring,  he  is  content : 
this  shews  abundance  of  grace.  AVlien  grace 
is  crowning,  it  is  not  so  much  to  be  con- 
tent,— but  when  grace  is  conflicting  mth 
inconveniences,  then  to  be  content,  is  a  glo- 
rious thing,  indeed;  for  one  to  be  content 
when  he  is  in  heaven,  is  no  wonder, — but 
to  be  content  under  the  cross,  is  like  a  Chris- 
tian. This  man  must  needs  bring  glory 
to  God,  for  he  shews  to  all  the  world,  that 
though  he  hath  little  meal  in  his  barrel, 
yet  he  hath  enough  in  God  to  make  him 
content ;  he  saith,  as  David,  Ps.  xvi.  5., 
"  The  Lord  is  the  portion  of  mine  inherit- 
ance ;  the  lines  are  fallen  to  me  in  pleasant 
places." 

A.  7.  We  glorify  God  in  working  out 
our  own  salvation.  God  hath  twisted  these 
two  together,  his  glory,  and  our  good.  We 
glorify  him,  by  promoting  our  own  salva- 
tion. It  is  a  glory  to  God  to  have  multi- 
tudes of  converts ;  now,  his  design  of  free 
grace  takes,  and  God  hath  the  glory  of  his 
mercy ;  so  that,  while  we  are  endeavouring 
our  salvation,  we  are  honouring  God.  What 
an  encouragement  is  this  to  the  service  of 
God,  to  tliink,  while  I  am  hearing  and 
praying,  I  am  glorifying  God ;  while  I  am 
furthering  my  own  glory  in  heaven,  I  am 
increasing  God's  glory  !  Would  it  not  be 
an  encouragement  to  a  subject,  to  hear  his 
prince  say  to  him,  "  You  will  honour  and 
please  me  very  much,  if  you  will  go  to  yon- 
der mine  of  gold,  and  dig  as  much  gold  for 
yourself  as  you  can  carry  away?"  So,  for 
God  to  say,  "  Go  to  the  ordinances,  get  as 
nnich  grace  as  you  can,  dig  out  as  much 
salvation  as  you  can  ;  and  the  more  happi  • 
ness  you  have,  the  more  I  shall  count  my- 
self glorified." 

A.  8.  We  glorify  God,  by  living  to 
God,  2  Cor.  v.  15.,  "  that  they  whidi  live, 
should  not  live  to  themselves,  but  unto  him 
wiio  died  for  them."  Rom.  xiv.  8.,  "  Whe- 
ther we  live,  we  live  unto  the  Lord."  The 
Mammonist  lives  to  his  money,  the  Epicure 
lives  to  his  belly,  the  design  of  a  sinner's 
life  is  to  gratify  lust.  But  then  we  glorify 
Gotl,  when  we  live  to  God. 


14 


MANS  CHIEF  END  IS  TO  GLORIFY  GOD. 


Q.  JVhat  is  it  to  live  to  God  ? 

A,  When  we  live  to  his  service,  and  lay 
out  ourselves  wholly  for  God.  The  Lord 
hath  sent  us  into  the  world,  as  a  merchant 
sends  his  factor  heyond  the  seas  to  trade 
for  him ;  then  we  live  to  God,  Avhcn  we 
trade  for  his  interest,  and  propagate  his  gos- 
pel. God  hath  given  every  man  a  talent. 
Now,  when  he  doth  not  hide  it  in  a  napkin, 
but  improves  it  for  God,  this  is  to  live  to 
God.  When  a  master  in  a  family,  by  coun- 
sel and  good  example,  labours  to  bring  his 
servants  to  Christ, — when  a  minister  doth 
exhaust  himself  in  the  labours  of  his  holy 
calling,  when  he  spends  himself,  and  is 
spent,  that  he  may  win  souls  to  Christ,  and 
make  the  crown  flourish  upon  Christ's  head, 
— when  the  magistrate  doth  not  wear  the 
eword  in  vain,  but  labours  to  cut  down  sin, 
and  suppress  vice, — this  is  to  live  to  God, 
and  this  is  a  glorifying  of  God :  Phil.  i.  20., 
*'  That  Christ  might  be  magnified,  whether 
by  life  or  by  death."  Three  wishes  St. 
Paul  had,  and  they  were  all  about  Christ, 
that  he  may  be  found  in  Christ,  be  with 
Christ,  and  that  he  might  magnify  Christ, 

A.  9.  We  glorify  God  by  walking  cheer- 
fully. It  is  a  glory  to  God,  when  the  world 
sees  a  Christian  hath  that  within  him  that 
can  make  him  cheerful  in  the  worst  times ; 
he  can,  with  the  nightingale,  sing  with  a 
thorn  at  his  breast.  The  people  of  God 
hath  ground  of  cheerfulness;  they  are  jus- 
tified, and  instated  into  adoption  ;  and  this 
creates  inward  peace ;  it  makes  music  Avith- 
in,  whatever  storms  are  without,  2  Cor.  i.  4. 
1  Thes.  i.  6.  If  we  consider  what  Christ 
hath  wrought  for  us  by  his  blood,  and 
wrought  in  us  by  his  Spirit,  it  is  a  gi'ound 
of  great  cheerfulness,  and  this  cheerfulness 
glorifies  God.  It  reflects  upon  a  master 
when  the  servant  is  always  drooping  and 
sad,  sure  he  is  kept  to  hard  commons,  his 
master  doth  not  give  him  what  is  fitting : 
so,  when  God's  people  hang  their  heads,  it 
looks  as  if  they  did  not  serve  a  good  master, 
or  repented  of  their  choice ;  this  reflects  dis- 
honour on  God.  As  the  gross  sins  of  the 
wicked  bring  a  scandal  on  the  gospel,  so  do 
the  uncheerful  lives  of  the  godly,  Ps.  c.  2., 
"  Serve  the  Lord  with  gladness."  Your 
serving  him  doth  not  glorify  him,  unless  it 
be  with  gladness.     A  Christian's  cheerful 


looks  glorify  God ;  religion  doth  not  take 
away  our  joy,  but  refine  and  clarify  it ;  it 
doth  not  break  our  viol,  but  tunes  it,  and 
makes  the  music  sweeter. 

A.  10.  We  glorify  God,  by  standing  up 
for  his  truths.  Much  of  God's  glory  lies 
in  his  truth.  God  hath  intrusted  us  with 
his  truth,  as  a  master  intrusts  his  servant 
with  his  purse  to  keep.  We  have  not  a 
richer  jewel  to  trust  God  with,  tlian  our 
souls ;  nor  God  hath  not  a  richer  jewel  to 
trust  us  with,  than  his  truth.  Truth  is  a 
beam  that  shines  from  God,  much  of  his 
glory  lies  in  his  truth ;  now  when  we  are 
advocates  for  truth,  this  is  to  glorify  God ; 
so  Athanasius,  the  bulwark  for  trutli.  Jude 
v.  3.,  "  That  ye  should  contend  earnestly 
for  the  faith,"  viz.  the  doctrine  of  faith. 
The  Greek  word  to  contend,  signifies  a  great 
contending,  as  one  would  contend  for  his 
land,  and  not  suffer  his  right  to  be  taken 
from  him;  so  we  should  contend  for  the 
truth.  Were  there  more  of  this  holy  con- 
tention, God  would  have  more  glory.  Some 
can  contend  earnestly  for  trifles  and  cere 
monies,  but  not  for  the  truth ;  we  should 
count  him  indiscreet,  that  would  contend 
more  for  a  picture,  than  for  his  land  of  in- 
heritance,— for  a  box  of  counters,  than  for 
his  box  of  e^ndences. 

^.11.  We  glorify  God,  by  praising  him. 
Doxology,  or  praise,  is  a  God-exalting  work: 
Ps.  1.  23.,  "  Whoso  offereth  praise  glorifieth 
me."  The  Hebrew  word  bara^  to  create, 
and  barak,  to  praise,  are  little  different,  be- 
cause the  end  of  creation  is  to  praise  God. 
David  was  called  *  the  sweet  singer  of  Israel,' 
and  his  praising  God,  was  called  a  glorify- 
ing of  God,  Ps.  Ixxxvi.  12.,  "  I  will  praise 
thee,  O  Ivord  my  God,  and  I  will  glorify 
thy  name."  Though  nothing  can  add  to 
God's  essential  glory,  yet  praise  exalts  him 
in  the  eyes  of  others.  When  we  praise  God, 
we  spread  his  fame  and  renown,  we  display 
the  trophies  of  his  excellency.  In  this  man- 
ner the  angels  glorify  God,  and  they  are 
the  choristers  of  heaven,  and  do  trumpet 
forth  God's  praise.  And  praising  of  God  is 
one  of  the  highest  and  purest  acts  of  reli- 
gion ;  in  prayer  we  act  like  men ;  in  praise 
we  act  like  angels ;  tliis  is  a  high  degree  of 
glorifying  God.  Believers  are  called  '  tem- 
ples  of  God,'    1   Cor.  iii.  16.     When  our 


MAN'S  CHIEF  END  IS  TO  GLORIFY  GOD. 


15 


tongues  praise,  then  the  orjs^ans  in  God's 
gpiritual  temple  are  going.  How  satl  is  it, 
that  God  hath  no  more  of  liis  glory  from  us 
this  way  !  Many  are  full  of  murniurings 
and  discontents,  but  seldom  do  they  bring 
glory  to  God,  by  giving  him  tlie  praise  due 
to  his  name.  We  read  of  the  saints  having 
harps  in  their  hands,  Rev.  v.  8.,  the  emblems 
of  praise  :  many  have  tears  in  their  eyes, 
and  complaints  in  tlieir  mouth,  but  few 
have  harps  in  their  hand,  blessing  and  glo- 
rifying of  God.  Let  us  honour  God  this 
way.  Praise  is  the  quit-rent  we  pay  to 
God ;  while  God  renews  our  lease,  we  must 
renew  our  rent. 

A.  12.  We  glorify  God,  by  being  zealous 
for  his  name  :  Numb.  xxv.  11.,  "  Phinehas 
hath  turned  my  wrath  away,  while  he  was 
zealous  for  my  sake."  Zeal  is  a  mLxed  af- 
fection, a  compound  of  love  and  anger ;  it 
carries  forth  our  love  to  God,  and  anger  a- 
gainst  sin  in  a  most  intense  manner.  Zeal 
is  impatient  of  God's  dishonour  :  a  Chris- 
tian fired  with  zeal,  takes  a  dishonour  done 
to  God  worse  than  an  injury  done  to  him- 
self, Rev.  ii.  2.,  "  Thou  canst  not  bear  them 
that  are  evil."  Our  Saviour  Christ  did 
thus  glorify  his  Father :  he,  being  baptized 
with  a  spirit  of  zeal,  drove  the  money- 
changers out  of  the  temple,  John  ii.  14,  17., 
*'  The  zeal  of  thine  house  hath  eaten  me  up." 

A.  13.  We  glorify  God,  when  we  have 
an  eye  at  God,  both  in  our  natural  and  in 
our  civil  actions  :  1.  In  our  natural  actions. 
In  eating  and  drinking,  1  Cor.  x.  31., 
"  Whether  therefore  ye  eat  or  drink,  do  all 
to  the  glory  of  God."  A  gracious  person 
holds  the  golden  bridle  of  temperance;  he 
takes  his  meat  as  a  medicine  to  heal  the  de- 
cays of  nature,  and  that  he  may  be  the  fit- 
ter, by  the  strength  he  receives,  for  the  ser- 
vice of  God ;  he  makes  his  food,  not  fuel 
for  lust,  but  help  to  duty.  2.  In  buyiug 
and  selling,  we  do  all  to  the  glory  of  God. 
The  wicked  live  upon  unj  ust  gain,  either  by 
falsifying  the  balances,  Hos.  xii.  7.,  "  The 
balances  of  deceit  are  in  his  hands."  While 
men  make  their  weights  lighter,  they  make 
their  sins  heavier;  or,  by  exacting  more 
than  the  commodity  is  worth,  they  do  not 
for  fourscore  write  down  fifty,  but  for  fifty, 
fourscore ;  they  exact  double  the  price  that 
a  thing  is  worth.     But  when  we  buy  and 


sell  to  the  glory  of  God,  when  in  our  buy- 
ing and  selling,  we  observe  that  golden 
maxim,  "  To  do  to  others,  as  we  would 
iiave  them  to  do  to  us,"  Matth.  vii.  12. 
Wlicn  we  do  sell  our  commodities,  that  we 
do  not  sell  our  conscience.  Acts  xxiv.  16., 
"  Herein  do  I  exercise  myself,  to  liave  al- 
ways a  conscience  void  of  offence  toward 
God,  and  toward  men."  This  is  to  glorify 
God,  when  we  have  an  eye  at  God  in  our 
civil  and  natural  actions,  and  will  do  nothing 
that  may  reflect  any  blemish  on  religion. 

A.  14.  We  glorify  God,  by  labouring  to 
draw  others  to  God.  We  convert  others, 
and  so  make  them  instruments  of  glorifying 
God.  We  should  be  both  diamonds  and 
loadstones ;  diamonds  for  the  lustre  of  grace, 
and  loadstones  for  our  attractive  virtue  in 
drawing  others  to  Christ :  Gal.  iv.  19., 
"  My  little  children,  of  whom  I  travail," 
&c.  This  is  a  great  way  of  glorifying  God, 
when  we  break  the  devil's  prison,  and  turn 
men  from  the  power  of  Satan  to  God. 

A.  15.  We  gloi-ify  God  in  an  high  man- 
ner, when  we  suffer  for  God,  and  seal  the 
gospel  with  our  blood:  John  xxi.  18,  19., 
"  When  thou  shalt  be  old,  another  shall 
gird  thee,  and  carry  thee  whither  thou 
wouldst  not :  this  spake  he,  signifying  by 
what  death  he  should  glorify  God."  God's 
glory  shines  in  the  ashes  of  his  martyrs, 
Isa.  xxiv.  15.,  "  Wherefore  glorify  the 
Lord  in  the  fires."  Micaiah  was  in  the 
prison, — Isaiah  was  sawn  asunder, — Paul 
beheaded, — Luke  hanged  on  an  olive-tree, 
— thus  did  they  by  their  death  glorify  God. 
The  sufferings  of  the  primitive  saints  did 
honour  God,  and  make  the  gospel  famous 
in  the  world.  What  would  others  say  ? 
See  what  a  good  master  they  serve,  and 
how  they  love  him,  that  they  wall  venture 
the  loss  of  all  in  his  service.  The  glory  of 
Christ's  kingdom  doth  not  stand  in  wovldly 
pomp  and  grandeur,  as  other  kings ;  but  it 
is  seen  in  the  cheerful  sufferings  of  his  peo- 
ple. The  saints  of  old  "  loved  not  tlieir 
lives  to  the  death,"  Rev.  xii.  11.  They 
snatched  up  torments  as  so  many  crowns. 
God  grant  we  may  thus  glorify  him,  if  he 
calls  us  to  it.  Many  pray,  "  Let  this  cup 
pass  away,"  but  few,  "  thy  will  be  done." 

A.  16.  We  glorify  God,  when  we  give 
God  the  glory  of  all  we  do.     Herod  when 


]6 


MAN'S  CHIEF  END  IS  TO  GLORIFY  GOD 


he  liad  made  an  oration,  and  the  people 
gave  a  ^liont,  saying,  "  It  is  the  voice  of  a 
god,  and  not  of  a  man ;"  he  took  tliis  glory 
to  himself,  the  text  saith,  "  And  immedi- 
ately the  angel  of  the  Lord  smote  him,  be- 
cause he  gave  not  God  the  glory,  and  he 
was  eaten  of  worms,"  Acts  xii.  23.  Then 
we  glorify  God,  when  we  sacrifice  the  praise 
and  glory  of  all  to  God,  1  Cor.  xv.  10.,  "  I 
laboured  more  abundantly  than  they  all," — 
a  speech,  one  would  think,  savoured  of 
pride,  but  the  apostle  pulls  the  crown  from 
his  own  head,  and  sets  it  upon  the  head  of 
free  grace,  "  yet  not  I,  but  the  grace  of 
God  which  was  with  me."  As  Joab,  when 
he  fought  against  Rabbah,  sent  for  king 
David,  that  he  might  carry  away  the  crown 
of  the  victory,  2  Sam.  xii.  28.,  so  a  Chris- 
tian when  he  hath  gotten  power  over  any 
corruption  or  temptation,  sends  for  Christ, 
that  he  may  carry  away  the  crown  of  the 
victory.  As  the  isilk-worm,  when  she 
weaves  her  curious  work,  she  hides  her- 
self under  the  silk,  and  is  not  seen;  so 
when  we  have  done  any  thing  praise-wor- 
thy, we  must  hide  ourselves  under  the  vail 
of  humility,  and  transfer  the  glory  of  all 
we  have  done  to  God.  Constantine  did 
use  to  Avrite  the  name  of  Christ  over  his 
door,  so  should  we  write  the  name  of  Christ 
over  our  duties ;  let  him  wear  the  garland 
of  praise. 

A.  17.  We  glorify  God  by  an  holy  life ; 
as  a  bad  life  doth  dishonour  God :  1  Pet.  ii. 
9.,  "  Ye  are  an  holy  nation,  that  ye  should 
shew  forth  the  praises  of  him  that  hath 
called  you ;"  Rom.  ii.  24.,  "  The  name  of 
God  is  blasphemed  among  the  Gentiles 
through  you."  Epiphanius  saith,  "  That 
the  looseness  of  some  Christians,  in  his 
time,  made  many  of  the  heathens  shun  the 
company  of  the  Christians,  and  would  not 
be  drawn  to  hear  their  sermons."  So,  by 
our  exact  Bible-conversation  we  glorify 
God.  Though  the  main  work  of  religion 
lies  in  the  heart,  yet  our  light  must  so  shine 
that  others  may  behold  it;  the  chief  of  a 
building  is  the  foundation,  yet  the  glory  of 
it  is  in  the  frontispiece ;  so  beauty  in  the 
conversation :  when  the  saints,  who  are 
called  jewels,  cast  a  s])arkling  lustre  of  ho- 
liness in  the  eyes  of  the  world,  then  they 
**  walk  as  Christ  walked,"   1  John  ii.  6. 


When  they  live  as  if  they  had  seen  the  Lord 
with  bodily  eyes,  and  been  with  him  upon 
the  mount,  then  they  adorn  religion,  and 
bring  revenues  of  glory  to  the  crown  of 
heaven. 

Use  1.  It  shews  us  what  should  not  be 
our  chief  end :  not  to  get  great  estates, — 
not  to  lay  up  treasures  upon  earth, — this 
is  a  degeneracy  of  mankind  since  the  fall ; 
their  great  design  is  to  compass  the  earth 
and  grow  rich,  and  this  they  make  their 
chief  end ;  those  never  think  of  glorifying 
God, — they  trade  for  the  world,  but  are 
not  factors  for  heaven :  Eccles.  ix.  3., 
"  Madness  is  in  their  heart  while  they  live." 
Sometimes  they  never  arrive  at  an  estate, 
— they  do  not  get  the  venison  they  hunt  for, 
— or,  though  they  do,  what  have  they  ? 
that  which  will  not  fill  the  heart,  no  more 
than  the  mariner's  breath  ^vill  fill  the  sails 
of  a  ship, — a  picture  drawn  on  the  ice  !  So 
they  spend  their  time,  as  Israel,  in  gather- 
ing straw,  but  remember  not  the  end  of  liv- 
ing to  glorify  God:  Eccles.  v.  16.,  "  WWzX 
profit  hath  he  that  laboureth  for  the  wind  ?" 
And  these  things  are  soon  gone. 

Use  2.  It  reproves  such — I.  As  bring  no 
glory  to  God.  They  do  not  answer  the  end 
of  their  creation,  their  time  is  not  time  lived, 
but  time  lost ;  they  are  like  the  wood  of  the 
A'ine,  Ezek.  xv.  2.;  their  lives  are,  as  St. 
Bernard  speaks,  "  either  sinfulness  or  bar- 
renness. An  useless  burden  on  the  earth." 
God  will  one  day  ask  such  a  question  as 
king  Ahasuerus  did,  Esth.  vi.  3.,  "  What 
honour  and  dignity  hath  been  done  to  Mor- 
decai  ?  So  will  the  Lord  say,  '■'  What  ho- 
nour hath  been  done  to  me?  What  revenues 
of  glory  have  you  brought  into  my  ex- 
chequer ?"  There  is  none  here  present  but 
God  hath  put  you  in  some  capacity  of  glo" 
rifying  him ;  the  health  he  hath  given  you^ 
— the  parts,  estate,  seasons  of  grace, — these 
all  are  opportunities  put  into  your  hand  to 
glorify  him ;  and,  be  assured,  God  will  call 
you  to  account,  to  know  what  you  have 
done  with  the  mercies  he  hath  intrusted  you 
with,  what  glory  you  have  brought  to  hira. 
The  parable  of  the  talents,  Mat.  xxv.  15., 
where  the  men  with  the  five  talents,  and 
the  two  talents,  are  brought  to  a  reck<ming, 
doth  evidently  shew  that  God  will  call  you 
to  a  strict  account,  to  know  you  have  trad- 


MAN'S  CHIEF  END  IS  TO  GLORIFY  GOD. 


17 


ed  with  your  talents,  and  wliat  glory  you 
have  brought  to  him.  Now,  how  sad  will 
it  be  with  them  who  hide  their  talents  in  a 
napkin,  that  bring  God  no  glory  at  all  ? 
V.  30.  "  Cast  ye  the  unprofitable  servant 
into  outer  darkness."  It  is  not  enougli  for 
you  to  say,  that  you  have  not  dishonoured 
God, — you  have  not  lived  in  gross  sin  ;  but 
wliatgood  have  you  done?  what  glory  have 
vou  brought  to  God  ?  It  is  not  enough  for 
the  servant  of  the  vineyai'd,  that  he  do 
no  hurt  in  the  vineyard, — that  he  do  not 
break  the  trees,  or  destroy  the  hedges, — if 
he  doth  not  do  service  in  the  vineyard,  he 
loseth  his  pay  ;  if  you  do  not  good  in  your 
place,  do  not  glorify  God,  you  will  lose  your 
pay,  miss  of  salvation.  Oh  think  of  this, 
all  you  that  live  unserviceably !  Chi'ist 
cursed  the  barren  fig-tree.  2.  It  reproves 
such  as  are  so  far  from  bringing  glory  to 
God,  that  they  rob  God  of  his  glory,  Mai. 
iii.  8.,  "  Will  a  man  rob  God  ?  yet  he  have 
robbed  me."  They  rob  God,  who  take  the 
^lory  due  to  God  to  themselves  :  1.  If  they 
liave  gotten  an  estate,  they  ascribe  all 'to 
their  ouni  wit  and  industry,  they  set  the 
crown  upon  their  own  head,  not  considering 
that,  Deut.  viii.  18.,  "  Thou  shalt  remem- 
ber the  Lord  thy  God,  for  it  is  he  that  giv- 
eth  thee  power  to  get  wealth."  2.  If  they 
do  any  duty  of  religion,  they  look  squint  to 
their  own  glory,  Matth.  vi.  5.,  "  That  they 
may  be  seen  of  men," — that  they  may  be 
set  upon  a  theatre  that  others  may  admire 
and  canonize  them,  llie  oil  of  vain  glory 
feeds  their  lamp.  How  many  hath  the  wind 
of  popular  breath  blown  to  hell !  Whom 
the  denl  could  not  destroy  by  intemper- 
ance, he  hath  by  vain  glory.  3.  It  reproves 
them  who  fight  against  God's  glory  :  Acts 
v.  39.,  "  Lest  ye  be  found  to  fight  against 
God." 

Q.  But  who  do  fight  against  God's  glonj  9 
A.  Sucli  as  do  oppose  that,  whereby  God's 
glory  is  jn'omoted.  (iod's  glory  is  nuicli 
promoted  in  the  preaching  of  the  word,  be- 
cause it  is  his  engine  whereby  he  converts 
souls.  Now,  such  as  would  liind'T  the 
preacliing  of  the  word,  these  figlit  against 
God's  glory,  ]  Thess.  ii.  1 6.,  "  Forbidding 
us  to  speak  to  the  Gentiles,  that  thoy  might 
be  saved."  Dioclesian,  who  raised  the  lUth 
persecution  against  the  Cliristians,  did  pro- 


hibit churcli-meetings,  and  would  have  the 
temples  of  the  Christians  to  be  razed  down. 
Such  as  hinder  preaching  do  as  the  Philis- 
tines tiiat  stopped  the  wells, — they  stop  the 
well  of  the  water  of  life, — they  take  away 
the  physicians  that  should  heal  sin-sick 
souls.  Ministers  are  lights,  Matth.  v.  14., 
and  who  but  thieves  hate  the  light?  these 
persons  do  directly  strike  at  God's  glory ; 
and  what  an  account  will  they  have  to  give 
to  God,  when  he  shall  charge  the  blood  of 
men's  souls  upon  them?  Luke  xi.  32., 
"  Ye  have  taken  away  the  key  of  know- 
ledge ;  ye  entered  not  in  yourselves,  and 
them  that  were  entering  in  ye  hindered." 
If  there  be  either  justice  in  heaven,  or  fire 
in  hell,  they  shall  not  go  unpunished. 

Use  3.  Exhortation.     Let  us  every  one, 
in  our  place,  make  this  our  chief  end  and 
design,  to  glorify  God  :   1.  Let  me  speak  to 
magistrates ;  God  hath  put  much  glory  up- 
on them,   Ps.  Lxxxii.  6.,    "  I  have  said  ye 
are  gods;"  and  will  they  not  glorify  him 
whom  he  hath  put  so  much  glory  upon  ? 
Magistrates   shoidd  be   zealous   for    God's 
worship  and  day  ;  they  should  not  let  the 
sword  rust  in  the  scabbard,  but  draw  it  out 
for  the  cutting  down  of  sin.     2.  Ministers^ 
how  should  they  study  to  promote  God's 
glory !       God   hath    intrusted    them   with 
two  of  the  most  precious  things,  his  truthsi. 
and  the  souls  of  his  people.     INIinisters  are, 
by  virtue  of  their  office,  to  glorify  God :    L 
They  must  glorify  God  by  labouring  in  the 
word  and  doctrine :  2  Tim.  iv.  1 .,  "I  charge 
thee  before  G«d  and  the  Lord  J3sus  Christ, 
who  shall  judge  the  quick  and  the  dead: 
preach  the  word,  be  instant  in  season,  out 
of  season,"  &c.     It  was  Augustine's  wish, 
"  that  Christ,   at  his  coming,   might  find 
him  either  praying  or  preaching."     2;  Mi- 
nisters must  glorify  God  by  their  zeal  and 
sanctity.     Tlie  priests  under  the  law,  be- 
fore they  served  at  the  altar,  did  avjusIi  in 
the    laver ;    such    as   serve    in   the   Lord's 
house,  must  fu'st  be  washed  from  gross  sin 
in  the  laver  of  repentance.     It  is  matter  of 
grief  and  shame,  to  think  how  many,  who 
call   themselves   ministers,   do,    instead  ol 
apparently  bringing  glory  to  God,  disho- 
nour  God,   2  Chron.  xi.  15.     Their  lives, 
as  well  as  doctrines,   are  heterodox,    they 
are    not   free  from   the   sins   which   they 

C 


18 


MAN'S  CHIEF  END  IS  TO  GLORIFY  GOD. 


rei)rove  in  others.  Plutarch's  servant  uj> 
braided  him,  "  It  is  not  as  my  master  Phi- 
tarch  saith  ;  lie  hath  written  a  book  against 
wrath,  anger,  et  ipse  mihi  irascitur, — yet  he 
falls  into  a  passion  of  anger  with  me  :" 
So  this  minister  preacheth  against  drunk- 
enness,— yet  he  will  be  drunk  ;  he  preach- 
eth against  swearing, — yet  he  will  swear ; 
this  reproacheth  God,  and  makes  the  olTor- 
ing  of  the  Lord  to  be  abhorred.  3.  Mas- 
ters of  families,  do  ye  glorify  God,  season 
your  children  and  servants  with  the  know- 
ledge of  the  Lord  ;  your  houses  should  be 
little  churches!  Gen.  x^nn.  19.,  "  I  know 
that  Abraham  will  command  his  children 
that  they  may  keep  the  way  of  tlie  Lord." 
You  that  are  masters,  know  you  have  a 
charge  of  souls  under  you  ;  for  want  of  the 
bridle  of  family-discipline,  youth  runs  wild. 
Well,  let  me  lay  down  some  motives  to 
glorify  God. 

1.  Alot.  It  will  be  a  great  comfort  in  a 
dying  hour  to  think  we  have  glorified  God 
in  our  lives.  It  was  Christ's  comfort  be- 
fore his  death  :  John  xvii.  4.,  "  I  have  glori- 
fied thee  on  the  earth."  At  the  hour  of 
death,  all  your  earthly  comforts  will  va- 
nish. If  you  think  how  rich  you  have 
been, — what  pleasures  you  have  had  on 
earth, — this  will  be  so  far  from  comforting 
you,  that  it  will  but  torment  you  the  more. 
What  is  one  the  better  for  an  estate  that  is 
spent  ?  But  now,  to  have  conscience  tell- 
ing you  that  you  have  glorified  God  on 
earth,  what  sweet  comfort  and  peace  will 
this  let  in  to  your  sovil !  How  will  this 
make  you  long  for  death  !  Tbe  servant 
that  hath  been  all  day  working  in  the  vine- 
yard, longs  till  evening  comes  w^\en  he 
shall  receive  his  pay.  They  who  liave  lived, 
and  brought  no  glory  to  God,  how  can  they 
think  of  dying  with  comfort  ?  They  can- 
not expect  an  harvest, — tbey  never  sowed 
any  seed.  How  can  they  expect  gloiy  from 
God,  that  never  brought  any  glory  to  him  ? 
O  in  what  horror  will  they  be  at  death  ! 
the  worm  of  conscience  will  gnaw  tlieir 
souls,  before  the  worms  are  gnawing  their 
bodies. 

2.  Mot.  If  we  glorify  God,  he  will  glo- 
rify our  souls  for  ever ;  by  raising  God's 
glory,  we  increase  our  own  ;  by  glorifying 
God,  we  come  at  last  to  the  blessed  enjoy- 


ing of  him.     And  that  brings  me  to  the  2d. 
'  The  enjoying  of  God.' 

II.  Man's  chief  end  is  to  enjoy  God  for 
ever,  Ps.  Ixxiii.  2.5.,  "  Whom  have  I  in 
lieaA'cn  but  thee  ?"  that  is,  WHiat  is  there 
in  heaven  I  desire  to  enjoy,  but  thee  ? 
There  is  twofold  fruition  or  enjoving  of 
God ;  the  one  is  in  this  life,  the  other  in 
the  life  to  come. 

1st.  An  enjoying  of  God  here  in  this 
life  :  The  enjoying  of  God's  presence ;  it 
is  a  great  matter  to  enjoy  God's  ordinances 
(a  mercy  that  some  do  envy  us),  but  to  en- 
joy God's  presence  in  the  ordinances,  is 
that  which  a  gracious  heart  aspires  after, 
Ps.  Ixiii.  2.,  "  To  see  thy  glory  so  as  I 
have  seen  thee  in  the  sanctuary."  This 
sweet  enjoying  of  God,  is,  when  we  feel 
his  Spirit  co-operating  ^Wth  the  ordinance, 
and  distilling  gi-ace  upon  our  hearts  :  1. 
^^^len  in  the  word  the  Spirit  doth  quicken 
and  raise  the  affections,  Luke  xxiv.  32., 
'  Did  not  our  hearts  burn  within  us  ?'  2. 
Wlien  the  Spirit  doth  transform  the  heart, 
leaving  an  impress  of  holiness  upon  it, 
2  Cor.  iii.  18.,  "  We  are  changed  into  the 
same  image,  from  glory  to  glory."  When 
the  Spirit  doth  revive  the  heart  vriih  com- 
fort, it  comes  not  only  with  its  anointing, 
but  its  seal ;  it  sheds  God's  love  abroad  in 
the  heart,  Rom.  v.  5.  This  is  to  enjoy 
God  in  an  ordinance,  1  John  i.  3.,  "  Our 
fellowship  is  with  the  Father,  and  with  his 
Son  Jesus  Christ."  In  the  word,  we  hear 
God's  voice,  and  in  the  sacrament  we  have 
his  kiss';  this  is  enjopng  of  God,  and  what 
infinite  content  doth  a  gracious  soul  find 
in  this  !  The  heart  being  wJirmed  and  in- 
flamed in  a  duty,  this  is  God's  answer- 
ing by  fire.  When  a  Christian  hath  the 
sweet  illapses  of  God's  Spirit,  these  are  the 
first-fruits  of  glory,  when  God  comes  down 
to  the  soul  in  an  ordinance  ;  now,  Christ 
hath  pulled  off  his  vail,  and  showed  his 
smiling  face  ;  now,  he  hath  led  a  believer 
into  the  banqueting-house,  and  given  him 
of  the  '  spiced  wine'  of  his  love  to  drink ; 
he  hath  put  in  his  finger  at  the  hole  of  the 
door  ;  he  hath  touched  the  heart,  and  made 
it  leap  for  joy.  O  how  sweet  is  it  thus  to 
enjoy  God  !  The  godly  have,  in  the  use  of 
the  ordinances,  had  such  divine  raptures  of 
joy,    and   soul-transfigurations,    that    they 


MAN'S  CHIEF  END  IS  TO  GLORIFY  GOD. 


W 


have  been  carried  above  the  world,  and 
have  despised  all  things  here  below. 

Use  1.  Is  the  enjoyinj^  of  God  in  this 
life  so  sweet?  IIow  prodigiously  wicked 
are  they  that  prefer  the  enjoying  of  their 
lusts,  before  the  enjoying  of  God  !  1  John 
ii.  16.,  "  The  lust  of  the  flesh,  the  lust  of 
the  eye,  the  pride  of  life,"  is  the  Trinity  they 
worship.  Lust  is  an  inordinate  desire  or 
impulse,  provoking  the  soul  to  that  which 
is  evil.  There  is  the  revengeful  lust,  and 
the  wanton  lust.  Lust  is  like  a  feverish 
heat,  it  puts  the  soul  into  a  flame.  Aris- 
totle calls  sensual  lusts  brutish,  because, 
when  any  lust  is  violent,  reason  or  con- 
science cannot  be  heard,  the  beast  rides  the 
man.  These  lusts,  when  they  are  enjoyed, 
do  besot  and  dispirit  persons,  Hos.  iv.  11,, 
"  Wlioredom  and  wine  take  away  the 
heart," — they  have  no  heart  for  any  thing 
that  is  good.  How  many  make  it  their 
chief  end  not  to  enjoy  God,  but  to  enjoy 
their  lusts  !  As  that  cardinal  said,  "  Let 
him  but  keep  his  cardinal  ship  of  Paris, 
and  he  was  content  to  lose  his  part  in  Pa- 
radise." Lust  first  bewitcheth  with  plea- 
sure, and  then  comes  the  fatal  dart,  Prov.vii. 
23.,  "  Till  a  dart  strike  through  his  liver." 
Tliis  should  be  as  a  flaming  sAvord  to  stop 
men  in  the  way  of  their  carnal  delights. 
Wlio  would  for  a  drop  of  pleasure  drink  a 
sea  of  wrath  ? 

Use  2.  Let  it  be  our  great  care  to  enjoy 
God's  sweet  presence  here,  which  is  the 
beauty  and  comfort  of  the  ordinances.  En- 
joying spiritual  communion  with  God,  is  a 
riddle  and  mystery  to  most  people  :  every 
one  that  hangs  about  the  court  doth  not 
speak  with  the  king.  We  may  approach 
to  God  in  ordinances,  and,  as  it  were,  hang 
about  the  court  of  heaven,  yet  not  enjoy 
communion  with  God ;  we  may  have  the 
letter  without  the  Spirit,  the  visible  sign 
without  the  invisible  grace ;  it  is  the  en- 
joying of  God  in  a  duty  we  should  chiefly 
look  at,  Ps.  xlii.  2,,  "  INIy  soul  thirsteth  for 
God,  for  the  living  God."  Alas  !  what 
are  all  our  worldly  enjoyments  without  the 
enjoying  of  God  ?  What  is  it  to  enjoy  a 
great  deal  of  health,  a  brave  estate,  and 
not  to  enjoy  God?  Job  xxx.  28.,  "  I  went 
mourning  \\athout  the  sun."  So  mayest 
thou  say  in  the  enjoyment  of  all  creatui'es 


without  God,  "  I  went  mourning  without 
the  sun."  I  have  the  star-light  of  outward 
enjoyments,  but  I  cannot  enjoy  God,  I 
want  the  Sun  of  Pighteousncss.  "  I  went 
mourning  without  the  sun."  This  should 
be  our  great  design,  not  only  to  have  the 
ordinances  of  God,  but  the  God  of  tlie  or- 
dinances. Tlie  enjoying  of  God's  sweet 
presence  with  us  here,  is  the  most  content- 
ed life  :  he  is  an  hive  of  sweetness,  a  mag- 
azine of  riches,  a  fountain  of  delight,  Ps. 
xxxAa,  8,  9.  The  higher  the  lark  flics,  the 
sweeter  it  sings  ;  and  the  higher  we  fly  by 
the  wing  of  faitli,  the  more  of  God  we  en- 
joy, the  sweeter  delight  we  feel  in  our  souls. 
How  is  the  heart  inflamed  in  prayer  and 
meditation  !  What  joy  and  peace  in  be- 
lieving !  Is  it  not  comfortable  being  in 
heaven  ?  He  that  enjoys  much  of  God  in 
this  life,  carries  heaven  about  him.  O  let 
this  be  the  thing  we  are  chiefly  ambitious 
of,  the  enjoying  of  God  in  his  ordinances  ; 
remember,  the  enjoying  of  God's  sweet 
presence  here  is  an  earnest  of  our  enjoying 
him  in  heaven. 

And  that  brings  us  to  the  second  thing, 
viz. 

2d.  Tlie  enjoying  of  God  in  the  life  to 
come  :  INIan's  chief  end  is  to  enjoy  God 
for  ever.  Before  this  plenary  fruition  of 
God  in  heaven,  there  must  be  something 
previous  and  antecedent;  and  that  is,  our 
being  in  a  state  of  grace.  ^Ve  must  have 
conlbrmity  to  him  in  grace,  before  we  can 
have  communion  with  him  in  glory ;  grace 
and  glory  are  linked  and  chained  together; 
gTRcc  precedes  glory,  as  the  morning-star 
ushers  in  the  sun.  God  will  haA^e  us  qua- 
lified and  fitted  for  a  state  of  blessedness. 
Drunkards  and  swearers  are  not  fit  to  en- 
joy God  in  glory ;  the  Lord  will  not  lay 
such  A'ipcrs  in  his  bosom  ;  only  "  the  pure 
in  heart  shall  see  God ;"  we  must  first  be, 
as  the  king's  daughter,  glorious  within,  be- 
fore we  arc  clothed  with  the  robes  of  glory. 
As  king  Ahasuerus  first  caused  the  virgins 
to  be  purified  and  anointed,  and  they  had 
their  sweet  odours  to  perfume  them,  and 
then  they  went  to  stand  befi)re  the  king, 
Esth.  ii.  12.,  so  must  we;  we  must  have 
the  anointing  of  God,  and  be  perfumed  with 
the  graces  of  the  Spirit,  those  sweet  odours, 
and  then  we  shall  stand  before  the  King 


20 


MAN'S  CHIEF  END  IS  TO  GLORIFY  GOD. 


of  heaven.  Now,  being  tlius  divin  ly  qua- 
lified by  grace,  we  sliall  be  taken  up  to 
tlie  mount  of  vision,  and  enjoy  Go  I  for 
ever.  Tins  enjoying  God  for  ever,  is  no- 
thing else  but  to  be  put  in  a  state  of  hap- 
piness. As  the  body  cannot  have  life  but 
by  having  communion  with  the  soul,  so 
the  soul  cannot  have  blessedness,  but  by 
having  immediate  communion  with  God. 
God  is  the  summum  bonuni,  the  chief  good; 
therefore  the  enjoying  of  him  is  the  highest 
felicity.     He  is,  I  say,  the  chief  good. 

1.  lie  is  an  universal  good, — honum  in 
quo  omnia  bona,    "  a  good,   in  which  are 
all  goods."     The  excellencies  of  the  crea- 
ture are  limited.     A  man  may  haA'e  health, 
not  beauty;  learning,  not  parentage;  riches, 
not  wisdom  ;  but  in  God  are  eminently  con- 
tained all  excellencies.     He  is  a  good,  com- 
mensurate fully  to  the  soul ;  he  is  a  sun, 
a  portion,   an  horn   of  salvation ;   in  him 
dwells  "  all  fulness,"  Col.  i.  19.— 2.  God 
is  an  unmixed  good.     No  condition  in  this 
life  but  hath  its  mixture ;  for  every  drop 
of  honey  there  is  a  drop  of  gall.     Solomon 
who  gave  himself  to  find  out  this  philoso- 
pher's stone, — to  search  out  for  an  happi- 
ness here  below, — he  found  vanity  and  vex- 
ation,  Eccl.  i.  2.     But  God  is  a  perfect, 
quintessential   good.      He  is  sweetness  in 
the  flower. — 3.  God  is  a  satisfying  good; 
The  soul  cries  out,  I  have  enough,  Ps.  xvii. 
15.,    "  I  shall  be  satisfied  with  thy  like- 
ness."    A  man  tliat  is  thirsty,  bring  him 
to  the  ocean,  and  he  hath  enough.     If  there 
be   enough   in  God  to   satisfy  the   angels, 
then  sure,   enough  to  satisfy  us.      The  soul 
is  but  finite,  but  God  is  an  uncreated  in-" 
finite  good.     And  yet  though  God  be  such 
a  good  as   doth   satisfy ;    yet  not  surfeit. 
Fresh  joys  spring  continually  from  God's 
face ;   and  God  is  as  much  to  be  desired 
after  millions  of  years  by  glorified  souls, 
as  at  the  first  moment.     There  is  so  nmch 
fulness  in  God  as   satisfies,   yet  so  much 
sweetness,  that  the  soul  still  desires ;  it  is 
satisfaction  without  surfeit. — 4.  God  is  a 
delicious  good.     That  which   is  the  chief 
good  must  ravish  the  soul  with  pleasure ; 
there  must  be  in  it  spirits  of  delight  and 
quintessence  of  joy,  and  this  is  to  be  en- 
joyed only  in  God,  In  Deo  quackim  didcedine 
deledatur  animo,  immo  rapilur :    The  love 


of  God  drops  such  infinite  suavity  into  the 
soul  as  is  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory. 
If  there  be  so  much  delight  in  God,  when 
we  see  him  only  by  faith,  1  Peter  i.  8.,  what 
will  the  joy  of  vision  be  when  we  shall  see 
him  face  to  face  ?  If  the  saints  have  found 
so  much  delight  in  God  while  they  were 
suffering,  O  then  what  joy  and  delight  will 
they  have  when  they  are  crowning  !  If 
flames  are  beds  of  roses,  O  then  what  will 
it  be  to  lean  on  the  bosom  of  Jesus  !  What 
a  bed  of  roses  will  that  be  ! — 5.  God  is  a 
superlative  good.  He  is  better  than  any 
thing  you  can  put  in  competition  with  him; 
he  is  better  than  health,  riches,  honour. 
Other  things  maintain  life, — he  gives  life. 
But  who  would  go  to  put  any  thing  in  ba- 
lance with  the  Deity  ?  Who  would  weigh 
a  feather  Avith  a  mountain  of  gold  ?  God 
excels  all  other  things  more  infinitely  than 
the  sun  the  light  of  a  taper. — 6.  God  is  an 
eternal  good.  He  is  "  the  ancient  of  days," 
Dan.  vii.  9.,  yet  never  decavs,  nor  waxes 
old.  The  joy  he  gives  is  eternal,  the  crowu 
fadeth  not  away,  1  Peter  v.  4.  The  glori- 
fied soul  shall  be  ever  solacing  itself  in 
God ;  it  shall  be  feasting  on  his  loA'e,  and 
sunning  itself  in  the  light  of  his  counte- 
nance. We  read  of  "  the  river  of  plea- 
sure at  God's  right  hand;"  but  will  not 
tliis  in  time  be  dried  up  ?  No,  there  is  a 
fountain  at  the  bottom  which  feeds  it, 
Ps.  xxx\a.  9.,  "  With  the  Lord  is  the 
fountain  of  life."  Thus  God  is  the  chief 
good,  and  the  enjoying  God  for  e\er  is  the 
supremest  felicity  the  soul  is  capable  of. 

1.  Use  of  Exhortation.  Let  it  be  the 
chief  end  of  our  living  to  enjoy  this  chief 
good  hereafter;  this  is  that  which  will  crown 
us  \v'ith  happiness.  Austin  reckons  up  288 
opinions  among  the  philosophers  about  haj)- 
piness,  but  all  did  shoot  short  of  the  mark. 
The  hiirhest  elevation  of  a  reasonable  soul 
is  to  enjoy  God  for  ever.  It  is  the  enjoy- 
iiiil  God  that  makes  heaven,  I  Thess.  iv. 
17.,  "  Then  shall  we  ever  be  with  the 
Lord."  The  soul  trembles,  as  the  needle 
in  the  compass,  and  is  never  at  rest  till  it 
comes  to  God. 

To  set  out  this  excellent  state  of  a  glo- 
rified soul's  enjoying  God:  1.  This  enjoy- 
ing of  God  must  not  be  understood  in  a 
sensual  manner ;  we  must  not  conceive  any 


MAN'S  CHIEF  END  IS  TO  GLORIFY  GOD. 


21 


carnal  pleasures  in  heaven.  Tlie  Turks,  liis  sweetness, — not  only  inspection  hut  pos- 
in  their  Alcoran,  speak  of  a  paradise  of  jilea- 
sure,  where  tliey  have  riches  in  ahundance, 
and  red  wine  served  in  j^olden  chalices. 
Here  is  an  heaven,  consisting  of  pleasures 
for  the  body ;  the  epicures  of  this  age  would 
like  such  an  heaven  when  they  die.  Thouj^h 
indeed  the  state  of  filory  be  compared  to  a 
feast,  and  is  set  out  by  pearls  and  ])recious 
stones,  yet  these  metaphors  are  only  to  be 
helps  to  our  faith,  and  to  shew  us  that  there 
is  superabundant  joy  and  felicity  in  the  em- 
pyrean heaven  ;  but  those  are  not  carnal, 
but  sacred  delig^hts, — as  our  employment 
shall  be  spiritual,  it  will  consist  in  adoring 
and  praising  of  God;  so  our  enjoyment 
shall  be  spiritual, — it  shall  consist  in  having 
the  perfection  of  holiness,  in  seeing  the  pure 
face  of  Christ,  in  feeling  the  love  of  God, 
in  conversing  with  heavenly  spirits.  Tliese 
delights  will  be  more  adequate  and  proper 
for  the  soul,  and  infinitely  exceed  all  carnal 
voluptuous  delights. — 2.  We  shall  have  a 
lively  sense  of  this  glorious  estate.  A  man 
in  a  letharg}'^,  though  he  be  alive,  yet  he  is 
as  good  as  dead,  because  he  is  not  sensible, 
nor  doth  he  take  any  pleasure  in  his  life  : 
we  shall  have  a  quick  and  lively  sense  of" 
the  infinite  pleasure  which  ariscth  from  en- 
joyment of  God, — we  shall  know  ourselves 
to  be  happy, — we  shall  reflect  with  joy  upon 
our  dignity  and  felicity, — we  shall  taste 
every  crumb  of  that  sweetness,  every  droj) 
of  that  pleasure  which  flows  from  (iod. — 
3.  We  shall  be  made  able  to  bear  a  sight 
of  that  glory.  We  could  not  now  bear  that 
glory, — it  would  overwhelm  us,  as  a  weak 
eye  cannot  behold  the  sun;  but  God  will 
capacitate  us  for  glory ;  our  souls  shall  be 
so  heavenly  and  perfected  wnth  holiness. 
that  they  may  be  able  to  enjoy  the  Ijlesscd 
vision  of  God.  Moses  in  a  cleft  of  the 
rock  saw  the  glory  of  God  passing  by, 
Exod.  xxxiii.  21.  Through  our  blessed 
rock,  Christ,  we  shall  behold  the  beatifical 
sight  of  God. — 4.  This  enjoyment  of  (iod 
shall  be  more  than  a  bare  contem])lati()n 
of  him.  Some  of  the  learned  move  the 
question,  Whether  the  enjoyment  of  God 
shalk  be  only  by  way  of  contemplation  ? 
.Ans.  That  is  something,  but  it  is  but  one 
half  of  heaven ;  there  shall  be  a  lo\'ing  of 
God, — an  acquiescence  in  him, — a  tasting 


session  :  John  x\ni.  21.,  "  That  they  may 
behold  my  glory,"— there  is  inspection; 
V.  22.,  "  And  the  glory  thou  hast  given  me, 
I  have  given  them," — there  is  possession. 
"  Glory  shall  be  revealed  in  us,"  Rom.  viii. 
18. ;  not  only  revealed  to  us,  but  in  us.  To 
behold  God's  glory,  there  is  glory  revealed  to 
us;  but,  to  partake  of  his  glory,  there  is  glory 
revealed  in  us.  As  the  spuiige  sucks  in  the 
wine,  so  shall  we  suck  in  glory. — 5.  lliere 
is  no  intermission  in  this  state  of  glory. 
We  shall  not  only  have  God's  glorious  pre- 
sence at  certain  special  seasons,  but  we  shall 
be  continually  in  his  presence,  continually 
under  di\ane  raptures  of  joy.  There  shall 
not  be  one  minute  in  heaven  wherein  a  glo- 
rified soul  may  say,  I  do  not  enjoy  haj)pi- 
ness.  The  streams  of  glory  are  not  like 
the  water  of  a  conduit,  often  stopped,  that 
we  cannot  have  one  drop  of  water;  but 
those  heavenly  streams  of  joy  are  continu- 
ally running.  O  how  should  we  despise 
this  valley  of  tears,  where  we  now  are,  for 
the  mount  of  transfiguration  !  How  should 
we  long  for  the  full  enjoyment  of  God  in 
paradise  !  Had  we  a  sight  of  that  land  of 
promise,  we  should  need  patience  to  be  con- 
tent to  live  here  any  longer. 

2d.  Let  this  be  a  spur  to  duty.  How  di- 
ligent and  zealous  should  we  be  in  glorify- 
ing God,  that  we  may  come  at  last  to  enjoy 
him?  If  Tiilly,  Demosthenes,  and  Plato, 
who  had  but  the  dim  watch-light  of  reason 
to  see  by,  and  did  fancy  an  elysium  and 
hapj)iness  after  this  life,  did  take  such  Her- 
culean pains  to  enjoy  it,  O  then  how  should 
Christians,  who  have  the  light  of  scripture 
to  see  by,  bestir  themselves  that  they  may 
attend  at  the  eternal  fruition  of  God  and 
"lorv  !  If  anv  thing-  can  make  us  rise  off 
our  bed  of  sloth,  and  serve  Ciod  with  all 
our  might,  it  should  be  this, — the  h(q>c  of 
our  near  enjoyment  of  God  for  ever.  W  hat 
made  Paul  so  active  in  the  sphere  of  reli- 
gion ?  1  Cor.  XV.  10.,  "  I  laboured  more 
abundantly  than  they  all."  His  obedience 
did  not  move  slow  as  the  sun  on  the  dial, 
but  swift,  as  the  sun  in  the  firmament. 
Why  was  he  so  zealous  in  glorifying  God, 
but  that  he  might  at  last  centre  and  termi- 
nate in  him?  1  Thess.  iv.  17.,  "  Then  shall 
we  be  ever  with  the  Lord." 


22 


OF  THE  SCRIPTURES. 


3d,  Use  of  CoTisoiaiion.  Let  this  comfort 
die  godly  in  all  the  present  miseries  they 
feel.  Tliou  complHiiiest,  (Christian,  thou 
dost  not  enjoy  thyself, — fears  disquiet  thee, 
— wants  perplex  thee, — in  the  day  thou 
canst  not  enjoy  ease,  in  the  night  thou  canst 
not  enjoy  sleep, — thou  dost  not  enjoy  the 


comforts  of  thy  life.  Let  this  revive  thee, 
that  shortly  thou  shalt  enjoy  God,  and  then 
shalt  have  more  than  tliou  canst  ask  or 
think ;  thou  shalt  have  angels'  joy, — glory 
without  intermission  or  expiration.  We 
shall  never  enjoy  ourselves  fully  till  we  en- 
joy God  eternally. 


te  V^-^.'W*.  V*  »^  V'^^*'^^^ 


OF  THE  SCRIPTURES. 


Quest.  II.  WHAT  rule  hath  God  given  to 
direct  us  how  we  may  glorify  and  enjoy  him  ? 

Ans.  The  word  of  God  (which  is  con- 
tained in  the  Scriptures  of  the  Old  and  New 
Testament)  is  the  only  rule  to  direct  us  how 
we  may  glorify  and  enjoy  him. 

2  Tim.  iii.  IG.,  "  All  scripture  is  given 
by  inspiration  of  God,"  &c.  By  scripture 
is  understood  the  sacred  book  of  God.  It 
is  given  by  divine  inspiration,  that  is,  the 
scripture  is  not  the  contrivance  of  man's 
brain,  but  of  a  divine  original.  The  image 
of  Diana  was  had  in  veneration  by  the  E- 
phesians,  because  they  did  suppose  it  fell 
from  Jupiter,  Acts  xix.  213.  This  book 
then  of  the  holy  scripture  is  to  be  highly 
reverenced  and  esteemed,  because  we  are 
sure  it  came  from  heaven,  2  Pet.  i.  21.  The 
two  Testaments  are  the  two  lips  by  which 
God  hath  spoken  to  us. 

Q.  How  doth  it  appear  that  the  scriptures 
have  a  jus  divinum,  '  a  divine  authority' 
stamped  upon  them  ? 

A.  Because  the  Old  and  New  Testament 
are  the  foundation  of  all  religion.  If  their 
divinity  cannot  be  proved,  the  foundation 
is  gone  on  which  we  build  our  faith.  J 
shall  therefore  endeaA^our  to  ev'ince  this 
gi-eat  truth,  that  the  scriptures  are  the  very 
word  of  God.  I  wonder  whence  the  scrip- 
ture should  come,  if  not  from  God  ! — I.  Bad 
men  could  not  be  the  authors  of  scripture. 
Would  their  minds  be  employed  in  indicting 
such  holy  lines?  Would  they  declare  so 
fiercely  against  sin  ? — 2.  Good  men  could 
not  be  the  authors  of  scripture.  Could  they 
write  in  such  a  strain  ?  or  could  it  stand 
with  their  grace  to  counterfeit  God's  name, 
and  put,  "  Tluis  saith  the  Lord,"  to  a  book 
of  their  own  devising  ? — 3.  Nor  could  any 
angel  in  heaven  be  the  author  of  scripture : 


Because,  1.  Tlie  angels  pry  and  search  into 
the  abyss  of  gospel-mysteries,  1  Pet.  i.  12., 
which  implies  their  nescience  of  some  parts 
of  scripture ;  and  sure  they  cannot  be  au- 
thors of  that  book  which  themselves  do  not 
fully  understand.  Besides,  2.  VHiat  angel 
in  heaven  durst  be  so  arrogant  as  to  perso- 
nate God,  and  say,  "  I  create,"  Isa.  Ixv.  17., 
and  "  I  the  Lord  have  said  it,"  Numb.  xiv. 
35.  ?  So  that  it  is  evident,  the  pedigree  of 
scripture  is  sacred,  and  it  could  come  from 
none  but  God  himself. 

Not  to  speak  of  the  harmonious  consent 
of  all  the  parts  of  scrij)ture,  there  are  seven 
cogent  arguments  which  may  evince  it  to 
be  the  word  of  God. 

1.  By  its  antiquity.  It  is  of  ancient  stand- 
ing. The  gray  hairs  of  scripture  make 
it  venerable.  No  human  histories  extant 
reach  farther  than  since  Noah's  flood ;  but 
the  holy  scripture  relates  matters  of  fact 
that  have  been  from  the  beginning  of  the 
world ;  it  writes  of  things  before  time.  Now, 
that  is  a  sure  rule  of  Tertullian,  "  That 
which  is  of  the  greatest  antiquity, — idverum 
qvod  primiim, — is  to  be  received  as  most  sa- 
cred and  authentic." 

2.  We  may  know  the  scripture  to  be  the 
word  of  God,  by  the  miraculous  preserva- 
tion of  it  in  all  ages.  The  holy  scriptures 
are  the  richest  jewel  that  Christ  hath  left ; 
and  the  church  of  God.  hath  kept  these 
public  records  of  heaven  Uiat  they  have  not 
been  lost.  The  word  of  God  liath  never 
wanted  enemies  to  oppose,  and,  if  possible, 
to  extirpate  it.  They  have  given  out  a  law, 
concerning  scripture,  as  Pharaoh  did  the 
midwives  concerning  the  Hebrew  woiy.en's 
children,  to  strangle  it  in  the  birth  ;  yet 
God  hath  preserved  this  blessed  book  in- 
violable to  this  day.     The  devil  and  his  a- 


1 


OF  THE  SCKIPTURES. 


23 


gents  have  been  blowing  at  scripture  light, 
but  could  never  prevail  to  blow  it  out, — a 
clear  sign  that  it  was  lighted  from  heaven. 
Nor  hath  the  church  of  God,  in  all  revolu- 
tions and  changes,  only  kept  the  scripture 
that  it  should  not  be  lost,  but  that  it  should 
not  be  depraved.  The  letter  of  scripture 
hath  been  preserved,  without  any  corrup- 
tion, in  the  original  tongues.  The  scrip- 
tures were  not  corrupted  before  Christ's 
time,  for  then  Christ  would  never  have  sent 
the  Jews  to  the  scriptures;  but  he  sends 
them  to  the  scriptures,  John  v.  39.,  "  Search 
the  scriptures."  Christ  knew  these  sacred 
springs  were  not  muddied  with  human  fan- 
cies. 

3.  The  scripture  appears  to  be  the  word 
of  God,  by  the  matter  contained  in  it. — 1. 
By  its  profundity.     The  mystery  of  scrip- 
ture is  so  abstruse  and  profound,   that  no 
man  or  angel  could  have  known  it  had  it 
not  been  divinely  revealed.     That  eternity 
should  be  born ;  that  He  who  tlmnders  in 
the  heavens  should  cry  in  the  cradle  ;  that 
He  who  rules  the  stars  should  suck  the 
breasts  ;  that  the  Prince  of  life  should  die  ; 
that  the  Lord  of  glory  should  be   put  to 
shame;  that  sin  should  be  punished  to  the 
full,  yet  pardoned  to  the  full ;   who  could 
ever  have  conceived  of  such  a  mystery,  had 
not  the  scripture  been  the  oracle  to  reveal 
it  to  us  ?   So,  for  the  doctrine  of  the  resur- 
rection :    that   the    same    body   which    is 
crumbled  into  a  thousand  pieces,   should 
rise  idem  numero,  the  same  individual  body, 
'for  else  it  were  a  creation  not  a  resurrec- 
tion^ )_l,ow  could  such  a  sacred  riddle,  a- 
bove  all  human  disquisition,  be  known,  had 
not  the  scripture  made  a  discovery  of  it  ?— 
2.  By  its  purity.     It  is,  for  the  matter  of 
it,  so  full  of  goodness,  justice,  and  sanctity, 
that  it  could  be  breathed  from  none  but  from 
God ;  the  holiness  of  it  shows  it  to  be  of 
God,  it  bears  his  very  image.     The  scrip- 
ture is  compared  to  silver  refined  seven 
times,  Ps.  xu.  6.     This  book  of  God  hath 
no  errata  in  it;  it  is  a  beam  of  the  Sun 
of  Righteousness,— a  crystal  stream  flowing 
from  the  fountain  of  life.     All  laws  and  e- 
dicts  of  men  have  had  their  corruptions, 
but  the  word  of  God  hath  not  the  least 
tincture,  it  is  of  a  meridian  splendour,  Ps. 
cxLx,  140.,  "  Thy  word  is  very  pure,"  like 


wine  tliat  comes  from  the  grape,  which  is 
not  mixed  nor  adulterated.     It  is  so  pure, 
that  it  purifies  every  thing  else,  John  xvii. 
17.,"  Sanctify  them  through  thy  truth."  The 
scripture  presseth  holiness,  so  as  never  any 
book  did ;  it  bids  us  live  "  soberly,  righ- 
teously, godly,"  Tit.  ii.  12.     Soberly,  in  acts 
of  temperance  ;  rigliteously,  in  acts  of  jus- 
tice ;   godly,  in  the  acts  of  zeal  and  devo- 
tion.    It  commends  to  us  whatever  is  just, 
lovely,  and  of  good  report,  Phil.  iv.  8.    This 
sword  of  the  Spirit.  Eph.  vi.  17.  cuts  down 
Aicc.     Out    of  this    tower  of  scrij)ture  is 
thrown  down  a  millstone  upon  the  head  of 
sin.     The  scripture  is  the  royal  law,  which 
commands  not  only  the  actions,  but  affec- 
tions ;  it  binds  the  heart  to  its  good  beha- 
viour.    Where  is  there  such  holiness  to  be 
found,  as  is  digged  out  of  this  sacred  mine .'' 
who  could  be  the  author  of  such  a  book,  as 
God  himself? 

4.  That  the  scripture  is  the  word  of  God, 
is  evident  by  its  predictions ;  it  prophesieth 
of  things  to  come.  This  shows  the  voice 
of  God  speaking  in  it.  It  was  foretold  by 
the  prophet,  "  A  virgin  shall  conceive," 
Isa.  vii.  14. ;  and,  the  "  Messiah  shall  be  cut 
off,"  Dan.  ix.  26.  The  scripture  furetels 
things  that  should  fall  out  many  ages  and 
centuries  after  ;  as  how  long  Israel  should 
serve  in  the  iron  furnace,  and  the  very  day 
of  tlieir  deliverance,  Exod.  xii.  41.,  "  At  the 
end  of  the  four  hundred  and  thirty  years, 
even  the  self-same  day,  it  came  to  pass,  that 
the  host  of  tiie  Lord  went  out  of  Egypt." 
This  ])rediction  of  future  things,  merely 
contingent,  and  not  depending  upon  natu- 
ral causes,  is  a  clear  demonstration  of  its 
divine  original. 

5.  The  impartiality  of  those  men  of  God, 
who  wrote  the  scriptures.  They  do  not 
spare  to  set  down  their  own  failings.  A\'hat 
man  that  writes  an  history  would  black  his 
own  face,  viz.,  record  those  things  of  him- 
self that  might  stain  his  reputation  ?  Moses 
records  his  own  impatience  when  he  struck 
the  rock,  and  tells  us,  therefore  he  could 
not  enter  into  the  land  of  promi.se  ;  David 
writes  of  his  own  adultery  and  bloodshed, 
which  stands  as  a  blot  in  his  scutcheon  to 
succeeding  ages  ;  Peter  relates  his  own  pu- 
sillanimity in  denying  Christ ;  Jonah  sets 
dewn  his  own  passions,  "  I  do  well  to  be 


OF  THE  SCRIPTURES. 


nnfjry  to  the  (loath. "  Siirclv,  had  not  their 
pen  1)0011  frai(lo('  by  God's  own  liand,  they 
would  never  liave  written  that  which  did 
reflect  dishonour  upon  themselves  !  Men 
do  usually  rather  hide  their  blemislies  than 
publish  them  to  the  world  :  but  these  pen- 
men of  holy  scripttire  eclipse  their  own 
name, — they  take  away  all  the  <]^l<)ry  from 
themselves,  and  give  the  glory  to  Gtxl. 

6.  The  mighty  power  and  efficacy  the 
word  hath  had  upon  the  souls  and  con- 
sciences of  men. —  1.  It  hatli  changed  their 
hearts.  Some  by  reading  of  scripture  liave 
been  turned  into  other  men,  they  haA-e  been 
made  holy  and  gracious.  By  reading  other 
books  the  heart  may  be  warmed,  but  by 
reading  this  book  it  is  transformed,  2  Cor. 
iii.  3.,  "  Ye  are  manifestly  declared  to  be 
the  epistle  Christ,  written  not  with  ink, 
but  with  the  Spirit  of  the  living  God." 
The  word  was  copied  out  into  their  hearts, 
and  they  were  become  Christ's  epistle,  so 
that  others  might  read  Christ  in  them.  If 
you  should  set  a  seal  upon  marble,  and  it 
should  make  an  impression  upon  the  mar- 
ble, and  leave  a  print  behind,  there  were  a 
strange  virtue  in  that  seal :  so,  when  the 
seal  of  the  word  leaves  a  heavenly  print  of 
grace  upon  the  heart,  there  must  needs  be 
a  power  going  along  with  that  word  no 
less  than  divine. — 2.  It  hath  comforted 
their  hearts.  When  Christians  have  sitten 
by  the  rivers  weeping,  the  word  hath  drop- 
ped as  honey  and  sweetly  revived  them. 
A  Christian's  chief  comfort  is  drawn  out 
of  these  wells  of  salvation  :  Rom.  xv.  4., 
"  That  we  through  comfort  of  the  Scrip- 
tures might  have  hope."  When  a  poor 
soul  hath  been  ready  to  faint,  he  hath  had 
nothing  to  comfort  him  but  a  scripture- 
cordial.  When  he  hath  been  sick,  the 
word  hath  revived  him  :  2  Cor.  iv.  17., 
"  Our  light  affliction,  which  is  but  for  a 
moment,  worketh  for  us  a  far  more  e.vceed- 
in<r  and  eternal  weiijht  of  glory."  When 
he  hath  been  deserted,  the  word  hath  drop, 
ped  in  the  golden  oil  of  joy  into  his  heart : 
I^am.  iii.  31.,  "  Tiic  Lord  will  not  cast  off 
for  ever."  He  may  change  his  providence, 
not  his  purpose  ;  he  may  have  the  look  of 
an  enemv,  but  the  heart  of  a  father.  Thus 
the  word  hath  a  power  in  it  to  comfort  tlie 
heart :  Ps.  cxix.  50.,  "  This  is  my  comfort 


in  mine  affliction  ;  for  thy  word  hath  quick- 
ened me."  As  the  spirits  are  conveyed 
through  the  arteries  of  the  body;  so  divine 
comforts  are  conveyed  through  the  pro- 
mi.ses  of  the  word  Now  the  scriptures 
having  such  an  exhilarating,  heart-com- 
forting power  in  them,  it  shows  clearly 
that  they  are  of  God,  and  it  is  he  tliat 
liath  put  this  milk  of  consolation  into  tlieso 
breasts. 

7.  The  great  miracles  wherewith  the 
Lord  hath  confirmed  scripture.  Miracles 
were  used  by  Moses,  Elijah,  Christ,  and 
continued  many  years  after  by  the  apostles, 
to  confirm  the  verity  of  the  holy  scriptures. 
As  props  are  set  under  weak  vines,  so  tliese 
miracles  were  set  under  the  weak  faith  of 
men,  that  if  they  would  not  belicA^e  the 
writings  of  the  word,  yet  they  might  be- 
lieve the  miracles.  We  read  of  God's  di- 
viding the  waters, — making  a  causeway  in 
the  sea  for  his  people  to  go  over, — the  iron 
swimming, — the  oil  increasing  by  pouring 
out, — Christ's  making  wine  of  water, — his 
curing  the  blind, — and  raising  the  dead  : 
thus  God  hath  set  a  seal  to  the  truth  and 
divinity  of  the  scriptures  by  miracles. 

Object.  T/te  papists  indeed  cannot  deny 
hut  that  the  scripture  is  divine  and  sacred ; 
but  they  affirm  that  quoad  nos,  '  with  respect 
to  us,'  it  receives  its  divine  authority  from  the 
church  ;  and  they  briny  that  scripture,  1  Tim. 
iii.  1;").,  tvherc  the  church  is  said  to  be  '  the 
ground,  and  pillar  of  indli.' 

Ans.  It  is  true,  the  church  is  the  pillar 
of  truth  ;  but  it  doth  not  therefore  follow, 
that  the  scripture  hath  its  authority  from 
the  church.  The  king's  proclamation  is 
fixed  on  the  pillar,  tlic  ])illar  holds  it  out, 
that  all  may  read,  but  the  proclamation 
doth  not  receive  its  authority  from  the  ])il- 
lar,  but  from  the  king;  so  the  church  holds 
forth  the  scriptures,  but  they  do  not  receive 
their  authority  from  the  church,  but  from 
God.  If  the  word  of  God  be  divine,  mere- 
ly because  the  church  holds  it  forth,  then 
it  will  follow,  that  our  faith  is  to  be  built 
upon  the  chinch  and  not  upon  the  word ; 
contrary  to  that,  Eph.  ii.  20.,  "  Built  upon 
the  foundation  (that  is  the  doctrine)  of  the 
ajtostlcs,  and  prophets." 

Q.  Are  all  the  books  in  the  Bible  of  the 
same  divine  authority  ? 


OF  THE  SCRIPTURES. 


25 


A.  Those  which  we  call  canonical. 

Q.  /  Vhy  are  the  scriptures  called  canonical  ? 

A.  Because  the  word  is  a  rule  of  faith, — 
a  canon  to  direct  our  lives.  The  word  is 
the  judge  of  controversies,  the  rock  of  in- 
fallihility ;  that  only  is  to  be  received  for 
truth,  which  is  consonant  to,  and  agrees 
witli  scripture,  as  the  transcript  with  the 
original.  All  maxims  in  divinity  are  to  be 
brought  to  the  touchstone  of  scriptui'e,  as 
all  measures  are  brought  to  the  standard. 

Q.  Are  the  scriptures  a  complete  rule  ? 

A.  The  scripture  is  a  full  and  perfect 
canon  containing  in  it  all  things  necessary 
to  salvation:  2  Tim.  iii.  15.,  "  From  a 
child  thou  hast  known  the  holy  scriptures, 
which  are  able  to  make  thee  wise  unto  sal- 
vation." It  shows  the  credenda^ — what  we 
are  to  believe  ;  and  agenda^ — what  we  are 
to  practise.  It  gives  us  an  exact  model  of 
religion,  and  perfectly  instructs  us  in  the 
deep  things  of  God.  The  papists  therefore 
make  themselves  guilty,  who  go  to  eke  out 
scripture  with  their  traditions,  to  which 
they  equalize  it.  The  council  of  Trent 
saith,  that  the  traditions  of  the  church  of 
Rome  are  to  be  received  pari  pietatis  affec- 
tum— with  the  same  devotion  that  scripture 
is  to  be  received  with ;  so  bringing  them- 
selves under  the  curse,  Rev.  xxii.  18.,  "  If 
any  man  shall  add  unto  these  things,  God 
shall  add  unto  him  the  plagues  that  are 
wi'itten  in  this  book." 

Q.  What  is  the  main  scope  and  end  of 
scripture  ? 

A.  To  chalk  out  a  way  to  salvation.  It 
makes  a  clear  discovery  of  Christ :  John 
XX.  31.,  "  These  things  are  written,  that 
ye  might  believe  that  Jesus  is  the  Christ, 
and  that  believing  ye  might  have  life 
througii  his  name."  The  design  of  the 
word  is  to  be  an  examen  whereby  our 
grace  is  to  be  tried ;  a  sea-mark  to  show  us 
what  rocks  we  are  to  avoid.  The  word  is 
to  sublimate  and  quicken  our  affections ; 
it  is  to  be  our  directory  and  consolatory  ,•« 
it  is  to  waft  us  over  to  the  land  of  promise. 

Q.  Who  shall  have  tJie  power  of  interpret- 
ing scriptures  ? 

The  Papists  do  assert  that  it  is  in  the 
power  of  the  church.  If  you  ask  who  they 
mean  by  the  church,  they  say,  the  Pope 
who  is   head  of  it,   and  he  is  infallible ; 


so  Bellarmine.  But  that  assertion  is  false, 
because  many  of  the  Popes  have  been  ig- 
norant and  vicious,  as  Platina  aflirms,  who 
writes  of  the  lives  of  Popes.  Pope  Libe- 
rius  was  an  Arian  ;  and  Pope  John  XII. 
denied  the  immortality  of  the  soul ;  there- 
fore Popes  are  not  fit  interpreters  of  scrip- 
ture.    Who  then? 

A.  The  scripture  is  to  be  its  own  inter- 
preter, or  rather  the  Spirit  speaking  in  it ; 
nothing  can  cut  the  diamond  but  the  dia- 
mond ;  nothing  can  interpret  ocripture  but 
scripture ;  the  sun  best  discovers  itself  by 
its  own  beams  ;  the  scripture  interprets  it- 
self in  easy  places  to  the  understanding. 
But  the  question  is  concerning  hard  places 
of  scripture  where  the  weak  Christian  is 
ready  to  wade  beyond  his  depth.  Who 
shall  interpret  here  ? 

A.  In  the  church,  God  hath  appointed 
some  to  expound  and  interpret  scripture ; 
therefore  he  hath  given  gifts  to  men  ;  the 
several  pastors  of  churches,  like  bright  con- 
stellations, give  light  to  dark  scriptures  : 
Mai.  ii.  7.,  "  The  priest's  lips  should  keep 
knowledge,  and  they  should  seek  the  law 
at  his  mouth." 

Q.  Ihit  this  is  to  pin  our  faith  upon  men  ? 

A.  We  are  to  receive  nothing  for  cur- 
rant but  what  is  agreeable  to  the  word. 
As  God  hath  given  to  his  ministers  gifts 
for  the  interpreting  obscure  places,  so  he 
hath  given  to  his  people  so  much  of  the 
spirit  of  discerning,  that  they  can  tell  (at 
least  in  things  necessary  to  salvation)  what 
is  consonant  to  scripture,  and  what  is  not : 
1  Cor.  xii.  10.,  "  To  one  is  given  a  spij*it 
of  prophecy,  to  another  discerning  of  spi- 
rits." God  hath  endued  his  people  with 
such  a  measure  of  wisdom  and  discretion, 
that  thev  can  discern  between  truth  and 
error,  and  judge  what  is  sound,  and  wliat 
is  spurious:  Acts  xvii.  11.,  "  The  Bereans 
searched  the  scriptures  daily,  whether  those 
things  were  so."  They  weighed  the  doc- 
trine they  heard,  whether  it  was  agreeable 
to  scripture,  though  Paul  and  Silas  were 
their  teachers,  2  Tim.  iii.  16. 

Use  \st.  See  the  wonderful  goodness  ot 
God,  who,  besides  the  light  of  nature,  hath 
committed  to  us  the  sacred  scriptures.  The 
heathens  are  enveloped  with  ignorance,  Ps. 
cxlvii.  20.,    *'  As  for  his  judgments  they 

D 


26 


OF  THE  SCRIPTURES. 


have  not  known  tliem."  They  have  the 
oracles  of  the  sybils,  but  not  the  writings 
of  Moses  and  the  apostles.  How  many  live 
in  the  region  of  death  where  this  bright 
star  of  scripture  never  appeared  ?  We  have 
this  blessed  book  of  God  to  resolve  all  our 
cases,  to  chalk  out  a  way  of  life  to  us.  John 
xiv.  22.,  "  Lord,  how  is  it  thou  wilt  mani- 
fest thyself  unto  us,  and  not  unto  the  world?" 
Seeing  God  hath  given  us  his  written  word 
to  be  our  directory,  this  takes  away  all  ex- 
cuses from  men.  No  man  can  say,  "  I 
went  wrong  for  want  of  light."  No,  God 
hath  given  thee  his  word,  as  a  lamp  to  thy 
feet;  therefore  now,  if  thou  goest  wrong, 
thou  dost  it  wilfully.  No  man  can  say, 
"  If  I  had  known  the  will  of  God,  I  would 
have  obeyed."  No,  thou  art  inexcusable, 
O  man  !  God  hath  given  thee  a  rule  to  go 
by,  he  hath  written  his  law  with  his  own 
finger,  therefore  now,  if  thou  obeyest  not, 
thou  hast  no  apology  left.  If  a  master 
leaves  his  mind  in  writing  with  his  ser- 
vant, and  tells  him  what  work  he  will 
have  done,  yet  the  servant  neglects  the 
work,  that  servant  is  left  without  excuse, 
John  XV.  22.,  "  Now  you  have  no  cloak 
for  your  sins." 

Use  2d.  Is  all  scripture  of  divine  inspi- 
ration? Is  it  a  book  made  by  God  him- 
self? Then  this  reproves :  1.  The  Papists, 
who  take  away  part  of  scripture,  and  so 
clip  the  king  of  heaven's  coin;  they  ex- 
punge the  second  commandment  out  of  their 
catechisms,  because  it  makes  against  im- 
ages ;  it  is  usual  with  them,  if  they  meet 
with  any  thing  in  scripture  which  they  dis- 
like, either  they  put  a  false  gloss  upon  it, 
or,  if  that  will  not  do,  pretend  it  is  coi- 
rupted.  These  are  like  Ananias,  who  kept 
back  part  of  the  money,  Acts  v.  2.  So  they 
keep  back  part  of  the  scripture  from  the 
people.  This  is  an  high  affront  to  God,  to 
deface  and  obliterate  any  part  of  his  word ; 
by  this  they  bring  themselves  under  that 
■premunire.  Rev.  xxii.  19.,  "If  any  man 
shall  take  away  from  the  words  of  the  book 
of  this  prophecy,  God  shall  take  away  his 
part  out  of  the  book  of  life." — Is  all  scrip- 
ture of  divine  inspiration  ? — 2.  It  condemns 
the  Antinomians,  that  lay  aside  the  Old 
Testament  as  useless,  and  out  of  date ;  they 
call  them  Old  Testament  Christians.     God 


hath  stamped  a  divine  majesty  upon  both 
Testaments ;  and  till  they  can  shew  me 
where  God  hath  given  a  repeal  to  the  Old, 
it  stands  in  force.  The  two  Testaments 
are  the  two  wells  of  salvation :  the  Anti- 
nomians would  stop  up  one  of  these  wells, — 
they  would  dry  up  one  of  the  breasts  of 
scripture.  There  is  much  gospel  in  the  Old 
Testament ;  the  comforts  of  the  gospel  in 
the  New  Testament  have  their  rise  from 
the  Old.  The  great  promise  of  the  Mes- 
siah is  in  the  Old  Testament,  "  A  A'irgin 
shall  conceive  and  bear  a  son."  Nay,  I  say 
more,  the  moral  law,  in  some  parts  of  it, 
speaks  gospel,  "  I  am  the  Lord  thy  God :" 
here  is  the  pure  wine  of  the  gospel.  The 
saint's  great  charter,  where  God  promiseth 
to  "  sprinkle  clean  water  upon  them,  and 
put  his  Spirit  within  them,"  is  to  be  found 
primarily  in  the  Old  Testament,  Ezek. 
xxxvi.  25,  26.  So  that  they  who  take  away 
the  Old  Testament,  do,  as  Samson,  pull 
down  the  pillars,  they  would  take  away  the 
pillars  of  a  Christian's  comfort. — 3,  It  con- 
demns the  enthusiasts,  who,  pretending  the 
Spirit,  lay  aside  the  whole  Bible :  they  say 
the  scripture  is  a  dead  letter,  and  they  live 
above  it.  What  imprudence  is  this  ?  Till 
we  are  above  sin,  we  shall  not  be  above  scrip- 
ture. Let  not  men  talk  of  a  revelation  from 
the  Spirit;  suspect  it  to  be  an  imposture. 
The  Spirit  of  God  acts  regularly,  it  works 
in  and  by  the  word ;  and  he  that  pretends 
to  a  new  light,  which  is  either  above  the 
word,  or  contrary  to  it,  abuseth  both  himself 
and  the  Spirit, — his  light  is  borrowed  from 
him  who  transforms  himself  into  an  angel 
of  light. — 4.  It  condemns  the  slighters  of 
scripture :  such  are  they,  who  can  go  whole 
weeks  and  months  and  never  read  the  word. 
They  lay  it  aside  as  rusty  armour ;  they  pre- 
fer a  play  or  romance  before  scripture,  the 
magnalia  kgis  are  to  them  winulta.  O  how 
many  can  be  looking  their  faces  in  a  glass 
all  the  morning,  but  their  eyes  begin  to  be 
sore,  when  they  look  upon  a  Bible  !  Hea- 
thens die  in  the  want  of  scripture,  and  these 
in  the  contempt  of  it.  They  surely  must 
needs  go  wrong  who  slight  their  guide ; 
such  as  lay  the  reins  upon  the  neck  of  their 
lusts,  and  never  use  the  curbing  bit  of  scrip- 
ture to  check  them,  are  carried  to  hell,  and 
never  stop. — 5.  It  condemns  the  abusers  of 


OF  THE  SCRIPTURES. 


27 


scripture:  (1.)  Who  do  mud  and  poison 
this  pure  crystal  fountain  with  their  cor- 
rupt glosses ;  wlio  wrest  scripture,  2  Pet.  iii. 
16.  The  Greek  word  is,  they  set  it  upon 
the  rack ;  they  give  wrong  interpretations 
of  it,  not  comparing  scripture  with  scrip- 
ture: as  the  Antinomians  pervert  that  scrip- 
ture. Num.  xxiii.  21.,  "  He  hath  not  beheld 
iniquity  in  Jacob," — hence  they  infer,  God's 
people  may  take  liberty  in  sin,  because  God 
sees  no  sin  in  them.  It  is  true,  God  sees 
no  sin  in  his  people  with  an  eye  of  revenge, 
but  he  sees  it  with  an  eye  of  observation. 
He  sees  not  sin  in  them,  so  as  to  damn  them ; 
but  he  sees  it,  so  as  to  be  angry,  and  se- 
verely to  punish  them.  Did  not  David  find 
it  so,  when  he  cried  out  of  his  broken  bones? 
In  like  manner  the  Arminians  wrest  scrip- 
ture, John  V.  40.,  "  Ye  will  not  come  to 
me;"  here  they  bi'ing  in  free  will.  This 
text  shews,  1.  How  willing  God  is  that  we 
should  have  life ;  2.  That  sinners  may  do 
more  than  they  do, — they  may  improve  the 
talents  God  hath  given  them :  but  it  doth 
not  prove  the  power  of  free-will,  for  it  is 
contrary  to  that  scripture,  John  vi.  44., 
"  No  man  can  come  to  me,  except  the  Fa- 
ther which  hath  sent  me  draw  him."  These 
therefore  wring  the  text  so  hard,  as  they 
make  the  blood  come ;  they  do  not  compare 
scripture  with  scripture.  (2.)  Who  do  jest 
with  scripture ;  when  they  are  sad,  they 
take  the  scripture  as  their  lute  or  minstrel, 
to  play  with,  and  so  di'ive  away  the  sad  spi- 
rit, as  that  di'unkard  I  have  read  of,  who 
liaving  di'unk  off  his  cups,  called  to  some  of 
his  fellows,  "  Give  us  of  your  oil,  for  our 
lamps  are  gone  out."  In  the  fear  of  God, 
take  heed  of  this.  Eusebius  tells  us  of  one, 
who  took  a  piece  of  scripture  to  make  a  jest 
of,  but  was  presently  struck  with  a  frenzy 
and  ran  mad.  And,  it  is  a  saying  of  Lu- 
ther, Qiios  Deus  vidt  perdere,  &c.  "  Whom 
God  intends  to  destroy,  he  gives  them  leave 
to  play  with  scripture." 

Use  3d.  Of  exhortation.  If  the  scripture 
be  of  divine  inspiration,  then  be  exhorted, 
1."  To  study  the  scripture.  It  is  a  copy  of 
.  God's  will ;  be  scripture  men,  bible  Chris- 
tians. "  I  adore  the  fulness  of  scripture," 
saith  TertuUian.  In  the  book  of  God  are 
Bcatteied  many  truths  as  so  many  pearls : 
John  v.  39.,    "  Search  the  scriptures,"— 


search  as  for  a  vein  of  silver :  this  blessed 
book  will  fill  your  head  with  knowledge, 
and  your  heart  with  grace.  God  wrote  the 
two  tables  with  his  own  fingers ;  and  if  God 
took  pains  to  write,  well  may  we  take  pains 
to  read.  Apollos  was  mighty  in  the  scrip- 
tures. Acts,  xviii.  24.  The  word  is  our 
magna  charta  for  heaven ;  shall  we  be  ig- 
norant of  our  charter?  Col.  iii.  16.,  "  Let 
the  word  of  God  dwell  in  you  richly."  The 
memory  must  be  a  table-book  where  the 
word  is  written.  To  make  us  read  the  word, 
consider,  1.  lliere  is  majesty  sparkling  in 
every  line  of  scripture.  Take  but  one  in- 
stance, Isa.  Ixiii.  1.,  "  Who  is  this  that 
Cometh  from  Edom,  with  dyed  garments 
from  Bozrah  ?  This  that  is  glorious  in  his 
apparel,  ti'avelling  in  the  greatness  of  his 
strength  .'*  I  that  speak  in  rigliteousuess, 
mighty  to  save."  Behold  here  a  lofty  mag- 
nificent style  !  What  angel  could  sj)eak 
after  tliis  manner?  Junius  was  converted 
by  reading  one  verse  of  John ;  he  beheld  a 
majesty  in  it  beyond  all  human  rhetoric. — 
2.  There  is  a  melody  in  scripture.  I'his  is 
that  blessed  harp,  which  di'ives  away  sad- 
ness of  spirit :  hear  the  sounding  of  this 
harp  a  little,  1  Tim.  i.  15.,  "  This  is  a  faith- 
ful saying,  and  worthy  of  all  acceptation, 
that  Christ  Jesus,  came  into  the  world  to 
save  sinners;"  he  took  not  only  our  flesh 
upon  him,  but  our  sins.  And  Mat.  xi.  28., 
''  Come  unto  me,  all  ye  that  are  heavy  la- 
den, and  I  will  give  you  rest."  How  sweet- 
ly doth  this  harp  of  scripture  sound,  what 
heavenly  music  doth  it  make  in  the  ears  of 
a  distressed  sinner,  especially  when  the  fin- 
ger of  God's  Spirit  toucheth  upon  this  in- 
strument ! — 3.  There  is  divinity  in  scrip- 
lure.  It  contains  the  marrow  and  quintes- 
sence of  religion.  The  scripture  is  a  rock 
of  diamonds,  a  mystery  of  piety ;  the  lips 
of  scripture  have  grace  poured  into  them. 
The  scripture  speaks  of  faith,  self-denial, 
and  all  the  graces  which,  as  a  chain  of  pearl 
adorn  a  Christian.  The  scripture  excites 
to  holiness ;  it  treats  of  another  world,  it 
gives  a  prospect  of  eternity.  Oh  then  search 
the  scripture;  make  the  word  familiar  to 
you  !  Had  I  the  tongue  of  angels,  I  could 
not  sufficiently  set  forth  the  excellency  of 
scripture;  it  is  a  spiritual  optic-glass,  in 
which  we  behold  God's  glory ;  it  is  the  tre« 


S8 


OF  THE  SCRIPTURES. 


of  life, — the  oracle  of  wisdom, — the  rule  of 
manners, — the  heavenly  seed  of  which  the 
new  creature  is  formed,  James  i.  18.  "  The 
Iwo  Testaments  (saith  Austin)  are  the  two 
breasts  which  every  Christian  must  suck, 
that  he  may  get  spiritual  nourishment." 
The  leaves  of  the  tree  of  life  were  for  heal- 
ing, Rev.  xxii.  2. :  so  these  holy  leaves  of 
scripture,  like  those  leaves,  are  for  the  heal- 
ing of  our  souls.  The  scripture  is  profit- 
able for  all  things :  if  we  are  deserted,  here 
is  spiced  wine  that  cheers  the  hea^y  heart ; 
if  we  are  pursued  by  Satan,  here  is  the 
sword  of  the  Spirit  to  resist  him ;  if  we  are 
diseased  with  sin's  leprosy,  here  are  the  wa- 
ters of  the  sanctuary,  both  to  cleanse  and 
cure.  Oh,  then,  search  the  scriptures ! 
There's  no  danger  in  tasting  this  tree  of 
knowledge ;  there  was  a  penalty  laid  at  first, 
that  we  might  not  taste  of  tlie  tree  of  know- 
ledge, Gen.  ii.  17.,  "  In  the  day  that  thou 
eafest  thereof,  thou  shalt  surely  die ;"  but 
there  is  no  danger  of  plucking  this  tree  of 
holy  scriptures;  if  we  do  not  eat  of  this 
tree  of  knowledge,  we  shall  surely  die. 
Oh,  then,  read  the  scriptures  !  Time  may 
come,  when  the  scriptui'es  may  be  kept 
from  us. 

Q.  How  should  we  so  search  the  scriptures 
as  to  fivd  life  ? 

A.  1.  Read  the  Bible  with  reverence. 
Think  every  line  you  read,  God  is  speaking 
to  you.  The  ark  wherein  the  law  was  put 
was  overlaid  with  pure  gold,  and  was  car- 
ried on  bars,  that  the  Levites  might  not 
touch  it,  Exod.  xxv.  14.  And  why  was 
this,  but  to  breed  in  the  people  reverence 
to  the  law  ? — 2.  Read  with  seriousness.  It 
is  matter  of  life  and  death ;  by  this  word 
you  must  be  tried ;  conscience  and  scrijj- 
ture  are  the  jury  God  will  proceed  by,  in 
judging  of  you. — 3.  Read  the  word  with 
affection.  Get  your  hearts  quickened  with 
the  word ;  go  to  it  to  fetch  fire,  Luke  xxiv. 
32.,  "  Did  not  our  hearts  burn  within  us  ?" 
Labour  that  the  word  may  not  only  be  a 
lamp  to  direct,  but  a  fire  to  warm.  Read 
the  scripture,  not  only  as  an  history,  but  as 
a  love-letter  sent  to  you  from  God  which 
may  affect  your  hearts. — i.  Pray  that  the 
same  Spirit  that  wrote  the  word,  may  as- 
sist you  in  the  reading  of  it ;  that  God's 
Spirit  would  show  you  the  wonderful  things 


of  his  law.  "  Go  near,  saith  God  to  Phi- 
lip, join  thyself  to  this  chariot,"  Acts  viii.29. 
So  when  God's  Spirit  joins  himself  with 
his  chariot  of  the  word,  then  it  becomes  ef- 
fectual. 

A.  2.  Be  exhorted  to  prize  the  word 
wi'itten,  Job  xxiii.  12.  David  valued  the 
word  more  precious  than  gold.  Wliat 
would  the  Martyrs  have  jiivcn  for  a  leaf  of 
the  Bible  !  The  word  is  the  field  where 
Christ  the  pearl  of  price  is  hid.  In  this 
sacred  mine  we  dig,  not  for  a  wedge  of 
gold,  but  a  weight  of  glory. — 1.  The  scrip- 
ture is  a  sacred  collyriuni^  or  eye-salve,  to 
illuminate  us :  Prov.  vi.  23.,  "  The  com- 
mandment is  a  lamp,  and  the  law  is  light." 
The  scripture  is  the  chart  and  compass  by 
which  we  sail  to  the  new  Jerusalem. — 2. 
T.he  scripture  is  a  sovereign  cordial  in  all 
distresses.  TVliat  are  the  promises  but  the 
water  of  life  to  renew  fainting  spirits  ?  Is 
it  sin  troubles  ?  There  is  a  scripture-cor- 
dial, Ps.  Ixv.  3.,  "  Iniquities  prevail  against 
me ;  as  for  our  transgressions  thou  shalt 
purge  them  aivay ;"  or,  as  it  is  in  the  He- 
brew, '  Thou  shalt  cover  them.^  Is  it  out- 
ward afflictions  disquiet  thee?  There  is  a 
scripture-cordial,  Ps.  xci.  15.,  "  I  will  be 
with  him  in  trouble,'"' — not  only  to  behold, 
but  to  uphold.  Thus,  as  in  the  ark  Avas 
laid  up  manna,  promises  are  laid  up  as  man- 
na in  the  ark  of  scripture. — 3.  '^1  he  scrip- 
ture will  make  us  wise  :  wisdom  is  above 
rubies;  Ps.  cxix    104.,   "By  thy  precepts 

1  get  understanding."  What  made  Eve  so 
desire  the  tree  of  knowledge?  Gen.  iii.  6., 
"  It  was  a  tree  to  make  one  wise."  The 
scriptures  teach  a  man  to  know  himself; 
they  discover  Satan's  snares  and  stratagems, 

2  Cor.  ii.  11.,  ''  They  make  one  wase  to 
salvation,"  2  Tim.  iii.  15.  O  then  highly 
prize  the  scriptures  !  I  read  of  Queen  Eli- 
zabeth, that  at  her  coronation,  she  receiv- 
ed the  Bible  ])resented  to  her,  with  both 
her  hands,  and  kissing  it,  laid  it  to  her 
breast,  saying,  that  that  book  had  ever  been 
her  chiefest  delight. 

A.  3.  If  the  scripture  is  of  divine  inspi- 
ration, believe  the  word.  Tlie  Romans, 
that  they  might  gain  credit  to  their  laws, 
reported  that  they  were  inspired  by  the  gods 
at  Rome.  O  give  credence  to  the  word  I 
It  is   breathed  from   God's   own  moutli. 


OF  THE  SCRIPTURES. 


29 


Hence  ariseth  all  the  profaneiicss  of  men, 
they  do  not  believe  the  scripture,  Is.  liii.  1., 
*'  who  hatli  believed  our  re])ort?"  Did  you 
believe  tlie  glorious  rewards  the  scripture 
speaks  of,  would  you  not  give  diligence  to 
make  your  election  sure  ?  Did  you  believe 
the  infernal  torments  the  scriptures  speaks 
of,  would  not  this  put  you  into  a  cold  s\\'eat, 
and  cause  a  trembling  at  heart  for  sin  ?  But 
people  are  in  part  atheists;  they  give  but 
little  credit  to  the  word,  therefore  they  are 
so  impious,  and  draw  such  dark  shadows 
in  their  lives.  Learn  to  realize  scripture  ; 
get  your  hearts  wrought  to  a  firm  belief 
of  it.  Some  think,  if  God  should  send 
an  angel  from  heaven,  and  declare  his 
mind,  then  they  should  rather  believe  him, 
— or  if  he  should  send  one  from  the  damn- 
ed, and  preach  the  torments  of  hell  all 
in  flames,  then  they  would  believe, — but 
Luke  xvi.  31.,  "  If  they  believe  not  Mo- 
ses and  the  prophets,  neither  will  they  be 
persuaded  though  one  rose  from  the  dead." 
God  is  wise,  and  he  thiiiks  this  way  fittest 
to  make  his  mind  known  to  us  by  MTiting; 
and  such  as  shall  not  be  convinced  by  the 
word,  shall  be  judged  by  the  word.  The 
belief  of  the  scripture  is  of  high  importance ; 
it  is  the  belief  of  scripture  that  will  enable 
us  to  resist  temptation,  1  John  ii.  14., 
"  The  word  of  God  abideth  in  you,  and  ye 
have  overcome  the  wicked  one."  It  is  tiie 
belief  of  scripture  conduceth  much  to  our 
sanctification ;  therefore  these  two  are  put 
together,  sanctification  of  the  Spirit,  and 
belief  of  the  truth,  2  Thess.  ii.  J  3.  If  the 
word  written  be  not  believed,  it  is  like 
writing  on  the  water  which  takes  no  im- 
pression. 

A.  4.  Love  the  word  written:  Ps.cxix. 97., 
"  O  how  love  I  thy  law  !"  "  Lord  (saith 
Augustine)  let  the  holy  scriptures  be  my 
chaste  delight."  Chrysostom  compares  the 
scripture  to  a  garden ;  every  truth  is  a  fra- 
grant floAver,  which  we  should  wear,  not 
on  our  bosom,  but  our  heart.  David  count- 
ed the  word  "  sweeter  .than  honey  and  tlie 
honev-corab,"  Ps.  xix.  10.  There  is  that 
in  scripture  may  breed  delight :  it  shews 
us  the  way  to  riches,  Deut.  xxviii.  5., 
Prov.  iii.  lU.;  to  long  life,  Ps.  xxxiv-  12.; 
to  a  kingdom,  Ileb.  xii.  28.  Well  then 
may   we  count   those    the   sweetest  hours 


which  are  spent  in  reading  the  holy  scrip- 
tures !  Well  may  we  say  with  the  i)rophet, 
Jer.  XV.  16.,  "  Thy  words  were  found,  and 
I  did  eat  tliem ;  and  they  were  the  joy  and 
rejoicing  of  my  heart !" 

A.  5.  Conform  to  scripture,  let  us  lead 
scripture  lives.  O  that  the  Bible  might  be 
seen  printed  in  our  lives  !  Do  what  tlie 
word  commands.  Obedience  is  an  excel- 
lent way  of  commenting  upon  the  Bible, 
Ps.  Ixxxvi.  11.,  "I  will  walk  in  thy  truth." 
Let  the  word  be  the  sun-dial  by  which  you 
set  your  life.  Wliat  are  we  the  better  for 
having  the  scripture,  if  we  do  not  direct  all 
our  speeches  and  actions  according  to  it  ? 
^\^lat  is  a  carpenter  the  better  to  have  his 
rule  about  him,  if  he  sticks  it  at  his  back, 
and  never  makes  use  of  it  for  the  measur- 
ing and  squaring  his  work  ?  So,  what  are 
we  the  better  for  the  rule  of  the  word,  if 
we  do  not  make  use  of  it,  and  regulate  our 
lives  by  it  ?  How  many  swerve  and  dcA  i- 
ate  from  the  rule  !  The  word  teacheth  to 
be  sober  and  temperate, — but  they  are 
drunk ;  to  be  chaste  and  holy, — but  they 
are  i)rofane  ;  they  go  quite  from  the  rule. 
AVhat  a  dishonour  is  this  to  religion,  for 
men  to  live  in  contradiction  to  scripture  ! 
The  word  is  called  "  a  light  to  our  feet," 
Ps.  cxix.  105.  It  is  not  only  a  light  to  our 
eyes  to  mend  our  sight,  but  to  our  feet  to 
mend  our  walk.  O  let  us  lead  Bible  con- 
versations ! 

A.  6.  Contend  for  scripture.  Though 
we  should  not  be  of  contentious  spirits,  yet 
we  ought  to  contend  for  the  word  of  God; 
this  jewel  is  too  precious  to  be  parted  with, 
Prov.  iv,  13.,  "  Keep  her,  for  she  is  thy 
life."  The  scri])ture  is  beset  with  enemies, 
heretics  fight  against  it :  we  must  therefore 
"  contend  for  the  faith  once  delivered  to 
the  saints,"  Jude  3.  The  scripture  is  our 
book  of  evidences  for  heaven  :  shall  we 
part  with  our  evidences  ?  The  saints  of  old 
were  both  advocates  and  martyrs  for  truth  ; 
they  would  hold  fast  scripture,  though  it 
were  with  the  loss  of  their  lives. 

A.  7.  Be  thankful  to  God  for  the  scrip- 
tures. What  a  mercy  is  it  that  God  hath 
not  only  acquainted  us  what  his  will  is,  but 
that  he  hath  made  it  known  by  writing  ! 
In  the  old  times  God  did  reveal  his  mind 
by  revelations,  but  the  \\'ord  written  is  a 


3» 


THAT  THERE  IS  A  GOD. 


surer  way  of  knowing  God's  mind  than  by 
revelation,  2  Pet.  i.  18.  This  voice  which 
came  from  heaven  we  heard ;  we  have  also 
a  more  sure  word  of  prophecy.  The  devil 
is  God's  ape,  and  he  can  transform  himself 
into  an  angel  of  light ;  he  can  deceive  with 
false  revelations  :  as  I  have  heard  of  one 
wlio  had,  as  he  thought,  a  revelation  from 
God  to  sacrifice  his  child,  as  Abraham  had, 
whereupon  he,  following  this  impulsion  of 
the  devil,  did  kill  his  child.  Thus  Satan  oft 
deceives  people  with  delusions,  instead  of 
di^^ne  revelations,  therefore  we  are  to  be 
thankful  to  God  for  revealing  his  mind  to 
us  by  writing.  We  have  a  more  sure  word 
of  prophecy.  We  are  not  left  under  a 
doubtful  suspense  that  we  should  not  know 
what  to  believe,  but  we  have  an  infallible 
rule  to  go  by.  The  scripture  is  our  pole- 
star  to  direct  us  to  heaven ;  it  shews  us  e- 
very  step  we   are   to   take;  when  we  go 


wrong,  it  instructs  us ;  when  we  go  right, 
it  comforts  us;  and  it  is  matter  of  thank- 
fulness, that  the  scriptures  are  made  intel- 
ligible, by  being  translated. 

A.  8.  Adore  God's  distinguishing  grace, 
if  you  have  felt  the  power  and  authority  of 
the  word  upon  your  conscience  ;  if  you  can 
say  as  David,  Ps.  cxix.  50.,  "  Tliy  word 
hath  quickened  me."  Christian,  bless  God 
that  he  hath  not  only  given  thee  his  word 
to  be  a  rule  of  holiness,  but  his  grace  to  be 
a  principle  of  holiness  !  Bless  God  that  he 
hath  not  only  written  his  word,  but  seal- 
ed it  upon  thy  heart,  and  made  it  effectual ! 
Canst  thou  say  it  is  of  divine  inspiration, 
because  thou  hast  felt  it  to  be  of  lively  ope- 
ration? O  free  grace  !  that  God  should  send 
out  his  word,  and  heal  thee  ;  that  he  should 
heal  thee,  and  not  others  ;  that  the  same 
scripture,  which  is  to  them  a  dead  letter, 
should  be  to  thee  a  savour  of  life. 


fc^^^.'^^^^'^ 


THAT  THERE  IS  A  GOD. 


Quest.  III.  WHAT  do  the  scriptures 
principally  teach  ? 

Ans.  The  scriptures  principally  teach 
what  man  is  to  believe  concerning  God,  and 
what  duty  God  requires  of  man. 

Q.   What  is  God? 

A.  God  is  a  spirit,  infinite,  eternal,  and 
unchangeable,  in  his  being,  wisdom,  power, 
holiness,  justice,  goodness,  and  truth. 

Here  is,  1st.  Something  implied, — that 
there  is  a  God  ;  2d.  Expressed, — that  He 
is  a  spirit. — 3d.  What  kind  of  spirit. 

1st.  Implied, — That  there  is  a  God.  Tlie 
question,  Wliat  is  God  ?  takes  it  for  grant- 
ed that  there  is  a  God ;  the  belief  of  God's 
essence  is  the  foundation  of  all  religious 
worship,  Ileb.  xi.  6.,  "  He  that  comes  to 
God,  must  believe  that  he  is."  Tliere  must 
be  a  first  cause  which  gives  a  being  and 
existence  to  all  things  besides. 

We  come  to  know  that  tliere  is  a  God  : 
I .  By  the  book  of  nature ;  the  notion  of  a 
Deity  is  engraven  on  man's  heart, — it  is 
demonstrable  by  the  light  of  nature.  I 
think  it  hard  for  a  man  to  be  a  natural  a- 
tfaeist.  He  may  wish  there  were  no  God, 
—he  may  dispute  against  a  Deity, — but  he 


cannot  in  his  judgment  believe  there  is  no 
God,  unless  by  accumulated  sin  his  con- 
science be  seared,  and  he  hath  such  a  le- 
thargy upon  him,  that  he  hath  sinned  away 
his  very  sense  and  reason. 

2.  We  come  to  know  that  there  is  a  God 
by  his  works ;  and  this  is  so  evident  a  de- 
monstration of  a  Godhead,  that  the  most  a- 
theistical  spirits,  when  they  have  consider- 
ed these  M'orks  of  God,  haA'e  been  forced  to 
acknowledge  some  wise  and  su]>reme  power, 
the  maker  of  these  things  ;  as  it  is  reported 
of  Galen  and  others. 

(1.)  We  will  begin  with  the  greater 
world  :  1.  The  creation  of  the  glorious  fa- 
bric of  heaven  and  earth ;  sure  there  must 
be  some  architect  or  first  cause,  the  world 
could  not  make  itself.  Who  could  hang 
the  earth  on  nothing,  but  the  great  God  ? 
Wlio  could  pro^•ide  such  rich  furniture  for 
the  heavens, — the  glorious  constellations, — 
the  firmament  bes])angled  with  such  glit- 
tering lights  ?  All  tliis  speaks  a  Deity.  We 
may  see  God's  glory  blazing  in  the  sun, 
twinkling  in  the  stars.  Who  could  give 
the  earth  its  clothing, — cover  it  with  grass 
and  corn, — adorn  it  with  flowers, — enrich 


THAT  THERE  IS  A  GOD. 


31 


it   with   ^n\d?    Only   Ood,  Job  xxviii.  4. 
^V^lo  Imt  God  could  make  the  sweet  music 
\n  the  heavens, — cause  the  angels  to  join  in 
concert  and  sound  forth  the  praises  of  their 
Maker,  Job  xxxA-iii.  7.,  "  \\'hen  the  morn- 
ing stars  sang  together,  and  all  the  sons  of 
God  sliouted  for  joy  ?"     If  a  man  should 
go  into  a  far  country,  and  see  stately  edi- 
fices there,   he  would  never  imagine   that 
these  could  build  tWemselves,  but  that  some 
greater  power  built  them  ;  to  imagine  that 
the  work  of  the  creation  was  not  framed  by 
God,  is  as  if  we  should  conceive  a  curious 
landscape  to  be  drawn  by  a  pencil  without 
the  hand  of  a  limner :  Acts  xvii.  24'.,  "  God 
that  made  the  world,  and  all  things  there- 
in."    To  create,  is  proper  to  the  Deity. — 
2.  Tlie  v\nse  government  of  all   things  e- 
Adnces  there  is  a  God.     God  is  the  ffreat 
superintendent  of  the  world;   he  liolds  the 
golden  reins  of  government   in  his  hand, 
guiding  all  things  most  regularly  and  har- 
moniously to  tlieir  ])roper  end.     Who  that 
eyes  ])rm'idence,  but  must  be  forced  to  ac- 
knowleoffc  there  is  a  God?     P^o^^dence  is 
the  queen  and  governess  of  the  world  ;  it  is 
the  hand  that  turns  the  wheel  of  the  whole 
creation  ;  providence  sets  the  sun  its  race, 
the  sea  its  bounds.     If  God  should  not  guide 
the  world,  things  would  run  into  disorder 
and  confusion.     When  one  looks  on  a  clock, 
and  sees  the  motion  of  the  wheels,  the  strik- 
ing of  the  hammer,  the  hanging  of  the  plilm- 
mcts,  he  would  say,  there  were  some  artifi- 
cer did  make  it,  and  put  it  into  that  order  : 
so  when  we  see  the  excellent  order  and  har- 
mony in  the  universe, — the  sun,  that  great 
luminary,  dispensing  its  light  and  heat  to 
the  world,  without  which  the  world  were 
but  a  grave  or  a  prison, — the  rivers  send- 
ing forth  their  silver  streams  to  refresh  tlic 
bodies  of  men,  and  prevent  a  drought, — and 
every  creature  acting  within  its  sphere,  and 
keeping  its  due  bounds, — we  must  needs 
Acknowledge  there  is  a  God,  who  wisely  or- 
ders and  governs  all   tliese   thinirs-     Who 
could  set  this  great  army  of  the  creatures 
in  their  several  ranks  and  squadrons,  and 
keep  them  in  their  constant  march,  but  He, 
whose  name  is  The  Lord  of  Hosts  ?    And 
as  God  doth  wisely  dispose  all  things  in  the 
whole  regiment  of  the  creatures,  so,  by  his 
power,  he  doth  support  them  :  did  God  sus- 


pend and  udthdraw  his  influence  ever  so 
little,  the  wheels  of  the  creation  would  un- 
pin,  and  the  axle-tree  break  asunder. — 3 
The  motion  of  the  creatures.      All  ninti(»n 
as  the  philos(tj)hers  say,   is  from  something 
that  is  unmoveable  :    as  for  example,   the 
elements  are  moved  by  the  influence  and 
motion  of  the  heavenly  ])odies,  the  sun  and 
moon,   and  thess  planets  are  moved  by  the 
highest  orl),  called  Prhmnn  Mobile :   now, 
if  one  should  ask,  Who  moves  that  highest 
orb,  or  the  first  mover  of  the  planets  ?    Sure 
it  can  be  no  other  hand  but  God  himself ! 
(2.)  Let  us  speak  of  man,  who  is  a  micro- 
cosm, or  lesser  world.     The  excellent  con- 
texture and  frame   of  his  body,    which  is 
wrought  curiously  as  with  needle-work,  Ps. 
cxxx-ix.  15.,  "  I  was  curiously  wrought  in 
the  lowest  parts  of  the  earth  ;"  and  the  en- 
dowment of  this  body  with  a  noble  soul ; 
who  but  God  could  make  such  an  union  of 
different  substances,  flesh  and  spirit  ?     "  In 
him  Ave  live,  and  move,  and  have  our  being." 
The  quick  acute  motion  of  every  part  of  the 
body  shows  that  there  is  a  God.     We  may 
•see  something  of  him  in  the  sparkling  of 
the  eye.     And  if  the  cabinet  of  the  body  be 
so  curiously  wrought,  what  is  the   jewel  ? 
The  soul  hath  a  celestial  brightness  iu  it ; 
as  Damascene  saith,   "  It  is  a  diamond  set 
in  a  ring  of  clay."     What  noble  faculties  is 
the  soul  endowed  with  ?  Understanding, — 
^^'i'K — Afltections, — which   are  a  glass   of 
the  Trinity,  as  Plato  speaks.     The  matter 
of  the  soul  is  spiritual ;  it  is  a  divine  s])ark 
lighted  from  heaven  ;  and  being  spiritual,  is 
immortal,  as  Scaliger  notes ;  anima  non  se- 
Jiescit,— the  soul  doth  not  wax  old,  it  lives  for 
ever.     And  who  could  create  a  soul  enno- 
bled with  such  rare  angelical  properties,  but 
God?  We  must  needs  , say  as  the  P.salmist, 
"  It  is  he  that  hath  made  us,  and  not  we 
ourselves,"  Ps.  c.  3. 

3.  Wc  may  prove  a  Deity  by  our  con- 
science. Conscience  is  God's  deputy  or 
vicegerent.  Conscience  is  a  witness  of  a 
Deity ;  if  there  were  no  I3il>le  to  tell  us  there 
is  a  God,  yet  conscience  miglit.  Conscience, 
as  the  apostle  saith,  '  either  accuseth,'  or 
'  excuseth,'  Rom.  ii.  15.  Conscience  acts 
in  order  to  a  higher  judicatory. — L  Natural 
conscience,  being  kept  free  from  gi'oss  sin, 
ejccuseth.     Wlien  a  man  doth  virtuous  ac- 


32 


THAT  THERE  IS  A  GOD. 


tions, — live  so]>orly  and  rifjliteously, — ob- 
serves tlie  p-oldcn  maxim,  doin<T  to  otliers 
as  he  would  liavc  them  to  do  to  liim  — then 
conscienee  aj)j)roves,  and  saitli,  "  Well 
done  !"  Conscience,  like  a  bee,  gives  honey. 
— 2.  Natural  conscience  in  the  wicked  doth 
accuse.  Wlien  men  go  against  the  light  of 
conscience,  then  tliey  feel  the  worm  of  con- 
science. l']heu,  quis  inliis  Scorpio!  Sen. 
Conscience,  being  sinned  against,  spits  fire 
in  men's  faces,  fills  them  with  shame  and 
horror ;  when  the  sinner  sees  an  handwrit- 
ing on  the  wall  of  conscience,  his  counte- 
nance is  changed.  Many  have  hanged 
themselves  to  quiet  their  conscience.  Ti- 
berius the  emperor,  a  bloody  man,  felt  the 
lashes  of  his  conscience  ;  he  was  so  haunted 
with  that  fury,  that  he  told  the  senate,  he 
suffered  deatli  daily.  And  what  is  it  should 
put  a  man's  conscience  into  such  an  .agony, 
but  the  impression  of  a  Deity,  and  tlie 
thought  of  coming  before  God's  tribunal  ? 
Those  who  are  above  all  human  laws,  yet 
are  subject  to  the  checks  of  their  own  con- 
science. And  it  is  observable,  the  nearer 
the  wicked  approach  to  death,  the  more 
thev  are  terrified,  and  conscience  gives  a 
louder  alarm  to  them  :  and  whence  is  this, 
but  from  the  apprehension  of  judgment  ap- 
proaching ?  The  soul,  being  sensible  of  its 
immortal  nature,  trembles  at  him,  who 
never  ceaseth  to  live,  and  therefore  will  ne- 
ver cease  to  punish. 

4.  That  there  is  a  God,  appears  by  the 
consent  of  nations,  by  the  universal  vote 
and  suffrage  of  all.  Nulla  gens  tarn  harhara 
cui  non  insideat  Iicec  persuasio,  Deitm  esse, 
— "  No  nation  so  barbarous,"  saith  Tully, 
"  as  not  to  believe  there  is  a  God."  Though 
the  heathen  did  mistake  in  their  devotion, 
and  did  not  worship  the  true  God,  yet  they 
worship])ed  a  God.  They  set  up  an  altar, 
*  To  the  unknown  God,'  Acts  xvii.  22. 
Tliey  knew  a  God  should  be  worshipped, 
though  they  knew  not  the  God  whom  they 
worshipped.  Some  did  worship  Jupiter, 
some  Neptune,  some  Mars ;  rather  than  not 
to  worship  something,  they  would  worship 
any  thing. 

5.  That  there  is  a  God,  appears  by  his 
prediction  of  future  things.  He  who  can 
foretel  things  which  shall  surely  come  to 
pass,  is  the  true  God.     God  foretold,   that 


a  Anrgin  should  conceive ;  he  prefixetl  the 
time  when  the  Messias  should  be  cut  off, 
Dan.  ix.  26. ;  he  foretold  the  captivity  of 
the  Jews  in  Babylon,  and  who  should  be 
their  deliverer,  Isa.  xlv.  1.  This  is  such  a 
strong  argument  to  prove  a  Deity,  as  God 
himself  useth  it  to  prove  he  is  the  true  God, 
and  that  all  the  gods  of  the  heathens  were 
fictions  and  nullities,  Isa.  xli.  29.  7'csti- 
momurn  divinitatis  est  Veritas  divinatiunis, 
Tertul.  To  foretel  things  contingent, 
and  which  depend  upon  no  natural  causes, 
is  proper  to  a  Deity. 

6.  That  there  is  a  God,  appears  by  God's 
unlimited  power  and  sovereignty.  He  who 
can  work,  and  none  hinder  him,  is  the  true 
God;  but  God  can  do  so,  Isa.  xliii.  13., 
"  I  will  work,  and  who  shall  let  it."  No- 
thing can  hinder  action  but  some  superior 
power ;  but  there  is  no  power  above  God, 
— all  power  that  is,  is  by  him, — therefore 
all  power  is  under  him ;  he  hath  a  '  migh- 
ty arm,'  Ps.  Ixxxix.  13.  He  sees  the  de- 
signs men  drive  on  against  him,  and  plucks 
off  their  chariot-wheels  ;  he  maketl!  the  di- 
viners mad ;  Isa.  xliv.  25.  ;  he  cutteth  off 
the  spirit  of  princes  ;  he  bridleth  the  sea, 
gives  check  to  the  leviathan,  binds  the 
devil  in  chains;  he  acts  according  to  his 
pleasure :  he  doth  what  he  will :  "  I  will 
work,  and  who  shall  let  it  ?" 

7.  There  are  devils,  therefore  there  is  a 
God.  Atheists  cannot  deny  but  there  are 
devils,  and  then  they  must  gi'ant  there  is  a 
God.  We  read  of  diverse  possessed  of  the 
devil.  The  devils  are  called  in  scripture, 
*  Hairy  Ones,'  because  they  often  appeared 
in  the  form  of  goats  or  satyrs.  Gcrson,  in 
his  book  De  prohatione  sp'irituum,  tells  us 
how  Satan  on  a  time  appeared  to  an  holy 
man  in  a  most  glorious  manner, '  professing 
himself  to  be  Christ :  the  old  man  answer- 
ed, "  I  desire  not  to  see  my  Saviour  here 
in  this  desert,  it  shall  suffice  me  to  sec  him 
in  heaven."  Now,  if  there  be  a  devil,  then 
there  is  a  God.  Socrates,  an  heathen,  when 
he  was  accused  at  his  death,  confessed, 
that,  as  he  thought  there  was  a  inalus 
genius,  an  evil  spiiit,  so  he  thought  there 
was  a  good. 

Use  1.  Seeing  there  is  a  God,  this  re- 
proves such  atheistical  fools  as  deny  it. 
Epicurus  denied  there  was  a  proA-idence, 


THAT  THERE  IS  A  GOD 


33 


saying,  that  all  things  fell  out  by  chance. 
He  that  saith  there  is  no  God,  is  the  wick- 
edest creature  that  is;  he  is  worse  than  a 
thief,  who  doth  but  take  away  our  goods 
from  us,  but  the  atheist  would  take  away 
our  God  from  us,  John  xx.  13.,  "  They  have 
taken  away  my  Lord."  So  we  may  say  of 
atheists,  they  would  take  away  our  God 
from  us,  in  whom  all  our  hope  and  comfort 
is  laid  up.  Ps.  xiv  1.,  "  The  fool  hath  said 
in  his  heart  there  is  no  God."  He  durst  not 
speak  it  with  his  tongue,  but  said  it  in  his 
heart ;  he  wished  it.  Sure  none  can  be 
speculative  atheists  !  "  The  devils  believe 
and  tremble,"  James  ii.  19.  I  have  read 
of  one  Arthur,  a  professed  atheist,  who,  when 
he  came  to  die,  cried  out  he  was  damned ; 
but  though  there  are  few  found  who  say, 
"  There  is  no  God,"  yet  many  deny  him 
in  their  practices.  Tit.  i.  16.,  "  In  works 
they  deny  liim."  Cicero  said  of  Epicurus, 
verbis  reliquit,  deos  resustuUt.  The  world  is 
full  of  pi'actical  atlieism  ;  most  people  live 
as  if  thev  did  not  believe  there  was  a  God. 
Durst  they  lie,  defraud,  be  unclean,  if  they 
believed  there  were  a  God  who  would  call 
them  to  an  account?  If  an  Indian,  who 
never  heard  of  a  God  should  come  among 
us,  and  have  no  other  means  to  convince 
him  of  a  Deity,  but  the  lives  of  men  in  our 
age,  surely  he  would  be  of  Protagoras' 
mind,  who  did  hang  in  a  doubtful  sus- 
pense, and  did  question  whether  there  were 
a  God, — utrum  Dii  shit,  non  ausim  offir- 
mare  ! 

Use  2.  Seeing  there  is  a  God;  he  will  deal 
righteously,  and  give  just  rewards  to  men. 
Things  seem  to  be  carried  in  the  world  very 
unequally;  the  wicked  flourish,  Ps.  Ixxiii. ; 
they  \\ho  tempt  God  are  dcli^"ercd,  Mai. 
iii.  15.,  the  ripe  clusters  of  grapes  are 
squeezed  into  their  cup,  and,  in  the  mean 
while,  the  godly,  who  wept  for  sin  and  serv- 
ed God,  are  afflicted,  Ps.  cii.  9,,  "  I  have 
eaten  ashes  like  broad,  and  mingled  my 
drink  with  weeping."  Evil  men  enjoy  all 
the  good,  and  good  men  endure  all  the  evil. 

But  seeing:  there  is  a  God,  he  will   deal 

•  .  ...» 

righteously    Avith    men.     Gen.    xvni.    2.5., 

*'  Shall  not  the  Judge  of  all  the  earth  do 
right?"  Offenders  must  come  to  punish- 
ment. The  sinner's  deathday  and  dooms- 
day is   a  coming;    Ps.  xxxvii.    13.,   "  The 


Lord  seeth  that  his  day  is  coming."  Wliilc 
there  is  an  hell,  the  wicked  shall  be  scourg- 
ed enough;  and  while  there  is  eternity, 
they  shall  lie  there  long  enough  ;  and  God 
will  abundantly  compensate  the  faithful  ser- 
vice of  his  j)eople.  They  shall  have  their 
white  robes  and  crowns:  Ps.  Iviii.  II., 
"  Verily  there  is  a  reward  for  the  righteous  ! 
Verily  he  is  a  God  that  judgeth  in  the 
earth  !"  Because  God  is  God,  therefore 
he  will  give  forth  glorious  rewards  to  his 
people. 

Use  3.  Seeing  there  is  a  God,  wo  to  all 
such  as  eng.nge  this  God  against  them  !  He 
lives  for  ever  to  be  avenged  upon  them, 
Ezek.  xxii.  14.,  "  Can  thine  heart  endure, 
or  can  thine  hands  be  strong  in  the  day 
that  I  shall  deal  with  thee  ?"  Such  as  pol- 
lute God's  sabbath, — oppose  his  saints, 
trampling  these  jewels  in  the  dust, — such 
as  Ha'c  in  a  contradiction  to  God's  word, — 
these  do  engage  the  Infinite  Majesty  of  hea- 
ven against  them ;  and  how  dismal  will 
their  case  be?  Dent,  xxxii.  41.,  "If  I 
whet  mv  glittering  sword,  and  mine  hand 
take  hold  of  judgment,  I  will  render  ven- 
geance to  mine  enemies ;  I  will  make  mine 
arrows  drunk  with  blood,"  &c.  If  it  ]ye  so 
terrible  to  hear  the  lion  roar,  what  is  it 
when  he  begins  to  tear  his  prey?  Ps.  1. 
22.,  "  Consider  this,  ye  that  forget  God, 
lest  I  tear  you  in  pieces  !"  O  that  men 
would  think  of  this,  who  go  on  in  sin  ! 
Shall  we  engage  the  great  God  against  us? 
God  strikes  slow  but  heavy;  Job  xl.  9., 
"  Hast  thou  an  arm  like  God  ?"  Canst 
thou  strike  such  a  blow?  God  is  the  best 
friend,  but  the  worst  enemy.  If  he  can, 
look  men  into  their  grave,  how  far  can  he 
throw  them?  "  Who  knows  the  power  of 
his  wrath?"  Ps.  xc.  11.  What  fools  are 
they,  who,  for  a  drop  of  pleasure,  drink  a 
sea  of  wrath  ?  Paracelsus  speaks  of  a  frenzy 
some  have,  which  will  make  them  die  danc- 
ing :  sinners  go  dancing  to  hell. 

Use  1 .  Seeing  there  is  a  God,  let  us  firm 
ly  believe  this  great  article  of  our  creed. 
What  religion  can  there  be  in  men,  if  they 
do  not  believe  a  Deity?  "  He  that  cometh 
to  God,  must  believe  that  he  is."  To  wor- 
ship God,  and  pray  to  him,  and  not  believe 
there  is  a  God,  is  to  put  a  high  scorn  and 
contempt  upon  God     Believe  that  God  is 


34 


GOD  IS  A  SPIRIT. 


the  only  true  God  ;  sucli  a  God  as  he  hath 
levealod  himself  in  his  word,  "  A  lover 
of  righteousness,  and  hater  of  wickedness." 
Ps.  xlv.  7.  The  real  helief  of  a  Deity  gives 
life  to  all  religious  worship;  the  more  we 
believe  tlie  truth  and  infiniteness  of  God, 
tlie  more  holy  and  angelical  we  are  in  our 
lives.  Whether  we  are  alone,  or  in  com- 
pany, God  sees  us ;  he  is  the  heart-search- 
er; the  belief  of  this  would  make  us  live 
always  under  God's  eye,  Ps.  xvi.  8.,  "  I 
have  set  the  Lord  always  !)ef()re  m(s"  The 
belief  of  a  Deity  would  be  a  bridle  to  sin, 
a  spur  to  duty;  it  would  ad<l  wings  to  prayer, 
and  oil  to  the  lamp  of  our  devotion.  The 
belief  of  a  Deity  would  cause  depcndance 
upon  God  in  all  our  straits  and  exigencies. 
Gen.  xvii.  1.,  "  I  am  God  all-sufticient," — 
a  God  that  can  sujtply  all  your  wants,  scat- 
ter all  your  fears,  resolve  all  your  doubts, 
conquer  all  your  temptations;  the  arm  of 
God's  power  can  never  be  shrunk ;  he  can 
create  mercy  for  us,  and  therefore  can  help 
and  not  be  beholden  to  the  creature.  Did 
we  believe  there  is  a  God,  we  should  so 
depend  on  his  providence  as  not  to  use  any 
indirect  means  ;  we  should  not  run  our- 
selves into  sin  to  rid  ourselves  out  of  trou- 
ble :  2  Kings  i.  3,,  "  Is  it  not  because  there 
is  not  a  God  in  Israel,  that  ye  go  to  inquire 
of  Beelzebub  the  God  of  Ekron  ?"  \^lien 
men  run  to  sinful  shifts,  is  it  not  because 
they  do  not  believe  there  is  a  God,  or  that 
he  is  all-sufficient? 

Use.  5.  Seeing  there  is  a  God,  let  us  la- 
bour to  get  an  interest  in  him,  Ps.  xlviii. 
14'.,  "  This  God  is  our  God."  Two  things 
will  comfort  us,  —  Deity  and  property. 
Since  the  fall  we  have  lost  likeness  to  God, 
and  communion  with  God ;  let  us  labour 
to  recover  this  lost  interest,  and  pronounce 
this    Shibboleth,    '  My  God,'  Ps.  xliii.  5. 


It  is  little  comfort  to  know  there  is  a 
God,  unless  he  be  ours ;  God  offers  him- 
self to  be  our  God,  Jcr.  xxxi.  33.,  "  I  will 
be  their  God."  And  faith  catchcth  hold 
of  the  offer  ;  it  a])pro])riates  God,  and 
makes  all  that  is  in  him  over  to  us  to  be 
ours, — his  wisdom  to  be  ours,  to  teach  us, 
— his  holiness  ours,  to  sanctify  us, — his 
Spirit  ours,  to  comfort  us, — his  mercy  ours, 
to  save  us.  To  be  able  to  say,  God  is 
mine,  is  more  than  to  have  all  the  mines 
of  gold  and  silver. 

Use  6.  Seeing  there  is  a  God,  let  us 
serve  and  worship  him  as  God.  It  was  an 
indictment  brought  in  against  them,  Rom. 
i.  21.,  "  They  glorified  him  not  as  God." 
1 .  Let  us  pr.ay  to  him  as  to  God.  Pray  with 
fervency,  James  v.  1(5.,  "  An  effectual  fer- 
vent prayer  availeth  much."  '1  his  is  both 
the  fire  and  the  incense  ;  without  fervency 
it  is  no  prayer. — 2.  Love  him  as  God, 
Deut.  vi.  5.,  "  Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord 
thy  God  with  all  thy  heart."  To  love 
him  with  all  thy  heart,  is  to  give  him  a 
precedency  in  our  love  :  desire  to  let  him 
have  the  cream  of  our  affections, — to  love 
him  not  only  appreciatively,  but  intensive- 
ly, as  much  as  we  can.  As  the  sunbeams 
united  in  a  burning  glass,  burn  the  hotter, 
so  all  our  affections  should  be  united,  that 
our  love  to  God  may  be  more  ardent. — 3. 
Obey  him  as  God.  All  creatures  obey 
him  :  the  stars  fight  his  battles, — the  ^\and 
and  sea  obey  him,  Mark  iv.  41., — much 
more  should  man  whom  God  hath  endued 
with  a  principle  of  reason.  He  is  God, 
and  hath  a  sovereignty  over  us ;  therefore, 
as  we  received  life  from  him,  so  we  must 
receive  a  law  from  him,  and  submit  to  his 
will  in  all  things.  This  is  to  kiss  him 
with  a  kiss  of  loyalty,  and  it  is  to  glorify 
him  as  God. 


GOD  IS  A  SPIRIT. 


Quest.  IV.   WIIATis  Godf 

Aks.  God  is  a  Spirit. 

2d.  The  thing  exj)ressed,  John  iv.  St., 
"  God  is  a  spirit."  (iod  is  essentia  sjnrit'i- 
alissima.    Z'vnch. 


Q.  What  do  you  mean  when  you  say,  God 
is  a  Spirtt  ? 

A.  By  a  sjnrit  I  mean,  God  is  an  im- 
material substance,  of  a  pure,  subtile,  im- 
'  mixed  essence,   not  conijiounded  of  body 


GOD  IS  A  SPIRIT. 


35 


and  soul,  without  all  extension  of  parts. 
The  body  is  a  di'eggish  thing  :  the  more 
spiritual  God's  essence  is,  the  more  noble 
and  excellent.  The  spirits  are  the  more 
refined  part  of  the  wine. 

Q.  Wherein  doth  God  differ  from  other 
spirits  ? 

1.  The  angels  are  spirits. 

A.  We  must  distinguish  of  spirits.  1. 
The  angels  are  created,  God  is  a  spirit  un- 
created.— 2.  The  angels  are  spirits,  but 
they  are  finite,  and  capable  of  being  anni- 
hilated ;  the  same  power  which  made  them, 
is  able  to  reduce  them  to  their  first  no- 
thing ;  but  God  is  an  infinine  spirit. — 3. 
The  angels  ih-e  confined  spirits ;  they  can- 
not be  duohus  locis  siinid,  they  are  confined 
to  a  place  ;  but  God  is  an  immense  spirit, 
and  cannot  be  confined,  being  in  all  places 
at  once. — 4-.  The  angels,  though  they  are 
spirits,  yet  they  aro  but  ministering  spirits, 
Heb.  i.  14.  Though  they  are  spirits,  yet  are 
they  servants.  God  is  a  super-excellent 
spirit,    "  the  Father  of  spirits,"   Heb.  xii .  9. 

2.  Tlie  soul  is  a  spirit :  Eccles,  xii.  7., 
"  The  spirit  shall  return  unto  God  that 
gave  it." 

Q.  How  doth  Gody  being  a  spirit,  differ 
from  the  soul  ? 

Servetus  and  Osiander  thought,  that  the 
soul  being  infused  did  convey  into  man  the 
very  spirit  and  substance  of  God ;  an  ab- 
surd opinion,  for  the  essence  of  God  is  in- 
communicable. 

A.  Therefore,  when  it  is  said,  the  soul 
is  a  spirit,  it  is  meant  God  hath  made  it 
intelligent,  and  hath  stamped  upon  it  his 
likeness,  not  his  essence. 

Q.  But  is  it  not  said,  that  ice  are  made 
partakers  oj  the  divine  nature  ? 

A.  By  divine  nature  there,  is  meant  di- 
vine qualities,  2  Pet.  i.  4.  We  are  made 
partakers  of  the  divine  nature,  not  by  iden- 
tity or  union  with  the  divine  essence,  but 
by  a  transformation  into  the  divine  like- 
ness. Thus  you  see  how  God  differs  from 
other  spirits,  angels  and  souls  of  men.  He 
is  a  spirit  of  transcendent  excellency,  "  the 
Father  of  spirits." 

Obj.  Against  this  Vorstius  and  the  An 
thropomorphites  object,  that,  in  scripture,  an 
human  shape  and  figure  is  given  to  God ;  Jie 
is  said  to  have  eyes  and  hands. 


A.  It  is  contrary  to  the  nature  of  a  spi- 
rit to  have  a  corporeal  substance :  Luke 
xxiv.  39.,  "  Handle  me,  and  see  me  :  for  a 
spirit  hath  not  Hesh  and  bones,  as  ye  see 
me  have."  Bodily  members  are  ascribed 
to  God,  not  properly,  but  metaphorically, 
and  in  a  borrowed  sense ;  he  is  only  set 
out  to  our  capacity ;  by  the  right  hand  of 
the  Lord  is  meant  liis  j)ower  ;  by  the  eyes 
of  the  Lord  is  meant  his  wisdom.  Now 
that  God  is  a  spirit,  and  is  not  capable  of 
bodily  shape  or  substance,  is  clear.  1.  A 
body  is  visible,  but  God  is  invisible  ;  there- 
fore he  is  a  spirit,  1  Tim.  vi.  U>.,  "  whom 
no  man  hath  seen,  nor  can  see;"  not  by  an 
eye  of  sense. — 2.  A  body  is  terminated  ; 
can  be  but  in  one  place  at  once ;  but  God 
is  every  where,  in  all  places  at  once ;  there- 
fore he  is  a  spirit,  Ps  cxxxix.  7,  8.  God's 
centre  is  every  where,  and  his  circumfer- 
ence is  nowhere. — 3.  A  body  being  com- 
pounded of  integral  parts  may  be  dissolv- 
ed,— quicquid  divisible  est  corruptibile  ;  but 
the  Godhead  is  not  capable  of  dissolution  ; 
he  can  have  no  end,  from  whom  all  things 
have  their  beginning.  So  that  it  clearly 
appears  that  God  is  a  spirit,  which  adds  to 
the  perfection  of  his  nature. 

Use  1.  If  God  be  a  spirit,  then  he  is  im- 
passible,— he  is  not  capable  of  being  hurt. 
Wicked  men  set  up  their  banners,  and 
bend  their  forces  against  God :  thev  are 
said  to  fight  against  God,  Acts  v.  39.  But 
what  will  this  fighting  avail  ?  What  hurt 
can  they  do  to  the  Deity  ?  God  is  a  spirit, 
and  therefore  cannot  receive  any  hurtful 
impression  ;  wicked  men  may  imagine  evil 
against  the  Lord,  Nahum  i.  9.,  "  What  do 
ye  imagine  against  the  Lord  ?"  But  God, 
being  a  spirit,  is  impenetrable.  The  wick- 
ed may  eclipse  his  glory,  but  caiuiot  touch 
his  essence.  God  can  hurt  his  enemies, 
but  they  cannot  hurt  him.  Julian  might 
throw  up  his  dagger  into  the  air  against 
heaven,  but  could  not  touch  the  Deity. 
God  is  a  spirit,  invisil)le.  How  can  the 
wicked  with  all  their  forces  hurt  him,  when 
they  cannot  see  him?  Hence  all  the  at- 
tempts of  the  wicked  against  God  are  fool- 
ish, and  prove  abortive  :  Ps.  ii.  2,  4.,  "  The 
kings  of  the  earth  set  themselves  against 
the  Lord  and  against  his  anointed.  He 
tliat  sits  in  the  heaven  shall  laugh."     He  is  a 


GOD  IS  A  SPIRIT. 


spirit,  he  can  wound  them,  but  they  cannot 
touch  liim. 

Use  2.  If  God  be  a  spirit,  then  it  shows 
the  folly  of  the  papists,  who  worship  him 
by  pictures  and  images.  Being  a  spirit, 
we  cannot  make  any  image  to  represent 
Iiim  by:  Deut.  iv.  12.,  "  The  Lord  spake 
to  you  out  of  the  midst  of  the  fire,  ye  lieard 
tlie  voice  of  the  words,  but  saw  no  simili- 
tude." 

1.  God  being  a  spirit  is  imperceptible, 
cannot  be  discerned;  how  then  can  there 
be  any  resemblance  made  of  him  ?  Isa.  xl. 
18.,  "  To  whom  then  will  ye  liken  God, 
or  what  likeness  will  ye  compare  unto 
him  ?"  How  can  you  paint  tlie  Deity  ? 
Can  we  make  an  image  of  that  which  we 
never  saw  ?  "  Ye  saw  no  similitude." 
God  is  a  spirit.  It  were  a  folly  to  go  to 
make  the  picture  of  the  soul,  because  it  is 
a  spiritual  thing  ;  or  to  paint  the  angels, 
because  they  are  spirits. 

Ob  J.  Are  not  the  angels  in  scripture  repre- 
sented by  the  cheruhims  ? 

A.  There  is  imago personce  et  officii, — there 
is  the  image  of  the  person,  and  the  image 
that  represents  the  office.  The  cherubims 
did  not  re])resent  tlie  persons  of  the  angels, 
but  their  office.  The  cherubims  were  made 
with  wings,  to  show  the  swiftness  of  the 
angels,  in  discharge  of  their  office  ;  and  if 
we  cannot  picture  the  soul,  nor  the  persons 
of  angels,  because  they  are  spirits,  much 
less  can  we  make  an  image  or  picture  of 
God,  who  is  infinite  and  the  Father  of  spi- 
rits. 

2.  God  is  also  an  omnipresent  spirit  ;  he 
IS  present  in  all  places,  Jer.  xxiii.  24.,  "  Do 
not  I  fill  heaven  and  earth  ?  saith  the  Lord." 
Therefore,  being  every  where  present,  it  is 
absurd  to  worship  him  by  an  image.  Were 
it  not  a  foolish  thing  to  bow  down  to  the 
king's  picture,  when  the  king  is  present? 
So  it  is  to  worship  God's  image,  when  God 
himself  is  present. 

Q.  But  how  then  shall  tee  conceive  of  God, 
being  a  spirit,  if  we  may  make  no  image  or 
resemblance  of  him  ? 

,  A.  We  must  conceive  of  him  spiritually: 
viz.  (1.)  In  his  attributes, — liis  holiness; 
justice,  goodness,  which  are  the  beams  by 
which  his  divine  nature  shines  forth.  (2.) 
We  must  conceive  of  him  as  he  is  in  Christ, 


Christ  "  is  the  image  of  the  invisible  God." 
Col  i.  15.  Set  the  eyes  of  your  faith  on 
Christ,  God-man.  In  Christ  we  see  some 
sparklings  of  the  divine  glory  ;  in  him  there 
is  the  exact  resemblance  of  all  his  Father's 
excellencies.  The  wisdom,  love,  and  holi- 
ness of  God  the  Father  shine  forth  in  Christ, 
John  xiv.  9.,  "  He  that  hath  seen  me,  hath 
seen  the  Father." 

Use  3.  If  God  be  a  spirit,  it  shows  us, 
that  the  more  spiritual  we  grow,  the  more 
we  grow  like  to  God.  How  do  earth  and 
spirit  agree  ?  Phil.  iii.  9.  Earthly  ones  may 
give  for  their  crest,  the  mole  or  tortoise  that 
live  in  the  earth.  What  resemblance  is 
there  between  an  earthly  heart,  and  him 
who  is  a  spirit  ?  The  more  spiritual  any 
one  is,  the  more  like  God. 

Q.  What  is  it  to  he  spiritual  ? 

A.  To  be  refined  and  sublimated,  to  have 
the  heart  still  in  heaven,  to  be  thinking  of 
God  and  glory,  and  to  be  carried  up  in  a 
fiery  chariot  of  love  to  God, — this  is  to  be 
spiritual  :  Ps.  Ixxiii.  25  ,  "  Whom  have  I  in 
heaven  but  thee :"  on  which  Bcza  paraphras- 
ed thus,  Apaga  terra,  vtinam  tecwu  in  ccelo 
essem !  "  O  that  I  were  in  heaven  with 
thee  !"  A  Christian,  who  is  taken  off  these 
earthly  things,  as  the  spirits  are  taken  oflT 
from  the  lees,  hath  a  noble  spiritual  soul, 
and  doth  most  resemble  him  who  is  a  spi- 
rit. 

Use  4.  It  shows  what  that  worship  is 
God  requires  of  us,  and  is  most  acceptable 
to  him,  viz.  such  a  worship  as  is  suitable  to 
his  nature,  '  s])iritual  worship.'  John  iv. 
2  k,  "  They  which  worship  him,  must  wor- 
ship him  in  spirit  and  in  truth."  Spiritual 
worship  is  the  virgin  worship.  Though  God 
will  have  the  service  of  our  bodies, — our 
eyes  and  hands  lifted  up,  to  testify  to  othere 
what  reverence  we  have  of  God's  glory  and 
majesty,  —yet  chiefly  he  will  have  the  wor- 
ship of  the  soul,  1  Cor.  vi.  20.,  "  Glorify 
God  in  yoxvc  body  and  in  your  sj)irit."  Spirit 
worship  God  ])rizeth,  because  it  comes  so 
near  to  his  own  nature  who  is  a  spirit 

Q.  What  is  it  to  worship  God  in  spirit  ? 

A.  1.  To  worship  him  without  ceremo- 
nies. The  ceremonies  of  the  law,  which 
God  himself  ordained,  are  now  abrogated, 
and  out  of  date ;  Christ  the  substance  being 
come,  the  shadows  fly  away ;  and  therefore 


GOD  IS  A  SPIRIT. 


Z7 


the  apostle  calls  the  leg^al  ceremonies  'carnal 
rites,'  Heb.  x.  10.;  and  if  vvc  may  not  use 
those  Jewish  ceremonies  which  God  did 
'  once  appoint,  then  not  those  which  he  did 
never  appoint. 

A.  2.  To  worship  God  in  spirit,  is  to  wor- 
ship him,  1 .  With  faitli  in  the  blood  of  the 
Messiah,   Heb.  xi.  9.  ;  and,  >\  To  worship 
him  with  the  utmost  zeal  and  intenseness 
of  soul,   Acts  xxvi.  7.,  "  Our  twelve  tribes 
instantly  serving  God  day  and   night," — 
with   intenseness  of  spirit, — not  only  con- 
stantly, but  instantly.     This  is  to  worship 
God  in  sj)irit.     The  more  spiritual  any  ser- 
vice is,  the  nearer  it  comes  to  God,   who  is 
a  s])irit,  and  the  more  excellent  it  is;   the 
spiritual  part  of  duty  is  the  fat  of  the  sacri- 
fice,— it  is  the  soul  and  quintessence  of  re- 
ligion.    The  richest  cordials  are  made  of 
spirits,  and  the  best  duties  are  such  as  are 
of  a  spiritual  nature.     God  is  a  spirit,  and 
will  be  worshipped  in  spirit ;  it  is  not  pomp 
of  worship,  but  purity,  which  God  accepts. 
Repentance  is  not  in  the  outward  severities 
used  to  the  body,  penance,  fasting,  and  chas- 
tising the  body,  but  it  consists  in  the  sacri- 
fice of  a  broken  heart;   thanksgiving  doth 
not  stand  in  church  music,  the  melodv  of 
an  organ,  but  rather  in  making  melody  in 
the  heart  to  the  Lord,  Eph.  v.  19.     Prayer 
is  not  the  tuning  the  voice  into  an  heartless 
confession,  or  telling  over  a  few  beads,  but 
it  consists  in  sighs  and  groans,  Rom.  viii.  2G. 
Wlien  the  fire  of  fervency  is  put  to  the  in- 
cense of  prayer,  then  it  ascends  as  a  sweet 
odour ;    that  is  the  true   holy   M'ater,    not 
that  which  the  pope  sprinkles,  but  what  is 
distilled  from  the  limbeck  of  a  penitent  eye. 
Spirit-worship  best  pleaseth  that  God  who 
is  a  spirit :  John  iv.  23.,  "  The  Father  scck- 
eth  such  to  worship  him  ;"  to  shew  the  great 
acceptance  of  such,  and  how  God  is  delight- 
ed witJi  spiritual  worship.     This  is  the  sa- 
voury meat  God   loves.     How  few   mind 
this  !   Worshipping  him  who  is  a  spirit,  in 
the  spirit,  they  give  him  more  dregs  tlian 
spirits ;  they  think  it  enough  to  bring  their 
duties,  but  not  their  hearts,  which  hath  made 
God  disclaim  these  very  ser\'ices  he  himself 
appointed,  Isa.  i.  12.  Ezek.  xxxiii.  31.     Let 
us  then  give  God  spirit-worship,  this  best 
suits  with  his  nature ;  a  sovereign  elixir  full 
of  viitue  may  be  given  in  a  few  diops ;   a 


little  prayer,  if  it  be  with  the  heart  and  spi- 
rit, may  have  much  virtue  and  efficacv  in 
it.  Tlie  ])ublican  made  but  a  short  prayer, 
"  God  be  merciful  to  me  a  sinner,"  Luke 
xviii.  13.,  but  it  was  full  of  life  and  spirit; 
it  came  from  the  heart,  therefore  it  was  ac- 
cepted. 

Use  5.  Of  Exhortation.  Pray  to  God, 
that  as  he  is  a  spirit ;  so  he  will  give  us  of 
his  Spirit.  The  essence  of  God  is  incom- 
municable ;  but  not  the  motions,  the  pre- 
sence, and  influences  of  his  Spirit.  When 
the  sun  shines  in  a  room,  not  the  body  of 
the  sun  is  there,  but  the  light,  heat,  and  in- 
llucnce  of  the  sun.  God  hath  made  a  pro- 
mise of  his  Spirit,  Ezek.  xxxvi.  27.,  "  I  will 
put  my  Spirit  within  you."  Turn  ])romise8 
into  prayers.  "  O  Lord,  thou  who  art  a 
spirit,  give  me  of  thy  Spirit :  I  flesh,  beg 
thy  Spirit,  thy  enlightening,  sanctifying, 
quickening  Spirit !"  Melancthon  prayed 
"  Lord,  inflame  my  soul  with  thy  holy 
Spirit!"  How  needful  is  his  Spirit?  We 
cannot  do  any  duty  without  it,  in  a  lively 
manner  ;  when  this  wind  blows  upon  our 
sails,  then  we  move  swiftly  towards  hea- 
ven. Pray  therefore,  that  God  would  give 
us  of  '  the  residue  of  his  Spirit,'  Mai.  ii.  l;j., 
that  we  may  move  more  vigorously  in  the 
sphere  of  religion. 

Use  6.    Of  Comfort.     As  God  is  a  sj)irit, 
so  the  reward  that  he  gives  is  spiritual ;  that 
is  the  excellency  of  it.     As  the  chief  bless- 
ings he  gives  us  in  this  life  are  spiritual 
blessings,  Eph.  i.  3.,  not  gold  and  silver, — 
he  gives  Christ,   his  love, — he  fills  us  with 
grace, — so  the  main  rewards  he  gives   us 
after  this  life   are  spiritual,   '  a  crown  of 
glory   that  fadeth  not  away,"  1  Pet.  v.  4. 
Earthly  crowns  fade,  but  the  beliver's  crown, 
being  spiritual,  is  immortal,  a  never-fading 
crown.      "  It  is   impossible    (saith   Joseph 
Scaliger)   for  that  which  is  sj)iritual  to  he 
subject  to  change   or   corruption."      This 
may    comfort    a  Christian    in    all    his   la- 
bours and  sufferings ;   he  lays  out  himself 
for  God,  and  hath  little  or  no  reward  herej 
but  remember,   God,   who  is  a  spirit,  will 
give  spiritual  rewards, — a  sight  of  his  face 
in  heaven, — white  robes, — a  weight  of  glory. 
Be  not  then  weary  of  God's  service  ;  think 
of  the  spiritual  reward,  a  crown  of  glory 
which  fadeth  not  away  ! 


38 


GOD  IS  INFINITE. 


GOD  IS  INFINITE. 


3cl.  Quest.  IVHAT  kind  of  Spirit  is  God? 

Ans.  lie  is  infinite  ;  so  lie  differs  from  all 
created  beings,  which  are  finite.  Though 
infinite  may  be  applied  to  all  God's  attri- 
butes,— he  is  infinitely  merciful,  infinitely 
wise,  infinitely  holy, — yet,  if  we  take  infi- 
niteness  properly  so,  it  implies : 

1.  God's  omnipresence.  The  Greek  word 
for  infinite  signiiies  '  without  bounds  or  li- 
mits :'  God  is  not  confined  to  any  place,  he 
is  infinite,  and  so  is  present  in  all  places  at 
once.  His  centre  is  every  where, — Divina 
essentia  musqitam  inclusa  out  exclnsa,  Aug. 
1  Kings  viii.  27.,  "  Behold,  the  heaven,  and 
heaven  of  lieavcns  cannot  contain  thee  !" 
This  the  Turks  have  a  notion  of :  they  build 
their  temples  open  at  the  top,  to  shew  that 
God  cannot  be  confined  to  their  temples, 
or  circumscribed,  but  is  in  all  places  by  his 
presence.  God's  essence  is  not  limited  either 
to  the  regions  above,  or  to  the  terrestrial 
globe,  but  his  whole  essence  is  every  where ; 
this  is  to  be  infinite.  As  philosophers  say 
of  the  soul,  it  is,  iota  in  tota,  et  tota  in  quali- 
bet  parte, — the  sovd  is  in  every  part  of  the 
body,  in  the  eye,  heart,  foot :  so  we  may  say 
of  (jod,  he  is  ubique, — his  essence  is  every 
where, — his  circuit  is  in  heaven,  and  in 
earth,  and  sea,  and  he  is  in  all  places  of  his 
circuit  at  once.  '  This  is  to  be  infinite.' 
God,  who  bounds  every  thing  else,  is  him- 
self without  bounds  :  he  sets  bounds  to  the 
sea,  hue  usque, — '  Hitherto  shalt  thou  come, 
and  no  further.'  He  sets  bounds  to  the 
angels ;  they,  like  the  cherubims,  move  and 
stand  at  his  a])p<»intment,  Ezek.  x.  16.,  but 
he  is  infinite,  without  bovuids.  He  who 
can  span  the  heavens,  and  weigh  the  earth 
in  a  pair  of  scales,  must  needs  be  infinite, 
Isa.  xl.  22. 

Obj.  Vorstius,  That  God  is  in  all  places 
at  once  but  not  in  regard  of  his  essence,  but, 
ATrtutc  ct  potentia,  bi/  his  virtue  ami  influ- 
ence :  as  the  bodif  of  the  sun  is  in  heaven,  it 
only  sends  forth  its  beams  and  infuences  to 
the  earth,— or  as  a  king,  u'ho  is  in  allpUices  of 
his  hivgdoni  authoritatively,  by  his  pouu  r  and 
authority,  but  he  is  personally  on  his  throne. 

A,  But  to  answer  :  God,  who  is  infiuite. 


*s  in  all  places  at  once,  not  only  by  his  in- 
fluence, but  by  his  essence;  for,  if  his  es- 
sence fills  all  places,  then  he  must  needs  be 
there  in  person.  But,  Ergo,  minor  in, 
Jer.  xxiii.  24.,  "  Do  not  I  fill  heaven  and 
earth  ?" 

Obj.  But  doth  not  God  say,  heaven  is  his 
throne?  Isa.  Ixxa.  1. 

A.  It  is  also  said,  that  an  humble  heart 
is  his  throne,  Isa.  Ivii.  15.  The  humble 
heart  is  his  throne,  in  regard  of  his  gracious 
presence ;  and  heaven  is  his  throne,  in  re- 
gard of  his  glorious  presence ;  and  yet  nei- 
ther of  these  thrones  will  hold  him,  for 
the  heaven  of  heavens  cannot  contain  him. 

Obj.  Bid  if  God  be  infinite  in  all  places^ 
then  he  is  in  places  impure,  and  mingles  with 
that  impurity  ? 

A.  lliough  God  be  in  all  places, — in  the 
heart  of  a  sinner  by  his  inspection, — and  in 
hell  by  his  justice, — yet  he  doth  not  min- 
gle wiih  tliat  impurity,  or  receive  the  least 
tincture  of  evil.  Divina  natura  non  est  im- 
mista  rebus  cmt  sordibus  inquinata,  Aug. 
No  more  than  the  sun  shining  on  a  dung- 
hill is  defiled,  or  its  beauty  spotted,  or  than 
Christ  going  among  sinners  was  defiled ; 
his  Godhead  was  a  sufficient  antidote  a- 
gainst  infection. — Reason  why  God  must 
needs  be  infinite  in  all  places  at  once,  not 
only  in  regard  of  the  simplicity  and  purity 
of  his  nature,  but  in  regard  of  his  power, 
which  being  so  glorious,  who  can  set  him 
bounds,  or  ])rescribe  him  a  circuit  to  walk 
in  ?  it  is  as  if  the  drop  should  go  to  limit  the 
ocean,  or  the  star  to  set  tlie  sun  its  bounds. 

Use  1.  It  condemns  the  papists,  wlio 
would  make  more  things  infinite  than  the 
Godhead.  They  liold  that  Christ's  body 
is  in  many  ])laces  at  once, — that  it  is  in 
lieaven,  and  in  the  bread  and  wine  in  the 
sacrament.  Thougli  Christ,  as  he  is  God, 
is  infinite  and  in  all  places  at  once,  yet,  as 
man,  he  is  not.  Christ  when  lie  was  on 
earth,  his  manhood  was  not  in  lieaven, 
though  liis  Godhead  was ;  and  now  he  is 
in  lieaven,  his  manhood  is  not  on  earth 
thousrh  his  Godhead  he.  Heb.  x.  3.,  it  is 
spoken  of  Christ,   "  A  body  thou  hast  pre- 


GOD  IS  INFINITE. 


39 


pared   me."     Tliis  body  cannot  be  in  all  j  fulness  is  an  infinite  fulness;  and  lie  is  in- 


places  at  once;  for  then  it  is  no  more  a 
body,  but  a  spirit ;  Christ's  body  in  heaven, 
though  it  be  glorified,  it  is  not  deified;  it  is 
not  infinite,  for  so  it  must  be,  if  it  be  both 
in  heaven,  and  in  the  bread  and  wine  by 
transubstantiation. 

If  God  be  infinite,  present  in  all  places 
at  once,  then  it  is  certain  he  gOAcrns  all 
things  in  his  own  person ;  he  needs  no 
proxies  or  deputies  to  help  him  to  carry  on 
his  government.  He  is  in  all  places  at  an 
instant,  and  manageth  all  affairs  both  in  the 
earth  and  heaven.  A  king  cannot  be  in  all 
])laces  of  his  kingdom  in  his  own  person, 
therefore  he  is  fain  to  govern  by  deputies, 
and  vicegerents,  and  they  often  pervert  jus- 
tice ;  but  Gotl,  being  infinite,  needs  no  de- 
puties, ho  is  present  in  all  places,  he  sees 
all  with  his  own  eyes,  and  hears  all  with 
his  own  ears ;  he  is  every  where  in  his 
own  person,  therefore  is  fit  to  be  the  judge 
of  the  world;  he  will  do  every  one  right. 

If  God  be  infinite  by  his  omnipresence, 
then  see  the  greatness  and  immenseness  of 
the  divine  majesty.  What  a  great  God  do 
we  serve  !  1  Chron.  xxix.  1 1.,  "  Thine,  O 
Lord,  is  the  greatness,  and  the  glory,  and 
the  majesty,  and  thou  art  exalted  as  head 
above  all."  Well  may  the  scripture  display 
the  greatness  of  his  glory  who  is  infinite  in 
all  places.  He  tnmscends  our  weak  con- 
ceptions ;  how  can  our  finite  understanding 
comprehend  him  who  is  infinite  ?  He  is 
infinitely  above  all  our  praises,  Neh.  ix.  5., 
"  Blessed  be  thy  glorious  name,  which  is 
exalted  above  all  blessing  and  praise."  O 
what  a  poor  nothing  is  man,  when  we  think 
of  God's  infiniteness  !  As  the  stars  dis- 
appear at  the  rising  of  the  sun,  O  how  doth 
a  man  shrink  into  nothing  when  Infinite 
Majesty  shines  forth  in  his  glory  !  Isa.  xl. 
15.,  "  The  nations  are  as  a  drop  of  the 
bucket,  or  the  small  dust  of  the  balance." 
O  what  a  little  of  that  drop  are  we  !  The 
heathens  thought  they  had  suflieiently  prais- 
ed Jupiter,  when  they  called  him  Great 
Jupiter.  Of  what  immense  majesty  is  God, 
who  fills  all  places  at  once!  "  His  excel- 
lent greatness,"  Ps.  cl.  2.  If  God  be  in- 
finite, filling  heaven  and  earth,  see  what 
a  full  portion  the  saints  have;  they  have 
him  tor  their  portion  who  is  infinite.     His 


finitely  sweet,  as  well  as  infinitely  full ;  if 
a  conduit  be  filled  with  wine  here  is  a  sweet 
fulness,  but  still  it  is  finite ;  but  God  is  a 
sweet  fulness,  and  it  is  also  infinite.     He  is 
infinitely  full  of  beauty,— of  love;  his  riches 
are  called  '  unsearchal)le,'  Eph.  iii.  8.,  be- 
cause   they    are    infinite.       Stretch    your 
thoughts  as  much  :is  you  can,  there's  that 
in  God  exceeds;  it  is  an  infinite  fulness. 
He  is  said  "  to  do  abundantly  for  us,  above 
all  that  we  can  ask,"  Eph.  iii.  20.     What 
can  an  ambitious  spirit  ask?     He  can  ask 
crowns  and  kingdoms, — millions  of  worlds ; 
but  God  can  give  more  than  we  can  ask, 
nay,  or  think,  because  he  is  infinite. — We 
can  think,  what  if  all  the  dust  were  turned 
to  silver,  if  every  flower  were  a  ruby,  every 
sand  in  the  sea  a  diamond  :  yet  God  can 
irive  more  than  we  can  thiak,  because  he  is 
infinite  !     O  how  rich  are  they  who  have 
the  infinite  God  for  their  portion  !     Well 
might  David  say,   "  The  Lord  is  the  por- 
tion of  mine  inheritance,"  "  the  lines  are 
fallen   unto  me   in   pleasant  places,  and  I 
have   a  goodly  heritage !"    Ps.   xvi.   5,    6. 
^Ve  may  go  with  the  bee  from  flower  to 
flower,  but  we  shall  never  have  full  satis- 
faction  till  we  come  to  the  infinite  God. 
Jacob  said,  "  I  hn\ce}iouu;/i"—\n  the  Hebrew, 
"  I  have  a//,"  Gen.  xxxiii.  11 — because  he 
had  the  infinite  God  for  his  portion.     God 
being  an  infinite  fulness,  there  is  no  fear  of 
want  for  any  of  the  heirs  of  heaven ;  though 
there  be  millions  of  saints  and  angels  which 
hath  a  share  in  God's  riches,  yet  he  hath 
enough  for  them  all,  because  he  is  infinite. 
Thouoh  a  thousand  men  behold  the  sun, 
there  is  light  enough  in  the  sun  for  them 
all ;  put  ever  so  many  buckets  into  the  sea, 
there  is  water  enough  in  the  sea  to  fill  thcni. 
Though  an  innumerable  company  of  saints 
and  angels  are  to  be  filled  out  of  God's  ful- 
ness,   yet    God,    being   infinite,    he    hath 
abundantly  enough  to  satisfy  them.     God 
hath  land  enough  to  give  to  all  his  heirs, 
there  can  be  no  want  in  that  which  is  in- 
finite. 

If  God  be  infinite,  he  fills  all  places,  is 
every  where  present:  this  is  sad  to  the 
wicked,  God  is  their  enemy,  and  they  can- 
not escape  him,  nor  flee  from  him,  for  he 
is  every  where  present :  they  are  never  out 


♦0 


GOD  IS  INFINITE. 


of  his  eye,  nor  out  of  his  reach :  Ps.  xxi. 
8.,  "  Thy  Iiuncl  shall  find  out  all  thy  ene- 
mies." What  caves  or  thickets  can  men 
hide  in,  that  God  cannot  find  them  ?  Go 
where  they  Avill,  he  is  present,  Ps.  cxxxix. 
7.,  "  Whither  shall  I  flee  from  thy  pre- 
sence ?"  If  a  man  owes  a  debt  to  another 
he  may  make  his  escape,  and  flee  into  ano- 
ther land,  where  the  creditor  cannot  find 
him.  "  But  whither  shall  I  flee  from  thy 
presence  ?"  God  is  infinite  ?  he  is  in  all 
places  :  so  that  he  will  find  out  his  enemies, 
and  punish  them. 

Obj.  But  is  it  not  said,  '  Cain  ivent  out 
from  the  presence  of  the  Lord?'  Gen. 
iv.  16. 

A.  The  meaning  is,  he  went  out  from  the 
church  of  God,  where  were  the  visible  signs 
of  God's  presence,  and  where  God  did  in  a 
special  manner  manifest  his  sweet  presence 
to  his  people :  but  Cain  could  not  go  out  of 
God's  sight,  for  God  being  infinite,  is  every 
where  present.  Sinners  can  neither  go 
from  an  accusing  conscience,  nor  a  reveng- 
ing God. 

If  God  be  every  where  present,  then  for 
a  Christian  to  walk  with  God  is  not  impos- 
sible. God  is  not  only  in  heaven,  but  he 
is  in  earth  too,  Isa.  Ixvi.  1.  Heaven  is  his 
throne,  there  he  sits ;  the  earth  is  his  foot- 
stool, there  he  stands.  He  is  every  where 
present,  therefore  we  may  come  to  walk 
with  God:  "Enoch  walked  with  God," 
Gen.  v.  22.  If  God  was  confined  to  heaven, 
a  trembling  soul  might  think,  "  How  can 
I  converse  with  God, — how  can  I  walk  with 
him  who  lives  in  ezcelsis,  above  the  upper 
region  ?"  but  God  is  not  confined  to  heaven, 
he  is  omnipresent ;  he  is  above  us,  yet  he 
is  about  us,  he  is  near  to  us.  Acts  xvii.  27. 
Though  he  be  not  far  from  the  assembly 
of  the  saints.  He  stands  in  the  congrega- 
tion of  the  mighty,  Ps.  Ixxxii.  I.  He  is 
present  with  us,  God  is  in  every  one  of  us : 
so  that  here  on  earth  we  may  walk  with 
God.  In  heaven  the  saints  rest  with  him, — 
on  earth  they  walk  with  him.  To  walk 
with  God,  is  to  walk  by  faith ;  we  are  said 
*  to  draw  nigh'  to  Gotl,  II eb.  x.  22. ;  and 
to  see  him,  Heb.  xi.  27.,  *'  As  seeing  him 
who  is  invisible ;"  and  to  have  fellowship 
witlj  him,  1  John  i.  3.,  "  Our  fellowship 
is  with  the  Father."     Thus  we  may  take  a 


turn  with  him  every  day  by  faith.  It  is  & 
slighting  of  God  not  to  walk  with  him  :  i:. 
a  king  be  in  presence,  it  is  a  slighting  him, 
to  neglect  him  and  walk  with  the  page. 
There  is  no  walk  in  the  world  so  sweet  ar 


to  walk  with  God : 
shall    walk    in    the 


Ps.  Ixxxix. 
light    of 


15., 


Th 


ey 


thy    counte- 


nance ;"  Ps.  cxxxviii.  5.,  "  Yea,  they  shal'' 
sing  in  the  ways  of  the  Lord ;"  it  is  lik« 
walking  among  beds  of  spices,  whicli  send 
forth  a  fragrant  perfume. 

Use  2.  If  God  be  infinite  in  his  glorious 
essence,  learn  to  admire  Avhere  you  cannot 
fathom.     The    angels    wear   a   vail  ;   they 
cover  their  faces,  as  adoring  this  infinite 
majesty,  Isa.  vi.  3.     Elias  wrapped  himself 
in  a  mantle  Avhen  God's  glory  passed  by. 
Admire  where  you  cannot  fathom.  Job.  xi. 
7.,    "  Canst   thou   by  searching   find    out 
God.?"     Here  we  see  some  beams  of  his 
glory, — we  see  him  in  the  glass  of  the  crea- 
tion,— we  see  him  in  his  picture,  his  image 
shines  in  the  saints, — but  who  can  search 
out  all  his  essential  glory  ?     What  angel 
can   measure    these    pyramids  ?      "  Canst 
thou  by  searching  find  out  God  ?"     He  is 
infinite.    We  can  no  more  search  out  his  in- 
finite perfections,  than  a  man  upon  the  top 
of  the  highest  mountain  can  reach  the  fir- 
mament,  or  take  a  star  in  his  hand.     O 
have  God- admiring  thoughts  !  Adore  where 
you  cannot  fathom  ;  there  are  many  mys- 
teries in  nature  which  we  cannot  fathom, — 
why   the   sea    should   be   higher   than   the 
earth,    yet   not  drown    it, — why  the    Nile 
should  overflow  in  summer,  when,  by  the 
course  of  nature,  the  waters  are  lowest,— 
how  the  bones  grow  in  the  womb,  Eccl.  xi. 
J.     If  these  things  pose  us,  how  may  the 
infinite  mystery  of  the  Deity  transcend  our 
most  raised  intellectuals  !     Ask   the  geo- 
metrician, if  he  can,    with  a  pair  of  com- 
passes, measure  the  breadth  of  the  earth  : 
so  unable  are  we  to  measure  the  infinite 
perfections   of  God.     In  heaven  we  shall 
see  God  clearly,  but  not  fully,  for  he  is  in- 
finite ;  he  will  communicate  himself  to  us, 
according  to  the  bigness  of  our  vessel,  but 
not  the  immenseness  of  his  nature.     Adore 
then  where  you  cannot  fathom. 

If  God  he  infinite  in  all  places,   then  let 
to    limit   (iod,    Ps.  Ixxviii.    41-, 


not  go 


us 

'*  They  linutod  the  Holy  One  of  IsraeL** 


OF  THE  KNOWLEDGE  OF  GOD. 


4t 


It  is  a  limiting  God  to  confine  liim  within 
the  narrow  compass  of  our  reason.  Rea- 
son tliinks  God  must  go  such  a  way  to 
work,  or  the  business  will  never  be  effect- 
*^d.  This  is  to  limit  God  to  our  reason ; 
whereas  he  is  infinite,  "  and  his  ways  are 
past  finding  out,"  Rom.  xi.  33.  In  the 
deliverance  of  the  church,  it  is  a  limiting 
God,  either  to  set  him  a  time,  or  prescribe 
him  a  method  for  deliverance.     God  will 


deliver  Sion,  but  he  will  be  left  to  his  own 
liberty ;  he  will  not  be  tied  to  a  place,  to  a 
time,  to  an  instrument,  this  were  to  limit 
him,  and  then  he  should  not  be  infinite. 
God  will  go  his  own  way, — he  w'lW  jwse 
and  nonplus  reason,— he  will  work  by  im- 
probabilities,— he  will  save  in  such  a  way 
as  we  think  he  will  destroy ;  now  he  acts 
like  himself,  like  an  infinite,  wonder-work- 
ing God. 


OF  THE  KNOWLEDGE  OF  GOD. 


»^«-%.«^^%^ 


"  FOR  the  Lord  is  a  God  of  know 
ledge,  and  by  him  actions  are  weighed," 
1  Sam.  ii.  3,  Glorious  things  are  spoken 
of  God ;  he  transcends  our  thoughts,  and 
the  angels'  praises.  God's  glory  lies  chiefly 
in  his  attributes,  which  are  the  several  beams 
by  which  the  divine  nature  shines  forth. 
Among  other  of  his  orient  excellencies,  this 
is  not  the  least,  "  Tlie  Lord  is  a  God  of 
knowledge ;"  or,  as  the  Hebrew  word  is, 
*  A  God  of  knowledges.'  Tlirough  the  bright 
niiiTor  of  his  own  essence,  he  hath  a  full 
idea  and  cognizance  of  all  things.  The 
world  is  to  him  a  transparent  body.  He 
makes  an  heart  anatomy  ;  Rev.  ii.  23.,  "  I 
am  he  which  searcheth  the  reins  and  the 
heart."  Tlie  clouds  are  no  canopy,  the 
night  is  no  curtain  to  draw  between  us  and 
his  sight,  Ps.  cxxxix.  12.,  "  The  darkness 
hideth  not  from  thee."  There  is  not  a  word 
we  whisper,  but  God  hears  it,  Ps.  cxxxix. 
4.,  "  There  is  not  a  word  in  my  tongue, 
but  lo,  O  Lord,  thou  knowest  it  altoge- 
ther !"  There  is  not  the  most  subtle  thought 
comes  into  our  mind,  but  God  perceives  it, 
Isa.  Ixvi.  18.,  "  I  know  their  thoughts." 
Thoughts  speak  as  loud  in  God's  ears,  as 
words  do  in  ours.  All  our  actions,  though 
ever  so  subtilely  contrived,  and  secretly 
conveyed,  are  visible  to  the  eye  of  omni- 
sciency,  Isa.  Ixvi.  IS.,  "  I  know  their 
works."  Achan  hid  the  Babylonish  gar- 
ment in  the  earth,  but  God  brought  it  to 
light,  Josh.  vii.  21.  Minerva  was  drawn 
in  such  curious  colours,  and  so  lively  pen- 
ciled, that  which  way  soever  one  turned, 
Minerva's  eyes  were  upon  him  :  so,  which 
way  soever  we  turn  ourselves,  still  God's 
eye  is  upon   us,   Job  xxxvii.    1 6..    "  Dost 


thou  know  the  balancing  of  the  clouds  ! 
the  wondrous  works  of  him  that  is  per- 
fect in  knowledge  ?"  God  knows  what- 
ever is  knowable ;  he  knows  future  con- 
tingencies. He  foretold  Israel's  coming 
out  of  Babylon,  and  the  virgin's  conceiv- 
ing. By  this  the  Lord  proves  the  truth 
of  his  Godhead  against  idol  gods  :  Isa.  xli. 
23.,  "  Show  the  things  that  are  to  come 
hereafter,  that  we  may  know  ye  are  gods." 
The  perfection  of  God's  knowledge  is  pri- 
mary. He  is  the  original,  the  pattern, 
and  prototype  of  all  knowledge ;  others 
borrow  their  knowledge  of  him  ;  the  an- 
gels light  their  lamps  at  this  glorious  sun. 

2.  God's  knowledge  is  pure.  It  is  not 
contaminated  with  the  object.  Divina  na- 
tura  non  est  immista  rebus  aut  sordtbus  inqui- 
nata,  Auo.  Though  God  knows  sin,  yet 
it  is  to  hate  and  punish  it.  No  evil  can 
mix  or  incorporate  with  his  knowledge,  no 
more  than  the  sun  can  be  defiled  with  the 
vapours  which  arise  from  the  earth. 

3.  God's  knowledge  is  facile ;  it  is  with- 
out any  difficulty.  We  study  and  search 
for  knowledge  :  Prov.  ii.  4 ,  "If  thou  seek- 
est  for  her  as  for  silver."  But  the  lamp  of 
God's  knowledge  is  so  infinitely  bright, 
that  all  things  are  intelligible  to  him. 

4.  God's  knowledge  is  infallible ;  there 
is  no  mistake  in  his  knowledge.  Human 
knowledge  is  subject  to  error  and  misj)ri- 
sion.  A  physician  may  mistake  the  cause 
of  a  disease ;  but  God's  knowledge  is  un- 
erring ;  he  can  neither  deceive,  nor  be  de- 
ceived ;  he  cannot  deceive,  because  he  is 
truth  ;  nor  be  deceived,  because  he  is  wis- 
dom. 

5.  God's    knowledge    is    instantaneous ; 

F 


42 


OF  THE  KNOWLEDGE  OF  GOD. 


our  knowledge  is  successive,  one  thing  af- 
ter another.  We  argue  from  the  effect  to 
tlie  cause  ;  God  knows  things  past,  present, 
and  to  come,  uno  intuito^  at  once  :  they  are 
all  before  hiui  in  one  entire  prospect. 

(1.)  God's  knowledge  is  retentive;  he 
never  loseth  any  of  his  knowledge  ;  he  hath 
reminiscentia,  as  well  as  intelligentla, — he 
remembers  as  well  as  understands.  Many 
things  elapse  out  of  our  minds,  but  God's 
knowledge  is  eternized.  Things  transact- 
ed a  thousand  years  ago,  are  as  fresh  to 
him,  as  they  were  done  but  the  last  mi- 
nute.    Thus  he  is  perfect  in  knowledge. 

On  J.  But  is  it  not  said.  Gen.  xviii.  21., 
'  /  will  go  clown  and  see  whe.ther  they  have 
done  according  to  the  cry  which  is  come  up 
unto  me,  and  I  will  know  T 

A.  It  could  not  be  a  nesciency,  or  that 
Cjod  was  ignorant ;  because  there  is  men- 
tion made  of  a  cry ;  but  the  Lord  speaks 
there  after  the  manner  of  a  judge,  who  will 
first  examine  the  cause  before  he  passeth 
the  sentence.  God,  when  he  is  upon  a  work 
of  justice,  is  not  in  a  riot,  as  if  he  did  not 
care  where  he  hits ;  but  he  goes  in  a  way 
of  circuit  against  oifenders.  He  "  lays 
judgment  to  the  line,  and  righteousness  to 
the  plummet,"  Isa.  xxviii.  17. 

Ob  J.  Hos.  xiii.  12.  TAe  iniquity  of  Eph- 
raim  is  bound  up,  their  sin  is  hid  ? 

A.  Not  that  his  sin  was  hid  from  God, 
but  his  sin  is  hid,  that  is,  it  is  recorded,  it 
is  laid  up  against  a  day  of  reckoning.  That 
this  is  the  meaning,  is  clear  by  the  forego- 
ing words,  his  iniquity  is  bound  up  :  as  the 
clerk  of  the  assizes  binds  up  the  indict- 
ments of  malefactors  in  a  bundle,  and  at 
the  assizes,  brings  out  the  indictments  and 
reads  them  in  court,  so  God  binds  up 
men's  sins  in  a  bundle,  and,  at  the  day  of 
judgment,  this  bundle  shall  be  opened,  and 
all  their  sins  brought  to  light  before  men 
and  angels. 

That  God  is  thus  infinite  in  his  know- 
ledge. 1.  It  cannot  but  be  so  ;  for  he,  who 
is  the  original  cause,  and  gives  a  being  to 
things,  must  needs  have  a  clear  inspection 
into  them,  Ps.  xciv.  9.,  "  He  that  planted 
the  car,  shall  he  not  hear  ?  He  that  formed 
the  eye,  shall  he  not  sec  ?"  He  who  makes 
a  watcli  or  engine,  knows  all  the  workman- 
ship iu  it.     God,  that  made  the  heart,  knows 


all  the  motions  and  fallacies  of  it :  He  is 
like  Ezekiel's  wheels,  full  of  eyes,  and,  as 
Austin  saith,  "  totus  oculus," — '  All  eye.' 
2.  It  ought  to  be  so  ;  for  he  is  to  be  "  Judge 
of  all  the  world,"  Gen.  xviii.  25.  There 
are  so  many  causes  to  be  brought  before 
him,  and  so  many  persons  to  be  tried,  that 
he  must  have  a  most  exquisite  perfect  know- 
ledge, or  he  could  not  do  justice.  An  or- 
dinary judge  cannot  proceed  without  a  jury, 
— the  jury  must  search  the  cause,  and  give 
in  the  verdict, — but  God  can  judge  without 
a  jury.  He  knows  all  things  in  and  of 
himself,  and  needs  no  witnesses  to  inform 
him.  A  judge  judgeth  only  matters  of  fact, 
but  God  judgeth  the  heart.  He  not  only 
judgeth  wicked  actions,  but  wicked  designs. 
He  sees  the  treason  of  the  heart,  and  pu- 
nisheth  it. 

Use  1st.  Is  God  infinite  in  knowledge, 
1  John  i.  5.  "  He  is  light,  and  in  him  is  no 
darkness;"  then  how  unlike  are  they  to 
God,  who  are  darkness,  and  in  whom  is  no 
light, — who  are  destitute  of  knowledge,  such 
as  the  Indians  who  never  heard  of  God  ? 
And  are  there  not  many  among  us  who  ai"e 
no  better  than  baptized  heathens  ?  Who  are 
to  seek  in  the  first  principles  of  the  oracles 
of  God  ?  It  is  sad  that  after  the  sun  of  the 
gospel  hath  shined  so  long  in  our  horizon, 
yet  to  this  day  the  veil  should  be  upon  their 
heart.  Such  as  are  enveloped  with  igno- 
rance cannot  give  God  a  "  reasonable  ser- 
vice," Rom.  xii.  1.  Ignorance  is  the  nurse 
of  impiety;  the  schoolmen  say,  "  Omnepec- 
catur  fundatur  in  ignorantia."  Jer.  ix.  3., 
"  '  They  proceed  from  evil  to  evil ;  and  they 
know  not  me,'  saith  the  Lord."  Where  ig- 
norance reigns  in  the  understanding,  lust 
rageth  in  the  affections :  Prov.  xix.  2., 
"  That  the  mind  be  without  knowledge,  it 
is  not  good ;"  such  have  neither  faith  nor 
fear.  No  faith,  for  Knowledge  carries  the 
torch  before  Faith  :  Ps.  ix.  10.,  "  'i'hey  that 
know  thy  name  sliall  put  their  trust  In  thee." 
A  man  can  no  more  believe  without  know- 
ledge, than  the  eye  can  see  without  light. 
Nor  fear  of  God.  How  can  they  fear  lilra 
whom  they  do  not  know  ?  The  covering  of 
Haman's  face  was  a  sad  presage  of  death. 
When  people's  minds  are  covered  with  ig- 
norance, this  covering  of  the  face  is  a  fatal 
forerunner  of  destruction. 


OF  THE  KNOWLEDGE  OF  GOD. 


43 


2.  If  God  be  a  God  of  knowledge,  then 
nee  tlie  folly  of  liypocrisy.  Hypocrites  do 
not  ''^  virtutumfacerc"  hwi fingere,  Melanct. 
They  carry  it  fair  with  men,  but  care  not 
how  bad  their  hearts  are  ;  they  live  in  secret 
sin:  Ps.  Ixxiii.  11.,  "They  say  how  doth 
God  know?"  Ps.  x.  11.,  "  God  hath  for- 
gotten, he  hideth  his  face,  he  will  never  see 
it."  But,  Ps.  cxlvii.  5.,  "  His  understand- 
ing is  infinite."  He  hath  a  grate  [crates] 
that  looks  into  men's  breasts  ;  he  hath  a  key 
for  the  heart;  he  beholds  all  the  sinful  work- 
ings of  men's  spirits,  as  in  a  glass-hive  we 
can  see  the  bees  working  in  their  combs. 
Matt.  vi.  4.,  "  He  sees  in  secret ;"  in  impi- 
ous habel.  Rivet.  As  a  merchant  enters 
down  debts  in  his  book,  so  God  hath  his 
diary  or  day-book,  and  he  enters  down  every 
sin  into  the  book ;  he  makes  a  critical  de- 
scant upon  men's  actions.  Jeroboam's  wife 
disguised  herself  that  the  prophet  should 
not  know  her,  but  he  discerned  her  :  1  Kings 
xiv.  C,  "  Why  feignest  thou  thyself  to  be 
another  ?"  The  hypocrite  thinks  to  preva- 
ricate and  juggle  with  God,  but  God  will 
unmask  him  :  Ecc.  xii.  14.,  "  God  shall 
bring  every  work  into  judgment,  with  every 
secret  thing  ;"  Jer.  xxix.  23.,  "  They  have 
committed  villany  in  Israel,"  "  even  1  know, 
and  am  a  witness,  saith  the  Lord."  Ay, 
but  the  hypocrite  hopes  he  shall  colour  over 
his  sin,  and  make  it  look  very  specious  ! 
Absalom  masks  over  his  treason  with  the 
pretence  of  a  religious  vow  ;  Judas  dissem- 
bles his  envy  at  Christ,  and  covetousness, 
with  the  pretence  of  charity  to  the  poor, 
John  xii.  5. ;  Jehu  makes  religion  a  stirrup 
to  his  ambitious  design,  2  Kings  x.  16. ;  but 
God  sees  through  these  fig-leaves.  You 
may  see  a  jade  under  his  gilt  trappings : 
Jer.  xvi.  17.,  "  Their  iniquities  are  not  hid 
from  mine  eyes."  And  he  that  hath  an  eye 
to  sec  will  find  an  hand  to  punish. 

Use  2d.  Of  Exhortation.  Is  God  so  infi- 
nite in  his  knowledge  ?  Then  we  should 
always  set  ourselves  as  under  his  omniscient 
eye.  "  Sic  vivendum  est  lanquam  in  conspcc- 
tu,"  Senkca.  Let  us  set  David's  prospect 
before  our  eye,  Ps.  xvi.  8.,  "  I  have  set  the 
Lord  alw.ays  before  me."  Seneca  counsel- 
led Lucillius  that  whatever  he  was  doing  he 
should  imagine  some  of  the  Roman  worthies 
stood  before  him,  and  then  he  would  do  no- 


thing dishonourable.  The  consideration  of 
God's  omnisciency  would,  1.  Be  preventive 
of  much  sin.  The  eye  of  man  will  restrtiin 
from  sin;  and  will  not  God's  eyes  much 
more  ?  Est.  vii.  8.,  "  Then  said  the  king, 
Will  he  force  the  queen  also  before  me  ?" 
Will  we  sin  when  our  judge  looks  on  ? 
Would  men  speak  so  vainly,  if  they  consi- 
dered God  overheard  them  ?  Latimer  took 
heed  to  every  word  in  his  examination, 
when  he  heard  the  pen  go  behind  the  hang- 
ings :  so,  what  care  would  persons  have  of 
their  words,  if  they  remembered  God  heard, 
and  the  pen  is  going  in  heaven?  Would 
men  go  after  strange  flesh,  if  they  believed 
God  was  a  spectator  of  their  wickedness, 
and  would  make  them  do  penance  in  hell 
for  it  ?  Would  they  defraud  in  their  deal- 
ings, and  use  false  weights,  if  they  thought 
God  saw  them,  and  for  making  their  weights 
lighter  would  make  their  damnation  hea- 
vier ?  2.  The  setting  ourselves  as  under  the 
eye  of  God's  omnisciency,  would  cause  re- 
verence in  the  worship  of  God.  God  sees 
the  frame  and  carriage  of  our  hearts  when 
we  come  before  him  !  How  would  this 
call  in  our  straggling  thoughts  ?  how  would 
this  animate  and  spiritduty  ?  It  would  make 
us  ])ut  fire  to  the  incense,  Acts  xxvi.  7., 
"  The  tribes  instantly  served  God  day  and 
night," — omnibus  venibus, — with  the  utmost 
zeal  and  intenseness  of  spirit.  To  think 
God  is  in  this  place,  he  beholds  us,  would 
add  wings  to  prayer,  and  oil  to  the  flame  of 
our  devotion. 

2.  Is  God's  knowledge  infinite?  Study 
sincerity,  be  what  you  seem,  1  Sam.  xvi. 
7.,  '  The  Lord  looketh  upon  the  heart.' 
Men  judge  of  the  heart  by  the  actions,  God 
judgcth  of  the  actions  by  the  heart ;  if  the 
heart  be  sincere,  God  will  see  the  faith  and 
wink  at  the  failing.  Asa  had  his  blemishes, 
but  his  heart  was  right  with  God,  2  Chron. 
XV.  17.  God  saw  his  sincerity,  and  par- 
doned his  infirmity.  Sincerity  in  a  Chris- 
tian, is  like  chastity  in  a  wife,  which  doth 
excuse  many  failings.  Sincerity  makes  our 
duties  accej)table,  like  musk  among  linen, 
that  perfumes  it.  As  Jehu  said  to  Jehona- 
dab,  2  Kings  x.  15.,  "  Is  thine  heart  right?" 
—And  he  said  "  it  is."—"  If  it  be,"  said  he, 
"  give  me  thy  hand;"  and  he  took  him  up 
into  the  chariot.     So,  if  God  see  oui'  heart  is 


44 


OF  THE  KNOWLEDGE  OF  GOD 


right,— lliat  we  love  him,  and  design  liis  glo- 
ry,—" now,"  saith  he,  "  give  me  your  pray- 
ers and  tears ;  now  you  shall  come  up  with 
me  into  the  triumphant  chariot  of  glory." 
Sincerity  makes  our  services  to  be  golden, 
and  God  will  not  cast  away  this  gold  though 
it  may  want  some  weight.  Is  God  omnisci- 
ent, and  his  eye  chiefly  upon  the  heart  ? 
wear  this  girdle  of  truth  about  you  and  ne- 
ver leave  it  off. 

Use  3d.  0/ Comfort.  Is  God  a  God  of  in- 
finite knowledge  ?  Then  there  is  comfort, 
1.  To  the  saints  in  particular,  2.  To  the 
church  in  general,  in  three  respects : 

1.  Incase  of  private  devotion.  Christian, 
thou  settest  hours  apart  for  God,  thy 
thoughts  run  upon  him  as  thy  treasure  : 
God  takes  notice  of  every  good  thought, 
Mai.  iii.  16  ,  "  He  had  a  book  of  remem- 
brance written  for  them  that  thought  upon 
his  name."  Thou  enterest  into  thy  closet, 
and  prayest  to  thy  Father  in  secret :  he 
hears  every  sigh  and  groan,  Ps.  xxxviii.  9., 
"  My  groaning  is  not  hid  from  thee.'"'  Thou 
watcrest  the  seed  of  thy  piayor  with  tears : 
God  bottles  every  tear,  Ps.  Ivi.  8  ,  "  Put 
thou  my  tears  into  thy  bottle."  When  the 
secrets  of  all  hearts  shall  be  opened,  God 
will  make  an  honourable  mention  of  the 
zeal  and  devotion  of  his  people,  and  he 
himself  will  be  the  herald  of  their  praises: 
1  Cor.  iv.  5.,  "  Then  shall  every  man  have 
praise  of  God." 

2.  The  infiniteness  of  God's  knowledge  is 
a  comfort,  in  case  the  saints  have  not  so 
clear  a  knowledge  of  themselves.  They  find 
so  much  corruption,  that  they  judge  they 
have  no  grace,  Gen.  xxv.  ^2.,  "  If  it  be  so, 
why  am  I  thus?"  If  1  have  grace,  why  is 
my  heart  in  so  dead  and  earthly  a  frame  ? 
O  remember,  God  is  of  infinite  knowledge, 
be  can  spy  grace  where  thou  canst  not ;  he 
can  see  grace  hid  under  corruption,  as  the 
stars  may  be  hid  under  a  cloud.  God  can 
see  that  holiness  in  thee  which  thou  canst 
not  discern  in  thyself;  he  can  sj)y  the  flower 
of  grace  in  thee,  though  overto])])ed  with 
weeds,  1  Kings  xiv.  13.,  "  Because  there  is 
in  him  some  good  thing."     God  sees  some 


good  thing  in  his  people  when  they  can  see 
no  good  in  themselves  ;  and  though  they 
judge  themselves,  he  will  give  them  an  ab- 
solution. 

3.  It  is  comfort  in  respect  of  personal  in- 
juries. It  is  the  saint's  lot  to  suffer;  the 
head  being  crowned  with  thorns,  the  feet 
must  not  tread  upon  roses.  If  saints  find 
a  real  purgatory,  it  is  in  this  life;  but  this 
is  their  comfort,  God  sees  what  wrong  is 
done  to  them  ;  the  apple  of  his  eye  is  touch- 
ed, and  is  not  he  sensible  ?  St.  Paul  was 
scourged  by  cruel  hands,  1  Cor.  xi  35., 
"  Thrice  was  I  beaten  with  rods ;"  as  if  you 
should  see  a  scullion  whip  the  king's  son. 
God  beholds  it,  Exod.  iii.  9.,  "  I  know  their 
sorrows."  The  wicked  make  wounds  in  the 
backs  of  the  saints,  and  then  pour  in  vine- 
gar ;  but  God  writes  down  their  cruelty. 
Believers  are  ])art  of  Christ's  mystical  bo- 
dy ;  and  for  every  drop  of  a  saint's  blood 
spilt,  God  puts  a  drop  of  wrath  in  his  vial. 

4.  Comfort  to  the  church  of  God  in  ge- 
neral. If  God  be  a  God  of  knowledge,  he 
sees  all  the  plots  of  the  enemies  against 
Zion,  and  c;  n  make  them  prove  abortive. 
The  wicked  are  subtile,  having  borrowed 
their  skill  of  the  old  serpent ;  they  dig  deep 
to  hide  their  counsels  from  God,  but  he 
sees  them,  and  can  easily  counterwork  them. 
The  dragon  is  described  with  seven  heads. 
Rev.  xii.  3.,  to  show  how  he  plots  against 
the  church  :  but  God  is  described  with  se- 
ven eyes,  Zech.  ii.  9.,  to  shew  that  he  sees 
all  the  blots  and  stratagems  of  the  enemies ; 
and  when  they  deal  proudly,  he  can  be  above 
them.  Come,  saith  Pharaoh,  "  let  us  deal 
wisely,"  Exod.  i.  10.;  and  he  never  played 
the  fool  more  than  when  he  thought  to  deal 
wisely,  Exod.  xiv.  23.,  "  In  the  morning- 
watch  the  Lord  looked  to  the  host  of  the 
Egyptians,  by  the  jiillar  of  fire,  and  trou- 
bled the  host."  llow  may  this  be  as  sap 
in  the  vine,  and  may  comfort  the  church 
of  God  in  her  militant  state  !  The  Lord 
hath  an  eye  in  all  the  councils  and  combi- 
nations of  the  enemy  ;  he  sees  them  in  their 
train,  and  can  blow  them  up  in  their  own 
mine. 


OF  THE  ETERNITY  OF  GOD. 


i5 


OF  THE  ETERNITY  OF  GOD. 


THE  next  attribute  is,  "  God  is  eternal :" 
Ps.  xc.  2.,  "  From  everlasting  to  everlast- 
insr  tliou  art  God."  The  schoolmen  dis- 
tinguish  between  avum  et  etenvan,  to  explain 
the  notion  of  eternity.  There  is  a  threefold 
being:  1st,  Such  a  being  as  had  a  begin- 
ning, and  shall  have  an  end :  so  all  sensi- 
tive creatures,  the  beasts,  fowls,  fishes, — 
these  at  death  are  destroyed  and  return  to 
dust, — tlieir  being  ends  witli  their  life.  2d, 
Such  a  being  as  had  a  beginning,  but  shall 
have  no  end,  as  the  angels  and  souls  of 
men  ;  they  are  eternal  a  parte  post, — tiiey 
abide  for  ever.  3d,  Such  a  being  as  is 
without  beginning,  and  without  ending,  and 
that  is  proper  only  to  God.  He'  is  semper 
existens,  viz.  from  everlasting  to  everlast- 
ing ;  it  is  God's  title,  a  jewel  of  his  crown  : 
(1.)  He  is  called  "  the  king  eternal,"  1  lim. 
i,  17.  (2.)  Jchoi^ah, — a  word  that  properly 
sets  out  (jiod's  eternity, — a  word  so  dread- 
ful, that  the  Jews  trembled  to  name  or  read 
it,  therefore  used  another  word,  Admuti, 
"  Lord."  Jehovah  contains  in  it  time  past, 
present,  and  to  come.  Rev.  i.  8.,  "  Which 
is,  and  which  was,  and  which  is  to  come ;" 
it  interprets  the  word  Jehovah, — which  ks, 
He  subsists  of  himself,  having  a  pure  and 
independent  being, — which  teas,  God  only 
was  before  time,  there  is  no  searching  into 
the  records  of  eternity, — which  is  to  come, 
his  kingdom  hath  no  end,  his  crown  hath 
no  successors,  Heb.  i.  8.,  "  Thy  throne,  O 
God,  is  for  ever  and  ever."  The  doubling 
of  the  word  ratifies  the  certainty  of  it,  as 
the  doubling  of  Pharaoh's  dream  did.  I 
shall  prove  that  God  only  could  be  eternal, 
without  beginning.  Angels  could  not ;  thev 
are  but  creatures,  though  spirits ;  they  were 
made,  and  therefore  their  beginning  may 
be  known,  their  antiquity  may  be  searched 
into.  If  you  ask,  when  they  were  created  ? 
Some  think  before  the  world  was;  but  not 
so,  for  what  was  before  time  was  eternal, — 
the  angels'  first  rise  and  original  reacheth 
no  higher  than  the  beginning  of  the  world. 
It  is  thought  by  the  learned  that  the  angels 
were  made  that  day  on  which  the  heavens 
were  made,  Job  xxxviii.  7.,    "  When  the 


morning  stars  sang  together,  and  all  the 
sons  of  God  shouted  for  joy."  St.  Hierom, 
Gregory,  and  venerable  Bede.  understand 
it  of  the  angels,  when  God  laid  the  founda- 
tion-stone of  the  world,  the  angels  being 
then  created,  did  sing  tiie  anthems  of  joy 
and  praise ;  the  angels  could  not  be  Ix'fore 
time,  for  what  was  before  time  was  eternal. 
It  is  only  proper  to  God  to  be  eternal, — ■ 
without  beginning.  He  is  Alpha  and 
Omega, — tiie  first  and  the  last.  Rev.  i.  8. 
No  creature  can  write  itself  Alpha,  that  is 
only  a  llower  of  the  crown  of  heaven,  Exod. 
iii.  14.,  "  J  am  that  I  am,"  viz.  He  who 
exists  from  and  to  eternity. 

Use  \st.  Here  is  thunder  and  lightning 
to  the  wicked.  God  is  eternal,  therefore 
the  torments  of  the  wicked  are  eternal. 
God  lives  for  ever;  and  as  long  as  God 
lives  he  will  be  punishing  the  damned. 
This,  methinks,  should  be  as  the  handwrit- 
ing upon  the  wall,  Dan.  v.  6.,  it  should 
make  their  joints  to  be  loosed,  &c.  '1  he 
sinner  takes  liberty  to  sin  ;  he  breaks  God's 
laws,  like  a  wild  beast  that  breaks  over  the 
hedge,  and  leaps  into  forbidden  pasture ;  he 
sins  with  greediness,  Eph.  iv.  19.,  as  if  he 
thought  he  could  not  sin  fast  enough.  But 
remember,  this  is  one  of  God's  names.  Eter- 
nal ;  and  as  long  as  God  is  eternal,  he  hath 
time  enough  to  reckon  with  all  his  enemies. 
To  make  sinners  tremble,  let  them  think 
of  these  three  things :  the  torments  of  the 
damned  are  without  intermission, — without 
mixture, — and  eternal. 

1.  Without  intermission.  Their  j)ains 
shall  be  Jicute  and  sharj),  and  no  rela\ati(»n  ; 
the  fire  shall  not  be  slackened  or  abated, 
Rev.  xiv.  11.,  "  They  have  no  rest  day  nor 
night;"  like  one  that  hath  his  joints  stretch- 
ed continually  on  the  rack,  and  hath  no 
ease ;  therefore  the  wratli  of  God  is  com- 
pared to  a  stream  of  brimstone,  Isa.  xxx. 
33.  Why  to  a  stream  ?  1  because  a  stream 
runs  without  intermission  ;  it  runs,  and  doth 
not  stop ;  so  God's  wratii  runs  like  a  stream, 
and  pours  out  without  any  intermission. 
In  the  pains  of  this  life,  there  is  some  abate- 
ment and  intermission ;  the  fever  abates,— 


i6 


OF  THE  ETERNITY  OF  GOD. 


after  a  fit  of  the  stone,  the  patient  hath 
some  ease, — but  the  pains  of  liell  are  in- 
tense and  violent,  in  summo  gradu ;  the 
damned  soul  never  saith,  "  I  am  now  more 
at  ease." 

2.  Without  mixture.  Hell  is  a  place  of 
pure  justice.  In  this  life,  God  in  anger 
remembers  mercy;  he  mixeth  compassion 
witli  suffering,  Deut.  xxxiii.  25.  Asher's 
shoe  was  of  iron,  but  his  foot  was  dipt  in 
oil.  Affliction  is  the  iron-shoe,  but  mercy 
is  mixed  with  it ;  here  is  the  foot  dipt  in 
oil.  But  the  torments  of  the  damned  have 
no  mixture:  Rev.  xiv.  10.,  "The  same 
shall  drink  of  the  wine  of  the  wrath  of  God, 
which  is  poured  out  without  mixture."  No 
mixture  of  mercy.  How  is  the  cup  of  wrath 
said  to  be  full  of  mixture,  Ps.  Ixxv.  8., 
"  For  in  the  hand  of  the  Lord  there  is  a 
cup,  and  the  wine  is  red ;  it  is  full  of  mix- 
ture, and  he  poureth  out  of  the  same ;  but 
the  dregs  thereof  all  the  wicked  of  the  earth 
shall  wring  them  out  and  drink  them." 
Yet  in  the  Revelation  it  is  said  to  be  with- 
out mixture.  It  is  full  of  mixture,  that  is, 
it  is  full  of  all  the  ingredients  tliat  may 
make  it  bitter  ;  the  worm, — the  lire,— the 
curse  of  God, — all  these  are  bitter  ingre- 
dients. It  is  a  cup  mixed,  yet  it  is  without 
mixture,  viz.  there  shall  be  nothing  to  af- 
ford the  least  comfort, — no  mixture  of 
mercy ;  so  it  is  a  cup  without  mixture. 
In  the  sacrifice  of  jealousy,  Numb.  v.  15., 
there  was  no  oil  put  to  it ;  so,  in  the  tor- 
ments of  the  damned,  there  is  no  oil  of  mercy 
to  abate  their  sufferings. 

3.  Without  cessation,  eternal.  The  plea- 
sures of  sin  are  but  for  a  season,  but  the  tor- 
ments of  the  wicked  are  for  ever.  Sinners 
have  a  short  feast,  but  a  long  reckoning. 
Origen  erroneously  thought  that  after  a 
thousand  years  the  damned  should  be  re- 
leased out  of  their  misery :  but  the  worm, — 
the  fire, — the  prison, — are  all  eternal,  Rev. 
xiv.  11.,  "  The  smoke  of  their  torment  as- 
cendeth  for  ever  and  ever."  PocncE  gehen- 
nates  piinlnt^  nonfinunt^  Pkospek.  Eterni- 
ty is  a  sea  without  bottom  and  banks.  Af- 
ter millions  of  years,  there  is  not  one  mi- 
nute in  eternity  wasted ;  and  the  damned 
must  be  ever  burning,  but  never  consum- 
ing,— always  dying,  but  never  dead  :  Rev. 
ix.  6.,  "  They  shall  seek  death,  but  shall 


not  find  it."  The  fire  of  hell  is  such  as 
multitudes  of  tears  will  not  quench  it, — 
length  of  time  will  not  finish  it, — the  vial 
of  God's  wrath  will  be  always  dropping 
upon  a  sinner.  As  long  as  God  is  eternal, 
he  lives  for  ever  to  be  avenged  upon  tlie 
wicked.  O  Eternity  !  Eternti  y  !  who 
can  fathom  it  ?  Mariners  haA'e  their  plum- 
mets to  measure  the  depths  of  the  sea ;  but 
what  line  or  plummet  shall  we  use  to  fa- 
thom the  depth  of  eternity?  The  breath 
of  the  Lord  kindles  the  infernal  lake,  Isa. 
XXX.  33. ;  and  where  shall  we  have  engines 
or  buckets  to  quench  that  fire?  O  Eter- 
nity !  If  all  the  body  of  the  earth  and  sea 
were  turned  to  sand,  and  all  the  air  up  to 
the  starry  heaven  were  nothing  but  sand, 
and  a  little  bird  should  come  every  thou- 
sand years  and  fetch  away  in  her  bill  but 
the  tenth  part  of  a  grain  of  all  that  heap 
of  sand,  what  a  numberless  number  of  years 
would  be  spent  before  that  vast  heap  of 
sand  would  be  fetched  away  ?  Yet,  if  at 
the  end  of  all  that  time,  the  sinner  might 
come  out  of  hell,  (though  long)  yet  there 
would  be  some  hope  :  but  this  word  Ever, 
breaks  the  heart  !  "  The  smoke  of  their 
torment  ascendeth  up  for  ever  and  ever." 
What  a  terror  is  this  to  the  wicked,  enough 
to  put  them  into  a  cold  sweat,  to  think,  as 
long  as  God  is  eternal,  he  lives  for  ever  to 
be  avenged  upon  sinners  ! 

Qiiest.  Here  a  question  may  be  moved, 
Why  sin  that  is  committed  in  a  slwrt  time 
should  be  punished  eternally  ? 

Ans.  We  must  hold  with  St.  Augustine, 
"  that  God's  judgments  on  the  wicked, — 
occultu  esse  possunt,  injusta  esse  non  possunt, 
— may  be  secret,  but  never  unjust."  Tlie 
reason  why  sin  connnitted  in  a  short  time 
is  eternally  punished,  is,  because  every  sin 
is  committed  against  an  infinite  essence, 
and  no  less  than  eternity  of  punishment 
can  satisfy.  Why  is  treason  punished  with 
confiscation  and  death,  but  because  it  is  a 
gainst  the  king's  person,  which  is  sacred  : 
much  more  that  offence  which  is  against 
God's  crown  and  dignity  is  of  an  heinous 
and  infinite  nature,  and  cainiot  be  satisfied 
with  less  tlLin  eternal  punishment. 

Use  2d.  Of  comfort  to  the  godly.  God 
is  eternal,  therefore  lives  for  ever  to  reward 
the  godly,  Rom.  ii.  7.,  "  To  them  who  seek 


OF  THE  ETERNITY  OF  GOD 


47 


for  clory  and  honour,  eternal  life."     The 
people  of  God  here  are  in  a  suff.  ring  con- 
dition :   Acts  XX.  23.,   "  Bonds  and  aflli;- 
tiotis  abide  me."     Tiie  head  being  crowned 
with  thorns,  the  feet  must  not  tread  upon 
roses.     Tlie  wicked  are  clad  in  purple  and 
fare    deliciously,    while    the    godly    suffer. 
Goats  climb  upon  high  mountains,    while 
Christ's  sheep  are  in  the  valley  of  slaughter. 
But  here  is  the  comfort :    God  is  eternal, 
and  he  hath  appointed  eternal  recompenses 
for  the  saints, — in  heaven  are  fresh  delights, 
sweetness  without  surfeit,  and  that  which 
is  the  crown  and  zenith  of  heaven's  happi- 
ness,   is,    it    is   *  eternal,'    1    John    ii.   2.5. 
Were  there  but  the  least  suspicion  that  this 
glory  must  cease,  it  would  much  eclipse, 
yea  embitter  it ;  but  it  is  eternal.     WHiat 
angel  can   span  eternity?    2  Cor.  iv.    17., 
"  An  eternal  weight  of  glory."     The  saints 
shall  bathe  themselves  in  the  rivers  of  di- 
\'ine  pleasure  ;  and  these  rivers  can  never 
be  dried  up,   Ps.  xvi.    II.,   "  At  thy  right 
hand  are  pleasures  for  evermore."     This  is 
the  Elali,  the  highest  strain  in  the  apostle's 
rhetoric,    1  Thess.  iv.  17.,  "  Ever  with  the 
Lord."     There  is  peace  without  trouble, — 
ease  without  pain, — glory  without  end, — 
"  ever  with  the  Lord."      Let  this  comfort 
the  saints  in  all  their  troubles  ;  their  suffer- 
ings are  but  short,  but  their  reward  is  eter- 
nal.    Eternity  makes  heaven  to  be  heaven : 
'tis  the  diamond   in   the  ring.     O  blessed 
day  that  shall  have  no  night !   The  sun-light 
of  glory  shall  rise  upon  the  soul,  and  never 
set  !   O  blessed  spring,  that  shall  have  no 
autumn,  or  fall  of  the  leaf!  The  Koman 
emperors  have  three  ci'owns  set  u])on  their 
heads,  the  first  of  iron,  the  second  of  silver, 
the  third  of  gold  :  so  the  Lord  sets  three 
crowns  on  his  cliildren, — grace,  — comfort, 
— and  glory.     And  this  crown  is  eternal, 
I  Pet.  V.  4.,   "  Ye  shall  receive  a  crown  of 
glory  that  fadeth  not  away."     The  wicked 
have  a  never-dying  worm,  and  the  godly 
a  never-fading  crown.     O  how  should  this 
be  a  spur  to  virtue  !  How  willing  should 
we  be  to  work  for  God  !  Though  we  had 
nothing  here,  God  hath  time  enough  to  re- 
ward his  people ;    the  crown   of  eternity 
shall  be  set  upon  their  head. 

Use  S(L  Of  exhortation.      1.   In  general, 
study  eternity.     Our  thoughts  should  chief- 


ly run  upon  eternity.  We  all  wish  ior  the 
jn-esent,  sometiiing  that  may  delight  the 
senses.  If  we  could  have  lived,  as  Augus- 
tine saith,  a  cunahuli  mnndi, — from  the  in- 
fancy of  the  world  to  the  world's  old  age, — 
what  were  this?  What  is  time  measured 
with  eternity  ?  As  the  earth  is  but  Ji  smajj 
point  to  the  heaven,  so  time  is  but,  nay 
scarce  a  minute  to  eternity  !  And  then, 
what  is  this  poor  life  which  crumbles  away 
so  fast?  O  think  of  eternity!  Annos  ester' 
nos  in  viente  habe  !  Brethren,  we  are  every 
day  travelling  to  eternity  ;  and  whether  we 
wake  or  sleep,  we  are  going  our  journey ; 
some  of  us  are  upon  the  borders  of  eteniiiy, 
O  study  the  shortness  of  life  and  length  of 
eternity  ! 

2.  More  particularly ;  think  of  God's  e- 
ternity,  and  the  soul's  eternity.      ( I .)  Tliink 
of  God's  eternity.     He  is  "  the  Ancient  of 
days,"  who  was  before  all  time.     There  is 
a  figurative  description  of  God.  Dan.  vii.  9., 
"  The  Ancient  of  days  did  sit,  whose  gar- 
ment was  white  as  snow,  and  the  liair  of 
his  head  like  the  pure  wool."     His  white 
garment,  wherewith  he  was  clothed,  signi- 
fied his  majesty;    his   hair,    like  the  pure 
wool,    his   holiness ;    and  '  the   ancient   of 
days,'  his  eternity.     The  thought  of  God's 
eternity  should   make   us  have   high  ador- 
ing thoughst  of  God.     We  are  apt  to  have 
mean,  irreverent  thoughts  of  him  :  Ps.  1.  2 1 ., 
"  Thou  thoughtest  I  was  altogether  such 
an  one  as  thyself;"  weak  and  mortal,  but 
if  we  would  think  of  God's  eternity, — when 
all  power  ceaseth,  he  is  King  eternal, — his 
his  crown  flourisheth  for  ever, — who  can 
make  us  happy  or  miserable  for  ever, — this 
\\-oul(l  make  us  have  adoring  thoughts  of 
God.      Rev.  iv.  10.,   "  The  four  and  twen- 
ty elders  fall  down  before  him  that  sat  upon 
the  throne,  and  worship  him  that  liveth  for 
ever  and  ever ;  and  cast  their  crowns  be- 
fore the  throne."     The  saints  fall  down,  to 
signify  by  that  humble  posture,  that  they 
are  not  worthy  to   sit  in  God's  presence. 
They  fall  down  and  they  worship  him  that 
liveth  for  ever  and  ever  ;  they  do  as  it  were 
kiss  his  feet.     And  they  cast  their  crowns 
before  the  throne  ;  they  lay  all  their  honour 
at  his  feet ;  thus  they  shew  humble  adora- 
tion to  the  eternal  essence.      Study  God's 
eternity,  it  will  make  us  adore  where  we 


48 


GOD'S  UNCHANGEABLENESS. 


cannot  fathom.  (2.)  Think  of  the  soul's 
eternity.  As  God  is  eternal,  so  he  hath 
made  us  eternal.  We  are  never-dying 
creatures ;  we  are  shortly  entering  upon 
an  eternal  state,  either  of  happiness  or  mi- 
sery. Have  serious  thoughts  of  this  :  say, 
O  my  soul,  which  of  these  two  eternitirs 
is  like  to  be  thy  portion  ?  I  must  shortly 
depart  hence,  and  whither  then  shall  I  go, 
— to  which  of  these  eternities,  either  of 
glory  or  misery?  The  serious  meditation 
of  the  eternal  state  we  are  to  pass  into, 
would  work  strongly  with  us. —  1.  Thoughts 
of  eternal  torments  are  a  good  antidote  a- 
gainst  sin ;  sin  tempts  with  its  pleasure ; 
but,  when  we  think  of  eternity,  it  may  cool 
the  intemperate  heat  of  lust.  Shall  I,  for 
the  pleasure  of  sin  for  a  season,  endure  e- 
ternal  pain  ?  Sin,  like  those  locusts.  Rev.  ix. 
7.,  seems  to  have  on  its  head  a  crown  like 
gold,  but  it  hath  in  it  a  tail  like  a  scorpion, 
V.  10.,  and  a  sting  in  its  tail,  and  this  sting 
can  never  be  plucked  out-  Shall  I  venture 
eternal  ^vTath  ?  Is  sin  committed  so  sweet, 
as  lying  in  hell  for  ever  is  bitter  ?  This 
would  make  us  flee  from  sin,  as  Moses  from 
the  serpent. — 2.  The  serious  thoughts  of  e- 
ternal  happiness  would  very  much  take  us 
off  from  these  worldly  things ;  we  should 


not  esteem  much  of  them.  What  are  these 
sublunary  things  to  eternity  ?  they  are 
quickly  gone,  they  salute  us,  and  take  their 
farewell.  But  I  am  to  enter  upon  an  ever- 
lasting estate; — I  hope  to  live  with  him 
who  is  eternal, — what  is  the  world  to  me  ? 
They  who  stand  upon  the  top  of  the  Alps, 
the  great  cities  of  Campania  seem  as  small 
things  in  their  eyes ;  so  he  who  hath  his 
thoughts  fixed  on  his  eternal  state  after 
this  life,  all  these  things  seem  as  nothiug 
in  his  eye.  What  is  the  glory  of  this  world? 
How  poor  and  contemptible,  compared  with 
an  eternal  weight  of  glory. — 3.  To  con- 
clude :  The  serious  thoughts  of  an  eternal 
state,  either  of  happiness  or  misery,  should 
have  a  powerful  influence  upon  whatsoever 
we  take  in  hand  ;  every  work  we  do,  pro- 
motes eitlier  a  blessed  or  cursed  eternity ; 
every  good  action  sets  us  a  step  nearer  to 
an  eternity  of  happiness ;  every  bad  action 
sets  us  a  step  nearer  to  an  eternity  of  mi- 
sery. O  what  influence  would  the  thoughts 
of  eternity  have  upon  our  religious  duties  ! 
It  would  make  us  do  them  with  all  our 
might :  a  duty  well  performed,  lifts  a 
Christian  higher  towards  heaven,  and  sets 
a  Christian  a  step  nearer  to  a  blessed  eter- 
nity. 


»%^%.%/^^^^^V^^*.^^W^^^.^^^V^^>^^^».^^^%/»^^m^%'%^»^».^^%*^»%^^.^%^V^.^^^^^^%^^>'%^^^^'%^i^^^^%»^^^%^i^^^^»^^^%i'^^%^.^^^ 


GOD'S  UNCHANGEABLENESS. 


THE  next  attribute  is  God's  unchange- 
ableness  :  Mai.  iii.  6.,  "  I  am  Jehovah,  I 
change  not."  1.  God  is  unchangeable  in 
his  nature.     2.  In  his  decree. 

I.  Unchangeable  in  his  nature  :  1.  There 
is  no  eclipse  of  his  brightness.  2.  No  pe- 
riod put  to  his  being. 

1.  No  eclipse  of  his  brightness  :  his  es- 
sence shines  with  a  fixed  lustre,  James  i. 
17.,  "  W'llh  whom  is  no  variableness,  nei- 
ther shadow  of  turning ;"  Ps.  cii.  27., 
"  Thou  art  the  same."  All  created  things 
are  full  of  vicissitudes  :  1.  Princes  and  em- 
perors are  subject  to  mutation.  Sesostris, 
an  Egyptian  prince,  having  subdued  divers 
kings  in  war,  made  them  draw  like  horses 
in  his  cliaviot,  as  if  he  intended  to  turn 
them  to  eat  grass,  as  God  did  king  Nebu- 
chadnezzar.    The  crown  hath  many  suc- 


cessors.— 2.  Kingdoms  have  their  eclipses 
and  convulsions  :  What  is  become  of  the 
glory  of  Athens  ?  The  pomp  of  Troy  ? 
Jam  seges  est  ubi  Troja  full  I  Kingdoms, 
though  they  have  a  head  of  gold,  yet  feet 
of  clay. — 3.  The  heavens  change,  Ps.  cii. 
26.,  "  As  a  vesture  shalt  thou  change  them, 
and  they  shall  be  changed."  The  matter 
of  the  elements,  as  it  is  more  pure,  so  more 
firm  and  solid  ;  the  heavens  are  the  most 
ancient  records,  wliere  God  hath  written 
his  glory  witli  a  sunbeam,  yet  these  shall 
change ;  though  I  do  not  think  they  shall 
be  destroyed  as  to  their  substance,  yet  they 
shall  be  changed  as  to  their  qualities  ;  they 
shall  melt  with  fervent  heat,  2  Pet.  iii.  12., 
and  so  be  more  refined  and  purified.  Thus 
the  heavens  shall  be  changed,  but  not  he 
who  dwells  in  heaven  •   "  With  him  there 


GOD'S  UNCIIANGEABLENESS. 


49 


is  no  variableness,  nor  shadow  ot  turning." 
— 4.  The  best  s§,ints  liuve  their  eclipses  and 
changes.  Look  upon  a  Christian  in  his 
spiritual  estate,  and  he  is  full  of  variation. 
Though  the  seed  of  grace  doth  not  die,  yet 
the  beauty  and  activity  of  it  doth  often  wi- 
ther. A  Christian  liath  his  aguish  fits  in 
religion  ;  sometimes  his  faith  is  at  an  high 
tide,  sometimes  low  ebb ;  sometimes  his 
love  flames,  and  at  another  time  like  fire  in 
the  embers,  and  he  hath  lost  his  first  love. 
How  strong  was  David's  grace  at  one  time, 
2  Sam.  xxii.  3.,  "  The  God  of  my  rock,  in 
him  will  I  trust  !"  And  at  another  time, 
"  I  shall  one  day  perish  by  the  hand  of 
Saul."  What  Christian  can  say  he  doth 
not  find  a  change  in  his  graces  :  that  the 
bow  of  his  faith  doth  never  unbend,  the 
strings  of  his  viol  do  never  slacken  ?  Sure 
we  shall  never  meet  with  such  Christians 
till  we  meet  with  them  in  heaven  !  But 
God  is  without  any  shadow  of  turning. — 5. 
The  angels  were  subject  to  change  ;  they 
were  created  holy,  but  mutable.  Judo  6., 
"  The  angels  which  kept  not  their  first  e- 
state."  These  morning-stars  of  heaven 
were  falling  stars.  But  God's  glory  shines 
with  a  fixed  brightness.  In  God  there  is 
nothing  looks  like  a  change, — no  better  or 
worse  ;  no  better  in  him,  because  then  he 
were  not  perfect ;  nor  worse  in  him,  for 
then  he  should  cease  to  be  perfect.  He  is 
immutably  holy,  immutably  good,  there  is 
no  shadow  of  change  in  him. 

Obj.  Christ,  who  is  God,  assumed  the 
hximan  nature,  here  was  a  change. 

Ans.  If  indeed  the  divine  nature  had 
been  converted  into  the  human, — or  the 
human  into  the  divine, — here  had  been  a 
chan^'e,  but  not  so.  The  human  nature 
was  distinct  from  the  divine,  therefore 
there  was  no  change.  As  suppose  a  cloud 
over  the  sun,  this  makes  no  change  in  the 
body  of  the  sun  ;  so,  though  the  divine  na- 
ture be  covered  with  the  human,  this 
makes  no  change  in  the  divine  nature. 

II.  There  is  no  period  put  to  his  being  : 
1  Tim.  vi.  16.,  ''  Who  only  hath  immor- 
tality." The  Godhead  cannot  die:  1.  An 
infinite  essence  cannot  be  changed  into  fi- 
nite ;  but  God  is  infinite.  2.  He  is  eter- 
nal, ergo  he  is  not  mortal ;  to  be  eternal, 
and  mortal,  is  a  contradiction. 


Use  1st.  Hec  here  the  excellency  of  the  di- 
vine nature  in  its  immutability  :  tMs  is  the 
glory  of  the  Godhead.  Mutableness  denotes 
weakness  ;  it  is  not  so  in  God,  he  is  "  the 
same,  yesterday,  and  to-day,  and  for  ever," 
Heb.  xiii.  8.  Men  are  fickle  and  mutable, 
like  Reuben,  "  unstable  as  water,"  Gen. 
xlix.  4.     They  go  in  changeable  colours. 

1.  They  are  changeable  in  their  princi- 
ples,— sometimes  protestant,  sometimes  pa- 
pist ;  if  their  faces  altered  as  fast  as  their 
opinions,  we  should  not  know  them. 

2.  Changeable  in  their  resolutions ;  as 
the  wind  that  blows  in  the  east,  presently 
turns  about  to  the  west.  They  resolve  to 
be  virtuous,  but  quickly  repent  of  their  re- 
solutions ;  their  minds  are  like  a  sick  man's 
pulse,  alter  every  half-hour ;  these  the  a- 
postle  compares  to  '  waves  of  the  sea,'  and 
'  wandering  stars,'  Jude  13. ;  they  are  not 
pillars  in  God's  temple,  but  reeds. 

3.  Others  are  changeable  in  their  friend- 
ship,— quickly  love,  and  quickly  hate ; 
sometimes  will  put  you  in  their  bosom, 
then  excommunicate  you  out  of  their  fa- 
vour ;  thus  they  change  as  the  cameleon  in- 
to several  colours.     But  God  is  immutable^ 

Use  2d.  See  the  vanity  of  the  creature;; 
there  are  changes  in  every  thing  but  in 
God;  Ps.  Ixii.  9.,  "  Men  of  low  degree  are 
vanity,  and  men  of  higli  degree  are  a  lie." 
We  look  for  more  from  the  creature  than 
God  hath  put  into  it.  The  world  brings 
changes;  the  creHture  hath  two  evils  in  it, 
— it  j)romiseth  more  than  we  find, — and  it 
fails  us  when  wo  most  need  it ;  there  is  a 
failure  ///  omni.  A  man  desires  to  have  his, 
corn  grinded,  the  water  fails,  and  then  his^ 
mill  cannot  go  ;  the  mariner  is  for  a  voyage, 
the  wind  either  doth  not  blow,  or  it  is  con- 
trary, and  he  cannot  sail  ;  one  depends  up- 
on another  for  the  payment  of  a  promise,, 
and  he  fails,  and  is  like  a  foot  out  of  joint. 
Who  would  look  for  a  fixed  stability  in  the 
vain  creature  !  As  if  one  should  build 
houses  on  the  sand,  where  the  sea  comes  in 
and  overflows.  The  creatuz'e  is  true  to  no- 
thing but  deceit,  and  is  constant  only  in  its 
disappointments.  It  is  no  more  wonder  to 
see  changes  fall  out  here  below,  than  to  see 
the  moon  dressing  itself  in  ji  new  shape 
and  figure  ;  look  to  meet  with  changes  in 
every  thing  but  God. 

G 


50 


GOD'S  UNCHANGEABLENESS. 


Use  Sd.  Comfort  to  the  godly  :  1.  In  case 
of  losses^  if  an  estate  be  almost  boiled  a- 
way  to  nothing, — if  you  lose  dear  friends 
by  death, — here  is  a  double  eclipse;  but 
this  is  the  comfort,  God  is  unchangeable  ; 
I  may  lose  these  things,  but  I  cannot  lose 
mv  God,  he  never  dies.  When  the  fig-tree, 
and  olive-tree  failed,  yet  God  did  not  fail, 
Hab.  iii.  18.,  "  I  will  joy  in  the  God  of 
my  .salvation."  The  flowers  in  the  garden 
die,  but  a  man's  portion  remains ;  so  out- 
ward things  die  and  change,  but,  Ps.  Ixxiii. 
26.,  "  God  is  the  strength  of  my  heart, 
and  my  portion  for  ever." — 2.  In  case  of 
satlness  of  spirit,  when  God  seems  to  cast 
off  the  soul  in  desertion,  Cant.  v.  6.,  "  My 
BeloA'ed  had  withdrawn  himself;"  yet  God 
is  unchangeable.  He  is  immutable  in  his 
love ;  he  may  change  his  countenance,  but 
not  his  heart,  Jer.  xxxi.  3.,  "  I  have  loved 
thee  witlj  an  everlasting  love," — in  Hebrew, 
gnolam,  '  a  love  of  eternity.'  If  once  God's 
electing  love  riseth  upon  the  soul,  it  never 
sets  :  Isa.  liv.  10.,  "  The  mountains  shall 
be  removed,  but  my  loving-kindness  shall 
not  depart  from  thee,  neither  the  covenant 
of  my  peace  be  removed."  God's  love 
stands  faster  than  the  mountains ;  God's 
love  to  Christ  is  unchangeable,  and  he  will 
no  more  cease  loving  believers,  than  he 
will  cease  loving  Christ. 

Use  ilh.  Of  exhortation.  Get  an  inter- 
est in  this  unchangeable  God,  then  thou 
art  as  a  rock  in  the  sea,  immoveable  in 
midst  of  all  changes. 

Quest.  How  shall  I  get  a  part  in  this  un- 
changeable God? 

Ans.  By  liaving  a  change  wrought  in 
thee  :  1  Cor.  vi.  11.,  "  But  ye  are  washed, 
but  ye  are  sanctified."  Whence  we  are 
changed,  a  tenehris  ad  Ivcem, — so  changed, 
as  if  another  soul  did  live  in  the  same  bo- 
dy; by  this  change  we  are  interested  in 
the  unchangeable  God. — Trust  to  this  God 
only,  who  is  unchangeable,  Isa.  ii.  22., 
**  Cease  ve  from  men  ;"  leave  trustinjr  to 
the  reed,  but  trust  to  '  the  Rock  of  ages.' 
He  that  is  by  faith  engarrisoned  in  God, 
is  safe  in  all  changes ;  he  is  like  a  boat  that 
is  tied  to  an  immoveable  rock.  He  that 
trusts  in  God,  trusts  in  that  which  cannot 
fail  him  ;  he  is  unchangcal>Ie,  Heb.  xiii.  5., 
**  I  will  never  leave  thee  nor  forsake  thee." 


Health  may  leave  us, — riches,  friends  may 
leave  us, — but,  saith  God,  ^  I'll  not  leave 
thee;  my  power  sliall  support  thee;  my 
Spirit  shall  sanctify  thee;  my  mercy  shall 
save  thee  :  I  will  never  leave  thee.'  O 
trust  in  this  unchangeable  God  !  God  is 
jealous  of  two  things,  of  our  love,  and  of 
our  trust:  He  is  jealous  of  our  love,  lest 
we  love  the  creature  more  than  him,  there- 
fore he  makes  it  prove  bitter  ;  and  of.  our 
trust,  lest  we  should  place  more  confidence 
in  it  than  in  him,  therefore  he  makes  it 
proA'e  unfaithful.  Outward  comforts  are 
given  us  as  baits  by  the  way  to  refresh  us, 
but  not  as  crutches  to  lean  on  ;  if  Ave  make 
the  creature  an  idol,  what  we  make  our 
trust  God  makes  our  shame.  O  trust  in 
the  immortal  God  !  We,  like  Noah's  dove, 
have  no  footing  for  our  souls,  till  we  get 
into  the  ark  of  God's  unchangeableness, 
Ps.  cxxv.  1.,  "  They  that  trust  in  the  Lord, 
shall  be  as  mount  Sion,  which  cannot  be 
removed." — God  is  unchangeal)le  is  his  de- 
cree ;  what  he  hath  decreed  from  eternity  is 
unalterable,  Isa.  xlvi.  10.,  "  My  counsel  shall 
stand."  Argument,  '1  hat  God's  eternal 
counsel  or  decree  is  immutable  :  if  God 
changed  his  decree,  it  must  be  from  some 
defect  of  wisdom  or  foresight  in  God,  for 
that  is  the  reason  why  men  do  change  their 
purposes  ;  through  a  want  of  foresight,  they 
see  something  after,  which  they  did  not  see 
before ;  but  this  cannot  be  the  cause  why 
God  should  alter  his  decree,  because  his 
knowledge  is  perfect,  he  sees  all  things  in 
one   entire  prospect  before  him. 

Obj.  But  is  not  God  said  to  repent  ?  There 
seems  to  he  a  change  in  his  decree,  Jonah  iii. 
10.,  "  The  Lord  repented  of  tlie  evil  that  he 
said  he  U'oidd  do  nnto  th(m. 

Ans.  Repentance  is  attributed  to  God 
figuratively  and  impro])erly :  Num.  xxiii. 
19.,  He  is  not  "  a  man  tliat  he  should  re- 
pent." There  may  be  a  change  in  God's 
work,  but  not  in  his  will ;  God  may  will  a 
change,  but  not  change  his  will ;  "  God 
may  change  his  sentence,  but  not  his  de- 
cree." As  su])pose  a  king  shall  cause  a 
sentence  to  be  passed  upon  a  malefactor 
whom  he  intends  to  save :  notwithstanding 
this  sentence,  the  king  doth  not  alter  his 
decree,  so  God  threatened  destruction  to 
Nineveh,  Jonah  iii.  4.,  but  the  people  of 


GOD'S  UNCHANGEABLENESS. 


M 


Nineveh  repenting,  God  spared  them.  Here 
God  changed  his  sentence,  but  not  his  de- 
cree ;  it  was  what  had  lain  in  tlic  womb  of 
liis  purpose  from  eternity. 

Oi3J.  But  ij  God's  decree  be  7inchan(/caljk, 
and  cannot  be  reversed,  then  to  what  purpose 
should  ice  use  the  means  ?  Our  endeavours 
towards  salvation  cannot  alter  his  decree. 

'  Ans.  This  decree  of  God  doth  not  take 
off  my  endeavour  ;  for  he  that  Jiatli  decreed 
my  salvation,  hath  decreed  it  in  tJie  use  of 
means :  and  if  I  neglect  the  means,   I  go 
about  to  reprobate  myself.     No  man  argues 
thus :  "  God  hath  decreed  how  long  I  shall 
live,  therefore  I  will  not  use  means  to  pre- 
serve  my  life,    not  eat  and  drink."     God 
hath  decreed  the  time  of  my  life  in  the  use 
of  means;  so  God  hath  decreed  my  salva- 
tion in  the  use  of  word,  prayer,  sacraments ; 
and  as  a  man  that  refuseth  his  food  murders 
himself,  so  he  that  refuseth  to  work  out  his 
salvation  doth  destroy  liimself.     The  vessels 
o^  mercy  are   said  to  be  *  prepared  unto 
glory,'  Rom.  ix.  23.     How  are  they  prepar- 
ed but  by  being  sanctified  ?  And  that  can- 
not be  but  in  the  use  of  means ;   therefore 
let  not  God's  decree  take  thee  off  from  holy 
endeavours.     A  good  saying  of  Dr.  Pres- 
ton, "  Hast  thou  an  heart  to  pray  to  God? 
it  is  a  sign  no  decree  of  wrath  hath  passed 
against  thee." 

Use  1st.  If  God's  decree  be  eternal  and 
unchangeable,  then  God  doth  not  elect  our 
faith  foreseen,  as  the  Arminians,  Rom.  ix. 
1 1 — 13.,  "  Tlie  children  being  not  yet  born, 
that  the  purpose  of  God  according  to  elec- 
tion might  stand,  it  was  said,  Jacob  have 
I  loved,  Esau  have  I  hated."  We  are  not 
elected ybr  holiness,  but  to  holiness,  Ej)h.  i. 
i.  If  we  are  not  justified  for  our  faith, 
much  less  elected  for  our  faith  ;  but  we  are 
not  justified  for  it ;  we  are  said  to  be  justi- 
fied through  faith  as  an  instrument,  Eph.  ii. 
S.,  but  not  for  faith  as  a  cause ;  and,  if  not 
justified  for  faith,  then  mufch  less  elected. 
God's  decree  of  election  is  eternal  and  un- 
changeable, therefore  depends  not  upon  faith 
foreseen.  Acts  xiii.  48.,  "  As  many  as  were 
ordained  to  eternal  life,  believed."  They 
were  not  elected  because  they  believed,  but 
they  believed  because  they  were  elected. 
Use  2d.  If  God's  decree  be  unchatigea- 
le,  it  is  comfort  in  two  cases  :  1 .  Concern- , 


ing  God's  providence  towards  his  church. 
We  are  ready  to  quarrel  with  providence  if 
every  thing  doth  not  jump  with  our  desire: 
remember  God's  work  goes  on,  and  nothing 
falls  out  but  what  he  hath  decreed   from 
eternity. — 2.  God  hath  decreed  troubles  for 
the  church's  good ;  the  troubling  of  God's 
church  is  like  the  angel's  troubling  the  wa- 
ter, John  V.  4.,   whicli  made  way  for   heal- 
ing his  peoj)le.     He  hath  decreed  troubles 
in  the  church  :  "  whose  fire  is  in  Sion,  and 
his   furnace    in   Jerusalem,"    Isa.   xxxi.   9. 
The  wheels  in  a  watch  move  cross  one  to 
another,  but  they  all  carry  on  the  motion 
of  the  watch  :  so  the  wheels  of  providence 
often  move  cross  to  our  desires,   but  still 


they  carry  on  God's  unchangeable  decree, 
Dan.  xii.  10.,  "  Many  shall  be  made  white." 
God  lets  the  waters  of  affliction  be  poured 
on  his  people,  he  doth  but  lay  them  a  whiten- 
ing. Therefore  murmur  not  at  God's  deal- 
ings ;  his  work  goes  on,  nothing  falls  out 
but  what  he  hath  wisely  decreed  from  eter- 
nity ;  every  thing  shall  promote  God's  de- 
sign, and  fulfil  his  decree. — 2.  Comfort  to 
the  godly  in  regard  of  their  salvation,  2  Tim. 
ii.  19.,  ''  The  foundation  of  God  standeth 
sure,  having  this  seal,  the  Lord  knoweth 
them  that  are  his."  God's  counsel  of  elec- 
tion is  unchangeable :  once  elected,  and  for 
ever  elected,  Rev.  iii.  5.,  "  I  will  not  blot 
his  name  out  of  the  book  of  life."  The 
book  of  God's  decree  hath  no  errata  in  it, — 
no  blottings  out, — once  justified  never  un- 
justified, IIos.  xiii.  M.,  "  Repentance  shall 
be  hid  from  mine  eyes."  God  never  repents 
of  his  electing  love,  John  xiii.  1.,  "  He  loved 
them  to  the  end."  Therefore,  if  thou  art 
a  believer,  comfort  thyself  with  this,  the 
immutability  of  God's  decree. 

Use  3d.  To  conclude :  a  word  to  the  wick- 
ed, who  march  furiously  against  God  and 
his  people — Let  them  know,  God's  decree 
is  unchangeable;  God  will  not  alter  it,  nor 
can  they  break  it ;  and  while  they  resist 
God's  will,  they  fulfil  it.  There  is  a  two- 
fold will  of  God,  voluntas  pracepti  et  decretiy 
— the  will  of  God's  precept,  and  of  his 
decree.  While  the  wicked  resist  t]ie  will 
of  God's  precept,  they  fulfil  the  will  of  his 
permissive  decree.  Judas  betrays  Christ, — 
Pilate  condemns  him, — the  soldiers  crucify 
him, — while  they  resisted  the  will  of  God's 


5? 


OF  THE  WISDOM  OF  GOD. 


prece()ts,  tliey  fulfilled  the  will  of  his  ])ci- 
missive  decree,  Acts  iv.  28.  Such  as  are 
wicked,  God  coniniiuids  one  thing,  they  do 
tl»e  quite  contrary;  to  keep  the  sabbath, 
they  profane  it :  wJiiie  they  disobey  his  com- 
mand, they  fulfil  his  permissive  decree.  If 
a  man  sets  up  two  nets,  one  of  silk,  the  other 
of  iron,  the  silken  net  may  be  broken,  not 


the  iron  :  God's  commands  are  the  silken 
net.  AVhile  men  break  the  silken  net  ot 
God's  command,  they  ai'e  taken  in  the  ij'on 
net  of  his  decree  ;  while  they  sit  backward 
to  God's  precepts,  they  row  forward  to  his 
decree  ;  his  decree  to  permit  their  sin,  andl 
to  punish  them  for  their  sin  permitted. 


OF  THE  WISDOM  OF  GOD. 


THE  next  attribute  is  God"'s  wisdom ; 
•which  is  one  of  the  brightest  beams  of  the 
Godhead,  Job.  ix.  4.,  "  He  is  wise  in  heart." 
The  heart  is  the  seat  of  wisdom ;  Cor  in 
HebrcBO  sumititr  pro  Jiidicio,  Pineda.  A- 
mong  the  Hebrews,  the  heart  is  put  for  wis- 
dom, Job  xxxiv.  34.,  Let  men  of  understand- 
ing tell  me," — in  the  Hebrew,  "  Let  men  of 
heart  tell  me."  God  is  wise  in  heart,  that 
is,  he  is  most  wise  :  L  God  is  only  \vise  ; 
he  doth  solely  and  wholly  possess  all  wis- 
dom ;  therefore  he  is  called,  "  the  only  wise 
God,"  I  Tim.  i.  17.  All  the  treasures  of 
wisdom  are  locked  up  in  him,  and  no  crea- 
ture can  have  any  wisdom  but  as  God  is 
pleased  to  give  it  out  of  his  treasury. — 2. 
God  is  perfectly  wise;  there  is  no  defect  in 
his  wisdom.  Men  may  be  wise  in  some 
things,  but  in  other  things  may  betray  im- 
prudence and  weakness.  But  God  is  the 
exemplar  and  pattern  of  wisdom,  and  the 
pattern  must  be  perfect,  Matth.  v.  48.  God's 
wisdom  appears  in  two  things  :  1st,  His  in- 
finite intelligence.  2dly,  His  exact  working. 

1st.  His  infinite  intelligence.  He  knows 
the  most  profound,  abstruse  secrets,  Dan. 
ii.  28.  He  knows  the  thoughts,  which  are 
the  most  intricate  subtle  things,  Amos  iv. 
13.,  "  He  declareth  to  man  what  is  his 
thought."  Let  sin  be  contrived  ever  so  ])o- 
litically,  God  will  pull  off  all  masks  and  dis- 
guises, and  make  an  heart-anatomy.  He 
knows  all  future  contingencies,  ei  ante  in- 
tuita,  all  things  are  before  him  in  one  clear 
prospect. 

2d.  His  exact  curious  working.  He  is 
wise  in  heart ;  his  wisdom  lies  in  his  works. 
Tliese  works  of  God  are  bound  up  in  tlnee 
great  volumes,  where  we  may  read  ids  wis- 
dom. 


1 .  Tlie  work  of  creation.  Tlie  creation, 
as  it  is  a  monument  of  God's  power,  so  a 
looking-glass  in  which  we  may  see  his  wis- 
dom. None  but  a  wise  God  could  so  curi 
ously  contrive  the  world.  Behold  the  earth 
decked  with  variety  of  flowers  which  are 
both  for  beauty  and  fragrancy, — the  heaven 
bespangled  with  lights;  we  may  see  the 
glorious  wisdom  of  God  blazing  in  the  sun, 
twinkling  in  the  stars.  His  wisdom  is  seen 
in  the  marshalling  and  ordering  every  thing 
in  its  proper  place  and  sphere ;  if  the  sun 
had  been  set  lower,  it  would  have  burnt 
us;  if  higher,  it  would  not  have  warmed 
us  with  its  beams.  God's  wisdom  is  seen 
in  appointing  the  seasons  of  the  year,  Ps. 
Lvxiv.  17.,  "  Thou  hast  made  summer  and 
winter."  If  it  had  been  all  summer,  tlie 
heat  would  have  scorched  us ;  if  all  winter, 
the  cold  would  have  killed  us.  The  wis- 
dom of  God  is  seen  in  chequering  the  dark 
and  the  light ;  if  it  had  been  all  night,  there 
had  been  no  labour, — if  all  day,  there  had 
been  no  rest.  Wisdom  is  seen  in  mixing 
the  elements,  the  earth  with  the  sea;  if  it 
liad  been  all  sea,  then  we  had  A\anted  bread ; 
if  it  had  been  all  earth,  then  we  liad  want- 
ed water.  The  wisdom  of  God  is  seen  in 
preparing  and  ripening  the  fruits  of  the 
earth  ;  the  wind  and  I'rost  prej)are  the  fruits, 
the  sun  and  rain  ripen  the  fruits,  God  s 
wisdom  is  seen  in  setting  bounds  to  the  scii, 
and  so  wisely  contriving  it,  that  though  tlie 
sea  be  higher  than  the  earth,  yet  it  should 
not  overllow  the  earth  ;  so  that  we  may  cry 
out  with  the  Psalmist,  Ps.  civ.  24,  "  O, 
Lord,  how  manifold  are  thy  works  !  in  wis- 
dom hast  thou  made  them  all."  There  is 
nothing  to  be  seen  but  miracles  of  wisdom. 
God's  wisdom  is  seen  in  ordering  things 


OF  THC  WISDOM  OF  GOD. 


53 


in  the  body  politic,  that  one  shall  have 
need  of  another ;  the  poor  need  the  rich 
man's  money,  and  tlie  rich  need  the  poor 
man's  lahonr.  God  makes  one  trade  de- 
pend npon  another,  that  one  may  be  help- 
ful to  another,  and  that  mutual  love  may 
be  preserved. 

2.  The  second  work  wherein  God's  wis- 
dom shines  forth,  is  the  work  of  redemp- 
tion:   1.   Here  was  the  master- piece  of  di- 
vine wisdom,   to  contrive  a  way  to  happi- 
ness, between  the  sin  of  man,  and  the  jus- 
tice of  God.     We   may  cry  out  with   the 
apostle,  Rom.  xi.  33.,    "  O  the  depth  of  the 
riches  both  of  the  wivsdom  and  knowledge 
of   God  !"     Tliis   posed   men    and   ang^els. 
If  God  had  put  us  to  find  out  a  way  of  sal- 
vation when  we  were  lost ;  we  could  nei- 
ther have  had  an  head  to  devise,  nor  a  heart 
to  desire,  what  God's  infinite  wisdom  had 
found  out  for  us.     Mercy  had  a  mind  to 
Rave  sinners,  yet  loath  that  the  justice  of 
God  should  be  wronged ;   "  it  is  a  pity," 
saith  Mercy,   "  tliat  such  a  noble  creature 
as  man  should  be  made  tf>  be  undone  ;  and 
yet  no  reason  that  God's  justice  should  be 
a  loser.     What   way   then  shall  be  found 
out  ?     Angels  canru)t  satisfy  for  the  wrong 
done  to  God's  justice,  nor  is  it  fit  that  one 
nature  should  sin,  and  another  nature  suf- 
fer :   what  then?     Shall  man  be  for  ever 
lost?"     Now,  while  Mercy  was  thus  debat- 
ing with  itself,  what  to  do  for  the  recovery 
of  fallen  man,   here  the  Wisdom  of  Gyd 
stepped  in,  and  thus  the  oracle  spake,  "  Let 
God  become  man  ;  let  the  second  person 
in   the   Trinity  be   incarnate,   and  suffer ; 
and  so  for  fitness  he  shall  be  man,  and  for 
abilitv  he  shall  be  God:  thus  iustice  mav 
be  satisfied,  and  man  saved."     O  the  depth 
of  the  riches  of  the  wisdom  of  God,   thus 
to   make  justice  and   mercy  to   kiss  each 
other  !    Great  is  this  mystery,   "  God  ma- 
nifested in  the  flesh,"  1   Tim.  iii.  16.    What 
wisdom   was   this,   that   Christ  should    be 
made  sin,  yet  know  no  sin  ;  that  G<k1  should 
condemn    the    sin,    yet    save    the    sinner  ? 
Here  was  wisdom,  to  find  out  the  way  of 
salvation. — 2.  The  means  by  which  salva- 
ti<m   is   applied,    set   forth  God's   wisdom  ; 
that  salvation  should   be   by  faith,   not  by 
works.     Faith  is  an  humble  grace,  it  gives 
all  to  Christ ;  it  is  an  adorer  of  free  grace, 


atul  free  grace  being  advanced  here,  God 
hath  his  glory,  and  it  is  his  highest  wis- 
dom to  exalt  his  own  glory. — 3.  Tlie  way 
of  working  faith  declares  God's  wisdom  ; 
it  is  wrought  by  the  word  preached,  Rom. 
X.  17.,  "  Faith  Cometh  by  hearing."  What 
is  the  weak  breath  of  a  man  to  convert  a 
soul  ?  It  is  like  whispering  in  the  ears  of 
a  dead  man ;  this  is  foolishness  in  the  eye 
of  the  world  ;  but  the  Lord  loves  to  slunv 
his  wisdom,  by  that  wliic^li  seems  follv, 
1  Cor.  i.  27.,  "'  He  hath  chosen  the  foolish 
things  of  the  world  to  confound  the  wise." 
Why  so?  V.  29.  "That  no  flesh  should 
glory  in  his  presence."  Should  God  con- 
vert by  the  ministry  of  angels,  then  we 
should  have  been  ready  to  have  gloried  in 
angels,  and  have  given  that  honour  to  tliem 
which  is  due  to  God  :  but  when  God  works 
by  weak  tools,  makes  use  of  men  who  are 
of  like  ])assions  with  ourselves,  aiul  by  them 
converts,  now  the  power  is  plainly  seen  to 
be  of  God,  2  Cor.  iv.  7.,  "  We  have  this 
treasure  in  earthen  vessels,  that  the  excel- 
lency of  the  power  may  be  of  God,  and  not 
of  us."  Herein  is  God's  wisdom  seen,  that 
no  flesh  may  glory  in  his  presence. 

3.  The  wisdom  of  God  wonderfully  ap- 
pears in  the  works  of  his  providence.  Every 
providence  hath  either  a  mercy  or  a  won- 
der wra])t  up  in  it.  The  Avisdom  of  God, 
in  his  works  of  providence,  appears :  1. 
By  effecting  great  things  by  small  con- 
temptible means.  He  cured  the  stinig  Is- 
I'aelites,  by  a  brazen  serpent.  If  some 
sovereign  antidote  had  been  used,  if  the 
balm  of  Gilead  had  been  brought,  there  had 
been  some  likelihood  that  this  should  have 
healed ;  but  what  was  there  in  a  brazen 
serpent?  It  was  a  mere  image,  aiul  not 
applied  to  him  that  was  wounded,  only  he 
was  to  look  upon  it,  yet  this  wrought  a 
cure.  The  less  ])rol)ability  in  the  instru- 
ment, the  more  is  God's  wisdom  seen  — 
2.  The  wisdom  of  God  is  seen  in  doing  his 
work  bv  that  which  to  the  eve  of  flesh 
seems  quite  contrary:  God  intended  t<>  ad- 
vance Joseph,  and  make  all  his  brethren's 
sheaves  bow  to  his  sheaf:  now  what  \v»y 
doth  he  take?  first  Joseph  is  thrown  ijito 
the  pit,  then  sold  into  Egypt:  then  after 
that  ])ut  in  ]»rison,  Gen.  xxxix.  20.  And 
bv  his  imprisonment,  God  made  way  for  his 


54 


OF  THE  WISDOM  OF  GOD. 


advancement.  For  Cod  to  save  in  an  or- 
dinary way,  wisdom  would  not  be  so  much 
taken  notice  of.  But  when  he  goes  strange- 
ly to  work,  and  saves  in  that  very  way  in 
which  we  think  he  will  destroy ;  now,  his 
wisdom  shines  forth  in  a  most  glorious  con- 
spicuous manner.  God  would  make  Israel 
victorious,  and  what  way  doth  he  go  in? 
He  lessens  Gideon's  army,  Judg.  \di.  2., 
*'  Tlie  people  that  .are  with  thee  are  too 
many;"  he  reduceth  the  army  of  two  and 
thirty  thousand  to  three  hundred,  and  by 
taking  away  the  means  of  victory,  makes 
Israel  victorious.  God  had  a  design  to 
bring  his  people  out  of  Egypt,  and  a  strange 
course  he  takes  to  effect  it :  he  stirred  up 
the  hearts  of  the  Egyptians  to  hate  them, 
Ps.  cv.  2j.,  "  He  turned  their  heart  to  hate 
his  people."  The  more  they  hated  and  op- 
pressed Israel,  the  more  God  plagued  the 
Egyptians,  and  the  more  glad  they  were  to 
let  Israel  go,  Exod.  xii.  33.  The  Egyp- 
tians were  urgent  upon  Israel,  that  they 
might  send  them  out  of  the  land  in  haste. 
God  had  a  mind  to  save  Jonah  when  he 
was  cast  into  the  sea,  and  he  lets  the  fish 
swallow  him  up,  and  so  bring  him  to  the 
shore.  God  would  save  Paul,  and  all  that 
were  in  the  ship  with  him,  and  there  was 
no  way  to  save  them,  but  the  ship  must 
break,  and  they  all  came  safe  to  land  upon 
the  broken  pieces  of  the  ship,  Acts  xxvii. 
44.  In  reference  to  the  church,  God  oft 
goes  by  contrary  means, — makes  the  ene- 
my do  his  work ;  he  can  strike  a  straight 
stroke  by  crooked  sticks,  God  hath  oft 
made  his  church  grow  and  flourish  by  per- 
secution. "  The  showers  of  blood  have 
made  her  more  fruitful,"  Julian.  Exod. 
i.  10.,  "  Come,  let  us  deal  wisely  with 
them,  lest  they  multiply;"  and  that  way 
they  took  to  suppress  them,  made  them 
multiply;  v.  12.,  "  llie  more  they  afflict- 
ed them,  the  more  they  multiplied ;"  like 
ground,  the  more  it  is  harrowed,  it  bears 
the  better  crop.  The  apostles  were  scat- 
tered by  reason  of  persecution,  and  their 
scattering  was  like  the  scattering  of  seed ; 
they  went  up  and  down,  and  preached  the 
gospel,  and  brought  daily  converts.  Paul 
was  put  in  prison,  and  his  bonds  were  a 
means  to  enlarge  the  gospel,  Phil.  i.  12. — 
3.  The  >visdom  of  God  is  seen  in  making  the 


most  desperate  evils  turn  to  the  good  of  his 
children.  As  several  poisonable  ingredi- 
ents, wisely  tempered  by  the  skill  of  the 
artist,  make  a  sovereign  medicine,  so  God 
makes  the  most  deadly  afflictions  co-operate 
for  the  good  of  his  children.  He  purifies 
them,  and  prepares  them  for  heaven,  2  Cor. 
iv.  17.  These  hard  frosts  hasten  the 
spring-flowers  of  glory.  The  wise  God,  by 
a  divine  chemistry,  turns  afflictions  into  cor- 
dials. God  makes  his  people  gainers  by 
losses,  and  turns  their  crosses  into  bless- 
ings.— 4.  Tlie  wisdom  of  God  is  seen  in 
this,  that  the  sins  of  men  shall  cai-ry  on 
God's  work  ;  yet  that  he  should  have  no 
hand  in  their  sin.  The  Lord  permits  sin, 
but  doth  not  approve  it.  He  hath  an  hand 
in  the  action  in  which  sin  is,  but  not  in 
the  sin  of  the  action.  As  in  the  crucify- 
ing of  Christ,  so  far  as  it  was  a  natural  ac- 
tion,  God  did  co  cur ;  if  he  had  not  given 
the  Jews  life  and  breath,  they  could  not 
have  done  it ;  but,  as  it  was  a  sinful  action, 
so  God  abhorred  it.  A  musician  plays 
upon  a  viol  out  of  tune :  the  musician  is 
the  cause  of  the  sound,  but  the  jarring  and 
discord  is  from  the  viol  itself;  so  men's 
natural  motion  is  from  God,  but  their  sin- 
ful motion  is  from  themselves.  A  man 
that  rides  on  a  lame  horse,  his  riding  is  the 
cause  why  the  horse  goes,  but  the  lameness 
is  from  the  horse  itself.  Herein  is  God's 
wisdom,  the  sins  of  men  shall  carry  on  his 
work*,  y6t  he  hath  tio  hand  in  them. — 5. 
The  wisdom  of  God  is  seen  in  helping  in 
desperate  cases.  God  loves  to  shew  his 
wisdom  when  human  help  and  wisdom  fail. 
Exquisite  lawyers  love  to  wrestle  witii  ni- 
ceties and  difficulties  in  the  law,  to  shew 
their  skill  the  more.  God's  wisdom  is  ne- 
ver at  a  loss ;  but  when  providences  are 
darkest,  now  appears  the  morning-star  of 
deliverance :  Ps.  cxxxvi.  23.,  "  Who  re- 
membered us  in  our  low  condition."  Some- 
times God  melts  away  the  spirits  of  his 
enemies.  Josh.  ii.  24.  Sometimes  he  finds 
them  other  work  to  do,  and  sounds  a  re- 
treat to  them,  as  he  did  to  Saul  when  he 
was  pursuing  David;  "  The  Philistines  are 
in  the  land."  "  In  the  mount  will  God  be 
seen."  When  the  church  seems  to  be  upon 
the  altar, — her  peace  and  liberty  ready  to 
be  sacrificed, — now  comes  the  angel. — 6. 


OF  THE  WISDOM  OF  GOD. 


55 


God's  \visdom  is  seen  in  befooling  wise 
men,  and  making  their  wisdom  a  means  of 
their  overthrow.  Ahithophel  had  deep  po- 
licy, 2  Sam.  xvi.  23.,  "  The  counsel  of 
Ahithophel,  which  he  counselled,  in  those 
days,  was  as  if  a  man  had  inquired  at  the 
oracle  of  God :"  but  he  consulted  his  own 
shame.  The  Lord  turned  his  counsel  into 
foolishness,  2  Sam.  xvii.  23.;  Job  v.  13., 
"  He  taketh  the  wise  in  their  own  crafti- 
ness ;"  that  is,  when  they  think  to  deal 
wisely,  he  not  only  disappoints  them,  but 
insnares  them.  The  snares  they  lay  for 
others  catch  themselves,  Ps.  ix.  15.,  "  In 
the  net  which  they  hid,  is  their  own  foot 
taken."  God  loves  to  counterplot  politi- 
cians; he  makes  use  of  their  own  wit  to 
undo  them,  and  hangs  Haman  upon  his  own 
gallows. 

Use  1st.  Adore  the  wisdom  of  God ;  it  is 
an  infinite  deep  the  angels  cannot  search 
into,  Rom.  xi.  33.,  "  His  ways  are  past 
finding  out."  And  as  we  should  adore,  so 
we  should  rest  in  the  wisdom  of  God;  God 
sees  what  condition  is  best  for  us.  Did  we 
believe  the  wisdom  of  God,  it  would  keep 
us  from  murmuring.  Rest  in  God's  wis- 
dom in  several  cases  :  I .  In  want  of  spiritual 
comfort.  God  is  wise,  he  sees  it  good  some- 
times we  should  be  without  comfort.  Per- 
haps we  should  be  lifted  up  with  spiritual 
enlargements,  as  Paul  with  his  revelations, 
2  Cor.  xii.  7.  It  is  hard  to  have  the  heart 
low,  when  comfort  is  high.  God  sees  hu- 
mility is  better  for  us  than  joy.  It  is  bet- 
ter to  want  comfort,  and  be  humble,  than 
to  have  it,  and  be  pioud. — 2  In  want  of 
bodily  strength,  rest  in  God's  wisdom  ;  he 
sees  what  is  best.  Perhaps  the  less  health 
the  more  grace ;  weaker  in  body,  the  strong- 
er we  are  in  faith,  2  Cor.  iv.  !(».,  "  Though 
our  outward  man  perish,  yel  the  inward 
man  is  renewed  day  by  day.'  At  Rome 
there  were  two  laurel-trees ;  when  the  one 
withered,  the  other  flourished.  The  inward 
man  is  renewed.  When  God  shakes  the 
tree  of  the  body,  he  is  now  gathering  the 
fruits  of  righteousness,  Heb.  xii.  II.  Sick- 
ness is  God's  lance  to  let  out  the  imposthume 
of  sin,  Isa.  xxvii.  9. — 3.  In  case  of  God's 
providences  to  his  church  :  we  wonder  what 
God  is  d<>ing  with,  us,  and  are  ready  to  kill 


ourselves  with  care,  rest  in  God's  wisdom; 
he  knows  best  what  he  hath  to  do,  Ps.  Ixxvii, 
19.,  "  Thy  footsteps  are  not  known."  Trust 
him  where  you  cannot  trace  him.  God  is 
jjiost  in  his  way,  when  we  think  he  is  most 
out  of  the  way;  when  we  think  God's  church 
is,  as  it  were,  in  the  grave,  and  there  is  a 
tombstone  laid  upon  her,  God's  wisdom  can 
roll  away  the  stone  from  the  sepulchre. 
Christ  Cometh  "  leaping  over  mountains," 
Cant.  ii.  8.  Either  his  power  can  remove 
the  mountain,  or  his  wisdom  knows  how  to 
leap  over  it. — 4.  In  case  we  are  low  in  the 
world,  or  have  but  little  oil  in  our  cruse, 
rest  in  God's  wisdom,  he  sees  it  best ;  it  is 
to  cure  pride  and  wantonness.  God  knew, 
if  thy  estate  had  not  been  lost,  thy  soul  had 
been  lost.  God,  he  saw  riches  would  be  a 
snare  unto  thee,  1  Tim.  vi.  9. :  art  thou 
troubled  that  God  hath  prevented  a  snare  ? 
God  will  make  thee  rich  in  faith ;  what  thou 
lackest  in  temporals  shall  be  made  up  in  spi- 
rituals :  God  will  give  thee  more  of  his  love. 
Thou  art  weak  in  estate,  yet  God  will  make 
thee  strong  in  assurance.  O  rest  in  God's 
wisdom  !  he  will  carve  the  best  piece  for 
thee. — 5.  In  case  of  the  loss  of  dear  friends, 
a  wife,  or  child,  or  husband, — rest  satisfied 
in  God's  wisdom.  God  hath  taken  away 
these,  because  he  would  have  more  of  your 
love  ;  he  breaks  these  crutches,  that  we  may 
live  more  upon  him  by  faith.  God  would 
have  us  learn  to  go  without  crutches. 

Use  2d.  If  God  be  infinitely  wise,  then 
let  us  go  to  him  for  wisdom  ;  as  Solomon, 
1  Kings  iii.  9,  10.,  "  Give  thy  servant  an 
understanding  heart ;"  "  and  the  speech 
pleased  the  Lord."  And  there  is  encour- 
agement for  us  :  "  If  any  one  lack  wisdom, 
let  him  ask  of  God,  who  giveth  liberally,  and 
upbraideth  not,"  James  i.  5.  Wisdom  is  in 
God,  tanquam  infonte, — as  in  the  fountain ; 
his  wisdom  is  imparted,  not  impaired ;  his 
stock  is  not  spent  by  giving.  Go  then  to 
God :  Lord,  do  thou  light  my  lamp ;  in  thy 
light  shall  I  see  light ;  give  me  wisdom,  to 
know  the  fallacy  of  my  heart,  the  subtilties 
of  the  old  serpent,  to  walk  jealously  towards 
myself,  religiously  towards  thee,  prudently 
towards  others ;  guide  me  by  thy  counsel, 
and  afterwards  receive  me  to  glory  ! 


56 


OF  GOD'S  POWER. 


OF  GOD'S  POWER. 


THE  next  attribute  is  God's  power,  Jolj 
ix.  ll'.,  "  If  I  speak  of  strength,  lo,  lie  is 
strong."  In  tliis  cliapter  is  a  magnificent 
description  of  God's  power :  "  Lo,  lie  is 
strong !"  The  Hebrew  word  for  strong^ 
signifies  a  conquering,  prevailing  strength. 
"  He  is  strong :"  the  superlative  degree  is 
intended  here,  viz  '*  He  is  most  strong." 
He  is  called,  El-shaddai,  '  God  almighty,' 
Gen.  xvii.  I.  His  almightiness  lies  in  this, 
lie  can  do  whatever  is  feasible.  Di\dnes 
distinguish  between  authority  and  power ; 
God  hath  both. 

I.  He  hath  a  sovereign  right  and  autho- 
rity over  man.  He  can  do  with  his  crea- 
tures as  he  j>leases.  Who  shall  dispute  with 
God  ?  who  shall  ask  him  a  reason  of  his  do- 
ings ?  Dan.  iv.  35.,  "  He  doeth  according 
to  his  will  in  the  army  of  heaven,  and  a- 
mong  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth;  and  none 
can  stay  his  hand,  or  say  unto  him.  What 
doest  thou  ?"  God  sits  judge  in  the  highest 
court,  he  calls  the  monarchs  of  the  earth  to 
the  bar,  and  is  not  bound  to  give  a  reason 
of  his  proceedings,  Ps.  Ixxv.  5,  7.,  "  He  put- 
teth  down  one,  and  st-tteth  up  another." 
He  hath  salvation  and  damnation  in  his 
power.  He  hath  the  key  of  justice  in  his 
hand,  to  lock  up  whom  he  will  in  the  fiery 
prison  of  hell ;  and  he  hath  the  key  of  mercy 
in  his  hands,  to  open  lieaA'on's  gate  to  whom 
he  pleases.  This  is  tlu;  name  engraven  upon 
his  vesture,  "  King  of  kings,  and  l-ord  of 
lords,"  Rev.  xix.  16.  He  sits  Lord  j)ara- 
mount,  and  who  can  call  him  to  an  account? 
Isa.  xlvi.  10.,  "  I  will  do  all  my  pleasure" 
The  world  is  God's  diocese,  and  shall  not  he 
do  what  he  will  in  his  own  diocese  ?  He  it 
WJis  that  turned  king  Nebuchadnezzar  to 
eat  grass,  and  threw  the  angels  to  hell  when 
they  sinned  ;  that  broke  the  head  of  the  Ba- 
bylonish empire,  Isa.  xiv.  11.,  "  How  art 
thou  fallen  from  heaven,  O  Lucifer  !  Thy 
pomp  is  brought  down  to  the  grave ;"  who 
sets  bounds  lo  the  sea,  and  bridles  the  j)roud 
waves.  Job.  xxxviii.  1 1.  God  is  the  su])reme 
monarch,  all  power  is  seated  originally  in 
liim  ;  "  The  j)owers  that  be  are  ordained 
of  God,"  Rom.  xiii.  1.      Kings   hold  tlieir 


crowns  of  him,   Prov.  viii.  15.,  **  By  me 

kings  reign."  ^ 

II.  As  God  hath  authority,  so  he  hath  in- 
finite  power.  What  is  authority  without 
power  ?  "  He  is  mighty  in  strength,"  Job. 
L\.  4.     This  power  of  God  is  seen, 

1.  In  the  creation.  To  create,  requires 
infinite  power  ;  all  the  world  cannot  make 
a  fly.  God's  power  in  creating  is  evident: 
1.  Because  he  needs  no  instruments  to  work 
with  ;  it  is  proper  to  God  to  work  \vithout 
tools. — 2.  He  needs  no  matter  to  work  upon ; 
first,  he  creates  matter,  and  then  works  upon 
it. — 3.  He  works  without  labour,  Ps.  xxxiii. 
9.,    '  He  spake  and  it  was  done.' 

2.  The  power  of  God  is  seen  in  the  con- 
version of  souls.  Surely  a  mighty  power 
went  to  raise  Christ  from  the  grave,  Eph. 
i.  20.  1.  The  same  power  goes  to  draw  a 
sinner  to  God,  as  drew  Christ  out  of  the 
gi-ave  to  heaven.  Greater  power  is  put 
forth  in  conversion,  than  in  creation.  When 
God  made  the  world,  he  met  with  no  oppo- 
sition ;  as  he  had  nothing  to  helj)  him,  so  he 
had  nothing  to  hinder  him  ;  but  Avlien  he 
comes  to  convert  a  sinner,  here  he  meets 
with  opposition, — Satan  opposeth  him,  and 
the  heart  opposeth  him  ;  a  sinner  is  angry 
with  converting  grace. — 2.  The  world  was 
the  "  Work  of  God's  fingers,"  Ps.  viii.  3. 
Conversion  is  the  "  Work  of  God's  arm," 
Lukei.  5. — 3.  In  the  creation.  God  wrought 
but  one  miracle,  he  spake  the  word  ;  but,  in 
conversion,  he  works  many  miiacles, — the 
blind  is  made  to  see, — the  dead  is  raised, — 
the  deaf  hears  the  voice  of  the  Son  of  God, 
O  the  infinite  ])ower  of  Jehovah  !  Before 
his  sceptre,  angels  vail  and  j)rostraie  them- 
selves ;  kings  cast  their  crowns  at  his  feet. 
Amos  ix.  .*>.,  "  He  toucheth  the  land,  and  it 
shall  melt;"  Job  ix.  6.,  "  Whieh  shaketh 
the  earth  out  of  her  j)lace."  An  earthcjuake 
makes  the  earth  tremble  u))on  her  ])illars, 
but  God  shakes  it  out  of  its  place  ;  he  can 
remove  the  earth  from  its  centre.  God  can 
do  what  he  will,  his  j)ower  is  as  large  as  his 
will.  Were  men's  power  as  large  as  their 
will,  what  work  would  they  make  in  the 
world  !   God's  power  is  of  equal  extent  AWth 


OF  GODS  POWER. 


57 


his  will.  God  can  with  a  word  unpin  the 
wheels,  and  break  the  axle-tree  of  the  crea- 
tion. He  can  do  more  than  we  can  think, 
Eph.  iii.  20.  He  can  suspend  natural  a- 
gents  ;  he  sealed  up  the  lions'  mouths,  made 
the  fire  not  to  burn  ;  he  made  the  waters  to 
stand  upon  an  heap ;  he  caused  the  sun  to 
go  ten  degrees  backward  in  Ahaz  his  dial, 
Isa.  xxxviii.  8.  What  can  pose  omnipo- 
tency  ?  The  Lord  cuts  off  the  spirit  of 
princes,  Ps.  Ixxvi.  12.  He  counter- works 
his  enemies ;  he  pulls  down  their  flags  and 
banners  of  pride,  infatuates  their  counsels, 
breaks  their  forces ;  and  he  doth  it  with 
ease,  with  the  turning  of  his  hand,  Ps.  Ixxxi. 
24-.,  "  with  his  breath,"  Isa.  xl.  2 1.,  "  with 
a  look."  That  is  all  it  needs  cost  God  to 
destroy  his  enemies  ;  a  look,  a  cast  of  his 
eye,  Exod.  xiv.  24.,  "  The  Lord  looked  into 
the  host  of  the  Egyptians,  through  the  pil- 
lar of  fire,  and  troubled  their  host."  Who 
shall  stop  him  in  his  march  ?  God  com- 
mands, and  all  creatures  in  heaven  and  earth 
obey  him.  Xerxes,  the  Persian  monarch, 
threw  fetters  into  the  sea,  when  its  waves 
swelled,  as  if  he  would  have  chained  up  the 
waters ;  but  when  God  speaks,  the  wind 
and  sea  obey  him ;  if  he  say  but  tlie  word, 
the  stars  fight  in  their  courses  against  Si- 
sera  ;  if  he  stamp  with  his  foot,  an  army  of 
angels  shall  presently  be  in  battalia.  What 
cannot  omnipotent  power  do  ?  "  The  Lord 
is  a  man  of  war,"  Exod.  xv.  3.  He  hath  a 
mighty  arm.  Ps. Ixxxix.  13.,  "God's  power 
is  a  glorious  power,"  Col.  i.  IL  ( I.)  It  is 
an  irresistible  power,  Rom.  ix.  19.,  "  Who 
hath  resisted  his  will  ?"  To  contest  with 
him,  is  as  if  the  thorns  should  set  them- 
selves in  battle  array  against  the  fire ; 
or,  as  if  an  infirm  child  should  fight 
with  an  arch-angel.  If  the  sinner  be  once 
taken  in  God's  iron  net,  there  is  no  es- 
caping, Isa.  xliii.  13.,  "  There  is  none 
that  can  deliver  out  of  my  hand."  (2.) 
God's  power  is  an  inexhaustible  power ; 
it  is  never  spent  or  wasted.  Men,  while 
they  exei-cise  their  strength,  weaken  it ; 
but  God  hath  an  everlasting  spring  of 
strength  in  him,  Isa.  xxvi.  4.  Though 
he  spends  his  arrows  upon  his  enemies, 
Deut.  xxxii.  23.,  yet  he  doth  not  spend  his 
strength.  Isa.  xl.  28.,  "  He  fainteth  not, 
neither  is  weary." 


Ob  J.  Can  God  do  all  things  ?  lie  cannot 
deny  himself. 

Ans.  Though  God  can  do  all  things,  he 
cannot  do  that  which  stains  the  glory  of  his 
Godhead  :  he  cannot  sin  ;  he  cannot  do  that 
which  implies  a  contradiction.  To  be  a 
God  of  truth,  and  yet  deny  himself,  is  a 
contradiction. 

Use  \st.  If  God  be  so  infinite  in  power, 
fear  tliis  great  God.  We  are  apt  to  fear 
such  as  are  in  power ;  Jer.  v.  22.,  *'  '  Fear 
ye  not  me?'  saitli  tiie  Lord:  '  Will  ye  not 
tremble  at  my  presence  ?'  "  He  hath  power 
to  cast  our  souls  and  bodies  into  hell  !  Ps. 
xc.  11.,  "  W\\o  knows  the  power  of  his 
wrath  ?"  God  can  with  the  same  breath 
that  made  us,  dissolve  us  ;  "  His  eyes  are 
as  a  flame  of  fire ;  the  rocks  are  thrown 
down  by  him,"  Nah.  i.  6.  Solomon  saith, 
"  Where  the  word  of  a  king  is,  there  is 
power,"  Eccl.  viii.  4.;  much  more  where 
the  word  of  a  God  is.  O  let  us  fear  this 
mighty  God  !  The  fear  of  God  will  drive 
out  all  other  base  fear. 

Use  2d.  See  the  deplorable  condition  of 
wicked  men  :  1.  This  power  of  God  is  not 
for  them  :  2.   It  is  against  them. 

1.  This  power  of  God,  is  not  for  them : 
they  have  no  union  with  God,  therefore 
have  no  warrant  to  lay  claim  to  his  power. 
His  power  is  no  relief  to  tliom.  Me  hath 
power  to  forgive  sins,  but  he  will  not  put 
forth  his  power  towards  an  imj)cnitcnt  sin- 
ner. God's  power  is  an  eagle's  wing  to 
carry  the  saints  to  heaven ;  but  what  pri- 
vilege is  that  to  the  wicked ;  though  a  man 
will  carry  his  child  in  his  arms  over  a  dan- 
gerous water,  yet  he  will  not  carry  an  ene- 
my in  his  arms.  God's  power  is  not  en- 
gaged to  help  those  that  fight  agai.ist  him. 
Let  miseries  come  upon  the  wicked,  they 
have  none  to  help  them;  they  are  like  a 
ship  in  a  storm  without  a  pilot,  driven  upon 
the  rocks. 

2.  This  power  of  God  is  against  the 
wicked.  God's  power  will  not  be  the  sin- 
ner's shield  to  defend  him,  but  a  sword  to 
wound  him.  God's  power  will  bind  the 
sinner  in  chains.  God's  power  serves  to 
revenge  the  wrong  done  to  his  mercy. 
God  will  be  Almighty  to  damn  tlie  sinner. 
Now,  in  what  condition  is  every  unbe- 
liever?    God's  power  is  engaged  against 

H 


58 


OF  GOD'S  POWER 


him,  and  "it  is  a  fearful  thing  to  fall 
into  the  hands  of  the  living  God,"  Hob. 
X.  31. 

Use  3d.  It  reproves  such  as  do  not  be- 
lieve this  power  of  God.     We  say,  we  do 
not  doubt  of  God's  power,   but  his  will. 
But  indeed  it  is  God's  power  that  we  ques- 
tion.    "  Is  there  any  thing  too  hard  for 
me?"     Jer.    xxxii.    27.;    yet   we    stagger 
through  unbelief,  as  if  the  arm  of  God's 
power  were  shrunk,  and  he  could  not  help 
in  desperate  cases.     Take  away  a  king's 
power,  and  we  unking  liim ;  take  away  the 
Lord's  power,  and  we  ungod  him  ;  yet  how 
guilty  of  this  are  we  !     Did  not  Israel  ques- 
tion God's  power?     "  Can  God  furnish  a 
table  in  the  wilderness  ?"  Ps.  Ixxviii.   19. 
They  thought   the  wilderness  was  a  fitter 
place  for  making  of  graves,  than  spreading 
of  a  table.  Did  not  Martha  doubt  of  Christ's 
power?     John   xi.   39.,    "  He   hath   been 
dead  four  days."     If  Christ  had  been  there 
while  Lazarus  was  sick,  or  when  he  had 
been  newly  dead,  Martha  did  not  question 
but  Christ  could  have  raised  him ;  but  he 
had  lain  in  the  grave  four  days,  and  now 
she  seemed  to  question  his  power.     Christ 
had  as  much  ado  to  raise  her  faith,  as  to 
raise  her  dead  brother.    And  Moses,  though 
an  holy  man,  yet  limits  God's  power  through 
unbelief,   Numb.  xi.  21.,    "  The  people  a- 
mong  whom  I  am,  are  six  hundred  thou- 
sand footmen  ;  and  thou  hast  said,   I  will 
give  them  flesh  that  they  may  eat  a  whole 
month :  sliall  the  flocks  and  the  herds  be 
slain  for  them  to  suffice  them  ?  or  shall  all 
the  fish  of  the  sea  be  gathered  for  tliem  to 
Buflicc  them?"     And  the  Lord  said  unto 
Moses,   "  Is  the  Lord's  hand  waxed  short  ?" 
Tliis  is  a  great  aff'ront  to  God,  to  go  to  de- 
ny his  j)ower.     That  men  doubt  of  God's 
power,  appears,   1.  By  their  taking  indirect 
courses.     Would  they  defraud  in  their  deal- 
ings, use  false  weights,  if  they  believed  the 
power  of  God,  tliat  he  could  provide  for 
them?     2.  By  tlieir  depending  more  upon 
second  causes  than   upon    God,   2  Chron. 
xvi.  12.,   "  In  his  disease,  lie  sought  not  to 
the  Lord,  but  to  the  physicians." 

Use  Ath.  If  God  be  infinite  in  power, 
then  let  us  take  heed  of  hardening  our 
hearts  against  God :  Job  ix.  4.,  "  Who 
hatli  hardened  himself  against   him,   and 


prospered?"  Job  sends  a  challenge  to  all 
creatures  in  heaven  and  earth.  Who  is  ho 
did  ever  take  up  the  buckler  against  God, 
and  came  off^  conqueror  ?  For  a  person  to 
go  on  daringly  in  any  sin,  is  to  harden  his 
heart  against  God,  and,  as  it  were,  to  raise 
a  war  against  heaven ;  and  let  him  remem- 
ber God  is  El-shaddai, — almighty;  he  will 
be  too  hard  for  them  that  oppose  him,  Job 
xl.  9.,  "  Hast  thou  an  arm  like  God?" 
Such  as  will  not  bow  to  his  golden  scep- 
tre, shall  be  broken  with  his  iron  rod.  Ju- 
lian hardened  his  heart  against  God,  he  op- 
posed him  to  his  face ;  but  what  got  he  at 
last  ?  did  he  prosper  ?  Being  wounded  in 
battle,  he  threw  up  his  blood  into  the  air, 
and  said  to  Christ,  vicisli  Galiloee, — "  O 
Galilean,  thou  hast  overcome  !  I  acknow- 
ledge thy  power,  whose  name  and  truth  I 
have  opposed."  Will  folly  contend  with 
wisdom  ? — weakness  with  power  ? — finite 
with  infinite?  O  take  heed  of  hardening 
your  heart  against  God  !  He  can  send  le- 
gions of  angels  to  avenge  his  quarrel.  It 
is  better  to  meet  God  with  teai-s  in  your 
eyes,  than  weapons  in  your  hand.  You 
may  overcome  God  sooner  by  repentance, 
than  by  resistance. 

Use  5th.  Get  an  interest  in  God,  and 
then  this  glorious  power  is  engaged  for  you. 
God  gives  it  under  his  hand,  that  he  will 
put  forth  the  whole  power  of  his  Godhead 
for  the  good  of  his  people :  1  Chron.  xvii. 
24.,  "  The  Lord  of  hosts  is  the  God  of  Is- 
rael, even  a  God  to  Israel."  Tliis  almigliti- 
ness  of  God's  power  is  a  wonderful  supj)ort 
and  comfort  to  every  believer.  It  was 
Samson's  riddle.  Judges  xiv.  14.,  "  Out  of 
the  strong  came  forth  sweetness  :"  so  out 
of  the  attribute  of  God's  power, — out  of  this 
strong  comes  forth  sweetness.  It  is  com- 
fort in  several  cases. 

1.  In  case  of  strong  corruption.  My  sins, 
saith  a  child  of  God,  are  potent ;  I  have  no 
power  against  this  army  that  comes  sigainst 
me;  I  pray,  and  liumble  my  soul  by  fast- 
ing, but  my  sins  return  upon  me.  Ay,  but 
dost  thou  believe  the  power  of  God  ?  The 
strong  God  can  conquer  thy  strong  corrup- 
tion ;  tliough  sin  be  too  hard  for  tliee,  yet 
not  for  him;  he  can  soften  hard  hearts, 
and  quicken  the  dead.  "  Is  any  thing  too 
hard  for  the  Lord?"  Gen.  xviii.  14.     Set 


OF  THE  HOLINESS  OF  GOD. 


God's  power  on  work,  by  faith  and  prayer. 
Say,  '  Lord !  it  is  not  for  thy  lionour  that 
the  devil  should  have  so  strong  a  party 
within  me ;  O  break  tlic  head  of  this  levia- 
than I  Abba,  Father,  all  things  are  possible 
to  thee  !' 

2.  In  case  of  strong  temptation.  Satan 
is  called  '  the  strong  man,'  O  but  remem- 
ber the  power  of  God:  Christ  is  called, 
*  The  lion  of  the  tribe  of  Judah;'  he  hath 
broken  the  serpent's  head  upon  the  cross. 
Satan  is  a  chained  enemy,  and  a  conquer- 
ed enemy.  Michael  is  stronger  than  the 
dragon. 

S.  Comfort  in  case  of  weakness  of  grace, 
and  fear  of  falling  away.  I  pray,  but  I  cannot 
send  out  strong  cries ;  I  believe,  but  the 
hand  of  my  faith  doth  shake  and  tremble. 
Cannot  God  strengthen  weak  grace  ?  2  Cor. 
xii.  9.,  "  My  strength  is  made  perfect  in 
weakness :  most  gladly  therefore  will  I  ra- 
ther glory  in  my  infirmities,  that  the  power 
of  Christ  may  rest  upon  me.""  I  fear  I 
shall  not  hold  out.  Christian,  dost  thou 
belicA'C  the  power  of  God  ?  Hath  not  God 
preserved  thy  grace  thus  far  ?  Mayest  thou 
not  set  up  thy  Ebonezer  ?  God  hath  kept 
thy  grace  hitherto  as  a  spark  in  the  main 
ocean ;  and  is  not  he  able  still  to  keep  thy 
grace  ?  1  Pet.  i.  5.,  "  Who  are  kept  by  the 
power  of  God,"  &c.  God's  mercy  pardons 
us,  but  his  power  preserves  us.  He  who 
by  his  power  keeps  the  stars  that  they  do 
not  fall  out  of  their  orbs,  keeps  our  grace 
that  it  doth  not  fail  or  annihilate. 

4.  Comfort  in  case  of  the  deficiency  in 
thy  estate.  God  can  multiply  the  oil  in 
the  cruse ;  miraculously  he  can  raise  up 
supplies;  God,  who  provides  for  the  birds 


of  the  air,  cannot  he  provide  for  his  chil- 
dren ?  He  that  clothes  the  lilies,  cannot 
he  clothe  his  lambs? 

5.  Comfort  in  regard  of  the  resurrec 
tion.  This  seems  difficult  to  believe,  that 
the  bodies  of  men  when  eaten  up  by  worms, 
devoured  by  beasts  and  fishes,  or  consumed 
to  ashes,  should  be  raised  the  same  nume 
rical  bodies  ;  but  if  we  believe  the  powei 
of  God,  it  is  no  great  wonder.  Wliich  is 
hardest,  to  create,  or  raise  the  dead  ?  lie 
that  can  make  a  body  of  nothing,  can  re- 
store it  to  its  parts  when  mingled  and  con- 
founded with  other  substances.  Mat.  xix. 
26.,  "  With  God  all  things  are  possible." 
if  we  believe  the  first  article  of  the  creed, 
that  God  is  almiglity,  we  may  quickly 
believe  the  other  article,  the  resurrection 
of  the  body.  God  can  raise  the  dead  be- 
cause of  his  power,  and  he  cannot  but  raise 
them  because  of  his  truth. 

6.  It  is  comfort  in  reference  to  the  church 
of  God :  he  can  save  and  deliver  it  when  it 
is  brought  low.  The  enemies  have  power 
in  their  hand,  but  the  remainder  of  wrath 
God  will  restrain,  Ps.  Ixxvi.  10.  God  can 
either  confine  the  enemies  power  or  con- 
found it.  "  If  God  be  £or  us,  who  can  be 
against  us  ?"  God  can  create  Jerusalem  a 
|)raise,  Isa.  Ixv.  18.  The  church  in  Eze- 
Uiel,  is  compared  to  dry  bones,  but  God 
made  breath  to  enter  iiito  them,  and  they 
lived,  Ezek.  xxxvii.  10.  The  ship  of  the 
church  may  be  tossed,  because  sin  is  in  it, 
but  it  shall  not  be  overwhelmed,  because 
Christ  is  in  it,  Ps.  xlvi.  6.,  Dens  in  medio. 
All  the  church's  pangs  shall  help  forward 
her  deliverance. 


*^A%«V^V^%-^  %^^%%^%^V«^«^«%^^^'^^-«%.-%«^X.'«^.-«V^ '%.'*%.'«  -v^x^-v^^^^^ 


OF  THE  HOLINESS  OF  GOD. 


THE  next  attribute  is  God's  Holiness, 
£xod.  XV.  11.,  "Glorious  in  holiness." 
Holiness  is  the  most  sparkling  jewel  of  his 
crown  ;  it  is  the  name  by  which  God  is 
known,  Ps.  cxi.  9.,  "  Holy  and  reverend 
is  his  name."  He  is  the  holy  One,  Job  vi. 
10.  Seraphims  cry,  "  Holy,  holy,  holy  is 
the  Lord  of  hosts,  the  whole  earth  is  full  of 
his  glory,"  Isa.  vi.  3.     His  power  makes 


him  mighty;  his  holiness  makes  hiui  <;io- 
rious,  God's  holiness  consists  in  his  perl'ect 
loving  of  righteousness,  and  abliorrence 
of  evil,  Hab.  i.  13.,  "  Of  purer  eyes  than 
to  behold  evil,  and  cannot  look  on  ini- 
quity." 

l.s/,  God  is  holy  intrinsically  :  1.  He  is 
holy  in  his  nature  ;  his  very  being  is  made 
up  of  holiness,  as  light  is  of  the  essence  of 


OF  THE  HOLINESS  OF  GOD. 


the  Buii.— 2.  He  IS  holy  in  Ins  word ;  the 
word  bears  a  stamp  of  his  holiness  upon  it, 
as  the  wax  bears  an  impression  of  the  seal, 
Ps.  cxix.  140.,  "  Thy  word  is  very  pure ;" 
it  is  compared  to  silver  refined  seven  times, 
Ps.  xii.  t).  EA'erv  line  in  the  word  breathes 
sanctity,  it  encourageth  nothing  but  holi- 
ness.— 3.  God  is  holy  in  his  operations  ; 
all  God  doeth  is  holy  ;  he  cannot  act  but 
like  himself;  he  can  no  more  do  an  un- 
righteous action,  than  the  sun  can  darken, 
Ps.  cxlv.  17.,  "  The  Lord  is  holy  in  all  his 
works." 

2dly,  God  is  holy  primarily :  he  is  the 
original  and  pattern  of  holiness  ;  holiness 
began  at  him  who  is  '  the  Ancient  of  days.' 
3<//?/,  God  is  holy  efficiently  :  he  is  the 
cause  of  all  that  is  holiness  in  others,  James 
i.  17.,  "  Every  good  gift,  and  every  perfect 
gift  comes  from  above."  lie  made  the  an- 
gels holy ;  he  infused  all  that  holiness  into 
Christ's  human  nature ;  all  the  holiness 
we  haA'e  is  but  a  crystal  stream  from  this 
fountain.  We  borrow  all  our  holiness  from 
God.  As  the  lights  of  the  sanctuarv  wore 
lighted  from  the  middle  lamp,  so  all  the 
holiness  of  others  is  a  lamp  lighted  from 
heaven.  Lev.  xx.  8.,  "  I  am  the  Lord  which 
sanctify  you."  God  is  not  only  a  pattern 
of  holiness,  but  he  is  a  principle  of  holi- 
ness ;  his  spring  feeds  all  our  cisterns,  he 
drops  his  holy  oil  of  grace  upon  us. 

Athly,  God  is  holy  transcendently,  1  Sam. 
ii.  2.,  "  There  is  none  holy  as  the  Lord." 
No  angel  in  heaven  can  take  the  just  di- 
mensions of  God's  holiness ;  the  highest 
seraphim  is  too  low  of  stature  to  measure 
these  pyramids :  the  holiness  in  God  is  far 
above  the  holiness  in  saints  or  angels. 

1.  It  is  above  the  holiness  in  saints.  1. 
It  is  a  pure  holiness  :  the  saints'  holiness 
is  like  gold  in  the  ore,  imperfect ;  their 
humility  is  stained  with  pride ;  he  that 
hath  most  faith  hath  need  pray,  '  Lord 
help  my  unbelief ;'  but  the  holiness  of  God 
is  pure,  like  wine  from  the  grape  ;  it  hath 
not  the  least  dash  or  tincture  of  impurity 
mixed  with  it. — 2.  A  more  unchangeable 
holiness :  the  saints  though  they  cannot 
lose  the  habit  of  holiness  (for  the  seed  of 
God  remains),  yet  they  may  lose  some  de- 
grees of  their  holiness.  Rev.  ii.  4.,  "  Thou 
hast  left  thy  first  love."     Grace  cannot  die, 


yet  the  flame  of  it  may  go  out ;  holiness  in 
the  saints  is  subject  to  ebbing,  but  holiness 
in  God  is  unchange.ible  ;  he  never  lost  a 
drop  of  his  holiness ;  as  he  cannot  have 
more  holiness,  because  he  is  perfectly  holy, 
so  he  cani^t  have  less  holiness,  because  he 
is  unchangeably  holy. 

2.  The  holiness  in  God  is  above  the  ho^ 
liness  in  the  angels ;  holiness  in  the  angels 
is  only  a  quality,  which  may  be  lost,  as  we 
see  in  the  fallen  angels ;  but  holiness  iu 
God  is  his  essence,  he  is  all  over  holy,  and 
he  can  as  well  lose  his  Godliead  as  his  ho- 
liness. 

Obj.  Btit  is  he  not  privy  to  all  the  sins  of 
men  ?  He  beholds  tlieir  impurities  ;  how  can 
this  bf,  and  lie  not  dcJUed  ? 

Ans.  God  sees  all  the  sins  of  men,  but 
is  no  more  defiled  with  them  than  the  sun 
is  defiled  with  the  vapours  that  arise  out 
of  the  earth.  God  sees  sin,  not  as  a  pa- 
tron to  approve  it,  but  as  a  judge  to  punish 
it. 

Use  \st.  Is  God  so  infinitely  holy?  Then 
see  how  unlike  to  God  sin  is.  Sin  is  an 
unclean  thing,  it  is  hyperbolical ly  evil, 
Rom.  i.  13.  It  is  called  'an  abomination,' 
Deut.  vii.  25.  God  hath  no  mixture  of 
evil  in  him  ;  sin  hath  no  mixture  of  good ; 
it  is  the  spirits  and  quintescence  of  evil ;  it 
turns  good  into  evil ;  it  hath  deflowered 
the  virgin-soul,  made  it  red  with  guilt,  and 
black  with  filth  ;  it  is  called  '  the  accursed 
thing,'  Josh.  vii.  II.  No  wonder,  there- 
fore, that  God  doth  so  hate  sin,  being  so 
unlike  to  him,  nay,  so  contrary  to  him ;  it 
strikes  at  his  holiness  ;  sin  doth  all  it  can 
to  spite  God  ;  sin  would  not  only  unthrone 
God,  but  un-god  him  ;  if  sin  could  help  it, 
God  should  be  God  no  longer. 

Use  2d.  Is  God  the  Holy  One,  and  is  his 
holiness  his  glory  ?  Then  how  impious  are 
they,  1.  That  arc  haters  of  holiness?  As 
the  vulture  hates  perfumes,  so  they  hate 
this  sweet  perfume  of  holiness  in  the  saints  ; 
their  hearts  rise  against  holiness ;  as  a 
man's  stomach  at  a  dish  he  hath  an  anti- 
pathy against.  There  is  not  a  greater  sign 
of  a  person  devoted  to  hell,  than  to  hate 
one  for  that  thing  wherein  he  is  most 
like  God,  his  holiness. — 2.  That  are  despis- 
crs  of  holiness  :  they  despise  the  glory  of 
the    Godhead,     "   Glorious    in    holiness." 


OF  THE  HOLINESS  OF  GOD. 


tfl 


TJje  despising  of  holiness  is  seen  in  tlie  de- 
riding of  it ;  is  it  not  sad  men  should  de- 
ride tliat  which  should  save  them?  Sure 
that  patient  will  die  that  derides  the  phy- 
sic. The  deriding  the  grace  of  the  Spirit 
comes  near  to  the  despigliting  tlie  Spirit  of 
g^ace.  Scoffing  Ishmael  was  cast  out  of 
Abraham's  house,  Gen.  xxi.  9.  Such  as 
scoff  at  holiness  shall  be  cast  out  of  heaven. 
Ufte  Set.  Of  exhortation.  Is  God  so  infi- 
nitely holy,  then  let  us  endeavour  to  imi- 
tate God  in  holiness:  1  Pet.  i.  16.,  "  Be 
ye  holy,  for  1  am  holy."  There  is  a  two- 
fold holiness, — an  holiness  of  equality, — 
and  an  holiness  of  similitude.  An  holiness 
of  equality  no  man  or  angel  can  reach  to ; 
who  can  be  equally  holy  with  God  ?  Who 
can  parallel  him  in  sanctity  ?  But,  2.  There 
is  an  holiness  of  similitude,  and  that  we 
must  aspire  after,  to  have  some  analogy  and 
resemblance  of  God's  holiness  in  us, — be 
as  like  him  in  holiness  as  we  can  ;  though 
a  taper  doth  not  give  so  much  light  as  the 
sun,  yet  it  doth  resemble  it.  We  must  imi- 
tate God  in  holiness. 

QuKsr.  If  ive  must  he  like  God  in  holi- 
ness, wherein  doth  our  holiness  consist  ? 

Ans.  In  two  things;  \st.  In  our  suitable- 
ness to  God's  nature.  2dly,  Our  subjec- 
tion to  his  will. 

\st.  Our  holiness  stands  in  our  suitable- 
ness to  the  nature  of  God ;  hence  the  saints 
are  said  to  partake  of  the  divine  nature, 
2  Pet  i.  4.,  which  is  not  a  partaking  of  his 
essence,  but  his  image.  Herein  is  the 
saints'  holiness, — when  they  are  the  lively 
pictures  of  God, — thev  bear  the  image  of 
God's  meekness,  mercifulness,  heavenliness, 
■ — they  are  of  the  same  judgment  with  God, 
of  the  same  disposition, — they  love  what  he 
loves,  and  hate  what  he  hates. 

2d.  Our  holiness  consists  in  our  subjec- 
tion to  the  will  of  God :  as  God's  nature  is 
file  pattern  of  holiness,  so  his  will  is  the 
rule  of  holiness.  This  is  our  holiness,  1. 
When  we  do  his  will.  Acts  xiii.  22.  2. 
UHien  we  bear  his  will,  Micah  vii.  9.,  what 
he  inflicts  wisely,  we  suffer  willingly. 
This  is  our  holiness,  when  we  are  suitable 
to  God's  nature,  and  submissive  to  his  will ; 
this  should  be  our  great  care,  to  be  like  God 
In  holiness  ;  our  lioliness  should  be  so  qua- 
fied  as  God's ;    God's  is  a  real  holiness, 


such  should  ours  be,  Eph.  iv.,  24.  "  Righ- 
teousness and  true  holiness."  It  should 
not  be  only  the  paint  of  holiness,  but  the 
life  of  holiness ;  it  should  not  only  be  ilke 
the  Egyptian  temples,  beautifiod  without, 
but  like  Solomon's  temple,  gold  within, 
Ps.  xlv.  13.,  "  The  king's  daughter  is 
all  glorious  within"  That  I'  may  jness 
you  to  resemble  God  in  holiness,  consi(h?r, 

1.  How  illustrious  every  holy  person  is; 
he  is  a  fair  glass  in  which  some  of  the  beams 
of  God's  holiness  shines  forth.  We  read, 
Aaron  put  on  liis  garments  for  glory  and 
beauty,  Exod.  xxviii.  2.  AVlien  we  wear 
the  embroidered  garment  of  holiness,  it  is 
for  glory  and  beauty.  A  good  Christian 
is  ruddy,  being  sprinkled  with  Christ's 
blood ;  and  white,  being  adorned  with  ho- 
liness. As  the  diamond  to  a  ring,  so  is  ho- 
liness to  the  soul,  that,  as  Chrysostom  saith, 
they  that  o])pose  it  cannot  but  admire  it. 

2.  It  is  the  great  design  God  carries  on 
in  the  world  to  make  a  people  like  himself 
in  holiness  ;  what  are  all  the  showers  of 
the  ordinances  for,  but  to  rain  down  righ- 
teousness upon  us,  and  make  us  holy  ? 
What  are  the  promises  for,  but  to  encoiu*- 
age  holiness?  What  is  the  sending  of  the 
Spirit  into  the  world  for,  but  to  anoint  us 
with  the  holv  unction?  1  John  ii.  20. 
What  are  all  afflictions  for,  but  to  make  us 
partakers  of  God's  holiness?  Heb.  xii.  10. 
Wliat  are  mercies  for,  but  loadstones  to 
draw  us  to  holiness  ?  What  is  the  end  of 
Christ's  dying,  but  that  his  blood  might 
wash  away  our  unholiness  ?  Tit.  ii.  14., 
"  Who  gave  himself  for  us,  to  purify  unto 
himself  a  peculiar  people."  So  that  if  we 
are  not  holy,  we  cross  God's  great  design 
in  the  world. 

3.  It  is  our  lioliness  draws  God's  heart 
tons.  Holiness  is  God's  image;  God  can- 
not choose  but  love  his  image  where  he 
sees  it.  A  king  loves  to  see  his  eflij^es 
upon  a  piece  of  coin  :  Ps.  xlv.  v.  T.,  "  Thou 
lovest  righteousness."  And  where  doth 
righteousness  grow,  but  in  an  holy  heart  ? 
Isa.  Ixii.  !.,  "  'Diou  shalt  be  called  Heph- 
zibah,  for  the  Lord  delighteth  in  thee."  It 
was  her  holiness  drew  God's  love  to  her. 
V.  12.,  "  lliey  shall  call  them  the  holy  peo- 
ple" God  values  not  any  by  their  high 
birth,  but  their  hoUness. 


62 


OF  THE  HOLINESS  OF  GOD. 


4.  Holiness  is  the  only  thing  that  differ- 
enceth  us  from  tlie  reprobate  part  of  the 
world.  God's  peoi)le  have  his  seal  upon 
them,  9  Tim.  ii.  19.,  "  The  foundation  of 
God  standeth  sure,  having  this  seal,  the 
liord  knoweth  them  that  are  his.  And  let 
all  that  name  the  name  of  Christ,  depart 
from  iniquity."  The  people  of  God  are 
sealed  with  a  double  seal:  1.  Election, 
"  The  Lord  knows  who  are  his."  2.  Sanc- 
tification,  *'  Let  every  one  depart  from  ini- 
quity." As  a  nobleman  is  distinguished 
from  another  by  his  silver  star, — as  a  vir- 
tuous woman  is  distinguished  from  an  har- 
lot by  her  chastity, — so  holiness  distin- 
guisheth  between  the  two  seeds  :  all  that 
are  of  God,  as  they  have  Christ  for  their 
captain,  Heb.  ii.  10.,  so  holiness  is  the 
white  colour  they  Avear. 

5.  Holiness  is  our  honour.  Holiness 
and  honour  is  put  together,  1  Thess.  iv.  4. 
Dignity  goes  along  with  sanctification. 
Rev.  i.  5,  6.,  "  He  hath  washed  us  from 
our  sins  in  his  blood,  and  hath  made  us 
kings  unto  God."  When  we  are  washed 
and  made  holy,  then  we  are  kings  and 
priests  to  God.  The  saints  are  called  '  ves- 
sels of  honour ;'  they  are  called  '  jewels,' 
for  the  sparkling  of  their  holiness,  because 
filled  with  wine  of  the  Spirit;  this  makes 
them  earthly  angels. 

6.  Holiness  gives  us  boldness  with  God, 
Job  xxii.  26.,  "  Thou  shalt  put  away  ini- 
quity far  from  thy  tabernacle,  and  shalt 
lift  up  thy  face  unto  God."  Lifting  up 
the  face  is  an  emblem  of  boldness.  Noth- 
ing can  make  us  so  ashamed  to  go  to  God, 
as  sin :  a  wicked  man  in  prayer  may  lift 
up  his  hands,  but  he  cannot  lift  up  his  face. 
When  Adam  h.ad  lost  his  holiness,  he  lost 
his  confidence, — he  hid  himself.  But  the 
holy  person  goes  to  God,  as  a  child  to  his 
father ;  his  conscience  doth  not  upbraid 
hint  with  allowing  any  sin,  therefore  he  can 
go  boldly  to  the  throne  of  gjace,  and  have 
mercy  to  help  in  time  of  need,  Heb.  iv.  16, 

7.  Holiness  gives   peace :   sin   raiscth  a 


storm  in  the  conscience,  iibi  peccatum  ibi 
procella  :  Isa.  Ivii.  21.,  '■  There  is  no  peace 
saith  my  God  to  the  wicked."  Righteous- 
ness and  peace  are  put  together.  Holiness 
is  the  root  which  bears  this  sweet  fruit  of 
peace;  righteousness  and  peace  kiss  each 
other. 

8.  Holiness  leads  to  heaven ;  holiness  is 
the  king  of  heaven's  highway,  Isa.  xxxv.  8., 
"  An  highway  shall  be  there,  and  it  shall 
be  called  the  way  of  holiness."  At  Rome 
there  was  the  temple  of  virtue  and  honour, 
and  they  were  to  go  through  the  temple  ol 
virtue  to  the  temple  of  honour ;  so  we  must 
go  through  the  temple  of  holiness  to  the 
temple  of  heaven.  Glory  begins  in  virtue : 
2  Pet.  i.  3.,  "  Who  hath  called  us  to  glory 
and  virtue?"  Happiness  is  nothing  else 
but  the  quintessence  of  holiness;  holiness 
is  glory  militant,  and  happiness  holiness 
triumphant. 

Quest.  What  shall  we  do  to  resemble  God 
in  holiness  ? 

Ans.  Have  recourse  to  Christ's  blood  by 
faith;  it  is  lavacrum  animce ;  legal  purifi- 
cations were  types  and  emblems  of  it, 
1  John  i.  7.  The  word  is  a  glass  to  shew 
us  our  spots,  and  Christ's  blood  is  a  foun- 
tain to  wash  them  away. 

2.  Pray  for  an  holy  heart:  Ps.  Ii.  10. 
"  Create  in  me  a  clean  heart,  O  God !" 
Lay  thy  heart  before  the  Lord,  and  say, 
"  Lord,  my  heart  is  full  of  leprosy ;  it  de- 
files all  it  toucheth ;  Lord,  I  am  not  fit  to 
live  with  such  an  heart,  for  I  cannot  ho- 
nour thee ;  nor  die  with  such  an  heart,  for 
I  cannot  see  thee.  O  ciTate  in  me  a  clean 
heart  !  Send  thy  Spirit  into  me,  to  refine 
and  purify  me,  that  I  may  be  a  temple  fit 
for  thee  the  holy  God  to  inhabit !" 

3.  Walk  with  them  that  are  holy,  Pror. 
xiii.  20.,  "  He  that  walketh  with  wise  men 
shall  be  wise."  Be  among  the  spices,  and 
you  will  smell  of  them.  Association  be- 
gets assimilation  nothing  hath  a  greater 
power  and  energy  to  effect  holiness  than 
the  communion  of  saints. 


OF  GOD'S  JUSTICE 


6S 


OF  GOD'S  JUSTICE. 


THE  next  attribute  is  God's  justice. 
All  God's  attributes  are  identical,  and  are 
tlie  same  with  liis  essence.  Though  he 
hath  several  attributes  whereby  he  is  made 
known  to  us,  yet  he  hath  but  one  essence. 

A  cedar-tree  may  have  several  branches, 
vet  it  is  but  one  cedar  :  so  there  are  seve- 

• 

ral  attributes  of  God  whereby  we  conceive 
of  him,  but  only  one  entire  essence.  Well 
then,  concerning  God's  justice,  Deut.  xxxii. 
4.,  "  Just  and  right  is  he  ;"  Job.  xxxvii. 
23.,  "  Touching  the  Almighty,  we  cannot 
findjiim  out ;  he  is  excellent  in  power  and 
in  judgment."  God  is  said  to  dwell  in 
justice,  Ps.  Ixxxix.  14.,  "Justice  and  judg- 
ment are  the  habitation  of  thy  throne." 
In  God,  power  and  justice  meet.  Power 
liolds  the  sceptre,  and  justice  holds  the  ba- 
lance. 

Quest.   JF/tot  is  God's  justice  ? 

Alls.  Justice  is  to  give  every  one  his  due. 
God's  justice  is  the  rectitude  of  his  nature, 
whereby  he  is  carried  to  the  doing  of  that 
which  is  righteous  aiid  equal :  Prov.  xxiv. 
12.,  "  Shall  not  he  render  to  every  man 
according  to  his  works  ?"  God  is  an  im- 
partial judge,  he  judge th  the  cause ;  men 
oft  judge  the  person,  but  not  the  cause, 
which  is  not  justice,  but  malice ;  God 
judgeth  the  cause,  Gen.  xviii.  21.,  "I  will 
go  down  now  and  see  whether  they  have 
done  altogether  according  to  the  cry  of  it 
which  is  come  up  unto  me."  When  the 
Lord  is  upon  a  punitive  act,  he  weighs 
things  in  the  balance  ;  he  doth  not  punish 
rashly,  he  doth  not  go  in  the  way  of  a  riot, 
but  a  circuit,  against  offenders.  Concern- 
ing God's  justice,  I  shall  lay  down  these 
six  positions. 

1st.  God  cannot  be  but  just.  His  holi- 
ness is  the  cause  of  his  justice.  Holiness 
will  not  suffer  him  to  do  any  thing  but 
what  is  righteous.  He  can  no  more  be  un- 
just than  he  can  be  unholy. 

2d.  God's  will  is  the  supreme  rule  of 
justice  ;  it  is  the  standard  of  equity.  His 
will  is  wise  and  good.  God  wills  nothing 
but  what  is  just  ;  and  therefore  it  is  just 
because  he  wills  it. 


3d.  God  doth  justice  voluntarily :  jus- 
tice flows  from  his  nature.  Men  may  act 
unjustly,  because  they  are  bribed  or  forc- 
ed :  God  will  not  be  bribed,  because  of  his 
justice;  he  cannot  be  forced,  because  of 
power.  He  doth  justice  out  of  love  to  jus- 
tice, Heb.  i.  9.,  "  Thou  hast  loved  righ- 
teousness." 

4th.  Justice  is  the  perfection  of  the  Di- 
vine nature.  Aristotle  saith,  "justice  com- 
prehends in  it  all  virtues."  To  say  God  is 
just,  is  to  say,  he  is  all  that  is  excellent; 
perfections  meet  in  him,  as  lines  in  a  cen- 
tre.    He  is  not  only  just,  but  justice  itself. 

5th.  God  never  did,  nor  can  do,  the  least 
wrong  to  his  creatures.  God's  justice  hath 
been  wronged,  but  never  did  any  wrong. 
God  doth  not  go  according  to  the  summum 
jus,  or  rigour  of  the  law ;  he  abates  some- 
thing of  his  severity.  He  might  inflict 
heavier  penalties  than  he  doth,  Ezra  ix.  13., 
"  Thou  hast  punished  us  less  than  our  ini- 
quities deserve;"  our  mercies  are  more 
than  we  deserve,  and  our  punishments  less. 

fith.  God's  justice  is  such  that  it  is  not  fit 
for  any  man  or  angel  to  expostulate  with 
God,  or  depjand  a  reason  of  his  actions. 
God  hath  not  only  authority  on  his  side, 
but  equity.  He  lays  "  judgment  to  the 
line,  and  righteousness  to  the  plummet," 
Isa.  xxviii.  17.;  and  it  is  below  him  to 
give  an  account  to  us  of  his  proceedings. 
Which  of  these  two  is  fittest  to  take  place, 
— God's  justice,  or  man's  reason  ?  Rom. 
ix.  20.,  "  Who  art  thou,  O  man  !  that  re- 
pliest  against  God  ?"  ,  The  plumb-line  of 
our  reason  is  too  short  to  fathom  the  depth 
of  God's  justice,  Rom.  xi.  33.,  "  How  un- 
searchable are  his  judgments  !"  AVe  are 
to  adore  God's  justice,  M'hcre  we  cannot 
see  a  reason  of  it. 

Now  God's  justice  runs  in  two  channels. 
It  is  seen  in  two  things,  the  distribution  of 
rewards  and  punishments. 

1.  In  rewarding  the  virtuous:  Ps.  Iviii. 
11.,  "  Verily  there  is  a  reward  for  the 
righteous  !"  The  saints  shall  not  serve  him 
for  nought,  he  will  reward  praccs  ct  lach- 
rymas ;    though   they    may   be    losers    for 


64 


OF  GOD'S  JUSTICE. 


him,  they  sliall  not  be  losers  by  him,  Ilcb. 
vi.  10.,  "  God  is  not  unriglitcous  to  forget 
your  work  and  hibour  of  love,  whicli  ye 
have  shewed  toward  his  name."  He  gives 
a  reward,  not  that  we  have  deserved  it, 
but  because  he  hath  promised  it. 

2.  He  is  just  in  punishing  offenders. 
And  he  is  just,  1.  Because  he  punisheth 
sinners  by  a  law.  "  Where  there  is  no 
law  there  is  no  transgression,"  Rom.  iv.  15. 
But  God  hath  given  men  a  law,  and  they 
break  it,  therefore  he  punisheth  them  just- 
ly.— 2.  God  is  just  in  punishing  the  wick- 
ed; because  he  never  punished  them,  but 
upon  full  proof  and  evidence.  What  great- 
er evidence  tlian  for  a  man's  own  con- 
science to  be  witness  against  him  ?  There 
is  nothing  God  chargcth  upon  a  sinner, 
but  conscience  dotli  set  seal  to  the  truth  of 
it. 

Use  1st.  See  here  another  flower  of  God's 
crown;  he  is  just  and  righteous;  he  is  the 
exemplar  and  pattern  of  justice. 

Ob  J.  But  how  doth  it  seem  to  stand  with 
God's  justice,  that  the  ivicked  shoidd  prosper 
in  the  icorid?  Prov.  xii.  1.,  "  Wherefore 
doth  the  tcoy  of  the  ivicked  prosper  f 

This  hath  been  a  great  stumbling,  and 
been  ready  to  make  many  question  God's 
justice.  Such  as  ai'e  highest  in  sin,  are 
highest  in  power.  Diogenes  seeing  Har- 
palus  a  thief  go  on  prosperously,  said, 
"  Sure  God  hath  cast  off  the  government 
of  the  world,  and  mindcth  not  how  things 
go  on  here  below  !" 

Ans.  1.  The  wicked  may  be  sometimes 
instruments  to  do  God's  work ;  though 
they  do  not  design  his  glory,  yet  they  may 
promote  it.  Cyrus  (Ezra  i.  7.)  was  instru- 
mental in  the  buihllug  of  God's  temple  in 
Jerusalem.  Tlure  is  some  kind  of  justice, 
that  they  should  have  a  temporal  reward ; 
God  lets  them  prosper,  under  whose  wing 
his  people  are  sheltered.  God  will  not  be 
in  any  man's  debt:  Mai.  i.  10.,  "Do  ye 
kindle  a  fire  on  niiue  altar  for  nouoht  ?" 

A.  2.  (lod  lets  men  go  on  in  sin,  and 
prosper,  that  he  may  leave  them  more  in- 
excusable, Rev.  ii.  21.,  "I  gave  her  space 
to  repent  of  her  fornication."  God  ad- 
journs the  sessions,  spins  out  his  mercies 
towards  sinners  ;  and  if  they  repent  not, 
his  patience  will  be  a  witness  against  them, 


and  his  justice  will  be  more  cleared  in  their 
condemnation,  Ps.  li.  4.,  "  That  thou  mights 
est  be  justified  when  thou  spcakest,  and  bo 
clear  when  thou  judgest." 

A.  3.  God  doth  not  always  let  the  wick- 
ed prosper  in  their  sin  ;  some  he  doth  pun- 
ish openly,  that  his  justice  may  be  taken 
notice  of,  Ps.  ix.  16.,  "  The  Lord  is  known 
by  the  judgment  which  he  executeth  :"  that 
is,  his  justice  is  seen  by  striking  men  dead 
in  the  very  act  of  sin.  Thus  he  struck 
Zimri  and  Cozbi  in  the  act  of  uncleanness. 

A.  4.  If  God  do  let  men  prosper  a  Avliile 
in  their  sin,  his  vial  of  wrath  is  all  this 
while  filling,  his  sword  is  all  this  time  whet- 
ting, and  though  God  may  forbear  men 
a  while,  yet  long  forbearance  is  no  forgive- 
ness. The  longer  God  is  in  taking  his 
blow,  the  heavier  it  will  be  at  last :  as  long 
as  there  is  eternity,  God  hath  time  enough 
to  reckon  with  his  enemies. — Justice  may 
be  as  a  lion  asleep,  but  at  last  this  lion  will 
awake,  and  roar  upon  the  sinner.  Do  not 
Nero,  and  Julian,  and  Cain,  now  meet  with 
God's  justice? 

Obj.  But  Gods  own  people  suffer  great 
afflictions  ;  they  are  injured  and  persecuted, 
Ps.  Ixxiii.  14.,  "  All  the  day  long  have  I  been 
plagued,  and  chastened  every  morning."  How 
doth  this  stand  with  Gods  justice  ? 

Ans.  I.  That  is  a  true  rule  of  St.  Aus- 
tin,— judicia  Dei  possunt  esse  occidta,  non  in- 
jus/a, — "  God's  ways  of  judgment  are  some- 
times secret,  but  never  unjust."  The  Lord 
never  afflicts  his  peo])le  without  a  cause  ; 
so  that  he  cannot  be  unjust.  There  is 
some  good  in  the  godly,  therefore  the 
wicked  afflict  them  ;  there  is  some  evil  in 
them,  therefore  God  afflicts  them.  God's 
own  children  have  their  blemishes,  2  Chron. 
xxviii.  10.,  "  Are  there  not  with  you,  even 
with  you,  sins  against  the  Lord  .'' "  Tliese 
spiritual  diamonds,  have  they  no  flaws  ? 
Do  we  not  read  of  the  spots  of  God's  chil- 
dren ?  Dent,  xxxii.  10.  Are  not  they 
guilty  of  much  pride,  censoriousnes?,  ])as- 
sion,  worldliness?  Though,  by  their  pro- 
fession, they  seem  to  resemble  the  birds  of 
paradise, — to  fly  above,  and  feed  upon  the 
dew  of  heaven, — yet,  as  the  serpent,  they 
lick  the  dust.  And  these  sins  of  God's 
people  do  more  provoke  God  than  others : 
Deut.  xxxii.  19.,  "  Because  of  the  provok- 


OF  GOnS  JUSTICE. 


65 


ing  of  liis  sons  and  of  liis  (laughters."  Tlie 
sins  of  others  pierce  Clirist's  side,  these 
wound  his  heart;  therefore  is  not  God  just 
in  all  the  evils  that  hefall  them  ?  Amos 
iii.  2.,  "  You  only  have  I  known  of  all  the 
families  of  the  earth,  tlierefore  I  will  pun- 
isli  you  for  all  your  iniquities."  I  will  pun- 
ish you  sooner,  surer,  sorer,  than  others. 

A.  2.  The  trials  and  sufferings  of  the  godly 
are  to  refine  and  purify  them.  God's  fur- 
nace is  in  Zion,  Isa.  xxxi.  9.  Is  it  .any  in- 
justice in  God  to  put  his  gold  into  the  fur- 
nace to  purify  it  ?  Is  it  any  injustice  in 
God,  by  afllicting  his  people,  to  make  them 
partakers  of  his  holiness?  Ileb.  xii.  10. 
Wiiat  doth  more  proclaim  God's  faithful- 
ness, than  to  take  such  a  course  witij  them 
as  may  make  them  better?  Ps.  cxix.  75., 
"  In  faithfulness  thou  hast  afflicted  me." 

A.  3.  What  injustice  is  it  in  God  to  inflict 
a  lesser  punishment,  and  prevent  a  greater  ? 
The  best  of  God's  children  have  that  in 
them  which  is  meritorious  of  hell :  now,  I 
^ray,  doth  God  do  them  any  wrong,  if  he 
useth  only  the  rod,  where  they  have  deserv- 
ed the  scorpion?  Is  the  father  unjust  if  he 
only  con-ects  his  child  who  hath  deserved 
to  be  disinherited?  If  God  deals  so  fa- 
vourably with  his  children,  he  only  puts 
wormwood  in  their  cup,  whereas  he  might 
put  fire  and  brimstone;  they  are  rather  to 
admire  his  mercy,  than  complain  of  his  in- 
justice. 

Ob  J.  Hoiv  can  it  stand  with  God's  Justice, 
that  all  men  beimj  equally  guiltij  by  nature, 
God  shmdd  pass  by  one  and  save  anoUier  ? 
Why  doth  not  he  deal  ivith  all  alike  ? 

Ans.  Rom.  ix.  14.,  "  Is  there  unrightc- 
ousnes  with  God  ?  God  forbid  !"  Job.  viii. 
3.,  "  Doth  the  Almighty  pervert  justice  ?" 

1.  God  is  not  bound  to  give  an  account 
of  his  actions  to  his  creatures.  If  none  may 
say  to  a  king,  '  What  docst  thou  ?'  Ia-cI. 
viii.  4.,  much  less  to  God.  It  is  suflicient, 
God  is  Lord  Paramount ;  he  hath  a  sove- 
reign power  over  his  creatures,  therefore 
can  do  no  injustice.  Pom.  ix.  21  ,  "  Ilatli 
not  tlie  potter  jiower  over  the  clay,  of  the 
same  lump  to  make  one  vessel  to  lionour, 
and  another  to  disJionour  ?"  God  hath  a 
libertv  left  in  his  own  breast  to  save  one 
and  not  another  ;  and  his  justice  is  not  at 
all  impeached  or  blemished.      If  two  men 


owe  you  money,  you  may,  without  any  in- 
justice, remit  the  debt  to  one,  and  exact  it 
off  the  other.  If  two  malefactors  be  con- 
demned to  die,  the  king  may  pardon  tlie 
one,  and  not  the  other ;  he  is  not  unjust  if 
he  lets  one  suffer,  because  he  offended  tlie 
law ;  nor  if  he  save  the  other,  because  he 
will  make  use  of  his  prerogative  as  he  is 
king. — 2.  Though  some  are  saved  and  others 
perish,  yet  there  is  no  unrighteousness  in 
God ;  because,  whoever  pcrisheth,  his  de- 
struction is  of  himself,  IIos.  xiii.  9.,  "  O 
Israel  thou  hast  destroyed  thyself"  God 
offers  grace,  the  sinner  refuseth  it ;  is  God 
bound  to  give  grace  ?  If  a  chirurgeon  comes 
to  heal  a  man's  wound,  and  he  will  not  be 
healed,  but  bolts  out  his  chirurgeon,  is  the 
chirurgeon  bound  to  heal  him  ?  Prov.  i.  24., 
"  I  have  called,  and  ye  refused;"  Ps.  Ixxxi. 
11.,  "  Israel  would  none  of  me."  God  is 
not  bound  to  force  his  mercies  upon  men : 
if  they  wilfully  oppose  the  offer  of  grace, 
their  sin  is  to  be  taxed  as  the  cause  of  their 
perishing,  and  not  God's  justice. 

Use  2d.  See  the  dltfeience  between  God 
and  a  great  part  of  tlic  world.     They  are 
unjust,  1.  In  their  com  ts  of  judicature;  they 
pervert  justice,  Is.a.  x.  1.,  "They  decree  un- 
righteous decrees."     The  Ilebix'w  word  for 
a  judge's  robe,  signifies  prevarication,  de- 
ceit, or  injustice:  it  is  oftener  true  of  the 
judge  than  of  the  robe;  the  judge  deserves 
rather  to  have  that  name  than   the   robe. 
What  is  a  good  law,  without  a  good  judge  ? 
Injustice  lies  in  two  things,    either  not  to 
punish  where  there  is  a  fault,  or,  to  punish 
u'here   there   is   no   fault;    how   frequent!' 
Again,  2.  Unjust  in  their  dealings.     This  is 
(1.)  Either  in  using  false  weights,  IIos.  xii. 
7.,  "  The  balances  of  deceit  are  in  his  hand." 
It  is  sad,  to  have  the  Bible  in  one  hand,  and 
false  weights  in  the  other.     Or,  (  .)  In  a- 
dulterating  commodities,  Isa.  i.  22.,   "  Tliy 
wine  is  mixed  with  water ;"  when  tliry  mix 
bad  grain  with  good,   yet  sell  it  for  pure 
grain.      I  can  never  believe  he  is  good  in  the 
first  table,   who  is  not  good  in  the  second. 
He  cannot  be  godly  who  is  not  just.  Though 
God  doth  not  hid  you  be  omnipotent,  as  he 
is,  yet  he  bids  you  be  just,  as  he  is. 

Use  3d.  Imitate  God  in  justice.  Let 
Christ's  gfildcn  maxim  be  observed^  Matt, 
vii.  12.,  "  What  you  would  have  men  to  do 


^' 


THE  MERCY  OF  GOD. 


to  you,  do  ye  even  so  to  them."     You  would 
not  have  them  wrong  you,  neither  do  you 
them  ;  rather  suffer  wrong  than  do  wrong, 
1  Cor.  vi.  T.,  "  Wliy  do  ye  not  rather  take 
wrono-?"     O  be  exemplary  for  justice  !   Let 
lustice  he  your  ornament  !  Job  xxix.  14., 
"  I  put  on  righteousness  (viz.  justice)  as  a 
robe  and  a  diadem."     A  robe  for  its  grace- 
ful beauty ;  and  I  put  it  on, — et  indueham 
justitiam.     A  judge  puts  on  his  robe,  and 
puts  it  off  again  at  night ;  but  Job  did  so 
put  on  justice,  as  he  did  not  put  it  off  till 
death, — semper  vest'di.     We  must  not  lay  off 
this  robe  of  justice  till  we  lay  down  our  ta- 
bernacle.    If  you  have  any  thing  of  God  in 
you   you  will  be  like  him.     By  every  un- 
just iiction  you  do   deny  yourselves   to  be 
Christians,  you  stain  the  glory  of  your  pro- 
fession; heathens  will  rise  up  in  judgment 
against  you  ;  the  sun  might  sooner  alter  his 
course  than  God  could  be  tui-ned  from  do- 
ing justice. 

Use  4th.  If  God  be  just,  there  will  be  a 
day  of  judgment.  Now  things  are  out  of 
course  ;  sin  is  rampant,  saints  are  wronged, 
they  are  often  cast  in  a  righteous  cause, 
they  can  meet  with  no  justice  here,  justice 
is  turned  into  wormwood ;  but  there  is  a 
day  coming,  when  God  will  set  things 
right,  he  will  do  every  man  justice,  he  will 


crown  the  righteous,  and  condemn  the  wick- 
ed. Acts  xvii.  31.,   "  He  hath  appointed  a 
day,"  &c.     If  God  be  a  just  God,  he  will 
take  vengeance.     God  hath  given   men  a 
law  to  live  by, — they  break  it ;  there  must 
be  a  day  for  the  execution  of  offenders ;  a 
law  not  executed,  is  but  like  a  wooden  dag- 
ger, for  a  shew.     At  the   last   day  God's 
sword  shall  be  drawn  out  against  offenders ; 
then  his  justice  shall  be  revealed  before  all 
the  world,  "  God  will  judge  in  righteous- 
ness," Acts  xvii.  31.     "  Shall  not  the  Judge 
of  all  the  earth  do  right  ?"   Gen,  xviii.  25. 
The  Avicked  shall  drink  a  sea  of  wrath,  but 
not  sip  one  drop  of  injustice.     At  that  day 
shall  all  mouths  be  stopt,  and  God's  justice 
shall  be  fully  vindicated  from  all  the  cavils 
and  clamours  of  unjust  men. 

Use  5th.  Comfort  to  the  true  penitent ; 
as  God  is  a  just  God,  he  will  pardon  him. 
Ilortio  ognoscit,  Dcus  ignuscit.  1  John  i.  9., 
"  If  we  confess  our  sins,  (i.  e.  confess  and 
forsake),  he  is  just  to  foi'give  us  our  sins." 
Not  only  merciful  but  just.  Why  just?* 
Because  he  hath  promised  to  forgive  such? 
Prov.  xxviii.  13.  If  thy  heart  hath  been 
broken  for  and  from  sin,  thou  mayest  not 
only  plead  God's  mercy,  but  his  justice  for 
the  pardoning  thy  sin.  Sliew  him  his  hand 
and  seal,  he  cannot  deny  himself. 


THE  MERCY  OF  GOD. 


THE  next  attribute  is  God's  goodness  or  I 
mercy.  Mercy  is  the  result  and  efl'ect  of  I 
God's  goodness,  Ps.  xxxiii.  5.  Ps.  cxix.  64. 
So  then  this  is  the  next  attribute,  God's 
goodness  or  mercy.  The  most  learned  of 
the  heathens  thought  they  gave  their  God, 
Jupiter,  two  golden  characters  when  they 
styled  him  Good  and  Great;  both  these  meet 
in  (lod,  Goodness  and  Greatness, — majesty 
and  mercy. 

God  is,  1.  Essentially  good  in  himself. 
And  2.  Relatively  good  to  us.  They  are  both 
put  together,  Ps.  cxix.  68.,  "  Thou  art  good, 
and  doest  good."  This  relative  goodness  is 
nothing  else  but  his  mercy,  which  is  an  in- 
nate propenseness  in  God  to  pity  and  suc- 
coui-  such  as  are  In  misery.  Concerning 
God's  mercy 


1st.  I  shall  lay  down  these  twelve  posi- 
tions :  1 .  It  is  the  great  design  of  the  scrip- 
ture to  represent  God  as  merciful.  This  is 
a  loadstone  to  draw  sinners  to  him,  Exod. 
xxxiv.  6.,  '■  The  Lord  merciful,  gracious, 
long  suffering,  abundant  in  goodness,"  &c. 
Here  are  six  expressions  to  set  forth  God's 
mercy,  and  but  one  to  set  fortli  his  justice : 
"  who  will  by  no  means  clear  the  guilty," 
Ps.  Ivii.  10.  "  Thy  mercy  is  great  above 
the  heavens,"  Ps.  c\iii.  4.  God  is  represent- 
ed as  a  king,  and  a  rainbow  was  about  his 
throne.  Rev.  iv.  3.  The  rainbow  Avas  an 
emblem  of  mercy ;  the  scripture  dotlj  oftcner 
represent  God  in  his  white  robes  of  mercy, 
than  with  his  garments  rolled  in  blood, — 
oftener  with  his  jjoUlen  sceptre,  than  his 
iron  rod. 


THE  MERCY  OF  GOD. 


67 


2.  God  is  more  inclinable  to  mercy  tlian  ; 
wrath.  Mercy  is  his  darling  attribute, 
which  he  most  delights  in,  Mic.  vii.  18. 
Mercy  pleaseth  him.  It  is  delightful  to  the 
mother,  saith  Chrysostom,  to  haA^e  her 
breasts  drawn :  so  it  is  to  God,  to  have  the 
breasts  of  his  mercy  drawn  :  Isa.  xx^ii.  4., 
"  Fury  is  not  in  me ;"  that  is,  I  do  not  de- 
light in  it.  Acts  of  severity  are  rather 
forced  from  God,  he  doth  not  afflict  will- 
ingly. Lam.  iii.  33.  The  bee  naturally  gives 
honey,  it  stings  only  when  it  is  provoked  ; 
God  doth  not  punish  till  he  can  bear  no 
longer,  Jer.  xliv.  22.,  "  So  that  the  Lord 
could  bear  no  longer,  because  of  the  evil  of 
your  doings."  Mercy  is  God's  right  hand 
that  he  is  most  used  to ;  inflicting  of  punish- 
ment is  called  God's  '  strange  work,'  Isa. 
xxviii.  21.  He  is  not  used  to  it.  And  when 
the  Lord  would  shave-off  the  pride  of  a 
nation,  he  is  said  to  '  hire  a  razor,'  as  if  he 
had  none  of  his  own.  Isa.  Adi.  20.,  '  He  shall 
shave  with  a  razor  thai  is  hired.'  "  He  is 
slow  to  anger,"  Ps.  ciii.  8. ;  "  and  ready  to 
forgive,"  Ps.  Ixxxvi.  5. 

3.  There  is  no  condition,  but  we  may 
spy  mercy  in  it :  when  the  church  was  in 
captivity,  she  cries  out,  "  It  is  of  the  Lord's 
mercies  that  we  are  not  consumed,"  Lam. 
iii.  22.  Geographers  write  of  Syracuse  in 
Sicily,  it  is  so  situated,  that  the  sun  is  ne- 
yer  out  of  sight.  In  all  afflictions  we  may 
see  some  sun-shine  of  mercy.  That  out- 
ward and  inward  troubles  do  not  come  to- 
gether, is  mercy. 

4.  Mercy  sweetens  all  God's  other  attri- 
butes :  God's  holiness  without  mercy,  and 
his  justice  without  mercy,  were  terrible. 
Wlien  the  water  was  bitter,  and  Israel 
could  not  drink,  Moses  cast  a  tree  into  the 
waters,  and  then  they  were  made  sweet. 
How  bitter  and  dreadful  were  the  other 
attributes  of  God,  did  not  mercy  sweeten 
them  !  Mercy  set  God's  power  on  work 
to  help  us;  it  makes  his  justice  become 
our  friend ;  it  shall  avenge  our  quarrels. 

5.  God's  mercy  is  one  of  the  most  orient 
pearls  of  his  crown ;  it  makes  his  Godhead 
appear  amiable  and  lovely.  When  Moses 
said  to  God,  "  I  beseech  thee  shew  me  thy 
glory ;"  the  Lord  answered  him,  "  I  will 
make  all  my  goodness  pass  before  thee,  and 
I  will  shew  thee  mercy,"  Exod.  xxxiii.  19. 


God's  mercy  is  his  glory;  his  holiness 
makes  him  illustrious :  his  mercy  makes  him 
propitious. 

6.  Even  the  worst  taste  of  God's  mercy ; 
such  as  fight  against  God's  mercy,  taste  of 
it;  the  wicked  have  some  crumbs  from 
mercy's  table;  "  The  Lord  is  good  to  all," 
Ps.  cxlv.  9.  The  sweet  dew  drops  on  the 
thistle  as  well  as  the  rose.  The  diocese 
where  mercy  visits  is  very  large;  Pharaoh's 
head  was  crowned  though  his  heart  was 
hardened. 

7.  Mercy  coming  to  us  in  a  covenant  is 
sweetest.  It  was  mercy  that  God  would 
give  Israel  rain,  and  bread  to  the  full,  and 
peace,  and  victory  over  their  enemies.  Lev. 
xxvi.  4,  5,  6.  But  it  was  a  greater  mercy 
that  God  would  be  their  God,  v.  1 2.  To 
have  health  is  a  mercy  ;  but  to  have  Christ 
and  salvation  is  a  greater  mercy  ;  this  is  like 
the  diamond  in  the  ring,  it  casts  a  more 
sparkling  lustre. 

8.  One  act  of  mercy  engageth  God  to 
another.  JNIen  argue  thus :  I  have  shewn 
vou  kindness  alrcadv,  therefore  trouble  me 
no  more ;  but,  because  God  hath  shewn 
mercy,  he  is  more  ready  still  to  shew  mer- 
cy ;  his  mercy  in  election,  makes  him  jus- 
tify, adopt,  glorify ;  one  act  of  mercy  en- 
gageth God  to  more.  A  parent's  love  to 
his  child  makes  him  always  giving. 

9.  All  the  mercy  in  the  creature  is  de- 
rived from  God,  and  is  but  a  drop  of  this 
ocean ;  the  mercy  and  pity  a  mother  hath 
to  her  child  is  from  God ;  he  that  puts  the 
milk  in  her  breast,  puts  the  compassion  in 
her  heart,  therefore  God  is  called,  "  The 
father  of  mercies,""  2  Cor.  i.  3.,  because  he 
beffets  all  the  mercies  in  the  world.  If  God 
hath  put  any  kindness  into  the  creature, 
how  much  kindness  is  in  him  who  is  the 
Father  of  mercy  ? 

10.  God's  mercy,  as  it  makes  the  saints 
happy,  so  it  should  make  them  humble. 
Mercy  is  not  the  fruit  of  our  goodness,  but 
the  fruit  of  God's  goodness.  Mercy  is  an 
alms  that  God  bestows ;  they  have  no  cause 
to  be  proud,  that  live  upon  the  alms  of  God's 
mercy.  Job  x.  15.,  "  If  I  be  righteous,  yet 
will  I  not  lift  up  my  head."  All  my 
righteousness  is  the  effect  of  God's  mercy, 
therefore  I  will  be  humble,  and  will  not  lift 
up  my  head. 


68 


THE  MERCY  OF  GOD. 


11.  It  is  mercy  stays  tlie  speedy  execu- 
tion of  God's  justice.  Sinners  continually 
provoke  God,  and  make  his  fury  come  up 
in  liis  face,"  F.zek.  xxxviii.  18.  Whence 
is  it  God  doth  not  presently  arrest  and  con- 
demn them?  It  is  not  that  God  cannot  do 
it,  for  he  is  armed  with  omnipotence;  but 
it  is  from  God's  mercy ;  mercy  gets  a  re- 
prieve for  the  sinner,  and  stops  the  speedy 
process  of  j  ustice.  God  would,  by  his  good- 
ness, lead  sinners  to  repentance. 

1 2.  It  is  dreadful  to  have  mercy  witness 
against  one.  It  was  sad  with  Haman,  wlien 
the  queen  herself  accused  him,  Esth.  vii.  6. 
So  will  it,  when  this  queen  of  mercy  shall 
stand  up  against  a  person  and  accuse  him. 
It  is  only  mercy  that  saves  a  sinner.  Now, 
how  sad  to  have  mercy  become  an  enemy  ! 
If  mercy  be  an  accuser,  who  shall  be  our 
advocate?  The  sinner  never  escapes  hell, 
when  mercy  draws  up  the  indictment. 

I  might  shew  you  several  species  or  kinds 
of  mercy :  preventing  mercy,  sparing  mercy, 
supplying  mercy,  guiding  mercy,  accepting 
mercy,  healing  mercy,  quickening  mercy, 
supporting  mercy,  forgiving  mercy,  correct- 
ing mercy,  comforting  mercy,  delivering 
mercy,  crowning  mercy, — but  I  shall  speak 
of  the  qualifications  or  properties  of  God's 
mercy. 

]st.  God's  mercy  is  free.  To  set  up  me- 
rit is  to  destroy  mercy ;  nothing  can  de- 
serve mercy,  because  we  are  polluted  in  our 
blood ;  nor  force  it ;  we  may  force  God  to 
pimish  us,  not  to  love  us,  Hos.  xiv.  4.,  "  I 
will  love  them  freely."  Every  link  in  the 
chain  of  salvation  is  wrought  and  interwo- 
ven with  free  grace.  Election  is  free,  Eph. 
i.  4.  ;■}.,  "  He  hath  chosen  us  in  him,"  "  ac- 
cording to  the  good  pleasure  of  his  will." 
Justification  is  free,  Rom.  iii.  24.,  "  Being 
justified  freely  by  his  grace."  Salvation  is 
free,  Titus  iii.  3.,  "  According  to  his  mercy 
he  saved  us."  Say  not  then,  I  am  unwor- 
thy, for  mercy  is  free ;  if  God  should  shew 
mercy  only  to  such  as  are  worthy,  he  would 
shew  none  at  all. 

2d.  God's  mercy  is  an  overflowing  mer- 
cy; it  is  infinite:  Ps.  Ixxxvi.  5.,  "  Plente- 
ous in  mercy;"  Eph.  ii.  4.,  "  Rich  in  mer- 
cy," Ps.  li.  1.,  "  Multitude  of  thy  mercies." 
The  vial  of  wrath  doth  but  droj),  but  the 
fountain  of  mercy  runs.     The  sun  is  not 


so  iull  of  light  as  God  is  of  mercy;  God 
hath  morning-mercies,  Lam.  iii.  23.,  "  They 
are  new  every  morning;"  and  night-mer- 
cies, Ps.  xlii.  8  ,  "In  tl>e  night  his  song 
shall  be  with  me."  God  hath  mercies  un- 
der heaven,  those  we  taste  of;  and  in  hea- 
ven, those  we  hope  for. 

3d.  God's  mercy  is  eternal,  Ps.  ciii.  17., 
"  The  mercy  of  the  Lord  is  from  everlast- 
ing to  everlasting."  It  is  repeated  twenty- 
six  times  in  one  psalm,  "  His  mercy  en- 
dureth  for  ever,"  Ps.  cxxxvi.  The  souls 
of  the  blessed  shall  be  ever  bathing  them- 
selves in  this  sweet  and  pleasant  ocean  of 
God's  mercy.  God's  anger  to  his  children 
lasts  but  a  while,  Ps.  ciii.  17.,  "  But  his 
mercy  lasts  for  ever."  As  long  as  he  is  God 
he  will  be  shewing  mercy;  as  his  mercy  is 
overflowing,  so  everflowing. 

U.se  1st.  Of  Information.  It  shows  us 
how  we  are  to  look  upon  God  in  prayer, — 
not  in  his  judgment-robes,  but  clothed  with 
a  rainbow  full  of  'mercy  and  clemency. 
Add  wings  to  prayer.  When  Jesus  Christ 
ascended  up  to  heaven,  that  which  made 
him  go  up  thither  with  joy  was,  "  I  go  to 
my  Father;"  so  that  which  should  make 
our  hearts  ascend  witli  joy  in  prayer,  is, 
'•  We  are  going  to  the  Father  of  mercy, 
who  sits  upon  the  throne  of  grace;"  go 
with  confidence  in  this  mercy,  as  when 
one  goes  to  a  fire,  it  is  not  doubtingly,  per- 
haps it  will  warm  me,  perhaps  not. 

Use  2d.  Believe  in  his  mercy,  Ps.  Iii. 
8.,  "  I  will  trust  in  the  mei'cy  of  God  for 
ever."  God's  mercy  is  a  fountain  opened, 
let  down  the  bucket  of  faith,  and  you  may 
drink  of  this  fountain  of  salvation.  What 
greater  encouragement  to  believe  than  God's 
mercy  ?  (iod  counts  it  his  glory  to  be 
scattering  pardims ;  he  is  desirous  that  sin- 
ners should  touch  the  golden  sceptre  of  his 
mercy  and  live.  And  this  willingness  to 
shew  mercy  a])pears  two  ways : 

1.  By  his  entreating  of  sinners  to  come 
and  lay  hold  on  his  mercy.  Rev.  xxii.  17., 
"  Whosoever  will,  let  him  take  the  water 
of  life  freely."  Mercy  woos  sinners, — it 
even  kneels  down  to  them.  It  were  strange 
for  a  prince  to  entreat  a  condemned  man 
to  accept  a  pardon.  God  saith.  Poor  sin- 
ner, suffer  me  to  love  thee,  be  willing  to  let 
me  save  thee. 


THE  MERCY  OF  GOD. 


69 


2.  By  liis  joyfulncss  wlien  sinners  do  lay  man."  Notliing  sweeter  tlian  mercy,  when 
li<Ai\  on  liis  mercy.  Wliat  is  God  the  bet-  it  is  improved, — notliing  fiercer,  when  it  is 
tor  whether  we  receive  his  mercy  or  not?  abused;  nothinj^  colder  than  lead,  when  it 
What  is  the  fountain  ])n»fited,  that  others  is  taken  out  of"  the  mine, — nothing'  more 
drink  of  it?  Yet,  such  is  Cod's  goodness,  scalding  than  lead,  when  it  is  heated;  no- 
tiiat  he  rejoiceth  at  the  salvation  of  sinners,  '  thing   blunter   than  iron,   nothing  sharper 


and  is  glad  when  liis  mercy  is  accepted  of. 
When  the  prodigal  son  came  home,  how 
glad  was  the  father?  and  he  makes  a  feast, 
to  express  his  joy ;  this  was  but  a  typ^»  or 
emblom,  to  shew  how  Cod  rejoiceth  when 
a  poor  siinier  comes  in,  an<l  lays  hold  of  his 
•nu'rcy.  What  ati  encouragement  is  here 
to  believe  in  Cod?  lie  is  a  Gotl  of  par- 
(h»ns,  Nell.  ix.  IT.  Mercy  pleaseth  him, 
Mic.  \-\i.  18.  Nothing  dotli  ])rejudicc  us 
but  uiibelief.  Unbelief  stops  the  current 
of  (lod's  mercy  from  running;  it  shuts  up 
God's  bowels,  closetli  the  orifice  of  Clirist's 
wounds,  that  no  healing  virtue  will  come 
out,  Mat.  xiii.  58  ,  '•  lie  could  do  no  migh- 
ty works  there,  because  of  their  unbelief" 
Why  dost  thou  not  believe  in  (iod's  mercy  ? 
Is  it  tliy  sins  discourage  ?  God's  mercy 
can  ])ardon  great  sins,  nay,  because  they 
are  great,  I's.  xxv.  1 1.  The  sea  covers 
great  rocks  as  well  as  lesser  sands;  some 
that  had  an  hand  in  crucifying  Christ  found 
mercy.  As  far  as  the  heavens  are  abo\'e 
the  earth,  so  far  is  Cod's  mercy  above  our 
sins,  Isa.  Iv.  9.  What  will  tempt  us  to  be- 
lieve, if  not  the  mercy  of  Cod  ! 

Use  o,'/.  Of  cauti*>n.  Take  heed  of  abus- 
ing this  mercy  of  ( lod  !  Suck  not  jioison 
out  of  the  sweet  (lower  of  Cod's  mercy  ! 
Do  not  tiiink,  that  because  Cod  is  merciful, 
yon  may  go  on  in  sin  ;  this  is  to  make  mercy 
become  your  enemy.  None  might  touch 
the  ark  but  the  priests,  who  by  their  office 
were  more  holy;  none  may  touch  this  ark 
of  God's  niei'cy,  but  such  as  are  resolved  to 
be  holy.  To  sin  because  mercy  abounds, 
is  the  devil's  lofric.  He  that  sins  because 
of  mercy  is  like  one  that  wounds  his  head 
because  he  hath  a  plaster  ;  he  that  sins  be- 
cause of  Cod's  mercy,  shall  have  judgment 
without  mercy.  Mercy  abused  turns  to 
fury,  Deut.  xxix.  19,  20.,  '•  If  he  bless  him- 
self, saying,  I  shall  have  peace  though  I 
walk  after  the  imaginations  of  my  heart,  to 
add  drunkenness  to  thirst,  the  Lord  will 
not  spare  him,  but  the  anger  of  the  Lord, 
and  his  jealous}^,   shall  smoke  against  that 


when  it  is  whetted.  Ps.  ciii.  17.,  "  The 
mercy  of  the  Lord  is  upon  them  that  fear 
him."  Mercy  is  not  for  them  that  sin  and 
fear  not,  but  for  them  that  fear  and  sin  not. 
Cod's  mercy  is  an  holy  mercy ;  where  it 
pardons  it  heals. 

Qi'KST.  JV/utt  shall  we  do  to  he  interested 
in  (iod's  merry  ? 

Ans.  J.  Be  sensible  of  your  wants.  See 
how  you  stand  in  need  of  mercy,  pardoning, 
saving  mercy.  See  yourselves  orphans  : 
llos.  xiv.  3.,  "  In  thee  the  fatherless  find- 
eth  mercy."  Cod  bestows  the  alms  of  mer- 
cy only  on  such  as  are  indigent.  Be  empti- 
ed of  all  opinion  of  self-worthiness.  God 
pours  the  golden  oil  of  mercy  into  empty 
vessels. 

A.  2.  Go  to  Cod  for  mercy,   Ps.  li.  1., 
"  Have  mercy  upon  me,  O  God  !"  Put  me 
not  off  with  common  mercy  that  reprobates 
may  have  ;   give  me  not  only  alcorns  but 
pearls ;  give  me  not  only  mercy  to  feed  and 
clothe  me,  but  mercy  to  save  me ;  give  me 
the  cream  of  thy  mercies  ;  Lord,  let  me  have 
mercy    and    loving-kindness  !    Ps.  ciii.  4., 
"  Who  crowneth  thee  with  loving-kindness 
and  tender  mercies."     (iive  me  such  mercy 
as  sjK'aks  thy  electing  love  to  my  soul !  O 
j)ray  for  mercy  !  God  hath  treasures  of  mer- 
cy ;  j)rayer  is  the  key  that  opens  these  trea- 
sures :  and  in  j)rayer,  be  sure  to  carry  Christ 
in  your  arms;  all  the  mercy  comes  through 
Ciirist:    1  Sam.  vii.  9.,    "Samuel   took  a 
suekiiifj  land) ;"   carry  the  lamb  Christ  in 
your  arms, — go  in  his  name, — present  his 
merits, — say,  "  Lord,  here  is  Christ's  blood, 
which  is  the  price  of  my  pardon  !   Lord, 
shew  me  mercy,  because  Christ  hath  pur- 
chased it !"       I  houffh  God  may  refuse   us 
when  we  come  for  mercy  in  our  own  name, 
yet  not  when  we  come  in  Christ's  name  : 
plead  Christ's  satisfaction,  and  this  is  such 
an  argument  as  God  cannot  dtnv. 

Use  Ath.  It  exhorts  such  as  have  found 
mercy,  to  three  things  :  I.  To  be  upon  Ge- 
rizzim,  the  mount  of  blessing  and  praising. 
They  have  not  only  heard  the  King  of  hear 


70 


OF  THE  TRUTH  OF  GOD. 


ven  IS  merciful,  but  tliey  have  found  it  so ; 
the  honey -comb  of  God's  mercy  liath  dropt 
upon  them  ;  when  in  wants,  mercy  su])plied 
them ;  when  they  were  nigh  unto  death, 
mercy  raised  tliem  from  the  sick-bed ;  wlien 
covered  with  guilt,  mercy  pardoned  them, 
Ps.  ciii.  1.,  "  Bless  the  Lord,  O  my  soul, 
and  all  that  is  within  me,  bless  his  holy 
name."  O  how  should  the  vessels  of  mercy 
run  over  with  praise  !  1  Tim.  i.  13.,  "  Who 
was  before  a  persecutor,  and  injurious  ;  but 
I  obtained  mercy."  I  was  bemiracled  with 
mercy ;  as  the  sea  overflows  and  breaks 
down  the  banks,  so  the  mercy  of  God,  did 
break  down  the  banks  of  my  sin,  and  mercy 
did  sweetly  flow  into  my  soul.  You  that 
have  been  monuments  of  God's  mercy, 
should  be  trumpets  of  praise ;  you  that  have 
tasted  the  Lord  is  gracious,  tell  others  what 
experiences  you  have  had  of  God's  mercy, 
that  you  may  encourage  them  to  seek  to  him 
for  mercy,  Fs  Ixvi.  16,  "I  will  declare 
what  God  hath  done  for  my  soul ;"  when 
I  found  my  heart  dead,  God's  Spirit  did 
come  upon  me  mightily,  and  the  blowing 
of  that  wind  made  tlie  withering  flowers 
of  my  gi'ace  revive.  O  tell  others  of  God's 
goodness,  that  you  may  set  others  a  blessing 


him,  and  that  you  may  make  God's  praises 
live  when  you  are  dead  ! — 2.  To  love  God. 
Mercy  should  be  the  attractive  of  love : 
Ps.  xviii.  1.,  "I  will  loA'e  thee,  O  Lord, 
my  strength."  The  Hebrew  word  for  /oz'e, 
signifies  love  out  of  the  inward  bowels. 
God's  justice  may  make  us  fear  him,  his 
mercy  may  make  us  love  him.  If  mercy 
will  not  produce  love,  what  will  ?  We  are 
to  Ipve  God  for  gi^^ng  us  our  food,  much 
more  for  giving  us  gi*ace  ;  for  sparing  mercy, 
much  more  for  saving  mercy.  Sure  that 
heart  is  made  of  marble,  which  the  mercy- 
of  God  will  not  dissolve  in  love  !  "  I  would 
hate  my  own  soul,  (saith  St.  Augustine)  if 
I  did  not  find  it  lo%'ing  God." — 3.  To  imi- 
tate God  in  shewing  mercy.  God  is  the 
Father  of  mercy ;  shew  yourselves  to  be  his 
children,  by  being  like  him.  St.  Ambrose 
saith,  "  The  sum  and  definition  of  religion 
is.  Be  rich  in  works  of  mercy,  be  helpful  to 
the  bodies  and  souls  of  others.  Scatter  your 
golden  seeds  ;  let  the  lamp  of  your  profes- 
sion be  filled  with  the  oil  of  charity.  Be 
merciful  in  giving  and  forgiving.  '  Be  ye 
merciful,  as  your  heavenly  Father  is  merci- 
ful.' " 


OF  THE  TRUTH  OF  GOD. 


THE  next  attribute  is  God's  truth,  Deut. 
xxxii.  4.,  "  A  God  of  truth,  and  without 
iniquity  ;  just  and  right  is  he;"  Ps.  Ivii.  10., 
"  For  thy  mercy  is  great  unto  the  heavens, 
and  thy  truth  unto  the  clouds."  A  God  of 
truth,  Ps.  Ixxxvi.  I  j.,  "  Plenteous  in  truth," 
God  is  the  truth.  He  is  true  :  1.  In  a  phy- 
sical sense ;  true  in  his  being ;  he  hath  a 
real  subsistence,  and  gives  a  being  to  others. 
2.  He  is  true  in  a  moral  sense;  he  is  true 
sine  errore,  without  errors  ;  et  sine  fallacia, 
without  deceit.  God  is  prima  Veritas, — the 
pattern  and  prototype  of  truth.  Ther.'  is 
nothing  true  but  what  is  in  God,  or  comes 
from  God.  I  shall  naw  speak  of  God's  truth, 
as  it  is  taken,  from  his  veracity  in  making 
good  his  promises,  I  Kings  viii.  56.,  "  There 
hath  not  failed  one  word  of  all  his  good  pro- 
mise." The  promise  is  God's  bond,  God's 
truth  is  the  seal  set  to  Ids  bond.     This  is 


the  thing  to  be   explicated  and  discussed, 
God's  truth  in  fulfilling  his  promises. 

There  are  two  things  to  be  observed  in 
the  promises  of  God  to  comfort  us  :  I.  The 
power  of  God,  whereby  he  is  able  to  ful- 
fil the  promise,  God  hath  promised  to  sub- 
due our  corruj)tion,  Micah  vii.  19.,  "'  He 
will  subdue  our  iniquities."  O  !  saith  a  be- 
liever, my  corruption  is  so  strong,  that  sure 
I  shall  never  get  the  mastery  of  it.  Thus 
Abraham  looked  at  God's  ])owcr.  Pom.  iv. 
21.,  "  Being  fully  persuaded  tliat  wliat  God 
had  jHomised  he  was  able  also  to  ])erform." 
He  believed,  that  God,  who  could  make  a 
world,  could  make  dry  bretists  give  suck. 
This  is  faith's  support,  there  is  nothing  too 
hard  for  (iod.  He  that  could  bring  water 
out  of  a  rock,  is  able  to  bring  to  j)ass  his 
promises. — 2.  The  truth  of  (iod  in  the  pro- 
mises :   God's  truth  is  the  seal  set  to  the 


OF  THE  TRUTH  OF  GOD. 


71 


promise.  Tit.  i.  2.,  "  In  liope  of  eternal 
life,  which  God  that  cannot  lie  hath  pro- 
mised." '  Eternal  life,'  there  is  the  sweet- 
ness of  the  promise  :  '  God  which  cannot 
lie,'  there  is  the  certainty  of  it.  Mercy 
makes  the  promise,  trutii  fulfils  it.  God's 
providences  are  uncertain,  but  liis  promises 
are  the  '  sure  mercies  of  David,'  Acts  xiii. 
24. ;  "  God  is  not  a  man  that  he  should  re- 
pent," 1  Sam.  XV.  29.  The  word  of  a  prince 
cannot  always  he  taken,  but  (Jod's  promise 
is  inviolable.  God's  truth  is  one  of  the 
richest  jewels  of  his  crown,  and  he  hath 
pawned  this  jewel  in  a  promise,  2  Sam.  xxiii. 
5.,  '•  Although  my  house  be  not  so  with 
God,  yet  he  hath  made  with  me  an  everlast- 
ing covenant,  ordered  in  all  things  and 
sure."  Although  my  house  be  not  so,  that 
is,  though  I  fail  much  of  that  exact  purity 
the  Lord  requires,  yet  he  hath  made  with 
me  an  everlasting  covenant,  that  he  will 
pardon,  adopt,  and  glorify  me  ;  and  this  co- 
venant is  ordered  in  all  things  sure :  "  The 
elements  shall  melt  with  fervent  heat;"  but 
this  covenant  abides  firm  and  inviolable, 
being  sealed  with  tlie  truth  of  God ;  nay, 
God  hath  added  to  his  word,  his  oath,  Heb. 
vi.  17.,  wherein  God  pawns  his  being,  life, 
righteousness,  to  make  good  the  promise. 
If  as  oft  as  we  break  our  vows  with  God,  he 
should  break  promise  with  us,  it  would  be 
very  sad ;  but  his  truth  is  engaged  in  his 
promise,  therefore  it  is  like  the  law  of  the 
Medes  and  Persians,  which  cannot  be  al- 
tered. "  We  are  not  (saith  Chrysostom)  to 
believe  our  senses  so  much,  as  we  are  to  be- 
lieve the  promises,"  &c.  Our  senses  may 
fail  us,  but  the  promise  cannot,  being  built 
upon  the  truth  of  God ;  God  will  not  deceive 
the  faith  of  his  people,  nay,  he  cannot; 
"  God,  who  cannot  lie,  hath  promised ;"  he 
can  as  well  part  with  his  Deity,  as  his  veri- 
ty. God  is  said  to  be  abundant  in  truth 
Exod.  xxxiv.  G.  What  is  that  ?  viz.  If  Ciod 
hath  made  a  promise  of  mercy  to  his  ])e()ple, 
he  will  ]je  so  far  from  coming  short  of  his 
word,  that  he  will  be  better  tlian  his  word. 
God  often  doth  more  than  he  hath  said, 
never  less.     He  is  abundant  in  truth. 

1.  Tlie  Lord  may  sometimes  delay  a 
promise,  but  he  will  not  deny  ;  he  may  de- 
lay a  j)romise,  Gpd's  promise  may  lie  a 
good  while  as  seed  under  ground,  but  at 


last  it  will  spring  up  into  a  crop.  God 
])romised  to  deliver  Israel  from  the  iron 
furnace,  but  this  promise  was  above  four 
hundred  years  in  travail  before  it  brought 
forth.  Simeon  had  a  promise  that  he  should 
not  depart  hence,  "  till  he  had  seen  the 
Lord's  Christ,"  Luke  ii.  26.,  but  it  was  a 
long  time  first,  but  a  little  before  his  death, 
that  he  did  see  Christ.  But  though  God 
delay  the  promise,  he  will  not  deny.  Hav- 
ing given  his  bond,  in  due  time  tlie  money 
will  be  j)aid  in. 

2.  God  may  change  his  promise,  but  he 
will  not  break  his  promise.  Sometimes 
God  doth  change  a  temporal  promise  into 
a  spiritual,  Ps.  Ixxxv.  12.,  "  The  Lord 
shall  give  that  which  is  good,"  perhaps 
this  may  not  be  fulfilled  in  a  tonipoial 
sense,  but  a  spiritual.  God  may  let  a 
Christian  be  cut  short  in  temporals,  but 
God  makes  it  up  in  spirituals.  If  he  doth 
not  increase  the  basket  and  the  store,  he 
gives  increase  of  faith,  and  inward  jieace ; 
here  he  changeth  his  promise,  but  he  doth 
not  break  it,  he  gives  that  which  is  bettor. 
If  a  man  promiseth  to  pay  me  in  farthings, 
and  he  pays  me  in  a  better  coin,  in  gold, 
he  doth  not  break  his  promise  ?  Ps. 
Ixxxix.  33.,  "  I  will  not  suffer  my  faith- 
fulness (ofuil."     In  the  Hebrew,  it  is  to  lie. 

Obj.  1.  Bid  how  doth  this  consist  icith  the 
truth  of  Gud?  He  saith^  He  will  have  all 
to  he  saved,  1  Tim.  ii.  4.,  yet  some  perish. 

Alls.  St.  Austin  understands  it,  not  of 
every  individual  person,  but  some  of  all 
sorts  shall  be  saved ;  as  in  the  ark,  God 
saved  all  the  living  creatures,  not  every 
bird  or  fish  were  .saved,  for  many  perished 
in  the  flood,  but  all,  that  is,  some  of  every 
kind  were  saved,  so  God  will  have  all  to 
be  saved,  that  is,  some  of  all  nations. 

Obj.  It  is  said,  Christ  died  fur  all ;  "'  he 
is  the  Lamb  o/  God  that  takes  away  the  sins 
of  the  jcorld,"  John  i.  29.,  how  doth  this  con- 
sist with  God's  truth,  when  some  are  vessels 
of  wrath,  Rom.  ix.  22." 

Ans.  1.  We  must  distinguish  of  world. 
The  word  is  taken  either  in  a  limited 
sense,  for  the  world  of  the  elect ;  or  in  a 
larger  sense,  for  both  elect  and  reprobates. 
"  Christ  takes  away  the  sins  of  the  world," 
that  is,  the  world  of  the  elect. 

A.  2.   We  must  ■  distinguish  of  Cluist's 


72 


OF  THE  TRUTH  OF  GOD. 


dyiiic:  for  the  world.  Christ  died  suffi- 
ciently for  all,  not  effectually.  There  is 
the  value  of  Christ's  hlood,  and  the  virtue; 
Christ's  hlood  hath  value  enough  to  redeem 
the  whole  v/orld,  hut  the  virtue  of  it  is  ap- 
plied only  to  such  as  hclieve.  Christ's 
hlood  is  meritorious  for  all,  not  efficacious. 
All  are  not  saved,  hecause  some  put  away 
salvation  from  them,  Acts  xiii.  46.,  and  vi- 
lify Christ's  hlood,  counting  it  an  unholy 
thing,  Heb.  x.  29. 

Use  1st.  Here  is  a  great  pillar  for  our 
faith,  the  truth  of  God.  Were  not  he  a  God 
of  truth,  how  could  we  believe  in  him  ? 
Our  faith  were  fancy  ;  but  he  is  truth  it- 
self, and  not  a  word  which  he  hath  spoken 
shall  fall  to  the  ground.  "  Truth  is  the 
object  of  trust."  The  truth  of  God  is  an 
unmoveablc  rock,  we  may  A^enture  our  sal- 
vation here,  Isa.  lix.  15.,  '  Truth  failcth  :' 
truth  on  earth  doth,  but  not  truth  in  heaven. 
God  can  as  well  cease  to  be  God,  as  cease 
to  be  true.  Hath  God  said,  he  will  do 
good  to  the  soul  that  seeks  him,  Lam.  iii. 
25.,  He  will  "  giA  e  rest  to  the  weary  ?" 
Mat.  xi.  28.  Here  is  a  safe  anchor-hold, 
he  will  not  alter  the  thing  which  is  gone 
forth  of  his  lips.  The  public  faiih  of  heaven 
is  engaged  for  believers  :  can  we  have  bet- 
ter security  ?  The  whole  earth  hangs  upon 
the  word  of  God's  power,  and  shall  not  our 
faith  hang  upon  the  word  of  God's  truth  ? 
Where  can  we  rest  our  faith  but  upon  God's 
faithfulticss  ?  There  is  nothing  else  we 
can  hclieve  in,  but  the  truth  of  God ;  we 
cannot  trust  in  an  arm  of  flesh,  we  cannot 
trust  in  our  own  hearts,  this  is  to  build 
upon  tlie  quicksands,  hut  the  truth  of  God  is 
a  goldei!  pilliir  for  faith  to  stay  upon.  God 
canrKit  <k'ny  himself,  2  Tim.  ii.  13.,  "  If  we 
believe  not,  yet  he  ahideth  faithful  :  he  can- 
not deny  himself"  Not  to  believe  God's 
veracity,  is  to  aflront  God,  1  John  v.  10., 
"  He  that  helieveth  not  God,  hath  made 
him  a  liar."  A  person  of  honour  cannot 
l)e  more  affronted  or  provoked,  than  when 
he  is  not  believed.  He  that  denies  (iod's 
truth,  makes  the  prcunise  no  better  than  a 
forged  deed ;  and  can  there  be  a  greater 
affront  otlered  to  God  ? 

17»r  2(f.  Of  terror  to  the  Aviekrd.  God 
is  a  («(id  of  truth,  and  he  is  true  in  his 
threateuings  ;  the  threalcnings  are  a  flying 


roll  against  sinners.  God  hath  threatened 
to  "  wound  the  hairy  scalp  of  such  a  one 
as  goetli  on  still  in  his  trespasses,"  Ps. 
Ixviii.  21.  He  hath  threatened  to  judge 
adulterers,  Heb.  xiii.  3.  To  be  avenged 
upon  the  malicious,  Ps.  x.  14.,  "  Thou  be- 
boldest  mischief  and  spight,  to  recjiiite  it 
with  thy  hand  :"  To  "  rain  fire  and  brim- 
stone" upon  the  sinner,  Ps.  xi.  6.  And 
God  is  as  true  in  his  threateuings  as  l^is 
promises  ;  God  hath  oft,  to  shew  his  truth, 
executed  his  threateuings,  and  let  his  thun- 
derbolts of  judgment  fall  upon  sinners  in 
this  life  ;  he  struck  Herod  in  the  act  of  his 
pride  ;  he  hath  punished  blasphemers  :  O- 
lympius,  an  Arian  bishop,  reproached  and 
blasphemed  the  blessed  Trinity,  immediate- 
ly lightning  fell  down  from  heaven  upon 
him,  and  consumed  him.  God  is  as  true 
in  liis  threateuings  as  in  his  promises  ;  let 
us  fear  the  threatening,  that  we  may  not 
feel  it. 

Use  3d.  Is  God  a  God  of  truth  ?  let  us 
be  like  God  in  truth.  1.  We  must  be  true 
in  our  words.  Pythagoras  being  asked 
what  made  men  like  God?  answered, 
"  When  they  speak  truth."  It  is  the  note 
of  a  man  that  shall  go  to  hcaA'en,  Ps.  xv. 
2.,  "  He  that  speaketh  the  truth  in  his 
heart."  Truth  in  words  is  opposed,  (1.) 
To  lying,  Eph.  iv.  25.,  "  Putting  away  ly- 
ing, speak  every  man  truth  to  his  neigh- 
bour." Lying  is  when  one  speaks  that  for 
truth,  which  he  knows  to  be  false.  A  liar 
is  most  opposite  to  the  God  of  truth.  There 
are  (as  Austin  saith)  two  sorts  of  lies:  1. 
An  officious  lie,  when  a  man  tells  a  lie  for 
his  profit;  as,  when  a  tradesman  saith  his 
commodity  cost  him  so  much,  when  per- 
haps it  did  not  cost  him  half  so  much  ;  he 
that  will  lie  in  his  trade,  shall  lie  in  hell. 
2.  A  jesting  lie  :  when  a  man  tells  a  lie  in 
sport,  to  make  others  merry,  he  goes  laugh- 
ing to  hell.  When  you  tell  a  lie,  you  make 
yourselves  like  the  devil,  John  viii.  4-i., 
"  The  devil  is  a  liar,"  and  the  fither  of  it. 
He  deceived  our  first  ])arents  by  a  lie. 
Some  are  so  wicked,  that  they  will  not  on- 
ly speak  an  untruth,  but  will  swear  to  it ; 
nay,  they  will  wish  a  curse  upon  them- 
selves, if  that  untruth  be  not  true.  As  I 
have  re;:d  of  a  ^^  ()nian,.one  Anne  Avarie, 
15T5,  who  being  in  a  shii] ,  wished  that  she 


BUT  ONE  GOD. 


73 


might  sink  if  she  liad  not  paid  for  the 
wares  slic  took  ;  she  fell  down  speeclilcss 
immediately,  and  died  in  the  place.  A 
liar  is  not  fit  to  live  in  a  commonwealth, 
r.yinq;  takes  away  all  society  and  converse 
with  men ;  how  can  you  converse  with 
him  whom  you  cannot  believe  what  he 
saith  ?  Lying  shuts  men  out  of  heaven. 
Rev.  xxii.  15.,  "  Without  are  dogs,  and 
whosoever  loveth  and  maketh  a  lie."  And 
as  it  is  a  great  sin  to  tell  a  lie,  so  it  is  a 
worse  sin  to  teach  a  lie,  Isa.  ix.  15.,  "  The 
prophet  that  teacheth  lies."  He  who 
broacheth  error  teacheth  lies  ;  he  spreads 
the  plague ;  he  not  only  damns  himself, 
but  helps  to  damn,  others.  (2.)  Truth  in 
words  is  opposed  to  dissembling.  The 
heart  and  tongue  should  go  together,  as 
the  dial  goes  exactly  with  the  sun.  To 
speak  fair  to  one's  face,  and  not  to  mean 
what  one  speaks,  is  no  better  than  a  lie  : 
Ps.  Iv.  21.,  "  The  words  of  his  mouth  were 
smoother  than  butter,  but  war  was  in  his 
heart."  Some  have  an  art  at  this,  they  can 
flatter  and  hate.  Hierom,  speaking  of  the 
Arians,  saith,  "  they  pretended  friendship, 
they  kissed  my  hands,  but  plotted  mischief 
against  me."  Prov.  xxix.  5.,  "  A  man 
that  flattereth  his  neighbour,  spreadeth  a 
net  for  his  feet."  Impia  subdulci  melle  ve- 
nena  latent, — falsehood  in   friendship   is  a 


lie.  Counterfeiting  of  friendship  is  worse 
than  coiAiterfeiting  of  money.  This  is  con- 
trary to  God  who  is  a  God  of  truth. 

2.  We  must  be  true  in  our  profession  of 
religion.  Let  practice  go  along  with  pro- 
fession, Eph.  iv.  21..,  "  Rightt'ousness  and 
true  holiness."  yypocrisy  in  religion  is 
a  lie ;  the  hypocrite  is  like  a  face  in  a  glass, 
there  is  the  show  of  a  face,  but  no  true  face, 
so  he  makes  show  of  holiness,  but  hath  no 
truth  of  it,  it  is  but  the  face  in  the  glass. 
Ephraim  pretended  to  be  that  whicli  he 
was  not ;  and  what  saith  God  of  him  ?  IIos. 
xi.  12.,  "  Ephraim  compasseth  me  al)out 
with  lies."  By  a  lie  in  our  words  we  deny 
the  truth;  by  a  lie  in  our  profession  we 
disgrace  it.  Not  to  be  what  we  profess  to 
God,  is  telling  a  lie ;  and  the  scrij)ture 
makes  it  little  better  than  bl.isphemy,  Rev. 
ii.  9.,  "  I  know  the  blasphemy  of  them  that 
say  they  are  Jews,  and  are  not."  O  !  I  be- 
seech you,  labour  in  this  to  be  like  God; 
he  is  a  God  of  truth ;  he  can  as  well  part 
with  his  Deity  as  his  verity ;  be,  I  say,  like 
God,  be  true  in  vour  words,  be  true  in  your 
j)r()fession  ;  God's  cliiidren  are  children  that 
will  not  lie,  Ps.  li.  6.  When  God  sees 
"  Truth  in  the  inward  parts,"  and  "  lips  in 
which  is  no  guile,"  now  he  sees  his  own 
image  in  you;  this  draws  God's  heart  to- 


w 


ards 


you; 


likeness  draws  love. 


BUT  ONE  GOD. 


Quest.  V.  THE  fifth  question  is.  Are 
there  more  Gods  than  one  ? 

Axs.  There  is  but  one  only,  the  living 
and  true  God. 

That  there  is  a  God  hath  been  proved ; 
and  those  that  will  not  believe  the  verity  of 
his  essence,  shall  feel  the  severity  of  his 
wrath,  Deut.  ^^.  4.,  "  Hear,  O  Israel,  the 
Lord  our  God  is  one  Lord."  He  is  the 
*  only  God,'  Deut.  iv.  39.,  "  Know  there- 
fore this  day,  and  consider  it  in  thy  heart, 
that  the  Lord  he  is  God  in  heaven  above, 
and  upon  the  earth  beneath,  there  is  none 
else."  Isa.  xlv.  21.,  "  A  just  God  and  a 
Saviour ;  there  is  none  besides  me."  There 
are  many  titular  gods;  kings  represent 
God;  their  regal  sceptre  is  an  emblem  of 


his  power  and  authority.  Judges  are  call- 
ed '  gods,'  Ps.  Ixxxii.  6.,  "  I  have  said,  ye 
are  gods,"  viz.  set  in  God's  place  to  do  jus- 
tice ;  but  dying  gods,  v.  7.,  "  Ye  shall  die 
like  men."  1  Cor.  ^nii.  5,  6.,  "  There  be 
that  are  called  gods  ;"  "  but  to  us  there  is 
but  one  God." 

Argnment  1.  There  is  but  one  First  Cause 
that  hath  its  being  of  itself,  and  on  wliich 
all  other  beings  depend.  As  in  the  heavens, 
the  primum  mobile  moves  all  the  other  orbs, 
so  (iod  gives  life  and  motion  to  every  thing 
existent.  There  can  be  but  one  God,  be- 
cause there  is  but  one  First  Cause. 

2.  There  is  but  one  infinite  Being,  tiiere- 
fore  there  is  but  one  God.  There  cannot 
be  two  infinites :  Jer.  xxiii.  24.,   "  Do  not 

K 


74 


BUT  ONE  GOD. 


1  fill  heaven  and  earth,**  saitli  the  Lord? 
If  there  be  one  infinite,  filling  all  places  at 
once,  how  can  there  be  any  room  for  ano- 
ther infinite  to  subsist  ? 

3.  There  is  but  one  Omnipotent  Power. 
If  there  be  t\t'o  Omnipotents,  then  we  must 
always  suppose  a  content  between  these 
two ;  tliat  which  one  would  do,  the  other 
power  being  equal,  would  o])pose,  and  so 
all  things  would  be  brought  into  confusion. 
If  a  ship  should  have  two  pilots  of  equal 
power,  one  would  be  ever  crossing  the 
other;  Avhen  one  would  sail,  the  other 
would  cast  anchor,  here  were  a  confusion, 
und  the  ship  must  needs  perish.  The  or- 
der and  harmony  in  the  world,  the  constant 
and  uniform  government  of  all  things,  is  a 
clear  argument  that  there  is  but  one  Om- 
nipotent, one  God  that  rules  all  :  Isa.  xliv. 
fi.,  "  I  am  the  first,  and  I  am  the  last,  and 
besides  me  there  is  no  God." 

Use  1st.  Of  information.  If  there  be  but 
one  God,  then  (1.)  it  excludes  all  otliei  gods. 
Some  liaA^e  feigned  that  there  were  two 
gods :  so  the  Valentinians ;  others,  that 
there  were  many  gods :  so  the  Polytheists. 
The  Persians  worshipped  the  sun;  the 
Egyptians  the  lion  and  elephant ;  the  Gre- 
cians worshipped  Jupiter ;  these,  I  may  say, 
"  en-,  not  knowing  the  scriptures,"  Mat. 
xxii.  29.  Their  faith  is  a  fable.  God  hath 
given  them  up  to  strong  delusions,  to  be- 
lieve   a   lie,    that    they    may   be    damned, 

2  Thess.  ii.  11. — 2.  If  there  be  but  one 
God,  then  there  can  be  but  one  true  reli- 
gion in  the  world,  Eph.  iv.  5.,  "  One  Lord, 
one  faith."  If  there  were  many  gods,  then 
there  might  be  many  religions,  every  god 
would  be  worshipped  in  his  Avay;  but  if 
there  be  but  one  God,  there  is  but  one  reli- 
gion ;  one  Lord,  one  faith.  Some  say,  we 
may  be  saved  in  any  religion.  It  is  absurd 
to  imagine  that  God  who  is  One  in  essence, 
should  appoint  several  religions  in  which 
he  w  ill  be  worshi])])ed.  It  is  as  dangerous 
to  set  up  a  false  religion  as  to  set  up  a  false 
god.  There  are  many  ways  to  hell ;  men 
may  go  thither  which  way  their  fancy  leads 
tlieni ;  but  there  is  but  one  direct  road  to 
heaven,  viz.  faith  and  holiness.  There  is 
no  way  to  be  saved  but  this  :  as  there  is 
but  one  God,  so  there  is  but  one  true  reli- 
gion.— 3.  If  there  be  but  one   God,   then 


you  have  but  One  that  you  need  chiefly  to 
study  to  please,  and  that  is  God.  If  there 
were  divers  gods,  we  should  be  hard  put 
to  it  how  to  please  them  all ;  one  would 
command  one  thing,  another  the  quite  con- 
trary, and  to  please  two  contrary  masters, 
is  impossible ;  but  there  is  hut  one  God, 
therefore  you  have  but  One  to  please.  As 
in  a  kingdom  there  is  but  one  king,  there- 
fore every  one  seeks  to  ingratiate  himself 
into  his  favour,  Prov.  xix.  6.,  so  there  is 
but  one  true  God ;  therefore  here  lies  our 
main  work  to  please  him.  Be  sure  to  please 
God,  whoever  else  you  displease.  This  was 
Enoch's  wisdom,  Heb.  xi.  5.,  he  had  this 
testimony  before  he  died,  that  "  he  pleased 
God." 

Quest.  IVhat  doth  this  pleasing  God 
imply  ? 

Ans.  1.  We  please  God  when  we  comply 
with  his  will.  It  was  Christ's  meat  and 
drink  to  do  his  Father's  will,  John  iv.  34., 
and  so  he  pleased  him :  Mat.  iii.  17.,  "  A 
voice  came  from  heaven,  saying,  this  is  my 
beloved  Son,  in  whom  I  am  well  pleased." 
It  is  the  will  of  God  that  we  should  be  holy, 
1  Thess.  iv.  11.  Now,  when  we  are  be- 
spangled with  holiness,  our  lives  are  walk- 
ing Bibles ;  this  is  according  to  God's  will 
and  it  pleaseth  him. 

A.  2.  We  please  God,  when  we  do  the 
work  that  he  sets  us  about,  John  xvii.  4., 
"  I  have  finished  the  work  which  thou  gav- 
est  me  to  do,"  viz.  my  mediatory  work. 
Many  finish  their  lives,  but  do  not  finish 
their  work.  Our  work  God  hath  cut  out 
for  us  is  to  observe  the  first  and  second 
tables.  In  the  first,  is  set  down  our  duty 
towaids  God;  in  the  second  our  duty  to- 
wards man.  Such  as  make  morality  the 
chief  and  sole  part  of  religion,  set  the  se- 
cond table  above  the  first;  nay,  they  take 
away  the  first  table ;  for,  if  prudence,  jus- 
tice, temperance,  be  enough  to  save,  then 
what  needs  the  first  table?  and  so  our  wor- 
ship towards  (Jod  shall  be  quite  left  out. 
But  those  two  tables  which  God  hath  join- 
ed together,  let  no  man  j)ut  asunder, 

A.  3.  We  please  God,  when  we  dedicate 
our  heart  to  give  him  the  best  of  every 
thing.  Abel  gave  (Jod  the  fat  of  the  offer- 
ing, (Jen.  iv.  4.  Domitian  would  not  liave 
j  his  image  carved  iu  wood,  or  ij-on,  but  in 


BUT  ONE  GOD. 


75 


gold.  Tlien  we  please  God,  when  we  serve 
him  witli  love,  fervency,  alacrity;  we  j^ivc 
him  golden  services,  here  lies  our  wisdom 
and  piety,  to  please  God.  There  is  but 
one  God,  therefore  there  is  hut  One  whom 
we  have  chiefly  to  please,  namely,  (iod. 

A.  4.  If  there  be  but  one  (iod,  then  we 
must  pray  to  none  but  God.  The  Papists 
pray  to  saints  and  angels  :  1.  To  saints.  A 
Popish  writer  saith,  "  when  we  pray  to  the 
saints  departed,  they  being  touched  with 
compassion,  say  the  like  to  (lod  for  us,  as 
the  disciples  did  to  Christ  for  the  Canatinit- 
ish  woman.  Mat.  x\.  23.,  '  Send  her  away, 
for  she  crieth  after  us.'  "  The  saints  above 
know  not  our  wants,  Isa.  Ixiii.  16.,  Abra- 
ham is  ignorant  of  us ;  or,  if  they  did,  we 
we  have  no  warrant  to  pray  to  them. 
Prayer  is  a  part  of  divine  worship,  which 
must  only  be  given  to  God.  2.  They  pray 
to  angels.  Angel-worship  is  forbidden, 
Col.  ii.  18,  19. ;  and  that  we  may  not  pray 
to  angels,  is  clear  from  Rom.  x.  14.,  "  How 
shall  thev  call  then  on  liim  in  whom  they 
have  not  believed?"  We  may  not  pray  to 
any  but  whom  we  may  believe  in ;  but 
we  may  not  believe  in  any  angel,  therefore 
we  may  not  pray  to  him.  There  is  but 
one  God,  and  it  is  a  sin  to  invoke  any  but 
only  God. 

A.  5.  If  there  be  but  one  God,  who  is  '  a- 
bove  all,'  Eph.  iv.  6.,  then  he  must  be  loved 
above  all.  1.  We  must  love  him  with  a 
love  of  appreciation ;  set  the  highest  esti- 
mate on  him,  who  is  the  only  fountain  of 
being  and  bliss. — 2.  We  must  love  him  with 
a  love  of  complacency :  omor  est  complacentia 
ainantis  is  amato,  AcguiN.  Our  love  to  other 
things  must  be  more  indifferent ;  some  drops 
of  \o\c  may  run  beside  to  the  creature,  but 
the  full  stream  must  run  towards  God  ;  the 
creature  may  have  the  milk  of  our  love,  but 
we  must  keep  the  cream  of  our  love  for 
God  ;  God  who  is  above  all,  must  be  loved 
above  all,  Ps.  Ixxiii.  25.,  "  There  is  none 
upon  earth  that  I  desire  besides  thee." 

Use  2d.  Of  Caution.  If  there  be  but  one 
God,  then  let  us  take  heed  of  setting  up 
more  gods  than  one  :  Ps.  xvi.  4.,  "  Their 
sorrows  shall  be  multiplied,  that  hasten  af 
tor  aii<)tli<r  (iod  ;  their  diink-dfl'eriiigs  of 
bl(i(i(l  \\ill  I  ju)t  otlcr,  nor  take  up  their 
nauK  s  into  my  lij)s."     God  is  a  jealous  God, 


and  he  will  not  endure  that  we  should  have 
other  gods.     It  is  easy  to  commit  idolatry 
with  the  creature  :    1.  Some  make  a  god  of 
pleasure,  2  Tim.  iii.  4.,   "  Lovers  of  plea- 
sure, more  than  lovers  of  God."     Whatever 
we  love  more  than  God,  we  make  a  god.— 
2.  Others  make  money  their  god  ;  the  cove- 
tous man  worships  t}ie  image  of  gold,  there- 
fore  he  is  called  an   idolater,   Eph.  v.  5. 
That  which  a  man  trusts  to,  he  makes  his 
god ;  but  he  makes  the  wedge  of  gold  his 
hope,  he  makes  money  his  creator,  redeem- 
er and  comforter.     It  is  his  creator, — if  he 
hath  money,  then  he  thinks  he  is  made ;  it 
is  his  redeemer, — if  he  be  in  danger,   he 
trusts  in  his  money  to  redeem  him  out ;  it 
is  his  comforter, — if  at  any  time  he  be  sad, 
the  golden  harp  drives  away  the  evil  spirit ; 
so  that  money  is  his  god.     God  made  man 
of  the  the  dust  of  the  earth,  and  man  makes 
a  god  of  the  dust  of  the  earth. — 3.  Another 
makes  a  god  of  his  child,  sets  his  child  in 
God's  room,  and  so  provokes  God  to  take  it 
away.     If  you  lean  too  hard  upon  a  glass,  it 
will  break  ;   many  break  their  children  by 
leaning  too  hard  upon  them. — 4.  Others  make 
a  god  of  their  belly,  Phil.  iii.  19.,  "  Whose 
god  is  their  belly."     Clemens  Alexandrinus 
writes  of  a  fish  that  hath  its  heart  in   its 
belly, — an  emblem  of  epicures,  their  heart 
is  in  their  belly,  they  mind  nothing  but  in- 
du'ging  the  sensual  appetite  ;  they  do  sacri- 
Jicar'i  lari, — their  belly  is  their  god,  and  to 
this  they  pour  drink-olferings.      Thus  men 
make  many  gods.     The  apostle  names  the 
wicked  man's  trinity,  1  John  ii.  16.,  "  The 
lust  of  the  flesh,  the  lust  of  the  eye,  and  the 
pride  of  life;"  the  lust  of  the  flesh, — plea- 
sure ;  the  lust  of  the  eye, — money  ;  pride  of 
life, — honour.     Otake  heed  of  this  !  What- 
ever you  deify  besides  God,  will  prove  a 
bramble ;  and  fire   will   come   out  of  this 
bramble  and  devour  you,  Judg.  ix.  15. 

Use  M.  Of  reproof  If  the  Lord  Jehovah 
be  the  only  true  (iod,  then  it  reproves  those 
who  renounce  the  true  God,  I  mean,  such 
as  seek  to  familiar  spirits.  This  is  too  much 
practised  among  them  tiiat  call  themselves 
Christians.  It  is  a  sin  condemned  by  the 
law  of  God,  Dent,  xviii.  10,  11.,  "  There 
shall  not  be  found  among  you  any  one  that 
consults  with  familiar  spirits."  How  ordi- 
nary is  this?  If  people   have  lost  any  of 


76 


OF  THE  TRINITY. 


their  goods,  they  send  to  wizards  to  know 
how  they  may  come  by  their  goods  again. 
Wliat  is  this  but  consulting  with  the  devil? 
And  so  you  renounce  God  and  your  bap- 
tism ?  What !  because  you  liave  lost  your 
goods,  will  you  lose  your  souls  too?  2  Kings 
i.  6.,  "  Thus  saith  the  Lord,  is  it  not  be- 
cause there  is  not  a  God  in  Israel,  that  thou 
sendest  to  inquire  of  Beelzebub?"  So,  is 
it  not  because  you  think  there  is  not  a  God 
in  heaven,  that  ye  ask  counsel  of  the  devil  ? 
If  any  here  be  guilty,  be  deeply  humbled, 
ye  have  renounced  the  true  God ;  better  be 
without  the  goods  ye  have  lost  than  have 
the  devil  help  you  to  them  again. 

Use  Afli.  Of  Exhortation.  If  there  be 
but  one  God,  as  God  is  one,  so  let  them 
that  serve  him  be  one.  This  is  what  Christ 
prayed  so  heartily  for,  John  xvii.  21.,  "  That 
they  all  may  be  one."  Christians  should 
be  one,  1.  In  judgment ;  the  apostle  exhorts 
to  be  all  of  one  mind,  1  Cor.  i.  18.  How 
sad  is  it  to  see  religion  wearing  a  coat  of 
divers  colours  ;  to  see  Christians  of  so  many 
opinions,  and  going  so  many  different  ways  ? 
It  is  Satan  hath  sown  these  tares  of  divi- 
sion. Mat.  xiii.  39.  He  first  divided  men 
from  God,  and  now  divides  one  man  from 
another. — 2.  One  in  affection.  They  should 
have  one  heart,  Acts  iv.  32.,  "  The  multi- 
tude of  them  that  believed,  were  of  one 
heart,  and  of  one  soul."  As  in  music, 
though  there  be  several  strings  of  a  viol, 
yet  all  make  one  sweet  harmony:  so,  though 
there  are  several  Christians,  yet  there  should 
be  one  sweet  harmony  of  affection  among 
them.  There  is  but  one  God,  and  they 
that  serve  him  should  be  one.  There  is 
nothing  would  render  the  true  religion  more 
lovely,  or  make  more  proselytes  to  it,  than 
to  see  the  professors  of  it  tied  together  with 


the  heart-strings  of  love,  Ps.  cxxxiii.  1., 
"  Behold  how  good  and  how  pleasant  a 
thing  it  is,  for  brethren  to  dwell  together 
in  unity  !"  It  is  as  the  sweet  dew  on  Her- 
mon,  and  the  fragrant  ointment  poured  on 
Aaron's  head.  If  God  be  one,  let  all  that 
profess  him  be  of  one  mind,  and  one  heart; 
this  fulfils  Christ's  prayer,  "  that  they  all 
may  be  one." — 2.  If  there  be  but  one  God, 
let  us  labour  to  clear  the  title,  that  this 
God  is  ours,  Ps.  xlviii.  14.,  "  This  God  is 
our  God."  What  comfort  can  it  be  to  hear 
that  there  is  a  God,  and  that  he  is  the  only 
God,  unless  he  be  our  God  ?  AVhat  is  Deity 
without  property  ?  O  let  us  labour  to  clear 
the  title!  Beg  the  Holy  Spirit:  the  Spirit 
works  by  faith ;  by  faith  we  are  one  with 
Christ,  and  through  Christ  we  come  to  have 
God  for  our  God,  and  so  all  his  glorious 
fulness  is  made  over  to  us  by  a  deed  of  gift. 
Use  blh.  What  cause  have  we  to  be  thank- 
ful, that  we  have  the  knowledge  of  the  only 
true  God?  How  many  are  brought  up  in 
blindness  ?  Some  worship  Mahomet ;  divers 
of  the  Indians  worship  the  devil ;  they  light 
a  candle  to  him,  that  he  should  not  hurt 
them.  Such  as  know  not  the  true  God 
must  needs  stumble  into  hell  in  the  dark. 
O  be  thankful  that  we  are  born  in  such  a 
land,  where  the  light  of  the  gospel  hath 
shined  !  To  have  the  knowledge  of  the  true 
God,  is  more  than  if  we  had  mines  of  gold, 
rocks  of  diamonds,  islands  of  spices  ;  espe- 
cially if  God  hath  savingly  revealed  himself 
to  us, — if  he  hath  given  us  eyes  to  see  the 
light, — if  we  so  know  God  as  to  be  known 
of  him,  as  to  love  him,  and  believe  in  him  : 
Matth.  xi.  25.,  we  can  never  be  enough 
thankful  to  God,  that  he  hath  hid  the  know- 
ledge of  himself  from  the  wise  and  prudent 
of  the  world,  and  hath  revealed  it  unto  us. 


OF  THE  TRINITY. 


Quest.  IV.  HOW  many  persons  are  there 
in  the  Godhead  ? 

Jxs.  Three  persons,  yet  but  one  God. — 
1  John  v.  7.,  "  There  are  three  that  bear 
record  in  heaven,  the  Father,  the  Word, 
and   tlie  llolv  Ghost,    and  these  three  are 


one. 


God  is  but  one,  yet  are  there  three  dis- 
tinct persons  subsisting  in  one  Godhead. 
This  is  a  sacred  mystery  whicli  the  light 
within  could  never  have  discovered.  As 
the  two  natures  in  Christ,  yet  but  one  per- 
son, is  a  wonder:  so  three  persons,  yet  but 
one  Godhead.     I  am  in  a  great  deep  :  the 


OF  THE  TRINITY. 


77 


Father  God, — the  Son  God, — tlie  Holy 
Ghost  God, — yet  not  three  Gods,  but  one 
God.  The  three  persons  in  tlie  blessed 
Trinity  are  distinguished,  but  not  divided ; 
three  substances,  but  one  essence.  This  is 
a  divine  riddle,  where  one  make  three,  and 
three  make  but  one.  Our  narrow  thougrhts 
can  no  more  comprehend  the  Trinity  in 
Unity,  than  a  little  nut-shell  will  hold  all 
the  water  in  the  sea.  Let  me  shadow  it 
out  by  this  similitude  :  in  the  body  of  the 
sun,  there  is  the  substance  of  the  sun,  the 
beams,  and  the  heat;  the  beams  arc  begot- 
ten of  the  sun,  the  heat  proceeds  both  from 
the  sun  and  the  beams ;  but  these  three, 
thougli  different,  are  not  divided  ;  they  all 
three  make  one  sun :  so  in  the  blessed  Tri- 
nity, the  Son  is  begotten  of  the  Father,  the 
Holy  Ghost  proceeds  from  both  ;  yet  though 
they  are  three  distinct  persons,  yet  but  one 
God.  First,  let  me  speak  of  the  Unity  in 
Trinity  ;  then  of  the  Trinity  in  Unity. 

I.  Of  the  Unity  in  Trinity.  The  Unity 
of  the  persons  in  the  Godhead  consists  in 
two  things : 

1.  The  identity  of  essence.  In  the  Tri- 
nity there  is  an  oneness  in  essence :  the 
three  persons  are  of  the  same  divine  nature 
and  substance ;"  so  that  in  Deo  non  est  magis 
et  minus, — there  are  no  degrees  in  the  God- 
head ;  one  person  is  not  God  more  than  a- 
nother. 

2.  The  Unity  of  the  persons  in  the  God- 
head consists  in  the  mutual  in-being  of 
them,  or  their  being  in  one  together.  The 
three  persons  are  so  united  that  one  person 
is  in  another,  and  with  another  :  John  xvii. 
21.,  '•  Thou,  Father,  art  in  me,  and  I  in 
thee." 

H.  Let  me  speak  of  the  Trinity  in  Unity. 
1.  The  first  person  in  the  Trinity  is  God 
the  Father  :  he  is  called  the  first  person,  in 
respect  of  order,  not  dignity  :  for  God  the 
Father  hath  no  essential  perfection  Avhich 
the  other  persons  have  not;  he  is  not  more 
wise,  more  holy,  more  powerful,  than  the 
other  persons  are ;  a  priority,  not  a  superi- 
ority. 

2.  The  second  person  in  the  Trinity  is 
Jesus  Christ,  who  is  begotten  of  the  Father 
before  all  time,  Prov.  viii.  23,  21,  25.,  "  I 
nas  set  up  from  everhisting,  from  the  be- 
ginning, or  ever  the  earth  was.    When  there 


were  no  deptlis,  I  was  brought  forth  ;  when 
there  were  no  fountains  abounding  with 
water.  Before  the  mountains  were  settled ; 
before  the  hill.s,  was  I  brought  forth." 
Which  scripture  declares  the  eternal  gene- 
ration of  the  Son  of  God.  This  second  per- 
son in  tJie  Trinity,  who  is  Jehovah,  is  be- 
come our  Jesus.  The  scripture  calls  liim 
the  branch  of  David,  Jer.  xxiii.  5.,  and  I 
may  call  him  the  flower  of  the  virgin  liav- 
ing  assumed  our  nature.  "  By  him  all  that 
believe  are  justified,"  Acts  xiii.  39. 

3.  The  third  person  in  the  Trinity,  is 
the  Holy  Ghost  who  proceeds  from  the 
Father  and  the  Son  ;  his  work  is  to  illunii- 
nate  the  mind,  and  enkindle  sacred  mo- 
tions. The  essence  of  the  Spirit  is  in  hea- 
ven, and  every  where  ;  but  the  influence  of 
it  is  in  the  hearts  of  believers  :  Tiiis  is  that 
blessed  Spirit  who  gives  us  the  holy  unc- 
tion, 1  John  ii.  20.  Though  Christ  merits 
grace  for  us,  it  is  the  Holy  Ghost  works  it 
in  us :  Though  Christ  makes  the  purchase, 
it  is  the  Holy  Ghost  makes  the  assurance, 
and  seals  us  up  to  the  day  of  redemption. 
Thus  I  have  spoken  of  all  the  three  persons. 
The  Trinity  of  persons  may  be  proved  out 
of  Mat.  iii.  16.,  "  Jesus,  when  he  was  bap- 
tized, went  up  straightway  out  of  the  water, 
and  he  saw  the  Spirit  of  God  descending 
like  a  dovp,  and  lighting  upon  him ;  and 
lo,  a  voice  from  heaven,  saying.  This  is  my 
heloAcd  Son."  Here  are  three  names  given 
to  the  three  persons.  He  who  spake  with 
a  voice  from  heaven,  was  God  the  Father ; 
he  who  was  baptized  in  Jordan,  was  God 
the  Son;  he  who  descended  in  the  likeness 
of  a  dove,  was  God  the  Holy  Ghost.  Thus 
I  have  shewn  you  the  unity  of  essence,  and 
the  Trinity  of  persons. 

Use  \st.  It  confutes  the  Jews  and  the 
Turks,  who  believe  only  the  first  person  in 
the  (iodliead.  This  cuts  asunder  the  si- 
news of  our  comfort.  Take  away  tlic  dis- 
tinction of  the  persons  in  tlie  Trinity,  and 
you  overtiirow  man's  redemption  ;  for  (iod 
the  Father  being  offended  witli  man  for 
sin,  how  shall  lie  be  pacified  without  a  me- 
diator ?  This  mediator  is  Clirist,  lie  makes 
our  peace.  And  Christ  having  died,  and 
shed  his  blood,  how  shall  this  blood  be  ap« 
plied,  but  by  the  Holy  (ihost?  Therefore, 
if  there  be  not  three  persons  in  the  God'* 


78 


OF  THE  TRINITY 


head,  man's  salvation  cannot  be  wrought 
out ;  if  there  be  no  second  person  in  the 
Trinity,  then  there  is  no  redeemer ;  if  no 
third  person,  then  there  is  no  comforter. 
And  so  the  plank  is  taken  away  by  which 
we  should  get  to  heaven. 

2.  It  confutes  the  execrable  opinion  of 
the  Socinians,  who  deny  the  Divinity  of 
the  Lord  Jesus ;  they  make  him  only  to  be 
a  creature  of  an  higher  rank.  As  the  Pa- 
pists blot  out  the  second  commandment, 
so  the  Socinians  would  the  second  person 
in  the  Trinity.  If  to  oppose  Christ's  mem- 
bers be  such  a  sin,  what  is  it  to  oppose 
Christ  himself?  (1.)  Jesus  Christ  is  co- 
equal with  God  the  Father,  Phil.  ii.  6., 
"  He  thought  it  no  robbery  to  be  equal 
with  God."  (2.)  He  is  co-eternal  with 
God  the  Father,  Prov.  viii.  23.,  "  I  was 
from  the  beginning ;"  for  else  there  was  a 
time  when  God  was  without  a  Son,  and  so 
he  should  be  no  Father ;  nay,  else  there 
was  a  time  when  God  was  without  his  glo- 
ry, for  Christ  is  the  brightness  of  his  Fa- 
ther's glory,  Heb.  i.  3.  (3)  He  is  co-es- 
sential with  God  the  Father.  The  God- 
head subsists  in  Christ,  Col.  ii.  9.,  "  For 
in  him  dwelleth  all  the  fulness  of  the  God- 
head bodily."  It  is  said,  not  only  Christ 
was  '  with  God'  before  the  beginning,  but 
he  '  was  God,'  John  i.  1.,  and  1  Tim.  iii. 
16.,  '  God  manifest  in  the  flesh.'  The  title 
of  Lord,  so  often  given  to  Christ,  in  the 
New  Testament,  doth  answer  to  the  title 
of  Jehovah  in  the  Old  Testament,  Deut. 
vi.  5.  Mat.  xxii.  37. :  so  that  Christ  hath  a 
co-eternity,  and  con-substantiality  with  his 
Father,  John  x.  30.,  "  I  and  my  Father 
are  one."  It  were  blasphemy  for  any  an- 
gel to  speak  thus.  Yet  furthef,  to  prove 
Christ's  Godhead,  consider  1st,  The  glo- 
rious incommunicable  attributes  belonging 
to  God  the  Father  are  ascribed  to  Cln-ist. 
1.  Is  God  the  Father  omnipotent?  So  is 
Jesus  Christ.  He  is  the  Almighty,  Rev.  i. 
8. ;  he  creates.  Col.  i.  16.  2.  Is  God  the 
Father  infinitely  immense,  filling  all  places? 
Jer.  xxiii.  24.,  so  is  Jesus  Christ.  While 
Christ  was  on  the  earth  by  his  bodily  pre- 
sence, he  was  at  the  same  time  in  the  bo- 
som of  the  Father,  John  iii.  13.,  in  regard 
of  his  divine  presence.  2dly,  The  same 
jura  regalia,  or  prerogatives  royal,  which 


belong  to  God  the  Father,  belong  also  to 
Christ :  1.  Doth  God  the  Father  seal  par- 
dons, this  is  a  flower  of  Christ's  crown, 
Mat.  ix.  2.,  "  Thy  sins  be  forgiven  thee." 
Nor  doth  Christ  only  remit  sin  urganice,  as 
ministers  do,  by  virtue  of  a  power  delegat- 
ed to  them  from  God ;  but  Christ  doth  it 
by  his  own  power  and  authority. — 2.  Is 
God  the  Father  the  adequate  object  of 
faith  ?  Is  he  to  be  believed  in  ?  So  is  his 
Son,  John  xiv.  1. — 3.  Doth  adoration  be- 
long to  God  the  Father  ?  So  it  dolh  to  the 
Son,  Heb.  i.  6.,  "  Let  all  the  angels  of  God 
worship  him."  How  sacrilegious  there- 
fore is  the  Socinian,  who  would  rob  Christ 
of  the  best  flower  of  his  crown,  his  God- 
head ?  They  that  deny  Christ  to  be  God, 
must  greatly  wrest,  or  else  deny  the  scrip- 
ture to  be  the  word  of  God. 

3.  It  confutes  the  Arians,  who  deny  the 
Holy  Ghost  to  be  God.  The  eternal  God- 
head subsists  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  John  xvi. 
13.,  "  He  will  guide  you  into  all  truth." 
Christ  speaks  not  there  of  an  attribute,  but 
of  a  person ;  and  that  the.  Godhead  subsists 
in  the  person  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  appears 
thus :  the  Spirit,  who  gives  diversity  of 
gifts,  is  said  to  be  the  same  Lord,  and  the 
same  God,  1  Cor.  xii.  5,  6.  The  black  and 
unpardonable  sin  is  said  in  a  special  man- 
ner to  be  committed  against  the  Godhead 
subsisting  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  Matth.  xii.  32. 
The  mighty  power  of  God  is  made  mani- 
fest by  the  Holy  Ghost ;  he  changeth  the 
hearts  of  men.  The  devil  would  have 
Christ  prove  himself  to  be  God,  by  turning 
stones  into  bread  ;  but  thus  the  Holy  Ghost 
shews  his  Godhead,  by  turning  stones  into 
flesh,  Ezek.  xxxvi.  26.,  "  I  will  take  away 
the  stony  heart ;  and  give  you  a  heart  of 
flesh."  Yet  further,  the  power  and  God- 
head of  the  Holy  Ghost  appeared  in  the  ef- 
fecting the  glorious  conception  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Clirist ;  the  very  shadow  of  the  Ho- 
ly Ghost  made  a  virgin  conceive,  Luke  i.  35. 
The  Holy  Ghost  works  miracles,  which 
transcend  the  sphere  of  nature;  as  raising 
the  dead,  Rom.  viii.  11.  To  him  belongs 
divine  worship,  our  souls  and  bodies  are 
the  temples  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  1  Cor.  vi.  19., 
in  which  temples  he  is  to  be  worshipped, 
V.  20.  We  are  baptized  in  the  name  of 
the  Holy  Ghost ;  therefore  either  we  must 


OF  THE  CREATION. 


79 


believe  lils  Godhead,  or  renounce  our  bap- 
tism in  his  name.  Methinks,  it  were  e- 
nough  for  such  men  as  have  not  so  mucli 
as  heard  whether  there  be  an  Holy  Ghost, 
Acts  xix.  2.,  to  deny  his  Deity;  but  that 
any  who  go  for  Christians,  should  deny 
this  article  of  their  creed,  seems  to  me  very 
strange.  They  who  would  wittingly  and 
willingly  bh^t  out  the  third  person,  s'lall 
have  their  names  blotted  out  of  the  book  of 
life. 

Use  2d.  Of  exhortation.  1st,  Believe  this 
doctrine,  the  Trinity  of  persons  in  the  unity 
of  essence.  The  Trinity  is  purely  an  object 
of  faith  ;  the  plumb-line  of  reason  is  too 
short  to  fathom  this  mystery ;  but  where 
reason  cannot  wade,  there  faith  must  swim. 
There  are  some  truths  in  religion  may  be 
demonstrated  by  .reason,  as  that  there  is  a 
God ;  but  the  Trinity  of  persons  in  the  U- 
iiity  of  essence  is  wholly  supernatural,  and 
must  be  believed  by  faith.  This  sacred 
doctrine,  though  it  be  not  against  reason, 
yet  it  is  above  reason.  Those  illuminated 
philosophers,  that  could  find  out  the  causes 
of  things,  and  discourse  of  the  magnitude 
and  influence  of  the  stars, — the  nature  of 
minerals, — could  never,  by  their  deepest 
search,  find  out  the  mystery  of  the  Trinity  : 
this  is  of  dixdne  revelation,  and  must  be  a- 
dored  with  humble  lelieving..  We  can  be 
no  good  Christians,  without  the  firm  belief 
of  the  Trinity.  How  can  we  pray  to  God 
the  Father,  but  in  the  name  of  Christ,  and 
through  tlie  help  of  the  Spirit  ?  Believe  the 
glorious  Trinity.  How  are  the  Quakers  to 
be  abhorred,  who  go  under  the  name  of 
Christians,  yet  undervalue  and  renounce 
Jesus  Christ.  I  have  read  of  some  of  the 
Quakers,  who  speak  thus :  "  We  deny  the 
person  of  him  whom  you  call  Christ,  ami 
affirm,  That  tliey  who  expect  to  be  saved  by 
that  Christ  without  works,  will  be  damu- 
eil  in  that  faith?"  Could  the  devil  himself 
speak  worse  blasphemy  ?  They  would  pull 


up  all  religion  by  the  roots,  and  take  awa, 
that  corner-stone,  oh  which  the  hope  of  our 
salvation  is  built. — 2r//y,  If  there  be  one 
God  subsisting  in  three  persons,  then  let 
us  give,  (1.)  Equal  reverence  to  all  the  per- 
sons in  the  Trinity.  There  is  not  more  or 
less  in  the  Trinity  ;  the  Father  is  not  more 
God  than  the  Son  and  Holy  Ghost.  There 
is  an  order  in  the  Godhead,  but  no  degrees  ; 
one  person  hath  not  a  majority  or  super- 
eminency  above  another,  therefore  we  must 
give  equal  worship  to  all  the  Persons: 
John  V.  23.,  "  That  all  men  should  ho- 
nour the  Son,  even  as  they  honour  the 
Father."  Adore  Unity  in  Trinity. — Sd/i/, 
Obey  all  the  Persons  in  the  blessed  Tri- 
nity, for  all  of  them  are  God.  1.  Obey 
God  the  Father ;  his  words,  eithar  percep- 
tive or  minatory,  must  be  observed.  Christ 
himself,   as  man,   obeyed  God  the  Fatlier, 


'J 
iv. 


John  iv.  34-.,  much  more  then  must  we, 
Deut.  xxvii.  10. — 2.  Obey  God  the  Son, 
Ps.  ii.  12.,  "  Kiss  tlie  Son,  lost  he  be  an- 
gry?" Kiss  him  with  a  kiss  of  obedience  ; 
Christ's  commands  arc  not  gi'ievous,  1  John 
V.  3.  Nothing  he  commands  but  is  for  our 
interest  and  benefit.  O  then  kiss  the  Son  ! 
^Vliy  do  the  elders  throw  down  their  crowns 
at  the  feet  of  Christ,  and  fall  down  before 
tlie  Lamb?  Rev.  iv.  10,  11  ,  but  to  testify 
tlieir  subjection,  and  to  profess  their  readi- 
ness to  serve  and  obey  him. — 3.  Obey  God 
the  Holy  Ghost.  Oar  souls  are  breathed 
into  us  by  the  glorious  Spirit,  Job  xxxiii. 
4.,  "  The  Spirit  of  God  liath  made  me." 
Our  souls  are  adorned  by  the  blessed  Spirit , 
every  grace  is  a  divine  sparkle  lighted  in 
the  soul  by  the  Holy  Ghost.  Nay,  more, 
the  Spirit  of  God  sanctified  Christ's  human 
nature;  he  united  it  with  the  divine,  and 
fitted  the  IMan  Christ  to  be  our  Mediator. 
Well  then  doth  this  third  person  in  the  Tri- 
nity, the  Holy  Ghost,  deserve  to  be  obeyed ; 
he  is  God,  and  this  tribute  of  homage  and 
obedience  is  to  be  paid  him  by  us. 


OF  THE  CREATION. 


Quest.  VII.   WHAT  are  the  decrees  of 
God? 

Axs.  The  decrees  of  God  are  his  eternal 


purpose,  according  to  the  counsel  of  his 
will,  whereby,  for  his  own  glory,  he  hath 
fore-ordained  whatsoever  shall  come  to  pass. 


EO 


OF  THE  CREATION. 


I  should  now  come  ito  speak  concerning 
the  decrees  of  God,  but  I  have  already  spo- 
ken something  to  this  under  the  atribute 
of  God's  immutability.  God  is  unchange- 
able in  his  essence,  and  he  is  unchangeable 
in  his  decrees  ;  his  counsel  shall  stand ;  he 
hath  decreed  the  issue  of  all  things,  and 
carries  them  on  to  their  period  by  his  pro- 
vidence; and  therefore  I  shall  proceed  to 
the  execution  of  his  decrees. 

Quest.  VIII.  The  next  question  is,  IVhat 
is  the  work  of  creation? 

Axs.  It  is  God's  making  all  things  of  no- 
thing, by  the  word  of  his  power,  &c. — Gen. 
i.  1.,  "  In  the  beginning  God  created  the 
heaven  and  the  cartli." 

Tlie  creation  is  glorious  to  behold, — it  is 
a  pleasant  and  fruitful  study.  Some  think 
that  Isaac,  when  he  went  abroad  into  the 
fields  to  meditate,  it  was  in  the  book  of  the 
creatures.  The  creation  is  the  heathen 
man's  Bible, — tlie  plowman's  primer, — the 
traveller's  perspective  glass,  through  which 
he  receives  the  species  and  representation 
of  those  infinite  excellencies  which  are  in 
God.  The  creation  is  a  large  volume  in 
vvhicl!  God's  works  are  bound  up;  and  this 
volume  liath  three  great  leaves  in  it,  heaven, 
earth,  aiul  sea. 

The  autlior  of  the  creation  is  God,  so  it 
is  in  tlie  text,  '  God  created.'  The  world 
was  created  in  time,  and  could  not  be  from 
eternity,  as  Aristotle  thought.  The  world 
must  have  a  maker,  it  could  not  make  it- 
self. If  one  should  go  into  a  far  country, 
and  see  stately  edifices  there,  he  would  ne- 
ver imagine  that  these  could  build  them- 
selves, but  that  there  had  been  some  artifi- 
cer tliere  to  raise  such  goodly  structures ; 
so  this  great  fabric  of  the  world  could  not 
ci'eate  its(.'lf,  it  must  have  some  builder  or 
maker,  and  that  is  God ;  "  In  the  beginning 
God  created."  To  imagine  that  the  work 
of  the  creati(m  was  not  framed  by  the  Lord 
Jehovah,  is  as  if  we  should  conceive  a  cu- 
rious landscape  to  be  drawn  without  the 
hand  of  a  limner:  Acts  xvii.  24.,  "  God 
that  made  the  world  and  all  things  there- 
in." 

In  the  work  of  creation  there  arc  two 
things  to  be  considered; 
II.  The  adorninor  of  it. 


I.  The  making. 


I.  The  making  of  the  world.     Here  con- 


sider, 1.  God  made  the  world  without  anv 
i  pre-existent  matter.  This  is  the  dift'erence 
between  generation  and  creation.  In  ge- 
neration there  is  materia  habilis  et  disposita-y 
— some  matter  to  work  upon  ;  but  in  crea- 
tion there  is  no  pre-existent  matter.  God 
brought  all  this  glorious  fabric  of  the  world 
out  of  the  womb  of  nothing.  We  see  our 
beginning,  it  was  of  nothing.  Some  brag 
of  their  birth  and  ancestry;  you  see  how 
little  cause  they  have  to  boast,  they  came 
of  nothing. 

2.  God  made  the  world  with  a  word. 
When  Solomon  had  to  build  a  temple,  he 
needed  many  workmen,  and  they  all  had 
tools  to  work  with,  but  God  wrought  with- 
out tools,  Ps.  xxxiii.  6.,  "  By  the  word  of 
the  Lord  were  the  heavens  made."  The 
disciples  wondered  that  Christ  could  with 
a  word  calm  the  sea,  Mat.  viii.  26,  27. 
But  it  was  more  with  a  word  to  make  the 
sea. 

3.  God  made  all  things  at  first  very  good, 
Gen.  i.  31.,  no  defect  or  deformity.  The 
creation  came  out  of  God's  hands  a  curiou.s 
piece ;  it  was  a  fair  copy,  without  any  blot, 
written  with  God's  own  fingers,  Ps.  viii.  3. 
So  perfect  was  God's  work. 

II.  The  adorning  of  the  world.  1.  God 
made  this  great  lump  and  mass, — rudis  in- 
(Ugeslaque  moles,  and  then  beautified  it,  and 
put  it  into  a  dress.  He  divided  the  sea  and 
the  earth,  he  decked  the  earth  with  flowers, 
the  trees  with  fruit;  but  what  is  beauty 
when  it  is  masked  over?  Therefore,  that 
we  might  behold  this  glory,  God  made  the 
light.  The  heavens  were  bespangled  Avith 
tlie  sun,  moon,  and  stars,  that  so  the  world's 
beauty  might  be  beheld  and  admired.  God, 
in  the  creation,  began  with  things  less  no- 
ble and  excellent,  vegetables  and  sensitives ; 
and  then  the  rational  creatures,  angels  and 
men.  Man  was  the  most  exquisite  piece 
in  the  creation.  He  is  a  microcosm,  or  lit- 
tle world.  Man  was  made  with  delibera- 
tion and  counsel,  Gen.  i.  2G.,  "  Let  us 
make  man."  It  is  the  manner  of  artificers 
to  be  more  than  ordinary  accurate,  wlien 
they  are  about  their  master-])ieces.  Man 
was  to  be  the  master-piece  of  this  visible 
world,  therefore  God  did  consult  about  the 
making  of  so  rare  a  piece.  A  solemn  coim- 
cil  of  the  sacred  persons  in  the  Trinity  was 


OF  THE  CREATION. 


81 


called,  "  Let  us  make  man,  and  let  us  make 
him  in  our  own  image."  On  the  king's 
coin  his  image  or  effigies  is  stampt ;  so  God 
stampt  his  image  on  man,  and  made  him 
partake  of  many  divine  qualities. 

I  shall  speak,  1.  Of  the  parts  of  man's 
body.  (1.)  The  head,  the  most  excellent 
architectonical  part,  it  is  the  fountain  of 
spirits,  and  the  seat  of  reason.  In  nature 
the  head  is  the  best  piece,  but  in  grace  the 
heart  excels.  (2.)  The  eye,  it  is  the  beau- 
ty of  the  face  ;  it  shines  and  sparkles  like  a 
lesser  sun  in  the  body.  The  eye  occasions 
much  sin,  and  tliercforc  well  may  it  have 
tears  in  it.  (3.)  The  car,  which  is  the 
conduit-pipe  through  which  knowledge  is 
oouA'cyed.  Better  lose  our  seeing  than  our 
hearing,  for  "  faith  cometh  by  hearing," 
Rom.  X.  17.  To  have  an  ear  open  to  God, 
is  the  best  jewel  on  the  ear.  (4.)  The 
tongue.  David  calls  the  tongue  his  glory, 
Ps.  xvi.  9.,  because  it  is  an  instrument  to 
set  forth  the  glory  of  God  ;  the  soul  at  fii-st 
was  a  viol  in  tune  to  praise  God,  and  the 
tongue  did  make  the  music.  God  hath  gi- 
ven us  two  ears,  but  one  tongue,  to  shew 
that  we  should  be  swift  to  hear,  but  slow 
to  speak.  God  hath  set  a  double  fence  before 
the  tongue,  the  teeth  and  the  lips,  to  teach 
us  to  be  wary  that  we  offend  not  with  our 
tongue.  (5.)  The  heart,  this  is  a  noble  part, 
and  seat  of  life. 

2.  The  Soul  of  man;  this  is  the  man 
of  the  man.  Man,  in  regard  of  his  soul, 
partakes  with  the  angels;  nay,  as  Plato 
saith,  The  understanding,  will,  and  con- 
science, are  a  glass  that  resemble  the  Tri- 
nity. The  soul  is  the  diamond  in  the  ring ; 
the  soul  is  a  vessel  of  honour;  God  him- 
self is  served  in  this  vessel.  It  is  a  sparkle 
of  celestial  brightness,  saith  Damascene. 
If  David  did  so  admire  the  rare  contexture 
and  workmanship  of  his  body,  Ps.  cxxxix. 
14,  15.,  "  I  am  wonderfully  made,  I  was 
curiously  wrought  in  the  lowest  parts  of 
the  eartii," — if  the  cabinet  be  so  curiously 
wrought,  Avhat  is  the  jewel  ?  How  richly 
is  the  soul  embroidered?  Thus  you  see 
how  glorious  a  work  the  creation  is,  and 
man  especially,  who  is  the  epitome  of  the 
world. 

Quest.  Btit  why  did  God  moke  the  icurld  ? 

Alls.  1.  Negatively:   Not  for  himself:  he 


did  not  need  it,  being  infinite.  lie  was 
happy  before  the  world  was,  in  reflecting 
upon  his  own  sublime  excellencies  and  per- 
fections. 2.  God  did  not  make  the  world 
to  be  a  place  of  mansion  for  us,  we  are  not 
to  abide  here  for  ever.  Heaven  is  the  man- 
sion-house, John  xiv.  2.  The  world  is  only 
a  passage-room  to  eternity ;  the  world  is  to 
us  as  the  wilderness  was  to  Israel,  not  to 
rest  in,  but  to  travel  through  to  the  glorious 
Canaan.  The  world  is  a  dressing-room  to 
dress  our  souls  in,  not  a  place  where  we  are 
to  stay  for  ever.  The  apostle  tells  us  of  the 
world's  funeral,  2  Pet.  iii.  10.,  "  The  ele- 
ments shall  melt  with  fervent  heat,  the  earth 
also  and  the  works  that  are  therein  shall 
be  burnt  up." 

A.  2.  Positively  :  God  made  the  world  to 
demonstrate  his  own  glory.  The  world  is 
a  looking-glass  in  which  we  may  see  the 
power  and  goodness  of  God  shine  forth : 
"  The  heavens  declare  the  glory  of  God," 
Ps.  xix.  1.  The  world  is  like  a  curious 
piece  of  arras  or  tapestry,  in  which  we  may 
see  the  skill  and  wisdom  of  him  that  made  it. 

Use  Isf.  Did  God  create  this  world  ?  This 
convinceth  us  of  the  truth  of  his  Godhead ; 
to  create  is  proper  to  a  Deity,  Acts  xvii.  24. 
This  convinced  Plato  of  a  Deity,  when  he 
saw  all  the  world  could  not  make  a  fly. 
Thus  God  proves   himself  to  be  the  true 
God,  and  distinguisheth  himself  from  idols, 
Jer.  X.  11.     It  is  written  in  Chaldee,  "  Tims 
shall  ye  say  to  them.  The  gods  that  have 
not  made  the  heavens  and  the  earth,  even 
they  shall  perish."     Who  but  God  can  cre- 
ate ?  The  creation  is  enough  to  convince  the 
heathen   that  there  is  a  God.     There  are 
two  books  out  of  which  God  will  judge  and- 
condemn  the  heathen,  viz.  the  book  of  Con- 
science, Rom.  ii.  15.,   "  Who  have  the  law- 
written  in  their  heart ;"  and  the  book  of  the 
Creation,  Rom.  i.  20.,  "  The  invisible  things 
of  him  are  clearly  seen  by  the  things  that 
are  made,  even  his  eternal  power  and  God- 
head."    Tlie  world  is  full  of  emblems  and 
hieroglyphics ;  every  star  in  the  sky, — every 
bird  that  flies  in  the  air, — is  a  witness  a- 
gainst  the  heathen.     A  creature  could  not- 
make  itself. 

Use  2d.  Here  is  a  migh*y  support  for 
faith,  God  creates.  He  that  made  all  tilings 
with  a  woid,   what  cannot  he  do  ?    He  can 


82 


OF  THE  CREATION. 


create  strength  m  weakness;  he  can  create    driving  man  out  of  paradise,  v.  24.,  "  So  he 


a 


supply   of  our   wants.     What  a  foolish 
question  was  that,  Ps.  Ixxviii.  19.,  "  Can  he 
prepare  a  tahle  in  the  wilderness  ?"     Can- 
not he  that  made  tlie  world  do  much  more  ? 
Ps.  cxxiv.  8.,  "  Our  help  is  in  the  name  of 
the  Lord,  who  made   heaven   and  earth." 
Rest  on  this  God  for  help,  who  made  hea- 
ven and  earth."     The  work  of  creation,  as 
it  is  a  monument  of  God's  power,  so  it  is  a 
stay  to  faith.     Is  thy  heart  hard;  he  can 
with  a  word  create  softness.     Is  it  unclean, 
he  can  create  purity  ?  Ps.  li.  10.,  "  Create 
in    me    a  clean    heart,   O  God  !"      Is  the 
church  of  God  low,  he  can  create  Jerusalem 
a  praise,  Isa.  Ixv.  18.    No  such  golden  pillar 
for  faith  to  stay  upon,  as  a  creating  power. 
Use  Sd.  Did  God  make  this  world  full  of 
beauty  and  glory,  every  thing  very  good, — 
then,  what  an  evil  thing  is  sin,  that  hath  put 
out  of  frame  the  whole  creation  !    Sin  hath 
much  eclipsed  the  beauty,  soured  the  sweet- 
ness, and  marred  the  harmony  of  the  world. 
How  bitter  is  that  gall,  a  drop  whereof  can 
embitter  a  whole   sea?    Sin  hath  brought 
vanity  ad  vexation  into  the  woi-ld,  yea,  a 
curse.     God  cursed  the  ground  for  man's 
sake,  Gen.  iii.     There  were  several  fruits  of 
the  curse. — 1.  "  In  sorrow  slialt  thou  eat  of 
it,"  ver.  17.     By  that  word  sorrow,  is  to  be 
understood  all  the  troubles  and  cares  of  this 
life. — 2.  "  In  the  sweat  of  thy  face  shalt 
thou  eat  bread,"  v.  19.     In  innocency  Adam 
did  till  the  ground,  (he  must  not  live  idly) 
but  it  was  rather  a  delight  than  a  labour  ; 
that  tilling  was  without  toiling.     The  eat- 
ing in  sorrow,  and  the  sweat  of  the  brow, 
came  in  after  sin. — 3.   "  Thorns  also  and 
thistles  shall  it  bring  forth,"  v.  18. 

Quest.  Wlietlur  in  innocency  did  not  the 
earth  hear  thorns,  because  it  is  threatened  as  a 
punishment  1 

Ans.  It  is  likely  it  did  bear  thorns  ;  for, 
when  God  had  done  creating,  he  made  no 
new  species  or  kinds  of  things ;  but  the 
meaning  is,  Now,  after  sin  tlie  earth  should 
bring  forth  more  plenty  of  thorns,  and  now 
those  thorns  should  be  hurtful,  and  choke 
the  corn,  which  hurtful  quality  was  not  in 
them  before.  Ever  since  the  fall,  all  the 
comforts  of  this  life  have  a  thorn  and  a  this- 
tle in  them. 

4.  The  fourth  fruit  of  the  curse  was  the 


drove  out  the  man."  God  at  first  brought 
Adam  into  paradise,  as  into  an  house  ready 
furnished,  or  as  a  king  into  his  throne,  Gen. 
i.  28.,  "  Have  dominion  over  every  living 
thing  that  moveth;"  now  God's  driving 
Adam  out  of  paradise,  signified  his  dethron- 
ing and  banishing  him,  that  he  might  look 
after  an  heavenly  and  a  better  paradise. — 
5.  A  fifth  fruit  of  the  curse  was  death,  y. 
19.,  "  To  dust  thou  shalt  return."  Death 
was  not  natural  to  Adam,  it  came  in  after 
sin.  Joseph  us  is  of  opinion,  man  should 
have  died  though  he  had  a  longer  term  <Jt 
years  added  to  his  life  ;  but  out  of  question, 
death  grew  out  of  the  root  of  sin  ;  the  apos- 
tle saith,  Rom.  v.  12.,  "  By  sin  came  death." 
See  then  how  cursed  a  thing  sin  is,  that 
hath  brought  so  many  curses  upon  the  crea- 
tion. If  we  will  not  hate  sin  for  its  defor- 
mity, let  us  hate  it  for  the  curse  it  brings. 

Use  Mh.    Did   God    make  this   glorious 
world  ?    Did  he  make  every  thing  good  ? 
Was  there  in  the  creature  so  much  beauty 
and  sweetness  ?  Oh  !  then  what  sweetness 
is  there  in  God  ?  Qidcquid  efficit  tcde,  illud 
est  magis  tale, — the  cause  is  always  more 
noble  than  the  effect.     Think  with  your- 
selves, is  there  so  much  excellency  in  house 
and  lands — then  how  much  more  is  there  in 
God,  that  made  these  !   Is  there  beauty  in  a 
rose  ?     What  beauty  then  is  there  in  Christ, 
the  rose  of  Sharon  !  Doth  oil  make  the  face  * 
shine  ?  Ps.  civ.  15.     How  will  the  light  of 
God's  countenance   make  it   shine  !    Doth 
wine   cheer  the  heart  ?    O  what  virtue  is 
there  in  the  true  vine  !  How  doth  the  blood 
of  this  grape  cheer  the  heart  !  Is  the  fruit 
of  the  garden  sweet  ?  how  delicious  are  the 
fruits  of  the  Spirit  !  Is  a  gold  mine  so  pre- 
cious ;  how  precious  is  he  who  founded  thia 
mine  !  What  is  Christ,  in  whom  are  hid  all 
treasures?   Col.  ii.  3.     We   should  ascend 
from  the  creature  to  the  Creator.     If  there 
be  any  comfort  here  below,  how  much  more 
is  there  in  God,  who  made  all  these  things  ! 
How  unreasonable  is  it,  that  we  should  de- 
liirht  in  the  world,  and  not  much  more  in 
him  that  ma^e  it?  How  should  our  hearts 
be  set  on  Cod,  and  how  should  we  lonjr  to 


be   witii   Cod,    who    hatli    infinitely   more 
sweetness  in  him,  than  any  creature  ! 
Use  bth.  Of  Exhortation.      1.  Did  God 


OF  THE  PROVIDENCE  OF  GOD. 


83 


create  the  world?  let  us  wisely  obseive 
those  works  of  creation.  God  hfitli  given 
us  not  only  the  book  of  the  scriptures  to 
read  in,  but  the  book  of  the  creation ;  look 
up  to  the  heavens,  they  shew  much  of  God's 
glory, — the  sun  gilds  the  world  with  its 
Ibriglit  beams, — behold  the  stars,  their  regu- 
lar motion  in  their  orbs,  their  magnitude, 
their  light,  their  influence.  We  may  see 
God's  glory  blazing  in  the  sun,  twinkling 
in  the  stars.  Look  into  the  sea,  and  see 
the  wonders  of  God  in  the  deep,  Ps.  cvii. 
24.  Look  into  the  air,  thei*e  the  birds  make 
melody,  and  sing  forth  the  praises  of  their 
Creator.  Look  into  the  earth,  there  we 
may  wonder  at  the  nature  of  minerals, — the 
power  of  tlie  loadstone, — the  virtue  of 
herbs ;  see  the  earth  decked  as  a  bride  with 
flowers  ;  all  these  arc  the  glorious  effects  of 
God's  power.  God  hath  wrought  the  crea- 
tion as  with  curious  needle-work,  that  we 
may  observe  his  wisdom  and  goodness,  and 
give  him  the  praise  due  to  him,  Ps.  civ.  24., 
"  O  Lord,  how  manifold  are  thy  works !  in 
wisdom  hast  thou  made  them  all." 

2.  Did  God  create  all  things  ?  Let  us  obey 
our  Maker.  We  are  his  Jure  creationis  ;  we 
owe  ourselves  to  him ;  if  another  gives  us 
our  maintenance  we  think  ourselves  bound 
to  serve  him,  much  more  should  we  serve  and 
obey  God  who  gives  us  our  life,  Acts  xvii. 
^28.,  "  In  him  we  live  and  move."  God  hath 
made  every  thing  for  man's  service, — the 
corn  for  nourishment, — the  beasts  for  use- 
fulness,— the  birds  for  music, — that  man 
should  be  for  God's  service.  The  rivers 
come  from  the  sea,   and  they  run  into  the 


sea  again.  All  we  have  is  from  God ;  let 
us  honour  our  Creator,  and  live  to  him  that 
made  us. 

3.  Did  God  make  our  bodies  out  of  the 
dust,  and  that  dust  out  of  nothing  ?  Let  this 
keep  down  pride.  AVhen  God  would  humble 
Adam  he  useth  this  expression,  "  Out  of  it 
(the  dust)  wast  thou  taken,"  Gen.  iii.  19. 
Wliy  art  thou  proud,  O  dust  and  ashes  ? 
Thou  art  made  but  of  course  metal.  Cum 
sift  humi  Ihmis,  cur  non  JiumUhmis  ?  Bern. 
David  saith,  "  I  was  curiously  wrought," 
Ps.  cxxxix.  15.  Thy  being  curiously 
wrought,  may  make  thee  thankful ;  but  be- 
ing made  of  the  dust,  may  keep  thee  hum- 
ble. If  thou  hast  beautv,  it  is  but  well 
coloured  earth.  Thy  body  is  but  air  and 
dust  mingled  together,  and  this  dust  will 
drop  into  the  dus4;.  Wlien  the  Lord  had 
said  of  the  Judges,  they  were  gods,  Ps. 
Ixxxii.  6.  Lest  they  should  grow  proud, 
he  tells  them,  they  were  dying  gods,  v.  7., 
"  Ye  shall  die  like  men." 

4.  Did  God  create  our  souls  after  his  im- 
age, but  we  lost  it?  let  us  never  rest  till 
we  are  restored  to  God's  image  again.  We 
have  now  got  the  devil's  image  in  pride, 
malice,  envy;  let  us  get  God's  image  re- 
stored, which  consists  in  knowledge  and 
righteousness.  Col.  iii.  10.  Grace  is  our 
best  beauty,  it  makes  us  like  God  and  angels ; 
as  the  sun  is  to  the  world,  so  is  holiness  to 
the  soul.  Let  us  go  to  God  to  repair  his 
image  in  us.  Lord  !  thou  hast  once  made 
me,  make  me  anew;  sin  hath  defaced  thy 
image  in  me,  O  draw  it  again  by  the  pencil 
of  the  Holy  Ghost ! 


OF  THE  PROVIDENCE  OF  GOD. 


Quest.  XL   WHAT  are  God's  works  of 
Providence  ? 

Ans.  God's  works  of  providence  are  his 
most  holy,  wise,  and  powerful  ])n>s('rving 
and  governing  all  his  creatures,  and  all  their 
actions. 

The  work  of  God's  providence,  John  v. 
17.,  "  My  Father  worketh  hitherto,  and  I 
work."  The  great  God  hath  rested  from 
the  works  of  creation,  he  doth  not  create 
any  new  species  of  things,  Gen.  ii.  2.,  "  He 


rested  from  all  his  works :"  and  therefore 
this  scripture  must  needs  be  meant  of  God's 
works  of  providence,  "  My  Father  work- 
eth, and  I  work  "  Ps.  ciii.  19,,  "  His  king- 
dom ruleth  over  all ;"  i.  e.  His  providential 
kingdom.  Now,  for  the  clearing  of  this 
point,  I  shall, 

1.  Show  you  that  there  is  a  providence. 
2.  "V^Hiat  that  providence  is.  3.  Lay  down 
some  maxims  or  propositions  concerning 
the  providence  of  God. 


84 


OF  THE  PROVIDENCE  OF  GOD. 


l5^  That  there  is  a  providence  :  there  is 
no  such  thing  as  blind  fate,  but  there  is  a 
providence  that  guides  and  governs  in  tlie 
world :  Prov.  xvi.  33.,  "  The  lot  is  cast 
into  the  lap,  but  the  whole  disposing  there- 
of is  of  the  Lord." 

2ahj.  What  this  providence  is?  I  an- 
swer, Providence  is  God's  ordering  all  is- 
sues and  events  of  things,  after  the  counsel 
of  his  will,  to  his  own  glory.  1.  I  call 
providence  God's  ordering  of  things,  to  dis- 
tinguish it  from  his  decrees :  God's  decree 
ordains  things  that  shall  fall  out,  God's 
providence  ordereth  them. — 2.  I  call  pro- 
vidence the  oi'dering  of  things  after  the 
counsel  of  God's  will. — 3.  God  ordereth 
all  events  of  things,  after  the  counsel  of  his 
will,  to  his  own  glory ;  the  glory  of  God 
being  the  ultimate  end  of  all  God's  actings, 
and  the  centre  where  all  the  lines  of  pro- 
vidence do  meet.  The  providence  of  God 
is  Regina  mundi, — the  queen  and  governess 
of  the  world ;  it  is  the  eye  that  sees,  and 
the  hand  that  turns  all  the  wheels  in  the 
universe.  God  is  not  like  an  artificer  that 
builds  a  house,  and  then  leaves  it,  and  is 
gone:  but  like  a  pilot,  that  does  with  a 
great  deal  of  care,  steer  on  the  ship  of  the 
whole  creation. 

3fl/y.  Positions  about  God's  providence. 
1.  God's  providence  reaches  to  all  places, 
persons,  and  occurrences.      1.  To  all  places, 
Jer.  xxiii.  23.,  "  Am  I  a  God  at  hand,  and 
not  a  God  afar  off?"     The  diocese  where 
providence  visits  is  very  large ;  it  reaches 
to  lieaven,  earth,  and  sea,  Ps.  cvii.  23,  24., 
*'  They  that  go  down  to  the  sea,  see  the 
wonders  of  God  in  the  deep."     Now,  that 
the  sea,  which   is  higher   than  the  earth, 
should  not  drown  the  earth,  is  a  wonder  of 
providence;  and  the  prophet  Jonali,  he  saw 
the  wonders  of  God  in  the  deep,  when  the 
very  fish  which  did  devour  him  and  swal- 
low liim,  did  bring  him  safe  to  shore. — 2. 
God's  providence   reaches   to  all   persons, 
especially  the  persons  of  the  godly,   they 
are  in   a  special   manner  taken  notice  of. 
God  takes  care  of  every  saint  in  particular, 
as  if  lie  had  none  else  to  take  care  for,  1  Pet. 
V.  7.,  "  He  careth  for  you,"  i.  e.  Elect  in 
a  special  manner.    Ps.  xxxiii   18,  19.,  "  The 
eye  of  the  Lord  is  upon  them  that  fear  him  : 
to  preserve  them  from  death,  and  to  keej) 


them  alive  in  famine."     God  by  his  provi- 
dential care,  shields  off  dangers  from  his 
people,  he  sets  a  life-guard  of  angels  about 
them,  Ps.  xxxiv.  7.    God's  providence  keeps 
the  Aery  bones  of  the  saints,  Ps.  xxxiv.  10 
It  bottles  their  tears,  Ps.  Ivi.  8.     It  strength- 
ens the  saints  in  their  weaknesses,  Heb.  xi. 
34.     It  supplies  all  their  wants  out  of  its 
alms  basket,  Ps.  xxiii.  5.     Thus  providence 
doth  wonderfully  supply  the  wants  of  the 
elect.     When  the  Protestants  in  Rochelle 
were  besieged  by  the  French  king,  God  by 
his  providence,  sent  in  a  great  number  of 
small  fishes  that  fed  them,  such   as  were 
never  seen  before  in  that  haven.     So  tlie 
raven,   that  unnatural   creature    tliat   will 
hardly  feed  its  own  young,  yet  providen- 
tially brought   sustenance   to   the   prophet 
Elijah,  1  Kings  xvii.  6.     The  virgin  Mary, 
though  by  bearing  and  bringing  forth  the 
Messiah  she  helped  to  make  the  world  rich, 
yet  she  herself  was  very  poor,  and  now,  be- 
ing warned  of  the  angel  to  go  into  Egypt, 
Mat.  ii.  13.,  the  virgin  had  scarce  enough 
to  bear  her  charges  thither :  see  now  how 
God   provides    for    her    before-hand ;    he, 
by  his  providence,  sends  the  wise  men  from 
the  east,  and  they  bring  costly  gifts,  gold, 
myrrh,  and  frankincense,  and  present  these 
to  Chri^,  and  now  the  virgin  had  enough 
to  defray  her  charges  into  Egj'pt.     God's 
children  sometimes  scarce  know  how  thev  ^ 
are  fed,  and  yet  providence  feeds  them,  Ps. 
xxxvii.   3.,    "  Verily   thou    shalt    be    fed." 
If  God  will  give  his  people  a  kingdom  when 
they  die,  he  will  not  deny  them  daily  bread 
while     they    live. — 3.    God's     providence 
reaches  to  all  affairs  and  occurrences  in  the 
world;  there  is  nothing  that   stirs   in  the 
world,  but  God  hath,   by  his  providence, 
the   over-ruling  of  it.     The  raising  of  a 
man  to  honour:  Ps.  Ixxv.  7.,   "  He  putcth 
down  one,  and  raises  up  another."     Suc- 
cess and  victory  in  battle  is  the  result  of 
providence :   Saul  had  the  victory,  but  (lod 
wrought   the    salvution,     1    Sam.    xi.    13. 
That  among  all  virgins  that  were  brought 
before  the  king,  that  Esther  should  find  fa- 
vour in  the  eyes  of  the  king,  was  not  with- 
out God's  special  j)rovi(lence  ;  for,  by  this 
means,  the  Lord  saved  the  Jews  alive  that 
were  destinated  to  destruction.    Providence 
reaches  to  the  least  of  things,  to  the  Birds 


OF  THE  PROVIDENCE  OF  GOD. 


85 


and  pismires;  providence  feeds  the  yonno^  sees  <rood  sometimes  that  tlie  worst  of  men 
raven,  when  the  dam  forsakes  it,  and  will  slumld  be  exalted  ;  they  may  do  some  work 
give  it  no  food,  Ps.  cxlvii.  9.  Providence  to  God,  thouj^h  against  tlieir  will,  Isa.  x,  7. 
readies  to  the  very  hairs  of  our  head.  Mat.  God  will  be  in  no  man's  debt.  God  makes 
\.  30.,  "  The  very  hairs  of  your  head  are  all  use  of  the  wicked  sometimes  to  protect  and 
i,umbercd;"andsurelyif  providence  reaches  shield  his  church  :  he  makes  use  of  them 
to  our  hairs  then  much  more  to  our  souls,  '  to  refine  and  ]>urify  his  people,  Hab.  i.  12., 
And  thus  you  have  seen  tliat  God's  j)rovi-  |  "  Thou  hast  established  them  for  correc- 
dence  reaches  to  all  places,  to  all  persons,  j  tion."  As  if  the  prophet  had  said,  '  Thou 
to  all  occurrences  and  affairs.  Now  there 
ai'e  two  objections  against  this  doctrine. 

Ouj.  1.  But  some  say.  There  are  many 
things  dime  in  the  world  which  are  eccentri- 
cal^ they  are  very  disorderly  and  irreyular  ; 
and  surely  God's  providence  doth  not  these 
thiniis. 

J71S.  Yes,  these  things  that  seem  tons 
irregular,  God  makes  use  of  to  his  own 
glory.  For  instance  :  suppose  you  were  in 
a  smith's  shop,  and  there  should  see  several 
sorts  of  tools,  some  crooked,  some  bo\ved, 
others  hooked,  would  you  condemn  all  these 
things  for  nought,  because  they  do  not  look 
handsome  ?  the  smith  makes  use  of  them 
all  for  the  doing:  of  his  work.  Thus  it  is 
with  the  providences  of  God,  they  seem  to 
us  to  be  very  crooked  and  strange,  yet  they 
all  carry  on  God's  work.  I  shall  clear  this 
to  you  in  two  particular  cases : 

1st.    God's    people   are    low;    why,    this 

seems  to  be  very  much  out  of  order,  that 

*  these  that  are  best  should  be  in  the  lowest 

condition ;   but   there   is  much  wisdom  t() 

be  seen  in  this  providence,  as  appears  thus: 

1.  Perhaps  the  hearts  of  the  godly  were 
lifted  up  with  riches,  or  with  success  :  now 
God  comes  with  an  humbling  providence 
to  afflict  them  and  fleece  them ;  better  is 
the  loss  that  makes  them  humble,  than  the 
success  that   makes   them   proud.     Again, 

2.  If  the  godly  were  not  sometimes  aftlict- 
td,  and  suffered  an  eclipse  in  their  outward 
comforts,  how  could  their  graces  be  seen, 
their  faith  and  patience?  If  it  were  al- 
ways sunshine,  we  should  see  no  stars  ;  if 
we  should  have  always  prosperity,  it  would 
be  hard  to  see  the  actings  of  men's  faith. 
Thus  you  see  God's  providences  are  wise 
and  i^gular,  though  to  us  they  seem  very 
strange  and  crooked. 

2dly.  Here's  another  case,  the  wicked 
flourish  ;  this  seems  to  be  very  much  out 
of  order ;  aye,  but  God,  in  his  providence, 


hast  ordained  the  wicked  to  correct  thy 
children.'  And  indeed,  as  Austin  saith 
well,  "  We  are  beholden  to  wicked  men, 
who  against  their  wills  do  us  good."  As 
the  corn  is  beholden  to  the  flail  to  thrash 
off"  its  husks,  or  as  the  iron  is  beholden  to 
the  file  to  brighten  it,  so  the  godly  are  be- 
holden to  the  wicked,  though  it  be  against 
their  Avill,  to  brighten  and  refine  their 
graces.  Now,  then,  if  the  wicked  do  God's 
own  work,  though  against  their  will,  God 
will  not  let  them  be  losers  by  it,  he  will 
raise  them  in  the  world,  exalt  them,  and 
wring  out  the  waters  of  a  full  cup  to  them. 
Thus  you  see  these  providences  are  wise 
and  regular,  which  to  us  seem  strange  and 
crooked. 

Od.i.  2.  But,  may  some  say,  if  God  hath 
a  hand  in  ordering  all  things  that  fall  aid, 
why  then  he  hath  a  hand  in  the  si7is  of  men. 

1  answer.  No,  by  no  means,  he  hath  no 
hand  in  any  man's  sin.  God  cannot  go 
contrary  to  his  own  nature,  he  cannot  do 
any  nnlutly  action,  no  more  than  the  sun 
can  be  said  to  be  darkened.  Here  you 
must  take  heed  of  two  things;  as  you  must 
take  heed  of  making  God  ignorant  of  men's 
sins,  so  you  must  take  heed  of  making  God 
to  have  a  hand  in  men's  sins.  Is  it  a  tiling 
likely,  that  God  is  the  author  of  sin,  that  is 
an  avenger  of  it?  Is  it  a  likely  thing  that 
(iod  should  make  a  law  against  sin,  and 
then  have  a  hand  in  breaking  his  own  law  ? 
Is  that  likely?  And  therefore  to  answer 
the  objection,  God  in  his  providence  doth 
permit  men's  sins:  Acts  xiv.  16.,  "  He 
suffered  all  nations  to  walk  in  their  own 
ways."  God  permitted  their  sin,  and  he 
would  never  permit  their  sin  if  he  could 
not  bring  good  out  of  it ;  a.s  the  apothecary 
can  make  a  treacle  of  poison.  Had  not 
sin  been  at  all  permitted,  God's  justice  in 
punishing  sin,  and  his  mercy  in  pardoning 
sin,   had  never  been  so  well  known.     The 


86 


OF  THE  PROVIDENCE  OF  GOD 


Lord  is  pleased  to  permit  it,   but  he  hath 
no  hand  in  sin. 

Obj.  But  is  it  not  said,  that  God  harden- 
ed Pharaoh's  heart  ?  Here^s  more  than  God's 
bare  permitting  of  sin. 

Ans.  God  doth  not  infuse  evil  into  men, 
only  he  withdraws  the  influence  of  his 
g^races,  and  then  the  heart  hardens  of  itself; 
even  as  the  light  being-  withdrawn,  dark- 
ness presently  follows  in  the  air;  but  it 
were  absurd  to  say,  that  therefore  the  light 
darkens  the  air ;  and  therefore  you  will  ob- 
serve, that  Pharaoh  is  said  to  harden  his 
own  heart,  Exod.  viii.  15.  God  is  the 
cause  of  no  man's  sin ;  it  is  true  God  hath 
a  hand  in  the  action  where  sin  is,  but  no 
Iiand  in  the  sin  of  the  action.  A  man  may 
play  upon  a  jarring  instrument,  but  the 
jarring  is  from  itself:  so  it  is  here,  the  ac- 
tions of  men,  so  far  as  they  are  natural,  are 
from  God ;  but  so  far  as  they  are  sinful, 
they  are  from  men  themselves,  and  God 
has  no  hand  at  all  in  them.  And  so  much 
for  the  first  position,  that  God's  providence 
reaches  to  all  places,  to  all  persons,  and  to 
all  occurrences. 

2.  A  second  position  is  this  :  there  are 
providences  that  are  casual  and  accidental 
to  us  that  are  pre-determined  by  tlie  Lord  : 
the  falling  of  a  tile  upon  one's  liead,  the 
breaking  out  of  a  fire,  to  us  is  casual,  but  it 
is  orderedby  a  providence  of  God.  You  have 
a  clear  instance  of  this,  1  Kings  xxii.  34., 
"  A  certain  man  drew  a  bow  at  a  venture, 
and  smote  the  king  of  Israel  between  tlie 
joints  of  the  harness."  This  accident  was 
casual  as  to  the  man  that  drew  the  bow ; 
but  it  was  divinely  ordered  by  the  provi- 
dence of  God ;  God's  providence  directed 
the  arrow  to  hit  the  mark.  Things  that 
seem  to  fall  out  casual,  and  by  chance,  they 
are  the  issues  of  God's  decrees,  and  the  in- 
terpretation of  his  will. 

3.  God's  providence  is  greatly  to  be  ob- 
served, but  we  are  not  to  m;ike  it  the  rule 
of  our  actions,  Ps.  cvii.  43.,  "  Whoso  is 
wise  will  observe  these  things."  It  is  good 
to  observe  providence,  but  we  must  not 
make  it  our  rule  to  walk  by;  providence 
is  a  Cliristian's  diurnal,  but  not  liis  IJible. 
Sometimes  a  bad  cause  prevails  and  gets 
ground;  it  is  not  to  be  liked  because  it 
doth  prevail;   we  must  not  think  the  bet- 


ter of  what  is  sinful,  because  it  is  success- 
ful ;  here  is  no  rule  for  our  actions  to  be 
directed  by. 

4.  Divine  providence  is  irresistible,  there 
is  no  standing  in  the  way  of  God's  pro^-i- 
dence  to  hinder  it;  when  God's  time  was 
come  for  Joseph's  release,  the  prison  could 
hold  him  no  longer,  "  The  king  sent  and 
loosed  him,"  Ps.  cv.  20.  When  God  would 
indulge  the  Jews  with  liberty  in  their  reli- 
gion, Cyrus,  by  a  providence,  puts  forth  a 
proclamation  to  encourage  the  Jews  to  go 
and  build  their  temple  at  Jerusalem,  and 
worship  God,  Ezra  i.  2,  3.  If  God  will 
shield  and  protect  Jeremiah's  person  in  cap- 
tivity, the  very  king  of  Babylon  shall  nurse 
up  the  prophet,  give  charge  concerning 
him  thathe  want  nothing,  Jer.  xxxix.  1 1,  12. 

5.  God  is  to  be  trusted  when  his  provi- 
dences seem  to  run  contrary  to  his  promis- 
es. God  promised  David  to  give  him  the 
crown,  to  make  him  king,  but  providence 
runs  contrary  to  his  promise.  David  was 
pursued  by  Saul,  was  in  danger  of  his  life, 
but  all  this  while  it  was  David's  duty  to 
trust  God.  Pray  observe,  the  Lord  doth 
oftentimes  by  cross  providences  bring  to 
pass  his  promise.  God  promised  Paul  the 
lives  of  all  that  were  with  him  in  the  ship ; 
but  now  the  providence  of  God  seems  to 
run  quite  contrary  to  his  promise, — the 
winds  blew, — the  ship  splits  and  breaks  in* 
pieces  ;  and  thus  God  fulfilled  his  promise, 
upon  the  broken  pieces  of  the  ship,  they  all 
came  safe  to  shore.  Trust  God  when  jjro- 
vidences  seem  to  run  quite  contrary  to  pro- 
mises. 

6.  The  providences  of  God  are  chequer- 
work  ;  they  are  intermingled;  in  the  life 
to  come,  there  shall  be  no  more  mixture, — 
in  hell  there  is  nothing  but  bitter, — in  hea- 
ven there  is  nothing  but  sweet, — but  in 
this  life  the  providences  of  God  are  mixed, 
there  is  something  of  the  sweet  in  them, 
and  something  of  the  bitter.  Providejices 
are  just  like  Israel's  pillar  of  cloud  that 
conducted  them  in  their  march ;  it  wa.s 
dark  on  one  side,  and  light  on  the  other; 
so  the  providences  of  God  are  a  dark  part 
and  a  light  part.  In  the  aik  there  was  laid 
up  the  rod  and  manna,  so  are  God's  j)rovi- 
dences  to  his  children  ;  there  is  sometJiing 
of  the  rod,  and  something  of  the  manna; 


OF  THE  PROVIDENCE  OF  GOD. 


87 


so  that  we  may  say  witli  Dav'ul,  "  I  will 
sing  of  mercy  and  judgment."  Joscpli  was 
in  prison,  there  was  the  dark  side  of  the 
cloud ;  but  God  was  with  Joseph,  there 
was  the  light  side  of  the  cloud.  Asher's 
shoos  were  of  brass,  but  his  feet  wore  dipt 
in  oil,  Deut.  xxxiii.  24.  So  affliction  is  the 
shoe  of  brass  that  pinches  ;  aye,  but  there 
is  mercy  mingled  with  the  affliction,  there's 
the  foot  dipt  in  oil. 

7.  Tlie  very  same  action,  as  it  comes 
from  God's  ])r(»vidonce,  may  be  good,  which, 
as  it  comes  t'lum  men,  may  be  evil.  For 
instance,  Jose])li  being  sold  into  Egypt;  as 
he  was  sold  by  his  brethren,  it  was  evil, 
very  wicked,  for  it  was  the  fruit  of  their 
envy;  but  as  it  was  an  act  of  God's  provi- 
dence, so  it  was  good ;  for  by  this  means 
Jacob  and  all  his  family  were  preserved  a- 
live  in  Egypt.  Another  instance  is  in  Shi- 
mei's  cursing  David;  now  as  Shimei  curs- 
ed David,  it  was  wicked  and  sinful,  for  it 
was  the  fruit  of  his  malice  ;  but  as  his  curs- 
ing was  ordered  by  God's  providence,  so  it 
was  an  act  of  God's  justice  to  punish  Da- 
\'id,  and  to  humble  him  for  his  adultery 
and  murder.  The  crucifying  of  Christ,  as 
it  came  from  the  Jews,  was  an  act  of  hat- 
red and  malice  to  Christ,  so  Judas's  betray  • 
ing  him  was  an  act  of  covetousness,  but  as 
it  was  an  act  of  God's  providence,  so  there 
was  good  in  it;  for,  see  it  was  an  act  of 
God's  love  in  giving  Christ  to  die  for  the 
world.  Thus  I  have  cleared  to  you  the 
doctrine  of  God's  providence,  in  these  seve- 
ral positions  :  let  me  now  speak  something 
by  way  of  aplication. 

Use  1.  By  way  of  exhortation  in  these 
particulars.  (1.)  Admire  God's  providence  : 
the  providence  of  God  keeps  the  whole  cre- 
ation upon  the  wheels,  or  else  it  would  soon 
be  dissolved,  and  the  very  axle-tree  would 
break  in  pieces  :  if  God's  providence  should 
be  withdrawn  but  for  a  while,  creatures 
would  be  dissolved,  and  run  into  their  first 
nothing.  Without  this  wise  providence  of 
God  there  would  be  anxiety  and  confusion 
m  the  whole  woHd,  just  like  an  army  when 
it  is  routed  and  scattered.  The  providence 
of  God  infuses  comfort  and  virtue  into 
every  thing  we  enjoy;  our  clothes  would 
not  warm  us,  our  food  would  not  nourish 
us    without  the  special  providence  of  God. 


And  doth  not  all  this  deserve  your  admira- 
tion of  providence  ? 

(2.)  Learn  quietly  to  submit  to  divine 
providence  ;  do  not  murmur  at  things  that 
are  ordered  by  divine  wisdom.  We  may 
no  more  find  fault  with  the  works  of  pro- 
vidence than  we  may  with  the  works  of 
creation.  It  is  a  sin  as  well  to  quarrel 
with  (iod's  j)rovidence,  as  to  deny  God's 
providence.  If  men  do  not  act  as  we  would 
have  them,  they  shall  act  as  God  would  have 
them.  His  ])rovidence  is  his  master-wheel 
that  turns  these  lesser  wheels,  and  God 
will  bring  his  glory  out  of  all  at  last :  Ps. 
xxxix.  9  ,  "  I  was  dumb  and  opened  not  my 
mouth,  because  thou,  Lord,  didst  it."  It  may 
be,  we  think  sometimes  we  could  order  thinirs 
better  if  we  had  the  government  of  the 
world  in  our  hands  ;  but  alas  !  should  we 
be  left  to  our  own  choice,  we  should  choose 
those  things  that  are  hurtful  for  us.  Da- 
vid did  earnestly  desire  the  life  of  his  child, 
which  was  the  fruit  of  his  sin  ;  now,  had 
the  child  lived,  it  had  been  a  perpetual 
monument  of  his  shame.  Let  us  be  con- 
tent (iod  should  rule  the  world,  learn  to 
acquiesce  in  his  will  and  submit  to  his  pro- 
vidence. Doth  any  affliction  befall  you  .-' 
remember  God  sees  it  is  that  which  is  fit 
for  you,  or  it  should  not  come ;  your 
clothes  cannot  be  so  fit  for  you,  as  your 
crosses.  God's  providence  may  sometimes 
be  secret,  but  it  is  always  wise  ;  though 
we  may  not  be  silent  under  God's  dishon- 
our, yet  we  should  learn  to  be  silent  under 
his  displeasure. 

(3.)  You  that  arc  Christians,  believe  that 
all  (iod's  providence  shall  conspire  for  your 
good  at  last.  The  ])rovidences  of  (jod  arc 
sometimes  dark,  and  our  eyes  dim,  and  we 
can  hardly  tell  what  to  make  of  them  ;  but 
when  ye  cannot  unriddle  providence,  be- 
lieve it  shall  work  together  lor  the  good  of 
the  elect,  Rom.  viii.  28.  Tiie  wheels  in  a 
clock  seem  to  move  cross  one  to  another, 
but  they  help  forward  the  motion  of  the 
clock,  and  make  the  larum  strike  :  so  the 
providences  of  God  seem  to  be  cross  wheels ; 
but  for  all  that  they  shall  carry  on  the  godd 
of  the  elect.  The  pricking  of  a  vein  is  in  it- 
self evil  aiul  hurtful,  but  as  it  prevents  a 
fever,  and  tends  to  the  health  of  the  patient, 
so  it  is  good ;  so  affliction  in  itself  is  not 


88 


OF  THE  PROVIDENCE  OF  GOD. 


joyous  but  grievous,  but  the  Lord  turns 
this  to  the  good  of  his  saints.  Poverty 
sliall  starve  their  sins,  afflictions  shall  pre- 
pare them  for  a  kingdom.  Therefore, 
Christians,  believe  that  God  loves  us,  that 
he  .will  make  the  most  cross  providences  to 
promote  his  glory  and  our  good. 

(4.)  Let  this  be  an  antidote  against  im- 
moderate fear  ;  for  nothing  comes  to  pass 
but  what  is  ordained  by  God's  decree,  and 
ordered  by  his  providence.  We  sometimes 
fear  what  the  issue  of  things  will  be,  men 
grow  high  in  their  actings  :  let  us  not  make 
things  worse  by  our  fear.  iNIen  are  limited 
in  their  power,  and  shall  not  go  one  hair's 
breadth  further  than  God's  providence  will 
permit ;  he  might  let  Sennacherib's  army 
march  towards  Jerusalem,  but  he  shall  not 
shoot  one  arrow  against  it.  2  Kings  xix. 
35.,  "  Then  the  angel  of  the  Lord  went 
fi)rth,  and  smote  in  the  camp  of  the  Assy- 
rians an  hundred  and  fourscore  and  five 
thousand."  Wlien  Israel  was  compassed 
in  between  Pharaoh  and  the  Red-sea,  no 
question,  some  of  their  hearts  did  begin  to 
tremble,  and  they  looked  upon  themselves 
as  dead  men  ;  but  providence  so  ordered 
it,  that  the  sea  was  a  safe  passage  to  Israel, 
and  a  sepulchre  to  Pharaoh  and  all  his  host. 

Use  2d.  Comfort  in  respect  of  the  church 
of  God.  God's  providence  reacheth  in  a 
more  special  manner  to  his  church,  Isa. 
xxvii.  2.,  "  Sing  ye  unto  her,  a  vineyard 
of  red  wine."  God  waters  this  vineyard 
with  his  blessings,  and  watcheth  over  it  by 
his  providence,  "  I  the  Lord  keep  it  night 
and  day."  Such  as  think  totally  to  ruin 
the  church,  must  do  it  in  a  time  when  it  is 
neither  day  nor  night ;  fin-  the  Lord  keeps 
it  by  his  providence  night  and  day.  What 
a  miraculous  conduct  of  providence  had 
Israel  !  God  led  them  by  a  pillar  of  fire, 
gave  them  manna  from  heaven,  set  the 
rock  abroach.  God  by  his  providence  pre- 
serves his  church  in  the  midst  of  enemies  ; 
which  is  as  to  see  a  sj)ark  kept  alive  in  the 
ocean,  or  a  Hock  of  sheep  among  wolves. 
God  saves  his  church  strangely  ;  1.  By  giv- 
ing unexpected  mercies  to  his  church,  when 
she  hioked  for  nothing  but  ruin,  Ps.  cxxvi. 
1.,  "  When  the  Lord  turned  again  the  cap- 
tivity of  Sion,  we  were  like  them  that 
dreamed."     How  strangely  did   (iod  raise 


up  queen  Esther  to  preserve  alive  the  Jews, 
when  Haman  had  got  a  bloody  warrant  sign- 
ed for  their  execution? — 2.  Strangely,  by 
saving  in  that  very  way  in  which  we  think 
he  will  destroy.  God  works  sometimes  by 
contraries.  He  raiseth  his  church  by  bring- 
ing it  low.  The  blood  of  the  martyrs  hath 
watered  the  church,  and  made  it  more 
fruitful,  Exod.  i.  12.,  "  The  more  they  af- 
flicted them,  the  more  they  multiplied." 
The  church  is  like  that  plant  which  Gre- 
gory Nazianzen  speaks  of,  it  lives  by  dying, 
and  grows  by  cutting. — 3.  Strangely,  in 
that  he  makes  the  enemy  to  do  his  work 
When  the  people  of  Ammon  and  Mo.ab, 
and  Mount  Seir  came  against  Judah,  God 
set  the  enemy  one  against  another,  2  Cliron. 
XX.  23.,  "  The  children  of  Ammon  and 
Moab  stood  up  against  the  inhabitants  of 
Mount  Seir  utterly  to  slay  and  destroy 
them  ;  and  when  they  had  made  an  end  of 
the  inhabitants  of  Seir,  every  one  helped 
to  destroy  another."  In  the  powder-trea- 
son he  made  the  traitors  to  be  their  own 
betrayers ;  God  can  do  his  work  by  the 
enemy's  hand.  God  made  the  Egyj)tian8 
send  away  the  people  of  Israel  laden  with 
jewels,  Exod.  xii.  36.  The  church  is  the 
apple  of  God's  eye,  and  the  eyelid  of  his 
providence  doth  daily  cover  and  defend  it. 
Use  3d.  Let  the  merciful  providence  of 
God  cause  thankfulness.  We  are  kept  a- 
live  by  a  wonderful  working  providence. 
Providence  makes  our  clothes  warm  tis, 
our  meat  nourish  us  ;  we  are  fed  every  day 
out  of  the  alms-basket  of  God's  providence. 
That  we  are  in  health, — that  we  have  an  e- 
state, — it  is  not  our  diligence,  but  God's  pro- 
vidence, Deut.  viii.  18.,  "Thoushalt  remem- 
ber the  Lord  thy  God,  for  he  it  is  that  giv- 
eth  thee  power  to  get  wealth."  Especially  if 
we  go  a  stej)  higher,  we  may  see  cause  of 
thankfulness, — that  we  should  be  born  and 
bred  in  a  gospel-land, — that  we  should  live 
in  such  a  place  where  the  Sun  of  Rigliteou.s- 
ness  shines, — this  is  a  signal  providence  ! 
Why  might  we  not  have  been  born  in  such 
places  where  Paganism  prevails  ?  That 
Christ  should  make  himself  known  to  us, 
and  touch  our  hearts  with  his  Spirit  when 
he  passeth  by  others :  whence  is  this,  but 
from  the  miraculous  providence  of  God, 
which  is  the  effect  of  his  free  grace  ? 


OF  THE  COVENANT  OF  WORKS. 


Use  ith.  See  here  that  which  may  make 
lis  lono^  for  that  time  when  the  great  mys- 
tery of  God's  providence  sliall  be  fully  un- 
folded to  us.  Now  we  scarce  know  what 
to  make  of  God's  providence,  therefore  are 
ready  to  censure  what  we  do  not  under- 
stand ;  but  in  heaven  we  shall  see  how  all 
God's  providences  (sickness,  losses,  suffer- 
ings) carried  on  our  salvation.  Here  we 
see  but  some  dark  pieces  of  God's   provi- 


dence, and  it  is  impossible  to  judge  of  God's 
works  bv  pieces ;  but  when  we  come  to 
heaven,  and  see  the  full  body  and  portiait- 
ure  of  God's  providence  drawn  out  into  its 
lively  colours,  it  will  be  a  glorious  sight  to 
behold  ;  then  we  shall  see  how  all  God's 
providences  helped  to  fulfil  his  promises. 
Never  a  ])rovidence  but  we  shall  see  had 
either  a  wonder  or  a  mercy  in  it. 


OF  THE  COVEr^ANT  OF  WORKS. 


Quest.  XII.  I  proceed  to  the  next  ques- 
tion, JV/int  special  providence  did  God  exer- 
cise towards  man  in  the  estate  wherein  he  was 
created  % 

Axs.  When  God  had  created  man,  he 
entered  into  a  covenant  of  life  with  him, 
upon  condition  of  perfect  obedience,  for- 
bidding him  to  eat  of  the  tree  of  know- 
ledge, upon  pain  of  death. 

For  this,  consult  with  Gen.  ii.  16,  17., 
"  And  the  Lord  commanded  the  man,  say- 
ing, '  Of  every  tree  of  the  garden  thou  may- 
est  freely  eat ;  but  of  the  tree  of  the  know- 
ledge of  good  and  evil,  thou  shalt  not  eat ; 
for  in  the  day  that  thou  eatest  thereof,  thou 
shalt  surely  die.' "  The  subject  then  of 
our  next  discourse  is  the  covenant  of  works. 
This  covenant  was  made  with  Adam  and 
all  mankind ;  for  Adam  was  a  public  per- 
son, and  the  representative  of  the  world. 

Quest.  For  what  reason  did  God  make  a 
covenant  with  Adam  and  his  posterity  in  in- 
nocency  ? 

Ans.  1.  To  show  his  sovereignty  over  us : 
we  were  his  creatures,  and  as  God  was  the 
gi'eat  monarch  of  heaven  and  earth,  God 
might  impose  upon  us  terms  of  a  covenant. 
— 2.  God  made  a  covenant  with  Adam,  to 
bind  him  fast  to  God :  as  God  bound  him- 
self to  Adam,  so  Adam  was  bound  to  God 
by  the  covenant. 

Quest.    What  was  the  covenant  ? 

Ans.  God  commanded  Adam  not  to  cat  of 
the  tree  of  knowledge;  God  gave  Adam  leave 
to  eat  of  all  the  other  trees  of  the  garden. 
God  did  not  envy  him  any  happiness  ;  only 
meddle  not  with  this  tree  of  knowledge, 
because  God  would  try  Adam's  obedience. 


As  king  Pharaoh  made  Joseph  chief  ruler 
of  his  kingdom,  and  gave  him  a  ring  off 
his  finger,  and  a  chain  of  gold,  only  he 
must  not  touch  his  throne.  Gen.  xli.  4-0., 
in  like  manner  God  dealt  with  Adam  :  he 
gave  him  a  sparkling  jewel,  knowledge, 
and  arrayed  him  with  a  fine  vesture,  put 
upon  him  the  garment  of  original  right- 
eousness, only,  saith  God,  touch  not  the 
tree  of  knowledge,  for  that  is  aspiring  after 
omniciency.  Adam  had  power  to  have 
kept  this  law :  Adam  had  the  copy  of  God's 
law  written  in  his  heart.  This  covenant 
of  works  had  a  promise  annexed  to  it,  and 
a  threatening.  1.  The  promise,  '  Do  this 
and  live.'  In  case  man  had  stood,  it  is 
probable  he  had  not  died,  but  had  been 
translated  to  a  better  paradise.  2.  The 
threatening,  "  Thou  shalt  die  the  death  ;" 
Hebrew,  "  In  dying  thou  shalt  die  ;"  that 
is,  thou  shalt  die  both  a  natural  death,  and 
an  eternal,  unless  some  other  expedient  be 
found  out  for  thy  restoration. 

Quest.  But  why  did  God  give  Adam  this 
law,  seeing  God  did  foresee  that  Adam  would 
transgress  it  ? 

Ans.  1.  It  was  Adam's  fault  that  he  did 
not  keep  the  law;  God  gave  him  a  stock  of 
grace  to  trade  with,  but  he  of  himself  broke. 
— 2.  Though  God  foresaw  Adam  would 
transgress,  yet  that  was  not  a  sufHciciit  rea- 
son that  Adam  should  have  no  law  given 
him :  for,  by  the  same  reason,  God  should 
not  have  given  his  written  word  to  men,  to 
be  a  rule  of  faith  and  manners,  because  he 
foresaw  that  some  would  not  believe,  and 
others  v/ould  be  juofane.  Shall  not  laws 
be  made  in  the  laud,  because  some  break 

INI 


90 


OF  THE  COVENANT  OF  WORKS. 


them  ?— 3.  God,  though  he  foresaw  Adam 
would  break  the  law,  he  knew  how  to  turn 
it  to  a  greater  good,  in  sending  Christ.  The 
first  covenant  being  broken,  he  knew  how 
to  establish  a  second,  and  a  better.  Well, 
concerning  the  first  covenant,  consider  these 
four  things. 

1.  The  form  of  the  first  covenant,  in  in- 
nocence, was  woi'king;  Gen.  xlii.  18.,  "  do 
this  and  live."  Working  was  the  ground  and 
condition  of  our  justification,  Gal.  iii.  12. 
Not  but  that  working  is  required  in  the  cove- 
nant of  grace:  we  are  bid  to  work  out  our  sal- 
vation, and  be  rich  in  good  works.  But  works 

,  J^  in  the  covenant  of  grace  are  not  rc<juired 
under  the  same  notion,  as  in  the  first  covc- 
oant  mth  Adam.  Works  are  not  required 
to  the  justification  of  our  persons,  but  as  a 
testification  of  our  love  to  God ;  not  as  a 
cause  of  our  salvation,  but  as  an  evidence 
of  our  adoption.  Works  are  required  in  the 
covenant  of  grace,  not  so  much  in  our  own 
strength,  as  in  the  strength  of  another ; 
"  It  is  God  which  worketh  in  you,"  Phil, 
ii.  13.  As  the  scrivener  guides  the  child's 
Hand,  and  helps  him  to  form  his  letters,  so 
that  it  is  not  so  much  the  child's  writing  as 
the  master's,  in  like  manner  our  obedience 
is  not  so  much  our  working  as  the  Spirit's 
co-working. 

2.  The  covenant  of  works  was  very  strict. 
God  required  of  Adam  and  all  mankind, 
1.  Perfect  obedience.  Adam  must  do  all 
tliintrs  written  in  the  '  book  of  the  law,' 
Gal.  iii.  10.,  and  not  fail,  either  in  the  mat- 
ter or  manner.  Adam  was  to  live  up  to 
the  whole  breadth  of  the  moral  law,  and  go 
exactly  according  to  it,  as  a  well-made  dial 
goes  with  the  sun  ;  a  sinful  thovight  had  for- 
feited the  covenant. — 2.  I*ersonal  obedience: 
Adam  must  not  do  his  work  by  a  proxy,  or 
have  any  surety  bound  for  him  ;  no,  it  must 
be  done  in  his  own  person. — 3.  Perpetual 
obedience :  he  must  continue  in  all  things 
written  in  the  '  book  of  the  law,'  Gal.  iii.  10. 
Thus  it  was  very  strict.  There  was  no 
mercy  in  case  of  failure. 

3.  The  covenant  of  works  was  not  built 
ujwn  a  very  firm  basis  :  therefore  it  must 
needs  leave  men  full  of  fears  and  doubts. 
The  covenant  of  works  rested  upon  the 
strength  of  men's  inherent  righteousness  ; 
which  though  in  innocency  was  perfect,  yet 


was  subject  to  a  change.  Adam  was  cre- 
ated holy,  but  mutable ;  he  had  a  power  to 
stand,  but  not  a  ])owcr  not  to  fall.  Adam 
had  a  stock  of  original  righteousness  to  be- 
gin the  world  with,  but  he  wa.s  not  sure  he 
would  not  break.  Adam  was  his  own  pilot, 
and  could  steer  right  in  the  time  of  inno- 
cency ;  but  he  was  not  so  secured,  but  that 
he  might  dash  against  the  rock  of  a  tempta- 
tion, and  he  and  liis  posterity  suffer  ship- 
wreck ;  so  that  the  covenant  of  works  must 
needs  leave  jealousies  and  doubtings  in  A- 
dam's  heart,  he  having  no  security  given 
him,  that  he  should  not  fall  from  tiiat  glo- 
rious state. 

4.  The  covenant  of  works  being  broken 
by  sin,  m.an's  condition  was  very  de})lora- 
ble  and  desperate ;  he  was  left  in  liimself 
helpless  ;  there  was  no  place  for  repentance : 
the  justice  of  God  being  offended  sets  all  tho 
other  attributes  against  mankind.  Wheij 
Adam  lost  his  righteousness,  he  lost  his  an- 
chor of  hope  and  his  crown :  there  Avas  no 
way  for  man's  relief,  unless  God  would  find 
out  such  a  way,  as  neither  man  nor  angel 
could  devise. 

Use  \st.  See  the  condescension  of  God, 
who  was  pleased  to  stoop  so  low,  as  to 
make  a  covenant  with  us.  For  the  God  of 
glory  to  make  a  covenant  with  dust  and 
ashes  :  for  God  to  bind  himself  to  us,  to  give 
us  life  in  case  of  obedience ;  entering  into 
a  covenant  was  a  sign  of  God's  friendship 
with  us,  and  a  royal  act  of  his  favour. 

Use  2d.  See  what  a  glorious  condition 
man  was  in,  Avhen  God  entered  into  cove- 
nant with  him.  1.  He  was  placed  in  the 
garden  of  God,  which  for  the  pleasure  of  it 
was  called  paradise,  Gen.  ii.  8.  He  had  his 
choice  of  all  the  trees,  one  only  excepted ; 
he  had  all  kinds  of  precious  stones,  pure 
metals,  rich  cedars  ;  he  was  a  king  upon  the 
throne,  and  all  the  creation  did  obeisance  to 
him,  as  in  Joseph's  dream,  all  his  brethren's 
sheaves  did  bow  to  his  sheaf.  Man,  in  in- 
nocency, had  all  kinds  of  pleasure  that  might 
ravish  his  senses  with  delight,  and  be  as 
baits  to  allure  him  to  serve  and  worship  his 
Maker. — 2.  Besides  he  was  full  of  holiness; 
paradise  was  not  more  adorned  with  fruit, 
than  Adam's  soul  was  with  grace.  He  was 
the  coin  on  which  (iod  had  stamped  his 
lively  image :  light  spai'kled  in  his  under- 


CONCERNING  SIN. 


91 


standing,  lie  was  like  an  earthly  angel ;  liis 
will  and.  affections  were  full  of  order,  tuning 
harmoniously  to  the  will  of  God.  Adam  wasa 
perfect  pattern  of  sanctity- — S.Adam  had  in- 
timacy of  communion  with  God  and  convers- 
ed with  him,  as  a  favourite  with  his  prince. 
Adam  knew  God's  mind,  and  had  his  lieart : 
he  not  only  enjoyed  tlie  light  of  the  sun  in 
paradise,  hut  the  light  of  (iod's  countenance. 
This  condition  was  Adam  in,  when  God  en- 
tered into  a  covenant  with  him ;  hut  this  did 
not  long  continue :  "  man  being  in  honour 
ahideth  not,"  Ps.  xlix.  ult., — lodged  not  for 
a  night ;  his  teeth  watered  at  the  apple,  and 
ever  since  it  hath  made  our  eyes  water. 

Use  Sd.  Learn,  from  Adam's  fall,  how 
unable  we  are  to  stand  in  our  own  strength. 
If  Adam,  in  the  state  of  integrity,  did  not 
stand,  how  unable  are  we  now,  when  the  lock 
of  our  original  ri^»hteousness  is  cut  ?  If  pu- 
rified nature  did  not  stand,  how  then  shall 
corrupt  nature  ?  We  need  more  strength 
to  uphold  us  than  our  own. 

Use  Alh.  See  in  what  a  sad  condition  all 
unbelievers  and  impenitent  persons  are ;  as 
long  as  they  continue  in  their  sins,  they 
continue  under  the  curse, — under  the  first 
covenant.  Faith  entitles  us  to  the  mercy 
of  the  second  covenant :  but,  while  men  are 
under  the  power  of  their  sins,  they  are  un- 
der the  curse  of  the  first  covenant,  and  if 
they  die  in  this  condition,  they  are  damned 
to  eternity. 

Use  bth.  See  the  wonderful  goodness  of 
God,  who  was  pleased  when  he  had  forfeit- 
ed the  first  covenant,  to  enter  into  a  new 
covenant  with  us.  Well  may  it  be  called 
fcedus  gratce, — a  covenant  of  grace  ;  it  is  be- 
spangled with  promises,  as  the  heaven  with 
stars.  When  the  angels,  those  glorious 
spirits,  fell,  God  did  uot  enter  into  a  new 


covenant  with  them  to  be  their  God,  but 
let  those  golden  vessels  lie  broken ;  but  hath 
entered  into  a  second  covenant  with  us, 
better  than  the  first,  Heb.  viii.  6.  It  is 
better,  because  it  is  surer;  it  is  made  in 
Christ,  and  cannot  be  reversed  ;  Christ  hath 
engaged  his  strength  to  keep  every  believer. 
In  the  first  covenant  we  had  a  posse  stare, — 
a  power  of  standing :  in  the  second  we  had 
a  no7i  posse  cadere, — an  impossibility  of  fall- 
ing finally,  1  Pet.  i.  5. 

Use  6th.  W  hosoever  they  are  that  look  for 
righteousness  and  Salvation  by  the  power 
of  their  free-will,  or  the  inherent  goodness 
of  their  nature,  or  by  virtue  of  their  merit, 
as  the  Socinians  and  Papists,  these  are  all 
under  the  covenant  of  w^orks ;  they  do  not 
submit  to  the  righteousness  of  faith,  there- 
fore they  are  bound  to  keep  the  ^^•hole  law, 
and  in  case  of  failure,  they  are  condemned. 
The  covenant  of  grace  is  like  a  court  of 
chancery,  to  relieve  the  sinner,  and  help 
him  who  is  cast  by  the  first  covenant ;  it 
saith,  '  Believe  in  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  be 
saved ;'  but  such  as  will  stand  upon  their 
own  inherent  righteousness,  free-will  and 
merit,  they  fall  under  the  first  covenant  of 
works,  and  are  in  a  perishing  estate. 

Use  1th.  Let  us  labour  by  faith  to  get 
into  the  second  covenant  of  grace,  and  then 
the  curse  of  the  first  covenant  is  taken 
away  by  Christ.  If  we  once  get  to  be  heirs 
of  the  covenant  of  grace,  we  are  in  a  better 
state  than  before.  Adam  stood  on  his  own 
legs,  therefore  fell ;  we  stand  in  the  strength 
of  Christ ;  under  the  first  covenant,  the  jus- 
tice of  God,  as  an  avenger  of  blood,  pursues 
you ;  but  if  ye  get  into  the  second  covenant 
you  are  got  into  the  city  of  refuge, — you 
are  safe,  and  the  justice  of  God  is  pacified 
towards  you. 


CONCERNING  SIN. 


Quest.  XIV.   WHAT  is  sin? 

Ans.  Sin  is  any  want  of  conformity  un- 
to, or  transgression  of  the  law  of  God. — 
1  John  iii.  4.,  "  Sin  is  the  transgression  of 
the  law."     Of  sin  in  general: 

1.  Sin  is  a  violation  or  transgression ; 
tlie   Latin   A\ord,   tiun.^jrediur,    '  to    trans- 


gress,' signifies  to  go  beyond  one's  bounds ; 
the  moral  law  is  to  keep  us  within  the 
bounds  of  our  duty, — sin  is  a  going  beyond 
our  bounds. 

2.  The  law  of  God ;  it  is  not  the  law  of 
an  inferior  prince  that  is  broken,  but  of 
Jehovah,  who  gives  laws  as  well  to  angels 


92 


CONCERNING  SIN. 


as  men  •  it  is  a  law  that  is  just,  and  holy, 
and  goof],  Rom.  vii.  12.  It  is  just,  there 
is  nothing  in  it  unequal ;  holy,  nothing  in 
it  impure  ;  good,  nothing  in  it  prejudical. 
So  that  tliere  is  no  reason  to  break  this  law, 
no  more  than  for  a  beast  that  is  in  a  fat  pas- 
ture, to  break  over  tlie  hedge,  to  leap  into 
a  barren  heath  or  quagmire. 

I  shall  shew  what  an  heinous  and  exe- 
crable thing  sin  is.  It  is  malorum  culluvies, 
— the  complication  of  all  evil ;  it  is  the  spi- 
rits of  mischief  distilled  ;  the  scripture  calls 
it  the  '  accursed  thing,'  Josh.  vii.  13.,  it  is 
compared  to  the  venom  of  serpents,  the 
stench  of  sepulchres.  The  apostle  useth 
this  expression  of  sin.  Out  of  measure  sin- 
ful, Rom.  vii.  13.,  or,  as  it  is  in  the  Greek, 
*  Hyperbolically  sinful.'  The  devil  would 
paint  over  sin  with  the  Vermillion  colour 
of  pleasure  and  profit,  that  he  may  make  it 
look  fair :  but  I  shall  pull  off  the  paint 
from  sin,  that  you  may  see  the  ugly  face 
of  it.  We  are  apt  to  have  slight  thoughts 
of  sin,  and  say  to  it,  as  Lot  of  Zoar,  Gen. 
xix.  20.,  '  Is  it  not  a  little  one?'  But  that 
you  may  see  how  gi'eat  an  evil  sin  is,  con- 
sider these  four  things  : 

1st.  The  original  of  sin,  from  whence  it 
comes :  it  fetcheth  its  pedigi'ee  from  hell. 
Sin  is  of  the  devil,  1  John  iii.  8.,  "  He 
that  committeth  sin  is  of  the  devil,""  Satan 
was  the  first  actor  of  sin,  and  the  first 
tempter  to  sin :  Sin  is  the  devil's  first- 
born. 

2(1.  Sin  is  evil  in  the  nature  of  it. 

1.  It  is  a  defiling  thing.  Sin  is  not  only 
a  defection,  but  a  pollution.  It  is  to  the 
soul  as  rust  is  to  gold,  as  a  stain  is  to  beau- 
ty. It  makes  the  soul  red  with  guilt,  and 
black  with  filth.  Sin  in  scripture  is  com- 
pared to  a  '  menstruous  cloth,'  Is,  xxx.  22., 
to  a  plague-sore,  1  Kings  viii.  38. ;  Joshua's 
filthy  garments,  in  which  he  stood  before 
the  angel,  Zecli.  iii.  3.,  were  nothing  but  a 
type  and  hieroglyphic  of  sin.  Sin  hath 
blotted  God's  image,  and  stained  the  orient 
brightness  of  the  soul.  Sin  makes  (iod 
loatiie  a  sinner,  Zech.  xi.  8.,  and  when  a 
sinner  sees  his  sin,  he  h>athes  himself, 
Ezek.  XX.  42.  Sin  drops  poison  on  our 
holy  things,  it  infects  our  prayers.  The 
high  priest  was  to  make  atonement  foi*  sin 
on    the    altar,   Exod.  xxix.  36.,   to   typify 


that  our  holiest  services  need  Christ  to  make 
an  atonement  for  tliem.  Duties  of  religion 
in  themselves  are  good,  but  sin  corrupt? 
them,  as  the  purest  water  is  pollutted  run- 
ning through  muddy  ground.  The  leper, 
under  the  law,  if  he  had  touched  the  altar, 
the  altar  had  not  cleansed  him,  but  he  had 
defiled  the  altar.  The  apostle  calls  sin, 
"  Filthincss  of  the  flesh  and  spirit,"  2  Cor. 
vii.  1.  Sin  stamps  the  devil's  image  on  a 
man  ;  malice  is  the  devil's  eye,  hypocrisy 
his  cloven  foot.  It  turns  a  man  into  a  de- 
vil, John  vi.  70.,  "  Have  not  I  chosen  you 
twelve,  and  one  of  you  is  a  devil." 

2.  Sin  is  a  grieving  of  God's  Spirit, 
Eph.  iv.  30.,  "  Grieve  not  the  Holy  Spirit 
of   God." 


To   grieve,    is    more    than    to 


anger. 


Quest.  How  can  the  Spirit  he~said  to  be 
grieved  ?  For,  seeing  he  is  God,  he  cannot 
be  subject  to  any  passion. 

Ans.  This  is  spoken  metaphorically :  Sin 
is  said  to  grieve  the  Spirit ;  because  it  is 
an  injury  offered  to  the  Spirit,  and  he  takes 
it  unkindly,  and,  as  it  were,  lays  it  to  heart. 
And,  is  it  not  much  thus  to  grieve  the  Spi- 
rit? The  Holy  Ghost  descended  in  the 
likeness  of  a  dove ;  sin  makes  this  blessed 
dove  mourn.  Were  it  only  an  angel,  we 
should  not  grieve  him,  much  less  the  Spi- 
rit of  God.  Is  it  not  sad  to  grieve  our 
Comforter  i 

3.  Sin  is  an  act  of  contumacy  against 
God ;  a  walking  antipodes  to  heaven.  Lev. 
xxvi.  27.,  "  If  ye  will  walk  contrary  to 
me."  A  sinner  tramples  npon  God's  law, 
— crosseth  his  will, — doth  all  he  can  to  af- 
front, yea  to  spite  God.  The  Hebrew  word 
for  sin,  pashang,  signifies  '  rebellion  ;'  there 
is  the  heart  of  a  rebel  in  every  sin,  Jer. 
xliv.  17.,  "  We  will  certainly  do  whatso- 
ever  thing  goeth  forth  out  of  our  own 
mouth,  to  burn  incense  unto  the  queen  of 
heaven."  Sin  strikes  at  the  very  Deity, 
Pcccatwn  est  Deicidium;  Sin  would  not  only 
unthrone  God,  but  un-god  him.  If  the 
sinner  could  help  it,  (lod  would  no  longer 
be  God. 

4.  Sin  is  an  act  of  disingenuity  and  un- 
kindness.  God  feeds  the  sinner,  keeps  off 
evils  from  him,  beniiracles  him  Avith  mercy; 
but  the  sinner  not  only  forgets  God's  mer- 
cies, but  abuseth  them ;  he  is  the  worse  for 


CONCERNING  SIN. 


93 


mercy ;  like  Absalom,  who,  as  soon  as  Da- 
vid had  kissed  him,  and  taken  h'un  into  fa- 
vour, j)lotted  treason  against  l)im,  2  Sam. 
XV.  10.  Like  the  mule,  wlio  kicks  the  dam 
after  she  hath  given  it  milk,  van  partusum, 
2  Sam.  xvi.  17.,  "  Is  this  thy  kindness  to 
thy  friend?"  God  may  upbraid  the  sinn(M-: 
I  have  given  thee  (may  God  say)  tliy  liealth, 
strength,  and  estate, — tliou  requitest  me 
evil  for  good,  thou  woundest  me  with  my 
own  mercies, — is  this  thy  kindness  to  thy 
friend  ?  Did  I  give  thee  life  to  sin  ?  Did 
I  give  thee  wages  to  serve  the  devil  ? 

5.  Sin  is  a  disease,  Isa.  i.  5.,  "  The  whole 
head  is  sick ;"  some  are  sick  of  pride,  others 
of  lust,  others  of  envy.  Sin  hath  distem- 
pered the  intellectual  part,  it  is  a  leprosy 
in  the  head,  it  hath  poisoned  the  vitals,  Tit. 
i.  15.,  "  Their  conscience  is  defiled."  It 
is  with  a  sinner  as  with  a  sick  patient,  his 
palate  is  distempered,  the  sweetest  things 
taste  bitter  to  him.  The  word  wliich  is 
'  sweeter  than  the  honey-comb,'  Isa.  v.  20., 
tastes  bitter  to  him ;  they  '  put  sweet  for 
bitter.'  This  is  a  disease,  and  nothing  can 
cure  this  disease  but  the  blood  of  the  Phy- 
sician. 

6.  Sin  is  an  irrational  thing ;  it  makes  a 
man  act  not  only  wickedly,  but  foolishly. 
It  is  absurd  and  irrational  to  prefer  the 
lesser  before  the  greater, — the  pleasures  of 
life,  before  the  rivers  of  pleasures  at  God's 
right-hand  for  evermore.  Is  it  not  irra- 
tional to  lose  heaven  for  the  satisfying  or 
indulging  of  lust?  As  Lysimachus  who, 
for  a  draught  of  water  lost  a  kingdom.  Is 
it  not  irrational  to  gi'atify  an  enemy  ?  In 
sin  we  do  so.  Wlien  lust  or  rash  anger 
burns  in  the  soul,  Satan  warms  himself  at 
this  fire.     Men's  sins  feast  the  devil. 

7.  Sin  is  a  painful  thing :  its  costs  men 
much  labour  in  pursuing  their  sins.  How 
do  men  tire  themselves  in  doing  the  devil's 
drudgery?  Jer.  ix.  5.,  "  They  weary  them- 
selves to  commit  iniquity."  What  pains 
did  Judas  take  to  brin<r  about  his  treason? 
lie  goes  to  the  high  priest,  and  then  after 
to  tlie  band  of  soldiers,  and  then  back  again 
to  the  garden.  St.  Chrysostom  saith,  "  Vir- 
tue is  easier  than  vice."  It  is  more  pains 
to  some  to  follow  their  sins,  than  to  others 
to  w()rship  their  God.  While  the  sinner 
travails  with  his  sin,  in  sorrow  he  brings 


forth  ;  it  is  called  '  serving  divers  lusts,' 
Tit.  iii.  3.  Not  enj'ot/,  but  serve:  W])y  so? 
because  not  only  of  tlie  slavery  in  sin,  but 
the  hard  labour;  it  is  'serving  divers 
lusts.'  Many  a  man  goes  to  hell  in  the  sweat 
of  his  brow. 

8.  Sin  is  the  only  thing  CJod  hath  an  an- 
tipathy against.  God  doth  not  hate  a  man 
because  he  is  poor,  or  despised  in  the  world, 
you  do  not  hate  your  friend  because  lie  is 
sick  ;  but  that  which  draws  forth  the  keen- 
ness of  God's  hatred,  is  sin,  Jer.  xliv,  4., 
"  O  do  not  this  abominable  thing  which  I 
hate."  And  sure,  if  the  sinner  dies  under 
God's  hatred,  he  cannot  be  admitted  into 
the  celestial  mansions.  Will  God  let  him 
live  with  him  whom  he  hates?  God  will  ncA'er 
lay  a  viper  in  his  bosom.  The  feathers  of 
the  eagle  will  not  mix  with  the  feathers  of 
tlie  other  fowls;  God  will  not  mix  and  in- 
corporate with  a  sinner.  Till  sin  be  re- 
moved, there  is  no  coming  where  God  is, 

3d.  See  the  evil  of  sin,  in  the  price  paid 
for  it ;  it  cost  the  blood  of  God  to  expiate  it. 
"  O  man  (saith  St.  Austin)  consider  the 
greatness  of  thy  sin,  by  the  greatness  of 
the  price  paid  for  sin."  All  the  princes  on 
earth,  or  angels  in  heaven,  could  not  satisfy 
for  sin ;  only  Christ.  Nay,  Christ's  active 
obedience  was  not  enough  to  make  atone- 
ment for  sin,  but  he  must  suffer  upon  the 
cross  ;  for,  "  without  shedding  of  blood  is 
no  remission,"  Ileb.  ix.  22.  O  what  an 
accursed  thing  is  sin  that  Christ  should  die 
for  it !  Tiie  evil  of  sin  is  not  so  much  seen 
in  that  one  thousand  are  damned  for  it,  as 
that  Christ  died  for  it. 

4M.  Sin  is  evil  in  the  effects  of  it. 
1.  Sin  hath  degraded  us  of  our  honour 
Reuben  by  incest  lost  his  dignity ;  and 
though  he  were  the  first-born,  he  could  not 
excel.  Gen.  xlix.  4.  God  made  us  in  his 
own  image,  a  little  lower  than  the  angels; 
hut  sin  hath  debased  us.  Before  Adam 
sinned,  he  was  like  an  herald  that  hath  liis 
coat  of  arms  upon  him;  all  reverence  liiin, 
because  he  carries  the  king's  coat  of  arms  ; 
but  let  this  coat  be  pulled  off,  and  he  is 
desjiised,  no  man  regards  him.  Sin  hath 
done  this,  it  hath  plucked  off  our  coat  of 
innocency,  and  now  it  hatli  debased  us, 
and  turned  our  glory  into  shame:  Dan.  xi. 
21.,   "  And  in  his  estate  shall   stiuid   up  a 


94 


CONCERNING  SIN. 


vile  person."  This  was  spoken  of  Antio- 
chus  Epiphanes,  who  was  a  king,  and  liis 
name  signifies  '  illustrious ;'  yet  sin  liatli 
degraded  him,  he  was  a  vile  person. 

2.  Sin  disquiets  the  peace  of  the  soul. 
Wliatever  defiles,  disturbs;  as  poison  tor- 
tures the  bowels,  corrupts  the  blood,  so 
sin  doth  the  soul,  Isa.  Ivii.  21.  Sin  breeds 
a  trembling  at  the  heart ;  it  creates  fears, 
and  there  is  torment  in  fear,  1  John  iv.  18. 
Sin  makes  sad  convulsions  in  the  con- 
science. Judas  was  so  terrified  with  guilt 
and  horror,  that  he  hanged  himself  to  quiet 
his  conscience.  And  is  not  he  like  to  be 
ill  cured,  that  throws  himself  into  hell  for 


ease  r 


3.  Sin  produccth  all  temporal  e^dl.  Lam. 
i.  8.,  "  Jerusalem  hath  grievously  sinned, 
therefore  she  is  removed."  It  is  the  Tro- 
jan horse, — it  hath  sword,  and  famine,  and 
pestilence,  in  the  belly  of  it.  Sin  is  a  coal 
that  not  only  blacks  but  burns.  Sin  creates 
all  our  troubles;  it  puts  gravel' into  oui 
bread,  wormwood  in  our  cup.  Sin  rots  the 
name,  consumes  the  estate,  buries  rela- 
tions. Sin  shoots  the  flying  roll  of  God's 
curses  into  a  family  and  kingdom,  Zech.  v. 
4.  It  is  reported  of  Phocas,  that  having 
built  a  wall  of  mighty  strengtji  about  his 
city,  there  was  a  voice  heard,  "  Sin  is 
within  the  city,  and  that  will  throw  down 
the  wall." 

4.  Sin  unrepented  of  brings  final  dam- 
nation. The  canker  that  breeds  in  the  rose 
is  the  cause  of  its  perishing;  and  corrup- 
tions that  breed  in  men's  souls  are  the  cause 
of  their  damning.  Sin,  without  repentance, 
brings  the  *  second  death,'  Rev.  xx.  14., 
that  is,  mors  sin  morte,  Bern., — "  a  death 
always  dying."  Sin's  pleasure  will  turn 
to  sorrow  at  last;  like  the  book  the  pro- 
phet did  eat,  Ezck.  iii.  3.,  sweet  in  the 
mouth,  but  bitter  in  the  belly.  Sin  brings 
the  wrath  of  God,  and  what  buckets  or  en 
gines  can  quench  that  fire?  Mark  ix.  44., 
"  Where  the  worm  dieth  not,  and  the  fire 
is  not  quenched.'' 

Use  \st.  See  how  deadly  an  evil  sin  is, 
how  strange  is  it  that  any  one  should  love 
■»t?     Ps.  iv.  2.,  "  How  long  will  ye  love 


vanity?"  Hos.  iii.  1.,  "  Who  look  to  other 
gods  and  loA^e  flagons  of  wine."  Sin  is  a 
dish  men  cannot  forbear  though  it  make 
tlicm  sick.  Who  would  pour  rose-water 
into  a  kennel  ?  Wliat  pity  is  it  so  sweet 
an  affection  as  love  should  be  poured  upon 
so  filthy  a  thing  as  sin  !  Sin  brings  a  sting 
in  the  conscience, — a  curse  in  the  estate, — 
yet  men  love  it.  A  sinner  is  tlic  greatest 
self-denier;  for  his  sin  he  will  denv  him- 
self  a  part  in  heaven. 

Use  2d.  Do  any  thing  rather  than  sin  ! 
O  hate  sin  !  There  is  more  evil  in  the  least 
sin,  than  in  the  greatest  bodily  evils  that 
can  befall  us.  The  ermine  rather  chooseth 
to  die  than  defile  her  beautiful  skin.  There 
is  more  evil  in  a  drop  of  sin,  than  in  a  sea 
of  affliction  ;  afiliction  is  but  like  a  rent  in 
a  coat,  sin  a  prick  at  the  heart.  In  afflic- 
tion there  is  aliquid  boni,  some  good;  iri 
this  lion  there  is  some  honey  to  be  found, 
Ps.  cxix.  71.,  "  It  is  good  for  me  that  I 
have  been  afflicted."  Utile  est  anima  si  in 
hac  area  mimdi  flagellis  trittirdur  corptis^ 
Aug.  AflBiction  is  God's  flail  to  thrash  off 
our  husks ;  not  to  consume ;  but  refine. 
There  is  no  good  in  sin  ;  it  is  tlie  spirit  and 
quintessence  of  evil.  Sin  is  worse  than 
hell ;  for  the  pains  of  hell  only  are  a  bur- 
den to  the  creature ;  but  sin  is  a  burden  to 
God,  Amos.  ii.  13.,  "  I  aiti  pressed  under 
you,  as  a  cart  is  pressed  that  is  full  of 
sheaves." 

Use  Sd.  Is  sin  so  great  an  evil  ?  Then 
how  thankful  should  you  be  to  God,  if  he 
hath  taken  away  your  sin?  Zech.  iii.  4., 
"  I  have  caused  thy  iniquity  to  pass  from 
thee."  If  you  had  a  disease  on  your  body, 
plague  or  dropsy,  how  thankful  Mould  you 
be  to  have  it  taken  away  ?  INIuch  more  to 
have  sin  taken  away.  God  takes  away  the 
guilt  of  sin  by  pardoning  grace,  and  the 
power  of  sin  by  mortifying  grace.  O  be 
thankful  that  this  sickness  is  "  not  u  to 
death ;"  that  God  hath  changed  your  na- 
ture, and  by  grafting  you  into  Christ,  mad-e 
you  partake  of  the  sweetness  of  that  olive ; 
that  sin,  though  it  live,  doth  not  reign,  but 
the  elder  serves  the  younger,  the  elder  of 
sin  serves  the  younger  of  grace. 


ADAM'S  SIN. 


ADAM'S  SIN. 


Quest.  XV.  WHAT  was  the  sin  tcherclnj 
our  first  parents  fell  from  the  estate  wherein 
they  irere  created  ? 

Ans.  The  sin  was  their  eating  the  for- 
bidden fruit :  Gen.  iii.  C,  "  She  took  of  tlie 
fruit  thereof,  and  did  eat,  and  gave  also  to 
her  liusband." 

Here  is  implied,  l.s^.  That  our  first  pa- 
rcTits  fell  from  their  estate  of  innocency. 
2(f.  The  sin  by  which  they  fell,  eating  the 
forbidden  fruit. 

1st.  Our  first  parents  fell  from  their  gh)- 
rious  state  of  innocency :  Eccl.  vii.  29.. 
"  God  made  man  upright,  but  tliey  have 
sought  out  many  inventions."  Adam  was 
perefectly  holy, — he  had  rectitude  of  mind, 
and  liberty  of  will  to  good, — but  his  head 
ached  till  he  had  invented  his  own  and  our 
death, — he  sought  out  many  inventions,  1. 
Adam's  fall  was  voluntary ;  he  had  a  possf 
non  peccare, — a  power  not  to  fall.  Free- 
will was  a  sufficient  shield  to  repel  tempta- 
tion;  the  devil  could  not  have  forced  him, 
unless  he  had  given  his  consent.  Satan 
was  only  a  suitor  to  woo,  not  a  king  to 
compel :  but  Adam  gave  away  his  own 
power,  and  suffered  himself  to  be  decoved 
into  sin,  like  a  young  gallant,  who,  at  one 
throw,  loseth  a  fair  lordship.  Adam  had 
a  fair  lordship,  he  was  lord  of  the  world. 
Gen.  i.  28.,  "  Have  dominion  over  the  fish 
of  the  sea,  and  over  the  fowl  of  the  air, 
and  over  every  living  thing  that  moveth." 
But  he  lost  all  at  one  throw.  As  soon  as 
he  sinned,  he  forfeited  paradise. — 2.  Adam's 
fall  was  sudden,  he  did  not  long  continue 
in  his  royal  majesty. 

Quest.  How  long  did  Adam  continue  in 
paradise  before  he  fell? 

Alts.  Tostatus  saith,  he  fell  the  next  day. 
Pererius  saith,  he  fell  the  eighth  day  after 
his  creation.  But  the  most  probable  and 
received  opijiion  is,  that  Adam  fell  the  very 
same  day  •  in  which  he  was  created :  So 
IrenjEus,  Cyril,  Epiphanius,  and  many  o- 
thers.  The  reasons  which  incline  me  to 
believe  so,  are, 

1 .  It  is  said,  Satan  was  a  murderer  '  from 
the  beginning,'  John  viii.  44      Now,  whom  | 


did  he  murder?  Not  the  blessed  angels, 
he  could  not  reach  them ;  nor  the  cursed 
angels,  for  they  had  before  destroyed  them- 
selves. How  then  was  Satan  a  murderer 
from  the  beginning?  As  soon  as  Satan 
fell,  he  began  to  tempt  mankind  to  sin  ; 
this  was  a  murdering  temptatiofi.  By  which 
it  appears  Adam  did  not  stay  long  in  ])ara- 
dise,  soon  after  his  creation  the  Movil  set 
upon  him,  and  murdered  him  by  his  temp- 
tation. 

2.  Argument  to  prove  that  Adam  fell 
the  same  day  he  was  created  :  Adam  had 
not  yet  eaten  of  the  tree  of  life,  (ien.  iii. 
22,  23.,  "  And  now  lest  he  put  forth  his 
hand,  and  take  also  of  the  tree  of  life,  and 
eat,  and  live  for  ever ;  the  Lord  sent  him 
forth  from  the  garden."  This  tree  of  lif(», 
being  one  of  the  choicest  fruits  in  the  gar- 
den, and  being  placed  in  the  midst  of  para- 
dise, it  is  very  like  Adam  Avould  have  eaten 
of  tliis  tree  of  life  one  of  the  first,  had  not 
the  serpent  beguiled  him  with  the  tree  of 
knowledge.  So  that  hence  I  conclude, 
Adam  fell  the  very  day  of  his  creation,  be- 
cause he  had  not  yet  tasted  the  tree  of  life, 
that  tree  that  was  most  in  his  eye,  and  had 
such  delicious  fruit  growing  upon  it. 

3.  Argument  from  Ps.  xlix.  12.,  "  INIan 
being  in  honour,  ahideth  not"  Tlie  Rab- 
bins read  it  thus,  '  Adam  being  in  honour, 
lodged  not  one  night.'  The  Hebrew  word 
for  abide,  signifies,  '  to  stay  or  lodge  all 
night.'  Adam  then,  it  seems,  did  not 
take  up  one  night's  lodging  in  Paradise. 

Inference.  From  Adam's  sudden  fall,  he 
fell  the  same  day  in  which  he  was  creat(!d, 
learn:  1.  The  weakness  of  human  nature. 
Adam  in  a  state  of  integrity,  quickly  made 
a  defection  from  God,  he  soon  lost  the  robe 
of  innocency,  and  the  glory  of  Paradise. 
And,  was  our  nature  thus  weak  when  it 
was  at  the  best,  what  is  it  now  when  it  is 
at  the  worst  ?  If  Adam  did  not  stand  when 
he  was  perfectly  righteous,  how  una])le  are 
we  to  stand  when  sin  hath  cut  the  lock  of 
our  original  righteousness  ?  If  purified  na- 
ture did  not  stand,  how  then  shall  corrupt 
nature  ?     If  Adam,  in  a  few  hours,  sinned 


96 


ADAM'S  SIN 


himself  out  of  Paradise,  how  quickly  would 
we  sin  ourselves  into  hell,  if  we  were  not 
kept  by  a  greater  power  than  our  own  ! 
But  God  puts  underneath  his  everlasting 
arms,  Deut.  xxxii.  17. — 2.  From  Adam's 
fiuddcn  fall,  he  fell  the  same  day;  learn 
how  sad  it  is  for  a  man  to  be  left  to  him- 
self. (1)  Adam  being  left  to  himself,  fell : 
O  then,  what  will  become  of  us,  how  soon 
fall,  if  God  leave  us  to  ourselves  !  A  man 
without  God's  grace,  left  to  himself,  is  like 
a  ship  in  a  storm,  without  pilot  or  anchor, 
and  is  ready  to  dash  upon  every  rock. 
Make  this  prayer  to  God,  "  Lord,  do  not 
leave  me  to  myself:  If  Adam  fell  so  soon 
who  had  strength,  how  soon  shall  I  fall 
who  have  no  strength  !"  O  urge  God  with 
his  hand  and  seal,  2  Cor.  xii.  9.,  "  My 
strength  shall  be  made  perfect  in  weak- 
ness." 

2d.  The  sin  by  which  our  first  parents 
fell  was  '  eating  the  forbidden  fruit ;'  where, 
consider  two  things  :  I.  The  occasion  of  it. 
II.  The  sin  itself. 

I.  The  occasion  of  it ;  the  serpent's  temp- 
tation. The  devil  did  creep  into  the  ser- 
pent, and  spake  in  the  serpent,  as  the  angel 
in  Balaam's  ass  ;  where,  consider, 

1st.  The  subtlety  of  Satan's  temptation  ; 
his  wiles  are  worse  than  his  darts.  Satan's 
subtlety  in  tempting :  (1.)  He  deals  all  a- 
long  as  an  impostor,  he  ushered  in  his  temp- 
tation by  a  lie.  Gen.  iii.  4.,  "  Ye  shall  not 
surely  die."  2d.  Lie,  That  God  did  envy 
our  first  parents  their  happiness,  v.  5., 
"  God  knows,  that  in  the  day  ye  eat,  your 
eyes  shall  be  opened ;"  q.  d.  It  is  God's 
envying  your  felicity ;  that  he  forbids  you 
this  tree.  3d.  Lie,  That  they  should  be 
thereby  made  like  unto  God,  v.  5.,  "  Ye 
shall  be  as  gods."  Here  was  his  subtlety 
in  temj)ting  :  The  devil  was  first  a  li.ar,  then 
a  murderer. 

(2.)  In  that  he  set  upon  our  first  parents 
so  quickly,  before  they  were  confirmed  in 
their  obedience ;  the  angels  in  heaven  are 
fully  confirmed  in  holiness, — they  are  called 
'  stars  of  the  morning,'  Job  xxxviii.  7.,  and 
they  are  fixed  stars.  But  our  first  parents 
were  not  confirmed  in  their  obedience, — 
they  were  not  fixed  in  their  orb  of  holiness  ; 
though  they  had  a  possibility  of  standing, 
they  had  not  an  impossibility  of  falling : 


they  were  holy,  but  mutable  ;  here  was  Sa- 
tan's subtlety,  in  tempting  our  first  parents 
before  they  were  confirmed  in  their  obedi- 
ence. 

(3.)  His  subtlety  in  tempting  was,  That 
he  set  upon  Eve  first ;  1.  Because  he  thought 
she  was  less  able  to  resist.  Satan  did  break 
over  the  hedge,  where  it  was  weakest ;  he 
knew  he  couhl  more  easily  insinuate  and 
wind  himself  into  her  by  a  temptation.  An 
expert  soldier,  when  he  is  to  storm  or  entei 
a  castle,  observes  warily  where  there  is  a 
breach,  or  how  he  may  enter  with  more  fa- 
cility ;  so  did  Satan  the  weaker  vessel.  2.  He 
tempted  Eve  first,  because  he  knew,  if  once 
he  could  prevail  with  her,  she  would  easily 
draw  her  husband.  Thus  the  devil  handed 
over  a  temptation  to  Job  by  his  wife.  Job 
ii.  9.,  "  Curse  God  and  di(^"  Agrij)pina 
poisoned  the  emperor  Conimodus  with  wine 
in  a  perfumed  cup  :  the  cup  being  perfumed 
and  given  him  by  his  wife,  it  was  the  less 
suspected.  Satan  knew  a  temptation  com- 
ing to  Adam  from  his  wife,  would  be  more 
prevailing,  and  would  be  less  suspected: 
O  bitter  !  Sometimes  relations  prove  temp- 
tations :  a  wife  may  be  a  snare,  when  she 
dissuades  her  husband  from  doing  his  duty, 
or  enticeth  him  to  evil.  "  Ahab  which  did 
sell  himself  to  work  wickedness,  whom  his 
wife  Jezebel  stirred  up,"  1  Kings  xxi.  25. 
She  blew  the  coals  and  made  his  sin  flame 
out  the  more.  Satan's  subtlety  was  in  tempt- 
ing Adam  by  his  wife,  he  thought  she  would 
draw  him  to  sin. 

(i.)  Satan's  subtlety  in  tempting,  was  in 
assaulting  Eve's  faith ;  he  would  persuade 
her  that  God  had  not  spoken  truth,  "  Ye 
shall  not  surely  die,"  Gen.  iii.  4.  This  was 
Satan's  master-piece,  to  weaken  her  faith : 
when  he  had  shaken  that,  and  had  brought 
her  once  to  distrust ;  then  '  she  yielded,' — 
she  presently  put  forth  her  hand  to  evil. 

2dly.  Satan's  cruelty  in  tempting  :  as  soon 
as  Adam  was  invested  in  all  his  glory,  the 
devil  cruelly,  as  it  were  on  the  day  of  A- 
daui's  coronation,  would  dethrone  him,  and 
bring  forth  him  and  all  his  posterity  under 
a  curse.  We  see  how  little  love  SatJin  hath 
to  mankind  ;  he  hath  an  implacable  antipa- 
thy agtiinst  us,  and  antipathies  can  never 
be  reconciled.  So  much  for  the  occasion  of 
Adam's  sin,  tempted  by  the  serpent. 


ADAM'S  SIN. 


97 


II.  The  sin  itself,  *  Eating  the  forbidden 
fruit.'  This  was  very  heinous,  and  that  ap- 
pears three  ways  :  1.  In  respect  of  the  per- 
son that  committed  it.  2.  The  aggravation  of 
the  sio.     3.  Tiie  drcadfidness  of  the  effect. 

1*^.  Very  heinous  in  respect  of  the  person 
that  committed  it :  Adam  liad  excellent  and 
noble  endowments;  he  was  illuminated  with 
knowledge, — embellished  with  holiness, — 
he  knew  his  duty,  and  it  was  as  easy  to  him 
to  obey  God's  command  as  to  know  it, — he 
might  have  chosen  whether  he  would  sin  or 
no, — yet  he  wilfully  did  eat  of  the  tree  which 
he  was  forbidden. 

2dly.  The  aggravation  of  Adam's  sin. 

Quest.  Wherein  did  it  appear  to  be  so 
great  ?  'Ticas  but  raptus  pomi,  teas  this  such 
a  great  matter  to  pluck  an  apple  ? 

Ans.  Besides  that,  it  was  against  an  infinite 
God  ;  it  was  malum  complexion, — a  volumi- 
nous sin, — there  were  many  twisted  toge- 
ther in  it,  as  Cicero  saith  of  parricide,  "  he 
who  is  guilty  of  it,  pturima  committit  pec- 
cata  in  uno,  commits  many  sins  in  one  ;"  so 
there  were  many  sins  in  this  one  sin  of  A- 
dam.  A  big-bellied  sin,  a  chain  with  many 
links.     Ten  sins  in  it. 

1.  Incredulity.  Our  first  parents  did  not 
believe  what  God  had  spoken  was  truth. 
God  said.  They  shall  die  the  death,  in  the 
day  they  eat  of  tliat  tree.  They  believed 
not  that  they  should  die  ;  they  could  not  be 
persuaded  that  such  fair  fruit  had  death  at 
the  door.  Thus,  by  unbelief  they  made 
God  a  liar ;  nay,  which  was  worse,  they 
believed  the  devil  rather  than  God. 

2.  Un thankfulness,  which  is  the  epitome 
of  all  sin.  Adam's  sin  was  committed  in 
the  midst  of  Paradise.  God  had  enriciied 
him  with  variety  of  mercies  ;  he  had  stamp- 
ed his  own  image  upon  him ;  lie  had  made 
him  lord  of  the  world,  gave  him  of  all  the 
trees  of  the  garden  to  eat  (one  only  except- 
ed) and  now  to  take  of  that  tree  !  This  was 
high  ingratitude ;  this  was  like  the  dye  to 
the  wool,  which  made  it  crimson.  When 
A.dam's  eyes  were  opened,  and  he  saw  what 
he  had  done,  well  he  might  be  ashamed, 
and  hide  himself;  to  sin  in  tlie  midst  of 
Paradise,  how  could  lie  look  God  in  the  face 
without  blushing ! 

3.  In  Adam's  sin  was  discontent :  had  he 
not  been  discontented,  he  would  never  have 


sought  to  have  altered  his  condition.  Adam, 
one  would  think,  had  enough, — he  differed 
but  little  from  the  angels, — he  had  the  robe 
of  innocence  to  clothe'liim,  and  the  glory 
of  Paradise  to  crown  him, — yet  he  was  not 
content,  he  would  have  more,  he  would  bo 
above  the  ordinary  rank  of  creatures.  How 
wide  was  Adam's  heart,  that  a  whole  world 
could  not  fill  it ! 

4.  Pride,  in  that  he  would  be  like  God. 
This  worm,  that  was  but  newly  cre])t  out 
of  the  dust,  now  aspires  after  Deity  ;  "  Ye 
shall  be  as  gods,"  saith  Satan,  and  Adam 
hoped  to  have  been  so  indeed  ;  he  supposed 
the  tree  of  knowledge  would  have  anointed 
his  eyes,  and  made  him  omniscient.  But, 
by  climbing  too  high,  he  got  a  fall. 

5.  Disobedience.  God  said,  "  Thou  shalt 
not  cat  of  the  tree  ;"  he  would  cat  of  it, 
thouffh  it  cost  him  his  life.  Disobedience 
is  a  sin  against  equity  ;  it  is  equal  we  should 
serve  him  from  whom  we  have  our  sub- 
sistence; God  gave  Adam  his  allowance, 
therefore  it  was  but  equal  he  should  give 
God  his  allegiance;  therefore  disobedience 
was  against  equity.  How  could  God  en- 
dure to  sec  his  laws  trampled  on  before  his 
face  ?  This  made  God  place  a  flaming  sword 
at  the  end  of  the  garden. 

6.  Curiosity  :  to  meddle  with  that  which 
was  out  of  his  sphere,  and  did  not  belong  to 
him.  God  smote  the  men  of  Bethshemish 
but  for  looking  into  the  ark,  1  Sam.  vi.  19. 
Adam  would  be  prying  into  God's  secrets,, 
and  tjvsting  what  was  forbidden. 

7.  Wantonness :  though  Adam  had  a^ 
choice  of  all  the  other  trees,  yet  his  palate 
grew  wanton,  and  he  must  have  this  tree. 
Like  Israel,  God  sent  them  manna,  angels' 
food,  aye,  but  they  had  an  hankering  after 
quails  ;  it  was  not  enough  God  did  suj>j)ly 
their  wants,  unless  he  should  satisfy  their 
lusts.  Adam  had  not  only  for  necessity, 
but  for  delight;  yet  his  wanton  palate  lust- 
ed after  foibiddcn  fruit. 

8.  Sacrilege  :  the  tree  of  knowledge  was 
none  of  Adam's,  yet  he  took  of  it,  and  did 
sacrilegiously  rob  God  of  his  due.  It  was 
counted  a  great  crime  in  Ilarpalus  to  rob 
the  temple,  and  steal  the  silver  vessels;  so 
in  Adam  to  steal  fruit  from  that  tree,  which 
God  had  peculiarly  enclosed  for  himself: 
Sacrilege  is  double  theft. 


98 


OF  ORIGINAL  SIN. 


9.  Murder :  Adam  was  a  public  person, 
and  all  liis  posterity  were  involved  and 
wrapped  up  in  liim,  and  he  sinning:,  did  at 
once  destroy  all  Ids  posterity,  if  free  grace 
did  not  interpose.  If  Abel's  blood  did  cry 
so  loud  in  God's  ears,  Gen.  iv.  10.,  "  The 
voice  of  thy  brother's  blood  crieth  unto  me 
from  the  ground,"  then  how  loud  did  the 
blood  of  all  Adam's  posterity  cry  against 
liim  for  vengeance  ! 

10.  Presumption:  Adam  presumed  of 
God's  mercy ;  he  blessed  himself  saying, 
he  should  have  peace  ;  he  thought,  though 
he  did  transgress,  he  should  not  die,  God 
would  sooner  reverse  his  decree,  than  pun- 
ish him.     High  presumption  ;  what  an  hei- 


nous sin  then  was  Adam's  breach  of  cove- 
nant ! 

Use.  One  sin  may  have  many  sins  in  it. 
We  are  apt  to  have  slight  thoughts  of  sin, 
it  is  but  a  little  one.  How  many  sins  were 
in  Adam's  sin  ?  O  take  heed  of  any  sin  1 
As  in  one  volume  there  may  be  many 
works  bound  up,  so  there  may  be  many 
sins  in  one  sin. 

3%.  The  dreadful ness  of  the  effect:  it 
hath  corrupted  man's  nature.  How  rank 
is  that  poison  a  drop  whereof  could  poison 
a  whole  sea  !  And  how  deadly  is  that  sin 
of  Adam,  that  could  poison  all  mankind, 
and  bring  a  curse  upon  them,  till  it  be  taken 
away  by  him  who  was  '  made  a  curse  for  us.' 


OF  ORIGINAL  SIN. 


Qui. ST.  XVI.  DID  all  mankind  fall  in 
Aaam's  first  transgression  ? 

Ans.  The  covenant  being  made  with 
'Adam,  not  only  for  himself,  but  for  his 
posterity,  all  mankind,  descending  from 
liim  by  ordinary  generation,  sinned  in  him, 
and  fell  with  him  in  his  first  transgression. 

Rom.  v.  12.,  "  By  one  man  sin  entered 
into  the  world,  and  death  by  sin,"  &c. 
'Adam  being  a  representative  person,  he 
standing,  we  stood ;  and  he  falling,  we 
fell.  We  sinned  in  Adam  ;  so  it  is  in  the 
text,  "  In  whom  all  have  sinned.""  Adam 
was  the  head  of  mankind,  and  he  being 
guilty,  we  are  guilty,  as  the  children  of  a 
traitor  have  their  blood  stained :  Ornnes 
unus  ilk  Adam  fuerunf^  Aug.  "  All  of  us," 
saith  Austin,  "  sinned  in  Adam,  because 
we  were  part  of  Adam." 

OuJ.  Jf  when  Adam  fell,  all  mankind  fell 
with  him  ;  why  then,  when  one  angel  fell,  did 
not  all  fall? 

Ans.  The  case  is  not  the  same.  The 
angels  had  no  relation  to  one  another ; 
they  are  called  morning-stars, — the  stars 
have  no  dependence  one  upon  another ; 
but  it  was  otherwise  with  us,  we  were  in 
Adam's  loins,  as  a  child  is  a  branch  of  the 
parent,  we  were  part  of  Adam,  therefore 
when  he  sinned,  we  sinned. 

Quest.  How  is  Adam's  sin  made  ours  ? 

Am.  1.  By  imputation.     The  Pelagians 


of  old  held  that  Adam's  transgression  is 
hurtful  to  posterity  by  imitation  only,  not 
by  imputation  ;  but  the  text  confutes  that, 
"  In  whom  all  have  sinned." 

A.  2.  Adam's  sin  is  ours  by  propagation. 
Not  only  is  the  guilt  of  Adam's  sin  imput- 
ed to  us,  but  the  pravity  and  corruption  of 
his  nature  is  derived  to  us  as  poison  is  car- 
ried from  the  fountain  to  the  cistern.  This 
is  that  which  we  call  original  sin,  Ps.  li.  5., 
"  In  sin  did  my  mother  conceive  me." 
Adam's  leprosy  cleaves  to  us  as  Naaman's 
leprosy  did  cleave  to  Gehazi,  2  Kings  v. 
27.     This  original  concupiscence  is  called* 

1.  '  The  old  man,'  Eph.  iv.  22.  It  is 
said  to  be  the  old  man,  not  that  it  is  weak 
as  old  men  are,  but  for  its  long  standing, 
and  of  its  deformity.  In  old  age  the  fair 
blossoms  of  beauty  fall  ;  so  original  sin  is 
the  old  man,  because  it  hath  withered  our 
beauty,  and  made  us  deformed  in  God's  eye. 

2.  Original  concupiscence  is  called  '  the 
law  of  sin,'  Rom.  vii.  25.  Original  sin 
hath  vim  coactivam,—ihc  i>ower  of  a  law. 
A  law  binds  the  subject  to  allegiance.  Men 
must  needs  do  what  sin  will  have  them, 
when  they  have  both  the  love  of  sin  to  draw 
them,  ami  the  law  of  sin  to  force  them.  In 
original  sin  there  is  something  privative,  and 
something  positive.— 1.  Something  priva- 
tive. Carcutia  jnstitice  dehitcc,  we  have  lost 
that  oxccUent  quintessential  frame  of  soul 


OF  ORIGINAL  SIN. 


99 


wliich  once  we  had.  Sin  hath  cut  tlic  lock 
of  original  purity,  where  our  strength  hiy. 
— 2.  Something  positive.  Original  sin  hatli 
contaminated  Jind  defiled  our  virgin-nature. 
It  was  deafh  among  the  Romans  to  poison 
the  springs.  Original  sin  hath  poisoned  the 
spring  of  our  nature, — it  hath  turned  heau- 
ty  into  leprosy, — it  hath  turned  the  azure 
brightness  of  our  souls  into  a  midnight  dark- 
ness. 

Original  sin  hath  become  co-natural  to 
us.  A  man  by  nature  cannot  but  sin  ; 
though  there  were  no  devil  to  tempt, — no 
bad  examples  to  imitate, — yet  there  is  such 
an  innate  principle  in  him,  that  he  cannot 
forbear  sinning,  2  Pet.  ii.  14.  A  peccato  ces- 
sare  nesciunt, — who  cannot  cease  to  sin,  as 
a  horse  that  is  lame  cannot  go  without  halt- 
ing.— In  the  original,  sin  is, —  1.  An  aver- 
sion from  good.  Man  hath  a  desire  to  be 
happy,  yet  opposeth  that  which  should  pro- 
mote his  happiness  ;  he  hath  a  disgust  of 
holiness,  he  liatcs  to  be  reformed.  Since 
we  fell  from  God,  we  have  no  mind  to  re- 
turn to  him. — 2.  A  propension  to  evil.  If, 
as  the  Pelagians  say,  there  is  so  much  good- 
ness in  us  since  the  fall,  then  why  is  there 
not  as  much  natural  proneness  to  good  as 
there  is  to  evil  ?  Our  own  experience  tells 
us  that  the  natural  bias  of  the  soul  hath  a 
tendency  to  that  which  is  bad.  The  very 
heathens  by  the  light  of  nature  saw  this  : 
Hierocles  the  philosopher  said,  "  It  is  graft- 
ed in  us  by  nature  to  sin."  Men  roll  sin  as 
honey  under  their  tongue.  They  drink  ini- 
quity as  water,  Job  xv.  16.  Like  an  hy- 
dropical  person  that  thii'sts  for  drink  and  is 
not  satisfied :  so  they  have  a  kind  of  drought 
on  them,  they  thirst  for  sin.  They  sin, 
Eph.  iv.  19.,  though  they  are  tired  out  in 
committing  sin,  yet  they  sin,  Jer.  ix.  5., 
"  They  weary  themselves  to  commit  ini- 
quity ;"  as  a  man  that  follows  his  game  while 
he  is  weary,  yet  he  delights  in  it,  and  can- 
not leave  off.  Though  God  hath  set  so 
many  flaming  swords  in  the  way  to  stop 
men  in  their  sin,  yet  they  go  on  in  sin  ; 
which  all  shews  what  a  strong  appetite  they 
have  to  the  forbidden  fruit. 

That  we  may  further  see  the  nature  of 
original  sin,  consider,  Ast.  the  universality 
of  it ;  it  hath,  as  a  poison,  diffused  itself  into 
all  the  parts  and  powers  of  our  soul,  Isa.  i. 


5.,  "  The  whole  head  is  sick,  and  the  whole 
lieart  faint."  Like  a  sick  patient  that  hath 
no  part  sound, — his  liver  swelled, — his  feet 
gangrened, — his  lungs  perished;  such  in- 
fected, gangrened  souls  have  we,  till  Christ 
(who  hath  made  a  medicine  of  his  blood) 
do  cure  us. 

1.  Originsil  sin  hatli  depravTd  the  intel- 
lectual part.  As  in  the  creation  "  darkness 
was  upon  the  face  of  the  deep,"  Gen.  i.  2., 
so  the  understanding, — darkness  is  upon 
the  face  of  this  deep.  As  there  is  salt  in 
every  drop  of  sea,  bitterness  in  every  branch 
of  wormwood,  so  there  is  sin  in  ever}'*  fa- 
culty ;  the  mind  is  darkened,  we  know  little 
of  God.  Ever  since  Adam  did  eat  of  the 
tree  of  knowledge,  and  his  eyes  were  open- 
ed, we  lost  our  eye-sight.  Besides  igno- 
rance in  the  mind,  there  is  error  and  mis- 
take;  we  do  not  judge  rightly  of  things; 
we  put  bitter  for  sweet,  and  sweet  for  bit- 
ter, Isa.  v.  20.  Besides  this,  there  is  much 
pride,  superciliousness,  and  prejudice,  many 
fleshly  reasonings,  Jer.  iv.  II.,  "  How  long 
shall  thy  vain  thoughts  lodge  within  thee?" 

2.  Original  sin  hath  defiled  the  heart ; 
the  heart  is  mortiftrum,  deadly  wicked,  Jer. 
xvii.  9.,  it  is  a  lesser  hell.  In  the  heart  are 
legions  of  lusts,  obdurateness,  infidelity, 
hypocrisy,  sinful  estuations ;  it  boils  as  the 
sea  with  ])assion  and  revenge.  "  Madness 
is  in  their  heart  while  they  live,"  Eccl.  ix.  3. 
The  heart  is,  officina  diaboli,  the  devil's  shop 
or  workhouse,  where  all  mischief  is  framed. 

3.  The  AVill.  Contumacy  is  the  seat  of 
rebellion.  The  sinner  crosseth  God's  will 
to  fulfil  his  own,  Jer.  xliv.  18.,  "  We  \vill 
burn  incense  to  the  queen  of  heaven."  There 
is  a  rooted  enmity  in  the  will  against  holi- 
ness ;  it  is  like  an  iron  sinew,  it  refusetli  to 
betul  to  C»od.  Where  is  then  the  freedom 
of  the  will,  when  it  is  so  fuH  not  only  of  in- 
disposition, but  opposition  to  what  is  s])irit  • 
ual? 

4.  The  affections.  These,  as  the  stringy 
of  a  viol,  are  out  of  tune.  These  are  the 
lesser  wheels,  which  are  strongly  carried 
by  the  will,  the  master-wheel.  Our  affec- 
tions are  misplaced,  set  on  wrong  objects. 
Our  love  is  set  on  sin,  our  joy  on  the  crea- 
ture. Our  affections  are  naturally  as  a 
sick  man's  appetite,  he  desires  things  which 
are  noxious  and  hurtful  for  him;  he  calls 


100 


OF  OHIGTNAL  SIN. 


for  wine  in   :i  fever:  so  we  have   impure    seems  good,  yet,  when   temptation  blows, 


lustings,  instead  oflioly  longings 


how  may  original  sin  discover  itself,  niak- 


2d    The  adherency  of  original  sin.     It  ^  ing  thee  foam  with  lust  and  passion,     mo 


cleaves  to  us  as  blackness  to  the  skin  of  the 
Ethiopian,  we  cannot  get  rid  of  it.  Paul 
shook  off  the  viper  on  his  hand,  but  we 
cannot  shake  off  this  inbred  corruption.  It 
may  be  compared  to  a  wild  fig-tree  grow- 
ing on  a  wall,  though  the  roots  of  it  are 
pulled  up,  yet  there  are  some  strings  of  it 
in  the  joints  of  the  stone-work  which  will 
not  be  eradicated  but  will  sprout  forth  till 
the  wall  be  pulled  in  pieces.  Original  con- 
cupiscence comes  not  as  a  lodger,  for  a 
night,  but  as  an  indweller,  Rom.  vii.  17., 
«  Sin  which  dwelleth  in  me."— It  is  a  7nalus 
genius,— nn  evil  Spirit,  that  haunts  us  where- 
soever we  go,  Gen.  xiii.  7.,  "  The  Canaanite 
dwelt  in  the  land." 

3^.  Original  sin  retards  and  hinders  us 
in  the  exercises  of  God's  worship.  Whence 
is  all  that  dulness  and  deadness  in  religion  ? 
It  is  the  fruit  of  original  sin:  it  is  this 
rocks  ixs  asleep  in  duty,  Rom.  vii.  19., 
"  The  good  that  I  would,  I  do  not."  Sin 
is  compared  to  a  weight,  Heb.  xii.  1.  A 
man  that  hath  weights  tied  to  his  legs  can- 
not run  fast.  It  is  like  that  fish  Pliny 
speaks  of,  a  sea-lamprey,  that  cleaves  to  the 
keel  of  the  ship,  and  hinders  its  progress 
when  it  is  under  sail. 

Ath.   Original  sin,  though  it  lies  latent  in 
the  soul,  and  be  as  a  spring  which  runs  un- 
der ground,  yet  oft  it  breaks  forth  unex- 
pectedly.    Christian,  thou  canst  not  believe 
that  evil  which  is  in  thy  heart,  and  which 
will   break   forth   suddenly,   if   God  leave 
thee,  2  Kings  viii.  13,  15.,   "  Is  thy  servant 
a  dog,  that  he  should  do  this  great  thing?" 
llazael   could   not  believe   he  had  such   a 
root  of  bitterness  in  his  heart  that  he  should 
rip  up  the  women  with  child :  is  thy  ser- 
vant a  dog?     Yes,  and  worse  than  a  dog, 
when  that  original  corruption  within  was 
stirred  up  !     If  one  had  come  to  Peter,  and 
eaid,    "  Peter,   within  a   few  hours   thou 
wilt  deny  Christ," — he  would   have   said, 
»'  Is  thy  servant  a  dog?"     But  alas  !  Peter 
did  not  know  his  own  heart,   nor  how  far 
that  corruption  within  would  i)rcvail  upon 
him.     The  sea  may  be  calm  and  look  clear ; 
but  when   the  wind  blows,    how  doth    it 


would  have  thought  to  have  found  adultery 
in  David,  and  drunkenness  in  Noah,  and 
cursing  in  Job?  If  God  leave  a  man  to 
himself,  how  suddenly  and  scandalously 
may  original  sin  break  forth  in  the  holiest 
men  alive  ! 

5tlh  Original  sin  doth  mix  and  incoi-po- 
rate  itself  with  our   duties  and   graces.— 
1.  With  our  duties.     As  the  hand  which  is 
paralytica!  or  palsied  cannot  move  without 
shaking,  as  wanting  some  inward  strength, 
so  we  cannot  do  any  holy  action  without 
sinning,  as  wanting  a  principle  of  original 
righteousness.     As  the  leper,  whatever  he 
touched  became    unclean, — if  he  touched 
the  altar,   the  altar  did  not   sanctify  him, 
but  he  polluted  the  altar,— such  a  leprosy 
is  original  sin,  it  defiles  our   prayers  and 
tears,   we    cannot   write   without  blotting. 
Though  I  do  not  say  that  the  holy  duties 
and  good  works  of  the  regenerate  are  sins, 
for   that  were   to    reproach    the    Spirit    of 
Christ  by  which  they  are  AATOught;  yet  this 
I  say,  that  the  best  works  of  the  godly  have 
sin  cleaving  to  them;  only  Christ's  blood 
makes   atonement   for  our  holy   things. — 
2.  With  our  graces.     There  is  some  unbe- 
lief mixed  with  faith,— lukewarmness  with 
zeal,— pride  with  humility.     As  bad  lungs 
cause  an  asthma    or  shortness    of  breath, 
so  original  corruption,  having  infected  our 
heart,  our  graces  breathe  now  very  faintly. 
6lh.  Original    sin    is    a  vigorous^  active 
principle  within  us;   it  doth  not  lie   still, 
but  is  ever  exciting  and  stirring  us  up  to 
evil;  it  is  an  inmate  very  unquiet ;  Rom. 
^^i.  15.,   "  What  I  hate,  that  do  I."     How 
came  Paul  to  do  so  ?     Original  sin  did  ir- 
ritate and  stir  him  up  to  it.     Original  sin 
is  like  quick-silver,  always  in  motion  ;  when 
we  are  asleep,  sin  is  awake  in  the  fancy. 
Original  sin  sets  the  head  a  plotting  evil, 
and  the  hands  aworkiiig  it;  it  hath  in  it 
principium  motus,  not  quietis ;  it  is  like  the 
pulse,  ever  beating. 

7//i.  Original  sin  is  the  cause  of  all  ac- 
tual :  it  is  fumes  peccoti,—\i  is  the  womb 
in  which  all  actual  sins  are  conceived. 
Hence  come  murders,  adulteries,  rapines  ; 


lage  and  foam  !  so  though  now  thy  heart    it  is  the  Trojan  horse,  out  of  which  a  whole 


OF  ORIGINAL  SIN. 


101 


army  of  impieties  come.  Tliougli  actual 
sins  may  be  more  scandalous,  yet  oiij^inal 
sin  is  more  heinous;  the  cause  is  more  than 
the  effect. 

8^^.  It  is  not  perfectly  cured  in  this  life. 
Grace,  though  it  doth  subdue  sin,  yet  doth 
not  wholly  remove  it.  Though  we  are  like 
Christ,  having  the  first  fruits  of  the  Spirit, 
yet  we  are  unlike  him,  having  the  remain- 
ders of  the  flesh.  There  are  two  nations 
in  the  womb.  Original  sin  is  like  that 
tree,  Dan.  iv.  28.,  though  the  branches  of 
it  were  hewn  down,  and  the  main  body  of 
it,  yet  the  stumps  and  root  of  the  tree  were 
left:  Though  the  Spirit  be  still  weaken- 
ing and  hewing  down  sin  in  the  godly, 
yet  the  stump  of  original  sin  is  still  left. 
It  is  a  sea  that  will  not,  in  this  life,  be 
dried  up. 

Quest.  But  ivhy  doth  Gcd  leave  original 
corruption  in  us  after  regeneration  ?  He 
could  quite  free  us  from  it,  if  he  pleased. 

Ans.  He  doth  it,  to  sliew  the  power  of 
his  grace  in  the  weakest  believer.  Grace 
shall  prevail  against  a  torrent  of  corruption. 
Wlience  is  this?  the  corruption  is  ours, 
but  the  grace  is  God's. 

A.  2.  God  leaves  original  corruption,  to 
make  us  long  after  heaven,  where  there 
shall  be  no  sin  to  defile,  no  devil  to  tempt. 
When  Elias  was  taken  up  to  heaven,  his 
mantle  dropped  off;  so,  when  the  angels 
shall  carry  us  up  to  heaven,  this  mantle 
of  sin  shall  drop  off,  we  shall  never  more 
complain  of  an  aching  head,  or  an  unbe- 
lieving heart. 

Use  \st.  If  original  sin  be  propagated  to 
us,  and  will  be  inherent  in  us  while  we  live 
here,  then  it  confutes  the  Libertines  and 
Quakers,  who  say  they  are  without  sin : 
they  hold  perfection  ;  they  shew  much 
pride  and  ignorance,  but  we  see  the  seeds 
of  original  sin  remain  in  the  best.  Eccl. 
vii.  20.,  There  is  not  a  just  man  lives,  and 
sins  not.  And  St.  Paul  complained  of  a 
'  body  of  death,'  Rom.  vii.  24.  (Jrace, 
though  it  doth  purify  nature,  it  doth  not 
perfect  it. 

Ob  J.  But  doth  not  the  Apostle  say  of  be- 
lievers, that  their  '  old  man  is  crucified^  Rom. 
TV.  6.,  and  they  are  '  dead  to  sin  T  Rom. 
vii.  11. 

Ans.  They  are  dead,  1.  Spiritually.    Tliey 


are  dead  as  to  the  realm, — the  guilt  of  it' 
and  as  to  the  regnum, — the  power  of  it ; 
the  love  of  sin  is  crucified. 

//.  2.  Tliey  are  dead  to  sin  legally.  As 
a  man  that  is  sentenced  to  death  is  dead  in 
law,  so  they  are  legally  dead  to  sin  ;  there 
is  a  sentence  of  death  gone  out  against  sin, 
it  shall  die  and  drop  into  the  grave.  But 
at  the  present,  sin  hath  its  life  lengthened 
out ;  nothing  but  the  death  of  the  body 
can  quite  free  us  from  the  body  of  this 
death. 

Use  2d.  Let  us  lay  to  heart  original  sin, 
and  be  deeply  humbled  for  it ;  it  cleaves  to 
us  as  a  disease, — it  is  an  active  principle  in 
us  stirring  us  up  to  evil.  Original  sin  is 
Avorse  than  all  actual  sin  ;  the  fountain  is 
more  than  the  stream.  Some  think,  as 
long  as  they  are  civil,  they  are  well  enough ; 
ay,  hut  the  nature  is  poisoned.  A  river 
may  have  fair  streams,  but  vermin  at  bot- 
tom. Thou  carriest  an  hell  about  thee, 
thou  canst  do  nothing  but  thou  defilest  it; 
thy  heart,  like  muddy  ground,  defiles  the 
purest  water  that  runs  through  it.  Nay, 
though  thou  art  regenerate,  tliere  is  much 
of  the  old  man  in  the  new  man.  O  how 
should  original  sin  humble  us  !  This  is 
one  reason  God  hath  left  original  sin  in  us, 
because  he  would  have  it  as  a  thorn  in  our 
side  to  humble  us.  As  the  bishop  of  Alex- 
andria, after  the  ])eople  had  embraced  Chris- 
tianity, destroyed  all  their  idols  but  one, 
tliat  tlie  sight  of  that  idol  might  make  them 
loathe  themselves  for  their  former  idolatry, 
so  God  leaves  original  sin  to  pull  down  the 
plumes  of  pride.  Uiuler  our  silver  wings 
of  grace  are  black  feet. 

Use  3d.  Let  (he  sense  of  this  make  us 
daily  look  up  to  heaven  for  help,  beg  Christ's 
blood  to  wash  away  the  guilt  of  sin,  and 
his  Spirit  to  mortify  the  power  of  it,  beg 
further  degrees  of  grace, — <iratium  Christi 
10  obnoxius  ambiamus.  Though  grace  can- 
not make  sin  not  to  be,  yet  not  to  reign ; 
though  grace  cannot  expel  sin,  it  can  repel 
it ;  and  for  our  comfort,  where  grace  makes 
a  combat  with  sin,  death  shall  make  a  con- 
quest. 

Use  ith.  Let  original  sin  make  us  walk 
with  continual  jealousy  and  watchfulness 
over  our  heart.s.  The  sin  of  our  nature  is 
like  a  sleejnng  lion,  the  least  thing  that  3/- 


102 


MAN'S  MISERY  BY  THE  FALL. 


walcens  it  makes  it  rage.  The  sin  of  our 
nature,  tliongh  it  seems  quiet,  and  lies  as 
fire  hid  under  the  embers,  yet  if  it  be  a  little 
stirred  and  blown  up  by  a  temptation,  how 
quickly  may  it  flame  forth  into  scandalous 


evils !  Therefore  we  liad  need  always  to 
walk  watchfully,  Mark  xiii.  37.,  "  I  say  to 
you  all,  Watch."  A  wandering  heart  needs 
a  watchful  eye. 


V^V^V*V^^'*'V^V^%^V^*-*^V*^'%*'%^*,*.% 


MAN'S  MISERY  BY  THE  FALL. 


Quest.  XIX.  WHATisthemiserijoflhat 
estate  whereinto  man  fell? 

Ans.  All  mankind  by  their  fall  lost  com- 
munion with  God,  are  under  liis  wrath  and 
Curse,  and  so  made  liable  to  all  the  miseries 
in  this  life,  to  death  itself,  and  to  the  pains 
of  hell  for  ever. 

Eph.  ii.  3.,  *  And  were  by  nature  children 
of  wrath.'  Adam  left  an  unhappy  portion 
to  his  posterity.  Sin  and  Misery.  We  have 
already  considered  the  first  of  these,  origi- 
nal sin, — now  the  misery  of  that  estate.  In 
the  first,  we  have  seen  mankind  offending; 
in  the  second,  we  shall  see  him  suffering. 
The  misery  ensuing  from  original  sin  is  two- 
fold. 

\st.  Private.  By  this  first  hereditary 
Bin  we  have  lost  communion  with  God. 
Adam  was  God's  familiar,  his  favourite ; 
but  sin  hath  put  us  all  out  of  favour ;  when 
we  lost  God's  image,  we  lost  his  acquaint- 
ance. God's  banishing  Adam  out  of  para- 
dise, hieroglyphically,  it  shewed  how  sin 
hath  banished  us  out  of  God's  love  and  fa- 
vour. 

2rf.  Positive.  In  four  things.  1.  Under  the 
power  of  Satan.     2.  Heirs  of  God's  wrath. 

3.  Subject  to  all  the  miseries  of  this  life 

4.  Obnoxious  to  hell  and  damnation. 

1.  The  fiist  misery  is.  By  nature  we  are 
"  under  the  power  of  Satan,"  who  is  called 
'  the  prince  of  the  power  of  the  air,'  Eph. 
ii.  2.  Before  the  fall,  man  was  a  free  deni- 
son, — now  a  slave;  before,  a  king  on  the 
throne, — now  in  fetters.  And  who  is  man 
enslaved  to  ?  To  one  that  is  an  hater  of  him. 
This  was  an  aggravation  of  Israel's  servi- 
tude, Ps.  cvi.  41.,  "  They  that  hated  them 
ruled  over  them."  By  sin  we  are  enslaved 
to  Satan,  who  is  an  hater  of  mankind,  and 
writes  all  his  laws  in  blood.  Sinners  bo- 
fore  conversion  are  under  Satan's  command, 
as  the  ass  at  the  command  of  the  driver,  he 


doth  all  the  devil's  drudgery.  No  sooner 
Satan  tempts,  but  he  obeys ;  as  the  ship  is 
at  the  command  of  the  pilot,  he  steers  it 
which  way  he  will,  so  is  the  sinner  at  the 
command  of  Satan,  he  may  sieer  him  which 
way  he  will ;  and  he  never  steers  the  ship 
but  into  hell's  mouth.  The  devil  rules  all 
the  powers  and  faculties  of  a  sinner. — 1. 
He  rules  the  understanding,  he  blinds  men 
with  igno7-ance,  and  then  rules  them ; 
as  the  Philistines  first  put  out  Samson's 
eyes,  and  then  bound  him.  Satan  can  do 
what  he  will  with  an  ignorant  man  ;  he  d(  th 
not  see  the  error  of  his  way,  therefore  the 
devil  can  lead  him  into  any  sin  ;  you  may 
lead  a  blind  man  any  whither :  omne  pecca- 
tinn  fundatur  in  ignorantia. — 2.  Satan  rules 
the  will.  Though  he  cannot  force  the  will, 
yet  he  can,  by  a  temptation,  draw  it,  John 
viii.  44.,  "  The  lusts  of  your  father  ye  will 
do."  He  hath  got  your  hearts,  and  him  ye 
will  obey,  Jer.  xliv.  17  ,  "  We  will  burn  in- 
cense to  the  queen  of  heaven."  When  the 
devil  spurs  a  sinner  by  a  temptation,  he  will 
over  hedge  and  ditch  break  all  God's  laws, 
that  he  may  obey  Satan.  Wliere  then  is 
free  will,  when  Satan  hath  such  power  over 
the  will  ?  "  His  lusts  ye  will  do."  There's 
not  any  member  of  the  body  but  is  at  the 
devil's  service ;  the  head  to  plot  sin,  the 
hands  to  work  it,  the  feet  to  run  the  devil's 
errand.  Grave  J i/ gum  servitud'sf  Cjcero. 
Slavery  is  hateful  to  a  noble  s])irit.  Satan 
is  the  worst  tyrant ;  the  cruelty  of  a  ("anni- 
bal,  or  Nero,  is  nothing  to  his.  Other  ty- 
rants do  but  rule  over  the  bodies,  he  over 
the  conscience ;  other  tyrants  have  some 
j)ity  on  their  slaves, — though  they  work  in 
the  galley,  they  give  them  meat,  let  them 
have  hours  for  rest, — but  Satan  is  a  merci- 
less tvrant,  he  lets  them  have  no  rest.  What 
])ains  did  Judas  taker  The  devil  would  let 
him  have  no  rest  till  he  liad  betraved  Christ 


MAN'S  MISERY  BY  THE  FALL. 


103 


and  afterwards  imbrued  liis  hands  in  his 
own  blood. 

Use  1st.  See  here  our  misery  by  original 
sin ;  enslaved  to  Satan,  Ej)h.  ii.  2.  Satan 
is  said  to  work  effectually  in  the  children 
of  disobedience.  What  a  sad  plague  is  this 
for  a  sinner  to  be  at  the  will  of  the  devil ! 
Just  like  a  slave,  if  the  Turks  bid  him  dig 
ill  the  mines,  hew  in  the  quarries,  tug  at 
the  oar,  the  slave  must  do  it,  he  dares  not 
refuse.  If  the  devil  bids  a  man  lie  or  cozen, 
he  doth  not  refuse  ;  and — which  is  worse, — 
men  are  enslaved,  and  they  willingly  obey 
tliis  tyrant ;  other  slaves  are  forced  against 
their  will  :  "  Israel  sighed  by  reason  of  their 
bondage,"  Exod.  ii.  23.,  but  sinners  are  wil- 
ling to  be  slaves,  they  will  not  take  their 
freedom,  they  kiss  their  fetters. 

Use  2d.  Let  us  labour  to  get  out  of  this 
deplorable  condition  sin  hath  ])lunged  us 
into ;  get  from  under  the  power  of  Satan. 
If  any  of  vour  children  were  sla^'es,  you 
would  give  great  sums  of  money  to  purchase 
their  freedom ;  your  souls  are  enslaved,  and 
will  ye  not  labour  to  be  set  free?  Improve 
the  gospel ;  the  gospel  proclaims  a  jubilee 
to  capti\'es  ;  sin  binds  men,  the  gospel  loos- 
eth  them  ;  Paul's  preaching  was  "  to  turn 
men  from  the  power  of  Satan  to  God,"  Acts 
xxvi.  18.  The  gospel-star  leads  you  to 
Christ ;  and  if  you  get  Christ,  then  you  are 
made  free,  though  not  from  the  being  of 
sin,  yet  from  Satan's  tyranny,  John  viii.  36., 
"  If  the  Son  therefore  shall  make  you  free, 
ye  shall  be  free  indeed."  You  hope  to  be 
kings  to  reign  in  heaven,  and  will  you  let 
Satan  reign  in  you  now?  Never  think  to  be 

I  kings  when  you  die,  and  slaves  while  you 
live;  the  crown  of  glory  is  for  conquerors, 
not  for  captives.  Oh  !  get  out  of  Satan's 
)urisdiction  ;  get  your  fetters  of  sin  filed  off 
by  repentance. 

II.  We  are  heirs  of  God's  wrath.  In  the 
text,  "  and  were  by  nature  the  children  of 
wrath."  Tertullian's  exposition  here  is 
wrong,  '  children  of  wrath,'  he  understands 
subjectively,  that  is,  subject  to  wrath  and 
passion, — offending  often  in  the  irrascible 

(  faculty  of  a  wrathful  spirit.  But,  by  '  chil- 
dren of  wrath,'  the  apostle  passively  means 
heirs  of  wrath,  exposed  to  (iod's  displcjLsure. 
God  was  once  a  friend,  but  sin  broke  the 
knot  of  friendship ;  now  God's  smile  is  turn- 


ed into  a  frown ;  we  are  now  bound  over 
to   the   sessions,    and    become  children   of 
wrath  ;  and  who  knows  the  power  of  God's 
wrath  ?  Ps.  xc.  11.   '•  The  wrath  of  a  king 
is  as  the  roaring  of  a  lion,"  Prov.  xix.  12. 
How  did  Hainan's  heart  tremble  when  the 
king  rose  up  from  the  banquet  in  wrath? 
Est.  vii.  7.     But  God's  \vTath  is  infinite; 
all  other  is  but  as  a  spurk  to  a  flame ;  wrath 
in  God  is  not  a  passion  as  in  us,  but  it  is  an 
act  of  God's  holy  will,   whereby  he  abhors 
sin,  and  decrees  to  punish  it.     This  wrath 
is  very  dismal  ;  it  is  this  wrath  of  God  that 
imbittcrs  afflictions  in  this  life  ;  when  sick- 
ness comes  atteiuled  with  God's  wrath,  it 
puts  conscience  into  an  agony.     Tlie  ming- 
ling of  the  fire  with  the  hail  made  it  so  ter- 
rible,  Exod.   ix.   21..      So  mingling   God's 
wrath  with  affliction,  makes  it  torturing;  it 
is  the  nail  in  the  yoke.     God's  wrath,  when 
but  in  a  threatening  (as  a  shower  hanging 
in  tlie  cloud)  made  Eli's  cars  to  tingle :  what 
is  it  then,  when  this  wrath  is  executed  ?   It 
is  terrible  when  the  king  rates  and  chides  a 
traitor  ;   but  it  is  more  dreadful  when  ho 
causeth  him  to  be  set  upon  the  rack,  or  to 
be  broke  upon  the  wheel :   "  Who  knows 
the  power  of  God's  wrath  ?"     Wliile  we  are 
children  of  wrath,    1.  We  have  nothing  to 
do  with  any  of  the  promises ;   they  are  as 
the  tree  of  life,  bearing  several  sorts  of  fruit, 
but  no  right  to  pluck  one  leaf     Eph.  ii.  3., 
"  Children  of  wrath,"  v.  12.,   "  Strangers 
fiom  the  covenants  of  promise."     The  pro- 
mi-ses  are  as  a  fountain  sealed.      \\'hile  we 
are  in  the  state  of  luiture,  we  see  nothing 
but  the  fljii.iing  sword  ;  and,  as  the  ajwstlo 
saith,  Ileb.  x.  27.,  there   remains  nothing 
but  "  a  fearful  looking  for  of  fiery  indigna- 
tion."— 2.  Wliile  children  of  wrath  we  are 
lieirs  to  all  God's  curses,  Gal.  iii.  10.    How 
can  the  sinner  eat  and  drink  in  that  condi- 
tion ?  Like  Damocles's  banquet,  he  sat  at 
meat,  and  there  was  a  sword  hanging  o^'er 
his  head  by  a  small  thread  ;  one  would  think 
he  could  have  little  stomach  to  eat :  so  the 
sword  of  God's  wrath  and  curse  hangs  every 
moment  over  a  sinner's  head.      We  read  of 
a  flyinjj  roll  written  with  curses,  Zech.  v. 
2. :  there  is  a  roll  written  with  curses  goes 
out  against  every  person  that  lives  and  dies 
in    sin.      God's    curse    blasts,  wherever  it 
a  curse  on  the  sinner's   name, — a 


[04 


MAN'S  MISERY  BY  THE  FALL. 


curse  OH  liis  soul, — a  curse  on  his  estate, 
posterity, — a  curse  on  the  ordinances.  Sad, 
if  all  a  man  did  eat  should  turn  to  poison  : 
the  sinner  eats  and  drinks  his  own  damna- 
tion at  God's  table.  Thus  it  is  before  con- 
version. As  the  love  of  God  makes  every 
bitter  thing  sweet,  so  the  curse  of  God 
makes  every  sweet  thing  bitter. 

Use.  See  our  misery  by  the  fall.  •  Heirs 
of  wrath  :'  and  is  this  estate  to  be  rested 
in  ?  If  a  man  be  fallen  under  the  king's 
displeasure,  will  he  not  labour  to  re-ingra- 
tiate himself  into  his  favour?  O  let  us  flee 
from  the  wrath  of  God  !  And  whither 
Khould  we  fly,  but  to  Jesus  Christ  ?  there's 
none  else  to  shield  off'  the  wrath  of  God 
from  us,  1  Thess.  i.  10.,  "  Jesus  which  de- 
livered us  from  the  wrath  to  come." 

IIL  Subject  to  all  outward  miseries. 
All  the  troubles  incident  to  man's  life  are 
the  bitter  fruits  of  original  sin.  The  sin 
of  Adam  hath  "  subjected  the  creature  to 
vanity,"  Rom.  viii.  20.  Is  it  not  a  part  of 
the  creature's  vanity  that  all  the  comforts 
here  below  will  not  fill  tire  heart,  any  more 
than  the  mariner's  breath  can  fill  the  sails 
of  a  ship?  Job.  xx.  22.,  "  In  the  fulness  of 
his  sufficiency  he  shall  be  in  straits." 
There  is  still  something  wanting,  and  a 
man  would  have  more  ;  the  heart  is  always 
hydropical, — it  thirsts  and  is  not  satisfied. 
Solomon  put  all  the  creatures  into  a  lim- 
bec ;  and  when  he  came  to  extract  the  spi- 
rit and  quintessence,  there  was  nothing  but 
froth,  "  all  was  vanity,"  Eccl.  i.  2.  Nay,  it 
18  vexing  vanity ;  not  only  emptiness,  but 
bitterness.  Our  life  is  labour  and  sorrow ; 
we  come  into  the  world  with  a  cry,  go  out 
with  a  groan,  Ps.  xc.  10.  Some  have  said, 
that  they  would  not  be  to  live  the  life  they 
have  lived  over  again,  because  their  life 
hath  had  more  water  in  it  than  wine, — 
more  water  of  tears,  than  wine  of  joy : 
Quia  est  diu  vivere  nisi  din  torqueri^  Aug. 
"  Man  is  born  unto  trouble,"  Job  v.  7. 
Every  one  is  not  born  heir  to  land,  but  he 
is  born  heir  to  trouble;  as  well  separate 
weight  from  lead.  We  do  not  finish  our 
troubles  in  this  life,  but  cliange  them. 
Trouble  is  the  vermin  bred  out  of  the  put- 
rid matter  of  sin.  Whence  arc  all  our 
fears,  but  frym  sin?  1  John  iv.  18.,  TIumc 
is  torment  in  iear.     Fear  is  the  ague  of  the 


soul,  sets  it  a  shaking.  Some  fear  want, 
others  alarms,  others  fear  loss  of  relations ; 
if  we  rejoice,  it  is  with  trembling.  Wlienco 
are  all  our  disappointments  of  hopes  but 
from  sin?  Where  we  look  f«)r  comfort, 
there  a  cross ;  where  we  expect  honey, 
there  we  taste  wormwood.  Whence  is  it 
that  the  earth  is  filled  with  violence,  thaJ 
"  the  wicked  devoureth  the  man  that  i.» 
more  righteous  than  he  ?"  Ilab.  i.  13. 
Whence  is  it  that  so  mucii  frauduiency  in 
dealing,  so  much  falseness  in  friendship, 
such  crosses  in  relations  ?  Wlience  is  it  chil- 
dren prove  undutiful  ?Tliey  that  should  be 
as  the  staff"  of  the  parent's  ago,  are  a  sword 
to  pierce  their  hearts.  Whence  is  it  ser- 
vants are  unfaithful  to  their  masters  ?  The 
apostle  speaks  of  some  who  have  entertain- 
ed angels  in  their  houses,  Heb.  xiii.  2.,  but 
how  oft,  instead  of  entertaining  angels  in 
their  houses,  do  some  entertain  devils? 
AVlience  are  all  the  mutinies  and  divisions 
in  a  kingdom  ?  2  Chron.  xv.  5.,  "  In  those 
times  there  was  no  peace  to  him  that  went 
out,  nor  to  him  that  came  in."  All  this  is 
but  the  sour  core  in  that  apple  our  first  pa- 
rents ate,  viz.  fruit  of  original  sin.  Besides 
all  the  deformities  and  diseases  of  the  body, 
fevers,  convulsions,  catarrhs, — "  Mccies  et 
7iova  febrinm  ierris  incvhuit  co/iors" — These 
are  from  sin.  There  had  never  been  a 
stone  in  the  kidnies,  if  it  had  not  been  first 
a  stone  in  the  heart.  Yea,  the  death  of  the 
body,  is  the  fruit  and  result  of  original  sin, 
Rom.  V.  12.,  "  Sin  entered  into  the  world, 
and  death  by  sih."  Adam  was  made  im- 
mortal, conditionally,  if  he  had  not  sinned  ; 
sin  digged  Adam's  grave.  Death  is  terri- 
ble to  nature.  Lewis  king  of  France  for- 
bade all  that  came  into  his  court  to  men- 
tion the  name  of  death  in  his  ears.  The 
Socinians  say  that  death  comes  only  from 
the  infirmness  of  the  constitution  ;  but  the 
apostle  saith,  sin  ushered  in  death  into  the 
world, — "  by  sin  came  death."  CerUiinly, 
had  not  Adam  ate  of  the  tree  of  knowledge, 
he  had  not  died;  (icn.  ii.  17,  "  In  tiie  day 
that  thou  eatest  thereof,  thou  shalt  surely 
die,"  implying,  if  Adam  had  not  eaten,  he 
should  not  have  died.  O  then  see  the  mi- 
sery ensuing  uj)on  original  sin  !  Sin  dis- 
solves the  harmony  and  good  temperature 
of  the  body,  it  ])ulls  this  fianie  in  uicccs. 


OF  THE  COVENANT  OF  GRACE. 


105 


IV.  Orig^inal  sin  without  repentance  cx- 
posetli  to  hell  and  damnation.  "  This  is  the 
second  death,"  Rev.  xx.  14.  Two  things 
in  it : 

1.  Poena  donmi, — punisliment  of  loss. 
The  soul  is  banished  from  the  beatifical 
presence  of  God,  in  whose  presence  is  ful- 
ness of  joy. 

2.  Paeiia  census, — punishment  of  sense. 
The  sinner  feels  the  scalding  vials  of  God's 
wrath.  It  is  penetrating,  abiding,  John  iii. 
36.,  "  reserved,"  2  Pet.  ii.  17.  If,  when 
God's  anger  be  kindled  but  a  little,  and  a 
spark  or  two  of  it  flies  into  a  man's  con- 
science here  in  this  life,  it  be  so  terrible  ; 
what  then  will  it  be  when  God  stirs  up  all 
his  anger?  In  hell  there  is  tlie  worm  and 
the  fire,  Mark  ix.  44.  Hell  is  the  very  ac- 
cent and  emphasis  of  misery  ;  there's  judg- 
ment without  mercy.  O  what  flames  of 
wrath, — what  seas  of  vengeance, — what  ri- 
vers of  brimstone,  are  poured  out  there  up- 
on the  damned  !  Bellarmine  is  of  opinion 
that  one  glimpse  of  hell  fire  were  enough 
to  make  the  most  flagitious  sinner  to  turn 
Christian  ;  nay,  live  like  an  hermit,  a  most 
strict  mortified  life.  What  is  all  other  fire 
to  this,  but  painted  fire  ?  Ejus  adesse  into- 
lerahile,  ejus  abe-ise  iinpossibile, — to  bear  it 
will  be  intolerable,  to  avoid  it  will  be  im- 
possible ;  and  these  hell-torments  are  for 
ever,  have  no  period  put  to  them,  Rev.  ix.  6., 


"  They  shall  seek  death,  and  shall  not  find 
it."  Origen  fancied  a  fiery  stream  in  wliich 
the  souls  of  sinful  men  were  to  be  purged 
after  this  life,  and  then  to  pass  into  heaven ; 
but  it  is  for  ever.  The  breath  of  the  Lord 
kindles  tliat  fire ;  and  where  shall  we  find  en- 
gines or  buckets  to  quench  it  ?  Rev.  xiv.  11., 
"  And  the  smoke  of  their  torment  ascend- 
eth  up  for  ever  and  ever,  and  they  have  no 
rest  night  nor  day."  Thank  original  sin 
for  all. 

Use  \sL  Wliat  sad  thoughts  should  we 
have  of  this  primitive  original  sin  that  hath 
created  so  many  miseries  ?  What  honey 
can  be  got  out  of  this  lion  ?  What  grapes 
can  we  gather  off"  this  thorn  ?  It  sets  hea- 
ven and  earth  against  us  :  while  we  choose 
this  bramble  to  rule,  fire  comes  out  of  the 
bramble  to  devour  us. 

Use  2d.  How  are  all  believers  bound  to 
Jesus  Christ,  who  hath  freed  them  from 
that  misery  to  which  sin  hath  exposed  them  ? 
Eph.  i.  7.,  "  In  whom  we  have  redemption 
through  his  blood."  Sin  hath  brought 
trouble  and  a  curse  into  the  world  ;  Christ 
hath  sanctified  the  ti-ouble,  and  removed 
the  curse.  Nay,  he  hath  not  only  freed 
believers  from  misery,  but  purchased  for 
them  a  crown  of  glory  and  immortality. 

Pet.  v.  4.,  "  When  the  chief  shepherd 
shall  appear,  ye  shall  receive  a  crown  of 
glory  that  fadeth  not  away." 


OF  THE  COVENANT  OF  GRACE. 


Quest.  XX.  DID  God  leave  all  man- 
kind to  perish  in  this  state  of  sin  and  misery  ? 

Ans.  No,  he  entered  into  a  covenant  of 
grace  to  deliver  the  elect  out  of  that  estate, 
and  bring  them  into  a  state  of  grace  by  a 
Redeemer. 

Isa.  Iv.  3.,  "  I  will  make  an  everlasting 
covenant  with  you."  Man  being  by  his 
fall,  plunged  into  a  labyrinth  of  misery, 
and  having  no  way  left  to  recover  liimself, 
God  was  ple«sed  to  enter  into  a  new  cove- 
nant with  him,  and  so  restored  him  to  life 
by  a  Redeemer. — The  great  proposition  I 
shall  go  upon  is,  that  there  is  a  new  cove- 
nant ratified  between  God  and  the  elect. 

Quest.   Wiat  is  the  new  covenant  ? 


Ans.  It  is  a  solemn  compact  and  agree- 
ment made  between  God  and  fallen  man, 
wherein  the  Lord  undertakes  to  be  our 
God,  and  to  make  us  his  people. 

Quest.  UTiat  ?iames  are  given  to  the  cove- 
nant ? 

Ans.  1.  It  is  called  the  covenant  of  peace, 
Ezek.  xxxvii.  26.,  because  it  seals  up  re- 
conciliation between  God  and  humble  sin- 
ners. Before  this  covenant  there  was  no- 
thing but  enmity  ;  God  did  not  love  us, — 
a  creature  that  off"eiids  cannot  be  loved  by 
an  holy  God ;  and  we  did  not  love  him, — 
a  God  that  condemns,  cannot  be  loved  by  a 
guilty  creature  ;  so  that  tliere  was  war  on 
both   sides.     But   God  hath    found  out  a 

O 


106 


OF  THE  COVENANT  OF  fiRAPF.. 


way  In  the  new  covenant  to  reconcile  dif- 
fering parties,  so  that  it  is  fitly  called  the 
covenant  of  peace. 

2.  It  is  called  a  covenant  of  grace^  and 
well  it  may,  for,  \st.  It  was  with  grace, 
that,  when  we  had  forfeited  the  first  cove- 
nant, God  should  enter  into  a  new  cove- 
nant, after  we  had  cast  away  ourselves. 
The  covenant  of  grace  is  tabula  post  nau- 
fraglum^ — as  a  plank  after  sliipwreck.  O 
the  free  grace  of  God,  that  he  should  par- 
ley with  sinners,  and  set  his  wisdom  and 
mercy  ar-work  to  bring  rebels  into  the  bond 
of  the  covenant ! — 2d.  It  is  a  covenant  of 
grace,  because  it  is  a  royal  charter,  all 
made  up  of  terms  of  grace  :  that  "  God 
will  cast  our  sins  behind  his  back," — that 
"  he  will  love  us  freely,"  Hos.  xiv.  4., — 
that  he  will  give  us  a  will  to  accept  of  tlie 
mercy  of  the  covenant,  and  strenglli  to 
perform  the  conditions  of  the  covenant, 
Ezek.  xxxvii.  26.     All  tliis  is  pure  gi-acc. 

Quest.  IVhy  shoii/d  God  make  a  covenant 
with  us  ? 

Ans.  1.  It  is  out  of  indulgence,  favour, 
and  respect  to  us.  A  tyrant  will  not  enter 
into  a  covenant  with  slaves,  he  will  not 
shew  them  such  respect.  God's  entering 
into  covenant  with  us  to  be  our  God,  is  a 
dignity  he  puts  upon  us.  A  covenant  is 
insigne  honoris, — a  note  of  distinction  be- 
tween God's  people  and  heathens,  Ezek. 
xvi.  62.,  "  I  will  establish  my  covenant 
with  thee."  Wlien  the  Lord  told  Abraham 
that  he  would  enter  into  a  covenant  with 
him,  Abraham  fell  upon  his  face.  Gen.  xvii. 
2.,  as  being  amazed  that  the  God  of  glory 
should  bestow  such  a  favour  upon  him. 

A.  2.  God  makes  a  covenant  with  us, 
to  tie  us  fast  to  him  ;  it  is  called  in  Ezekiel, 
'  the  bond  of  the  covenant.'  God  knows 
we  have  slippery  hearts,  therefore  he  will 
have  a  covenant  to  bind  us;  it  is  horrid 
impiety  to  go  away  from  God  after  cove- 
nant. If  one  of  the  vestal  nuns,  who  had 
vowed  herself  to  religion,  was  deflowered, 
the  Romans  caused  her  to  be  buried  alive. 
It  is  perjury  to  depart  from  God  after  so- 
lemn covenant. 

Quest.  Jiow  doth  the  covenant  of  grace 
differ  from  the  first  covenant  made  with  Adam  ? 

Ans.  1.  The  terms  of  the  first  covenant 
were  more  strict  and  severe  :  for,  1st.  The 


least  failing  would  have  made  the  covenant 
with  Adam  null  and  A'oid,  but  many  fail- 
ings do  not  null  the  covenant  of  grace.  I 
grant,  the  least  sin  is  a  trespass  upon  the 
covenant,  but  it  doth  not  make  it  null  and 
void.  There  may  be  many  failings  in  the 
conjugal  relation,  but  every  failing  doth 
not  break  the  marriage-bond.  It  would 
be  sad,  if,  as  oft  as  we  break  covenant  with 
God,  he  should  break  covenant  with  us ; 
but  God  will  not  take  advantage  of  every 
failing,  but  "  in  anger  remember  mercy." 
— 2d/g.  The  first  covenant  being  broken, 
allowed  the  sinner  no  remedy,  all  doors  of 
hope  were  shut,  but  the  new  covenant  al- 
lows the  sinner  a  remedy,  it  leaves  room 
for  repentance,  it  provides  a  mediator,  Heb. 
xli.  24.,  "  Jesus  the  mediator  of  the  new 
covenant." 

A.  2.  The  first  covenant  did  run  all  up- 
on '  working,'  the  second  upon  '  believing,' 
Rom.  iv.  5. 

Quest.  BiU  are  not  works  required  in  the 
coveiumt  of  grace  ? 

Ans.  Yes ;  Tit.  iii.  8.,  "  This  is  a  faith- 
ful saying,  that  they  which  have  believed 
in  God,  be  careful  to  maintain  good  works." 
But  the  covenant  of  grace  doth  not  ro- 
qidi'e  works  in  the  same  manner  as  the 
covenant  of  works  did.  In  the  first  cove- 
nant, works  were  required  as  the  condi- 
tion of  life  ;  in  the  second,  they  are  requir- 
ed only  as  the  signs  of  a  man  that  is  alive. 
In  the  first  covenant,  works  were  required 
as  grounds  of  salvation  ;  in  the  new  cove- 
nant, they  are  required  as  evidences  of  our 
love  to  God.  In  the  first,  they  were  re- 
quired  to  the  justification  of  our  persons  ; 
in  the  new,  to  the  testification  of  our  grace. 
Quest.  IVhat  is  the  conditicm  of  the  cove- 
nant of  grace  ? 

Ans.  The  main  condition  is  faith. 
Quest.  But  ichy  is  fuilh  more  the  condi- 
tion of  the  new  covenard  than  any  other  grace? 
Ans.  To  exclude  all  glorying  in  the  crea- 
ture ;  faith  is  an  humble  grace.  If  repen- 
tance or  works  were  the  condition  of  the 
covenant,  a  man  would  say,  "  It  is  my 
righteousness  hath  saved  me  :"  but  if  it  be 
of  faith,  where  is  boasting  ?  Faith  fetcheth 
all  from  Christ,  and  gives  all  the  glory  to 
Christ;  it  is  a  most  humble  grace.  Hence 
it  is  God  hath  singled  out  this  gTace  to  be 


OF  THE  COVENANT  OF  GRACE. 


107 


the  condition  of  tlie  covenant.  And  if 
faith  be  the  condition  of  the  covenant  of 
gi-ace,  it  excludes  desperate  presumptuous 
sinners  from  tlie  covenant.  They  say  there 
is  a  covenant  of  grace,  and  they  shall  be 
saved :  but  did  you  ever  know  a  bond 
without  a  condition  ?  Tlie  condition  of 
the  covenant  is  faith,  and  if  thou  hast  no 
faith,  thou  hast  no  more  to  do  with  the 
covenant  than  a  foreigner  or  a  country 
farmer  with  the  city  charter. 

Use  1st  Of  information.  See  the  amaz- 
ing goodness  of  God,  to  enter  into  cove- 
nant with  us  :  he  never  entered  into  cove- 
nant with  the  angels  when  they  fell.  It 
was  much  condescension  in  God  to  enter 
into  covenant  with  us  in  a  state  of  inno- 
cency,  but  more  so  when  we  were  in  a 
state  of  enmity.  In  this  covenant  of  grace 
we  may  see  the  cream  of  God's  love  and 
the  working  of  his  bowels  to  sinners.  This 
is  a  marriage-covenant,  Jer.  iii.  14.,  "  I  am 
married  to  you,  saith  the  Lord."  In  the 
new  covenant,  God  makes  himself  over  to 
us,  and  what  can  he  give  more  ?  And  he 
makes  over  his  promises  to  us,  and  what 
better  bonds  can  we  have  ? 

Use  2d.  Of  trial.  \Vliether  we  are  in 
covenant  with  God.  There  are  three  cha- 
racters. 

1.  God's  covenant-people  are  an  humble 
people,  1  Pet.  v.  5.,  "  Be  clothed  with  liu- 
mility."  God's  people  esteem  of  others 
better  than  themselves  ;  they  shrink  into 
nothing  in  their  own  thoughts,  Phil.  ii.  3. 
David  cries  out,  "  I  am  a  worm,  and  no 
man,  Ps.  xxii.  6. ;  though  a  saint,  though 
a  king,  yet  a  Avorm.  When  Moses'  face 
shined,  he  covered  it  with  a  veil :  God's 
people,  when  they  shine  most  in  grace,  are 
covered  with  the  veil  of  humility.  Pride  ex- 
cludes from  the  covenant ;  "  God  resisteth 
the  proud,"  I  Pet.  v.  5.,  and  sure  such  are 
not  in  covenant  with  God,  whom  he  resists. 

2.  A  people  in  covenant  with  God  are  a 
willing  people  ;  though  they  cannot  serve 
God  perfectly,  they  serve  him  willingly. 
They  do  not  grudge  God  a  little  time  spent 
in  his  worship ;  they  do  not  hesitate  or 
murmur  at  sufferings  ;  they  will  go  through 
a  sea  and  a  wilderness  if  (iod  call :  Ps.  ex. 
3.,  "  Thy  people  shall  be  a  willing  peoj)le," 
— Heb.    '  a   ])eople  of   willingness.'     Tliis 


spontaneity  and  willingness,  is  from  the 
attractive  power  of  God's  Spirit ;  the  Spi- 
rit doth  not  impellers^  force,  but  trakerey 
sweetly  draw  the  will  ;  and  this  willing- 
ness in  religion  makes  all  our  services  ac- 
cepted. God  doth  sometimes  accept  of 
willingness  without  the  work,  but  never 
the  work  without  willingness. 

3.  God's  covenant-people  are  a  conse- 
crated people;  they  have  holiness  to  the 
Lord  written  upon  them ;  Deut.  vii.  6., 
'•  Thou  art  a  holy  people  unto  the  Lord 
thy  God."  God's  covenant-people  are  se- 
parated from  the  world  and  sanctified  by 
the  Spirit.  The  priests  under  the  law  were 
not  only  to  wash  in  the  great  laver,  but 
were  arrayed  with  glorious  apparel,  Exod. 
xxviii.  2.  This  was  typical  to  shew  God's 
people  are  not  only  washed  from  gross  sins, 
but  adorned  with  holiness  of  heart,  they 
bear  not  only  God's  name,  but  image.  Ta- 
merlane refused  a  pot  of  gold,  when  he 
saw  it  had  not  his  father's  stamp  upon  it, 
but  the  Roman  stamp.  Holiness  is  God's 
stamp ;  if  he  doth  not  see  this  stamp  upon 
us,  he  will  not  own  us  for  his  covenant- 
people. 

Use  3d.  Of  exhortation.    To  such  as  are 
out  of  covenant,  labour  to  get   intu  cove- 
nant, and  have  God  for  your  God.     How 
glad  would  the  old  world  have  been  of  an 
ark  ?     How  industrious  should  we   be   to 
get  within  the  ark  of  the  covenant  ?     Con- 
sider, 1,  The  misery  of  such  as   live  and 
die  out  of  covenant  with  God.     (1.)   Such 
have  none  to  go  to  in  an  hour  of  distress. 
When  conscience  accuseth,  when  sickness 
approacheth,   (which  is  but  an  harbingei 
to  bespeak  a  lodging  for  death)  then  what 
will    you    do?      Whither    will    you    flee? 
Will  you  look  to  Christ  for  help  ?     He  is 
a   mediator  only  for  such  as  are   in  cove- 
nant.    O  how  will  you  be  filled  with  hor- 
ror and  despair  !  and  be  as  Saul,  1  Sara, 
xxviii.  15.,  "  The  Philistines  make  war  a- 
gainst  me,  and  the  Lord  is  departed."    (2.) 
Till  you  are  in  covenant  with  God,  there 
is  no  mercy.     Tlie  mercy-seat  was  ])laced 
upon  the  ark,  and  the  mercy-seat  wa.s  no 
larger  than  the  ark,  to  shew,  that  the  mer- 
cy of  God  reacheth  no  further  than  the 
covenant. 

2.  The    excellency  of  the    covenant  of 


108 


OF  THE  COVENANT  OF  GRACE. 


grace ;    it   is  a  better  covenant  than   the 
covenant  made  with  Adam.      (1.)  Because 
it  is  more  friendly  and  propitious.     Tliose 
services  which  would   have  been  rejected 
in  the  first  covenant,  are  accepted  in  the 
second.     Here  God  accepts  of  the  will  for 
the  deed,  2  Cor.  viii.  12. ;  here  sii.cerity  is 
crowned  in  the  covenant  of  grace ;  where- 
in we  are  weak,  God  will  give  strength, 
and  wherein  we  come  short,  God  will  ac- 
cept of  a  surety.     (2.)   It  is  a  better  cove- 
nant, because  it  is  surer,  2  Sam.  xxiii.  5., 
"  God  hath  ^ade  with  me  an  everlasting 
covenant,  ordered  in  all  things,  and  sure." 
The  first  covenant  was  not  sure,  it  stood 
upon  a  tottering  foundation,  works  ;  Adam 
had  no  sooner  a  stock  of  righteousness  to 
trade  with,   but  he  broke  ;  but  the  cove- 
nant of  grace  is  sure,  it  is  confirmed  with 
God's  decree,  and  it  rests  upon  two  mighty 
pillars,  the  oatli  of  God,  and  the  blood  of 
God.     (3.)  It  hath  better  privileges.     The 
covenant  of  grace  brings  preferment.    Our 
nature  now  is  more  ennobled,  we  ai'e  rais- 
ed to  higher  glory  than  in  innoccncy,  we 
are  advanced  to  sit  upon  Christ's  throne. 
Rev.  iii.  21.     We  are  by  virtue  of  the  co- 
venant of  grace,  nearer  to  Christ  than  the 
angels  :  they  are  his  friends,  we  his  spouse. 
God  is  willing  to  be  in  covenant  with  you. 
Why  doth  God  woo  and  beseech  you   by 
his  ambassadors  to  be  reconciled,  if  he  were 
not  willing  to  be  in  covenant  ? 

Obj.  /  would  fain  he  in  covenant  with  God, 
but  I  have  been  a  great  sinner,  and  I  Jear 
God  will  not  admit  me  into  covenant. 

Ans.  If  thou  seest  thy  sins,  and  loathest 
thyself  for  them,  yet  God  will  take  thee  in- 
to covenant,  Isa.  xliii.  24.,  "  Thou  hast 
wearied  me  with  thy  iniquities;  I,  even  I, 
am  he  that  blotteth  out  tliy  transgressions." 
As  the  sea  covers  great  rocks,  so  God's  co- 
venant-mercy covers  great  sins.  Some  of 
the  Jews  that  crucified  Christ,  yet  had  their 
sins  washed  away  in  his  blood. 

Obj.  But  I  am  not  worthy  that  ever  God 
sliould  admit  me  into  covenant. 

Ans.  It  never  came  into  God's  thoughts 
to  make  a  new  covenant  ui)on  terms  of 
worthiness.  If  God  should  sliew  mercy  to 
none  but  such  as  are  worthy,  tlien  must  he 
shew  mercy  to  none  at  all.  But  it  is  God's 
design  in  the  new  covenant  to  advance  the 


riches  of  grace,  to  love  us  freely,  and,  when 
we  have  no  worthiness  of  our  own,  to  ac- 
cept us  through  Christ's  worthiness.  There- 
fore let  not  un worthiness  discourage  you  ;  it 
is  not  unworthiness  excludes  any  from  the 
covenant,  but  unwillingness. 

Quest,  jriiat  shall  ice  do  that  we  may  be  in 
covenant  icith  God  ? 

Ans.  1.  Seek  to  God  by  prayer.  Exige 
a  Domino  miser icordium,  Aug.  "  Lord,  be 
my  God  in  coven.int."  The  Lord  hath  made 
an  express  promise  that,  upon  our  prayer 
to  him,  the  covenant  should  be  ratified,  he 
will  be  our  God,  and  we  shall  be  his  people : 
Zee.  xiii.  9.,  "  They  shall  call  upon  my  name, 
and  I  will  hear  them  :  I  will  say,  '  it  is  my 
people ;'  and  they  shall  say,  '  the  Lord  is  my 
God.'"  Only  it  must  be  an  importunate 
prayer ;  come  as  earnest  suitors,  resolve  to 
take  no  denial. 

A.  2.  If  you  would  be  in  covenant  with 
God,  break  off  the  covenant  with  sin  ;  be- 
fore the  marriajje-covenant  there  must  be  a 
divorce,  1  Sam.  vii.  3  ,  "  If  ye  do  return 
unto  the  Lord  with  all  your  hearts,  then 
put  away  the  strange  gods ;"  and  they  put 
away  Ashtaroth,  viz.  their  female  gods. 
Will  any  king  enter  into  covenant  with  that 
man  who  is  in  league  with  his  enemies  ? 

A.  3.  If  you  would  enter  into  the  bond 
of  the  covenant,  get  faith  in  the  blood  of  the 
covenant.  Christ's  blood  is  the  blood  of  a- 
tonement ;  believe  in  this  blood,  and  you  are 
safely  arked  in  God's  mercy;  Eph.  ii,  13., 
"  Ye  are  made  nigh  by  the  blood  of  Christ." 
Use  Ath.  Of  comfort  to  such  as  can  make 
out  their  covenant-interest  in  God.  1.  You 
that  are  in  covenant  with  God,  all  your  sins 
are    pardoned.      Pardon    is    the   crowning 


mercy,  Ps.  ciii.  3.,  "  Who  forgiveth  thy 
iniquity,  who  crowneth  thee,"  &c.  This  isa 
branch  of  the  covenant,  Jer.  xxxi.  33,  34., 
"  I  will  be  their  God,  and  I  will  fi)rgive  their 
iniquity."  Sin  being  pardoned,  all  wrath 
ceaseth.  How  terrible  is  it  when  but  a 
spark  of  God's  wrath  ilies  into  a  man's  con- 
science !  but  sin  being  forgiven,  no  more 
wrath.  God  doth  not  appear  now  in  the 
fire  or  earthquake,  hut  covered  with  a  rain- 
bow full  of  mercy. 

2.  All  vonr  temporal  mercies  are  fruits 
of  the  covenant.  Wicked  men  have  mer- 
cies by  providence,  not  by  virtue  of  a  cove- 


OF  THE  COVENANT  OF  GRACE. 


109 


nant;  with  God's  leave,  not  with  his  love. 
But  such  ,as  are  in  covenant  liave  their  mer- 
cies sweetened  witli  (lod's  love,  and  they 
swim  to  them  in  the  blood  of  Christ.  As 
Naaman  said  to  Gehazi,  2  Kinj^s  v.  23., 
"  Take  two  talents,"  so  saith  (iod  to  sucli 
as  are  in  covenant,  take  two  talents, — take 
healtli,  and  take  Christ  with  it, — take  riches, 
and  lake  my  love  with  tliem, — take  the  ve- 
nison, and  take  the  blessing  with  it, — take 
two  talents. 

3.  You  may  upon  all  occasions  plead  the 
covenant.  If  you  are  haunted  with  temp- 
tations, plead  the  covenant :  Lord,  thou  hast 
promised  to  bruise  Satan  under  my  feet 
shortly,  wilt  thou  suffer  thy  child  to  be 
thus  worried  ?  take  off  the  roaring  lion. 
If  in  want,  plead  the  covenant :  Lord,  thou 
hast  said,  "  I  shall  want  no  good  thing," 
wilt  tliou  save  me  from  hell,  and  not  from 
want  .•*  wilt  thou  give  me  a  kingdom,  and 
d«niy  me  daily  bread? 

4.  If  in  covenant  with  God,  all  things 
shall  co-operate  for  your  good  :  etiam  mala 
cidvnt  in  bomim,  Ps.  xxv.  10.  Not  only 
golden  paths,  but  his  bloody  paths.  Every 
wind  of  providence  shall  blow  them  nearer 
heaven.  Affliction  shall  humble  and  puri- 
fy, Hob.  xii.  10.  Out  of  the  bitterest  drug 
God  distils  your  salvation.  Afflictions  add 
to  the  saints'  glory.  The  more  the  diamond 
is  cut,  the  more  it  sparkles  ;  the  heavier  the 
saints'  cross  is,  the  heavier  shall  be  their 
crown. 

5.  If  thou  art  in  coA'^cnant  once,  then  for 
ever  in  covenant.  The  text  calls  it,  '  an 
everlasting  covenant.'  Such  as  are  in  co- 
venant are  elected ;  God's  electing  love  is 
unchangeable,  Jer.  xxxii.  40.,  "  I  will  make 
an  everlasting  covenant  with  them,  that  I 
will  not  turn  away  from  \\\c\n ;  but  I  will 
put  my  fear  in  their  heart,  that  they  shall 
not  depart  from  me."  God  will  so  love  the 
saints,  that  he  will  not  forsake  them  ;  and 
the  saints  shall  so  fear  God,  that  they  shall 
not  forsake  him.  'Tis  a  covenant  of  eter- 
nity. It  must  be  so  ;  for  who  is  this  cove- 
nant made  with?  Is  it  not  with  believers? 
and  have  not  they  coalition  and  union  with 
Christ?  Christ  is  the  head,  they  are  the 
body,  Eph.  i.  23.  This  is  a  near  union,  much 
like  tiiat  union  between  God  the  Father  and 
Christ,  John  xvii.  21.,  "As  thou,  Father, 


art  in  me,  and  I  in  thee,  that  they  also  may 
be  One  in  us."  Now  the  union  between 
Christ  and  the  saints  being  so  inseparable, 
it  can  never  be  dissolved,  or  the  covenant 
made  void  ;  you  may  die  with  comfort. 

C.  Thou  art  in  covenant  with  God,  and 
thou  art  going  to  thy  God :  behold  a  death- 
bed cordial ;  death  breaks  the  union  between 
the  hotly  and  the  soul,  but  ])crfects  the  u- 
nion  between  Christ  and  the  soul.  This 
hath  made  the  saints  desire  death  as  the 
bride  the  wedding-day  :  Phil.  i.  23.,  cupio 
dissolvi.  "  Lead  me,  Lord,  to  that  glory," 
(said  one)  "  a  glimpse  whereof  I  have  seen 
as  in  a  glass  darkly." 

Use  o(h.  Of  direction  :  to  shew  how  you 
should  walk  who  have  tasted  of  covenant- 
mercy — Live  as  a  people  in  coven<ant  with 
God.  As  you  differ  from  others  in  respect 
of  dignity,  so  you  must  in  point  of  carriage. 

1st.  You  must  love  this  God.  God's  love 
to  you  calls  for  love.  1.  It  is  amor  gralia- 
lus, — a  free  love.  \Vliy  should  Go<l  p;i«8 
by  others  and  take  you  into  a  league  of 
friendship  with  himself?  In  the  law,  God 
passed  by  the  lion  and  eagle,  and  chose  the 
dove :  so  he  passes  by  the  noble  and  mighty. 
2.  It  is  mnor  plenus, — a  full  love.  AVlien 
(lod  takes  you  into  covenant,  you  are  his 
Ilcphziba/i,  Isa.  Ixii.  5. ;  his  delight  is  in 
you ;  he  gives  you  the  key  of  all  his  trea- 
sure, he  heaps  pearls  upon  you,  he  settles 
heaven  and  earth  upon  you,  he  gives  you  a 
bunch  of  grapes  by  the  way,  and  saith, 
'  Son,  all  I  have  is  thine.'  And  doth  not 
all  this  call  for  love  ?  \Vlio  can  tread  upon 
these  hot  coals,  and  his  heai't  not  burn  in 
love  to  God  ? 

2d/i/.  Walk  holily.  The  covenant  hath 
made  you  a  royal  nation,  therefore  be  an 
holy  people.  Shine  as  lights  in  the  world; 
li\  e  as  earthly  angels.  God  hath  taken  you 
into  covenant,  that  you  and  he  may  have 
communion  together  ;  and  what  is  it  keeps 
up  your  communion  witli  God,  but  holiness? 

Sdii/.  AValk  thankfully,  Ps.  ciii.  1.  God 
is  your  God  in  covenant,  he  hath  done  more 
for  you  than  if  he  had  made  you  ride  upon 
the  high  places  of  the  earth,  and  given  you 
crowns  and  sceptres.  O  Uike  the  cup  of 
salvation,  and  bless  the  Lord!  Eternity 
will  be  little  enough  to  jnaise  him.  Musi- 
cians love  to  play  on   their  music  where 


no 


CHRIST  THE  MEDIATOR  OF  THE  COVENANT. 


there  is  the  loudest  sound ;  and  God  loves 
to  hestow  his  mercies  where  he  may  have 
the  loudest  praises.     You  that  have  angels' 


reward,  do  angels'  work.  Begin  that  work 
of  praise  here,  which  you  hope  to  he  always 
doing  in  heaven. 


CHRIST  THE  MEDIATOR  OF  THE  COVENANT. 
Heb.  xii.  24.  Jesus  the  Mediator  of  the  New  Covenant,  §r. 


JESUS  CHRIST  is  the  sum  and  quint- 
essence of  the  gospel,  the  wonder  of  angels, 
the  joy  and  triumph  of  saints.  The  name 
of  Christ  is  sweet,  it  is  as  music  in  the  car, 
honey  in  the  mouth,  and  a  cordial  at  the 
heart. — I  shall  wave  the  context,  and  only 
speak  of  that  which  concerns  our  present 
purpose  :  having  discoursed  of  the  covenant 
of  grace,  I  shall  speak  now  of  the  Mediator 
of  the  covenant,  and  the  restorer  of  lapsed 
sinners,  '  Jesus  the  Mediator  of  the  new 
covenant.' 

There  are  several  names  and  titles  in 
scripture  given  to  Christ,  as  the  great  re- 
storer of  mankind:  1.  Sometimes  he  is 
called  a  Saviour,  Mat.  i.  21.  His  name 
shall  be  called  Jesus.  The  Hebrew  word 
for  Jesus,  signifies  a  Saviour,  and  whom 
he  saves  from  hell,  he  saves  from  sin : 
where  Christ  is  a  Saviour,  he  is  a  sancti- 
fier.  Mat.  i.  21.,  "  He  shall  save  his  people 
from  their  sins."  There  is  no  other  Savi- 
our, Acts  iv.  12.,  "  Neither  is  there  salva- 
tion in  any  other."  As  there  was  but  one 
ark  to  save  the  world  from  drowning,  so 
there  is  but  one  Jesus  to  save  sinners  from 
damning.  As  Naomi  said  to  her  daughters- 
in-law,  Ruth  i.  11.,  "  Are  there  yet  any 
more  sons  in  my  womb?"  So  hath  God 
any  other  sons  in  the  womb  of  his  eternal 
decree,  to  be  saviours  to  us,  besides  Christ  ? 
Job  xxviii.  12.,  "  Where  shall  wisdom  be 
found?  the  depth  saith,  it  is  not  in  me; 
and  the  sea  saith,  it  is  not  in  me."  Let  me 
allude.  Where  shall  salvation  be  found? 
The  angel  saith,  it  is  not  in  me  ;  mortality 
saith  it  is  not  in  me  ;  the  ordinance  saith 
it  is  not  in  me,  Christ  alone  is  the  well- 
spring  of  life ;  the  ordinance  is  the  con- 
duit-])ipe  that  conveys  salvation,  but  Christ 
is  the  spring  that  feeds  it.  "  Neither  is 
there  salvation  in  any  other." 

2.  Someti  mes  Christ  is  called  a  Redeemer : 


Isa.  lix.  20.,  "  Tlie  Redeemer  shall  come 
to  Sion."  Some  understand  it  of  Cyrus, 
others  of  an  angel ;  but  the  most  ancient 
Jewish  doctors  understood  it  of  Christ,  the 
Redeemer  of  the  elect :  Job  xix.  23.,  "  My 
Redeemer  liveth."  The  Hebrew  word  for 
Redeemer,  signifies  such  a  one  as  is  near 
a-kin,  and  hath  right  to  redeem  a  mortgage ; 
so  Christ  is  near  of  kin  to  us,  being  our  el- 
der brother,  therefore  hath  the  best  right  to 
redeem  us. 

3.  Christ  is  called  a  Mediator  in  the  text, 
"  Jesus  the  Mediator  of  the  new  covenant." 
The  Greek  word  for  Mediator,  signifies  a 
middle  person,  one  that  doth  make  up  the 
breach  between  two  disagreeing  parties. 
God  and  we  were  at  variance  by  sin,  now 
Christ  doth  mediate  and  umpire  between 
us,  he  reconciles  us  to  God  through  his 
blood,  therefore  he  is  called  the  INlediator 
of  the  new  covenant.  There  is  no  way  of 
communion  and  intercourse  between  God 
and  man,  but  in  and  through  a  Mediator  : 
Christ  takes  away  the  enmity  in  us,  and 
the  wrath  of  God,  and  so  makes  peace. 
Nor  is  Christ  only  a  Mediator  of  reconcilia- 
tion, but  intercession,  Heb.  ix.  24.,  "  Christ 
is  entered,  not  into  the  holy  place  made 
with  hands,  but  into  heaven  itself,  now  to 
appear  in  the  presence  of  God  for  us." 
The  priest,  when  he  had  slain  the  sacrifice, 
was  to  go  with  the  blood  before  the  allar 
and  mercy-seat,  and  show  it  to  the  Lord. 
Now,  in  Christ  our  blessed  Mediator,  con- 
sider two  things.  ls<.  His  person.  2</.  His 
graces.  I.  His  person.  His  person  is  ami- 
able; he  is  all  made  up  of  love  and  beauty. 
He  is  the  effigies  of  his  Father,  Heb.  i.  3., 
"  The  express  image  of  his  person."  Con- 
sider, 

\st.  Christ's  person  in  two  natures. 

2d.  His  two  natures  in  one  person. 

\st.  Christ's  person  in  two  natures.      L 


CHRIST  THE  MEDIATOR  OF  THE  COVENANT. 


Ill 


Look  upon  his  human  nature  as  incarnate. 
The  Yalcntiuiuns  deny  his  liuman  nature  : 
but  John  i.  14-.,  "  The  Word  was  maiU; 
flesh,"  It  is  spoken  of  Christ  the  promised 
Messiah.  Christ  took  our  flesh,  that  the 
same  nature  whicli  sinned  mijjht  suffer; 
and  "  the  Word  was  made  flesh,"  tliat 
tliroug^h  the  glass  of  his  human  nature  we 
miglit  look  upon  God. 

Quest.   Why  is  Christ  called  the  Word? 

Ans.  Because,  as  a  word  is  the  interjire- 
ter  of  the  mind  and  reveals  what  is  in  a 
man's  breast,  so  Jesus  Christ  reveals  his 
Father's  mind  to  us  concerning  the  great 
matters  of  our  salvation,  John  i.  18.  Were 
it  not  for  Christ's  manliood,  the  sight  of 
the  Godhead  v^ould  be  formidable  to  us ; 
but  through  Christ's  flesh  we  may  look 
upon  God  Avitliout  terror.  And  Christ  took 
our  flesh,  that  he  might  know  how  to  pity 
us  ;  he  knows  what  it  is  to  be  faint,  sorrow- 
ful, tempted,  Ps.  ciii.  14.,  "He  knows  our 
frame."  And  he  took  our  flesh,  that  he 
might,  as  Austin  saith,  ennoble  our  human 
nature  with  honour.  Christ  having  marri- 
ed our  flesh,  hath  exalted  it  above  the  an- 
gelical nature. 

2.  Look  upon  Christ's  divine  nature. 
Christ  may  be  fitly  compared  to  Jacob's 
ladder,  Gen.  xxviii.  12.,  which  reacheth 
from  earth  to  heaven.  Christ's  human  na- 
ture was  the  foot  of  the  ladder  which  stood 
upon  earth ;  his  diAnne  nature  the  top  of 
the  ladder  which  reacheth  to  heaven.  Tliis 
being  a  grand  article  of  oiu*  faith,  I  shall 
amplify.  I  know  the  Arians,  Socinians, 
Ebionites  would  rob  Christ  of  the  best  jewel 
of  his  crown, — his  Godhead:  but  the  Apos- 
tolical, Nicene,  Athanasian  creeds,  afhrm 
Christ's  Deity ;  to  this  the  churches  of  Hel- 
vetia, Bohemia,  Wittembcrg,  Transylvania, 
&c.  give  their  full  consent ;  and  the  scrip- 
ture is  clear  for  it.  He  is  called  the  '  migh- 
ty God,'  Isa.  ix.  6.,  "  And  in  him  dwells 
the  fulness  of  the  Godhead,"  Col.  ii.  9. 
He  is  of  the  same  nature  and  essence  with 
the  Father.  So  Athanasius,  Basil,  Chry- 
sostom;  1.  Is  God  the  Father  called  Al- 
mighty? so  is  Christ,  Rev.  i.  8.,  "  Tlie 
Almighty." — 2.  Is  God  the  Father,  the 
heart-searcher?  so  is  Christ,  John  ii.  2.5., 
"  He  knew  their  thoughts?" — 3.  Is  God  the 
Father  omnipresent  ?  So  is  Christ,  John  iii. 


13.,  *'  The  Son  of  Man  which  is  in  heaven.*" 
Christ  as  God  was  then  in  heaven,  when  as 
man  he  was  upon  the  earth. 

Quest.  Is  God  eternal  ? 

Alls.  Christ  is  the  everlasting  Father, 
Isa.  ix.  6.,  whicli  scripture,  may  be  urged 
against  the  Corinthian  heretics,  who  denied 
the  pre-exist enCy  of  Christ's  Godhead,  and 
held  that  Christ  had  no  being  till  he  derived 
it  from  the  Virgin  Mary. 

4.  Doth  divine  worship  belong  to  the 
first  person  in  the  Trinity?  so  it  doth  to 
Christ,  John  v.  23.,  Helu  i.  6.,  "Let  all 
the  angels  of  God  worship  him." — .5.  Is 
creation  proper  to  the  Deity  ?  this  is  a  flower 
of  Christ's  crown.  Col.  i.  16.,  "  By  him 
were  all  things  created." — 6.  Is  invocation 
proper  to  the  Deity ;  this  is  given  to  Christ, 
Acts  vii.  59.,  "  Lord  Jesus  receive  my  spi- 
rit."— 7.  Is  recumbency  and  trust  peculiar 
to  God  the  Father  ?  this  is  given  to  Christ, 
John  xiv.  1.,  "  Ye  believe  in  God,  believe 
also  in  me."  Christ  must  needs  be  God, 
not  only  that  the  divine  nature  might  sup- 
port the  human  from  sinking  under  God's 
wrath,  but  also  to  give  value  and  weight  to 
his  suff'erings. 

Christ  being  God,  his  death  and  passion 
is  meritorious;  Christ's  blood  is  called 
sanguis  Dei, — the  blood  of  God,  Acts  xx. 
28.,  because  the  person  who  was  offered  in 
sacrifice  was  CJod  as  wcW  as  man.  This 
is  an  invincible  support  to  believers ;  it  was 
God  who  was  offended,  and  it  was  God 
who  satisfied.  Thus  Christ's  person  in  two 
natures. 

2d.  Consider  Christ's  two  natures  in  one 
person,  God-man,  1  Tim.  iii.  16.,  "  God 
manifest  in  the  flesh."  Christ  had  a  two- 
fold substance,  divine  and  human;  yet  not 
a  twofold  subsistence,  both  natures  make 
but  one  Cluist.  A  scion  may  be  giaftcd 
into  another  tree, — a  pear-tree  into  an  ap- 
])le, — which,  though  it  bear  different  fruits, 
is  but  one  tree ;  so  Christ's  manhood  is 
united  to  the  Godhead  in  an  ineffable  man- 
ner; yet  though  there  are  two  natures,  yet 
but  one  person.  This  luiion  of  the  two 
natures  in  Christ  was  not  by  transmutation, 
the  divine  nature  changed  into  the  human, 
or  the  human  into  the  divine, — nor  by 
mixture,  the  two  natures  mingled  together 
as   wine  and  water  are  mixed, — both  the 


112 


CHRIST  THE  MEDIATOR  OF  THE  COVENANT. 


natures  of  Christ  remain  distinct,  yet  make 
not  two  distinct  persons,  but  one  person ; 
the  human  nature  not  God,  yet  one  with 
God. 

II.  Consider  Christ,  our  Mediator,  in  his 
graces :  these  are  the  sweet  savour  of  his 
ointments  that  make  the  idrgins  love  liim. 
Clnist,  our  blessed  Mediator,  is  said  to  be 
"  full  of  grace  and  truth,"  John  i.  14.  He 
had  the  anointing  of  the  Spirit  without 
measure,  John  iii.  35.  Grace  in  Christ  is 
after  a  more  eminent  and  glorious  manner 
than  it  is  in  any  of  the  saints. 

1.  Jesus  Christ,  our  Mediator,  liath  per- 
fection in  every  grace.  Col.  i.  19.  He  is  a 
panoply,  magazine,  and  st/)rehouse  of  all 
heavenly  treasure,  all  fulness.  This  no  saint 
on  earth  hath  ;  he  may  excel  in  one  grace, 
but  not  in  all :  as  Abraham  was  eminent 
for  faith,  Moses  for  meekness,  but  Christ 
excels  in  every  grace. 

2.  There  is  a  never-failing  fulness  of 
grace  in  Christ ;  grace  in  the  saints  is  ebb- 
ing and  flowing,  it  is  not  always  in  the  same 
degree  and  proportion  ;  at  one  time  David's 
faith  was  strong,  at  another  time  so  faint 
and  weak  that  you  could  hardly  feel  any 
pulse,  Ps.  xxxi.  22.,*  "  I  said,  I  am  cut  off 
from  before  thine  eyes."  But  grace  in 
Christ  is  a  never-failing  fulness,  it  did 
never  abate  in  the  least  degree,  he  never 
lost  a  drop  of  his  holiness.  What  was  said 
of  Joseph,  may  more  truly  be  applied  to 
Christ,  Gen.  xlix.  23.,  "  The  archers  shot 
at  him,  but  his  bow  abode  in  strength." 
Men  and  devils  shot  at  him,  but  his  grace 
remained  in  its  full  vigour  and  strength, — 
"  his  bow  abode  in  strength." 

3.  Grace  in  Christ  is  communicative, 
his  grace  is  for  us ;  the  holy  oil  of  the  Spi- 
rit was  poured  on  the  head  of  this  blessed 
Aaron  that  it  might  run  down  upon  us. 
The  saints  have  not  grace  to  bestow  on  o- 
thers.  "VMicn  the  foolish  virgins  would 
liave  bought  oil  of  their  neighbour  virgins, 
Matth.  xxv.  8,  9.,  "  Give  us  of  your  oil, 
for  our  lamps  are  gone  out,"  the  wise  vir- 
gins answered,  "  Not  so,  lest  there  be  not 
enough  for  us  and  you."  The  saints  have 
no  grace  to  spare  to  others  ;  but  Christ  dif- 
fuKcth  his  grace  to  others ;  grace  in  the 
saints  is  as  water  in  the  vessel,  grace  in 
Christ  is  as  water  in  the  spring ;  John  i. 


16.,  "  Of  his  fulness  have  we  received 
grace  for  grace."  Set  a  glass  under  a  still 
or  limbeck,  and  it  receives  water  from  the 
limbeck  drop  by  drop ;  so  the  saints  have 
the  drops  and  influences  of  Christ's  gi-ace 
distilling  upon  them.  Wliat  a  rich  conso- 
lation is  this  to  those  who  either  liave  no 
grace,  or  their  stock  is  but  low  !  They 
may  go  to  Christ,  the  Mediator,  as  a  trea- 
sury of  grace  :  "  Lord,  I  am  indigent,  but 
whither  shall  I  carry  my  empty  vessel, 
but  to  a  full  fountain  ?"  Ps.  Ixxxvii.  7., 
"  All  my  springs  are  in  thee  ;"  I  am  guil- 
ty, thou  hast  blood  to  pardon  me  ;  I  am 
polluted,  thou  hast  grace  to  cleanse  me  ;  I 
am  sick  unto  death,  thou  hast  the  "  balm 
of  Gilead,  to  heal  me."  Gen.  xli.  56.  Jo- 
seph opened  all  the  storehouses  of  corn : 
Christ  is  our  Joseph,  that  opens  all  the 
treasuries  and  storehouses  of  grace,  and 
communicates  to  us.  He  is  not  only  sweet 
as  the  honey-comb,  but  drops  as  the  honey- 
comb ;  this  is  a  great  comfort,  in  Christ 
our  Mediator  thei'e  is  a  cornncopia,  and  ful- 
ness of  all  grace ;  and  Christ  is  desirous 
that  we  should  come  to  him  for  grace,  like 
the  full  breast  that  aches  till  it  be  drawn. 

Use  \st.  Admire  the  glory  of  this  Medi- 
ator ;  he  is  God-man,  he  is  co-essentially 
glorious  with  the  Father.  All  the  Jews 
that  saw  Christ  in  the  flesh,  did  not  see 
his  Godhead  ;  all  that  saw  the  man  did  not 
see  the  Messiah  ;  the  temple  of  Solomon 
within  was  embellished  with  gold ;  travel- 
lers, as  they  passed  along,  might  see  the 
(lUtside  of  the  temple,  but  only  the  priests 
saw  the  glory  which  sparkled  within  the 
temple ;  only  believers,  who  are  made 
priests  unto  God,  Rev.  i.  6.,  see  Christ's 
glorious  inside,  the  (Jodhead  shining  through 
the  manhood. 

Uxe  2(1.  If  Christ  be  God-man  in  one 
person,  then  look  unto  Jesus  Christ  alone 
for  salvation.  There  must  be  something 
of  the  Godhead  to  fast(>n  our  hope  u])on ; 
in  Christ  there  is  (iodliead  and  manhood 
hypostatically  united.  If  we  could  weep 
rivers  of  tears, — out-fast  Moses  on  the 
mount, — if  we  were  exact  moralists,  touch- 
ing the  law  blameless, — if  we  could  arrive 
at  the  highest  degree  of  sanctification  in 
this  life, — all  this  would  not  save  us,  with- 
out looking  to  the  merits  of  him  who   is 


OF  CHRIST'S  PROPHETICAL  OFFICE. 


113 


God ;  our  perfect  holiness  in  heaven  Is  not 
the  cause  of  our  salvation,  but  the  righ- 
teousness of  Jesus  Christ.  To  this  there- 
fore did  Paul  flee,  as  to  the  horns  of  the 
altar,  Phil.  iii.  9.,  "  That  I  may  be  found 
in  hiin,  not  having  my  own  righteousness." 
It  is  true,  we  may  look  to  our  graces  as 
CAndences  of  salvation,  but  to  Christ's  blood 
only  as  the  cause.  In  time  of  Noah's 
flood,  all  that  trusted  to  the  high  hills  and 
trees,  and  not  to  the  ark,  were  drowned  : 
Heb.  xii.  2.,  "  Looking  unto  Jesus ;"  and 
Ro  look  unto  him,  as  to  believe  in  him, 
that  so  Christ  may  not  only  be  united  to 
our  natm'c,  but  to  our  persons,  John  xx. 
31.,  "  That  believing,  you  may  have  life 
through  his  name." 

Use  3d.  Is  Jesus  Christ  God  and  man  in 
one  person  ?  This,  as  it  shews  the  dignity 
of  believers,  that  they  are  nearly  related  to 


one  of  the  greatest  persons  that  is,  Col.  ii. 
9.,  "  In  him  dwells  the  fulness  of  the  God- 
head bodily,"  so  it  is  of  unspeakable  com- 
fort. Christ's  two  natures  being  married 
together,  tlie  divine  and  human,  all  that 
Christ  in  either  of  his  natures  can  do  for 
believers,  he  will  do.  In  his  human  na- 
tuie  he  prays  for  them,  in  his  divine  na- 
ture he  merits  for  them.  This  for  the  per- 
son of  our  Mediator. 

Use  Mil.  Admire  the  love  of  Christ  our 
Mediator,  tliat  he  should  humble  himself, 
and  take  our  flesh,  that  he  might  redeem 
us.  Believers  should  put  Christ  in  their 
bosom,  as  the  spouse  did,  Cant.  i.  13.,  "  Lie 
betwixt  my  breasts."  Wliat  was  said  of 
Ignatius,  that  the  name  of  Jesus  was  found 
AViitten  in  his  heart,  should  be  verified  of 
every  saint,  he  should  have  Jesus  Christ 
written  in  his  heart. 


^^^•*'^^^^''»^^^'^^'^V^^^%%.^%^^»WV%^V^<V^%'V^/%%^V%%'^yV^%'^%^% 


OF  CHRIST'S  PROPHETICAL  OFFICE. 
Deut.  xviii.  15.   The  Lord  thy  God  will  raise  vp  unto  thee  a  Prophet^  &c. 


HAVING  spoken  of  the  person  of  Christ, 
we  are  next  to  speak  of  the  offices  of  Christ, 
— Prophetical,  Priestly,  Regal. 

I.  Prophetical.  "  The  Lord  thy  God 
will  raise  up  unto  thee  a  Prophet."  Enun- 
ciatur  hie  locus  de  Christo, — it  is  spoken  of 
Christ.  There  are  several  names  given  to 
Christ  as  a  Prophet :  He  is  called  '  the 
Counsellor,'  Isa.  Lx.  6.  In  uno  Christo  An- 
gelas foederis  compleliir,  Fagius.  '  The 
Messenger  of  the  covenant,'  Mai.  iii.  1. 
<  A  Lamp,'  2  Sam.  xxii.  29.  '  The  Morn- 
ing-star,' Rev.  xxii.  16.  Jesus  Christ  is 
the  great  Prophet  of  his  church.  Tiie  wo- 
man of  Samaria,  gave  a  shrewd  guess, 
John  iv.  16.  He  is  the  best  teacher,  he 
mjikes  all  other  teaching  effectual,  Luke 
xxiv.  45.,  "  Then  opened  he  their  umler- 
standing."  He  did  not  only  open  the 
scriptures,  but  opened  their  understanding. 
He  teacheth  to  profit,  Isa,  xlviii.  17.,  "  I 
am  the  Lord  thy  God,  who  teacheth  thee 
to  profit." 

Quest.  Hoiv  doth  Christ  teach  ? 

Ans.  1.  Externally,  by  his  word,  Ps.  cxix. 
105.,   "  Tliy  word  is  a  lamp  to  my  feet." 


Such  as  pretend  to  have  a  light  or  revela- 
tion above  the  word,  or  contrary  to  it,  never 
had  their  teaching  from  Christ,  Isa.  viii.  20. 

A.  2.  Christ  teacheth  these  sacred  mys- 
teries, inwardly,  by  the  Spirit,  John  xvi. 
13.  The  world  knows  not  what  it  is, 
1  Cor.  ii.  14.,  "  The  natural  man  receives 
not  the  things  of  God,  neither  can  he  know 
them."  He  knows  not  what  it  is  to  be 
transformed  by  the  renewing  of  the  mind, 
Rom.  xii.  2.,  or  what  the  inward  workings 
of  the  Spirit  mean ;  these  are  riddles  and 
paradoxes  to  him.  He  may  have  more  in- 
sight into  the  things  of  the  world  than  a 
believor,  but  he  doth  not  see  the  deep  tilings 
of  God.  A  swine  may  see  an  acorn  under 
a  tree,  but  he  cannot  see  a  star ;  he  who  is 
taught  of  Christ  sees  the  arcana  imperii, — 
the  secrets  of  the  kingdom  of  licaven. 

Quest.  What  are  the  lessons  Christ  teach- 
eth ? 

Ans.  1.  He  teacheth  us  to  see  into  our 
own  hearts.    Take  the  most  mercurial  wits,, 
the    greatest    politicians    that    understand 
the  mysteries  of  state,  yet  they  know  not 
the    mysteries  of  their  own  hearts,    they 


114 


OF  CHRIST'S  PROPHETICAL  OFFICE. 


cannot  believe  there  is  tliat  evil  in  them  as 
is,  2  Kings  viii.  13.,  "  Is  thy  servant  a 
dog?"  Grande  profundum  est  homo,  Aug. 
The  licart  is  a  great  deep,  whicli  is  not  ea- 
fiily  fathomed.  But  Christ  wlien  he  teacli- 
eth,  removes  the  veil  of  ignorance,  and 
lights  a  man  into  his  own  heart ;  and  now 
he  sees  swarms  of  vain  thouglits, — lie 
hlusheth  to  see  how  sin  mingles  with  his 
duties, — his  stars  are  mixed  with  clouds, — 
he  prays,  as  Austin,  that  (iod  would  deli- 
ver him  from  himself. 

A.  2.  The  second  lesson  Christ  teacheth, 
is  the  vanity  of  the  creature.  A  natural 
man  sets  up  his  haj)j)iness  here,  worships 
the  golden  image  ;  hut  he  that  Christ  Imth 
anointed  with  his  eye-salve,  hath  a  spirit 
of  discerning,  he  looks  upon  the  creature 
in  its  nigiit-dress,  sees  it  to  be  empty  and 
unsatisfying,  not  commensurate  to  an  hea- 
ven-born soul.  Solomon  had  put  all  the 
creatures  into  a  limbeck,  and  when  he 
came  to  extract  the  spirit  and  quintessence, 
all  was  vanity,  Eccl.  ii.  II.  The  apostle 
calls  it  a  show  or  apparition,  I  Cor.  vii.  31., 
having  no  intrinsical  goodness. 

A.  3.  The  third  lesson  is  the  excellency 
of  things  unseen.  Christ  gives  the  soul  a 
nio-ht  of  glory,  a  prospect  of  eternity, 
2  Cor.  iv.  18.,  "  We  look  not  at  things 
which  are  seen,  but  at  things  which  are  not 
seen."  Moses  saw  him  who  is  '  invisible,' 
Ileb.  ix.  27.  And  the  Patriarchs  saw  a 
better  country,  viz.  an  heavenly,  Heb.  xi.  16. 
where  delights  of  angels,  rivers  of  pleasure, 
the  flower  of  joy,  fully  ripe  and  blown. 

Quest.  How  doth  Christ's  teaching  differ 
from  other  teaching  ? 

Ans.  Several  ways  : 

1.  Christ  teacheth  the  heart.  Others 
may  teach  the  ear,  Christ  the  heart. 
Acts  xvi.  14.,  "  Whose  heart  the  Lord  o- 
pened."  All  that  the  dispensers  of  the 
word  can  do  is  but  to  work  knowledge, 
Christ  works  grace ;  they  can  but  give  you 
the  light  of  the  truth,  Christ  gives  you  the 
love  of  the  truth ;  they  can  only  teach  you 
what  to  believe,  Christ  teacheth  how  to 
believe. 

2.  Christ  gives  us  a  taste  of  the  word. 
Ministers  may  set  the  food  of  the  word  be- 
fore you,  and  carve  it  out  to  you ;  but  it  is 
onlyChristcausethyoutotjuiteit,  1  I\t.ii.3., 


"  If  so  be  ye  have  tasted  that  the  Lord  is 
gracious  ;"  Ps.  xxxiv.  8.,  "  Taste  and  see 
that  the  Lord  is  good."  It  is  one  thing  to 
hear  a  truth  preached,  another  thing  to 
taste  it ;  one  thing  to  read  a  promise,  ano- 
ther thing  to  taste  it.  DaA'id  had  got  a 
taste  of  the  word,  Ps.  cxix.  102,  103., 
"  Thou  hast  taught  me  :  How  sweet  are 
thy  words  unto  my  taste !  yea,  sweeter 
than  honey  to  my  mouth."  The  apostle 
calls  it  the  savour  of  knowledge,  2  Cor.  ii. 
14.  The  light  of  knowledge  is  one  thing, 
the  savour  another.  Christ  makes  us  taste 
a  savouriness  in  the  word. 

3.  Christ,  when  he  teacheth,  makes  us 
obey.  Others  may  instruct,  but  cannot 
command  obedience ;  they  teach  to  be  hum- 
ble, but  men  remain  proud.  The  Prophet 
had  been  denouncing  judgments  against 
the  people  of  Judah,  but  they  would  not 
hear,  Jer.  xliv.  17.,  "  We  will  do  whatso- 
ever goeth  out  of  our  own  mouth,  to  bake 
cakes  to  the  queen  of  heaven."  Men  come 
quasi  armed  in  a  coat  of  mail  that  the 
sword  of  the  word  will  not  enter ;  but 
when  Christ  comes  to  teach,  he  removes 
this  obstinacy ;  he  not  only  informs  the 
judgment,  but  inclines  the  will.  He  doth 
not  only  come  with  the  light  of  his  word, 
but  the  rod  of  his  strength,  and  makes  the 
stubborn  sinner  yield  to  him.  His  grace 
is  irresistible. 

4.  Christ  teacheth  easily.  Others  teach 
with  difficulty.  Difficulty  in  finding  out  a 
truth,  and  in  inculcating  it,  Isa.  xxviii.  1 0., 
"  Precept  (must  be)  upon  precept,  and  line 
upon  line."  Some  may  teach  all  their  lives, 
and  the  word  take  no  impression.  They 
complain,  as  Isa.  xHx.  4.,  "  I  have  spent 
my  labour  in  vftin,"  plowed  on  rocks ;  but 
Christ  the  great  Prophet  teacheth  with  ease. 
He  can  with  the  least  touch  of  his  Spirit 
convert ;  he  can  say,  "  Let  there  be  light ;" 
with  a  word  he  conveys  grace. 

5.  Christ  when  he  teacheth,  makes  men 
willing  to  learn.  Men  may  teach  others, 
but  they  have  no  miiul  to  learn,  Prov.  i.  7., 
"  Fools  despise  instruction ;"  they  rage  at 
the  word,  as  if  a  patient  should  rage  at  the 
physician  Avhen  he  brings  him  a  cordial, 
thus  backward  are  men  to  their  own  salva- 
tion. But  Christ  makes  his  people  a  '  wil- 
ling people,'  Ps.  ex.  3.     They  prize  know- 


OF  CHRIST'S  PROPHETICAL  OFFICE. 


115 


ledge,  and  hang  it  as  a  jewel  upon  their 
ear.  Those  tliat  Clirist  toaclietli,  say,  as 
Isa.  ii.  3.,  "  Come  let  us  go  up  to  the  moun- 
tain of  the  Lord,  and  lie  will  teach  us  of 
his  ways,  and  we  will  walk  in  them ;"  and, 
as  Acts  X.  33.,  "  We  are  all  here  present 
before  God,  to  hear  all  things  commanded." 

G.  Christ,  when  he  tcaclicth,  doth  not 
only  illuminate,  but  animate.  He  doth  so 
teach,  as  he  dotli  quicken,  John  viii.  12., 
"  I  am  the  light  of  the  world ;"  he  that 
follows  me  shall  have  lumen  vitcs, — the 
lijjht  of  life.  Bv  nature  we  are  dead, 
therefore  unfit  for  teaching ;  who  will  make 
an  oration  to  the  dead  ?  But  Christ  teach- 
eth  them  that  arc  dead,  he  gives  the  light 
of  life.  As  when  Lazarus  was  dead,  Christ 
said,  "  Come  forth,"  and  he  made  the  dead 
to  hear,  "  Lazarus  came  forth  :"  so  when 
Christ  saith  to  the  dead  soul,  come  forth  of 
the  grave  of  unbelief,  he  hears  Christ's  voice, 
and  comes  forth,  it  is  the  light  of  life.  The 
philosophers  say,  color  et  lux  concrescuv.t, — 
light  and  heat  increase  together.  'Tis  true 
here,  where  Christ  comes  with  his  light, 
there  is  the  heat  of  the  spiritual  life  going 
along  with  it. 

Use  \d.  Of  information.  1.  See  here 
an  argument  of  Christ's  Divinity :  had  he 
not  been  God,  he  could  never  have  known 
the  mind  of  God,  or  revealed  to  us  those 
arcani  coeli^ — those  deep  mysteries,  which 
no  man  or  angel  could  find  out.  \Mio  but 
God  can  anoint  the  eyes  of  the  blind,  and 
give  not  only  light,  but  sight?  Who  but 
he,  who  hath  the  key  of  David,  can  open 
the  heart  ?  Who  but  God  can  bow  the  iron 
sinew  of  the  will  ?  He  only  who  is  God  can 
enlighten  the  conscience,  and  make  the 
stony  heart  bleed. 

2.  See  what  a  cormicopia,  or  ])lenty  of 
wisdom  is  in  Christ,  who  is  the  great  doc- 
tor of  his  church,  and  gives  saving  know- 
ledge to  all  the  elect.  The  body  of  the  sun 
must  needs  be  full  of  clarity  and  brightness, 
which  enlightens  the  wh(»le  world :  Christ 
is  the  great  luminary,  "  in  whom  are  hid 
all  treasures  of  knowledge,"  Col.  ii.  3.  The 
middle  lamp  of  the  sanctuary  gave  light  to 
all  the  other  lamps  :  Christ  diffuseth  his 
glorious  light  to  others.  We  are  apt  to  ad- 
mire the  learning  of  Aristotle  and  Plato : 
Alas !  what  is  this  poor  spark  of  light  to 


that  which  is  in  Oirist,  from  whose  infinite 
wisdom  both  men  and  angels  light  their 
lamp.  # 

3.  See  the  misery  of  man  in  the  state  of 
nature.  Before  Christ  come  to  be  their 
prophet  they  are  invcloped  with  ignorance 
and  darkness.  Men  know  nothing  in  a 
salvifical  sanctified  maTiner,  thcv  know  no- 
thing  as  they  ought  to  know,  1  Cor.  viii.  2. 
This  is  sad.  1.  Men  in  the  dark  cannot 
discern  colours  :  so  in  the  state  of  nature 
they  cainiot  discern  between  morality  and 
grace, — they  take  one  for  the  other,  pro 
dca  mihcm. — 2.  In  the  dark  the  greatest 
beauty  is  hid, — let  there  be  rare  flowers  in 
the  garden,  and  pictures  in  the  rooir,  yet 
in  the  dark  their  beauty  is  vailed  over, — 
so,  though  there  be  such  transcendent  beau- 
ty in  Christ  as  amazeth  the  angels,  a  man 
in  the  state  of  nature  sees  none  of  this  beau- 
ty. ^\liat  is  Christ  to  him,  or  heaven  to 
him  ?  The  vail  is  upon  his  heart. — 3.  A 
man  in  the  dark  is  in  danger  every  step  he 
goes :  so  a  man  in  the  state  of  nature  is  in 
danger,  every  step,  of  falling  into  hell. 
Thus  it  is  before  Christ  teachcth  us  ;  nay, 
the  darkness  in  which  a  sinner  is,  while  in 
an  uuregenerate  state,  is  worse  than  natu- 
ral darkness,  for  natural  darkness  affrights, 
Gen.  XV.  12.,  "An  horror  of  great  dark- 
ness fell  upon  Abraham,"  b.ut  the  spiritual 
darkness  is  not  accompanied  with  horror, — 
men  tremble  not  at  their  condition, — nay, 
they  like  their  condition  well  enough, 
John  iii.  19,,  "Men  loved  darkness."  This 
is  their  sad  condition,  till  Jesus  Christ 
comes  as  a  j)rophet  to  teach  them,  and  to 
turn  them  fr(»m  darkness  to  light,  and  from 
the  power  of  Satan  to  God. 

4.  See  the  happy  condition  of  the  chil- 
dren of  God,  they  have  Christ  to  be  their 
pro]>het,  Isa.  liv.  13.,  "  All  thy  children 
shall  be  taught  of  the  Lord ;"   1  Cor.  i.  30., 

'  God  is  made  to  us  wisdom."  One  man 
cannot  see  by  another's  eves ;  but  Ix'lievers 
see  with  Christ's  eyes, — "  In  his  light  they 
see  light;"  Christ  gives  them  the  light  of 
grace  and  light  of  glory. 

Use  2d.  Labour  to  have  Christ  for  your 
prophet ;  he  teacheth  savingly,  he  is  an  in- 
terpreter of  a  thousand,  he  cai  untie  those 
knots  which  puzzle  very  angels.  Till 
Christ  teach,    we  never  learn  any  lesson: 


116 


OF  CHllISrS  PROPHETICAL  OFFICE. 


till  Clirist  is  made  to  us  wisdom,  we  shall 
never  be  wise  to  salvation. 

QuKsr.  JVhnt  ahall  tee  dctto  have  Christ 
for  our  teacher  ? 

Anx.  See  your  need  of  Christ's  teaching. 
You  cannot  see  your  way  without  this 
morning-star.  Some  speak  much  of  the 
light  of  reason  improved  :  Alas  !  the  plumb- 
line  of  reason  is  too  short  to  fathom  the 
deep  things  of  God, — the  light  of  reason 
will  no  more  help  a  man  to  believe,  than 
the  light  of  a  candle  will  lielp  him  to  un- 
derstand. A  man  can  no  more  by  the 
power  of  nature  reach  Christ,  than  an  in- 
fant can  reach  the  top  of  the  pyramids,  or 
the  ostrich  fly  up  to  the  stars.  See  your 
need  of  Christ's  anointing  and  teaching, 
Rev.  iii.  18. 

J.  2.  Go  to  Christ  to  teach  you,  Ps.  xxv.  5. 
"  Lead  me  in  thy  truth,  and  teacli  me." 
As  one  of  the  disciples  said,  "  Lord  teach 
us  to  pray,"  Luke  xi.  L  :  so  Lord,  teach  me 
to  profit.  Do  thou  light  my  lamp,  O  thou 
great  prophet  of  thy  church  !  Give  me  a 
spirit  of  wisdom  and  revelation,  that  I  may 
see  things  in  another  manner  than  ever  I 
saw  them  before ;  teach  me  in  the  word  to 
hear  thy  A'oice,  and  in  the  sacrament  to 
discern  thy  body.  Ps.  xiii.  3.,  "  Lighten 
mine  eyes,"  &c.  Cathedram  habit  in  cocio  qui 
corda  docet  in  terra.  Aug.  "  He  hath  his 
pulpit  in  heaven  who  converts  souls." 
And  that  avc  may  be  encouraged  to  go  to 
our  great  prophet : 

\.  Jesus  Christ  is  very  willing  to  teach 
us.  \Vliy  else  did  he  enter  into  the  calling 
of  the  ministry  but  to  teach  the  mysteries 
of  heaven  ?  Matth.  iv.  23.,  "  Jesus  went  a- 
bout  teaching  and  preaching  the  gospel  of 
the  kingdom,  and  healing  all  manner  of 
sickness  and  all  manner  of  disease  among 
the  people."  Why  did  he  take  the  oflice  pro- 
phetical upon  him? — Why  was  Christ  so 
angry  with  them  that  kept  away  the  key  of 
knowledge  ?  Luke  xi.  52. — Why  was  Christ 
anointed  with  the  Spirit  without  measure  ? 
— but  that  he  might  anoint  us  with  know- 
ledge. Knowledge  is  in  Christ  as  milk  in 
the  breast  for  the  child.  O  then  go  to 
Christ  for  teaching  !  None  in  the  gospel 
came  to  Christ  for  sight  but  he  restored 
their  eye-sight ;  and  sure  Christ  is  more 
willing  to  work  a  cure  upon  a  hWxnX  soul, 


than  ever  he  was  to  do  so  upon   a  blind 
body. 

2.  There  are  none  so  dull  and  ignorant 
but  Christ  can  teach  them.  Every  one  is 
not  fit  to  make  a  philosopher's  scholar  of: 
ex  omni  I'lgno  non  Jit  Mercitrnis  ;  but  there 
is  none  so  dull,  but  Christ  can  make  a 
good  scholar  of.  Even  such  as  are  igno- 
rant, and  of  low  parts,  Christ  teachcth  them 
in  such  a  manner,  that  they  know  more 
than  the  great  sages  and  wise  men  of  the 
world.  Hence  that  saying  of  St.  Agustrne, 
mrgwit  indocti,  et  rapiinit  calum^ — the  un- 
learned men  rise  up,  and  take  heaven  :  they 
know  the  truths  of  Christ  more  savingly 
than  the  great  admired  Rabbles.  The  dul- 
ler the  scholar,  the  more  is  his  skill  seen 
that  teacheth.  Hence  it  is,  Christ  delights 
in  teaching  the  ignorant,  to  get  himself 
more  glory,  Isa.  xxxv.  5.,  "  The  eyes  of  the 
blind  shall  be  opened,  and  the  ears  of  the 
deaf  shall  be  unstopped."  Who  would  go 
to  teach  a  blind  or  a  deaf  man  ?  Yet  such 
dull  scholars  Christ  teacheth.  Such  as  are 
blinded  with  ignorance,  they  shall  see  the 
mysteries  of  the  gospel,  and  the  deaf  ears 
shall  be  unstopped. 

3.  Wait  upon  the  means  of  grace  which 
Christ  hath  appointed.  Though  Christ  teach- 
eth by  his  Spirit,  yet  he  teachcth  in  the  use 
of  ordinances.  Wait  at  the  gates  of  wis- 
dom's door ;  ministers  are  teachers  under 
Christ,  Eph.  iv.  11.,  "Pastors  and  teach- 
ers." We  read  of  pitchers  and  lamps  with- 
in the  pitchers.  Judges  vii.  16.  Ministers 
are  earthen  vessels,  but  these  pitchers  have 
lamps  within  them  to  light  souls  to  heaven. 
Christ  is  said  to  speak  to  us  from  heaven 
now,  Ilcb.  xii.  25.  viz.  by  his  ministers,  as 
the  king  sj)caks  by  his  ambassador.  Such 
as  wean  themselves  from  the  breast  of  ordi- 
nances, seldom  thrive;  either  they  grow 
light  in  their  head,  or  lame  in  their  feet. 
Tlie  word  pre«iched  is  Christ's  voice  in  the 
mouth  of  the  minister,  and  they  that  refuse 
to  hear  Christ  speaking  in  the  ministry, 
Christ  will  refuse  to  hear  them  speaking  on 
their  death-bed. 

4.  If  you  would  have  the  teachings  of 
Christ,  walk  according  to  that  knowledge 
which  you  liave  already.  Use  your  little 
knowledge  well,  and  Christ  will  teach  you 
more,  John  vii.  17,  "  If  any  man  will  do 


OF  CHRIST'S  PHIESTLY  OFFICE. 


117 


his  will,  lie  shall  know  of  my  doctrine, 
whether  it  he  of  God,  or  whether  I  speak 
of  myself."  A  master  seeing  his  servant 
improve  a  little  stock  well  gives  him  more 
to  trade  with. 

Use  Sd.  If  you  have  been  taught  by  Christ 
savingly,  be  thankful ;  it  is  your  honour  to 
have  God  for  your  teacher,  and  that  he 
should  teach  you  and  not  others,  is  matter 
of  admiration  and  gratulati<ui.  O  how  many 
knowing  men  are  ignorant !  They  are  not 
taught  of  God ;  they  have  Christ's  word  to 
enlighten  them,  but  not  his  Spirit  to  sanc- 
tify them.  But  that  you  should  have  the 
inward  as  well  as  the  outward  teaching, — 
that  Christ  should  anoint  you  with  the  hea- 


venly unction  of  his  Spirit, —  that  you  can 
say  as  he,  John  ix.  25.,  "  One  thing  I  know, 
that  whereas  I  was  blind,  I  now  see,'*  -O 
how  thankful  should  you  be  to  Christ,  who 
hath  revealed  his  Father's  bosom  secrets 
unto  you  !  John  i.  18.,  "  No  man  hath  seen 
God  at  any  time  ;  the  only  begotten  Son 
which  is  in  the  bosom  of  the  Father,  he  hath 
declared  him  "  If  Alexander  thought  him- 
self so  much  obliged  to  Aristotle  for  the 
philosophical  instructions  he  learned  from 
liim  ;  O  how  are  we  obliged  to  Jesus  Christ, 
this  great  Prophet,  for  opening  to  us  the 
eternal  purposes  of  his  love,  and  revealing  to 
us  the  mysteries  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  ! 


OF  CHRIST'S  PRIESTLY  OFFICE. 


Quest.  XXV.  HO  JV  doth  Christ  execute 
the  office  of  a  priest  ? 

Ans.  In  his  once  offering  up  of  himself  a 
sacrifice  to  satisfy  divine  justice,  and  recon- 
cile us  to  God,  and  in  making  continual  in- 
tercession for  us. — Heb.  ix.  26.,  "  Now  once 
in  the  end  of  the  world  hath  he  ajipeared  to 
put  away  sin  by  the  sacrifice  of  himself" 

Quest.  IVhat  are  the  parts o/ Christ's  priest- 
ly office  ? 

Ans.  Christ's  priestly  office  hath  two 
parts,  his  satisfaction  and  intercession. 

I.  His  satisfaction.  And  this  consists  of 
two  branches:  \st.  His  active  obedience, 
Mat.  iii.  15.,  He  fulfilled  all  righteousness. 
Christ  did  every  thing  which  the  law  re- 
quired ;  his  holy  life  was  a  perfect  commen- 
tary upon  the  law  of  God  ;  and  he  obeyed 
the  law  for  us. — 2d.  His  passive  obedience. 
Our  guilt  being  transferred  and  imputed  to 
him,  he  did  undergo  the  penalty  which  was 
due  to  us ;  he  appeared  to  put  away  sin  by 
the  sacrifice  of  himself.  The  paschal-lamb 
slain,  was  a  type  of  Christ  who  was  offered 
up  in  sacrifice  for  us.  Sin  could  not  be 
done  away  without  blood,  Heb.  ix.  22., 
*'  Without  blood  is  no  remission."  Christ 
was  not  only  a  lamb  without  spot,  but  a  lamb 
slain. 

Quest.  Why  was  it  requisite  there  should 
he  a  priest  ? 

Ans.  There  needed  a  priest  to  be  an  um- 


pire, to  mediate  between  a  guilty  creature, 
and  an  holy  God. 

Quest.  How  could  Christ  suffer,  being 
God? 

Ans.  Christ  suffered  only  in  the  human 
nature. 

Quest.  But  if  only  Chrises  humanity  suf- 
fen  d,  hoir  could  this  suffiring  satisfy  for  sin  ? 

Ans.  Tlie  human  nature  being  united  to 
tlie  di\'iiie,  the  human  nature  did  suffer,  the 
divine  did  satisfy.  Christ's  Godhead,  as  it 
did  sujtport  the  human  nature  that  it  did  not 
faint,  so  it  did  give  virtue  to  his  sufferings. 
The  altar  sanctifies  the  thing  oflc'red  on  it, 
Mat.  xxiii.  19.  :  so  the  altar  of  Christ's  di- 
vine nature  sanctified  the  sacrifice  of  his 
death,  and  made  it  of  infinite  value. 

Quest.  Wherein  doth  the  greatness  of 
Christ's  sufferings  appear  ? 

Ans.  \sf.  In  the  sufferings  of  his  body. 
He  suffered  truly,  not  in  appearance  only; 
the  apostle  calls  it  rnors  crucis. — tlic  death 
of  the  cross,  Phil.  ii.  8.  Tully,  when  he 
speaks  of  this  kind  <tf  death,  quid  decam  in 
crucein  tollere  ?  Though  he  was  a  great  o- 
rator  he  wanted  words  to  express  it.  The 
thoughts  of  this  made  Christ  sweat  great 
drops  of  blood  in  the  garden,  Luke  xxii. 
44.  It  was  an  ignominious,  painful,  curs- 
ed death.  Christ  suffered  in  all  his  senses: 
1.  In  his  eyes;  they  belield  two  sad  objects, 
he  saw  his  enemies  insulting,  and  his  mother 


118 


OF  CHRIST'S  PRIESTLY  OFFICE. 


weeping.—  2.  In  liis  ears ;  his  ears  were  fill- 
ed with  the   revi lings  of  the   people,  Mat. 
xxvii.  42.,  "  He   saved  others,  himself  he 
cannot  save." — 3.  In  his  smell ;  when  their 
drivel  fell  upon  liis  face. — 4.  In  his   taste; 
when  they  gave   him  gall  and  vinegar  to 
drink,  bitterness  and  sharpness. — 5.  In  his 
feeling ;  his  head  suffered  with  thorns,  his 
hands  and  feet  with  the  nails.      Totum  pro 
vulnere  corpus  ;  now  was  this  white  lily  dyed 
of  a  purple  colour. — 2d.  In  the  suflFerings 
of  his  soul.     He  was   pressed  ia  the  wine- 
press of  his  Father's  wrath.     This  caused 
that  vociferation  and  outcry  on   the  cross, 
"  My  God,  My  God,"  cur  desendsii  ?  Christ 
suffered  a  double  eclipse  upon  the  cross,  an 
eclipse  of  the  sun,  and  an  eclipse  of  the  light 
of  God's  countenance.     How  bitter  was  this 
agony  !  Tlie  evangelists  use  three  words  to 
express  it :  "  He  began  to  be  amazed,"  Mark 
xiv.  33. ;  "  He  began  to  be  faint ;"  "  To  be 
exceeding    sorrowful,"    Matth.     xxvi.    37. 
Christ  felt  the  pains  of  hell   in   his  soul, 
though  not  Ijocally,  yet  equivalently. 
Quest.  Why  did  Christ  suffer  ? 
Ans,  Surely   not   for  any  desert   of  his 
own,  Dan.  ix.  2fc>.,  "  The  Messiah  shall  be 
cut  off,  but  not  for  himself;"  it  was  for  us, 
Isa.  liii.  6.  Utius  peccat,  alius  pkctltur ;  he 
suffered,  that  he  might  satisfy  God's  justice 
for  us.     We,   by  our   sins,   had   infinitely 
wronged  God;   and,   could  we  have  shed 
rivers  of  tears,  offered  up  millions  of  holo- 
causts and  burnt-offerings,  we  could  never 
have  pacified   an   angry  Deity ;    therefore 
Christ  must  die,  that  God's  justice  may  be 
satisfied. — It  is  hotly  debated  among  divines, 
whether  God  could  not  have  forgiven  sin 
freely  without  a  sacrifice.     Not  to  dispute 
what  God  could  have  done,  yet  when  we 
consider  God  was  resolved  to  have  the  law 
satisfied,  and  to  have  man  saved  in  a  way 
of  justice  as  well  as  mercy,  then,   I  say,  it 
was  necessary  that  Christ  should  lav  down 
his  life  as  a  sacrifice. 

1.  To  fulfil  the  predictions  of  scripture, 
Luke  xxiv.  46.,  "  Thus  it  behoved  Christ 
to  suffer." 

2.  To  bring  us  into  favour  with  God.  It 
is  one  thing  for  a  traitor  to  be  pardoned, 
and  another  thing  to  be  made  a  favourite. 
Christ's  blood  is  not  only  called  a  sacrifice, 
whereby  God  is  appeased,  but  a  propitiation. 


whereby  God  becomes  gracious  and  friend- 
ly to  us.  Christ  is  our  mercy-seat,  from 
which  God  gives  answers  of  peace  to  us. 

3.  Christ  died  that  he  might  make  good 
his  last  will  and  testament  with  liis  blood ; 
there  were  many  legacies  which  Christ  be- 
queathed to  believers,  which  had  been  all 
null  and  void,  had  not  he  died,  and  by  his 
death  confirmed  the  will,  Heb.  ix.  16.  A 
testament  is  in  force  after  men  are  dead ; 
the  mission  of  the  Spirit,  the  promises, 
those  legacies,  were  not  in  force  till  Christ's 
death ;  but  Christ  by  his  blood  hath  sealed 
them,  and  believers  may  lay  claim  to  them. 

4.  He  died  that  he  might  purchase  for  us 
glorious  mansions,  therefore  heaven  is  call- 
ed not  only  a  promised,  but  a  '  purchased 
possession,'  Eph.  i.  14.  Christ  died  for  our 
preferment:  he  suffered  that  we  might 
reign;  he  hung  upon  the  cross  that  we 
might  sit  upon  the  throne.  Heaven  was 
shut,  &c.  crux  Christi,  clavis  Paradisi, — 
the  cross  of  Christ  is  the  ladder  by  which 
we  ascend  to  heaven.  His  crucifixion  is 
our  coronation. 

Use  \st.  In  the  bloody  sacrifice  of  Christ, 
see  the  horrid  nature  of  sin  ;  sin,  it  is  true, 
is  odious  as  it  banished  Adam  out  of  para- 
dise, and  threw  the  angels  into  hell ;  but 
that  which  doth  most  of  all  make  it  appear 
horrid,  is  this,  that  it  made  Christ  veil  his 
glory,  and  lose  his  blood.  We  should  look 
upon  sin  with  indignation,  and  pursue  it 
with  an  holy  malice,  and  shed  the  blood  of 
those  sins  which  shed  Christ's  blood.  The 
sight  of  Caesar's  bloody  robe,  incensed  the 
Romans  against  them  that  slew  him.  The 
sight  of  Clirist's  bleeding  body  should  in- 
cense us  against  sin  ;  let  us  not  parley  with 
it,  let  not  that  be  our  joy,  which  made 
Christ  a  man  of  sorrow. 

Use  2d.  Is  Christ  our  priest  sacrificed? 
See  God's  mercy  and  justice  displayed.  I 
may  say  as  the  apostle,  Rom.  xi.  22.,  "  Be- 
hold the  goodness  and  severity  of  God." 
1.  The  goodness  of  God  in  providing  a  sa- 
crifice: had  not  Christ  suffered  upon  the 
cross,  we  must  have  lain  in  hell  for  ever, 
satisfying  God's  justice. — 2.  The  severity 
of  God :  though  it  were  his  own  Son,  the 
Son  of  liis  love,  and  our  sins  wei*e  but  im- 
puted to  him,  yet  God  did  not  spare  him, 
Rom.   viii.   32.,   but  his   wrath   did  flame 


I 


OF  CHRIST'S  PRIESTLY  OFFICE. 


119 


against  him.  And  if  God  were  thus  severe 
to  his  own  Son,  how  dreadful  will  he  he 
one  day  to  liis  enemies  ?  Such  as  die  in 
wilful  impenitency,  must  feel  the  same 
wrath  as  Christ  did ;  and  because  they  can- 
not bear  it  at  once,  therefore  they  must  be 
enduring  it  for  ever. 

Use  3d.  Is  Christ  our  priest,  who  was  sa- 
crificed for  us  ?  Then  see  the  endeared 
affection  of  Christ  to  us  sinners.  "  Tlie 
cross,"  saith  Austin,  "  was  a  pulpit,  in  wliich 
Christ  preached  bis  love  to  tlie  world." 
That  Christ  should  die,  was  more  tban  if 
all  the  angels  had  been  turned  to  dust ;  and 
that  Christ  should  die  as  a  malefactor,  hav- 
ing the  weight  of  all  men's  sins  laid  upon 
him,  that  he  should  die  for  his  enemies, 
Rom.  V.  10.  The  balm-tree  weeps  out  its 
precious  balm,  to  heal  tbose  that  cut  and 
mangle  it :  Christ  shed  his  blood,  to  heal 
those  that  crucified  him.  And  that  lie  should 
die  freely :  it  is  called  '  tlic  offering  of  the 
body  of  Jesus,'  Heb.  x.  10.  And  tbough 
his  sufferings  were  so  great  that  they  made 
him  sigh,  and  weep,  and  bleed ;  yet  they 
could  not  make  him  repent,  Isa.  liii.  II., 
"  He  shall  see  of  the  travail  of  his  soul, 
and  be  satisfied."  Christ  had  hard  travail 
upon  the  cross,  yet  he  doth  not  repent  of 
it,  but  thinks  his  sweat  and  blood  well- 
bestowed,  because  he  sees  redemption 
brought  forth  to  the  world.  O  infinite, 
amazing  love  of  Christ !  A  love  that  pass- 
eth  knowledge,  Eph.  iii.  19.,  that  neither 
man  nor  angel  can  parallel !  How  should 
we  be  affected  with  this  love  !  If  Saul  was 
so  affected  with  David's  kindness  in  sparing 
his  life,  how  should  we  be  affected  with 
Christ's  kindness  in  parting  witli  his  life  for 
us  ?  At  Christ's  death  and  passion,  the  very 
stones  did  cleave  asunder.  Mat.  xx^di.  51., 
"  Tlie  rocks  rent."  Not  to  be  affected  with 
Christ's  love  in  dying,  is  to  have  hearts  har- 
der than  rocks. 

Use  4^th.  Is  Christ  our  sacrifice  ?  then  see 
the  excellency  of  his  sacrifice.  It  is  per- 
fect, Heb.  X.  14.,  "  By  one  offering,  he  hath 
perfected  them  that  are  sanctified."  There- 
fore, how  impious  are  the  Papists,  in  join- 
ing their  merits  and  the  prayers  of  saints 
with  Christ's  sacrifice  ?  They  offer  him  uj) 
daily  in  the  mass,  as  if  Christ's  sacrifice  on 
the  cross  were  imperfect;   this  is  a  blas- 


phemy against  Christ's  priestly  office. — 2. 
Christ's  sacrifice  is  meritorious ;  he  not  only 
died  for  our  example,  but  to  merit  salva- 
tion ;  the  person  who  suffered  being  God  as 
well  as  man,  did  put  virtue  into  his  suffer- 
ings; and  now  our  sins  are  expiated,  and 
God  appeased.  No  sooner  did  the  messen- 
gers say,  "  Uriah  is  dead,"  but  David's 
anger  was  pacified,  2  Sam.  xi.  21.  No 
sooner  did  Christ  die,  but  God's  anger  was 
pacified. — 3.  This  sacrifice  is  beneficial. 
Out  of  the  dead  lion  Samson  had  honey ; 
it  procures  justification  of  our  persons,  ac- 
ceptance of  our  service, — access  to  God 
with  boldness, — entrance  into  the  holy  ])lace 
of  heaven,  Heb.  x.  19.  Per  latus  Clinsti 
patescit  nobis  iii  ccelum,  Israel  \)assed  through 
the  Red  sea  to  Canaan ;  so  through  the  red 
sea  of  Christ's  blood,  we  enter  into  the  hea- 
venly Canaan. 

Use  5th.  Of  exhortation.  1.  Let  us  fidu- 
cially  apply  this  blood  of  Christ;  all  the 
virtue  of  a  medicine  is  in  the  applying; 
though  the  medicine  be  made  of  the  blood 
of  God,  it  will  not  heal,  unless  by  faitli 
applied.  As  fire  is  to  the  chymist,  so  is 
faith  to  the  Christian ;  the  chymist  can  do 
nothing  without  fire,  so  there  is  nothing 
done  without  faith.  Faith  makes  Christ's 
sacrifice  ours,  Phil.  iii.  8.,  *'  Christ  Jesus 
my  Lord."  It  is  not  gold  in  the  mine 
that  enrichetli,  but  gold  in  the  hand ;  faith 
is  the  hand  that  receives  Christ's  golden 
merits.  It  i^iot  a  cordial  in  the  glass  rc- 
freshcth  the  s])irit,  but  a  cordial  drunk 
domi.  Per  /idem  Ckristi  sanguincm  sugi- 
inns,  CvPR.  Faith  opens  the  orifice  of  Christ's 
wounds,  and  drinks  the  precious  cordial  of 
his  blood.  Without  faith  Christ  himself 
wall  not  avail  us. 

2.  Let  us  love  a  bleeding  Saviour,  and 
let  us  show  our  love  to  Christ,  by  being 
ready  to  suffer  for  him.  •  Many  rejoice  at 
Christ's  suffering  for  them,  but  dream  not 
of  their  suffering  for  him  ;  Joseph  dreamed 
of  his  preferment,  but  not  of  his  imprison- 
ment. Was  Christ  a  sacrifice? — Did  he 
bear  God's  wrath  for  us? — We  sliould  bear 
man's  wrath  for  him.  Christ's  death  was 
voluntary,  Ps.  xl.  7.,  "  Lo,  I  come  to  do 
thy  will,'  O  God ;"  Luke  xii.  50.,  '•  I  have 
a  baptism  to  be  baptized  with,  and  how  am 
I  straitened  till  it  be  accomplished !"    Christ 


120 


OF  CHRIST'S  INTERCESSION. 


calls  Lis  sufferings  a  baptism ;  he  was  to  be 
(as  it  were)  baptized  in  his  own  blood ;  and 
how  did  he  thirst  for  tliat  time?  '  How  am 
I  straitened  ?'  O  then,  let  us  be  willing  to 
suffer  for  Christ !  Christ  hath  taken  away 
the  venom  and  sting  of  the  saints'  suffer- 
ings :  there  is  no  wrath  in  their  cup.  Our 
sufferings  Christ  can  make  sweet.  As  there 
was  oil  mixed  in  the  peace-offering,  so  God 
can  mix  the  oil  of  gladness  with  our  suf- 
ferings. "  The  ringing  of  my  chain  is 
8weet  music  in  my  ears,"  Landgrave  of 
Hesse.  Life  must  be  parted  with  shortly ; 
what  is  it  to  part  with  it  a  little  sooner,  as 
a  sacrifice  to  Christ,  as  a  seal  of  sincerity, 
and  a  pledge  of  thankfulness  ? 

Use  6th.  Of  consolation.  This  sacrifice 
of  Christ's  blood  may  infinitely  comfort  us. 
This  is  the  blood  of  atonement ;  Christ's 
cross  is  cardo  salutis,  Calv.  "  The  hinge 
and  fountain  of  our  comfort."  1.  This 
blood  comforts  in  case  of  guilt !  O,  saith 
the  soul,  my  sins  trouble  me  !  why,  Christ's 
blood  was  shed  for  the  remission  of  sin, 
Mat.  xxA'i.  5.  Let  us  see  our  sins  laid  on 
Christ,  and  then  thev  are  no  more  ours  but 
his. — 2.  In  case  of  pollution.  Christ's  blood 
is  an  healing  and  cleansing  blood :  (L)  It 
is  healing,  Isa.  liii.  5.,  "  With  his  stripes 
we  are  healed."  It  is  the  best  weapon- 
salve,  it  heals  at  a  distance :  Though  Christ 
be  in  heaven,  we  may  feel  the  virtue  of  his 
blood  healing  our  bloody  issue.  (2.)  And 
it  is  cleansing :  It  is  therefore  compared 
to  fountain-water,  Zech.  xiii.  1.  The  word 
is  a  glass  to  shew  us  our  spots,  and  Christ's 
blood  is  a  fountain  to  wash  them  away  ;  it 
turns  leprosy  into  purity,  1  John  i.  7., 
**  The  blood  of  Jesus  cleanseth  us  from  all 
our  sin."  There  is  indeed  one  spot  so  black, 
that  Christ's  blood  doth  not  wash  away, 
viz.  the  sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost.  Not 
but  that  there  is  virtue  enough  in  Christ's 


blood  to  wash  it  away ;  but  he  who  hath 
sinned  that  sin  will  not  be  washed,  he  con- 
temns Christ's  blood,  and  tramples  it  under 
foot,  Heb.  X.  29.  Thus  we  see  what  a 
strong  cordial  Christ's  blood  is  ;  it  is  the 
anchor-hold  of  our  faith,  tiie  spring  of  our 
joy,  the  crown  of  our  desires,  and  the  only 
support  both  in  life  and  death.  In  all  out 
fears,  let  us  comfort  ourselves  with  the  pro- 
pitiatory sacrifice  of  Christ's  blood  :  Christ 
died  both  as  a  purchaser  and  as  a  ciniquer- 
or  :  1.  As  a  purchaser,  in  regard  of  God 
having  by  his  blood  obtained  our  salvation. 
2.  And  as  a  conqueror,  in  regard  of  Satan  ; 
the  cross  being  his  triumphant  chariot, 
wherein  he  hath  led  hell  and  death  cap- 
tive. 

Use  ult.  Bless  God  for  this  precious  sa- 
crifice of  Christ's  death,  Ps.  ciii.  1.,  "  Bless 
the  Lord,  O  my  soul !"  And  for  wliat  doth 
David  bless  him  ?  "  Who  redeemeth  thy 
life  from  destruction  !"  Christ  gave  him- 
self a  sin-offering  for  us;  let  us  give  our- 
selves a  thank-offering  to  him.  If  a  man 
redeem  another  out  of  debt,  will  not  he  be 
grateful  ?  How  deeply  do  we  stand  obliged 
to  Christ,  who  hath  redeemed  us  from  hell 
and  damnation !  Rev.  v.  9.,  "  And  tliey 
sung  a  new  song,  saying,  thou  art  worthy 
to  take  the  book,  and  open  the  seals ;  for 
thou  wast  slain,  and  hast  redeemed  us  to 
God  by  thy  blood."  Let  our  hearts  and 
tongues  join  in  concert  to  bless  God,  and 
let  us  shew  thankfulness  to  Christ  by  fruit- 
fulness  ;  let  us  bring  forth  (as  spice-tiecs) 
the  fruits  of  humility,  zeal,  good  works. 
This  is  to  live  unto  him  Avho  died  for  us, 
2  Cor.  V.  15.  The  wise  men  did  not  only 
worship  Christ,  but  presented  him  with 
gifts :  gold,  and  frankincense,  and  myrrh, 
Mat.  ii.  11.  Let  us  present  Christ  with 
the  fruits  of  righteousness  which  are  unto 
the  glory  and  praise  of  God. 


^^%»%*»*V*%-*^%%^%^*^%^%^^^%^V^V^%^%ifcV^^-%%^V^^^%^^^V*%%***^*^%^*'VV*%^*^*^^*^*^V%*^^^*^*^^'**^^^^^*'*'*^*^*^^^ 


OF  CHRIST'S  INTERCESSION. 

Rom.  viii.  34,    WIio  also  maketh  intercession  for  us. 

II.  WHEN  Aaron  entered  into  the  holy  |  makes  a  melodius  sound  in  the  ears  of  God. 
plac-e,  his  hells  gave  a  sound :  so  Christ  I  Christ,  though  he  be  exalted  to  glory,  hath 
having  entered  iiito  heaven,  his  intercession  I  not  laid  aside  his  bowels  of  compassion,  but 


OF  CHRIST'S  INTERCESSION. 


12] 


is  still  mindful  of  his  body  mystical,  as  Jo- 
seph was  mindful  of  his  father  and  bre- 
thren, wlicn  he  was  exalted  to  the  court. 
"  Who  also  maketh  intercession  for  us." 
To  intercede  is  to  make  request  in  the  be- 
half of  another.  Christ  is  the  great  master 
of  requests  in  heaven ;  Cliristus  est  Catlio- 
licus  liatris  Sacerdoa,  Teutul. 

Quest.  What  are  the  qualifications  of  our 
intercessor  ? 

Alls.  1.  He  is  holy,  Heb.  vii.  26.,  "  For 
such  an  high  priest  became  us,  who  is 
holV)  undefiled,  separated  from  sinners." 
"  Christ  knew  no  sin,"  2  Coi*.  v.  21.  He 
knew  sin  in  its  weight,  not  in  the  act.  It 
was  requisite  that  he,  who  was  to  do  away 
the  sins  of  others,  should  himself  be  with- 
out sin.  Holiness  is  one  of  the  precious 
stones  which  shine  on  the  breastplate  of  our 
high  priest. 

A.  2.  He  is  faithful,  Heb.  ii.  17.,  "  It  be- 
hoved him  to  be  made  like  unto  his  bre- 
thren, that  he  might  be  a  faithful  high 
priest."  Moses  was  faithful  as  a  servant, — 
Christ  as  a  son,  Heb.  iii.  5.  He  doth  not 
forget  any  cause  he  hath  to  plead,  nor  doth 
he  use  any  deceit  in  pleading.  An  ordi- 
nary attorney  may  either  leave  out  some 
word  which  might  make  for  the  client,  or 
put  in  a  word  against  him,  having  received 
a  fee  on  both  sides ;  but  Christ  is  true  to 
the  cause  he  pleads  ;  we  may  leave  our 
matters  with  him,  we  may  trust  our  lives 
and  souls  in  his  hand. 

A.  3.  He  never  dies.  The  priests  under 
the  law,  while  their  office  lived,  they  them- 
selves died,  Heb.  vii.  23.,  "  Tliey  were  not 
suffered  to  continue,  by  reason  of  death  ;" 
but  "  Christ  ever  lives  to  make  interces- 
sion," Heb.  vii.  25.  He  hath  no  succession 
in  his  priesthood. 

Quest.   IVIio  Christ  intercedes  for  ? 

Ans.  Not  for  all  promiscuously,  John 
xvii.  9.,  Dut  for  the  elect.  The  efficacy  of 
Christ's  prayer  reacheth  no  further  than 
the  efficacy  of  his  blood ;  but  his  blood  was 
siied  only  for  the  elect,  therefore  his  prayers 
oiily  reach  them.  The  high  priest  went 
into  the  sanctuary  with  the  names  only  of 
the  twelve  tribes  upon  his  breast :  so  Clirist 
goes  into  heaven  only  with  the  names  of 
llie  elect  upon  his  breast.  Christ  intercedes 
for  the  weakest  believers,  John  xvii.  20., 


and  for  all  the  sins  of  believers.  In  the 
law  there  were  some  sins. the  high  priest 
was  neither  to  offer  sacrifice  for,  nor  yet 
to  offer  prayer  for.  Numb.  xv.  30.,  "  The 
soul  that  doth  ought  presumptuously  shall 
be  cut  off."  The  priest  might  offer  up 
])rayer  for  sins  of  ignorance,  but  not  of  pre- 
sumption ;  but  Christ's  intercession  extend3 
to  all  the  sins  of  the  elect.  Of  what  a 
bloody  colour  was  David's  sin  !  Yet  it  did 
not  exclude  Christ's  intercession. 

Quest.  What  doth  Christ  in  the  work  of 
intercession  ? 

Ans.  Three  things. 

1.  He  presents  the  merit  of  his  blood  to 
his  Father,  and,  in  the  virtue  of  that  price 
paid,  pleads  for  mercy.  The  high  priest 
was  herein  a  lively  type  of  Christ.  Aaron 
was  to  do  four  things:  1.  Kill  the  beasts. 
— 2.  To  enter  with  the  blood  into  the  holy 
of  holies. — 3.  To  sprinkle  the  mercy-seat 
with  the  blood. — 4.  To  kindle  the  incense, 
and  with  the  smoke  of  it  cause  a  cloud  arise 
over  the  mercy-seat ;  and  so  the  atonement 
was  made,  Lev.  xvi.  11,  12,  13,  14,  13,  16. 
Christ  our  high  priest  did  exactly  answer 
to  this  type :  he  was  offered  up  in  sacrifice, 
tliat  answers  to  the  priest's  killing  the  bul- 
lock :  and  Christ  is  gone  up  into  heaven, 
that  answers  to  the  priest's  going  into  the 
holy  of  holies, — and  he  spreads  his  blood 
before  his  Father,  that  answers  to  the  priest's 
sprinkling  the  blood  upon  the  mercy-seat, — 
and  he  ])rays  to  his  Father  that  for  his 
!)h)<)d's  sake  he  would  be  propitious  to  sin- 
ners, that  answers  to  the  cloud  of  incense 
going  up, — and  through  his  intercession  God 
is  pacified,  that  answers  to  the  priest's  mak- 
ing atonement. 

2.  Christ  by  his  intercession  answers  all 
bills  of  indictment  brought  in  against  the 
elect.  Believers,  do  what  they  can,  Sin, 
and  then  Satan  accuseth  them  to  God,  and 
conscience  accuseth  them  to  themselves : 
now,  Christ  by  his  intercession,  answers  all 
these  accusations,  Rom.  viii.  33.,  "  Who 
shall  lay  any  thing  to  the  charge  of  God's 
elect?  it  is  Christ  that  maketh  intercession 
for  us."  Wlien  Esculus  was  accused  for 
some  impiety,  his  brother  stood  up  for  him, 
and  shewed  the  magistrates  how  he  had  lost 
his  hand  in  the  service  of  the  state,  and  so 
obtained  his  pardon :  thus,  when  Satan  ac- 

Q 


122 


OF  CHRIST'S  INTERCESSION 


cuseth  the  saints,  or  when  the  justice  of 
God  lays  any  thing  to  their  charge,  Christ 
shews  his  own  wounds,  and  by  virtue  of 
his  bloody  sufferings,  he  answers  all  the 
demands  and  challenges  of  the  law,  and 
counterworks  Satan's  accusations. 

3.  Christ  by  bis  intercession  calls  for 
acquittance,  '  Lord,  let  the  sinner  be  ab- 
solved from  guilt :'  and  in  this  sense  Christ 
is  called  an  advocate,  1  John  ii.  1.  He  re- 
quires that  the  sinner  be  set  free  in  the 
court.  An  advocate  differs  much  from  an 
orator ;  an  orator  useth  rhetoric  to  persuade 
and  intreat  the  judge  to  shew  mercy  to  an- 
other ;  but  an  advocate  tells  the  judge  what 
is  law.  Thus  Christ  appears  in  heaven  as 
an  advocate,  he  represents  what  is  law; 
when  God's  justice  opens  the  debt-book, 
Christ  opens  the  law-book :  "  Lord,"  saith 
he,  "  thou  art  a  just  God,  and  wilt  not  be 
pacified  without  blood ;  Lo  !  here  the  blood 
is  shed,  therefore  in  justice,  give  me  a  dis- 
charge of  these  distressed  creatures;  it  is 
equal,  that  the  law  being  satisfied,  the  sin- 
ner should  be  acquitted."  And,  upon  Christ's 
plea,  God  sets  his  hand  to  the  sinner's  par- 
don. 

Quest.  In  what  manner  Christ  intercedes  ? 

Ans.  2:  Freely:  he  pleads  our  cause  in 
heaven,  and  takes  no  fee.  An  ordinary 
lawyer  will  have  his  fee,  and  sometimes  a 
bribe  too;  but  Christ  is  not  mercenary, 
how  many  causes  doth  he  plead  every  day 
in  heaven  and  will  take  nothing?  As 
Christ  laid  down  his  life  freely,  John  x. 
15,  18.,  so  he  intercedes  freely. 

J.  3.  Feelingly  :  he  is  as  sensible  of  our 
condition  as  his  own,  Heb.  iv.  15.,  "  We 
have  not  an  high  priest  which  cannot  be 
touched  with  the  feeling  of  our  infirmity." 
As  a  tender-hearted  mother  would  plead 
with  a  judge  for  a  child  ready  to  be  con- 
demned ;  O  how  would  her  bowels  work  ! 
how  would  her  tears  trickle  down  !  what 
weeping  rhetoric  would  she  use  to  the 
judije  for  mercy  !  Thus  the  Lord  Jesus 
is  full  of  sympathy  and  tenderness,  Heb. 
ii.  17,  that  he  might  be  a  merciful  high 
priest;  though  he  hath  left  his  passion, 
yet  not  his  compassion.  An  ordinary  law- 
yer is  not  affected  with  the  cause  he  pleads, 
nor  doth  he  care  which  way  it  goes ;  it  is 
profit  makes  him  plead,  not  affection;  but 


Christ  intercedes  feelingly,  and  that  which 
makes  him  intercede  with  affection  is,  it 
is  his  own  cause  which  he  pleads.  He  hath 
shed  his  blood  to  purchase  life  and  salva- 
tion for  the  elect ;  and  if  they  should  not 
be  saved,  he  would  lose  his  purchase. 

A.  4.  Efficaciously  :  it  is  a  prevailing  in- 
tercession. Christ  never  lost  any  cause  he 
pleaded;  he  was  never  non-suited.  Christ's 
intercession,  must  needs  be  effectual,  if  we 
consider, 

1.  The  excellency  of  his  person.  If  the 
prayer  of  a  saint  be  so  prevalent  with  God, 
(Moses's  prayer  did  bind  God's  hand,  Exod. 
xxxii.  10.,  *'  Let  me  alone;"  and  Jacob,  as  a 
prince,  prevailed  with  God,  Gen.  xxxii.  28. ; 
and  Elijah  did  by  prayer  open  and  shut 
heaven,  James  v.  17.)  then  what  is  Christ's 
prayer  ?  He  is  the  Son  of  God,  the  Son  in 
whom  he  is  well  pleased.  Mat.  iii.  17.  What 
will  not  a  father  grant  a  son  !  John  xi.  42., 
"  I  knew  that  thou  hearest  me  always." 
If  God  could  forget  that  Christ  were  a  priest, 
yet  he  cannot  forget  that  he  is  a  son. 

2.  Christ  prays  for  nothing  but  what  his 
Father  hath  a  mind  to  grant.  There  is  but 
one  will  between  Christ  and  his  Father ; 
Christ  prays  "  Sanctify  them  through  thy 
truth  ;"  and,  "  Thi^is  the  will  of  God,  even 
your  sanctification,"  1  Thess.  iv.  3.  So 
then,  if  Christ  prays  for  nothing  but  what 
God  the  Father  hath  a  mind  to  grant,  then 
he  is  like  to  speed. 

3.  Christ  prays  for  nothing  but  what  he 
hath  power  to  give :  what  he  prays  for  as 
he  is  man,  that  he  hath  power  to  give  as  he  is 
God,  John  xvii.  24.,  *'  Father,  I  will."  Fa- 
ther, there  he  prays  as  a  man  ;  I  ivill,  there 
he  gives  as  God.  This  is  a  great  comfort 
to  a  believer,  when  his  prayer  is  weak  and 
he  can  hardly  pray  for  himself,  Christ's 
prayer  in  heaven  is  mighty  and  powerful. 
Though  God  may  refuse  prayer  as  it  comes 
from  us,  yet  not  as  it  comes  from  Christ. 

'  4.  Christ's  intercession  is  always  ready  at 
hand.  The  people  of  God  liave  sins  of 
daily  incursion ;  and,  besides  these,  some- 
times they  lapse  into  great  sins,  and  God 
is  provoked,  and  his  justice  is  ready  to  break 
forth  upon  them ;  but  Christ's  intercession 
is  ready  at  hand,  he  daily  makes  up  the 
breaches  between  God  and  them,  he  pre- 
sents the  merits  of  his  blood  to  his  Father 


OF  CHRIST'S  INTERCESSION. 


123 


to  pacify  him.  Wlien  the  wrath  of  God 
began  to  break  out  upon  Israel,  Aaron  pre- 
sently stepped  in  with  his  censer,  and  of- 
fered incense,  and  so  tlie  plague  was  stayed. 
Numb.  xvi.  47.,  so,  no  sooner  dotli  a  child 
of  God  offend,  and  God  begin  to  be  angry, 
but  immediately  Christ  steps  in  aud  inter- 
cedes :  "  Father,  it  is  my  child  hath  offend- 
ed, though  he  hath  forgotten  his  duty,  thou 
hast  not  lost  thy  bowels :  O  pity  him,  jind 
let  thy  anger  be  turned  away  from  him  !" 
Christ's  intercession  is  ready  at  hand,  and, 
upon  the  least  failings  of  the  godly,  he 
stands  up  and  makes  request  for  them  in 
heaven. 

Quest.  What  are  the  fruits  of  Christ's  in- 
tercession ? 

Ans.  \st  Fruit,  Justification.  In  justifi- 
cation there  are  two  things  :  1.  Guilt  is  re- 
mitted. 2.  Righteousness  is  imputed,  Jer. 
xxxiii.  16.,  "  The  Lord  our  righteousness." 
We  are  reputed  not  only  righteous  .as  the 
angels,  but  as  Christ,  having  his  robes  put 
upon  us,  2  Cor.  v.  21.  But  whence  is  it 
that  we  are  justified  ?  It  is  from  Christ's  in- 
tercession, Rom.  viii.  33,  34.,  "  Lord,"  saith 
Christ,  "  these  are  the  persons  I  have  died 
for ;  look  upon  them  as  if  they  had  not  sin- 
ned, and  repute  them  righteous." 

2d  Fruit.  The  unction  of  the  Spirit, 
1  John  ii.  20.,  "  Ye  have  an  unction  from 
the  Holy  One."  This  unction  or  anointing 
is  nothing  else  but  the  work  of  sanctifica- 
tion  in  the  heart  whereby  the  Spirit  makes 
us  partake  of  the  divine  nature,  2  Pet.  i.  4. 
Such  as  speak  of  the  philosopher's  stone, 
suppose  it  to  have  such  a  property,  that 
when  it  toucheth  the  metal  it  turns  it  into 
gold:  such  a  property  hath  the  Spirit  of 
God  upon  the  soul ;  when  it  toucheth  the 
soul,  it  puts  it  into  a  divine  nature,  it  makes 
it  to  be  holy  and  to  resemble  God.  The 
sanctifying  work  of  the  Spirit  is  the  fruit  of 
Christ's  intercession,  John  vii.  39.,  "  The 
Holy  Ghost  was  not  yet  given,  because  Je- 
sus was  not  yet  glorified."  Christ  being 
glorified  and  in  heaven,  now  he  prays  the 
Father,  and  the  Father  sends  the  Spirit, 
who  pours  out  the  holy  anointing  upon  the 
elect. 

3(i  Fruit.  The  purification  of  our  holy 
things.  It  is  Christ's  work  in  heaven,  not 
only  to  present  his  own  prayers  to  his  Fa- 


ther, but  he  prays  over  our  prayers  agam, 
Rev.  viii.  3.,  "  Another  angel  came,  having 
a  golden  censer,  and  there  was  given  to  him 
much  incense,  that  he  should  offer  it  with 
the  prayers  of  all  saints  upon  the  golden 
altar."  This  angel  was  Christ ;  he  takes 
the  golden  censer  of  his  merits,  and  puts 
our  prayers  into  this  censer,  and  with  the 
incense  of  his  intercession  makes  our  pray- 
ers go  up  as  a  sweet  perfume  in  heaven. 
It  is  observable,  Lev.  xvi.  16.,  "  Aaron  shall 
make  atonement  for  the  holy  place."  This 
was  typical,  to  shew  that  our  holy  duties 
need  to  have  atonement  made  for  them. 
Our  best  services,  as  they  come  from  us, 
are  mixed  with  corruption,  as  wine  that 
tastes  of  the  cask,  Isa.  Ixiv.  6.,  "  they  are 
filthy  rags ;"  but  Christ  purifies  and  sweet- 
ens these  services,  mixing  the  sweet  odours 
of  his  intercession  with  them  ;  and  now  God 
accepts  and  crowns  them.  What  would 
become  of  our  duties  without  an  high  priest? 
Christ's  intercession  doth  to  our  prayers  as 
the  fan  to  the  chaff,  it  winnows  it  from  the 
corn  ;  so  Christ  winnows  out  the  chaff  which 
intermixcth  with  our  prayers. 

^th  Fruit.  Access  with  boldness  unto 
the  throne  of  grace,  Heb.  iv.  16.  We  have 
a  great  high  priest  that  is  passed  into  the 
heavens,  let  us  go, — come  boldly  to  the 
throne  of  grace ;  we  have  a  friend  at  court 
that  speaks  a  good  word  for  us,  and  is  fol- 
lowing our  cause  in  heaven,  therefore  let 
this  animate  and  encourage  us  in  prayer. 
We  think  it  too  much  boldness  ;  what,  such 
sinners  as  we  to  come  for  pardon, — we  shall 
be  denied  !  This  is  a  sinful  modesty :  did 
we  indeed  come  in  our  own  name  in  pray- 
er, it  were  presumption,  but  Christ  inter- 
cedes for  us  in  the  force  and  efficacy  of  his 
blood.  Now,  to  be  afraid  to  come  to  God 
in  prayer,  is  a  dishonour  to  Christ's  inter- 
cession. » 

bth  Fruit.  The  sending  the  Comforter, 
John  xiv.  16.,  "  I  will  pray  the  Father,  and 
he  will  give  you  another  Comforter."  The 
comfort  of  the  Spirit  is  distinct  from  the  a- 
nointing;  this  comfort  is  very  sweet, — 
sweeter  than  tine  honey-drops  from  the 
comb, — it  is  the  manna  in  the  golden  pot, 
it  is  vinum  in  pectore, — a  drop  of  this  hea- 
venly comfort  is  enough  to  sweeten  a  sea 
of  worldly  sorrow, — it  is  called  "  the  ear- 


124 


OF  CHRIST'S  INTERCESSION. 


nest  of  the  Spirit,"  2  Cor.  i.  22.  An  earnest 
assures  one  of  the  wliolc  sum.  The  Spirit 
gives  us  an  earnest  of  lieaven  in  our  hand. 
Whence  is  this  comforting  work  of  the 
Spirit  ?  Thank  Clirist's  intercession  for  it : 
'  I  will  pray  the  Father,  and  he  shall  send 
the  Comforter.' 

Qtk  Fruit.  Perseverance  in  grace,  John 
xvii.  11.,  "Keep  through  thy  own  name 
those  whom  thou  hast  given  me."  It  is  not 
our  prayer,  or  watchfulness,  or  grace  that 
keeps  us,  hut  it  is  God's  care  and  niainte- 
nancy ;  he  holds  us,  that  we  do  not  fall  a- 
way.  And,  whence  is  it  God  preserves  us? 
It  is  from  Christ's  intercession ;  "  Father 
keep  them."  Tliat  prayer  of  Christ  for 
Peter,  is  the  copy  of  his  prayer  now  in  hea- 
ven, Luke  xxii.  32.,  "  I  have  prayed  for 
thee,  that  thy  faith  fail  not."  Peter's  faith 
did  fail  in  some  degree  when  he  denied 
Christ;  but  Christ  prayed  that  it  might  not 
totally  fail.  The  saints  persevere  in  believ- 
ing, because  Christ  perseveres  in  praying. 

11  th  Fruit.  Absolution  at  the  day  of 
Judgment.  Christ  shall  judge  the  world, 
John  v.  22.,  "  God  hath  committed  all  judg- 
ment to  the  Son."  Now  sure  those  that 
Christ  hath  so  prayed  for,  he  will  absolve 
when  he  sits  upon  the  bench  of  judicature. 
Will  Christ  condemn  those  he  prays  for  ? 
Believers  are  his  spouse ;  will  he  condemn 
his  spouse? 

Use  \f;t.  Branch  1.  See  here  the  con- 
stancy of  Christ's  love  to  the  elect.  He 
did  not  only  die  for  them,  but  intercedes 
for  them  in  heaven  ;  when  Christ  hath  done 
<^yi"g»  ^'6  Jiath  not  done  loving ;  he  is  now 
at  Avork  in  heaven  for  the  saints ;  he  carries 
their  names  on  his  breast,  and  will  never 
leave  praying  till  that  prayer  be  granted, 
John  xvii.  24.,  "  Father,  I  will,  that  those 
whom  thou  hast  given  me,  be  with  me  where 
I  am." 

Branch  2.  See  whence  it  is  that  the  pray- 
ers of  the  saints  are  so  powerful  with  (lod. 
Jacob,  as  an  angel,  prevailed  with  God ; 
Moses'  prayer  tied  God's  hands  ;  Prtcibus 
suis  tanquam  vinquam  vi?icu/is  ligotnm  tenvit 
Deiim  ;  "  Let  me  alone,"  Exod.  xxxii.  10. 
Whence  is  this  ?  It  is  Clirist's  prayer  in 
heaven  makes  the  saints'  prayers  so  availa- 
ble. Christ's  divine  nature  is  the  altar  <»n 
wliich  he  offers  up  our  prayers,  and  so  tlioy 


prevail ;  prayer,  as  it  comes  from  the  saints, 
is  but  weak  and  languid  ;  but  when  the  ar- 
row of  a  saint's  prayer  is  put  into  the  bow 
of  Christ's  intercession,  now  it  pierceth  the 
throne  of  grace. 

Branch  3.  It  shows  where  a  Christian 
must  chiefly  fix  his  eye  when  he  comes  to 
prayer,  viz.  on  Christ's  intercession.  We 
are  to  look  up  to  the  mercy-scat,  but  to 
hope  for  mercy  through  Christ's  interces- 
sion. We  read.  Lev.  vi.,  that  Aaron  made 
the  atonement  as  well  by  the  incense,  as 
by  the  blood:  we  must  look  to  the  cloud 
of  incense,  viz.  the  intercession  of  Christ. 
Christian,  look  uj)  to  thy  advocate,  one 
that  God  can  deny  nothing  to  ;  a  word  from 
Christ's  mouth  is  more  than  if  all  the  an- 
gels in  lieaA'cn  Avere  interceding  for  thee.  If 
a  man  had  a  suit  dc])ciiding  in  the  court  of 
chancery,  and  had  a  skilful  lawyer  to  plead, 
this  would  much  encourage  him.  Christ 
is  now  at  the  court  appearing  for  us,  Heb. 
ix.  24.,  and  he  hath  great  potency  in  hea- 
ven ;  this  should  much  encourage  us  to 
look  up  to  him,  and  hope  for  audience  in 
prayer.  We  might  indeed  be  afraid  to 
present  our  petitions,  if  we  had  not  Christ 
to  deliver  them. 

Branch  4.  The  sad  condition  of  an  un- 
believer :  he  hath  none  in  heaven  to  speak 
a  word  for  him,  John  xvii.  9.,  "  I  pray  not 
for  the  world ;"  as  good  be  shut  out  of 
heaven  as  be  shut  out  of  Christ's  prayer. 
Christ  pleads  for  the  saints,  as  queen  Es- 
ther did  for  the  Jews,  when  they  should 
have  been  destroyed  :  "  Let  my  ])eoj)le  be 
given  me  at  my  request,"  Esth.  vii.  3. 
When  the  devil  shows  the  blackness  of 
their  sins,  Christ  shows  the  redness  of  his 
wounds.  But  how  sad  is  the  condition  of 
that  man  Christ  will  not  j)ray  for,  nay,  that 
he  Avill  })ray  against  ?  As  queen  Esther 
petitioned  against  Ilaman,  and  then  his 
face  was  covered,  Esth.  vii.  6.,  and  he  was 
led  away  to  execution.  It  is  sad  when  the 
law  shall  he  against  the  sinner,  and  con- 
science, and  judge,  and  no  friend  to  speak 
a  word  for  him  ;  there  is  no  way  then,  but, 
jailor,  take  the  ])risoner. 

Branch  5.  If  Christ  makes  intercession, 
then  we  liave  nothing  to  do  with  other  in- 
tercessors. The  church  of  Bome  distin- 
guisheth  between  mediators  of  redemption 


OF  CHRIST'S  INTEIICESSION. 


125 


and  intercession,  and  say,  tlic  angels  do 
not  redeem  us,  but  intercede  for  us,  and 
praiy  to  them  ;  but  Christ  only  can  inter- 
cede for  us  ex  officio.  God  hath  consecrat- 
ed him  an  high  priest,  Heb.  v.  6.,  "  Thou 
art  a  priest  for  ever."  Christ  intercedes  vi 
pretii, — in  the  virtue  of  his  blood  ;  he  pleads 
his  merits  to  his  Father  ;  the  angels  liave 
no  merits  to  bring  to  God,  therefore  can 
be  no  intercessors  for  us ;  whoever  is  our 
advocate  must  be  our  propitiation  to  paci- 
fy God,  1  John  ii.  1.,  "  We  have  an  advo- 
cate with  the  Father,  v.  2.  And  he  is  our 
propitiation."  The  angels  cannot  be  our 
propitiation,  therefore  not  our  advocates. 

2d  Use.  Of  trial.  How  shall  we  know 
that  Christ  intercedes  for  us  ?  They  have 
little  ground  to  think  Christ  prays  for  them, 
who  never  pray  for  themselves :  well,  but 
how  shall  we  know  ? 

yins.  1.  If  Christ  be  praying  for  us,  then 
his  Spirit  is  praying  in  us.  Gal.  iv.  6.,  "  He 
hath  sent  forth  his  Spirit  into  your  heart, 
crying,  Abba,  Father  ;''  and  Rom.  viii.  26. 
the  Sj)irit  helps  us  with  sighs  and  groans ; 
not  only  with  gifts  but  groans.  We  need 
not  climb  up  into  the  firmament  to  see  if 
the  sun  be  there,  we  may  see  the  beauty  of 
it  upon  the  earth  ;  so  we  need  not  go  up 
into  heaven  to  see  if  Christ  be  there  inter- 
ceding for  us,  let  us  look  into  our  hearts, 
if  they  are  quickened  and  inflamed  in 
prayer,  and  we  can  cry,  Abba,  Father. 
By  this  interceding  of  the  Spirit  within  us, 
we  may  know  Christ  is  interceding  above 
for  us. 

A.  2.  If  we  are  given  to  Christ,  then  he 
intercedes  for  us,  John  xvii.  9.,  "  I  pray 
for  them  whom  thou  hast  given  me ;"  'tis 
one  thing  for  Christ  to  be  given  to  us,  ano- 
ther for  us  to  be  given  to  Christ. 

Quest.  How  know  you  that  ? 

Alls.  If  thou  art  a  believer,  then  thou 
ai't  one  given  to  Christ,  and  he  prays  for 
thee  ;  faith  is  an  act  of  recumbency,  we  do 
rest  on  Christ  as  the  stones  in  the  building 
rest  upon  the  corner-stone.  Faith  tlirows 
itself  into  Christ's  arms;  it  saith,  "  Christ 
is  my  priest, — his  blood  is  my  sacrifice, — 
his  divine  nature  is  my  altar,  and  here  I 
rest."  This  faith  is  seen  by  its  effects ;  it 
is  a  refining  work,  and  a  resigning  work. 
It  purifies  the  heart,  there  is  the  refining 


J  work  ;  it  makes  a  deed  of  gift  to  Christ,  it 
gives  up  its  use,  its  love  to  him,  1  Cor.  vi 

I  19.,   there  is  the  resigning  work  of  faith. 

j  These  that  believe  ari'  given  to  Christ,  and 

I  have  a  part  in  his  prayer,  John  xvii.  20., 
"  Neither  pray  I  for  these  alone,  but  for 
them  also  which  shall  believe  on  me  through 
their  word." 

3rf  Use.  Of  exhortation.  Branch  I.  It 
stirs  us  up  to  several  duties  :  1.  If  Christ 
appears  for  us  in  heaven,  then  we  must  ap- 
pear for  him  upon  earth  ;  Christ  is  not 
ashamed  to  carry  our  names  on  his  breast, 
and  shall  we  be  ashamed  of  his  truth  ? 
Doth  he  plead  our  cause,  and  shall  we  not 
stand  up  in  his  cause  ?  What  a  mighty 
argument  is  this  to  stand  up  for  the  honour 
of  Christ  in  times  of  apostacy  ?  Christ  is 
interceding  for  us :  doth  he  present  our 
names  in  heaven,  and  shall  not  we  profess 
his  name  on  earth  ? 

Branch  2.  If  Christ  lays  out  all  his  in- 
terest for  us  at  the  throne  of  grace,  we 
must  lay  out  all  our  interest  for  him,  Phil, 
i.  20  ,  "  Tiiut  Christ  may  be  magnified." 
Trade  your  talents  for  Christ's  glory ; 
there's  no  man  but  has  some  talent  to  trade, 
— one  parts,  another  estate.  O  trade  for 
Christ's  glory  !  Spend  and  be  spent  for 
him  ;  let  your  heart  study  for  Christ,  your 
hands  work  for  Christ,  your  tongue  speak 
for  him ;  if  Christ  be  an  advocate  for  us 
in  heaven,  we  must  be  factors  for  him  on 
earth,  every  one  in  his  sphere  must  act  vi- 
gorously for  Christ. 

Branch  3.  Believe  in  this  glorious  inter- 
cession of  Clu'ist  !  That  he  now  intercedes 
for  us,  and  that  for  his  sake  God  will  ac- 
cept us  :  in  the  text,  "  Who  maketh  inter- 
cession for  us."  If  we  believe  not,  we  dis- 
honour Christ's  intercession.  If  a  poor 
sinner  may  not  go  to  Christ  as  his  high 
priest,  believing  in  his  intercession,  then 
are  we  Christians  in  a  worse  condition  un- 
der the  gospel  than  the  Jews  Avere  under 
the  law.  They,  when  they  had  sinned, 
had  their  high  priest  to  make  atonement : 
and  shall  not  we  have  our  high  priest  ?  Is 
not  Christ  our  Aaron,  who  presents  his 
blood  and  incense  before  the  mercy-seat  ? 
O  look  up  ly  faith  to  Christ's  intercession  ! 
Christ  did  not  only  pray  for  his  disciples 
and  apostles,  but  for  the  weakest  believer. 


126 


OF  CHRIST'S  KINGLY  OFFICE. 


Branch  4.  Love  your  intercessor,  1  Cor. 
xvi.  22.,  "  If  any  man  love  not  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  let  him  he  Anathema."  Kind- 
ness in^^tes  love ;  had  you  a  friend  at  court, 
who,  when  you  were  questioned  for  delin- 
quency or  debt,  should  plead  with  the  judge 
for  vou,  and  bring  vou  off  vour  troubles, 
would  you  not  love  that  friend  ?  So  it  is 
bere,  how  oft  doth  Satan  put  in  his  bills 
against  us  in  the  court  ?  Now  Christ  is  at 
the  Judge's  hand,  he  sits  at  his  Father's 
right  hand  ever  to  plead  for  us,  and  to 
make  our  peace  with  God.  O  how  should 
our  hearts  be  fired  with  love  to  Christ  ! 
Love  him  with  a  sincere  and  superlative 
love,  above  estate,  relations  :  Bern.  Phis- 
qiiom  fua,  tuos.  And  our  fire  of  love  should 
be  as  fire  on.  the  altar,  never  to  go  out, 
Lev.  vi.  13. 

4:th  Use.  Of  comfort  to  believers.  Christ 
is  at  work  for  you  in  heaven,  he  makes  in- 
tercession for  you.  O  !  but  I  am  afraid 
Christ  does  not  intercede  for  me. 

Quest,  /am  a  sinner;  wko^oth  Christ 
intercede  fur  ? 

Alls.  Jsa.  lili.  12.,  "  He  made  intercession 
for  the  transgi'essors."  Did  Christ  open 
his  sides  for  thee,  and  will  he  not  open  his 
mouth  to  plead  for  thee  ? 

Quest.  Bat  I  hove  offended  my  high 
priest  by  distrusting  his  blood,  abusing  his 
love,  grieving  his  Spirit;  ajid  will  he  ever 
pray  Jar  me  / 


Ans.  "Wliich  of  us  may  not  say  so  ?  But, 
Christian,  dost  thou  mourn  for  unbelief? 
Be  not  discovu-aged,  thou  mayest  ha^ve  a 
part  in  Christ's  prayer,  Numb,  xvi.,  "  Tlie 
congregation  murmured  against  Aaron ;" 
yet,  though  they  had  sinned  against  their 
high  priest,  v.  48.,  "  Aaron  ran  in  with  his 
censer,  and  stood  between  the  dead  and 
the  liWng."  If  so  much  bowels  in  Aaron 
who  was  but  a  type  of  Christ,  how  much 
more  bowels  are  in  Christ  who  will  pray 
for  them  who  have  sinned  against  their 
high  priest  ?  Did  not  he  pray  for  them 
that  crucified  him,  "  Father,  forgive  them." 

Quest.  But  I  am  unicorthy ;  what  am  I, 
that  Chri,<it  should  intercede  for  me  ? 

Ans.  The  work  of  Christ's  intercession 
is  a  work  of  free  grace ;  Christ's  praying  for 
us,  is  from  his  pitying  of  us ;  Christ  looks 
not  at  our  worthiness,  but  our  wants. 

Quest.  But  I  am  folloiced  icith  sad  temp  ■ 
tations  ? 

Ans.  But  though  Satan  tempts,  Christ 
prays,  and  Satan  shall  be  vanquished; 
j  though  thou  mayest  lose  a  single  battle, 
yet  not  the  "victory ;  Christ  prays  that  thy 
faith  fail  not,  therefore,  Christian,  say, 
"  AMiy  art  thou  cast  down,  O  my  soul  ?" 
Christ  intercedes;  it  is  man  that  sins, — 
it  is  God  that  prays ;  the  Greek  word  for 
advocate  signifies  comforter.  This  is  a 
sovereign  comfort,  Christ  makes  interces- 
sion. 


OF  CHRIST'S  KINGLY  OFFICE. 


Quest.  XXVL  HOW  doth  Christ  execute 
t/ie  office  of  a  king  ? 

Ans.  In  subduing  us  to  himself,  in  ruling 
and  defending  us,  and  in  restraining  and 
conquering  all  his  and  our  enemies. 

Now  of  Christ's  regal  office,  Rev.  xix. 
16.,  "  And  he  hath  on  his  vesture,  and 
on  his  thigh,  a  name  WTitten,  '  King  of  kings, 
and  Lord  of  lords.' " — Jesus  Christ  is  of 
mighty  renown,  he  is  a  king;  1.  He  hath 
a  kingly  title,  '  High  and  Mighty,'  Isa.  Ivii. 
15. — 2.  He  hath  his  insignia  regalia, — his 
ensigns  of  royalty ;  corona  est  insigne  regiot 
pote.^tatis, — his  crown,  Rev.  vi.  2. ;  his 
6word,  Ps.  xlv.  3.,  "  Gird  thy  sword  upon 


thy  thigh ;"  his  sceptre,  Heb.  i.  8.,  "  A 
sceptre  of  righteousness  is  the  sceptre  of 
thy  kingdom." — 3.  His  escutcheon,  or  coat 
armour;  he  gi^es  the  lion  in  his  arms, 
Rev.  V.  5.,  "  The  lion  of  the  tribe  of  Ju- 
dah."  And  he  is,  the  text  saith,  "  King 
of  kings."  He  hath  a  pre-eminence  of  all 
all  other  kings ;  he  is  called,  "  the  Prince 
of  the  kings  of  the  earth,"  Rev.  i.  5.  He 
must  needs  be  so,  for  "  by  him  kings  reign," 
Prov.  viii.  15.  They  hold  their  crowns  by 
immediate  tenure  from  this  great  King. 
Christ  infinitely  outvies  all  other  princes; 
he  hath  the  liighest  throne,  the  largest  do 
minions,   and  the  longest  possession,   Heb 


OF  CHRISrS  KINGLY  OFFICE. 


127 


1.  8.,  "  Thy  throne,  O  God,  is  for  ever  and 
ever."  Christ  liath  many  lieirs,  hut  no  suc- 
cessors. Well  may  lie  he  called  "  KInjr 
of  kings,"  for  he  hath  an  unlimited  jwwer; 
the  power  of  other  kings  is  limited,  but 
Christ's  power  is  unlimited,  Ps.  cxxxv.  6., 
"  Whatsoever  he  pleased,  that  did  he,  in 
heaven  and  earth,  and  in  the  sea."  Christ's 
power  is  as  large  as  his  'will.  The  angels 
take  the  oath  of  allegiance  to  him,  Heb. 
i.  6.,   "  Let  all  the  angels  of  God  worship 

r 


iim. 

Quest.  How  doth  Christ  come  to  he  king  ? 
Ans.  Not  by  usurpation,  but  legally. 
Christ  holds  his  crown  by  immediate  tenure 
from  heaven.  God  the  Father  hath  decreed 
him  to  be  king,  Ps.  ii.  6,  7.,  "  I  have  set 
my  king  upon  my  holy  hill  :  I  will  declare 
the  decree."  God  hath  anointed  and  sealed 
him  to  his  regal  office,  John  vi.  27.,  "  Him 
bath  God  the  Father  sealed."  God  hath 
set  the  crown  upon  his  head. 

Quest.  In  what  sense  is  Christ  king  ? 
Ans.  Two  ways :     1;?^   In  reference  to 
his  people.     And,   2d.  In  reference  to  his 
enemies. 

\st.  In  reference  to  his  people :  1.  To  go- 
vern them.  It  was  prophesied  of  Christ  be- 
fore he  was  born,  ^lat.  ii.  6.,  "  And  thou, 
Bethelehem,  art  not  the  least  among  the 
princes  of  Judah;  for  out  of  thee  shall 
come  a  governor  that  shall  rule  my  people 
.Israel."  It  is  a  vain  thing  for  a  king  to  have 
a  crown  on  his  head,  unless  he  have  a  scep- 
tre in  his  hand  to  rule. 

Quest.   JlTiere  doth  Christ  rule  ? 
Ans.  His  kingdom  is  spiritual.     He  rules 
in  the  hearts  of  men.     He  sets  up  his  throne 
where  no  other  king  doth,  he  rules  the  will 
and  affections,   his   power  binds  the  con- 
science, he  subdues  men's  lusts,   Mic.  vii. 
19.,  "  He  will  subdue  our  iniquities." 
Quest.   What  doth  Christ  ride  by  ? 
Ans.  By  law,  and  by  love  :    1.  He  rules 
by  law.     It  is  one  of  the  jura  regalia,  the 
flowers  of  the  cro\^Ti,  to  enact  laws.     Christ 
as   king  makes  laws,   and  by  his  laws  he 
rules :    the  law  of  faith,   "  believe  in   the 
Lord  Jesus," — the  law  of  sanctity,  1  Pet.  i. 
15.,  "  Be  ye  holy  in  all  manner  of  conver- 
sation."    Many  would  admit  Christ  to  be 
their  advocate  to  plead  for  them,  but  not 
their  king  to  rule  them. — 2.  He  rules  by 


love.  He  is  a  king  full  of  mercy  and  cle- 
mency ;  as  he  hath  a  sceptre  in  his  hand, 
so  an  olive  branch  of  peace  in  his  mouth. 
Though  he  be  the  Lion  of  the  tribe  of  Ju- 
dah for  majesty,  yet  the  Lamb  of  God  for 
meekness.  His  regal  rod  hath  honey  at 
the  end  of  it.  He  sheds  abroad  his  love 
into  the  hearts  of  his  subjects;  he  rules 
them  with  promises  as  well  as  precepts. 
Til  is  makes  all  his  subjects  become  volun- 
teers: they  are  willing  to  pay  their  alle- 
giance to  him,  Ps.  ex.  3.,  his  people  are 
a  willing  people. 

2d.   Christ  is  a  king  to  defend  his  people. 
As  Clirist  hath  a  sceptre  to  rule  them,  so  a 
shield  to  defend  them,  Ps.  iii.  3.,   "  Thou, 
O  Lord,  art  a  shield  for  me."     Whew  An- 
tiochus  did  rage  furiously  against  the  Jews, 
he  took   away  the  vessels  of  the    Lord's 
house,   set  up  an  idol  in   the  temple  ;  then 
this  great  king,   called  Michael,   did  stand 
up  for  them  to  defend   them,  Dan.  xii.  1. 
Christ  preserves  his  church  as  a  spark  in 
the  ocean,  as  a  flock  of  sheep  among  wolves. 
That   the   sea  should  be  higher   than  the 
earth  and  yet  not  drown  it,  is  a  wonder  • 
so  that  the  wicked  should  be  so  much  higher 
than  the  church  in  power,  and  not  devour 
it,  is  because  Christ  hath  this  inscription  on 
his  vesture  and  his  thigh,  King  of  kings. 
Ps.  cxxiv.  2,  3.,   "  If  it  had  not  been  the 
Lord,  who  was  on  our  side,  they  had  swal- 
lowed us  up."     They  say,  lions  are  insomnes, 
they  have  little  or  no  sleep;  it  is  true  of 
the  Lion  of  the  tribe  of  Judah,  he   never 
slumbers  nor  sleeps,  but  watcheth  over  his 
church    to   defend    it:    Isa.    xxvii.    2,    3., 
"  Sing  ye  unto  her,  a  A-ineyard  of  red  wiue ; 
I  the  Lord  do  keep  it,  lest  any  hurt  it.     I 
will  keep  it  night  and  day."     If  the  ene- 
mies destroy  the  church,   it  must  be  at  a 
time  when  it  is  neither  night  nor  day,  for 
Christ  keeps  it  day  and  night.     Christ  is 
said  to  carry  his  church,  as  the  eagle  her 
young  ones  upon  her  wings,  E.\od.  xix.  4. 
The  arrow  must  first  hit  the  eagle  before 
It  can  hurt  the  youngones,  and  shoot  through 
her  wings  :  the  enemies  must  iirst   strike 
through  Christ,  before  they  can  destroy  his 
church.     Let  the  wind  and  storms  be  up, 
and  the  church  almost  covered  with  waves, 
yet  Christ  is  in  the  ship  of  the  church,  and 
so  long  there  is  no  danger  of  shipwTeck. 


IS8 


OF  CHUISTS  KINGLY  OFFICE. 


Nor  will  Christ  only  defend  liis  churcli,  as 
he  is  king,  but  deliver  it,  2  Tim.  iv.  17., 
*'  And  I  was  delivered  out  of  the  mouth  of 
the  lion,"  viz.  Nero.  1  Chron.  xi.  14., 
"  The  Lord  saA'ed  them  by  a  great  deliver- 
ance." Sometimes  Christ  is  said  to  com- 
mand deliverance,  Ps.  Ixiv.  4. ;  sometimes 
to  create  deliverance,  Isa.  xlv.  18.  Christ 
as  a  king,  commands  deliverance,  and  as  a 
God  creates  it.  And  deliverance  shall  come 
in  his  time.  Isa.  Ix.  22.,  "  I  the  Lord  will 
hasten  it  in  his  time." 

Quest.  IVhen  is  the  time  that  this  King 
will  deliver  his  people  ? 

Ans.  WTien  the  hearts  of  his  people  are 
humblest,  when  their  prayers  are  ferventest, 
when  their  faith  is  strongest,  when  their 
forces  are  weakest,  when  their  enemies  are 
highest,  now  is  the  usual  time  that  Christ 
puts  forth  his  kingly  power  in  their  deliver- 
ance, Isa.  xxxiii.  2,  8,  9. 

3(/.  Christ  is  a  king  to  reward  his  people. 
There's  nothing  lost  by  serving  this  king : 
L  He  rewards  his  subjects  in  this  life : 
(1.)  He  gives  them  inward  peace  and  joy  ; 
a  bunch  of  grapes  by  the  way  :  and  often- 
times riches  and  honour.  "  Godliness  hath 
the  promise  of  this  life,"  ]  Tim.  iv.  8.  These 
are,  as  it  were,  the  saints'  vails.  But  besides 
the  great  reward  is  to  come,  "  An  eter- 
nal weight  of  glory,"  2  Cor.  iv.  IT.  Christ 
makes  all  his  subjects  kings,  Rev.  ii.  10., 
"  I  will  give  thee  a  crown  of  life."  This 
crown  will  be  full  of  jewels,  and  it  will 
*  never  fade,'  1  Pet.  v.  4. — (2.)  Christ  is 
a  king  in  reference  of  his  enemies,  in  sub- 
duing and  conquering  them ;  he  pulls  down 
their  pride,  befools  their  policy,  restrains 
their  malice.  That  stone  cut  out  of  the 
mountain  without  hands,  which  smote  the 
image,  Dan.  ii.  34.,  was  an  emblem,  saith 
Austin,  of  Christ's  monarchical  power,  con- 
quering and  triumphing  over  his  enemies. 
Christ  will  make  his  enemies  his  footstool, 
Ps.  ex.  1.  He  can  destroy  them  with  ease, 
2  Chron.  xiv  11.,  "  It  is  nothing  with  thee, 
to  hel])."  He  can  do  it  with  weak  means, 
without  means.  He  can  make  the  enemies 
destroy  themselves:  he  set  the  Persians 
against  the  Grecians:  and,  2  Chron.  xx. 
23.,  the  children  of  Ammon  helped  to  de- 
stroy one  another.  Thus  Christ  is  king  in 
vanquishing  the  enemies  of  liis  chm-ch. — 


Tliis  is  a  gieat  ground  of  co:nfort  to  the 
church  of  God  in  the  midst  of  all  the  com- 
binations of  the  enemy,  "  Christ  is  king;" 
and  he  can  not  only  bound  the  enemies' 
power,  but  break  it.  The  church  hath 
more  with  her  than  against  her,  she  hath 
Emmanuel  on  her  side,  even  that  great 
King  to  whom  all  knees  must  bend.  Christ 
is  called  "  a  man  of  war,"  Exod.  xv.  3., 
he  understands  all  the  policy  of  chivalry 
he  is  described  with  seven  eyes  and  seven 
horns.  Rev.  v.  6.  The  seven  eyes  are  to 
discern  the  conspiracies  of  his  enemies,  and 
the  seven  horns  are  to  push  and  vex  his 
enemies.  Christ  is  described  with  a  crown 
and  a  bow,  Rev.  vi.  2.,  "  He  that  sat  on  the 
white  horse  had  a  bow,  and  a  crown  was 
given  unto  him,  and  he  went  forth  con- 
quering and  to  conquer."  The  crown  is 
an  ensign  of  his  kingly  office,  and  the  bow 
is  to  shoot  his  enemies  to  death.  Christ  is 
described  with  a  vesture  dipt  in  blood, 
Rev.  xix.  13.  He  hath  a  golden  sceptre  to 
rule  his  people,  but  an  iron  rod  to  break 
his  enemies:  Rev.  xvii.  12,  14.,  "  The  ten 
horns  thou  sawest  are  ten  kings ;  these 
shall  make  war  with  the  Lamb,  but  the 
Lamb  shall  overcome  them ;"  for  he  is  the 
King  of  kings.  The  enemies  may  set  up 
their  standard,  but  Christ  will  set  up  his 
trophies  at  last,  Rev.  xiv.  18,  20.,  "  And 
the  angel  gathered  the  vine  of  the  earth, 
and  cast  it  into  the  great  u'ine-press  of  the 
wrath  of  God,  and  the  wine-press  was  trod- 
den, and  blood  came  out  of  the  wine-press." 
The  enemies  of  Christ  shall  be  but  as  so 
many  clusters  of  ripe  grapes,  to  be  cast 
into  the  great  wine-press  of  the  wrath  of 
God,  and  to  be  trodden  by  Christ  till  their 
blood  come  out.  Christ  will  at  last  come 
off  victor,  and  all  his  enemies  shall  be  put 
under  his  feet ;  (jaudeo  quod  Christus  Do- 
viiuns  est,  alioqui  despcrassem, — "  I  am  glad 
Christ  reigns,  else  I  should  have  despair- 
ed," said  Miconius  in  an  ejjistle  to  Calvin. 

Use  1st.  Branch  1.  See  hence,  it  is  no 
disj)aragement  to  serve  Christ ;  he  is  a  king, 
and  it  is  no  dishonour  to  be  employed  in  a 
king's  service.  Some  arc  apt  to  reproach 
the  saints  for  their  ])iety ;  they  serve  the 
Lord  Christ,  he  who  hath  this  inscription 
upon  his  vesture,  KiN(;  oi"  kings.  Theo- 
dosius  thought  it  a  greater  honour  to  be  a 


OF  ciniisrs  kingly  office. 


129 


servant  of  Christ,  than  tlic  licad  of  an  em- 
pire, Serrere  est  regnnre.  Clirist's  servants 
arc  called  '  vessels  of  liononr,'  2  Tim.  ii. 
21. ;  and  '  a  royal  nation,'  1  Pet.  ii.  9.  Serv- 
ing of  Christ  cnnohles  us  Avith  dignity  :  it 
is  a  greater  liononr  to  serve  Christ,  than  to 
have  kings  serve  us. 

Brjuich  2.  If  Christ  he  king,  it  informs 
us,  that  all  matters  of  fact  must  one  day  be 
brought  before  him.  Christ  hatli  jiiti  vit(B 
et  nccis, — the  power  of  life  and  death  in  his 
hand,  John  v.  22.,  "  The  Father  hath  com- 
mitted all  judgment  to  the  Son."  lie  who 
once  hung  upon  the  cross,  shall  sit  upon  the 
bench  of  judicature  ;  kings  must  come  be- 
fore him  to  be  judged;  they  who  once  sat 
upon  the  throne,  must  appear  at  the  bar. 
God  hath  committed  all  judgment  to  the 
Son,  and  Christ's  is  the  highest  court  of  ju- 
dicature; if  this  king  once  condemns  men, 
there  is  no  appeal  to  any  other  court. 

Branch  3.  See  whither  we  arc  to  go, 
when  we  are  foiled  by  corruption ;  go  to 
Christ,  he  is  king  ;  desire  him  by  his  kingly 
power  to  subdue  thy  corruptions,  to  bind 
these  kings  with  chains,  Ps.  cxlix.  8.  We 
are  apt  to  say  of  our  sins,  "  These  sons  of 
Zeruiali  will  be  too  strong  for  us  :"  we  shall 
never  overcome  this  pride  and  infidelity : 
ay,  but  go  to  Christ,  he  is  king ;  though  our 
lusts  are  too  strong  for  us,  yet  not  for  Christ 
to  conquer,  he  can  by  his  Spirit  break  the 
power  of  sin.  Joshua,  when  he  had  conquer- 
ed dxe  kings,  caused  his  servants  to  set  their 
feet  on  the  necks  of  those  kings  ;  so  C^hrist 
can  and  will  set  his  feet  on  the  necks  of  our 
lusts. 

Use  2d.  Of  caution.  Is  Christ  King  of 
kings  ?  Let  all  great  ones  take  heed  how 
they  employ  their  power  against  ('hrist. 
Christ  gives  them  their  power,  and  if  this 
power  shall  be  made  use  of  for  the  suppres- 
sing of  his  kingdom,  and  ordinances,  their 
account  will  be  heavy.  God  hath  laid  the 
key  of  government  u|)on  Christ's  shoulders, 
Isa.  ix.  6.,  and  to  go  to  oppose  Christ  in  his 
kingly  office,  it  is  as  if  the  thorns  should 
set  themselves  in  battalia  against  the  fnc,  or 


a  child  fight  with  an  archangel.  CI  rist's 
sword  on  his  thigh  is  a])le  to  avenge  all  his 
quarrels  :  it  is  not  good  to  stir  a  lion  ;  let  no 
man  ])rov«»ke  the  "  Lion  of  the  tribe  of  Ju- 
dah,  whose  eyes  are  as  a  lamp  of  fire,  and 
the  rocks  are  thrown  down  by  him,"  Nali. 
i.  6.  "  He  shall  cut  off"  the  spirit  of  prin- 
ces," Ps.  Ixxvi.  12. 

Use  3d.  Branch  1.  If  Christ  be  a  great 
king,  submit  to  him.  Say  not,  as  those 
Jews,  "  We  have  no  king  but  Casar," — no 
king  but  our  lusts.  This  is  to  choose  the 
bramble  to  rule  over  you,  and  "  out  of  tlie 
bramble  will  come  forth  a  fire,"  Judg.  ix. 
Submit  to  Christ  willingly.  All  the  devils  in 
hell  submit  to  Christ ;  but  it  is  against  their 
will,  they  are  his  slaves,  not  his  subject's. 
Submit  cheerfully  to  Christ's  person  and 
his  laws.  Many  would  have  Christ  their 
Saviour,  but  not  their  Prince  ;  such  as  will 
not  have  Christ  to  be  their  king  to  rule 
them,  shall  never  have  his  blood  to  save  them. 
Obey  all  Christ's  princely  commands  ;  if  he 
commands  love,  humility,  good  works,  be 
as  the  needle  which  points  which  way  so- 
ever the  loadstone  draws. 

Branch  2.  Let  such  admire  God's  free 
grace,  who  were  once  under  the  power  and 
tyranny  of  Satan,  and  now  Christ  hath  made 
them  of  slaves  to  become  the  subjects  of  his 
kingdom.  Christ  did  not  need  subjects,  he 
hath  legions  of  angels  ministering  to  him  ;. 
but  in  his  love,  he  Ifath  honoured  you  to 
make  you  his  subjects.  O  how  long  was  it 
ere  Christ  could  jirevail  with  you  to  come 
under  his  banner  !  How  mucJi  opposition 
did  he  meet  with,  ere  you  would  wear  this 
Prince's  colours  !  But  at  last  omnipotent 
grace  overcame  you.  When  Peter  was 
sleeping  between  two  soldiers,  an  angel 
came  and  beat  off  his  chains.  Acts  xii.  7., 
so,  when  thou  M'ert  sleeping  in  the  devil's 
arms,  that  Christ  should,  by  his  Spirit  smite 
thy  heart,  and  cause  the  chains  of  sin  to 
fall  off,  and  make  thee  a  subject  of  liis  king- 
dom. O  admire  free  grace  !  Thou  who 
art  a  subject  of  Christ,  art  sure  to  reign> 
with  Christ  for  ever. 

R 


ISO 


OF  CHRIST'S   HUMILIATION. 


OF  CHRIST'S  HUMILIATION  IN  HIS  INCARNATION. 

I  Tim.  ili.  16.   Great  is  the  mystery  of  godliness,  God  manifest  in  the  flesh. 


Quest.  XXVIT.  WHEREIN  did  Christ's 
humiliation  consist  ? 

Ans.  In  his  being  born,  and  that  in  a  low 
condition,  made  under  the  law,  undergoing 
the  miseries  of  this  life,  the  wrath  of  God, 
and  the  cursed  death  of  the  cross. 

Christ's  humiliation  consisted  in  his  in- 
carnation, his  taking  flesh  and  being  born. 
It  was  real  flesh  Christ  took  ;  not  the  image 
of  a  body  (as  the  Manichees  erroneously 
held)  but  a  true  body  ;  therefore  Christ  is 
said  to  be  "  made  of  a  woman,"  Gal.  iv.  4. 
As  the  bread  is  made  of  the  wheat,  and  the 
wine  is  made  of  the  grape,  so  Christ  is  made 
of  a  woman,  his  body  was  part  of  the  flesh 
and  substance  of  the  virgin.  This  is  a  glo- 
rious mystery,  "  God  manifest  in  the  flesh." 
In  the  creation,  man  was  made  in  God's 
image  ;  in  the  incarnation,  God  was  made 
in  man's  image. 

Quest.  How  came  it  about  that  Christ  was 
made  flesh  ? 

Ans.  It  was  by  his  Father's  special  desig- 
nation. Gal.  iv.  4.,  "  God  sent  forth  his 
Son,  made  of  a  woman."  God  the  Father 
did  in  a  special  manner  appoint  Christ  to 
be  incarnate,  which  shews  how  needful  a 
call  is  to  any  business  of  weight  and  impor- 
tance :  to  act  without  a  call,  is  to  act  with- 
out a  blessing.  Christ  himself  would  not 
be  incarnate,  and  take  upon  him  the  work 
of  a  Mediator  till  he  had  a  call.  "  God  sent 
forth  his  Son,  made  of  a  woman." 

Quest.  But  ivas  there  no  other  way  for  the 
restoring  of  fallen  man  but  this,  that  God 
s/u)uld  tokefesh  ? 

Ans.  We  must  not  ask  a  reason  of  God's 
will ;  it  is  dangerous  to  pry  into  God's  ark ; 
we  are  not  to  dispute  but  adore.  The  wise 
God  saw  this  the  best  way  for  our  redemp- 
tion that  Christ  should  be  incarnate;  it  was 
not  fit  for  any  to  satisfy  God's  justice  but 
man  ;  none  could  do  it  but  God ;  therefore, 
Christ  being  both  God  and  man,  he  is  the 
fittest  to  undertake  t1iis  work  of  redemption. 

Quest.  JVhy  was  Christ  born  of  a  U'omati  ? 

Am.  1.  That  God  might  fulfil  that  j)ro- 


mise.  Gen.  iii.  15.,  The  seed  of  the  woman 
shall  break  the  serpent's  head. — 2.  Christ 
was  born  of  a  woman,  that  he  might  roll 
away  that  reproach  from  the  woman  which 
she  had  contracted  by  being  seduced  by  the 
serpent.  Christ,  in  taking  his  flesh  from 
the  woman,  hath  honoured  her  sex  ;  that  as 
at  the  first  the  woman  had  made  man  a 
sinner  ;  so  now,  to  make  him  amends,  she 
should  bring  him  a  Saviour. 

Quest.  Why  teas  Christ  born  of  a  virgin  ? 

Ans.  1.  For  decency.  It  became  not 
God  to  have  any  mother  but  a  maid,  and  it 
became  not  a  maid  to  have  any  other  sod 
but  a  God. 

A.  2.  For  necessity.  Christ  was  to  be 
an  high  priest,  most  pure  and  holy.  Had 
he  been  born  after  the  ordinary  course  of 
nature,  he  had  been  defiled  ;  all  that  spring 
out  of  Adam's  loins  have  a  tincture  of  sin, 
but,  that  '  Christ's  substance  might  remain 
pure  and  immaculate,'   he  was  born  of  a 


virgin. 


A.  3.  To  answer  the  type.  Melchisedec 
was  a  type  of  Christ ;  he  is  said  to  be 
"  without  father  and  without  mother." 
Christ  being  born  of  a  A-irgin,  answered  the 
type ;  he  was  without  father  and  without 
mother ;  without  mother  as  he  was  God, 
without  father  as  he  was  man. 

Quest.  How  coidd  Christ  be  made  of  the 
flesh  and  blood  of  a  virgin,  and  yet  be  with- 
out sin  !  The  purest  virgin  that  is,  her  soul  is 
stained  ivith  original  siti. 

Ans.  This  knot  the  scripture  unties, 
Luke  i.  35.,  "  The  Holy  Ghost  shall  come 
upon  thee,  and  overshadow  thee  :  therefore 
that  holy  thing,  which  shall  be  born  of  thee, 
shall  be  called  the  Son  of  God."  "  Tlie 
Holy  Ghost  shall  come  upon  thee,"  that  is, 
the  Holy  Ghost  did  consecrate  and  piuify 
that  part  of  the  virgin's  flesh  whereof  Christ 
was  made.  As  the  alchymist  extracts  and 
draws  away  the  dross  from  the  gold,  so  the 
Holy  Ghost  did  refine  and  clarify  that  part 
of  the  virgin's  flesh,  separating  it  from  sin. 
Though  the    virgin  Mary  herself  had  sin, 


IN  HIS  INCARNATION. 


131 


yet,  that  part  of  her  flesh,  whereof  Christ 
was  made,  was  without  sin ;  otherwise  it 
must  have  been  an  impure  conception. 

Quest.  JVhat  is  meant  by  the  power  of  the 
Holy  Ghost  overshadowing  the  virgin  ? 

Ans.  Basil  saitli,  "  It  was  the  Holy 
Ghost's  blessing  that  flesh  of  the  virgin 
whereof  Christ  was  formed."  But  there  is 
a  further  mystery  in  it ;  the  Holy  Ghost 
having  framed  Christ  in  the  virgin's  womb, 
did,  in  a  wondorftd  manner,  unite  Christ's 
human  nature  to  his  divine,  and  so  of  both 
made  one  person.  This  is  a  mystery,  which 
the  angels  pry  into  with  adoration. 

Quest.    JVhen  was  Christ  incarnate  ? 

Ans.  In  the  fulness  of  lime.  Gal.  iv.  4., 
"  When  the  fulness  of  time  was  come,  God 
sent  forth  his  Son,  made  of  a  woman." 
By  the  fulness  of  time,  we  must  understand 
tempus  a  patre  prcefinitinn ;  so  Ambrose, 
Luther,  Corn,  a  Lap.,  the  determinate  time 
that  God  hath  set.  More  particulai-ly,  this 
fulness  of  time  was  when  all  the  prophecies 
of  the  coming  of  the  Messiah  were  aecom- 
j)lished  ;  and  all  legal  shadows  and  figures, 
whereby  he  was  typified,  were  abrogated  : 
"  in  the  fulness  of  time  God  sent  his  Son." 
And,  by  the  way,  observe,  this  may  com- 
fort us  in  regard  of  the  church  of  God, 
though  at  present  we  do  not  see  that  peace 
and  purity  in  the  church  as  we  could  de- 
sire, yet  in  the  fulness  of  time,  when  God's 
time  is  come  and  mercy  is  ripe,  then  shall 
deliverance  spring  up,  and  God  will  come 
riding  upon  the  chariots  of  salvation. 
When  the  fulness  of  time  was  come,  then 
God  sent  forth  his  Son,  made  of  a  woman. 

Quest.  Why  was  Jesus  Christ  madejlesh  ? 

Ans.  1.  The  causa  prima,  and  impulsive 
cause  was  free  grace;  it  was  love  in  God 
the  Father  to  send  Christ,  and  love  in 
Christ  that  he  came  to  be  incarnate.  Love 
was  the  intrinsical  motive.  Christ  is  God- 
man,  because  he  is  a  lover  of  man.  Christ 
came  out  of  pity  and  indulgence  to  us  : 
lion  merita  nostia,  scd  miscria  nostra,  Aug. 
Not  our  deserts,  but  our  misery,  made 
Christ  take  flesh.  Christ's  taking  flesh, 
-"as  a  plot  of  free  grace,  and  a  pure  design 
of  love.  God  himself,  though  Almighty, 
was  overcome  with  love.  Christ  incarnate 
is  nothing  but  love  covered  with  flesh. 
Christ's  assuming  our  human  nature,  as  it 


was  a  master-piece  of  wisdom,  so  a  monu- 
ment of  free  grace. 

A.  2.  Christ  took  our  flesh  upon  him, 
that  he  might  take  our  sins  upon  him.  Ho 
was,  saith  Luther,  maximus  peccatur, — the 
greatest  sinner,  having  the  weight  of  the 
sins  of  the  whole  world  lying  upon  him. 
He  took  our  flesh  that  he  might  take  our 
sins,  and  so  appease  God's  wrath. 

A.  3.  Christ  took  our  flesh,  that  he  might 
make  the  human  nature  appear  lovely  tp 
God,  and  the  divine  nature  appear  lovely 
to  man.  1.  That  he  might  make  the  hu- 
man natju-e  lovely  to  God.  Upon  our  fall 
from  God,  our  nature  became  odious  to 
him ;  no  vermin  is  so  odious  to  us  as  the 
human  nature  was  to  God.  When  once 
our  virgin  nature  was  become  sinful,  it  was 
like  flesh  imposthumated,  or  running  into 
sores,  loathsome  to  behold :  such  was  our 
nature  when  corrupt,  odious  to  God,  he 
could  not  endure  to  look  upon  us.  Now, 
Christ  taking  our  flesh,  makes  this  human 
nature  appear  lovely  to  God.  As  when 
the  sun  shines  on  the  glass,  it  casts  a  bright 
lustre;  so  Christ  being  clad  with  our  flesh, 
makes  the  human  nature  shine,  and  appear 
amiable  in  God's  eyes. — 2.  As  Christ  being 
clothed  with  our  flesh,  makes  the  human 
nature  appear  lovely  to  God,  so  he  makes 
the  divine  nature  appear  lovely  to  man. 
The  pure  Godhead  is  terrible  to  behold,  we 
could  not  see  it  and  live;  but  Christ  cloth- 
ing himself  with  our  flesh,  makes  the  di- 
vine nature  more  amiable  and  delightful  to 
us.  Now  we  need  not  be  afraid  to  look  upon 
God,  seeing  him  through  Christ's  human 
nature.  It  was  a  custom  of  old  among  the 
shepherds,  they  were  wont  to  ch»the  them- 
selves with  sheep-skins,  to  be  more  pleasing 
to  the  sheep ;  so  Christ  clothed  himsell 
with  our  flesh,  that  the  divine  nature  may 
be  more  pleasing  to  us.  The  human  na- 
ture is  a  glass,  through  which  we  may  see 
the  love  and  wisdom,  and  gh»ry  of  (iod 
clearly  represented  to  us.  Through  the 
lantern  of  Christ's  humanity,  we  may  be- 
hold the  light  of  the  Deity  shining.  Christ 
being  incarnate,  he  makes  the  sight  of  the 
Deity  not  formidable,  but  delightful  to  us. 

A.  4.  Jesus  Christ  united  himself  to  man, 
'  that  man  might  be  drawn  nearer  to  God.' 
God  before  was  an  enemy  to  us,  by  reason 


132 


OF  CHRIST'S  HUMILIATION 


of  sin  ;  l)ut  Clirist  talking  our  flesh,  dotli 
mediate  for  us,  and  bring  us  into  favour 
with  (iod.  As  when  a  king  is  angry  witli 
a  subject,  tl)e  king's  son  marries  the  daugh- 
ter of  tliis  subject,  and  so  mediates  for 
this  subject,  and  brings  him  into  favour  J 
with  the  king  again  ;  so,  when  God  the  ' 
Father  Avas  angry  with  us,  Christ  mar-  | 
ried  liimself  to  our  natui'e,  and  now  medi- 
ates for  us  witli  liis  Father,  and  brings  us 
to  be  friends  again,  and  now  God  looks 
upon  us  with  a  favourable  aspect.  As 
Joab  pleaded  for  Absalom,  and  brought 
him  to  king  Da^sad,  and  David  kissed  him, 
so  doth  Jesus  Christ  ingratiate  us  into  the 
love  and  favour  of  God.  Therefore  he  may 
well  be  called  a  peace-maker,  lumng  taken 
our  flesh  upon  him,  and  so  made  peace  be- 
tween us  and  his  angry  Father, 

Use  \st.  Branch  1.     See   here,   as    in    a 
glass,  the  infinite  Ioac  of  God   the  Father ; 
that  when  we   had  lost  ourselves  by  sin, 
then  God,  in  the  riches  of  his  grace,    did 
send  forth  his  Son,  made  of  a  woman,   to 
redeem  us.     And  behold  the  infinite  love 
of  Christ,  that  he  was  A\il]ing  thus  to  con- 
descend to  take  our  flesh.     Surely  the  an-* 
gels  would   have  disdained  to  have  taken 
our  flesh,  it  would  have  been  a  disparage- 
ment to  them  !     What  king  would  be  will- 
ing  to  wear   sackcloth   over   his   cloth   of 
gold?     But  Christ  did  not  disdain  to  take 
our  flesh.     O  the  love  of  Christ  !  had  not 
Christ  been  made  flesh,  we  had  been  made 
a  curse ;  had   not  he   been   incarnate,    we 
had  been  incarcerate,  and  had  been  for  ever 
in  pi-ison.     Well   might  an   angel   be   the 
herald    to    proclaim    this    joyful    news    of 
Christ's    incarnation,   Luke   ii.    10.,    "  Be- 
old,  I  bring  you  good  tidings  of  great  joy  ; 
for  unto  you  is  born  this  day,   in   the  city 
of  David,  a  Saviour  ;  which  is  Christ  the 
Lord."     The  love  of  Christ  in  being  incar- 
nate, will  the  more  appear  if  we  considei-, 

1.  Whence  Christ  came.  Me  came  from 
heaven,  and  from  the  richest  place  in  hea- 
ven, his  Father's  bosom,  that  hive  of  sweet- 
ness. 

2.  To  whom  Christ  came.  Was  it  to 
his  friends  ?  No  ;  he  came  to  sinful  man. 
Man  that  had  defaced  his  image,  abused 
his  loA'e  ;  man  who  was  turned  rebel ;  yet 
he  came  to  man,  resolving  to  conquer  ob- 


stinacy with  kindness.  If  he  would  come 
to  any,  why  not  to  the  angels  that  fell  ? 
Heb.  ii.  16.,  "  He  took  not  upon  him  the 
nature  of  angels."  The  angels  are  of  a 
more  noble  extract, — moi'e  intelligible  crea- 
tures,— more  able  for  service  ;  ay,  but  be- 
hold the  love  of  Christ,  he  came  not  to  the 
fallen  angels,  but  to  mankind.  Among  the 
several  wonders  of  the  loadstone,  this  is 
not  the  least,  that  it  will  not  draw  gold  or 
pearl,  but  despising  these,  it  draws  the  iron 
to  it,  one  of  the  most  inferior  metals  :  thus 
Christ  leaves  the  angels,  those  noble  spirits, 
the  gold  and  the  pearl,  and  he  comes  to 
poor  sinful  man  and  draws  him  into  his 
embraces. 

3.  In  what  manner  he  came.  He  came 
not  in  the  majesty  of  a  king,  attended  with 
his  life-guard,  but  he  came  poor ;  not  like 
the  heir  of  heaven,  but  like  one  of  an  infe- 
rior descent.  The  place  he  was  born  in 
was  poor  :  not  the  royal  city  Jerusalem, 
but  Bethlehem,  a  poor  obscure  place.  He 
\A'as  born  in  an  inn,  and  a  manger  was  his 
cradle,  the  cobwebs  his  curtains,  the  beasts 
his  companions  ;  he  descended  of  poor  }>a- 
rents.  One  would  have  thought,  if  Cluist 
would  have  come  into  the  world,  he  Avould 
have  made  choice  of  some  queen  or  person- 
age of  honour  to  haA  e  descended  from ;  but 
he  comes  of  mean  obscure  parents  ;  that 
they  Avere  poor  aj)pears  by  their  off'ering, 
Luke  ii.  24.,  "  A  pair  of  turtle-doves," 
which  Avas  the  usual  olfering  of  the  poor, 
LeA^  xii.  8.  Christ  Avas  so  poor,  that  Avhen 
he  Avanted  money,  lie  Avas  lain  to  Avork  a 
miracle  for  it.  Mat.  xvii.  27.  He,  Avhcn  he 
died,  made  no  will.  He  came  into  the 
world  poor. 

4.  Why  he  came.  That  he  might  take 
our  flesh,  and  redeem  us ;  that  he  might 
instate  us  into  a  kingdom.  He  )vas  poor 
that  he  might  make  us  rich,  2  Cor.  viii.  3. 
He  AA'as  born  of  a  virgin  that  Ave  might  be 
born  of  God.  He  took  our  flesh  that  he 
might  give  us  his  Spirit.  He  lay  in  the 
manger  that  Ave  might  lie  in  jiaradise.  He 
came  down  from  heaven  that  he  might 
brinjr  us  to  heaven.  Aiid  Avhat  AAas  all  this 
but  love  ?  If  our  hearts  be  not  rocks,  this 
love  of  Christ  should  affect  us,  Behold 
love  that  passeth  knowledge  !  Eph.  iii.  10. 

Branch  2.  S<;e  here  the  Avonderful  humi- 


IN  HIS  INCARNATION. 


133 


Hty  of  Christ ;  Christ  was  made  flosli,  O 
sancta  humUitdS,  tu  filium  Dei  dcscerulere  ft- 
cisti  in  nteriun,  Maria;  Virginis !  Ausr. 
That  Christ  should  ch>thc  himself  witli  our 
flesh,  a  ]>iece  of  that  earth  which  we  tread 
upon;  O  infinite  humility  !  Christ's  takinir 
our  flesh  was  one  of  the  lowest  steps  of  his 
humiliation.  Christ  did  humble  liimself 
more  in  lyinj^  in  the  virgin's  womb,  than  in 
hanging  upcm  tiie  cross.  It  was  not  so 
much  for  man  to  die,  but  for  God  to  become 
man,  that  was  the  wonder  of  humility, 
Phil.  ii.  7.,  "  He  was  made  in  the  likeness 
of  man."  For  Christ  to  be  made  flesh  was 
more  humility  than  for  the  angels  to  be 
made  worms.  Christ's  flesh  is  called  a 
vail,  Heb.  x.  20.,  "  Tln-ough  the  vail,"  that 
is,  his  flesh  ;  Christ's  wearing  our  flesh, 
vailed  his  glory..  For  him  to  be  made  flesh, 
who  was  equal  with  God,  O  humility  ! 
Phil.  ii.  6.,  "  Who  being  in  the  form  of 
God,  thought  it  not  robbery  to  be  equal 
with  God."  lie  stood  upon  even  ground 
with  God,  he  was  coessential  and  consub- 
stantial  with  his  Father,  as  Austin  and 
Cyril  and  the  council  of  Nice  express  it ; 
yet  f()r  all  this  he  takes  flesh.  Christ  stript 
himself  of  the  robes  of  his  glory,  and  cover- 
ed himself  with  the  rags  of  our  humanity. 
If  Solomon  did  so  wonder  that  God  should 
dwell  in  the  temple,  which  was  enriched 
and  hung  with  gold,  how  may  we  wonder 
that  God  should  dwell  in  man's  weak  and 
frail  nature  ?  Nay,  which  is  yet  more  hu- 
mility, Christ  not  only  took  our  flesh,  but 
took  it  when  it  was  at  the  worst,  under 
disgrace  ;  as  if  a  servant  should  wear  a  no- 
bleman's livery,  when  he  is  impeached  of 
high  treason.  Nay,  besides,  Christ  took  all 
the  infirmities  of  our  flesh.  There  are  two 
sorts  ()f  infirmities  :  such  as  are  sinful  with- 
out pain,  or  such  as  are  painful  without  sin. 
The  first  of  these  infirmities  Christ  did  not 
take  upon  him  ;  sinful  infirmities, — to  be 
covetous  or  ambitious, — Christ  never  took 
these  upon  him  ;  but  Christ  took  upon  him 
painful  infirmities ;  as,  1.  Hunger,  Matth., 
xxi.  18.,  He  came  to  the  fig-tree,  and  would* 
have  eaten.  2.  Weariness  ;  as  when  he  sat 
on  Jacob's  well  to  rest  him,  John  iv.  6. 
3.  Sorrow,  Matth.  xxvi.  38.,  "My  soul  is 
exceeding  sorowful,  even  unto  death."  It 
was  a  sorrow  guided  with  reason,  not  dis- 


turbed with  passion.  4.  Fear,  Heb.  v.  7., 
•'  He  was  heard  in  that  he  feared."  Nay, 
yet  a  further  degree  of  Christ's  humility,  he 
not  only  was  made  flesh,  but  in  the  likeness 
of  sinful  flesh,  "  He  knew  no  sin,  yet  he 
was  made  sin,"  2  Cor.  v.  21.  He  was  like 
a  sinner  ;  he  had  all  sin  laid  upon  him,  but 
no  sin  lived  in  him.  Isa.  liii.  12.,  "  He  was 
numbered  among  transgressors."  He  who 
was  numbered  with  the  persons  of  the  Trini- 
ty, he  is  said  "  to  bear  the  sins  of  many," 
Heb.  ix.  28.  Now,  this  was  the  lowest  de- 
gree of  Christ's  humiliation.  For  Christ  to 
be  reputed  as  a  sinner,  never  such  a  pattern 
of  humility  !  That  Christ,  who  would  not 
endure  sin  in  the  angels,  should  himself  en- 
dure to  have  sin  imputed  to  him,  it  is  the 
most  amazing  humility  that  ever  was  ! 

From  all  this  learn  to  be  humble.     Dost 
thou  sec  Christ  humbling  himself,  and  art 
thou  proud?     'Tis  the  humble  saint  that  is 
Christ's  picture.     Christians,  be  not  proud 
of  your  fine   feathers:    1.   Hast  thou  an  e- 
state  ?  be  not  proud,  the  earth  thou  treadest 
on  is  richer  than  thou  :   it  hath   mines  of 
gold  and  silver  in  the  bowels  of  it.     2.  Hast 
thou  beauty  ?  be  not  proud  :  it  is  but  air 
and  dust  mingled.     3.  Hast  thou  skill  and 
parts?  })e  humble:  Lucifer  hath  more  know- 
ledge than  thou.     4.  Hast  thou  grace  ?  be 
humble  :  thou  hast  it  not  of  thy  own  growth, 
it  is  borrowed.     Were   it  not  folly  to  be 
j»roud  of  a  ring  that  is  lent?  1  Cor.  iv.  7. 
Thou  hast  more  sin  than  grace,  spots  than 
beauty.    O  look  on  Christ,  this  rare  pattern, 
and  be  humbled!   It  is  an  unseemly  sight 
to  see  God  humbling  himself,  ajid  man  ex- 
alting himself:  to  see  an  humble  Saviour, 
and  a  proud  sinner.     God  hates  (he  very 
resemblance  of  pride.  Lev.  ii.  1 1.    He  would 
have  no  honey  in  the  sacrifice.     Indeed  lea- 
ven is  sour  ;  but  why  no  honey  ?  because, 
when  lumey  is  mingled  with  meal  or  flour, 
it  makes  the  meal  to  rise  and  swell ;  there- 
fcu-e  no  honey.      God  hates  the  resemblance 
of  the  sin  of  pride  ;  better  want  parts,   and 
the  comforts  of  the  Spirit,   than  humility. 
Si  Deus  superbientihns  amjelis  non  pcpercit, — 
if  God,  saith  Austin,  spared  not  the  angels, 
when  they  grew  proud,  will  he  spare  thee, 
who  are  but  dust  and  rottenness  ? 

Branch  3.     Behold  here  a  sacred  riddle 
or  paradox,   "  God  manifest  iu  the  flesh." 


134 


OF  CHRIST'S  HUMILIATION 


The  text  calls  it  a  mystery.  Thaf  man 
should  be  made  in  God's  image,  was  a  won- 
der ;  but  that  God  sliould  be  made  in  man's 
image,  is  a  greater  wonder.  That  the  An- 
cient of  Days  should  be  born, — that  he  who 
thunders  in  the  heavens  sliould  cry  in  the 
cradle, — Qui  tcnitruat  in  coelis,  clamat  in 
cunahulis  ;  qui  regit  sidera,  svgit  uhera, — that 
he  who  rules  the  stars,  should  suck  the 
breast, — that  a  virgin  should  conceive, — that 
Christ  should  be  made  of  a  woman,  and  of 
that  woman  which  himself  made, — that  the 
branch  should  bear  the  vine, — that  the 
mother  should  be  younger  tlian  the  child 
she  bare,  and  tlie  child  in  the  womb  bigger 
than  the  mother, — that  the  human  nature 
should  not  be  God,  yet  one  with  God :  this 
was  not  only  mirum  but  miraculum.  Christ 
taking  flesh  is  a  mystery  we  shall  never 
fully  understand  till  we  come  to  heaven, 
when  our  light  shall  be  clear,  as  well  as  our 
love  perfect. 

Branch  4.    From  hence,  '  God  manifest  in 
the  flesh,  Christ  born  of  a  virgin,' — a  thing 
not  only  strange  in  nature,  but  impossible, 
— learn,    that  there  are  no  impossibilities 
with  God:  God  can  bring  about  things  which 
are  not  within  the  sphere  of  nature  to  pro- 
duce ;  that  iron  should  swim, — that  the  rock 
should  gush  out  water, — that  the  fire  should 
lick  up  the  water  in  the  trenches,  1  Kings 
xviii.  38.     It  is  natural  for  the  water  to 
quench  the  fire,  but  for  the  fire  to  consume 
the  water,   this  is  impossible  in  the  course 
of  nature  :  but  God  can  bring  about  all  this, 
Jer.  xxxii.  27.,  "  There  is  nothing  too  hard 
for  thee."     Zech.  viii.  6.,  "  If  it  be  marvel- 
lous in  your  eyes,  should  it  be  marvellous 
in  my  eyes  ?  saith  the  Lord."     How  should 
God  be  united  to  our  flesh  ?  It  is  impossible 
to  us,  but  not  with  God ;  he  can  do  what 
transcends  reason,  and  exceeds  faith.     He 
would  not  be  our  God  if  he  could  not   do 
more  than  we  can  think,  Eph.  iii.  20.     He 
can  reconcile  contraries.     How  apt  are  we 
to  be  discouraged  with  seeming  impossibili- 
ties !     How  do  our  hearts  die  within   us, 
when  things  go  cross  to  our  sense  and  rea- 
son !    We  .are  apt  to  say  as  that  prince, 
2  Kings  vii.  2.,   "  If  the  Lord  would  make 
windows  in  heaven,  might  this  thing  be?" 
It  was  a  time  of  famine,   and  now  that  a 
measure  of  wheat — Vrhich  was  a  good  part 


of  a  bushel — should  be  sold  for  a  shekel, 
viz.  half  an  ounce  of  silver,   how  can  this 
be  ?     So  wlien  things  are  cross,  or  strange, 
God's  own  people  are  apt  to  question,  how 
they  should  be  brouglit  about  with  success  ? 
Moses,  who  was  a  man  of  God,  and  one  of 
the  brightest  stars  that  ever  shined  in  the 
firmament  of  God's  church,  yet  he  was  apt 
to  be  discouraged  with  seeming  impossibi- 
lities, Num.  xi.  21,  22.,  "  And  Moses  said, 
the  people  among  whom  I  am,  are  six  hun- 
dred thousand  footmen,  and  thou  hast  said, 
I  will  give  them  flesh,  that  they  may  eat  for 
a  whole  month  :  shall  the  flocks  and  herds 
be  slain  for  them  to  suffice  them  ?  or  shall 
all  the  fish  of  the  sea  be  gathered  for  them, 
to  suffice  them  ?"    As  if  he  had  said,  in  plain 
language,  he  did  not  see  how  the  people  of 
Israel,  being  so  numerous,  could  be  fed  for 
a  month,  v.  23.,  "  And  the  Lord  said.  Is  the 
Lord's  hand  waxed  short  ?"  Surely,  that  God 
who  brought  Isaac  out  of  a  dead  womb,  and 
the  Messiah  out  of  a  -virgin's  womb,  what 
cannot  he  do?     O  let  us  rest  upon  the  arm 
of  God's  power,  and  believe  in  him,  in  the 
midst  of  seeming  impossibilities.     Remem- 
ber, '  there  are  no  impossibilities  with  God.' 
He  can  subdue  a  proud  heart.     He  can  raise 
a  dying  church.     Christ  born  of  a  virgin  ; 
that  wonder-working  God  that  ^Tought  this 
can  bring  to  pass  the  greatest  seeming  im- 
possibilities. 

Use  2d.  Of  exhortation.  Branch  1.  See- 
ing Christ  took  our  flesh,  and  was  born  of 
a  virgin,  let  us  labour  that  he  may  be  spi- 
ritually born  in  our  hearts.  What  will  it 
profit  us,  that  Christ  was  born  into  the 
world,  unless  he  be  born  in  our  hearts: 
that  he  was  united  to  our  nature,  unless  he 
be  united  to  our  persons  ?  Marvel  not 
that  I  say  unto  you,  Christ  must  be  born 
again,  viz.  in  our  hearts,  Gal.  iv.  19.,  "  Till 
Christ  be  formed  in  you."  Now,  then,  try 
if  Christ  be  born  in  your  hearts. 

Quest.  How  shall  tre  knoic  that  ? 

Aus.  1.  There  are  pangs  before  the  birth  ; 
so,  before  Christ  be  born  in  the  heart,  there 
are  spiritual  ])angs.  Some  pangs  of  con- 
science, deep  convictions.  Acts  ii.  37., 
"  They  were  pricked  at  their  heart."  I 
grant  the  new-birth  doth  recipere  magis  et 
minus  J  all  have  not  the  same  pangs  of  sor- 
row and  humiliation,  yet  all  have  pangs. 


IN  HIS  INCARNATION. 


135 


If  Clirlst  be  born  in  tl»y  heart,  tliou  liast 
been  deeply  afflicted  for  sin.  Christ  is  ne- 
ver born  in  the  heart  without  pangs.  Ma- 
ny thank  God  tliey  never  had  any  trouble 
of  spirit,  they  were  always  quiet :  a  sign 
Christ  is  not  yet  formed  in  them. 

A.  2.  As,  when  Christ  was  born  into  the 
world,  he  was  made  flesh  ;  so,  if  he  be  born 
in  thy  heart,  he  makes  thy  heart  an  heart  of 
flesh,  Ezek.  xxxvi.  26.  Is  thy  heart  incar- 
nate ?  before  it  was  a  rocky  heart,  and  would 
not  yield  to  God,  or  take  the  impressions  of 
the  world, — durum  est  (/uod  nun  cedit  iactui ; 
now  it  is  fleshy  and  tender  like  melted  wax, 
to  take  any  stamp  of  the  Spirit.  This  is 
a  sign  Christ  is  born  in  our  hearts  ;  when 
they  are  hearts  of  flesh,  they  melt  in  tears 
and  in  love.  AYliat  is  it  the  better  Christ 
was  made  flesh,  unless  he  hath  given  thee 
a  heart  of  flesh  ? 

A.  3.  Christ  was  conceived  in  the  womb 
of  a  virgin,  so,  if  he  be  born  in  thee,  thy 
heart  is  a  virgin-heart,  in  respect  of  since- 
rity and  sanctity.  Art  thou  purified  from 
the  love  of  sin  ?  If  Christ  be  born  in  thy 
heart,  it  is  a  sanctum  sanctorum, — an  holy 
of  holies.  If  thy  heart  be  polluted  with 
the  predominant  love  of  sin,  never  think 
Christ  is  born  there.  Christ  will  never  lie 
any  more  in  a  stable.  If  he  be  born  in  thy 
heart,  it  is  consecrated  by  the  Holy  Ghost. 

A.  4.  If  Christ  be  born  in  thy  heart, 
then  it  is  with  thee  as  in  a  birth :  1.  There 
life.      Faith  is  principium  vivens, — it  is 


IS 


the  vital  artery  of  the  soul.  Gal  ii.  20., 
"  The  life  that  I  live  in  the  flesh,  is  by  the 
faith  of  the  Son  of  God."  2.  There  is  ap- 
petite, 1  Pet.  ii.  2.,  "  As  new-born  babes, 
desire  the  sincere  milk  of  the  word."  The 
word  is  like  breast-milk, — ])ure,  sweet, 
nourishing;  the  soul  in  which  Clirist  is 
formed  desires  this  breast-milk.  St.  Ber- 
nard, in  one  of  his  soliloquies,  comforts 
himself  with  this,  that  sure  he  had  the  new- 
birth  in  him,  because  he  found  in  his  heart 
Kuch  strong  anhelations  and  thirstings  after 
God.  3.  Motion.  After  Christ  is  born  in 
the  heart,  there  is  a  violent  motion ;  there 
is  striving  to  enter  in  at  the  strait  gate,  and 
offering  violence  to  the  kingdom  of  heaven, 
Matth.  xii.  11.  By  this  we  may  know  Christ 
is  formed  in  us.  This  is  the  only  comfort, 
tliat  as  Christ  was  born  into  tlie  world,  so 


he  is  born  in  our  hearts ;  as  he  was  imited 
to  our  flesh,  so  he  is  united  to  our  jierson. 

Branch  2.  As  Christ  was  made  in  our 
image,  let  us  labour  to  be  made  in  his  i- 
mage.  Christ  being  incarnate  was  made 
like  us,  let  us  labour  to  be  made  like  him. 
There  are  three  things  in  which  we  should 
labour  to  be  like  Christ.  1.  In  disposition. 
He  was  of  a  most  sweet  disposition,  delicicB 
humani  generis,  Tit.  Vespasian.  He  in- 
vites sinners  to  come  to  him.  He  hath 
bowels  to  pity  us,  breasts  to  feed  us,  mngs 
to  cover  us.  He  would  not  break  oui  heart, 
but  with  mercy.  Was  Christ  made  \n  our 
likeness  ?  let  us  labour  to  be  made  \n  his 
likeness.  Let  us  be  like  him  in  this  sweet- 
ness of  disposition  :  be  not  of  a  morose  spi- 
rit. It  was  said  of  NabaJ,  1  Sam.  xxv.  17., 
"  He  is  such  a  son  of  Belial,  that  a  man 
cannot  speak  to  him."  Some  are  so  bar- 
barous, as  if  they  were  a-kin  to  the  ostrich, 
they  are  fired  with  rage,  and  breathe  forth 
nothing  but  revenge ;  like  those  two  men 
in  the  gospel,  '  possessed  with  de^dls,  com- 
ing out  of  the  tombs,  exceeding  fierce," 
Mat.  viii.  28.  Let  us  be  like  Christ  in 
mildness  and  sweetness.  Let  us  pray  for 
our  enemies,  and  conquer  them  by  love. 
David's  kindness  melted  Saul's  heart,  1  Sam. 
xxiv.  16.  A  frozen  heart  will  be  thawed 
with  the  fire  of  love. 

2.  Be  like  Christ  in  grace.     He  was  like 
us  in  having  our  flesh,  let  us  be  like  him 
in  having  his  grace.     In  three  graces  we 
should  hiboia'  to  be  like  Christ:     1.   In  hu- 
mility, Phil.  ii.  8.,  "  He  humbled  himself" 
He  left  the  bright  robes  of  his  glory  to  be 
clothed  with  the  rags  of  our  humanity  :  a 
wonder  to  humility  !    Let  us  "be  like  Christ 
in  this  grace.     Humility,  saith  St.  Bernard, 
is   conlciiiptus  propricc  exccllenticc, — a  con- 
tempt of  self-excellency,  a  kind  of  self-an- 
nihilation.    This  is  the  glory  of  a  Chris 
tian.     We  are  never  so  comely  in  God's 
eves,   as  when  we  are  black  in  our  own. 
In  this  let  us  be  like  Christ.    True  religion 
is   to  imitate   Christ.      And  indeed,   what 
cause  have  we 'to  be  humble,   if  we  look 
within  us,  about  us,  below  us,  above  us  ? 
(1.)   If  we  look  intra  nos, — within  us,  here 
we  see   our  sins  represented  to  us  in  the 
ghiss  of  conscience;    lust,   envy,   passion. 
Our  sins  are  like  vermin  crawling  in  our 


1]Q 


OF  CHRIST'S  HUMILIATION. 


souls.  Job  xiii.  23.,  "  How  many  are  my 
iniquities  ?"  Our  sins  are  as  the  sands  of 
the  sea  lor  number,  as  the  rocks  of  the  sea 
for  weiglit.  Austin  cries  out,  Vce  mihifoe- 
cibuft  j)eccatoritm.  polliritur  templum  Domiiii  ! 
My  heart,  which  is  (lod's  temple,  is  pollut- 
ed witli  sin. — (2.)  If  we  look  jnxta  nos, — 
about  us,  here  is  that  may  humble  lis.  We 
may  see  other  Christians  out-shining  us  in 
gifts  and  graces,  as  the  sun  out-shines  the 
lesser  planets  Others  are  laden  with  fruit, 
perhaps  we  have  but  here  and  there  an  o- 
live-berry  growing,  to  shew  that  we  are  of 
the  right  kind,  Isa.  xvii.  6. — (3.)  If  we 
look  infra  nos, — below  us,  here  is  that  may 
humble  us.  We  may  see  the  mother  earth, 
out  of  which  we  came.  The  earth  is  the 
most  ignoble  element.  Job.  xxx.  8.,  "  They 
were  viler  than  the  earth."  Thou  that 
dost  set  up  thy  scutcheon,  and  blaze  thy 
coat  of  arms,  behold  thy  pedigree ;  thou 
art  but  pulvis  animatus, — walking  ashes  : 
and  wilt  thou  be  proud  ?  What  is  Adam  ? 
He  is  the  son  of  dust.  And  what  is  dust  ? 
Tlie  son  of  nothing. — (4.)  If  we  look  supra 
nos, — above  us,  here  is  that  may  humble 
lis.  If  we  look  up  to  heaven,  there  we  may 
see  God  resisting  the  proud.  Superbos  se- 
quitur  ultor  a  tergo  Dens.  The  proud  man 
is  the  mark  which  God  shoots  at,  and  he 
never  misses  the  mark.  He  threw  proud 
Lucifer  out  of  heaven, — he  thrust  proud 
Nebuchadnezzar  out  of  his  throne,  and  turn- 
ed liim  to  eat  grass,  Dan.  iv.  33.,  O  then 
be  like  Christ  in  humility  ! 

3.  Did  Christ  take  our  flesh  ?  was  he 
made  like  to  us  ?  let  us  be  made  like  to 
him  in  zeal,  John  ii.  17.,  "  The  zeal  of  thy 
house  hath  eaten  me  up."  He  was  zealous 
when  his  Father  was  dishonoured.  In  this 
let  us  be  like  Christ,  zealous  for  God's 
truth  and  glory,  which  are  the  two  orient 
pearls  of  the  crown  of  heaven.  Zeal  is  as 
needful  for  a  Christian,  as  salt  for  the  sa- 
crifice, or  fire  on  the  altar.  Zeal  without 
prudence,  is  rashness ;  prudence  without 
zeal,  is  cowardliness.  Without  zeal,  our 
duties  are  not  acceptable  to  God.  Zeal  is 
like  rosin  to  the  bow-strings,  without  which 
the  lute  makes  no  music. 

4.  Be  like  Christ,  in  the  contempt  of  the 
world.  When  Christ  took  our  flesh,  he 
came  not  in  the  pride  of  flesh,  he  did  not 


descend  immediately  from  kings  and  no- 
bles, but  was  of  mean  parentage.  Christ 
was  not  ambitious  of  titles  of  honour. 
Christ  did  as  much  decline  the  worldly 
dignity  and  greatness  as  others  seek  it, 
Wlien  they  would  have  made  him  a  king, 
he  refused  it;  he  chose  rather  to  ride  upon 
the  foal  of  an  ass,  than  to  be  drawn  in  a 
chariot ;  and  to  hang  upon  a  wooden  cross, 
than  to  wear  a  golden  crown.  Christ 
scorned  the  pomp  and  glory  of  the  world  : 
he  waved  secular  affairs,  Luke  xii.  14., 
"  Who  made  me  a  judge  ?"  His  work  was 
not  to  arbitrate  matters  of  law ;  he  came 
not  into  the  world  to  be  a  magistrate,  but 
a  Redeemer.  Christ  was  like  a  star  in  an 
higher  orb,  he  minded  nothing  but  heaven. 
Was  Christ  made  like  us  ?  let  us  be  made 
like  him,  in  heavenliness  and  contempt  of 
the  world.  Let  us  not  be  ambitious  of  the 
honours  and  preferments  of  the  Avorld  ;  let 
us  not  purchase  the  world  Avith  the  loss  of 
a  good  conscience.  What  wise  man  would 
damn  himself  to  grow  rich  ?  or  pull  down 
his  soul,  to  build  up  an  estate  ?  Be  like 
Christ  in  an  holy  contempt  of  the  world. 

5.  Be  like  Christ  in  conversation.  Was 
Christ  incarnate?  was  he  made  like  us? 
let  us  be  made  like  him  in  holiness  of  life. 
No  temptation  could  fasten  upon  Christ, 
John  xiv.  30.,  "  The  prince  of  this  world 
Cometh,  and  hath  nothing  in  me."  Temp- 
tation to  Christ  was  like  a  spark  of  fire 
upon  a  marble  pillar,  which  glides  off. 
Christ's  life,  saith  Chrysostom,  was  brigh- 
ter than  the  sunbeams.  Let  us  be  like 
him  in  this,  1  Pet.  i.  15.,  "  Be  ye  holy  in 
all  manner  of  conversation."  We  are  not, 
saith  Austin,  to  be  like  Christ  in  working 
miracles,  but  in  a  holy  life.  A  Christian 
should  be  both  a  loadstone  and  a  diamond, 
— a  loadstone,  in  drawing  others  to  Christ, 
— a  diamond,  casting  a  sparkling  lustre  of 
holiness  in  his  life.  O  let  us  be  so  just  in 
our  dealings,  so  true  in  our  promises,  so  de- 
vout in  our  worship,  so  unblaineable  in  our 
lives,  that  we  may  be  the  walking  pictures 
of  Christ !  Thus  as  Christ  was  made  in 
our  likeness,  let  us  labour  to  be  made  in  his 
likeness. 

Branch  3.  If  Jesus  Christ  was  so  abas- 
ed for  us, — he  took  our  flesh  which  was  a 
disparagement    to  him, — it   was   mingUiig 


CHRIST'S  EXALTATION. 


137 


dust  with  gold, — if  he,  I  say,  ahased  him- 
self so  for  us,  let  us  be  willing  to  be  abased 
for  him.  If  the  world  reproach  us  for 
Clirist's  sake,  and  cast  dust  on  our  name, 
let  us  bear  it  with  patience.  The  apostles, 
Acts  V.  41.,  departed  from  the  council 
"  rejoicing  that  they  were  counted  worthy 
to  suffer  shame  for  Christ's  name ;"  that 
they  were  graced  to  be  disgraced  for  Christ. 
That  is  a  good  saying  of  St.  Austin,  Q^idd 
mi  detrahit  famce  inece,  uddet  mercedi  mecB, — 
they  who  take  away  from  a  saint's  name, 
shall  add  to  his  reward ;  and  while  they 
make  his  credit  weigli  lighter,  they  make 
his  crown  weigh  heavier.  O  was  Christ 
content  to  be  humbled  and  abased  for  us, 
to  take  our  flesh,  and  to  take  it  when  it  was 
in  disgrace  !  Let  us  not  think  much  to  be 
abased  for  Christ.  Say  as  David,  2  Sam. 
vi.  22.,  "  If  this  be  to  be  vile,  I  will  yet  be 


more  vile."  If  to  serve  my  Lord  Chvist, 
if  to  keep  my  conscience  pure,  if  this  be  to 
be  vile,  I  will  yet  be  more  vile. 

Use  3d.  Of  comfort.  Jesus  Christ  hav- 
ing taken  our  flesh,  hath  ennobled  our  na- 
ture,— naiuram  nostrum  nobilitavit.  Our 
nature  is  now  invested  with  greater  royal- 
ties and  pri\aleges  than  in  time  of  inno- 
cency.  Before,  in  innoccncy,  we  were  made 
in  the  image  of  God ;  but  now,  Christ  hav- 
ing assumed  our  nature,  we  arc  made  on^ 
with  God  ;  our  nature  is  ennobled  above 
the  angelical  nature.  Christ  taking  our 
flesh,  hath  made  us  nearer  to  himself  than 
the  angels.  The  angels  are  his  friends,  be- 
lievers are  flesh  of  his  flesh,  his  members, 
Eph.  V.  30.,  and  i.  23.  And  the  same  glory 
which  is  put  upon  Christ's  human  nature, 
shall  be  put  upon  believers. 


CHRIST'S  EXALTATION. 

Phil.  ii.  9.   Jiliere/ure  God  also  hath  highly  exalted  him,  and  given  him  a  name  above 

every  name,  &c. 


BEFORE,  we  have  spoken  of  Christ's 
humiliation ;  now  of  his  exaltation  ;  before, 
you  saw  the  Sun  of  Righteousness  in  the 
eclipse  ;  now,  you  shall  see  it  coming  out 
of  the  eclipse,  and  shining  in  its  full  splen- 
dour and  glory :  "  WJierefore  God  hath 
highly  exalted  him," — super  exaltavit,  A.aibr. 
"  Above  all  exaltation." 

Quest.  XXVIII.  Wherein  consists  Christ" s 
exaltation  ? 

Ans.  In  his  rising  from  the  dead,  his  as- 
cending into  heaven,  and  sitting  at  the  right 
hand  of  God  the  Father,  &c. 

Quest.  In  what  sense  hath  God  exalted 
Christ  ? 

Ans.  Not  in  respect  of  Christ's  Godhead, 
for  that  cannot  be  exalted  higher  than  it 
is ;  as  in  Christ's  humiliation  the  Godhead 
was  not  lower,  so  in  his  exaltation,  the 
Godhead  is  not  higher;  but  Christ  is  ex- 
alted as  Mediator,  his  human  nature  is  ex- 
alted. 

Quest.  How  many  ways  is  Christ  exalted? 

Ans.  Five  ways  :  God  hath  exalted  Christ, 
I.  In  his  titles.    2.  In  his  office.    3.  In  his 


ascension.  4.  In  his  session  at  God's  right 
hand.  5.  In  constituting  him  judge  of  the 
world. 

1.  First  title.  God  hath  exalted  Christ  in 
his  titles.  1.  He  is  exalted  to  be  a  Lord, 
Acts  ix.  17.,  "  The  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
was  magnified."  He  is  a  Lord  in  respect 
of  his  sovereignty ;  he  is  Lord  over  angels 
and  men.  Mat.  xxviii.  18.,  "  All  power  is 
given  unto  me."  Christ  hath  three  keys 
in  his  hand, — the  key  of  the  grave,  to  open 
the  graves  of  men  at  the  resurrection, — the 
key  of  heaven,  to  open  the  kingdom  of  hea- 
ven to  whom  he  will, — the  key  of  hell, 
Rev.  i.  18.,  to  lock  up  the  damned  in  that 
fiery  prison.  To  this  Lord  all  knees  must 
bow,  Phil.  ii.  10.,  "  That  at  the  name  of  Je- 
sus every  knee  should  bow :"  nnjne,  is  put 
here  for  person, — to  that  holy  thing  Jesus, 
to  the  sceptre  of  that  di^dne  person  every 
knee  shall  bow.  Bowing  is  put  for  sidgec- 
tion,—a\\  must  be  subdued  to  him  as  sons 
or  captives,  submit  to  him  as  to  the  Lord 
or  Judge;  "Kiss  the  Son,"  Ps.  ii.  12., 
with  a  kiss  of  love  and  loyalty.     We  must 

S 


138 


CHRIST'S  EXALTATION. 


not  only  cast  ourselves  into  Christ's  arms 
to  be  saved  by  him,  but  we  must  cast  our- 
selves at  liis  feet,  to  serve  him. 

Second  title.  Christ  is  exalted  to  be  a 
prince:  Dan.  xii.  1.,  "There  shall  stand 
up  Michael  the  gi-eat  prince;"  some  think 
it  was  a  created  angel,  but  it  was  Angelus 
foederis,  Christ  the  angel  of  the  covenant. 
He  is  a  great  prince,  Rev.  i.  5.,  "  The 
prince  of  the  kings  of  the  eartli."  They 
hold  tlieir  crowns  by  immediate  tenure 
from  him;  his  throne  is  above  the  stars, 
he  hath  angels  and  archangels  for  his  at- 
tendants. Thus  he  is  exalted  in  his  titles 
of  honour. 

II.  God  hatli  exalted  Christ  in  his  office ; 
he  hath  honoured  him  to  be  Salvator  mundi, 
— the  Saviour  of  the  world,  Acts  v.  31., 
"  Him  hath  God  exalted  Avith  his  right 
hand  to  be  a  Prince  and  a  Saviour."  It 
was  a  great  honour  to  Moses  to  be  a  tem- 
poral saviour;  but  what  is  it  to  be  the  Sa- 
viour of  souls  !  Christ  is  called  '  the  horn 
of  salvation,'  Luke  i.  69.  He  saves  from 
sin.  Mat.  i.  21.;  from  wrath,  1  Thess.  i.  10. 
To  save  is  a  flower  belongs  only  to  his 
crown.  Acts  iv.  12.,  "  Neither  is  there  sal- 
vation in  any  other."  What  an  honour 
is  this  to  Christ !  How  did  this  make  hea- 
ven ring  of  saints'  praises  !  they  sing  hal- 
lelujahs to  Christ  their  Saviour,  Rev.  v.  9., 
"  They  sung  a  new  song,  saying,  thou  art 
worthy  to  take  the  book  and  open  the  seals ; 
for  tliou  wast  slain,  and  hast  redeemed  us 
to  God  by  thy  blood." 

HI.  God  hath  exalted  Christ  in  his  as- 
cension ;  if  he  be  ascended,  then  he  is  exalt- 
ed. Austin  saith,  "  Some  were  of  opinion 
that  Christ's  body  ascended  into  the  orb 
and  circle  of  the  sun  :"  so  the  Hermians. 
But  tlie  scripture  is  plain,  he  ascended  into 
heaven,  Luke  xxiv.  51.,  and  Eph.  iv.  10., 
"  Far  above  all  heavens," — therefore  above 
the  firmament.  He  is  ascended  into  the 
highest  part  of  the  empyrean  heaven  which 
Paul  calls  the  third  heaven.  Concernincr 
Christ's  ascension,  two  tilings  : 

1.  The  manner  of  Christ's  ascension  :  \st, 
Christ  being  to  ascend,  blessed  his  disciples, 
Luke  xxiv.  50.,  "  He  lifted  up  his  hands, 
and  blessed  them,  and  while  he  blessed 
them,  he  was  parted  from  them,  and  carried 
up  into  heaven."     Clu'ist  did  not  leave  his 


disciples  houses  and  lands,  but  he  left  them 
his  blessing. — 2dli/,  Christ  ascended  as  a 
conqueror,  in  a  way  of  triumph,  Ps.  Ixviii. 
18.,  "  Thou  hast  led  capti\'ity  captive," 
&c.  He  triumphed  over  sin,  hell,  and 
death  ;  and  Christ's  triumph  is  a  believer's 
triumph  :  Christ  hath  conquered  sin  and 
hell  for  every  believer. 

2.  The  fruit  of  Christ's  ascension:  Christ's 
ascension  to  heaven  causeth  the  descension 
of  the  Holy  Spirit  into  our  hearts,  Eph.  iv. 
8.,  "  When  he  ascended  up  on  high,  he 
gave  gifts  to  men."  Christ  having  ascend- 
ed up  in  the  clouds,  as  his  triumpliant  cha- 
riot, gives  the  gift  of  his  Spirit  to  us :  as  a 
king  at  his  coronation  bestows  gifts  liberally 
to  his  favourites. 

IV.  God  hath  exalted  Christ  in  his  ses- 
sion at  God's  right  hand,  Mark  xvi.  19., 
"  After  the  Lord  had  spoken  to  them,  he 
was  received  up  into  heaven,  and  sat  upon 
the  right  hand  of  God."  Eph.  i.  20.,  "  He 
raised  him  from  the  dead,  and  set  him  at 
his  own  right  hand,  far  above  all  princi- 
pality and  power,  and  every  name  that  is 
named." 

Quest.  JVhat  is  meant  by  ChrisVs  sitting  at 
God's  right  hand? 

Ans.  To  speak  properly,  God  hath  no 
right  hand  or  left ;  for  being  a  Spirit,  he  is 
void  of  all  bodily  parts  ;  but  it  is  a  borrow- 
ed speech, — a  metaphor  taken  from  the  man- 
ner of  kings  who  were  wont  to  advance 
their  favourites  next  to  their  own  persons, 
and  set  them  at  their  right  hand :  Solomon 
caused  a  seat  to  be  set  for  the  queen  his 
mother,  and  placed  her  at  his  right  hand, 
1  Kings  ii.  19.  So  for  Christ  to  sit  at  the 
right  hand  of  God,  is  to  be  in  the  next 
place  to  God  the  Father  in  dignity  and  ho- 
nour. The  human  nature  of  Christ,  being 
personally  united  to  the  divine,  is  now  set 
down  on  a  royal  throne  in  heaven,  and 
adored  even  of  angels.  By  virtue  of  the 
personal  union  of  Christ's  human  natvu'e 
with  the  divine,  there  is  a  communication 
of  all  that  glory  from  the  Deity  of  Christ 
which  his  human  nature  is  capable  of. 
Not  that  the  manhood  of  Christ  is  advanced 
to  an  equality  with  the  Godhead,  but  the 
divine  nature  being  joined  with  the  human, 
the  human  nature  is  wonderfully  glorified, 
though  not  deified.     Christ  as  Mediator  is 


CHUIST'S  EXALTATION. 


139 


filled  with  all  majesty  and  honour,  beyond 
the  comprehension  of  the  higliest  order  of 
angels  :.  Christ  in  his  humiliation  descend- 
ed so  low,  that  it  was  not  fit  to  go  lower ; 
and  in  his  exaltation  he  ascended  so  hijrh 
that  it  is  not  possible  to  go  higher.  In 
his  resurrection  he  was  exalted  alwvc  tlie 
grave, — in  his  ascension  he  was  exalted 
above  the  airy  and  starry  heaven, — in  his 
sitting  at  God's  right  hand,  he  is  exalted 
above  the  highest  heavens  far,  Eph.  iv.  10., 
"  Far  above  all  heavens." 

V.  God  hath  exalted  Christ  in  constitut- 
ing him  Judge  of  the  whole  world,  John 
V.  22.,  "  The  Father  hath  committed  all 
judgment  to  the  Son."  At  the  day  of  judg- 
ment shall  Christ  be  exalted  supereminent- 
ly, "  He  shall  come  in  the  glory  of  his  Fa- 
ther," ]Mark  v-iii.  38.  He  shall  wear  the 
same  embroidered  robes  of  majesty  as  the 
Father ;  and  he  shall  come  witli  all  his 
holy  angels,  Mat.  xxv.  31.  He  who  was 
led  to  the  bar  with  a  band  of  soldiers  shall 
be  attended  to  the  bench  with  a  guard  of 
angels ;  Christ  shall  judge  his  judges,  he 
shall  judge  Pilate  that  condemned  him; 
kings  must  leave  their  thrones,  and  come 
to  his  bar.  And  this  is  the  highest  court 
of  judicature,  from  whence  is  no  appeal. 

Use  1st.  Of  information.  Branch  1.  See 
Christ's  different  state  on  earth,  and  now 
in  heaven.  O  how  is  the  scene  altered  ! 
When  he  was  on  earth,  he  lav  in  a  man- 
ger, — now  he  sits  on  a  throne  ;  then  he 
was  hated  and  scorned  of  men, — now  he  is 
adored  of  angels  ;  then  his  name  was  re- 
proached,— now  "  God  hath  g^ven  him  a 
name  above  every  name,"  Phil.  ii.  9.  Then 
he  came  in  the  form  of  a  servant,  and  as  a 
servant,  stood  with  his  basin  and  towel, 
and  washed  his  disciples'  feet,  Joini  xiii. 
4,  5., — now  he  is  clad  in  his  prince's  robes, 
and  the  kings  of  the  earth  cast  their  crowns 
before  him  ;  on  earth  he  was  a  man  of  sor- 
row,— now  he  is  anointed  witli  the  oil  of 
gladness  ;  on  earth  was  his  crucifixion, — 
now  his  coronation  ;  then  his  Father  frown- 
ed upon  him  in  desertion, — now  he  liath 
set  him  at  his  right  hand  ;  before  he  seem- 
ed to  have  no  form  or  beauty  in  him,  Isju 
liii.  2., — now  he  is  in  the  brightness  of  his 
Father's  glory,  Heb.  i.  3.  O  what  a  change 
is  here  !     "  Him  hath  God  hiiihiv  exalted." 


Branch  2.  Was  Christ  first  humble  and 
then  exalted  ?  hence  learn,  the  way  to  true 
honour  is  humility:  Luke  xiv.  11.,  "He 
that  humbleth  himself  shall  be  exalted." 
TIjc  world  looks  upon  humility  as  that 
which  will  make  one  contemptible,  but  it  is 
the  ready  way  to  honour  ;  the  way  to  rise  is 
to  fall,  the  way  to  ascend  is  to  descend.  Hu- 
mility exalts  us  in  the  esteem  of  men,  and 
it  exalts  us  to  an  higher  throne  in  heaven, 
Mat.  xviii.  4.,  "  ^Miosoever  shall  humble 
himself  as  this  little  child,  the  same  is  the 
greatest  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven,"  viz.  He 
shall  have  a  greater  degree  of  glory  in  it. 

Branch  3.  Christ  suffered,  and  then 
was  exalted :  see  hence,  that  sufferings 
must  go  before  glorv'.  Many  desire  to  be 
glorified  with  Christ,  but  they  are  not  con- 
tent to  suffer  for  Christ,  2  Tim.  ii.  12.,  "  If 
we  suffer  with  him,  we  shall  reign  with 
him."  The  wicked  first  reign  and  tlien 
suffer  ;  the  godly  first  suffer,  and  then 
reign  :  there  is  no  way  to  Constantinople 
but  through  the  Straits;  no  way  to  heaven, 
but  through  sufferings  ;  no  way  to  the 
crown,  but  bv  the  wav  of  the  cross.  Je- 
rusalem  above  is  a  pleasant  city, — streets 
of  gold,  gates  of  pearl ;  but  we  must  travel 
through  a  dirty  road  to  this  city, — through 
many  reproaches  and  sufferings,  Acts  xiv 
22.  AVe  must  enter  into  glory  as  Christ  did  , 
first  he  suffered  shame  and  death,  and  now 
is  exalted  to  sit  at  God's  right  liand. 

Use  2d.  Of  comfort.  Branch  1.  Christ, 
being  so  highly  exalted,  hath  ennobled  our 
nature :  he  hath  crowned  it  with  glory, 
and  lifted  it  above  angels  and  archangels ; 
though  Christ,  as  he  was  man,  was  made  a 
little  lower  than  the  angels,  Heb.  ii.  9.,  yet 
as  the  human  nature  is  united  to  the  di- 
vine, and  is  at  God's  right  hand,  so  the  hu- 
man nature  is  above  the  anjjels.  And  if 
God  hath  so  dignified  our  human  nature, 
what  a  shame  is  it  that  we  should  debase 
it !  God  hath  exalted  the  human  nature 
above  the  angels,  and  the  drunkard  abaseth 
the  human  nature  below  the  beasts. 

Branch  2.  Christ  being  exalted  at  God's 
right  hand,  the  key  of  government  is  laid 
upon  his  shoulders;  he  governs  all  the  af- 
fairs of  the  world  for  his  own  glory.  Do 
you  think  when  Christ  is  so  highly  advanc- 
ed, and  hath  all  power  in  heaven  and  earth 


140 


OF  CHRIST'S  EXALTATION. 


in  Lis  hand,  he  will  not  take  care  of  his  e- 
lect,  and  turn  the  most  astonishing  provi- 
dences to  the  good  of  his  church  ?  In  a 
clock,  the  wheels  move  cross  one  to  ano- 
ther, but  all  make  the  clock  strike :  so 
Christ  being  at  his  Father's  right  hand,  he 
will  make  the  most  cross  providences  tend 
to  the  salvation  of  his  church. 

Branch  3.  Christ  being 'at  God's  right 
hand,  we  may  be  assured  he  hath  now  fin- 
ished the  work  of  man's  redemption,  Ileb. 
X.  12.,  "  This  man,  after  he  had  offered 
one  sacrifice  for  sins,  for  ever  sat  down  on 
the  right  hand  of  God."  If  Christ  had  not 
fully  expiated  sin,  and  satisfied  God's  law, 
he  had  not  sitten  down  at  God's  riglit 
hand,  but  had  still  lain  in  the  grave ;  but 
now  he  is  exalted  to  glory, — tliis  is  an  evi- 
dent token  he  hath  done  and  suffered  all 
that  was  required  of  him,  for  the  working 
out  of  our  redemption. 

Branch  4.  Though  Jesus  Christ  is  so 
highly  exalted  in  glory,  yet  he  is  not  for- 
getful of  us  on  earth.  Some,  when  they 
are  raised  to  places  of  honour  forget  their 
friends ;  when  the  chief  butler  was  restor- 
ed to  his  place  at  court,  then  he  forgot  ])oor 
Joseph  in  prison  ;  but  it  is  not  so  with 
Christ,  though  he  be  exalted  to  such  glory 
in  heaven,  yet  he  is  not  unmindful  of  his 
saints  on  earth.  Our  high  priest  hath  all 
the  names  and  wants  of  his  people  written 
upon  his  breastplate.  Art  thou  tempted  ? 
Tiioiigh  Christ  be  in  glory,  he  knows  how 
to  pity  and  succour  thee,  Heb.  iv.  15., 
*'  We  have  not  an  high  priest  that  cannot 
be  touched  with  the  feeling  of  our  infirmi- 
ties." Dost  thou  mourn  for  sin  ?  Christ, 
though  in  a  glorified  state,  he  hears  thy 
sighs,  bottles  thy  tears. 

Branch  5.  Christ  being  exalted  at  God's 
right  hand,  this  is  for  the  comfort  of  be- 
lievers, that  they  shall  one  day  be  exalted 
to  that  place  of  glory  where  he  is.  Christ's 
exaltation  is  our  exaltation.  Christ  hath 
prayed  for  this,  John  xvii.  24.,  "  Father,  I 
will,  that  all  those  whom  thou  hast  given 
me,  be  with  me  where  I  am."  And  he  is 
said  to  go  before  to  "  prepare  a  place"  for 
believers,  John  xiv.  2.  Christ  is  called  the 
head,  the  church  is  called  his  body,  Eph.  i. 
22,  23.  The  head  being  exalted  to  honour, 
the  body  mystical  shall  be  exalted  too ;  as 


sure  as  Christ  Is  exalted  far  above  all  hea- 
vens, so  sure  will  he  instate  believers  in  all 
that  glory  which  his  human  nature  is  ad- 
orned with,  John  xvii.  22.  As  here  he 
puts  his  grace  upon  the  saints,  so  shortly 
will  he  put  his  glory  upon  them.  This  is 
comfort  to  the  poorest  Christian ;  perhaps 
thou  hast  scarce  an  house  to  put  thy  head 
in,  yet  thou  mayest  look  up  to  heaven,  and 
say,  "  there  is  my  house,  there  is  my  coun- 
try, and  I  have  already  taken  possession  of 
heaven  in  my  head  Christ ;  he  sits  there, 
and  it  will  not  be  long  before  I  shall  sit 
there  with  him ;  he  is  upon  the  throne  of 
glory,  and  I  have  his  word  for  it,  I  shall 
sit  upon  the  throne  with  him,"  Rev.  iii.  21. 
Use  3d.  Of  exhortation.  Hath  God  highly 
exalted  Christ  ?  Let  us  labour  to  exalt  him. 
Let  us  exalt,  1.  His  person.     2.  His  truths 

1.  Let  us  exalt  Christ  in  our  hearts ;  be- 
lieve !  O  adore  and  love  him  !  We  cannot 
lift  Christ  up  higher  in  heaven,  but  we  may 
in  our  hearts.  2.  Let  us  exalt  him  in  our 
lips ;  let  us  praise  him.  Our  bodies  are 
the  temples  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  our  tongues 
must  be  the  organs  in  these  tem])les ;  by 
praising  and  commending  Christ  we  exalt 
him  in  the  esteem  of  others.  3.  Let  us 
exalt  him  in  our  lives,  by  living  holy  lives: 
vera  religio  hceCy  sine  macula  vivera  lacUuit. 
It  is  not  all  the  doxologies  and  prayers  in 
the  world  do  so  exalt  Christ  as  an  iiol)- 
life  :  this  makes  Christ  renowned,  and  lifts 
him  up  indeed,  when  his  followers  walk 
worthy  of  Christ. 

2.  Let  us  exalt  Christ's  truths,  Buchul- 
cerus,  in  his  Chronology,  reports  of"  the  no- 
bles of  Polonia,  that  whenever  the  gospel 
is  read,  they  lay  their  hands  upon  their 
swords,  by  that  intimating  they  are  ready 
to  maintain  the  gospel  with  the  hazard  of 
their  lives.  Let  us  exalt  Christ's  truths, 
— maintain  the  truths  of  Christ  against  er- 
ror,— maintain  the  doctrine  of  free  grace 
against  merit, — the  Deity  of  Christ  against 
Socinianism. 

Truth  is  the  most  orient  pearl  of  Christ's 
crown  :  contend  for  the  truth  as  one  would 
for  a  sum  of  money,  that  it  should  not  be 
wrested  out  of  his  hand ;  this  Christ  takes 
to  be  an  exalting  of  him,  when  we  exalt 
his  truths,  wherein  his  glory  is  so  much 
concerned. 


CHRIST  THE  REDEEMER. 


141 


CHRIST  THE  REDEEMER. 


Quest.  XXX.  HOW  doth  the  Spirit  apply 
to  us  the  redemption  purchased  to  us  by  Christ  ? 

Ans.  The  Spirit  applies  to  us  the  redemp- 
tion purchased  by  Christ,  by  working  faith 
in  us,  and  thereby  uniting  us  to  Christ  in 
our  effectual  calling. 

Here  are  in  this  answer  two  things  :  1.';^ 
Something  implied,  viz.  That  Christ  is  the 
glorious  purchaser  of  our  redemption,  in 
these  words,  "  The  redemption  purchased 
by  Christ." — 2d.  Something  expressed,  viz. 
that  the  Spirit  applies  to  us  this  redemption 
purchased,  by  working  faith  in  vis,  &c. 

I.  The  thing  here  implied,  that  Jesus 
Christ  is  the  glorious  purchaser  of  our  re- 
demption. The  doctrine  of  redemption  by 
Jesus  Christ  is  a  glorious  doctrine;  it  is  the 
marrow  and  quintessence  of  the  gospel ;  in 
this  all  a  Christian's  comfort  lies.  Great 
was  the  work  of  creation,  but  greater  the 
work  of  redemption  ;  it  cost  more  to  redeem 
us  than  to  make  us ;  in  the  one  there  was 
but  the  speaking  of  a  word,  in  the  other 
shedding  of  blood,  Luke  i.  51.  The  crea- 
tion was  but  the  work  of  God's  fingers, 
Ps.  viii.  3. ;  redemption  the  work  of  his 
arm,  Heb.  ix.  12.,  "  Having  obtained  eter- 
nal redemption  for  us."  Christ's  purchas- 
ing redemption  for  us,  implies  that  our  sins 
did  mortgage  and  sell  us;  had  there  not 
been  some  kind  of  mortgaging,  there  had 
been  no  need  of  redemption  :  rediniere,  q. 
rursus  emere,  Hierom.  Now  Christ,  wiien 
we  were  thus  mortgaged  and  sold  by  sin, 
did  purchase  our  redemption  ;  Christ  had 
the  best  right  to  redeem  us,  for  he  is  our 
kinsman.  The  Hebrew  word  for  Redeem- 
er, goef,  signifies  a  kinsman, — one  that  is 
near  in  blood :  in  the  old  law  the  nearest 
kinsman  was  to  redeem  his  brother's  land, 
Ruth.  iv.  4.  Thus  Christ  being  near  akin 
to  us,  '  Flesh  of  our  flesh,'  is  the  fittest  to 
redeem  us. 

Quest.  How  doth  Christ  redeem  ns  ? 

Jns.  By  his  own  precious  blood,  Eph.  i. 
7.,  "  In  whom  we  have  redemption  through 
his  blood."  Among  the  Romans,  he  was 
said  to  redeem  another  that  laid  down  a 
price  equivalent  for  the  ransom  of  the  pri- 


soner. In  this  sense  Christ  is  a  Redeemer, 
he  hath  paid  a  price.  Never  such  a  price 
paid  to  ransom  prisoners,  1  Cor.  vi.  20.,  "  Ye 
arc  pretio  empti, — bought  with  a  price ;"  and 
this  price  was  his  own  blood.  So,  in  the 
text,  "  by  his  own  blood  he  entered  in  once 
into  the  lioly  place,  having  obtained  eternal 
redemption  for  us,"  this  blood  being  the 
blood  of  that  person  who  was  God  as  well 
as  man,  is  a  price  sufficient  for  the  ransom 
of  millions. 

Quest.  From  what  doth  Christ  redeem  us  ? 

Ans.  From  sin.  To  be  redeemed  from 
Turkish  slavery  is  a  great  mercy,  but  it  is 
infinitely  more  to  be  redeemed  from  sin. 
There  is  nothing  can  hurt  the  soul,  but 
sin ;  it  is  not  affliction  hurts  it,  it  often 
makes  it  better,  as  the  furnace  makes  gold 
the  purer ;  but  it  is  sin  that  doth  damnify. 
Now,  Christ  redeems  us  from  sin,  Heb.  ix. 
26.,  "  Now  once  in  the  end  of  the  world 
hath  he  appeared  to  put  away  sin  by  the 
sacrifice  of  himself." 

Quest.  But  hoio  are  we  redeemed  from 
sin  ?  Do  ice  not  see  corruption  stirring  in  the 
regenerate  ?  Much  pride  and  unmortijied  pas- 
sion ? 

Ans.  We  must  distinguish  of  redcmj)tion  : 
redemption  is  either  inchoata  or  pkna^  i.  c. 
begun  redemption,  or  perfect  redemption  ; 
sin  cannot  stand  with  a  perfect  redemption, 
but  here  it  is  begun  ;  sin  may  stand  with 
an  imperfect  redemption.  There  may  be 
some  darkness  in  the  air  at  the  sun's  first 
rising,  but  not  when  the  sun  is  at  the  full 
meridian  ;  while  our  redemption  is  but  be- 
gun, there  may  be  sin  ;  but  not  when  it  is 
perfect  in  glory. 

Quest.  But  in  what  sense  hath  Christ  re- 
deemed justified  persons  from  sin  ? 

Ans.  1.  A  reatu, — from  the  guilt  of  sin, 
though  not  the  stain.  Guilt  is  the  binding 
a  person  over  to  punishment.  Now  Christ 
hath  redeemed  a  justified  person  from  the 
guilt  of  sin  ;  he  hath  discharged  his  debts. 
Christ  saith  to  God's  justice,  as  Paul  to 
Philemon,  "  If  he  hath  wronged  thee  any 
tiling,  or  owes  thee  ought,  put  that  on  my 
account,"  v.  18. 


H2 


CHRIST  THE  REDEEMER. 


A.  2.  A  justified  person  is  redeemed  a 
dominio, — from  the  power  and  regency  of 
sin,  though  not  the  presence.  Sin  may 
funre^  but  not  regnare ;  it  may  rage  in  a 
child  of  God,  but  not  reign  ;  lust  did  rage 
in  David,  fear  in  Peter,  but  it  did  not  reign, 
they  recovered  tliemselves  by  repentance, 
Rom.  vi.  14.,  "  Sin  shall  not  have  dominion 
over  you."  Sin  lives  in  a  child  of  God,  but 
is  deposed  from  the  throne  ;  it  lives  not  as  a 
king,  but  a  captive. 

A.  3.  A  believer  is  redeemed  a  maledic- 
tione, — from  the  curse  due  to  sin,  Gal.  iii. 
13.,  "  Christ  hath  redeemed  us  from  the 
curse  of  the  law,  being  made  a  curse  for 
us."  Christ  said  to  his  Father,  as  Rebecca 
to  Jacob,  "  upon  me,  upon  me  be  tlie  curse ; 
let  the  blessing  be  upon  them,  but  upon  me 
be  the  curse."  And  now,  there  is  no  con- 
demnation to  believers,  Rom.  viii.  1.  An 
unbeliever  hath  a  double  condemnation, — 
one  from  the  law  which  he  hath  transgres- 
sed,— and  the  other  from  the  gospel  which 
he  hath  despised  ;  but  Christ  hath  redeemed 
a  believer  from  this  malediction,  he  hath  set 
him  out  of  the  power  of  hell  and  damnation. 

Quest.  7o  tvhat  huth  Christ  redeemed  us  ? 

Ans.  He  hath  redeemed  us  to  a  glorious 
inheritance,  1  Pet.  i.  4.,  "  To  an  inheritance 
incorruptible  and  undefiled,  and  that  ftideth 
not  away,  reserved  in  heaven  for  you." 

1.  '  To  an  inheritance :'  Christ  hath  not 
only  redeemed  us  out  of  prison,  but  he  hath 
redeemed  us  to  a  state  of  happiness, — to  an 
inheritance.  Heaven  is  not  a  lease  which 
soon  expires,  but  an  inheritance, — and  a  glo- 
rious inheritance,  Col.  i.  ]2.,  an  inheritance 
in  light.  Lumen  actuat  colores. — light  a- 
dorns  and  gilds  the  Avorld.  What  were  the 
world  without  light  but  a  prison?  The  hea- 
venly inheritance  is  irradiated  with  light : 
Clu"ist,  as  a  continual  sun,  enlightens  it  with 
his  beams.  Rev.  xxi.  23. 

2.  '  To  an  inheritance  incorruptible  :*  It 
doth  not  moulder  away,  or  suffer  dissolu- 
tion. Earthly  comforts  are  shadowed  out 
by  the  tabernacle,  which  was  transient ;  but 
heaven  is  set  out  by  the  tem])le  which  was 
fixed  and  permanent,  built  with  stone,  over- 
laid with  gold.  This  is  the  glory  of  the 
celestial  inheritance  ;  it  is  incorruptible.  E- 
ternity  is  written  upon  the  frontispiece  of  it. 

3.  '  Undefiled  :'     The  Greek  word  for  un- 


defiled, alludes  to  a  precious  stone  called 
amianthus^  which  cannot  be  blemished  :  such 
a  place  is  heaven,  undefiled, — nothing  can 
stain   it, — there's    no   sin   there  to  eclipse 
its  purity.     For  the  holiness  and  undefiled- 
ness  of  it,  it  is  compared  to  pure  gold,  and 
to    the    sapphire   and    emerald,   Rev.   xxi. 
"  The  sapphire  hath  a  virtue,"  salth  Pliny, 
"  to  preserve  chasteness  ;  the  emerald  to  ex- 
pel poison."     These  are  the  lively  emblems 
of  heaven,  to  shew  the  sanctity  of  it, — no 
fever  of  lust, — no  venom  of  malice, — there 
are  none  but  pure  virgin  spirits  inhabit  it. 
4.  It  '  fadeth  not  away  :'  The  Greek  word 
is  the  name  of  a  flower  amarantlms,  which 
keeps  a  long  time  fresh  and  green,  as  Clem, 
Alexandrinus  writes.     Such  is  the  heavenly 
inheritance,  it  doth  not  lose  its  orient  colour, 
but  keeps  its  freshness  and  greenness  to  eter- 
nity ;  the  beauty  of  it  fadeth  not  away.     To 
this  glorious  inheritance  hath  Christ  redeem- 
ed  the  saints  :  an  inheritance  which  cannot 
be  fully  described  or  set  forth  by  all  the 
lights  of  heaven,  though  every  star  were  a 
sun.     And  that  which  is  the  diamond  in 
the  ring,   the  glory  of  this  inheritance  is, 
the  eternal  sight  and  fruition  of  the  blessed 
God ;  the  sight  of  God  will  be  a  most  allur- 
ing, heart-ravishing  object ;  the  king's  pre- 
sence makes  the  court,  John  iii.  2.,  "  Wc 
shall  see  him  as  he  is."     It  is  comfortable 
to  see  God  shewing  himself  through   the 
lattice  of  an  ordinance, — to  see  him  in  the 
word  and  sacrament ;  the  martyrs  thought 
it  comfortable  to  see  him  in  a  prison ;  O  tlien, 
what  will  it  be  to  see  him  in  glory,  shining 
ten  thousand  times  brighter  than  the  sun  ! 
And  not  only  see  him  but   enjoy  him   fi)r 
ever;   Frccmium  quod  Jide  non  attnujitiir,— 
Aug.     Faith  itself  is  not  able  fully  to  com- 
prehend this  reward.     And  all  this  blessed- 
ness hath  Christ  purchased  through  the  re- 
demption of  his  blood. 

Use  \st.  Branch  1.  See  into  what  a 
wretched  dejilorable  condition  we  had 
brought  ourselves  by  sin.  We  had  sinncil 
ourselves  into  slavery,  so  that  we  needed 
Christ  to  purchase  our  redemption  :  niliV. 
durhis  seroitutr,  Cicero,  "  Slavery  is  the 
worst  condition  ;"  such  as  are  now  prison- 
ers in  Algiers  think  it  so. — But  by  sin  we 
arc  in  a  worse  slavery,  slaves  to  Satan,  a 
merciless  tyrant,  who  sports  in  the  damna- 


CHRIST  THE  REDEEMER. 


143 


tion  of  souls.     In   this  condition  we  were 
when  Christ  came  to  redeem  us. 

Branch  2.  See  in  tliis,  as  in  a  transj)a- 
rent  ghiss,  the  love  of  Christ  to  the  elect ; 
he  came  to  redeem  them,  these  he  died  in- 
tentionallv  for.  Were  it  not  ffreat  love  for 
a  kin<T's  son  to  pay  a  great  sum  of  money 
to  redeem  a  captive  ?  But  that  he  shouhl 
be  content  to  be  a  prisoner  in  liis  stead, 
and  die  for  his  ransom ;  this  were  matter 
of  wonder.  Jesus  Christ  hath  done  all 
this,  he  hath  written  his  love  in  characters 
of  blood.  It  had  been  much  for  Christ 
to  s])cak  a  good  word  to  his  Father  for  us, 
but  he  knew  that  was  not  enough  to  re- 
deem us ;  though  a  word  speaking  made  a 
world,  yet  it  would  not  redeem  a  sinner, 
Heh.  ix*.  22.,  "  Without  shedding  of  blood 
there  is  no  remission." 

Use  2d.  Of  trial.  If  Christ  came  to  pur- 
chase our  redemption,  then  let  us  try  whe- 
ther we  are  the  persons  whom  Christ  hath 
redeemed  from  the  guilt  and  curse  due  to 
sin.  This  is  a  needful  trial ;  for,  let  me 
tell  von,  there  is  but  a  certain  number 
whom  Christ  hath  redeemed.  O,  say  sin- 
ners, (  hrist  is  a  Redeemer,  and  we  shall 
be  saved  by  him  !  Beloved,  Christ  came 
not  to  redeem  all ;  then  we  overtlu-ow  the 
decrees  of  God.  Redemption  is  not  as  large 
as  creation,  I  grant  there  is  a  sufficiency 
of  merit  in  Christ's  blood  to  save  all ;  but 
there's  tlifference  between  sufficiency  and 
efficiency.  Christ's  blood  is  a  sufficient 
price  for  all,  but  it  is  effectual  only  to  them 
that  believe.  A  plaster  may  have  a  sove- 
reign virtue  in  it  to  heal  any  wound,  but 
it  doth  not  heal  unless  apjdied  to  the  wound. 
And  if  it  he  so,  that  all  have  not  the  bene- 
fit of  Christ's  redemption,  only  some ;  then 
it  is  a  necessary  question  to  ask  our  souls, 
Whether  we  are  in  (he  number  oflhtm  that  are 
redeemed  by  Christ  or  not  ? 

Quest.  How  shall  we  know  that? 

Ans.  Such  as  are  redeemed,  are  recon- 
ciled to  God ;  the  enmity  is  taken  a\A'ay  ; 
their  judgments  approve,  their  wills  incline 
adbonnm.  Col.  i.  21.  Are  they  redeemed, 
that  are  unreconciled  to  God  ?  Who  hate 
God  and  his  people,  (as  the  vine  and  laurel 
have  an  antipathy) — who  do  all  they  can 
to  disparage  holiness  ?  Are  these  redeem- 
ed  who   are    unreconciled?      Christ   hath 


purchased  a  reprieval  for  these  :  but  a  sin- 
ner may  have  a  reprieve  and  yet  go  to  hell, 
John  V.  6. 

A.  2.  Such  as  arc  redeemed  by  Christ 
are  redeemed  from  the  world.  Gal.  i.  4., 
"  ^^^lo  gave  himself  for  our  sins,  that  he 
might  deliver  (or  redeem)  us  from  this 
present  evil  world."  Such  as  are  redeemed 
by  Christ  are  risen  with  Christ,  Col.  iii.  1. 
As  the  birds,  though  they  light  upon  the 
gi'ound  to  pick  up  a  little  seed,  yet  imme- 
diately they  take  their  wings  and  fly  up  to 
heaven  again  :  so  the  redeemed  of  the  Lord, 
though  they  use  the  world,  and  take  the 
lawful  comforts  of  it,  yet  their  hearts  are 
presently  off  these  things,  and  they  ascend 
to  heaven ;  live  here,  and  trade  above. 
Such  as  Christ  hath  died  for,  are  '  dead  to 
the  world ;'  to  the  honours,  profits,  and 
preferments  of  it.  What  shall  we  think 
of  them  who  say,  they  are  redeemed  of  the 
Lord,  yet  are  lovers  of  the  world  ?  Like 
the  tribes  who  desired  to  have  their  portion 
on  this  side  Canaan  :  Phil.  iii.  19.,  "  WTio 
mind  earthly  things."  They  pull  down 
their  souls  to  build  up  an  estate.  They  are 
not  redeemed  by  Christ  who  are  not  redeem- 
ed from  the  world. 

Use  Sd.  Of  comfort,  to  such  as  are  re- 
deemed. You  are  happy, — the  lot  of  free 
grace  is  fallen  upon  you, — you  who  were 
once  in  the  devil's  prison,  you  have  broke 
this  prison, — you  that  were  once  bound  in 
the  chains  of  sin,  God  hath  begun  to  beat 
off  your  chains,  and  hath  freed  you  from 
the  power  of  sin,  and  the  curse  due  to  it. 
What  a  comfort  is  this  ?  And  is  there  any 
consolation  in  Christ  ?  it  is  thine.  Is  there 
any  sweet  fruit  growing  upon  the  promise? 
thou  mayest  gather  it.  Are  there  any  glo- 
rious privileges  in  the  gospel  ?  they  are  thy 
jointure,  justification,  adoption,  coronation. 
Is  there  any  glory  in  heaven?  thou  shalt 
shortly  drink  of  that  river  of  pleasure. 
Hast  thou  any  temporal  comforts  ?  these 
are  but  a  pledge  and  earnest  of  more  :  thy 
meal  in  the  barrel  is  but  a  l)ait  l)y  the  way, 
and  an  earnest  of  that  angels'  food  which 
God  hath  prepared  for  tliee.  How  mayest 
thou  be  comforted  in  all  worldly  afflictions, 
though  the  fig-tree  flourish  not !  Nay,  in 
case  of  death,  death  liath  lost  its  sting. 
Mors  ebiit  morte  Christ i.     Death  shall  carry 


144 


OF  FAITH. 


thee  to  thy  Kedeemer ;  fear  not  dying  since 
you  cannot  be  perfectly  liappy  but  by  dying 
Use  u/t.  Of  exhortation.  Long  for  the 
time  wlien  you  shall  have  a  full  and  per- 
fect redemption  in  heaven,  an  eternal  jubi- 
lee ;  wlien  you  shall  be  freed,  not  only  from 
the  power  but  from  the  presence  of  sin. 
Here  a  believer  is  as  a  prisoner  that  hath 
broken  prison,  but  walks  with  a  fetter  on 
his  leg;  when  the  banner  of  glory  shall 
be  displayed  over  you,  you  shall  be  as  the 
angels  of  God, — you  shall  never  have  a  sin- 
ful thought  more, — no  pain  or  grief,  no 
aching  head  or  unbelieving  heart.  You 
shall  see  Christ's  face,  and  lie  for  ever  in 


his  arms ;  you  shall  be  as  Joseph,  Gen. 
xli.  14.,  "  Tliey  brought  him  hastily  out 
of  the  dungeon,  and  he  shaved  himself, 
and  changed  his  raiment  and  came  in  unto 
Pharaoh."  Long  for  that  time  when  you 
shall  put  off  your  prison-garments,  and 
change  your  raiment,  and  put  on  the  em- 
broidered garment  of  glory.  O  long !  yet 
be  content  to  wait  for  this  full  and  glorious 
redemption,  when  you  shall  be  more  happy 
than  you  can  desire,  «'hen  you  shall  have 
"  that  Avhich  eye  hath  not  seen,  nor  ear 
heard,  nor  can  it  enter  into  man's  heart  to 
conceive." 


OF  FAITH. 


Gal.  ii.  20.    The  life  that  I  noio  live  iii  the  flesh,  I  live  hy  the  faith  of  the  Son  of  God. 


IL  THE  Spirit  applies  to  us  the  redemp- 
tion purchased  by  Christ,  by  working  faith 
in  us. 

Christ  is  the  glory,  and  faith  in  Christ 
the  comfort  of  the  gospel. 

Quest.    JV/iat  are  the  kinds  of  faith  ? 

Ans.  Fourfold:  1.  An  historical  or  dog- 
matical faith,  which  is  the  believing  the 
truths  revealed  in  the  word,  because  of  di- 
vine authority. 

2.  There  is  a  temporary  faith,  which 
lasteth  but  for  a  time,  and  vanisheth.  Mat. 
xiii.  21.,  "  Yet  hath  he  no  root  in  himself, 
but  dureth  for  a  while."  A  temporary 
faith  is  like  Jonah's  gourd,  which  came 
up  in  a  night  and  withered,  chap.  iv.  10. 

3.  A  miraculous  faith,  which  was  grant- 
ed to  the  apostles,  to  work  miracles  for  the 
confirmation  of  the  gospel.  This  Judas 
had  ;  he  t;ast  out  devils,  yet  was  cast  out  to 
the  devil. 

4.  A  true  justifying  faith,  which  is  called 
"  A  faith  of  the  operation  of  God,"  Col. 
ii.  12.,  and  is  a  jewel  hung  only  upon  the 
elect. 

Q  u  E  ST.   1  Vhat  is  justifying  fa  ith  ? 

Ans.  I  shall  show,  1*^.  What  it  is  not. 
It  is  not  a  bare  acknowledgment  that  Christ 
is  a  Saviour.  Indeed  there  must  be  an  ac- 
knowledgment, but  that  is  not  sufficient  to 
justify.     The  devils  acknowledged  Christ's 


Godhead,  Mat.  viii.  29.,  '  Jesus  the  Son 
of  God.'  There  may  be  an  assent  to  di- 
vine truth,  yet  no  work  of  grace  on  the 
heart;  many  assent  in  their  judgments,  that 
sin  is  an  evil  thing,  but  they  go  on  in  sin, 
their  corruptions  are  stronger  than  their 
convictions,  and  that  Christ  is  excellent, 
they  cheapen  the  pearl,  but  do  not  buy. 

2d.  Wliat  justifying  faith  is  ?     I  answer, 
true  justifying  faith  consists  in  three  things. 

1.  Self-renunciation.  Faith  is  a  going 
out  of  one's  self;  a  man  is  taken  off  from 
his  own  bottom,  he  sees  he  hath  no  righte- 
ousness of  his  own  to  save  him,  Phil.  iii. 
9.,  "  Not  having  mine  own  righteousness." 
Self-righteousness  is  a  broken  reed  the  soul 
dares  not  lean  on.  Repentance  and  faith 
are  both  humbling  graces;  by  repentance 
a  man  abhors  himself;  by  faith  he  goes 
out  of  himself.  It  is  with  a  sinner  in  the 
first  act  of  believing,  as  with  Israel  in  their 
wilderness  march,  behind  them  they  saw 
Pharaoh  and  his  chariots  pursui:  g  them, 
before  them  the  Red  sea  ready  to  devour 
them:  so  the  soul  behind  sees  God's  jus- 
tice pursuing  him  for  sin,  before  hell  ready 
to  devour  him ;  and,  in  this  forlorn  con- 
dition, he  sees  nothing  in  himself  to  help 
him  but  he  must  perish  unless  he  can  find 
help  in  another. 

2.  Recumbency.     The  soul  casts  itself 


OF  FAITH. 


145 


upon  Jesus  Christ ;  faith  rests  on  Christ's 
person.     Faith   believes   the   promise;  hut 
that  which  faith  rests  upon  in  the  promise, 
is  the  person  of  Christ ;  tlierefore  the  spouse 
is  said  to  "  lean  upon  her  beloved,"  Cant. 
A'iii.    5.     And    faith    is   described  to  be  a 
"  believing^  on  the  name  of  the  Son  of  God," 
John    iii.   23.,  viz.    on    his    person.      The 
promise  is  but  the  cabinet,  Christ   is   the 
iewcl  in  it  which  faith   embraceth  ?     The 
promise  is  but  the  dish,  Christ  is  the  food 
in  it  which  faith  feeds  on.     And  as  faith 
rests  on  Christ's  person,  so  on  his  person 
under    this    notion,    as    he    was    crucified. 
Faith  glories  in  the  cross  of  Christ,   Gal. 
vi.  14.     To  consider  Christ  as  he  is  crown- 
ed with  all  manner  of  excellencies,  doth  ra- 
ther stir  up  admiration  and  wonder ;  but 
Christ  looked  upon  as  Weeding-  and  dying, 
is   the   proper   object  of  our  faith  ;   there- 
fore it  is  called  " Vaith  in  his  hlood,"  Rom. 
iii.  25. 

3.  Appropriation,  or  t?ie  applying  Christ 
to  ourselves.     A  medicine,    though   it  be 
ever  so  sovcro/gn,  yet  if  not  applied  to  the 
tvound,   win  (1-3  no  good, — though  tlie  })las- 
ter  be  piad<J  of  Christ's  own  blood,  yet  it 
will  not  Aeal,  unless  it  be  applied  by  faith, 
— tfip  blood  of  God,  without  faith  in  God, 
w^ii  not  save.     This  applying  of  Christ  is 
called  a  receiA^ing  of  him,  John  i.  12.     The 
hand  receiving  of  gold,  enricheth;  so  the 
hand  of  faith  receiving  Christ's  golden  me- 
rits with  salvation,  ein-icheth  us. 
Quest.  How  is  faith  ivrought  ? 
Ans.  By  the  blessed  Spirit ;  who  is  call- 
ed the  '  Spirit  of  grace,'  Zech.  xii.  10.,  be- 
cause he  is  the  spring  and  efficient  of  all 
grace.     Faith  is  the  chief  work  which  the 
Spirit  of  God  works  in  a  man's  heart.     In 
making  the  world  God    did  but  speak  a 
word,  but  in  working  faith  he  puts  forth 
his  arm,  Luke  i.  51.     The  Spirit's  working 
faith  is  called,   "  The  exceeding  greatness 
of  God's  power."     What  a  power  was  put 
forth  in  raising  Christ  from  the  grave,  when 
such  a  tombstone  lay  upon  him,   "  the  sins 
of  all  the  world  \"  Yet  he  was  raised  uj)  by 
the  Spirit ;    the  same  power  the  Spirit  of 
God  puts  forth  in  working  faitli.     The  Spi- 
rit irradiates  the  mind,  subdues  tlie  \\\\\  ; 
the  will  natiinilly  i^;  like  a  garrison,   A\liich 
holds  out  against  God;  the  Spirit  wiih     1 


sweet  violence  conquers,  or  rather  cl.angc  th 
the  will,  making  the  sinner  willing  to  iiave 
Christ  upon  any  terms,  to  be  ruled  by  I'i'" 
as  well  as  saved  by  him. 

Quest.    Wherein  lies  the  preciousness  of 
faith  ? 

Ans.  1.  In  its  being  the  chief  gospel- 
grace, — the  head  of  the  graces  ;  as  gold  a- 
mong  the  metal.s,  so  is  faith  among  the 
graces.  Clem.  Alexandrinus  calls  the  other 
graces  the  daughters  of  faith.  Indeed,  in 
heaven,  love  will  be  the  chief  grace;  but, 
while  we  arc  here  militant,  love  must  give 
place  to  faith ;  love  takes  possession  of 
glory,  but  faith  gives  a  title  to  it.  Love  is 
the  crowning  grace  in  heaven,  but  faith  is 
the  conquering  grace  upon  earth,  1  Jolm.  v. 
4.,  "  This  is  the  vdctory  that  overcometh 
the  world,  even  our  faith." 

A.  2.  In  its  having  influence  upon  all  the 
graces,    and  setting    them    a-work,    not   a 
grace  stirs  till  faith  set  it  a-work.     As  the 
clothier  sets  the  poor  a-work,  he  sets  their 
wheel    a-going :     faith    sets    hope    a-work. 
The  heir  must  believe  his  title  to  an  estate 
in  reversion  before  he  can  hope  for  it ;  faith 
believes  its  title  to  glory,    and  then  liopo 
waits  for  it.     Did  not  faith  feed  the  lamp 
of  hope  with  oil,  it  would  soon  die.     Faith, 
sets  love  a-work,  Gal.  5.  6.,  "  Faith  whicb 
worketh  by  love  ;"  believing  the  mercy  ani" 
merit  of  Christ  causeth  a  flame  of  love  to 
ascend.     Faith  sets  patience  a-work,   Iltb. 
vi.  12  ,  "Be  followers  of  them,  uho  through 
faith    and    patience    inherit    the   promise.' 
Faith  believes  the  glorious  rewards  given 
to  suffering.     Thi.>i  makes  the  soul  patient 
in  suffV'ring.    Thus  faith  is  the  master-wheel, 
it  sets  all  the  other  graces  a-running. 

A.  3    In  its  being  the  grace  which  God 
honcnns  to  justify  and  save  :  thus  indeed  it 
is  '  precious  faith,'  as  the  apostle  calls  il, 
2  Pet.  i.  1.     The  other  graces  helj)  to  sanc- 
tify, but  it  is  faith  that  justifies,  Rom.  v.  1., 
"   Being  justified   by   faith."      Repenl;iii  -e 
or  love  do  not  justify,  but  faitli. 
Quest.  Hu iv  doth  fa ith  jui^tij'n  ? 
Ans.  Faith  doth  not  justify,  1.  As  it  is  a 
work,  that  were  to  make  a  Christ  of  our 
faith  ;  but  faith  justifies,  as  it  lays  hold  of  t):e     * 
object,  vi/.  Christ's  merits.     If  a  man  had 
a  precious  stone  in  a  ring  that  could  heal, 
we  say  the  ring  heals ;  but  properly  it  Wl 

T 


146 


OF  FAITH. 


not  tne  ring,  but  the  precious  stone  in  the 
ring  that  heals.  Thus  faith  saves  and  jus- 
tifies, hut  it  is  not  any  inherent  virtue  in 
faith,  but  as  it  lays  liokl  on  Christ,  so  it 
justifies. 

2.  Faith  clotli  not  justify  as  it  exereisetli 
grace.  It  cannot  be  denied,  faitli  doth  in- 
vigorate all  the  graces,  it  puts  strength  and 
liveliness  into  them,  but  it  doth  not  justify 
luider  this  notion.  Faith  works  by  love, 
but  it  doth  not  justify  as  it  works  by  love, 
but  as  it  applies  Christ's  merits. 

Quest.  Why  should  faith  save  and  Just  if y 
more  than  any  other  grace  ? 

Ans.  1.  Because  of  God's  sanction.  He 
hath  appointed  this  grace  to  be  justifying: 
and  he  doth  it,  because  faith  is  a  grace  that 
takes  a  man  off  himself,  and  gives  all  the 
honour  to  Christ  and  free  grace,  Rom  iv,  20., 
"  Strong  in  faith  giving  glory  to  God." 
Therefore  God  hatli  put  this  honour  on  faith, 
to  make  it  saving  and  justifying.  Tlie 
king's  stamp  makes  the  coin  pass  for  cur- 
ent ;  if  he  would  put  his  stamp  upon  leath- 
er as  well  as  silver,  it  would  make  it  cur- 
rent ;  so  God  having  put  his  sancticm,  the 
stamp  of  his  authority  and  institution  upon 
faith,  this  makes  it  to  be  justifying  and  sav- 


ing- 


A.  2.  Because  faith  makes  us  one  with 
Christ,  Eph.  iii.  17.  It  is  the  espousing, 
incorporating  grace,  it  gives  us  coalition 
and  union  with  Chi'ist's  person  :  other 
gi-aces  make  us  like  Christ,  faith  makes  us 
members  of  Christ. 

Use  1st.  Of  exhortation.  Let  us  above 
all  things  labour  for  faith.  Fides  est  sanc- 
tissimvm  hvmani pectoris  bonuni:  Eph.  vi.  19. 
"  Above  all  taking  the  shield  of '  faith." 
Faith  will  be  of  more  use  to  us  than  any 
grace  :  as  an  eye  though  dim,  was  of  more 
use  to  an  Israelite  than  all  the  other  mem- 
bers of  his  body, — not  a  strong  arm,  or  a 
nimble  foot.— it  was  his  eye  looking  on  the 
brazen  serpent  that  cured  him.  It  is  not 
knowledge,  though  angelical, — not  repent- 
ance, though  we  could  shed  rivers  of  tears, 
— could  justify  us :  only  faith,  whereby  we 
look  on  Christ.  "  Without  faith  it  is  im- 
possible to  please  God,"  Ilcb.  xi.  G. ;  and  if 
we  do  not  please  him  by  believing,  he  will 
not  please  us  in  saving  of  us.  Faith  is  the 
condition  of  the  covenant  of  grace  ;  without 


faith, — without  covenant ;  and  without  co- 
venant,— without  hope,  Eph.  ii.  12. 

Use  2d.  Of  trial :  Let  us  try  whether  we 
have  faith.  There  is  something  looks  like 
faith,  and  is  not ;  a  Bristol- stone  looks  like 
a  diamond.  Some  plants  have  the  sam.e 
leaf  with  others,  but  the  herbalist  can  dis- 
tinguish them  by  the  root,  and  taste. 
Something  may  look  like  true  faith,  but  it 
may  be  distinguished  by  the  fruits.  Let 
as  be  serious  in  the  trial  of  our  faith  ;  there 
is  much  depends  upon  our  faith  ;  if  our 
faith  be  not  good,  there  is  nothing  good 
comes  from  us ;  our  duties  and  graces  are 
adulterate. 

Quest.  Well  then,  how  shall  we  knew  it 
iff  a  true  faith  ? 

A71S.  By  the  noble  effects  :    1.  Faith  is  a 
Christ-prizing  grace,  it  puts  an  high  valua- 
tion upon  Christ,   1  Pet  ii.  7.,   "  To  you, 
that  believe,  be  is  precious."     St.  Paul  did 
best  know  Christ,   1  Cor.  ix.  1.,   "  Have  I 
not  seen   Jesus   Chvist  our  Lord?"    Paul 
saw  Christ  with  his  bodily  eyes  in  a  vision, 
AA'licn  he  was  caught  up  into  the  thivd  hea- 
ven, and  saw  him  with  the  ey<>  of  his  faith 
in  the  holy  supper,  therefore  he  best  knev/ 
Christ.     And  see  how  he  styles  all  t\>ino-s 
in  comparison  of  him,  Phil.  iii.  8.,  "  I  ctsi.int 
all  things  but  dung,  that  I  may  win  Christ.'' 
Do  we  set  an  high  estimate  upon  Christ  ? 
could  we  be  willing  to  part  with  the  wedge 
of  gold  for  the  pearl  of  price  ?  Greg.     Na- 
zianzcn  blessed  God,  lie  had  any  thing  to 
lose  for  Christ's  sake. 

2.  Faith  is  a  refining  grace,  1  Tim.  iii.  9., 
"  Mystery  of  faith  in  a  pure  conscience." 
Faith  is  in  the  soul  as  fire  among  metals  : 
It  refines  and  pm-ifics.  Morality  may  wash 
the  outside,  faith  washeth  the  inside,  Acts 
XV.  9.,  "  Ha-s-ing  purified  their  hearts  by 
faith."  Faith  makes  the  heart  a  sacristy 
or  holy  of  holies.  Faith  is  a  margin-grace, 
though  it  doth  not  take  away  the  life  of  sin, 
yet  is  takes  away  the  love  of  sin.  Examine 
if  your  hearts  be  an  unclean  fountain,  send- 
ing out  mud  and  dirt,  pride,  en\y ;  if 
there  be  legions  of  lusts  in  thy  soul,  there 
is  no  faith.  Faith  is  an  heavenly  plant, 
which  will  not  grow  in  an  impure  soil. 

3.  Faith  is  an  obediential  grace,  Rom, 
xvi.  26.,  '  The  obedience  of  faith.'  Faith 
melts  our  will  into  God's ;    faith  runs  at 


OF  FAITH. 


147 


God's  call ;  if  God  commands  duty  (tli()ii<^li 
cross  to  flesh  and  ])lood)  faith  obeys.  Hoi) 
xi.  8.,  "  By  faith  Abraham  obeyed." 
Faitli  is  not  an  idle  grace,  as  it  liatli  an  eye 
to  see  Christy  so  it  hath  an  hand  to  work 
for  him.  Failh  doth  not  only  believe  God's 
promise,  but  obey  his  command.  It  is  not 
your  having  knowledge  will  evidence  you 
to  be  believers ;  the  devil  hath  knowledge, 
but  wants  obedience,  and  that  makes  him 
a  devil.  And  the  true  obedience  of  faith 
is  a  cheerful  obedience ;  God's  commands 
do  not  seem  grievous.  Have  you  the  obe- 
dience, and  obey  cheerfully  ?  ^\niat  say  you 
to  this  ?  Do  you  look  upon  God's  command 
as  your  burden,  or  privilege, — as  an  iron 
fetter  about  your  leg,  or  a  gold  chain  about 
your  neck  ? 

4.  Faith  is  an  assimilating  grace.  It 
changeth  the  soul  into  the  image  of  the  ob- 
ject; it  makes  it  like  Christ.  Never  did 
any  look  upon  Christ  with  a  believing  eye, 
but  he  was  made  like  Christ.  A  deformed 
person  may  look  on  a  beautiful  object,  but 
not  be  made  beautiful ;  but  faith  looking  on 
Christ  transforms  a  man,  and  turns  him 
into  his  similitude.  Faith  looking  on  a 
bleeding  Christ  causeth  a  soft  bleeding 
heart ;  looking  on  an  holy  Christ  causeth 
sanctity  of  heart;  looking  on  an  humble 
Christ  makes  the  soul  humble.  As  the  ca- 
melion  is  changed  into  the  colour  of  that 
whicli  it  looks  upon  ;  so  faith  looking  on 
Christ,  changeth  a  Christian  into  the  simi- 
litude of  Christ. 

5.  By  the  growth  of  it ;  if  it  be  a  true 
faith,  it  grows ;  living  things  grow,  Rom.  i. 
17.,  "  From  faith  to  faith." 

Quest.  How  may  we  judge  of  the  groivth 
of  faith  ? 

Ans.  Growth  of  faith  is  judged,  1.  By 
strength.  We  can  do  that  now,  which  we 
could  not  do  before.  Wlien  one  is  man- 
grown,  he  can  do  that  which  he  could  not 
do  when  he  was  a  child ;  he  can  carry  a 
heavier  burthen,  so  thou  canst  bear  crosses 
with,  more  patience. 


2.  Growth  of  faith  is  seen  by  doing  du- 
ties in  a  more  spiritual  manner,  viz.  with 
fervency ;  we  put  coa's  to  the  incense,  from 
a  princi[)le  of  love  to  God.  When  an  ap- 
ple hath  done  growing  in  bigness,  it  grows 
in  sweetness ;  thou  dost  duties  in  love,  and 
now  art  sweeter,  and  come  off  with  a  bet- 
ter relish. 

Obj.  But  I  /car  I  hare  no  faith  ? 

Ans.  We  must  distinguish  between  weak- 
ness of  faith  and  nullity;  a  weak  faith  is 
true.  The  bruised  reed  is  but  weak,  yet  it 
is  such  as  Christ  will  not  break.  Thoujrh 
thy  faith  be  but  weak,  yet  be  not  discou- 
raged. 

1.  A  weak  faith  may  receive  a  strong 
Clirist ;  a  weak  hand  can  tye  the  knot  in 
marriage,  as  well  as  a  strong;  a  weak  eye 
might  have  seen  the  brazen  serpent.  The 
woman  in  the  gospel,  that  but  touched 
Christ,  received  virtue  from  him.  The 
touch  of  faith. 

2.  The  promise  is  not  made  to  strong 
faith,  but  to  true.  The  promise  doth  not 
say,  whosoever  hath  a  giant-faith  that  can 
remove  mountains,  that  can  stop  the  mouths 
of  lions,  shall  be  saved  ;  but  whosoever  be- 
lieves, be  his  faith  ever  so  small.  Though 
Christ  sometimes  chides  a  weak  faith  ;  yet 
that  it  may  iu)t  he  discouraged,  he  makes  a 
promise  to  it,  Mat.  \.  3  ,  Beati  qui  esitriiint. 

3.  A  weak  faith  may  be  fruitful.  Weak- 
est things  multi})ly  nu)st ;  the  vine  is  a  Weak 
plant,  but  it  is  fruitful.  Weak  Christians 
may  have  strong  affections.  How  strong 
is  the  first  love,  which  is  after  the  first 
planting  of  faith  ! 

4.  Weak  faith  may  be  growing.  The 
seeds  spring  up  by  degrees ;  first  the  blade, 
then  the  ear,  then  the  full  corn  in  the  car. 
Therefore  be  not  discouraged ;  God  who 
would  have  us  receive  them  that  are  weak 
in  faith,  Rom.  xiv.  1.,  will  not  himself  re- 
fuse them.  A  weak  believer  is  a  member 
of  Christ ;  and  though  Christ  will  cut  off 
rotten  members  from  his  body,  yet  not  neak 
members. 


148 


EFFECTUAL  CALLING 


EFFFXTUAL  CALLING. 


Rom.  viii.  30.   Them  he  also  called. 


Quest.  XXXL  WHAT  is  effectual  call- 
ing? 

Ans.  It  is  a  gracious  work  of  the  Spirit, 
wliereby  he  causeth  us  to  embrace  Christ, 
freely  offered  to  us  in  the  gospel. 

In  this  verse  is  a  golden  chain  of  salva- 
tion, made  up  of  four  links  ;  this  is  one,  vo- 
cation,— "  Them  he  also  called."  Calling 
is  nova  creatio, — a  new  creation,  the  first 
resurrection.  There  is  a  two-fold  call :  L 
An  extrinsic  or  outward  call ;  2.  An  intrin- 
sic or  inward  effectual  call. 

L  An  extrinsic  or  outward  call,  which  is 
God's  off'or  of  grace  to  sinners,  inviting 
them  to  come  in  and  accept  of  Christ  and 
salvation.  Mat.  xx.  16.,  "  Many  are  called, 
but  \\iw  chosen."  This  outward  call  shews 
men  what  they  ought  to  do  in  order  to  sal- 
vation, and  renders  them  inexcusable  in 
case  of  disobedience. 

2.  There  is  an  intrinsic  or  effectual  call, 
when  God  with  the  offer  of  grace  works 
grace ;  by  this  call  the  heart  is  renewed, 
and  the  will  effectually  drawn  to  embrace 
Christ.  The  outward  call  brings  men  to  a 
profession  of  Christ,  the  inward  to  a  posses- 
sion of  Christ. 

Quest.  What  are  the  means  of  this  effec- 
tual call  ? 

Ans.  Every  creature  hath  a  voice  to  call 
us.  The  heavens  call  to  us  to  behold  God's 
glory,  Ps.  xix.  L  ;  conscience  calls  to  us  ; 
God's  judgments  call  to  us,  repent,  Mic.  vi. 
9.,  "  Hear  ye  the  rod."  But  every  voice 
doth  not  o«tnvert.  There  are  two  means  of 
our  effecrtiial  call : 

L  The  preaching  of  the  word,  which  iis 
the  sounding  (iod's  silver  trumpet  in  men's 
ears  ;  God  doth  not  speak  by  an  oracle,  he 
calls  by  his  ministers.  Samuel  thouglit  it 
had  been  only  the  voice  of  Eli  that  caUed 
to  him  ;  but  it  was  God's  voice,  1  Sam.  iii. 
6.  So  perhaps  you  think  it  is  only  the  mi- 
nister speaks  to  you  in  the  word,  but  it  is 
God  himself  speaks.  Therefore  Christ  is 
said  (now)  to  speak  to  us  from  heaven, 
Heb.  xii.  25.     How  doth  he  speak  but  by 


his  ministers  as  a  king  speaks  by  his  am- 
bassadors. Know,  that  in  every  sermon 
preached,  God  calls  to  you ;  and  to  refuse 
the  message  we  bring,  is  to  refuse  God  him- 
self. 

2.  The  other  means  of  our  effectual  call, 
is  the  Holy  Spirit.  The  luinistry  of  the 
word  is  the  pipe  or  organ  ;  the  Spirit  of 
God  blowing  in  it  doth  effectually  change 
men's  hearts.  Acts  x.  44.,  "  While  Peter 
spake,  the  Holy  Ghost  fell  on  all  them  that 
heard  the  word  of  God."  Ministers  knock 
at  the  door  of  men's  hearts,  the  Spirit  comes 
with  a  key  and  opens  the  door,  Acts  xvi.  6., 
"  A  certain  Avoman  named  Lydia,  whose 
heart  the  Lord  opened." 

Quest.  From  what  doth  God  call  men  ? 

Ans.  L  From  sin ;  he  calls  them  from 
their  ignorance  and  unbelief,  1  Pet.  i.  14. 
By  nature  the  understanding  is  enveloped 
with  darkness.  God  calls  men  "  from  dark- 
ness to  light,"  Acts  xxvi.  18.  as  if  one  should 
be  called  out  of  a  dungeon  to  behold  the 
light  of  the  sun. 

A.  2.  From  danger.  As  the  angels  called 
Lot  out  t)f  Sodom  when  it  was  ready  to  rain 
fire,  so  God  calls  his  people  from  the  fire 
and  brimstone  of  hell,  and  from  all  those 
curses  they  were  exposed  to. 

A.  3.  He  calls  them  out  of  tfie  world,  as 
Christ  called  Matthew  from  the  receipt  of 
custom  :  John  xvii.  16.,  "  They  are  not  of 
the  world."  Such  as  are  divinely  called  are 
not  natives  here,  but  pilgrim.s  ;  they  do  not 
conform  to  the  world,  or  follow  its  sinful 
fashions  ;  they  are  not  of  the  world  ;  though 
they  live  here,  yet  they  trade  in  the  hea- 
venly country  ;  the  world  is  a  ])lace  where 
Satan's  throne  is.  Rev.  ii.  13.  A  stage  on 
which  sin  every  day  acts  its  part.  Now 
such  as  are  called,  are  in,  but  not  of  the 
world. 

Quest.  To  what  God  calls  men  ? 

Ans.  1.  He  calls  them  to  holiness,  1  Thess?. 
iv.  7.,  "  God  hath  not  called  us  to  unclean- 
ness,  but  unto  holiness."  Holiness  is  the 
livery,  or  silver  star,   the  godly  wear,  Isa. 


EFFECTUAL  CALLING. 


149 


Ixiii.  18.,  Knani  kodsheca, — '  Tlie  people  of 
iliy  lioliuess.'  The  called  of  God  are  a- 
noiutcd  with  the  consecrating  oil  of  the 
Spirit,  1  Joliii  ii.  20.,  "  Ye  have  an  unction 
from  the  Holy  One." 

A.  2.  God  calls  them  to  glory,  as  if  a  man 
wore  called  out  of  a  prison  to  sit  upon  a 
throne,  1  Thess.  ii.  12.,  "  Who  hath  called 
you  to  his  kingdom  and  gloiy."  Whom 
God  calls,  he  crowns ;  it  is  a  '  weight  of 
glory,'  2  Cor.  iv.  17.  The  Hebrew  word 
for  glory,  Kauod  signifies  pondus^  a  weiglit ; 
the  \A'eight  of  glory  adds  to  the  worth,  the 
weightier  gold  is,  the  more  it  is  worth. 
And  this  glory  is  not  transient,  but  perma- 
nent,— an  eternal  weiglit ;  it  is  better  felt 
than  expressed. 

Quest.  What  is  the  cause  of  the  effectual 
call? 

Ans.  God's  electing  love,  Rom.  viii.  30., 
"  Whom  he  predestinated,  them  he  also 
called."  Election  is  the  fountain-cause  of 
our  vocation  ;  it  is  not  because  some  are 
more  worthy  to  partake  of  the  heavenly 
calling  than  others  (as  the  Arminians),  we 
were  all  in  our  blood,  Ezck.  xvi.  G.  And 
what  worthiness  is  in  us  ?  What  worthiness 
was  there  in  Mary  Magdalene,  out  of  whom 
seven  devils  were  cast  ?  What  worthiness 
in  the  Corinthians,  when  God  began  to  call 
them  by  his  gospel  ?  They  were  fornica- 
tors, effeminate,  idolaters,  1  Cor.  vi.  11., 
"  Such  were  some  of  you,  but  ye  are  wash- 
ed," &c.  Before  effectual  calling,  we  are 
not  only  "  without  strength,"  Rom.  v.  6., 
but  '  enemies,'  Col.  i.  21.  So  that  the 
foundation  of  vocation  is  election. 

Quest.  What  are  the  epithets  or  qualifica- 
tions of  this  call  ? 

Ans.  1.  It  is  a  powerful  call ;  verha  Dei 
sunt  opera,  Luther.  God  puts  forth  infi- 
nite power  in  calling  home  a  sinner  to  him- 
self; he  dotli  not  only  put  forth  his  voice 
but  his  arm.  The  apostle  speaks  of  the  ex- 
ceeding greatness  of  his  power,  he  exercis- 
eth  towards  them  that  believe,  Eph.  i.  ID. 
God  rides  forth  conquering  in  the  chariot 
of  his  gospel ;  he  conquers  the  pride  of  the 
heart,  and  makes  the  will,  which  stood  out 
as  a  fort-royal,  to  yield  and  st(top  to  his 
gi-ace ;  he  makes  the  stony  heart  bleed  ;  it 


suasion,— that  God  in  tbe  conversion  of  a 
sinner,  doth  only  morally  persuade,  and  no 
more  ?  He  sets  his  promises  before  them 
to  allure  ihom  to  good,  and  his  threaten- 
in<rs  to  deter  them  from  evil  ;  and  here  is 
all  he  doth.  But  sure  moral  persuasions 
alone  are  insufficient  to  the  effectual  call  : 
how  can  the  bare  proposal  of  i>romises  and 
threatenings  convert  a  soul  ?  This  amounts 
not  to  a  new  creation,  or  that  power  which 
raised  Christ  from  the  dead  ;  God  doth  not 
only  persuade,  but  enable,  Ezek.  xxxvii.  27. 
If  (iod,  in  conversion,  should  only  morally 
persuade,  that  is,  set  good  and  evil  before 
men,  then  God  doth  not  put  forth  so  nnich 
power  in  saving  men,  as  the  devil  doth  in 
destroying  them.  Satan  doth  not  only  j)ro- 
pound  tempting  objects  to  men,  but  doth 
concur  with  his  temj)tations :  therefore  he 
is  said  to  "  work  in  the  children  of  disobe- 
dience," Eph.  ii.  2.  The  Greek  word,  to 
work,  signifies  imperii  vim,  Camer.,  the 
power  Satan  hatb  in  carrying  men  to  sin. 
And  shall  not  God's  ])ower  in  converting, 
be  greater  than  Satan's  power  in  seducing? 
The  effectual  call  is  mighty  and  powerful  ; 
God  puts  forth  a  divine  energy,  nay  a  kind 
of  omnipotency  ;  it  is  such  a  powerful  call 
that  llie  will  of  man  hath  no  power  effec- 
tually to  resist. 

A.  2.  It  is  an  higb  calling,  Phil.  iii.  14., 
"  I  ])ress  toward  the  mark  of  the  prize  of 
the  high  calling  of  God."  It  is  an  high 
calling,  1^^,  Because  we  are  called  to  high 
exercises  of  religion  ;  to  be  crucified  to  the 
world,  to  live  by  faith,  to  do  angels'  work, 
to  love  Ciod,  to  be  living  organs  of  his 
praise,  to  hold  comnmnion  with  the  Father 
and  the  Son,  1  John  i.  3. — 2dly,  It  is  an 
high  calling,  bi-cause  we  are  called  to  high 
privileges;  to  justification  and  adoption, 
to  be  kings  and  priests  unto  (iod  ;  we  are 
called  to  the  fellowship  of  angels,  to  be  co- 
heirs with  Christ,  Rom.  viii.  IT.  They 
who  are  effectually  called,  are  candidates 
of  heaven  ;  they  are  pi'inces  in  all  lands, 
Ps.  xlv.  !(>.,  though  princes  in  <lisguise. — 
Sd/f/,  It  is  an  immutable  call,  Roni.  xi.  J)., 
"  The  gifts  and  calling  of  (i'>d  are  without 
repentance  ;"  that  is,  those  gifts  that  flow 
from   election,   (as  vocation  and  juslifica- 


is  a  mighty  powerful  call.     Why  then  do  |  tion)  these  are  without   rei)entance.     God 
the  Ai-minians  seem  to  talk  of  a  moral  per-  |  rei)ented  he  called  Saul  to  be  a  kmg ;  but 


150 


EFFECTUAL  CALLING. 


he  never  repents  that  he  calls  a  sinner  to 
be  a  saint. 

Use  1st.  See  the  necessity  of  the  effec- 
tual call,  a  man  cannot  go  to  heaven  with- 
out it.  First,  We  must  be  called  before 
glorified,  Rom.  viii.  30.  A  man  uncalled 
can  lay  claim  to  nothing  in  the  Bible  but 
threatenings  ;  a  man  in  the  state  of  nature 
IS  not  fit  for  heaven,  no  more  than  a  man 
in  his  filth  and  his  rags  is  fit  to  come  into 
a  king's  presence ;  a  man  in  his  pure  na- 
turals, is  a  God-hater,  Rom.  i.  30. ;  and  is 
he  fit  for  heaven  ?  Will  God  lay  his  ene- 
my in  his  bosom  ? 

Use  2d.  Of  trial.  Whether  we  are  eflfec- 
tually  called  ?  we  may  know  it  by  the  an- 
tecedent and  consequent  of  it. 

L  By  the  antecedent.  Before  this  ef- 
fectual call,  an  humbling  work  passeth  up- 
on the  soul :  a  man  is  convinced  of  sin,  he 
sees  he  is  a  sinner  and  nothing  but  a  sin- 
ner ;  the  fallow-ground  of  his  heart  is  bro- 
ken up,  Jcr.  iv.  3.  As  the  husbandman 
breaks  the  clods,  then  casts  in  the  seed,  so 
God,  by  the  convincing  work  of  the  law 
breaks  a  sinner's  heart,  and  makes  it  fit  to 
receive  the  seeds  of  grace.  Such  as  were 
never  convinced,  are  never  called,  John 
xvi.  8.,  "  He  shall  convince  the  world  of 
sin."  Conviction  is  the  first  step  in  con- 
version. 

2.  By  the  consequents,  two,  (L)  He  who 
is  savingly  called,  answers  to  God's  call. 
Wlien  God  calle<l  Samuel,  he  answered, 
"  Speak,  Lord,  thy  servant  heareth,"  1  Sam. 
iii.  10.  When  God  calls  thee  to  an  act  of 
religion,  thou  dost  run  at  God's  call,  Acts 
xxvi.  19.,  "  I  was  not  disobedient  to  the 
heavenly  vision."  If  God  calls  to  duties 
contrary  to  flesh  and  blood,  we  obey  his 
voice  in  every  thing  ;  true  obedience  is  like 
tJie  needle  which  ])oints  that  way  which  the 
loadstone  draws.  Such  as  are  deaf  to  CJod's 
call,  shew  they  are  not  called  by  grace. — 
(2.)  He  who  is  effectually  called,  doth  stop 
his  ears  to  all  other  calls  which  would  call 
Iiim  off  from  God.  As  God  hath  his  call, 
so  there  are  other  contrary  calls  :  Satan  calls 
by  a  temptation, — lust  calls, — evil  company 
calls, — but,  as  the  adder  stops  its  ear  a- 
gainst  the  voice  of  the  charmer,  so  he  who 
is  effectually  called,  stops  his  ear  against 
all  the  charms  of  the  flesh  and  the  Devil. 


Use  3d.  Of  comfort  to  them  who  are  tfie 
called  of  God.  This  call  evidenceth  elec- 
tion, Rom.  viii.  30.,  "  Whom  he  predesti- 
nated, them  he  also  called."  Election  is 
the  cause  of  our  vocation,  and  vocation  is 
the  sign  of  our  election.  Election  is  the 
first  link  of  the  golden  chain  of  salvation, 
vocation  is  the  second ;  he  who  hath  the 
second  link  of  the  chain  is  sure  of  the  first 
link ;  as  by  the  stream  we  are  led  to  the 
fountain,  so  hy  vocation  we  ascend  to  elec- 
tion. Calling  is  an  earnest  and  pledge  of 
glory,  2  Thess.  ii.  13.,  "  God  hath  chosen 
you  to  salvation,  through  sanctification." 
We  may  read  God's  predestinating  love  in 
the  work  of  grace  in  our  heart. 

To  such  as  are  called,  to  be  thankful  to 
God  for  this  unspeakable  blessing ;  be  thank- 
ful to  all  the  persons  in  the  Trinity,  to  the 
Father's  mere}-, — to  the  Son's  merit, — to 
the  Spirit's  efficacy.  To  niiUie  you  thank- 
ful, consider,  when  you  had  offended  God 
that  he  should  call  vou  :  that,  when  God 
needed  you  not,  he  had  millions  of  glorified 
saints  and  angels  to  praise  him,  yet  he  call- 
ed you.  Again,  consider  what  you  were 
before  God  called  you  ;  you  were  in  your 
sins;  when  God  called  Paul,  he  found  him 
persecuting ;  wlien  he  called  Matthew,  he 
found  him  at  the  receipt  of  custom  ;  when 
he  called  Zaccheus,  he  found  him  using  ex- 
tortion. \\'hen  God  calls  a  man  by  his 
grace,  he  finds  him  seeking  after  his  lusts ; 
as  when  Saul  was  called  to  the  kingdom, 
he  was  seeking  the  asses  ;  that  (iod  should 
call  thee  when  thou  wast  in  the  hot  pursuit 
of  sin,  admire  God's  love,  exalt  his  praise. 
Again,  that  God  should  call  you,  and  pass 
by  others,  what  mercy  is  this  !  Mat.  xi.  26., 
"  Even  so  Father,  for  so  it  seemed  good  in 
thy  sight."  That  God  should  ])ass  by  the 
wise  and  noble  persons,  of  sweeter  disposi- 
tion, acuter  parts,  guilty  of  less  vice,  «ind 
that  the  lot  of  free  grace  should  fall  upon 
you.  O  astonishing  love  of  (iod  !  It  was  a 
gre.it  favour  of  God  to  Samuel,  that  God  call- 
ed to  him,  and  revealed  his  mind  to  him,  and 
passed  by  Eli,  though  a  ])riest  and  a  judge 
in  Israel,  1  Sam.  iii.  6.,  so,  that  God  should 
call  to  thee,  a  flagitious  sinner,  and  pass 
by  others  of  higher  birth  and  better  morals, 
here  is  that  which  calls  aloud  for  praise. 
As    God   so   governs   the   clouds,   that  he 


OF  JUSTIFICATION. 


151 


makes  them  rain  upon  one  place,  and  not 
upon  another  :  so  two  at  a  sermon, — one 
his  heart  tlie  Lord  opens, — the  other  is  no 
more  affected  with  it,  than  a  deaf  man  witli 
the  sound  of  music.  Here  is  the  banner 
of  free  grace  disphiyed,  and  liore  sliould  the 
tropliies  of  praise  he  erected.  EHjuh  and 
Elisha  were  walking  together ;  on  a  sud- 
den there  came  a  chariot  of  (ire,  and  car- 
ried Elijah  up  to  heaven,  but  left  Elisha 
behind  ;  so,  when  two  are  walking  toge- 
ther, husband  and  wife,  father  and  child, 
that  (lod  should  call  one  by  his  grace,  but 
leave  the  other,  carry  up  one  in  a  trium- 
phant chariot  to  heaven,  but  let  the  other 
perish  eternally ;  O  infinite  ricli  grace  ! 
How  should  thcv  that  are  called  be  affect- 
ed  with  God's  discriminating  love  ?  How 
should  the  vessels  of  mercy  run  over  with 
thankfulness  ?  How  should  they  stand 
upon  mount  (lerlzit/i,  blessing  and  praising 
God  ?  O  begin  the  work  of  heaven  here  ! 
Such  as  are  patterns  of  merc\^  should  be 
trumpeters  of  praise.  Thus  St.  Paul  being 
called  of  God,  and  seeing  what  a  debtor  he 
was  to  Iree  grace,  breaks  forth  into  admi- 
ration and  gratulation,  1  Tim.  i.  13. 

Use  4th.  To  the  called,  ^^'alk  worthy 
of  your  high  calling,  Ej)h.  iv.  1  ,  "  I  be- 
seech you,  that  ye  walk  worthy  of  the  vo- 
cation wherewith  ye  are  called ;"  in  two 
things. 

1.  Walk  compassionately.  Pity  such  as 
are  yet  uncalled ;  liast  thou  a  child  tliat 
God  liath  not  yet  called,  a  wife,  a  servant? 
weep  over  tlieir  dying  souls ;  they  are  in 
their  blood,   "  under  the  power  of  Satan." 


O  pity  tliem  !  Let  their  sins  more  trouble 
y<»u  than  your  own  sufferings  ;  if  you  ])ity 
an  ox  or  ass  going  astray,  will  you  not  pity 
a  soul  going  astray  ?  Shew  your  piety  by 
your  l)ity. 

2.  Walk  liolily.     Your's  is  an  Jioly  call- 


i"S' 


2  Ti 


m.    1.    9. 


You  are  called  to  be 
saints,  Rom.  i.  7.  Show  your  vocation  by 
a  Bible  conversation.  Shall  not  ilowers 
smell  sweeter  than  weeds?  Shall  not  they 
who  are  ennol)led  with  grace  have  more 
fragrancy  in  their  lives  than  sinners? 
1  Pet.  i.  15.,  "  As  he  wlio  hath  called  you 
is  holy,  so  be  ye  holy  in  all  manner  of  c-fm- 
versation."  O  dishonour  not  your  hi"h 
calling,  by  any  sordid  carriage!  Wjien 
Antigonus  was  going  to  defile  himself  with 
women;  one  told  him,  "he  was  a  kin<r's 
son."  O  remember  your  dignity  :  '  called 
of  God  !'  of  the  blood-royal  of  heaven  :  do 
nothing  unworthy  of  your  honourable  call- 
ing !  Scipio  refused  the  embraces  of  au 
harlot  because  he  was  general  of  an  army  : 
abhor  all  motions  to  sin,  because  of  your 
high  calling.  It  is  not  fit  for  them  who 
arc  tlie  called  of  God,  to  do  as  others; 
though  others  of  the  Jews  did  drink  wine, 
it  was  not  fit  for  the  Nazarite,  because  he 
had  a  vow  of  separation  upon  him,  and  had 
promised  abstinence.  Though  Pagans  and 
nominal  Christians  take  libertv  to  sin,  vet 
It  IS  not  ht  for  them  who  are  called  out  of 
the  world,  and  have  the  mark  of  electicm 
upon  them,  to  do  so;  ye  are  consecrated 
persons,  your  bodies  are  the  temples  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  and  your  bodies  must  be  a  sa- 
cristy or  holy  of  holies. 


OF  JUSTIFICATION. 


Rom.  iii.  24.  Being  justified  freely  by  his  Grace. 


Quest.  XXXIH.  WHAT  is  justijica- 
tioTi  ? 

Jxs.  It  is  an  act  of  God's  free  grace, 
whereby  he  pardoneth  all  our  sins,  and  ac- 
cepts us  as  righteous  in  his  sight,  only  for 
the  righteousness  of  Cmnsr,  im])uted  to 
us,  and  received  by  faith  alone. 

Justification  is  the  very  hinge  and  pil- 
ar of  CHRISTIANITY  :   and  an  error  about 


justification  is  dangerous,  like  a  crack  in 
the  foundation,  or  an  error  in  the  first  con- 
coction. Justification  by  Christ  is  a  spring 
of  the  water  of  life;  and  to  have  the  poison 
of  corrupt  doctrine  cast  into  this  spring,  is 
damnable.  It  was  a  saying  of  Luther, 
"  that  after  his  deatii  the  doctrine  of  justi- 
fication would  be  corrupted ;"  as  it  hath 
been  in  these  latter  times :  the  Arminiaus 


\b2 


OF  JUSTIFICATION. 


and  Socinians  liavc  (;ast  a  dead  fly  into  this 
box  of  |)recious  ointment. 

I  shall  endeavour  to  follow  the  star  of 
scri|i4uie  to  lii^ht  nic  through  this  myste- 
rious point 

(jui:s'i\    JVhat  is  meant  by  jiislification  9 

Ana.  It  is  vtrbum  forense, — a  word  bor- 
rowed from  law-courts,  wherein  a  person 
arraigned  is  pronounced  righteous,  and  is 
openly  absolved  in  the  court.  Thus  God, 
iu  instirying  a  person,  pronounccth  him  to 
bo  iigliteous,  and  looks  upon  him  as  if  he 
had  not  sinned. 

Quest.  What  is  the  ground  of  justification  ? 

Jns.  The  causa., — the  inward  impellent 
motive  or  ground  of  justification, — is  the 
free  grace  of  God  :  so  in  the  text,  justified 
freely  by  his  grace;  which  Ambrose  ex- 
pounds, "  not  of  the  grace  wrought  within 
us,  but  the  free  grace  of  God."  The  first 
wheel  that  sets  all  the  rest  a-running  is  the 
love  and  favour  of  God  :  "  being  justified 
by  his  grace ;"  as  a  king  freely  pardons  a 
dehnquent.  Justification  is  a  mercy  spun 
out  of  the  bowels  of  free  grace.  God  doth 
not  justify  us  because  we  are  worthy,  but 
by  justifying  us  makes  us  worthy. 

Quest,  llliat  is  the  material  causCi  or  that 
by  which  a  sinner  is  justified  ? 

Ans.  The  matter  of  our  justification,  is 
Christ's  satisfaction  made  to  his  Father. 
If  it  be  asked,  how  can  it  stand  with  God's 
justice  and  holiness  to  pronounce  us  inno- 
cent when  we  are  guilty  ?  This  answers 
it,  Christ  having  made  satisfaction  for  our 
fault,  now  God  may,  in  equity  and  justice, 
pronounce  us  righteous.  It  is  a  just  thing 
for  a  creditor  to  discharge  a  debtor  of  the 
debt,  when  a  satisfaction  is  made  by  the 
surety. 

Quest.  But  how  teas  ChrisCs  satisfaction 
meritorious,  and  so  sufficient  tojustijy  ? 

Ans.  In  respect  of  the  divine  nature  :  as 
he  was  man  he  suffered,  as  God  he  satisfi- 
ed ;  by  Christ's  death  and  merits,  God's 
justice  is  more  abundantly  satisfied,  than 
if  we  had  suffered  the  pains  of  hell  for 
ever, 

Quest.  JVherein  lies  the  formality  or  es- 
sence of  our  justification? 

Ans.   In  the  imputation  of  Christ's  righ- 


Tzidkennu"  The  Lord  our  righteous- 
ness. 1  Cor.  i.  30.,  "  He  is  made  to 
us  righteousness."  This  righteousness  of 
Christ  which  doth  justify  us,  is  a  better 
righteousness  than  the  angels' ;  theirs  is  the 
righteousness  of  creatures,  this  of  God. 

Quest.  JVhat  is  the  means  or  instrumerU 
of  our  justification  ? 

Ans.  Faith,  Rom.  v.  1.,  "  Being  justified 
by  faith."  The  dignity  is  not  in  faith  as  a 
grace,  but  relatively,  as  it  lays  liold  ou 
Christ's  merits. 

Quest.  What  is  the  efficient  cause  of  our 
justification  ? 

Ans.  The  whole  Trinity  ;  all  the  persons 
in  the  blessed  Trinity  have  an  hand  in  the 
justification  of  a  sinner, — opera  Trinitatis 
ad  extra  sunt  indivisa.  God  the  Father  is 
said  to  justify,  Rom.  viii,  33.,  "  It  is  God 
that  justifieth."  God  the  Son  is  said  to 
justify,  Acts  xiii.  39.,  "  By  him  all  that 
believe  are  justified."  God  the  Holy  Ghost 
is  said  to  justify,  1  Cor.  vi.  II.,  "  But  ye 
are  justified  by  the  Spirit  of  our  God." 
God  the  Father  justifies,  as  he  pronounccth 
us  righteous  ;  God  the  Son  justifies,  as  he 
imputes  his  righteousness  to  us ;  and  God 
the  Holy  Ghost  justifies,  as  he  clears  up 
our  justification,  and  seals  us  up  to  the  day 
of  redemption. 

Quest.  What  is  the  end  of  our  justifica- 
tion ? 

Ans.  The  end  is,  1.  That  God  may  in- 
herit praise,  Eph.  i.  6.,  "  To  the  praise  of 
the  glory  of  his  grace."  Hereby  God  rais- 
eth  the  CA^erlasting  trophies  of  liis  o^^•n  ho- 
nour ;  how  will  the  justified  sinner  proclaim 
the  love  of  God,  and  make  heaven  ring 
with  his  praises  ! — 2.  That  the  justified  per- 
son may  inherit  glory,  Rom.  viii.  30., 
"  Whom  he  justified,  them  he  also  glorifi- 
ed." God,  in  justifying,  doth  not  only  ab- 
solve a  soul  from  guilt,  but  atlvance  him 
to  dignity :  as  Joseph  was  not  only  loosed 
from  prison,  but  made  lord  of  the  kingdom. 
Justification  is  crowned  with  glorification. 

Quest.  Whether  are  ice  justifitd  from 
eternity  ? 

Ans.  No :  for,  1.  By  nature  we  are  un- 
der a  sentence  of  condemnation,  John  iii. 
18.  But  we  could  not  be  at  all  condcnnied, 


teousucss  to  u.s,  Jer.  xxiii.  6.,  "  This  is  the    if  we  were  justified  from  eternity. — 2.  The 
name  whereby  he  shall  be  called,   Jehovah    scripture  confines  justification  to  those  who 


OF  JUSTIFICATION. 


153 


believe  and  repent,  Acts  iii.  19.,  "  Repent, 
that  your  sins  may  be  blotted  out."  There- 
fore their  sins  were  uncancelled,  and  their 
persons  unjustified,  till  they  did  repent. 
Though  God  doth  not  justify  us  for  our  re- 
pentance, yet  not  without  it.  The  Anti- 
ninnians  erroneously  hold,  that  we  are  jus- 
tilii'd  from  eternity ;  this  doctrine  is  a  key 
which  opens  the  door  to  all  licentiousness  ; 
what  sins  do  they  care  they  commit,  so 
long  as  they  bold  they  are  ab  celerno  jus- 
tified whether  they  repent  or  not  ? 

licfore  I  come  to  the  uses,  I  shall  lay 
down  fom*  maxims  or  positions  about  jus- 
tification. 

Position  1.  That  justification  confers  a 
real  benefit  upon  the  person  justified.  The 
acquitting  and  discharging  of  the  debtor, 
by  virtue  of  the  satisfaction  made  by  the 
surety,  is  a  real  benefit  to  the  debtor ;  a  robe 
of  righteousness,  and  a  crown  of  righteous- 
ness, are  real  benefits. 

Position  2.  All  believers  are  alike  justi- 
fied ;  juslificat'io  non  recipit  magis  et  minus^ — 
though  there  are  degrees  in  grace,  yet  not 
in  justification ;  one  is  not  justified  more 
than  another,  the  weakest  believer  is  as 
perfectly  justified  as  the  strongest.  Mary 
Magdalene  is  as  much  justified  as  the  Vir- 
gin Mary.  This  may  be  cordial-water  to 
a  weak  believer :  though  thou  hast  but  a 
drachm  of  faith,  thou  art  as  truly  justifi- 
ed as  he  who  is  of  the  highest  stature  in 
Christ. . 

Position  3.  Whosoever  God  justifies,  he 
sanctifies,  1  Cor.  \A.  1 1.,  "  But  ye  are 
sanctified,  but  ye  are  justified."  The  pa- 
pists calumniate  the  protestants;  they  re- 
port, we  hold  that  men  continuing  in  sin 
are  justified;  whereas  all  our  protestant 
writers  affirm,  that  righteousness  ini])uted, 
\\z.  Justification, — and  righteousness  inhe- 
rent, viz.  Sanctification, — must  be  insepa- 
rably united.  Holiness  indeed  is  not  the 
cause  of  our  justification,  but  it  is  the  con- 
comitant; the  heat  in  the  sun  is  not  the 
cause  of  its  light,  but  it  is  the  concomitant. 
It  is  absurd  to  imagine  that  God  should 
justify  a  people,  and  they  go  on  in  sin. 
If  God  should  justify  a  peojde  and  not 
sanctify  them,  he  should  justify  a  peoj)k' 
whom  he  could  not  glorify.  God,  as  he  i.s 
an  holy  God,  cannot  lava  sinner  in  his  bo- 


som. Tlie  metal  is  first  refined,  before 
the  king's  stamp  is  put  upon  it ;  first  the 
soul  is  refined  Avith  holiness,  before  God 
puts  the  roval  stamp  of  justification  up- 
on it. 

Position  4.  Justification  is  inamissihilis, — 
it  is  a  fixed  permanent  thing,  it  can  never 
be  lost.  Tiie  Arminians  hold  an  apostarv 
from  justification  :  to-day  justified,  to-mor- 
row unjustified  ;  to-day  a  Peter,  to-morrow 
a  Judas;  to-day  a  member  of  Christ,  to- 
morrow a  limb  of  Satan  ;  a  most  uncomfor- 
table doctrine.  Indeed  justified  persons 
may  fall  from  degrees  of  grace, — they  mav 
leave  their  first  love, — they  may  lose  Goil's 
favour  for  a  time, — but  not  lose  their  ius- 
tification.  If  they  are  justified  then  tlicv 
are  elected ;  they  can  no  more  fall  from  llieir 
justification  than  from  their  election.  If 
they  are  justified,  then  they  have  union  with 
Christ :  and  can  a  member  of  Christ  ])e 
broken  off?  If  one  justified  pers<tn  may  fall 
away  from  Christ,  they  all  may,  and  so 
Christ  should  be  an  head  Avithout  a  body. 

Use  \st.  See  from  hence  that  there  is  no- 
thing within  us  could  justify  us  but  some- 
thing without  us;  not  any  righteousness 
inherent,  but  imputed;  we  may  as  well  look 
for  a  star  in  the  earth  as  for  justification  in 
our  own  righteousness.  The  papists  say 
we  are  justified  by  works.  But  the  apostle 
confutes  it,  "  not  of  works,  lest  any  man 
should  boast,"  Eph.  ii.  9.  But  the  papists 
say  "  the  works  done  bv  an  unretrenerate 
man  indeed  cannot  justify  him,  but  works 
done  by  a  regenerate  man  mav  justify." 
This  is  most  false,  as  may  be  proved  botli 
by  example  and  reason. 

1.  By  example.  Abraham  was  a  regen- 
erate man,  but  Abraham  was  not  justified 
by  works,  but  by  faith,  Rom.  iv,  3.,  Abra- 
ham "  believed  God,  and  it  was  counted  t<» 
him  for  righteousness." 

2  By  reason.  How  can  those  Morks 
justify  us,  which  defile  us?  Isa.  Ixiv.  6., 
"  Our  righteousnesses  are  as  filthy  rags." 
Bona  opera  non  prcecediint  justi/iratiomm, 
sed  sequuntur  justijicatinn, — good  works  are 
not  an  usher  to  go  before  justification,  but 
an  handmaid  to  follow  it. 

Onj.  Bid  doth  not  the  apostle  James  say 
Abraham  xvasjiisfijicd  by  works  ? 

A.  The  answer  is  ea*<y  :  works  declare  us 

U 


1  5 1. 


OF  JUSTIFICATION. 


to  be  righteous  before  men,  but  tliey  do 
not  make  us  rigliteous  before  God.  Works 
are  evidences  of  our  justification,  not  causes. 
Tliis  name  only  must  be  graven  upon  the 
golden  ])late  of  our  higli  priest  Christ,  The 
Lord  our  Righteousness. 

Use  2d.  Of  exhortation.  Branch  1.  Adore 
the  infinite  wisdom  and  goodness  of  God, 
to  find  out  such  a  way  to  justify  us  by  "  rich 
grace  and  precious  blood."  We  were  all 
involved  in  guilt:  none  of  us  could  plead, 
not  guilty,  and  being  guilty,  we  lay  under  a 
sentence  of  death  ;  now  that  the  judge  him- 
self should  find  out  a  way  to  justify  us,  and 
the  creditor  himself  contrive  a  way  to  have 
the  debt  paid  and  not  distress  the  debtor, 
this  may  fill  us  with  wonder  and  love.  The 
angels  admire  tlie  mystery  of  free  grace 
in  this  new  way  of  justifying  and  saving 
lost  man,  1  Pet,  i.  12.,  and  should  not  we, 
who  are  nearly  concerned  in  it,  and  on 
whom  the  benefit  is  devolved,  cry  out  with 
the  apostle,  "  O  the  deptli  of  the  riches 
both  of  the  wisdom  and  knowledge  of  God  !" 

&c. 

Branch  2.  Labour  for  this  high  privilege 
of  justification.     There  is  balm  in  Gilead  ; 
Christ  hath  laid  down  the  price  of  our  jus- 
tification, viz.  his  blood  ;  and  he  offers  him- 
self and  all  his  merits  to  us,  to  justify;  he 
invites  us  to  come  to  him  ;  he  hath  promis- 
ed to  give  his  Spirit,  to  enable  us   to  do 
what  is  required.     W[\y  then,  sinners,  will 
ye  not  look  after  this  great  privilege  of  jus- 
tification ?  Do  not  starve  in  the  midst  of 
plenty  ;  do  not  perish  when  there  is  reme- 
dy to  save  you.     Would  not  he  be  thought 
to  be  distracted,   who  having  a  pardon  of- 
fered him,  only  upon  the  acknowledgment 
of  his   fault,    and   promising   amendment, 
should  bid  the  prince  keep  his  pardon   to 
himself;  for  his  part,  he  was  in  Ioac  with 
his   chains   and    fetters,    and    would    die  ? 
Thou   who  neglectest  justification   offered 
thee  freely  by  Christ  in  tlie  gospel,  art  this 
distracted  person.     Is  the  love  of  Christ  to 
be  slighted  ?  Is  thy  soul  and  heaven  worth 
notliing?    O   then   look   after  justification 
through  Christ's  blood  ! 

Consider,  1.  The  necessity  of  being  jus- 
tified. If  we  are  not  justified,  we  cannot 
be  glorified,  Rom.  viii.  30.,  "  Whom  he  jus- 
tified, them  he  also  glorified."     I  le  who  is 


outlawed,  and  all  his  goods  confiscated, 
must  be  brought  into  favour  with  his  prince, 
before  he  can  be  restored  to  his  former  rights 
and  liberties :  so,  we  must  first  have  our 
sins  forgiven,  and  be  brought  into  God's 
favour  by  justification,  before  we  caii  be 
restored  to  the  liberty  of  the  sons  of  God, 
and  have  right  to  that  happiness  we  forfeit- 
ed in  Adam. 

2.  The  utility  and  benefit :  by  justifica- 
tion we  enjoy  peace  in  our  conscience, — a 
richer  jewel  than  any  prince  wears  in  his 
crown  :  Rom.  v.  1.,  "  Being  justified  by 
faith,  we  have  peace  with  God."  Peace  can 
sweeten  all  our  afflictions,  it  turns  our  wa- 
ter into  wine.  How  happy  is  a  justified 
person  who  hath  the  power  of  God  to  guard 
him,  and  the  peace  of  God  to  comfort  him  I 
Peace  flowing  from  justification,  is  an  anti- 
dote against  the  fear  of  death  and  hell,  Rom. 
viii.  33.,  "  It  is  God  that  justifies,  who  is 
he  that  condemneth  ?"  Therefore  laljour 
for  this  justification  by  Christ.  This  privi- 
lege is  obtained  by  believing  in  Christ,  Acts 
xiii.  39.,  "  By  him  all  that  believe  are  jus- 
tified." And  Rom.  iii.  25.,  "  Whom  God 
hath  set  forth  to  be  a  propitiation  through 
faith  in  his  blood."  Faith  unites  us  to 
Qn*ist ;  and  having  union  with  his  person, 
we  partake  of  liis  merits,  and  the  glorious 
salvation  which  comes  by  him. 

Use  3d.  Comfort  to  the  justified.  1.  It 
is  comfort  in  case  of  failings.  Alas  !  how 
defective  are  tlie  godly.  They  coirje  short 
in  every  duty  ;  but  though  believers  should 
be  humbled  under  their  defects,  yet  not  de- 
spond; they  are  not  to  be  justified  by  their 
duties  or  graces,  but  the  righteousness  of 
Christ.  Tlieir  duties  are  mixed  with  sin, 
but  that  righteousness  which  justifies  them 
is  a  perfect  righteousness. — 2.  Comfort  in 
case  of  hard  censures ;  the  world  censures 
the  people  of  God  as  proud  and  hypocriti- 
cal, and  the  troublers  of  Israel ;  but  though 
men  censure  and  condemn  the  godly,  yet 
God  hath  justified  them  ;  and  as  he  hath 
now  justified  them,  so  at  the  day  of  judg- 
ment he  will  openly  justify  them,  and  pro- 
nounce them  righteous  before  men  and  an- 
gels. And  (lod  is  so  just  and  holy  a  judge, 
that  having  once  justified  his  people,  he 
will  never  condemn  them.  Pihite  justified 
Christ,  "  I  find  no  fault  in  him,"  yet  after 


OF  ADOPTION. 


this  lie  condemned  him ;   but  God  having    condemn  tliem : 
publicly  justified  his  saints,  he  Avill  never    he  also  glorified. 


« 


155 
whom  he  justihed  them 


OF  ADOPTION. 
John  i.  12.   To  them  he  gave  power  to  become  the  sons  of  God. 


HAVING  spoken  of  the  great  points  of 
faith  and  justification,  the  next  is  adoption. 

1.  The  qualification  of  the  ])ersons  :  "  as 
many  as  received  him."  Receiving  is  put 
for  believing,  as  is  clear  by  the  last  words, 
"  to  them  that  believe  in  his  name." 

2.  The  specification  of  the  ])rivileges : 
*'  to  them  he  gave  power  to  become  the  sons 
of  God."  Tlie  Greek  word  for  ])ower,  exusia, 
signifies  dignity  and  |)rerogative ;  he  digni- 
fied them  to  become  the  sons  of  God. 

Our  sonship  differs  from  Christ's  sonship  ; 
Christ  was  the  Son  of  (iod  bv  eternal  {je- 
neration, — a  Son  before  time, — but  our  son- 
ship  is,  1.  By  creation.  Acts  xvii.  28.,  '"  We 
are  his  offspring."  This  is  no  privilege  ; 
men  may  have  (lod  for  their  Fatlier  l)y  cre- 
ation, yet  have  the  devil  lor  their  father. — 
2.  Our  sonship  is  by  adoj)tion ;  so  in  the 
text,  "  He  gave  them  power  to  become  the 
sons  of  God."     Adoption  is  twofold. 

1.  External  and  federal :  so  those  who 
live  in  a  visible,  church,  and  make  a  profes- 
sion of  God,  are  sons,  Mat.  viii.  12.,  "  The 
children  of  the  kingdom  shall  be  cast  out." 

2.  Real  and  gracious  :  so  they  are  sons, 
who  are  God's  favourites,  and  are  heirs  of 
glory.  Before  I  proceed  to  the  questions, 
I  shall  lay  down  three  positions. 

Position  1.  Adoption  takes  in  all  nations  : 
at  first  adoption  was  confined  to  the  people 
of  the  Jews,  they  only  were  grafted  into  the 
true  olive,  and  were  dignified  with  glorious 
privileges,  Rom.  ix.  4.,  "  Who  are  Israel- 
ites, to  whom  pertaineth  the  adoption  and 
the  glory."  But  now,  in  the  time  of  the 
gospel,  tlie  charter  is  enlarged,  and  the  be- 
lieving Gentiles  arc  within  tlie  line  of  com- 
munication and  have  a  right  to  the  privi- 
leges of  adoption  as  well  as  the  Jews,  Acts 
X.  35.,  "  In  every  nation  he  that  feareth 
God,  and  worketh  righteousness,  is  accept- 
ed with  him." 

Position  2.    Adoption  takes  in  both  sexes, , 


females  as  well  as  males,  2  Cor.  vi.  18.,  "  I 
will  b(!  a  father  unto  you,  and  ye  shall  be 
my  sons  and  daughters."  I  have  read  that 
in  some  countries,  females  are  excluded 
from  the  supreme  dignity, — as  l)y  the  Sa- 
lique  law  in  l-'rance  no  woman  can  inherit 
a  crown  :  but  if  we  speak  of  spiritual  pri- 
vileges, females  are  as  capable  as  males. 
Every  gracious  soul,  of  whatever  sex,  lays 
claim  to  adoj)tion,  and  hath  an  interest  in 
God  as  a  father ;  "  ye  shall  be  my  sons 
and  daughters,  saith  the  Lord  Almighty." 

Position  3.  Adoption  is  an  act  of  pure 
grace,  Ej)h.  i.  5.,  "  Having  predestinated 
us  unto  the  adoption  of  children,  according 
to  the  good  jdeasure  of  his  will."  Adop- 
tion is  a  mercy  spun  out  of  the  bowels  of 
free  grace ;  all  by  nature  are  strangers, 
therefore  have  no  right  to  son.ship,  only 
God  is  pleased  to  adopt  one,  and  not  ano- 
ther, to  make  one  a  vessel  of  glory,  another 
a  vessel  of  wrath.  The  adojtted  heir  may 
cry  out,  "  Lord,  how  is  it,  that  thou  wilt 
show  thyself  to  me,  and  not  unto  the  world?" 

QuES'i".    Jl7i(it  thisjiliutiun  or  adoption  is  ? 

Ans.  Adoption  is  the  taking  a  stranger 
into  the  relation  of  a  son  and  heir :  so  Mo- 
ses was  the  adopted  son  of  king  Pharaoh's 
daughter,  Exod.  ii.  10. ;  and  Esther  was 
the  adopted  child  of  her  nude  Mordecai, 
Esth.  ii.  7.  Thus  God  adopts  us  into  the 
family  of  heaven  :  and  God,  in  adopting  us, 
doth  two  things  : 

1.  lie  ennobles  us  with  his  name  :  he 
who  is  adoj)ted,  bears  his  name  who  adojits 
him.  Rev.  iii.  12.,  "  I  will  write  on  him 
tlie  name  of  my  God. ' 

2.  God  consecrates  us  with  his  Spirit; 
whom  he  adopts,  ho  anoints ;  whom  he 
makes  sons,  he  makes  saints.  When  a 
man  adopts  another  for  his  son  and  heir, 
he  may  put  his  name  Tipon  him,  hut  he 
cannot  put  his  di.^jxisition  into  him  ;  if  he 
be  of  a  morose  rugged  nature,  he  canuot 


156 


OF  ADOPTION. 


alter  it,  but  whom  God  adopts  he  sancti- 
fies ;  he  doth  not  only  give  them  a  new 
name  but  a  new  nature,  2  Pet.  i.  4.  God 
turns  the  wolf  into  a  lamb  ;  he  makes  the 
heart  humble  and  gracious ;  he  works  such 
a  change  as  if  another  soul  did  dwell  in  the 
same  body. 

Quest.  From  lohat  state  doth  God  take  us 
when  he  adopts  us  ? 

Ans.  From  a  state  of  sin  and  misery. 
King  Pharaoh's  daughter  took  Moses  out 
of  the  ark  of  bulrushes  in  the  water,  and 
adopted  him  for  her  son.  God  did  not 
take  us  out  of  the  water,  but  out  of  our 
blood,  and  adopted  us,  Ezek.  xvi.  God  a- 
dopted  us  from  slavery ;  it  is  a  mercy  to 
redeem  a  slave,  but  it  is  more  to  adopt  him. 
Quest.  To  what  God  adopts  us  ? 
Ans.  He  adopts  us  to  a  state  of  excellen- 
cy. It  were  much  for  God  to  take  a  clod  of 
dust  and  make  it  a  star  ;  it  is  more  for  God 
to  take  a  piece  of  clay  and  sin  and  adopt 
it  for  his  heir. 

1st.  God  adopts  us  to  a  state  of  liberty. 
Adoption  is  a  state  of  freedom ;  a  slave  be- 
ing adopted,  is  made  a  free  man,  Gal.  iv. 
7.,  "  Thou  art  no  more  a  servant,  but  a 
son." 

Quest.  How  is  an  adopted  son  free  ? 
Ans.  1.  Not  to  do  what  he  lists  :  he  is 
free  from  the  dominion  of  sin,  the  tyranny 
of  Satan,  the  curse  of  the  law. 

A.  2.  He  is  free  in  the  manner  of  wor- 
ship ;  he  hath  God's  free  Spirit,  which 
makes  him  free  and  cheerful  in  the  service 
of  God ;  he  is  "  joyful  in  the  house  of 
prayer,"  Isa.  Ivi.  7. 

2d.  God  adops  us  to  a  state  of  dignity. 
God  makes  us  heirs  of  promise ;  God  in- 
stalls us  into  honour,  Isa.  xliii.  4.,  "  Since 
thou  wast  precious  in  my  sight,  thou  hast 
been  honourable."  The  adopted  are  God's 
treasure,  Exod.  xix.  5. :  his  jewels,  Mai. 
iii.  17. ;  his  first-born,  Heb.  xii.  23. ;  they 
have  angels  for  their  life-guard,  Heb.  i.  14. ; 
they  are  of  the  blood  royal  of  heaven, 
1  John  iii.  9.  The  scripture  hath  set  forth 
their  spiritual  herahlly ;  they  have  their 
escutcheon  or  coat-armour  ;  sometimes  tliey 
give  the  lion  for  their  courage,  Prov.  xxviii. 
1. ;  sometimes  the  dove  for  their  meekness, 
Cant.  ii.  14. ;  sometimes  the  eagle  for  their 
Bublimeness,    Isa.   xl.   31.     Thus    you   see 


their  coat  of  arms  displayed :  but  wha*  is 
honour  without  inheritance  ?  God  adopts 
all  his  sons  to  an  inheritance,  Luke  xii.  32., 
"  It  is  your  Father's  good  pleasure  to  give 
you  the  kingdom."  It  is  no  disparagement 
to  be  the  sons  of  God.  To  reproach  the 
saints,  is  as  if  Shimei  had  reproached  Da- 
vid when  he  was  going  to  be  made  king ; 
adoption  ends  in  coronation.  The  king- 
dom God  gives  his  adopted  sons  and  heirs, 
excels  all  earthly  monarchies. 

1.  In  riclics.  Rev.  xxi,  21.  The  gates 
are  of  pearl,  and  the  streets  of  pure  gold, 
and  as  it  were  transparent  glass. 

2.  In  tranquillity.  It  is  peaceable  ;  the 
white  lily  of  peace  is  the  best  flower  in  a 
prince's  crown, — Pax  una  irinmphis  innu- 
meris  melior.  No  divisions  at  home,  or  in- 
vasions abroad ;  no  more  the  noise  of  the 
drum  or  cannon,  but  the  voice  of  harpers 
harping,  the  hieroglyphic  of  peace.  Rev. 
xiv.  2. 

3.  In  stability.  Other  kingdoms  are 
corruptible ;  though  they  have  heads  of 
gold,  yet  feet  of  clay ;  but  this  kingdom, 
into  which  the  saints  are  adopted,  runs  pa- 
rallel with  eternity  ;  it  is  "  a  kingdom  that 
cannot  be  moved,"  Heb.  xii.  28.  The  heirs 
of  heaven  reign  for  ever  and  ever.  Rev. 
xxii.  5. 

Quest.  What  is  the  organical  or  instru- 
mental cause  of  adoption  ? 

Ans.  Faith  interests  us  in  the  privilege 
of  adoption.  Gal.  iii.  26.,  "  Ye  are  all  the 
children  of  God  by  faith  in  Christ  Jesus." 
Before  faith  be  wrought,  we  are  spiritually 
illegitimate,  we  have  no  relation  to  God  as 
a  father ;  an  unbeliever  may  call  God  judge, 
but  not  father  ;  faith  is  the  filiating  grace, 
it  confers  upon  us  the  title  of  sonship,  and 
gives  us  right  to  inherit. 

Quest.  Why  is  faith  the  instrument  of  a- 
doptioji  more  than  any  other  grace  ! 

Ans.  1.  Faith  is  a  quickening  grace,  it 
is  the  vital  artery  of  the  soul,  Heb.  ii.  4., 
"  The  just  shairiive  by  his  faith."  Life 
makes  us  capable  of  adoption,  dead  chil- 
dren are  never  adopted. 

A.  2.  Faith  makes  us  Christ's  brethren, 
and  so  (iod  comes  to  be  our  father. 

Use  \st.  Branch  1.  See  the  amazing 
love  of  God  in  making  us  liis  sons.  Plato 
gave  God  thanks  that  he  had  made  him  a 


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157 


man,  and  not  only  a  man  but  a  philoso- 
pher :  but  it  is  infinitely  move  that  he 
should  invest  us  with  the  prerogative  oF 
sons.  It  is  love  in  God  to  feed  us,  but 
more  to  adopt  us,  1  John  iii.  1.,  "  Behold 
what  manner  of  love  the  Father  hatli  be- 
stowed upon  us,  that  we  should  be  called 
the  sons  of  God  !"  It  is  an  ecce  adtniydn- 
tis, — a  behold  of  wonder.  The  wonder  of 
God's  love  in  adopting  us,  will  appear  the 
more  if  we  consider  tiiese  six  things. 

1.  Tliat  God  should  adopt  us  when  he 
had  a  Son  of  his  own.  Men  adopt  because 
they  want  children,  and  desire  to  have 
some  to  bear  their  nauie :  but  that  God 
should  adopt  us  when  he  had  a  Son  of  his 
own,  the  Lord  Jesus, — here  is  the  wonder 
of  love.  Christ  is  called  "  God's  dear  Son," 
Col.  i.  13. ;  a  Son  more  worthy  than  the 
angels,  Hcb.  i.  4.,  '•  Being  made  so  much 
better  than  the  angels."  Now,  wlien  God 
had  a  Son  of  his  own, — such  a  Son, — here 
is  the  wonder  of  God's  love  in  adopting  us. 
We  needed  a  Father,  but  he  did  not  need 
sons. 

2.  Consider  what  we  were  before  God 
did  adopt  us ;  we  were  very  deformed  ;  a 
man  will  scarce  adopt  him  for  his  heir  that 
is  crooked  and  ill-favoured,  but  that  hath 
some  beauty.  Mordecai  adopted  Estlier,  be- 
cause she  was  fair.  But  we  were  in  our 
blood,  and  then  God  adopted  us,  Ezek. 
xvi.  6  ,  "  When  I  saw  thee  polluted  in  thy 
blood,  it  was  the  time  of  love."  God  did 
not  adopt  us  when  we  were  bespangled 
with  the  jewels  of  holiness,  and  had  the 
angels'  glory  upon  us ;  but  when  we  were 
black  as  Ethiopians,  diseased  as  lepers, 
then  it  was  the  time  of  love. 

3.  That  God  should  be  at  so  great  ex- 
pense in  adopting  us :  when  men  adoj>t, 
they  have  only  some  deed  sealed,  and  the 
tiling  is  effected ;  but  when  God  adopts,  it 
puts  him  to  a  far  greater  expense,  it  sets 
liis  wisdom  a-work  to  find  out  a  way  to  a- 
dopt  us  ;  it  was  no  easy  thing  to  m;ike  the 
lieirs  of  wrath,  heirs  of  the  promise.  And 
when  God  had  found  out  a  way  to  adopt, 
it  was  no  easy  way ;  our  adoption  was 
purcliased  at  a  dear  rate ;  when  God  was 
about  to  make  us  sons  and  heirs,  he  could 
not  seal  the  deed  but  by  the  blood  of  his 
own  Son      Here  is  the  wonder  of  God's 


love  in  adopting  us,  that  he  should  be  at 
all  this  expense  to  bring  this  work  about. 

4.  That  God  should  adopt  his  enemies ; 
if  a  mail  adopts  another  for  his  heir,  he 
will  not  adopt  his  mortal  enemy,  but  that. 
God  should  adopt  us,  when  we  were  not 
only  strangers,  but  enemies, — here  is  the 
wonder  of  love  ;  for  God  to  have  ])ardon('d 
his  enemies,  had  been  much,  but  to  adojit 
them  for  his  heirs,  this  sets  the  angels  in 
heaven  a  wondering.  % 

5.  That  God  should  take  great  numbers 
out  of  the  devil's  family,  and  adopt  them 
into  the  family  of  heaven.  Christ  is  said 
to  bring  many  sons  to  glory,  Heb.  ii.  10 
Men  adopt  usually  but  one  heir,  but  God 
is  resolved  to  increase  his  family,  he  brings 
many  sons  to  glory.  God's  adopting  milli- 
ons, is  the  wonder  of  love.  Had  but  one 
been  adopted,  all  of  us  might  have  despair- 
ed ;  but  he  brings  many  sous  to  glory,  this 
opens  a  door  of  hope  to  us. 

G.  That  God  should  confer  so  gi*eat  hon- 
our upon  us  in  adopting  us.  David  thought 
it  no  small  honour  that  he  should  be  a  king's 
son-in-law,  1  Sam.  xviii.  18.  But  wliat 
honour  to  be  the  sons  of  the  high  God  ! 
And  the  more  honour  God  hath  put  upon 
us  in  adopting  us,  the  more  he  hath  mag- 
nified his  love  towards  us.  Wliat  honour 
that  God  hath  made  us  so  near  in  alliance 
to  him, — sons  of  God  the  Father, — mem- 
l)ers  of  God  the  Son, — temples  of  God  the 
Holy  Gliost !  Tliat  he  hath  made  us  as  the 
angels.  Mat.  xxii.  30.  ;  nay,  in  some  sense, 
superior  to  the  angels ;  all  this  proclaims 
the  wonder  of  Gods  love  in  adopting  us. 

Branch  2.  See  the  sad  condition  of  such 
as  live  and  die  in  unbelief.  They  are  not 
tlie  sons  of  God  :  "  To  as  many  as  received 
him,  he  gave  power  to  become  the  sons  of 
God,  even  to  them  that  believe  in  his  name." 
No  faith,  no  sonship ;  unbelievers  have  no 
sign  of  sonship,  they  know  not  God ;  ail 
God's  children  know  their  Father,  but  the 
wicked  do  not  know  him,  Jer.  ix.  3.,  "  They 
proceed  from  evil  to  evil,  and  know  not  me, 
saith  the  Lord."  Unbelievers  are  "  dead 
in  trespasses,"  Ej)h.  ii.  1.  God  hath  no 
dead  children ;  and  not  being  children,  they 
have  no  right  to  inherit. 

Use  2d.  Of  trial.     Try  whether  we  are 
adopted.     All    the    world    is    divided    into 


158 


OF  ADOPTION. 


these  two  ranks,  either  the  sons  of  God,  or 
the  heirs  of  hell:  John  i.  12.,  "To  them 
he  gave  power  to  hecome  the  sons  of  God." 
Let  us  put  ourselves  on  a  trial.  It  is  no 
sign  we  are  adopted  sons,  because  we  are 
sons  of  godly  ])arents.  The  Jews  boasted 
that  they  were  of  Abraham's  seed,  John  viii. 
33.,  they  thought  they  must  needs  be  good, 
because  they  came  of  such  an  holy  line. 
But  adoption  doth  not  come  by  blood  ;  we 
see  in^ny  godly  parents  have  wicked  sons ; 
Abraham  had  an  Ishmael, — Isaac  an  Esau. 
The  corn  that  is  sown  pure  yet  brings  forth 
grain  with  an  husk  ;  he  who  himself  is  holy, 
yet  the  child  that  springs  from  his  loins  is 
unholy.  So  that,  as  Hierom,  non  nascimur 
filiit — we  are  not  God's  sons  as  we  are  born 
of  godly  parents,  but  by  adoption  and  grace. 
Well,  then,  let  us  try  if  we  are  the  adopted 
sons  and  daughters  of  God. 

\st.  First  sign  of  adoption,  obedience.  A 
son  obeys  his  Father,  Jer.  xxxv.  5.,  "  I  set 
before  the  sons  of  the  house  of  the  Recha- 
bites,  pots  full  of  wine,  and  cups,  and  said 
unto  them,  drink  ye  wine.  But  they  said, 
we  will  drink  no  wine :  for  Jonadab,  the 
son  of  Rechab  our  father  commanded  us, 
saying,  ye  shall  drink  no  wine."  So,  when . 
God  saith,  "  drink  not  in  sin's  enchanted 
cup ;"  an  adopted  child  saith,  "  my  heavenly 
Father  hath  commanded  me,  I  dare  not 
drink."  A  gracious  soul  doth  not  only  be- 
lieve God's  promise,  but  obey  his  command. 
And  true  child-like  obedience  must  be  re- 
gular, which  implies  three  things : 

1.  It  must  be  done  by  a  right  rule.  O- 
bedience  must  have  the  word  for  its  rule, 
— Lydins  lapis,  Isa.  viii.  20.,  "  To  the  law 
and  to  the  testimony."  If  our  obedience 
be  not  according  to  the  word,  it  is  offering 
up  strange  fire ;  it  is  will-worship,  and  God 
will  say,  who  hath  required  this  at  your 
hand?  The  apostle  condemns  worshipping 
of  angels  which  had  a  shew  of  humility, 
Col.  ii.  18.  The  Jews  might  say  that  they 
were  loath  to  be  so  bold  as  to  go  to  God  in 
their  own  persons ;  they  would  be  more 
humble,  and  prostrate  themselves  before 
the  angels,  desiring  them  to  be  their  medi- 
ators to  God.  Here  was  a  show  of  humi- 
lity in  their  angel-worship ;  but  it  was  a- 
bominable,  because  they  had  no  word  of 
God  to  warrant  it :  it  was  not  obedience,  but 


idolatry.     Childlike  obedience  is  that  whicli 
is  consonant  to  our  Father's  revealed  will. 

2.  It  must  be  done  from  a  right  principle, 
i.  e.  the  noble  principle  of  faitli,  Rom.  xy\. 
26.,  '  The  olKidicnce  of  faith.'  Qu/cquid  de- 
corum est  ex  fide  pi-fificiscilnr,  Aug.  A 
crab-tree  may  bear  fruit  fair  to  the  eye,  but 
it  is' sour  because  it  doth  not  come  from  a 
good  root.  A  moral  person  may  gi^'e  God 
outward  obedience,  and  to  the  eyes  of  others 
it  seems  glorious,  but  his  obedience  is  sour 
because  it  comes  not  from  that  sweet  and 
pleasant  root  of  faith.  A  child  of  God 
gives  him  the  obedience  of  faith,  and  that 
meliorates  and  sweetens  his  services,  and 
makes  them  come  off  with  a  better  relish, 
Heb.  xi.  4.,  "  By  faith  Abel  offered  unto 
God  a  more  excellent  sacrifice  than  Cain." 

3.  It  must  be  done  to  a  right  end :  Finis 
spec'tjicat  actionem, — the  end  of  obedience  is 
glorifying  God.  That  which  hath  spoiled 
many  glorious  serA'ices,  is,  when  the  end 
hath  been  wrong,  INIat.  vi.  2.,  "  When  thou 
dost  thine  alms,  do  not  sound  a  trumpet, 
as  the  hypocrites  do,  that  they  may  have 
glory  of  men."  Good  Avorks  should  shine, 
but  not  blaze.  "  If  I  give  my  body  to  be 
burnt,  and  have  not  charity,  it  profits  me 
nothing,"  1  Cor.  xiii.  3.  The  same  I  may 
say  of  a  sincere  aim  ;  if  I  obey  never  so 
much,  and  have  not  a  sincere  aim,  it  ])rofits 
me  nothing.  True  obedience  looks  at  God 
in  all,  Phil.  i.  20.,  "  Christ  shall  be  mag- 
nified." Tliough  a  child  of  God  shoots 
short,  yet  he  takes  a  right  aim. 

True  childlike  obedience  is  uniform,  A 
child  of  God  makes  conscience  of  one 
command  as  Mell  as  another.  Qidcqidd 
propter  Deiim  fU,  ccqualitcr  Jit.  All  God's 
commands  have  the  same  stamp  of  divine 
authority  upon  them;  and  if  I  obey  one 
precept  because  my  heavenly  Father  com- 
mands me,  then  bv  the  same  rule  I  must 
obey  all ;  as  the  blood  runs  through  all  the 
veins  of  the  body,  and  the  sun  in  the  fir- 
mament runs  through  all  the  signs  of  the 
zodiac,  so  true  childlike  obedience  runs 
through  the  first  and  second  table,  Ps.  cxix. 
6.,  "  When  I  have  respect  unto  all  thy 
commandments."  To  obey  God  in  some 
things  of  religion,  and  not  in  others,  shows 
an  unsound  heart ;  like  Esau,  who  obeyed 
his  father  in  bringing  him  venison,  but  not 


OF  ADOPTION. 


159 


in  a  greater  matter,  viz.  the  clioice  of  liis 
wife.  Childlike  ohcdience  m()ves  towards 
every  eoinniand  of  God,  as  tlie  needle  points 
that  way  which  the  loadstone  draws.  If 
(jiod  call  to  (luties  which  are  cross  to  llesh 
and  blood,  if  we  are  children,  we  ohey  our 
Father. 

Quest.     But   ic/io  can  obey  God  in   all 
things  ? 

'  Ana.  An  adopted  heir  of  licaven,  th()u<]jh 
he  cannot  obey  CA'ery  precept  perfectly, 
yet  he  doth  evangelically :  1.  lie  approves 
of  every  command,  Rom.  vii.  16.,  "  I  con- 
sent to  the  law,  that  it  is  good." — 2.  A 
child  of  God  delights  in  every  command, 
Ps.  cxix.  97.,  "  O  how  love  I  thy  law  !"— 
3.  His  desire  is  to  obey  every  command, 
Ps.  cxix.  5.,  "  O  that  my  ways  were  di- 
rected to  keep  thy  statutes  !" — 4.  Wherein 
he  comes  short,  he  looks  up  to  Christ's 
blood  to  make  supply  for  his  defects.  This 
is  evangelical  obedience ;  which,  though 
it  be  not  to  satisfaction,  it  is  to  accepta- 
tion. 

True  childlike  obedience  is  constant,  Ps, 
cvi.  3.  Blessed  is  lie  that  doth  righteous- 
ness at  all  times.  Childlike  obedience  is 
not  like  an  high  colour  in  a  fit  which  is 
soon  over;  but  like  a  right  sanguine  com- 
plexion, it  abides ;  it  is  like  the  fire  on  the 
altar,  which  was  kept  always  burning,  Lev. 
vi.  13. 

Second  sign  of  adoption,  to  love  to  be  in 
oxu-  Father's  y)resence.  The  child  who 
loves  his  father,  is  never  so  well  as  when 
^«»  is  near  his  father.  Are  we  cliildren  ? 
^'e  V)ve  the  presence  of  God  in  his  ordi- 
nances. In  prayer  we  speak  to  God,  in  the 
preaching  of  las  word  he  speaks  to  us ; 
and  how  doth  every  child  of  God  delight 
to  hear  his  Father's  voice  !  Ps.  Ixiii.  1,  2., 
"  My  soul  thirsteth  for  thee,  to  see  thy 
power  and  glory  so  as  I  have  seen  thee  iii 
the  sanctuary."  Such  as  disregard  ordi- 
nances, are  not  God's  children,  because 
they  care  not  to  be  in  God's  presence: 
Gen.  iv.  IG.,  "  Cain  went  out  from  the  pre- 
sence of  the  Lord."  Not  that  he  could  go 
out  of  God's  sight,  but  the  meaning  is, 
"  Cain  went  out  from  the  church  and  per>- 
ple  of  God,  where  tiie  Lord  gave  visible 
tokens  of  his  presence." 

Third  sign  of  adoption,  to  have  the  con- 


duct of  God's  Spirit,  Rom.  viii.  14.,  "  As 
many  as  are  led  by  the  Spirit  of  (iod,  arc 
the  sojis  of  God."  It  is  not  enough  that 
the  child  have  life,  hut  it  must  he  led  everv 
step  l>y  the  inn-se :  so  the  ado[)ted  child 
must  not  only  be  born  of  God,  but  have 
the  manuduction  of  the  Spirit  to  lead  him 
in  a  course  of  holiness,  IIos.  xi.  3.,  "  I  taught 
Ephraim  also  to  go,  taking  them  by  llieir 
arms."  As  Israel  was  led  by  the  pillar  of 
fire,  so  God's  children  are  led  by  the  con- 
duct of  his  Spirit :  the  adopted  ones  need 
God's  Spirit  to  lead  them,  they  are  apt  to 
go  wrong.  The  fleshly  part  inclines  to  sin  ; 
the  understanding  and  conscience  are  to 
guide  the  will,  hut  the  will  is  imperious 
and  rebels;  therefore  God's  children  need 
the  Spirit  to  check  corruption,  and  lead 
them  in  the  right  way.  As  wicked  men 
are  led  by  the  evil  spirit ;  the  s[»irit  of  Sa- 
tan led  Herod  to  incest,  Ahab  to  murder, 
.Judas  to  treason  :  so  the  good  Spirit  leads 
God's  children  into  virtuous  actions. 

Obj.  But  enthusiasts  pretend  to  be  ted  by 
the  Spirit,  when  it  is  an  ignis  fatuus, — a  de- 
lusion. 

A.  The  Spirit's  conduct  is  agreeable  to 
the  word ;  enthusiasts  leave  the  word,  "  The 
word  is  truth,"  John  xvi.  13.;  and,  "  The 
Spirit  guides  into  all  truth,"  John  xvi.  13. 
The  word's  teaching  and  the  Spirit's  lead- 
ing agree  together. 

Fourth  sign,  if  we  are  adopted,  we  have 
an  entire  love  to  all  God's  children,  1  Pet. 
11.  17.,  "Love  the  brotherhood."  We  hear 
affection  to  God's  children,  though  they 
have  some  infirmities,  there  are  the  spots 
of  God's  children,  Deut.  xxxii.  5.  But  we 
must  love  the  beautiful  face  of  holiness, 
though  it  hath  a  scar  in  it.  If  we  are 
adojded,  we  love  the  good  we  see  in  God's 
children,  we  admire  their  graces,  we  pass 
by  their  imprudencies;  if  we  cannot  love 
them  because  they  have  some  failings,  how 
do  we  think  God  can  love  us  ?  Can  we 
plead  exemption  ?  By  these  signs  we  know 
our  adoption. 

Qui: ST.  What  arc  the  benefits  which  accrue 
to  God's  children  ? 

Ans.  They  have  great  immunities.  Kings* 
children  have  great  privileges  and  freedoms  ; 
they  do  not  ])ay  custom,  Mat."xviii.  0.  ( Jod's 
children   are   j)rivlleged   persons,  they  are 


160 


OF  SANXTIFICATION 


privqiegcd  from  the  luirt  of  every  tiling, 
Luke  x.  19.,  "  N(»tl)ing  sliall  by  any  means 
hurt  you."  Hit  you  it  may,  not  hurt  you, 
Ps.  xci.  10.,  "  There  sliall  no  evil  befall 
thee."  God  saith  not.  No  affliction  shall 
befall  his  children,  but,  No  evil;  tlie  hurt 
and  poison  of  it  is  taken  away.  Atiliction 
to  a  wicked  man  hath  evil  in  it,  it  makes 
him  worse ;  it  makes  him  curse  and  blas- 
pheme, ReA'.  xvi.  9.,  "  Men  were  scorched 
with  great  heat,  and  blasphemed  the  name 
of  God."  But  no  evil  befalls  a  child  of 
God,  he  is  bettered  by  affliction,  Ileb.  xii. 
10.  The  furnace  makes  gold  purer.  A- 
gain,  no  evil  befalls  the  adopted,  because 
no  condemnation,  Rom.  viii.  33.,  "It  is 
God  that  justifieth,  who  is  he  that  con- 
demneth  ?"  What  a  blessed  privilege  is 
this  to  be  freed  from  tlie  sting  of  affliction, 
and  the  curse  of  the  law  !  To  be  in  such 
a  condition,  that  nothing  can  hurt  one  ! 
When  the  dragon  hath  poisoned  the  water, 
the  unicorn  with  his  horn  doth  extract 
and  draw  out  the  poison :  so  Jesus  Christ 
hath  di'awn  out  the  poison  of  every  afflic- 
tion, that  it  cannot  prejudice  the  saints. 

Second  benefit,  if  we  are  adopted,  then 
we  have  an  interest  in  all  the  promises  : 
the  promises  are  children's  bread,  "  Be- 
lievers are  heirs  of  the  promises,"  Heb.  vi. 
17.  The  promises  are  sure  :  God's  trutli, 
which  is  the  brightest  })earl  in  his  crown, 
is  laid  to  pawn  in  a  promise.  The  pro- 
mises are  suitable  like  a  physic-garden, 
there  is  no  disease  but  there  is  some  herb 
in   the  physic-garden   to   cure   it.     In  the 


djirk  night  of  desertion,  God  hath  promis- 
ed to  be  a  sun  ;  in  temptation,  to  tread 
down  Satan,  Rom.  xvi.  20.  Doth  sin  pre- 
vail ?  he  hath  promised  to  take  away  its 
kingly  power,  Rom.  vi.  14.  O  the  hea- 
venly comforts  which  are  distilled  from 
the  limbeck  of  the  promises  !  But  who 
hath  a  right  to  these  ?  Believers  only  are 
helis  of  the  promise.  There  is  never  a  pro- 
mise in  the  Bible,  but  a  believer  may  say, 
this  is  mine. 

Use  uU.  Extol  and  magnify  God's  mercv, 
who  hath  adopted  you  into  his  family ; 
who,  of  slaves,  hath  made  you  sons ;  <){ 
heirs  of  hell,  heirs  of  the  promise.  Adoj)- 
tion  is  a  free  gift.  He  gave  them  power, 
or  dignity,  to  become  tiie  sons  of  God. 
As  a  thread  of  silver  runs  through  th.e 
whole  piece  of  work,  so  free  grace  runs 
through  this  whole  privilege  of  ado])tion. 
Adoption  is  a  greater  mercy  than  Adam 
had  in  paradise;  he  was  a  son  by  creation, 
but  here  is  a  further  sonship  by  adoption. 
To  make  us  thankful,  consider,  in  civil 
adoption  there  is  some  worth  and  excel- 
lency in  the  person  to  be  adopted ;  but 
there  was  no  worth  in  us,  ueitlier  beauty, 
nor  parentage,  nor  virtue;  nothing  in  us 
to  move  God  to  bestow  the  prerogative  of 
sonship  u])on  us.  We  have  enough  in  us 
to  move  God  to  correct  us,  but  nothing 
to  move  Idm  to  adopt  us,  therefore  exalt 
free  grace,  begin  the  work  of  angels  here  ; 
bless  him  witli  your  praises  who  hath 
blessed  you  in  making  you  his  sons  and 
daughters  ! 


OF  SANCTIFICATION, 


1  TiiEss.  iv.  3.  For  this  is  the  ivill  of  God,  even  your  scwcfpoticn. 


THE  notion  of  the  word  sanctijicotion 
signifies  to  consecnite  and  set  a])art  to  an 
holy  use  :  thus  they  are  sanctified  persons, 
who  are  separated  from  the  world,  and  set 
apart  for  God's  service.  Sanctification  hath 
a  privative  and  a  positive  part. 

1.  A  privative  part,  mortification,  which 
lies  in  the  purging  out  of  sin.  Sin  is  com- 
pared to  leaven  which  sours ;  and  to  leprosy 


which  defiles;  sanctification  doth  purge 
out  "  the  old  leaven,"  1  (or.  v.  7.  Though 
it  takes  not  away  the  life,  yet  it  takes  away 
the  love  of  sin. 

2.  A  positive  part,  vivification,  which  is 
the  spiritual  refining  of  the  soul,  which  in 
scripture  is  called  a  "  renewing  of  your 
mind,"  Rom.  xii.  2.,  and  a  "  partaking 
of  the  divane  nature,"   2  Pet.  i.  4.     The 


OF  SANCTIFICATION. 


161 


priests  in  the  law  not  only  were  wjished 
in  the  great  laver,  but  adorned  with  glori- 
ous apparel,  Exod.  xxviii.  2.,  so  sanctifica- 
tion  not  only  watches  from  sin,  but  adorns 
with  purity. 

Quest.   flJiat  is  sanctiJicatio7i  ? 

Alls.  It  is  a  principle  of  grace  savingly 
wrought,  whereby  the  heart  becomes  holy, 
and  is  made  after  God's  own  heart.  A 
sanctified  person  bears  not  only  God's  name, 
but  image.  For  the  opening  the  nature  of 
sanctilication,  I  sliall  lay  down  these  seven 
positions. 

1.  Sanctification  is  a  supernatural  thing: 
it  is  di\inely  infused.  We  are  naturally 
polluted;  and  to  cleanse,  God  takes  to  be 
his  prerogative  ;  Lev.  xxi.  8.,  "  I  the  Lord 
whicli  sanctifieth  you."  Weeds  grow  of 
themselves.  Flowers  are  planted.  Sancti- 
fication is  a  flower  of  the  Spirit's  planting, 
therefore  it  is  called,  "  The  sanctification 
of  the  Spirit,"  1  Pet.  i.  2. 

2.  Sanctification  is  an  intrinsical  thing  ; 
'  it  lies  chiefly  in  the  heart.'  It  is  called 
the  adorning  "  the  hidden  man  of  the 
lieart,"  1  Pet.  iii.  4.  The  dew  wets  the 
leaf,  the  sap  is  hid  in  the  root :  the  religion 
of  some  consists  only  in  externals,  but  sanc- 
tification is  deeply  rooted  in  the  soul,  Ps. 
li.  6.,  "  In  the  hidden  part  thou  shalt  make 
me  to  know  wisdom." 

3.  Sanctification  is  an  extensive  thing: 
it  spreads  into  the  whole  man,  1  Thess.  v. 
23.,  '•  The  very  God  of  peace  sanctify  you 
wholly."  As  original  corruption  hath  de- 
praved all  the  faculties,  '  the  whole  head  is 
sick,  the  whole  heart  faint,'  no  part  sound, 
as  if  the  whole  mass  of  blood  were  corrupt- 
ed, so  sanctification  goes  over  the  whole 
soul.  After  the  fall,  there  was  ignorance 
in  the  mind ;  now  in  sanctification,  we  are 
'  light  in  the  Lord,'  Eph.  v.  8.  After  the 
fall,  the  will  was  depraved ;  there  was  not 
only  impotcncy  to  good,  but  obstinacy ; 
now,  in  sanctification,  there  is  a  blessed 
pliableness  in  the  will,  it  doth  symbolize 
and  comport  with  the  will  of  God.  After 
the  fall,  the  affections  were  misplaced  on 
wrong  objects;  in  sanctification,  they  are 
turned  into  a  sweet  order  and  liarmony, — 
the  grief  placed  on  sin, — the  love  on  God, — 
the  joy  on  lieaven.  Thus  sanctification 
spreads  itself  iis  far  as  original  corruption  : 


it  goes  over  the  whole  soul,  "  the  God  of 
peace  sanctify  you  wholly."  He  is  not 
a  sanctified  person  who  is  good  only  in 
some  part,  but  who  is  all  over  sanctified, 
therefore  in  scripture  grace  is  called  "  a 
new  man,"  Col.  iii.  10.,  not  a  new  eye  or 
a  new  tongue,  but  a  "  new  man."  A  good 
Christian,  though  he  be  sanctified  but  in 
part,  yet  in  every  part. 

4.  Sanctification  is  an  intense  ardent 
thing,  Qua/itatcs  sunt  in  suhjexto  intensive^ 
Rom.  xii.  11.,  "  Fervent  in  spirit."  Sanc- 
tification is  not  a  dead  form,  but  it  is  in- 
flamed into  zeal.  We  call  water  hot,  when 
it  is  so  in  the  third  or  fourt!i  defrree :  he 
is  holy,  whose  religion  is  heated  to  some 
degi-ee,  and  his  heart  boils  over  in  love  to 
God. 

5.  Sanctification  is  a  beautiful  thing  ;  it 
makes  God  and  angels  fall  in  love  witli  us, 
Ps.  ex.  3.,  "  The  beauties  of  holiness."  As 
the  sun  is  to  the  world,  so  is  sanctification 
to  the  soul,  beautifying  and  bespangling  it 
in  God's  eyes.  That  which  makes  God 
glorious,  must  needs  make  us  so.  Holi- 
ness is  the  most  sparkling  jewel  in  the 
Godhead,  Exod.  xv.  11.,  "  Glorious  in  ho- 
liness." Sanctification  is  the  first  fruit  of 
the  Spirit ;  it  is  heaven  begun  in  the  soul ; 
sanctification  and  glory  differ  only  in  de- 
gree,— sanctification  is  glory  in  the  seed, 
and  glory  is  sanctification  in  the  flower. 
Holiness  is  the  quintessence  of  hai)pincss. 

G.  Sanctification  is  an  abidinsr  thin"-. 
1  John  iii.  9.,  "  His  seed  remaiucth  in  hiui." 
He  who  is  truly  sanctified,  cannot  fall  from 
that  state.  Indeed  seeming  holiness  may 
be  lost,  colours  may  wash  off,  sanctificatiou 
may  suffer  an  eclipse.  Rev.  il.  4.,  "  Thou, 
hast  left  thy  first  love :"  but  true  sanctifi- 
cation is  a  blossom  of  eternitv,    1  Jolin  iL 

* 

27.,    "  The   anointing   whicli   ye  have   re- 
ceived of  him  abideth  in  you."     He  who. 
is  truly  sanctified,  can  no  more  fiill  away,, 
than   the  angels  which   sire   fixed  in   their 
lieavenjy  orbs. 

7.  Sanctification  is  a  progressive  thing, 
it  is  growing  ;  it  is  compared  to  seed  which 
grows, — first  the  blade  springs  up, — then 
the  ear, — then  the  ripe  corn  in  the  car ; 
such  as  are  already  sanctified,  may  be  more 
sanctifie<l.  2  C»>r.  vii.  1.  Justification  doth 
not  admit  of  degrees  :  a  believer  cannot  be 


162 


OF  SANCTIFICATION. 


more  elected  or  justified  than  he  is,  but  he 
may  be  more  sanctified  than  he  is ;  sanc- 
tification  is  still  increasing,  like  the  morn- 
ing sun,  which  grows  brighter  to  the  full 
meridian.  Knowledge  is  said  to  increase, 
Col.  i.  10.,  and  faith  to  increase,  2  Cor.  x. 
15.  A  Christian  is  continually  adding  a 
cubit  to  his  spiritual  stature.  It  is  not 
with  us  as  it  was  with  Christ,  who  receiv- 
ed the  Spirit  without  measure  ;  Christ 
could  not  be  more  holy  than  he  was.  But 
we  have  the  Spirit  only  in  measure,  and 
may  be  still  augmenting  our  grace;  as 
Apelles,  when  he  had  drawn  a  picture,  he 
would  be  still  mending  it  with  his  pencil. 
Tiie  image  of  God  is  drawn  but  imperfect- 
ly in  us,  therefore  we  must  be  still  mend- 
ing it,  and  drawing  it  in  more  lively  co- 
lours ;  sanctification  is  progressive ;  if  it 
doth  not  grow,  it  is  because  it  doth  not 
live.  Thus  you  see  the  nature  of  sancti- 
fication. 

Quest.   JMiat  are  the  counterfeits  of  sanc- 
tification ? 

Ans.  There  is  something  looks  like  sanc- 
tification, which  is  not. 

1.  The  first  counterfeit  of  sanctification 
is  moral  ^drtue.     To  be  just,  temperate,  to 
be  of  a  fair  deportment,  not  having  one's 
scutcheon  blotted  with  ignominious  scandal, 
this  is  good,  but  not  enough  :  this  is  not 
sanctification.     A  field-flower  differs  from 
a  garden-flower.     1.  Heathens  have  attain- 
ed to  morality;  Cato,   Socrates,  Aristides. 
Civility  is  but  nature  refined ;   there  is  no- 
thing of  Christ  there;  the  heart  may  be 
foul  and  impure,  under  these  fair  leaA'es  of 
civility,  the  worm  of  unbelief  may  be  hid. 
2.  A  moral  person  hath  a  secret  antipathy 
against  grace  ;  he  hates  vice,  and  he  hates 
grace  as  much  as  vice.     The  snake  hath  a 
fine  coloiu',  but  a  sting.     A  person  adorn- 
ed and  cultivated  with  moral  virtue  hath 
a   secret    spleen    against    sanctity :     those 
Stoics,  which  were  the  chief  of  the  moralized 
heathens,  were  the  bitterest  enemies  St.  Paul 
had,  Acts  x\\\.  18. 

2.  The  second  counterfeit  of  sanctifica- 
tion is  superstitious  devotion  :  this  abounds 
in  popery;  adorations,  images,  altars,  vest- 
ments, holy  water,  which  I  look  upon  as  a 
religious  frenzy:  this  is  far  from  sanctifi- 
cation.    1.  It  loth  not  put  any  intrinsical 


goodness  into  a  roan,  it  doth  not  make  a 
man  better.  If  the  legal  purifications  and 
Avashings,  which  Avere  of  God's  own  ap- 
pointing, did  not  make  them  that  used  them 
more  holy,  (the  priests,  wlio  wore  holy  gar- 
ments, and  liad  holy  oil  poured  on  them, 
were  never  the  more  holy,  without  the  an- 
ointing  of  the  Spirit,)  then  surely  those  su- 
perstitious innovations  in  religion  which 
God  never  appointed,  cannot  contribute  any 
holiness  to  men.  2.  A  superstitious  holi- 
ness costs  no  great  labour ;  there  is  nothing 
of  the  heart  in  it ;  if  to  tell  over  a  iew 
beads,  or  bow  to  an  image,  or  sprinkle 
themselves  Avith  holy  Avater,  if  this  Avere 
sanctification,  and  were  all  that  Avere  re- 
quired of  them  that  should  be  saA'ed,  then 
hell  Avould  be  empty,  none  Avould  come 
there. 

3.  Tlie  third  counterfeit  of  sanctification 
is  hj^ocrisy ;  Avhen  men  make  a  pretence 
of  that  holiness  Avhich  they  haA'e  not.     A 
comet  may  shine  like  a  star;  such  a  lustre 
shines  from  their  profession,  as  dazzleth  the 
eyes  of  the  beholders,  2  Tim.  iii.  5.,  "  HaA'- 
ing  a  form  of  godliness,  but  denying  the 
poAver."      These    are    lamps    Avithout    oil ; 
Avhited  sepulchres,  like  the  Egy^ptian  tem- 
ples, Avhich  had  fair  outsides,   but  within 
spiders   and  apes.     The   apostle  speaks  of 
true  holiness,  Eph.  iv.  24.,  Implying  that 
there    is    holiness  which    is    spurious    and 
feigned,  Rev.  iii.  1.,  "  Thou  hast  a  name 
that  thou  liA^est  but  art  dead  :"  like  pictures 
and   statues  AA'hich  are  destitute  of  a  Adtal 
principle,  Jude  12.,   "  Clouds  Avithout  wa- 
ter."    They  pretend  to  be  full  of  tlie  Spi- 
rit, but  are   empty  clouds.     This  shew  of 
sanctification   (Avhen  it  is  nothing  else)  is 
self-delusion.     He  who  takes  copper  instead 
of  gold,  AATongs  himself;  the  most  counter- 
feit saint   deceiATS   others   AA^hile   he  Hacs, 
but  deceiA'cs  himself  AA'hcn    he   dies.     To 
pretend  holiness,  AA'hen  there  is  none,  is  a 
vain  thing.     What  AA'cre  the  foolish  virgins 
better  for  their  blazing  lamps,  Avhen  they 
Avanted  oil  ?     Wliat  is  the  lamp  of  })rofes- 
sion  Avithout  the  oil  of  saving  grace  ?    Wliat 
comfort  AV'ill  a  shew  of  holiness  yiehl  at 
last?     Will  painted  gold  enrich, — painted 
Avine    refresh   him   that  is   thirsty  ?     Will 
painted  holiness  be  a  cordial  at  the  hour  of 
\  deatli  ?     A  pretence  of  sanctification  is  not 


OF  SANCTIFICATION. 


163 


to  he  rested  in.  Many  ships,  that  have 
had  the  name  of  the  Hope,  the  Safop^uard, 
the  Triumph,  yet  have  been  cast  away 
upon  the  rocks;  so,  many  wlio  have  liad 
the  name  of  saintship,  have  been  cast  into 
hell. 

4.  The  fourth  counterfeit  of  sanctifica- 
tion  is  restraining  grace.  Wlien  men  for- 
bear ^nce,  tliougli  tliey  do  not  liate  it,  tliis 
may  be  the  sinner's  motto,  '  Fain  I  wouhl, 
but  I  dare  not.'  The  dog  hath  a  mind  to 
the  bone  but  is  afraid  of  the  cudgel ;  men 
have  a  mind  to  lust,  but  conscience  stands 
as  the  angel,  witli  a  flaming  sword,  and  af- 
frights ;  they  have  a  mind  to  revenge,  but 
the  fear  of  hell  is  a  curb-bit  to  check  tlicm. 
Here  is  no  change  of  heart;  sin  is  curbed, 
but  not  cured ;  a  lion  may  be  in  chains,  but 
is  a  lion  still. 

5.  The  fifth  counterfeit  of  sanctification, 
is  common  grace,  which  is  a  slight,  transient 
work  of  the  Spirit,  but  doth  not  amount  to 
conversion.  There  is  some  light  in  the 
judgment,  but  it  is  not  humbling, — some 
checks  in  the  conscience  but  they  are  not 
awakening  :  this  looks  like  sanctification, 
but  is  not.  Men  have  convictions  wrought 
in  them,  but  they  break  loose  from  them 
again,  like  the  deer,  which,  being  shot, 
shakes  out  the  arrow;  after  conviction, 
men  go  into  the  house  of  mirth,  take  the 
liarp  to  drive  away  the  spirit  of  sadness, 
and  so  all  dies  and  comes  to  nothing. 

Quest.  Wherein  appears  the  necessity  of 
sanctification  ? 

Ans.  In  six  things,  1.  God  hath  called 
us  to  it,  2  Pet.  i.  3.,  "  Wlio  hath  called  us 
to  glory  and  virtue  ;"  to  virtue,  as  well  as 
glory.  "  God  hath  not  called  us  to  un- 
cleanness,  but  unto  holiness,"  1  Thess.  iv. 
7.  We  have  no  call  to  sin,  we  may  have 
a  temptation,  but  no  call ;  no  call  to  be 
proud,  or  unclean ;  but  we  have  a  call  to 
be  holy. 

2.  The  necessity  appears  in  this :  with- 
out sanctification  there  is  no  evidencing  our 
justification:  justification  and  sanctification 
go  together,  1  Cor.  vi.  11.,  "  But  ye  are 
sanctified,  but  ye  are  justified ;"  Mic.  vii. 
18.,  "  Pardoneth  iniquity,"  there  is  justi- 
fication; V.  19.,  "  He  will  subdue  our  ini- 
quities," there  is  sanctification.  Out  of 
Christ's  side  came  blood  and  water,  1  John 


v.  G.  Blood,  %nz.  justification  ;  water  viz. 
sanctification.  Such  as  have  not  the  water 
out  of  Cli list's  side  to  cleanse  them,  shall 
never  have  the  blood  out  of  his  side  to  save 
them, 

3.  Without  sanctification  we  have  no  ti- 
tle to  the  new  covenant.  The  covenant  of 
grace  is  our  charter  for  lieaven  ;  the  tenui'e 
of  tlie  covenant,  is,  That  (iod  will  be  our 
God  (the  crowning  blessing).  But  who 
are  interested  in  the  covenant,  and  mav 
plead  the  benefit  of  it.''  Only  sanctified 
persons ;  E/ek.  xxxvi.  26.,  "  A  new  heart 
also  will  I  give  you,  and  I  will  put  my  Spi- 
rit within  you,"  and  I  will  be  your  God. 
If  a  man  make  a  will,  and  settles  his  estate 
upon  such  persons  as  he  names  in  the  will, 
none  else  but  they  can  lay  claim  to  the 
will :  so  God  makes  a  will  and  testament, 
but  it  is  restrained  and  limited  to  such 
as  are  sanctified ;  and  it  is  high  presump- 
tion for  ajiy  else  to  lay  claim  to  the  will. 

4.  There  is  no  going  to  heaven  without 
sanctification,  Ileb.  xii.  14.,  "  Without  ho 
liness  no  man  shall  see  the  Lord."  God 
is  an  holy  G<)d,  and  he  will  suffer  no  un- 
holy creature  to  come  near  him;  a  king 
will  not  suffer  a  man  with  plague-sores 
to  approach  into  his  ])resence.  Heaven  is 
not  like  Noali's  ark,  M'herc  the  clean  beasts 
and  the  unclean  entered,  no  unclean  beasts 
come  into  the  heavenly  ark  ;  though  God 
suffer  the  wicked  to  live  a  while  on  the 
earth,  he  will  never  suffer  heaven  to  be 
pestered  with  such  vermin.  Are  they  fit 
to  see  God,  who  wallow  in  wickedness  ? 
Will  God  ever  lay  such  vipers  in  his  bo- 
som ?  "  Without  holiness  no  man  sIimU 
see  the  Lord."  It  must  be  a  clear  eye  that 
sees  a  bright  object ;  only  an  holy  heart 
can  sec  God  in  his  glory.  Sinners  may  see 
God  as  an  enemy,  but  not  as  a  friend; 
may  have  an  affrighting  vision  of  (i(»d, 
but  not  a  beatifical  vision  :  they  may  see 
the  flaming  sword,  hut  not  the  mercy-seat. 
O  then  what  need  is  there  of  sanctifica- 
tion ? 

5.  Without  sanctification  all  our  holy 
things  are  defiled.  Tit.  i.  15.,  "  Unto  them 
that  are  defiled,  is  nothing  pure."  Under 
the  law,  if  a  man  who  was  unclean  by  a 
dead  body,  had  carried  a  ])iece  of  holy  flesh 
in  his  skirt,  the  holy  flesh  had  not  cleansed 


i64. 


OF  SANCTIFICATION. 


him,  but  he  liad  polhitcd  tliat,  Hag.  i.  12, 
13.  An  emblem  of  a  sinner's  polluting  bis 
holy  offering.  A  foul  stomach  turns  tlie 
best  food  into  ill  liumoui's;  an  unsanctified 
heart  pollutes  jirayers,  alms,  sacraments. 
This  evinceth  tlie  necessity  of  sanctifica- 
tion  :  sanctilication  makes  our  holy  tilings 
accepted  ;  an  holy  lieart  is  the  altar  which 
sanctifies  the  offering;  his  duties,  though 
they  are  not  to  satisfaction,  yet  to  accepta- 
tion, 

6.  Without  sanctification  we  can  shew  no 
sign  of  our  election,  2  Thess.  ii.  13.  Elec- 
tion is  the  cause  of  our  salvation,  sanctifi- 
cation is  our  evidence  ;  sanctification  is  the 
ear-mark  of  Christ's  elect  sheep. 

Quest.  JF/tat  are  the  signs  of  sanctijica- 
f.on  ? 

Ans.  1.  Such  as  are  sanctified,  can  re- 
member a  time  wlien  they  were  unsancti- 
fied. Tit.  iii.  3.  We  were  in  our  blood,  and 
then  God  washed  us  with  water,  and  anoint- 
ed us  with  oil,  Ezek,  xvi.  9.  Those  trees 
of  righteousness  that  blossom  and  bear  al- 
monds can  remember  when  they  were  like 
Aaron's  dry  rod,  not  one  blossom  of  holiness 
growing ;  a  sanctified  soul  can  remember 
wlicn  he  was  estranged  from  God  through  ig- 
norance and  vanity,  and  when  free  grace 
planted  this  flower  of  holiness  in  him. 

Second  sign  of  sanctification  is  the  in- 
dwelling of  the  Spirit,  2  Tim.  i.  14.,  "  The 
Holy  Ghost  which  dwelleth  in  us."  As  the 
unclean  spirit  dwells  in  the  wicked  and  car- 
ries them  to  pride,  lust,  revenge  ;  the  devil 
hath  entered  into  these  swine.  Acts  v.  3. ; 
so  the  Spirit  of  God  dwells  in  the  elect,  as 
their  guide  and  comforter.  The  Spirit  pos- 
sesseth  the  saints.  God's  Spirit  sanctifies 
the  fancy,  causing  it  to  mint  holy  thoughts  ; 
it  sanctifies  the  will,  putting  a  new  bias 
upon  it,  whereby  it  is  inclined  to  good.  He 
who  is  sanctified,  hath  the  influence  of  the 
Spirit,  though  not  the  essence. 

Third  sign  of  sanctification  is  an  antipa- 
thy against  sin,  Ps.  cxix.  104.,  an  hypocrite 
may  leave  sin,  yet  love  it,  as  a  serpent  casts 
its  coat,  but  keeps  its  sting  :  hut  a  sanctified 
person  can  say,  he  not  only  leaves  sin,  but 
loathes  it.  As  there  are  antipathies  in  na- 
ture, between  the  vine  and  laurel,  so  in  a 
sanctified  soul  there  is  an  holy  antij)atliy 
against  sin ;   and  antipathies  can  never  be 


reconciled.  Because  he  hatli  an  antipathy 
against  sin,  he  cannot  but  oppose  it,  and 
seek  the  destruction  of  it. 

Fourth  sign  of  sanctification  is,  the  spi- 
ritual performance  of  duties,  viz.  with  the 
heart,  and  from  a  principle  of  love.  The 
sanctified  soul  prays  out  of  a  love  to  prayer, 
he  "  calls  the  sabbath  a  delight,"  Isa.  Is  iii. 

1  13,  A  man  may  have  gifts  to  admiration, 
he  may  speak  as  an  angel  dropped  out  of 
heaven,  yet  may  be  carnal  in  spiritual 
things  ;  his  services  do  not  come  from  a 
renewed  principle,  nor  is  he  carried  upon 
the  wings  of  delight  in  duty.  A  sanctified 
soul  worships  God  in  the  spirit,  1  Pet.  ii.  5. 
God  doth  not  judge  of  our  duties  by  the 
length,  but  by  the  love. 

Fifth  sign,  a  well-ordered  life,  1  Pet,  i. 
15.,  "  Be  ye  holy  in  all  manner  of  conver- 
sation :"  Where  the  l)eart  is  sanctified,  the 
life  will  be  so  too:  the  temple  had  gold 
without  as  well  as  within.  As  in  a  piece 
of  coin,  there  is  not  only  the  king's  image 
within  the  ring,  hut  his  superscrij)tion  too 
without ;  so  where  there  is  sanctification, 
there  is  not  only  God's  image  in  the  heart, 
but  a  superscription  of  holiness  written  in 
the  life.  Some  say  they  have  good  hearts, 
but  their  lives  are  vicious,  Prov.  xxx.  12., 
''  There  is  a  generation  that  are  })ure  in 
their  own  eyes,  yet  is  not  washed  from  their 
filtliiness."  If  the  water  he  foul  in  the 
bucket,  it  cannot  be  clean  in  the  well,  Ps. 
xlv.  13.,  "  The  king's  daughter  is  all  glo- 
rious within," — there  is  holiness  of  heart: 
'*  Her  clothing  is  of  wrought  gold," — holi- 
ness of  life.  Grace  is  most  beautiful  when 
its  light  doth  so  shine,  that  others  may  see 
it ;  this  adorns  religion,  and  makes  prose- 
lytes to  the  faith. 

Sixth  sign,  steadfast  resolution.  He  is 
resolved  never  to  part  with  his  holiness  ;  let 
others  reproach  it,  he  loves  it  the  more ;  let 
water  be  sprinkled  on  the  fire,  it  burns  the 
more.  He  saith,  as  David,  when  Michal 
reproached  him  for  dancing  before  the  ark, 

2  Sam.  vi.  22.,  If  this  he  to  the  vile,  "  I  will 
yet  be  more  vile."  Let  others  ])ersecute 
him  for  his  holiness,  he  saith  as  Paul,  Acts 
XX,  24,,  "  None  of  those  things  move  me  \' 
he  prefers  sanctity  before  safety ;  and  had 
rather  keep  his  conscience  pure  than  his 
skin  whole.     He  saith  as  Job,  "  my  righte- 


OF  SANCTIFICATION. 


165 


ousncss  I  liold  Hist,  and  will  not  let  it  go,"    than  gold,  Prov.  iv.  13.,  "  Keep  her,  for  she 
ch.  xxvii.  6.     He  will  rather  part  with  his   is  thy  life." 


life  than  ins  conseiencc. 

Use  1st.  See  what  is  the  main  thiiijT  a 
Cliristian  should  look  after,  viz.  sanctifica- 
tion  ;  this  is  the  U7ium  nccessoriuin, — the  one 
thing  needful.  Sanctifieation  is  our  purest 
complexion, — it  makes  us  as  the  heaven, 
bespangled  with  stars, — it  is  our  nobility, 
by  it  we  are  born  of  God,  and  partake  of 
the  divine  nature, — it  is  our  riches,  there- 
fore compared  to  rows  of  jewels,  and  chains 
of  gold,  Cant.  i.  10.  It  is  our  best  certifi- 
cate for  heaven  :  what  evidence  have  we  else 
to  show?  Have  we  knowledge?  so  hath  the 
devil  Do  we  profess  religion  ?  Satan  of- 
ten appears  in  Samuel's  mantle,  and  trans- 
forms himself  into  an  angel  of  light.  But 
here  is  our  certificate  to  show  for  heaven, 
sanctifieation.  Sanctifieation  is  the  first 
fruits  of  the  Spirit, — the  only  coin  that  will 
pass  current  in  the  other  world.  Sanctifi- 
eation is  the  evidence  of  God's  love  ;  we 
cannot  guess  of  God's  love  by  gi\'ing  us 
health,  riches,  success,  but  by  drawing  his 
image  of  sanctifieation  on  us  by  the  pencil 
of  the  Holy  Ghost. 

Branch  2.  It  shows  the  misery  of  such 
as  are  destitute  of  a  principle  of  sanctifiea- 
tion ;  they  are  spiritually  dead,  Ejdi.  ii.  1. 
Though  they  breathe,  yet  they  do  not  live. 
The  greatest  part  of  the  world  remain  un- 
sanctified,  1  John  v.  19.,  "  The  world  lies 
in  wickedness,"  that  is,  the  major  part  of 
the  world.  Many  call  themselves  Chris- 
tians, yet  blot  out  the  word  saints ;  you  may 
as  well  call  him  a  man  who  wants  reason, 
as  him  a  Christian  who  wants  grace ;  nay, 
which  is  worse,  some  are  buoyed  uj)  to  such 
a  height  of  wickedness,  that  they  hate  and 
deride  sanctifieation:  1.  Tliey  hate  it;  it  is 
bad  to  want  it,  it  is  worse  to  hate  it :  they 
embrace  the  form  of  religion,  but  hate  the 
power.  The  vulture  hates  sweet  smells,  so 
do  they  the  perfumes  of  holiness.  2.  Deride 
it :  '  These  are  your  holy  ones  !'  To  deride 
sanctifieation,  argues  an  high  degree  of  a- 
theism,  and  is  a  black  brand  of  re|)rol>alion  : 
fccofling  I^shniael  was  cjist  out  of  Abraham's 
family.  Gen.  xxi.  9.,  such  as  scoft'  at  holi- 
ness shall  be  cast  out  of  heaven. 

Use  2d.  Of  exhortation,    Alxtve  all  things 


QuKsr.  U'lutt  are  the  chief  inducements  to 
saticti/ica/ion  ? 

Ans.  I.s7,  It  is  the  will  of  God  that  we 
should  be  holy  :  in  the  text,  "  This  is  the 
will  of  God,  your  sanctifieation."  As  God's 
word  must  be  the  rule,  so  his  will,  the  rea- 
son of  our  actions  :  this  is  the  will  of  God, 
our  sanctifieation.  Perhaps  it  is  not  the 
will  of  God  we  should  be  rich,  but  it  is  his 
will  that  we  should  be  holy.  God's  will  is 
our  warrant. 

2dhj,  Jesus  Christ  hath  died  for  our 
sanetificati(m.  Christ  shed  his  blood  to 
wash  off*  our  impurity.  The  cross  was  both 
an  altar  and  a  laver,  Tit.  ii.  14.,  "  Wlio 
gave  himself  for  us,  that  he  might  redeem 
us  from  all  inicpiity."  If  we  could  be  saved 
without  holiness,  Christ  needed  not  have 
died.  Christ  died,  not  only  to  save  us  from 
wrath,  but  from  sin. 

3<//y,  Sanctifieation  makes  us  resem- 
ble God.  It  was  Adam's  sin  that  he  aspir- 
ed to  be  like  God  in  omnisciency,  but  we 
must  endeavour  to  be  like  him  in  sanctity. 
It  is  only  a  clear  glass  in  which  we  can  see 
a  face;  it  is  only  an  holy  heart  in  which 
something  of  God  can  be  seen ;  there's  no- 
thiiifi  of  God  to  be  seen  in  an  unsanctified 
man  ;  you  may  see  Satan's  ])icture  in  him  ; 
envy  is  the  devil's  eye,  hypocrisy  his  cloven 
foot,  but  nothing  of  God's  image  can  be 
seen  in  him.  You  can  see  no  more  of  God 
in  him  than  you  can  see  a  man's  face  in  a 
glass  that  is  dusty  and  foul. 

4//i/y,  Sanctifieation  is  that  which  God 
bears  a  great  love  to.  Not  any  outward 
ornaments,  high  blood,  or  worldly  gran- 
deur, draws  (iod's  love,  but  an  heart  em- 
bellished with  holiness.  Christ  never  ad- 
mired any  thing  but  the  beauty  of  holine.'?s; 
he  slighted  the  glorious  buildings  of  the 
temple,  but  admired  the  woman's  I'aith,  "  O 
woman,  great  is  thy  faith,"  Amur  finuhilur 
siniilitu(line.  A  king  delights  to  see  his  i- 
mage  ujjon  a  piece  of  coin  :  wliere  God  sees 
his  likeness,  there  he  gives  his  love.  The 
Lord  hath  two  heavens  he  dwells  in,  and 
the  holy  lieart  is  one  of  them 

bthhj,  Sanctifieation  is  the  only  thing 
doth   <litference  us  from  the  wicked:   God's 


pursue  after  sanctifieation  ;  seek  grace  more  \  people  have  his  seal  upon  them,  2  Tim.  ii. 


166 


OF  SANCTIFICATION. 


19.,  "  The  foundation  of  God  standeth 
sure,  liaving  tliis  seal,  tlie  Lord  knovveth 
them  tliat  are  liis  :  and  let  every  one  that 
nameth  the  name  of  Christ  depart  from  ini- 
quity." Tlie  godly  are  sealed  with  a  dou- 
ble seal :  1.  A  seal  of  election,  "  The  Lord 
knoweth  who  are  his  :"  2.  A  seal  of  sancti- 
fication,  "  Let  every  one  that  nameth  the 
name  of  Christ  depart  from  iniquity."  This 
is  the  name  by  which  God's  people  are 
known,  Isa.  Ixiii.  18.,  "  The  people  of  thy 
holiness."  As  chastity  distinguisheth  a 
vii-tuous  woman  from  a  harlot,  so  sanctifi- 
cation  distinguisheth  God's  people  from  o- 
thers,  1  John  ii.  20.,  "  Ye  have  an  unction 
from  the  Holy  One." 

Qthly,  It  is  as  great  a  shame  to  have  the 
name  of  a  Christian,  yet  want  sanctity,  as 
to  have  the  name  of  steward  and  yet  want 
fidelity;  the  name  of  a  virgin,  yet  want 
chastity.  It  exposeth  religion  to  reproach, 
to  be  baptized  into  the  name  of  Christ,  yet 
unholy;  to  have  eyes  full  of  tears  on  a 
sabbath,  and  on  a  week-day  eyes  full  of  a- 
dultery,  2  Pet.  ii.  15.  To  be  so  devout  at 
the  Lord's  table  as  if  men  were  stepping 
into  heaven,  and  so  profane  the  week  after 
as  if  they  came  out  of  hell.  To  have  the 
name  of  Christians,  yet  unholy,  is  a  scan- 
dal to  religion,  and  makes  the  ways  of  God 
evil  spoken  of. 

'^Ihly,  Sanctification  fits  for  heaven, 
2  Pet.  i.  8.,  "  Who  hath  called  us  to  glory 
and  virtue  ;"  glory  is  the  throne,  and  sanc- 
tification is  the  step  by  which  we  ascend  to 
It.  First,  you  cleanse  the  vessel,  and  then  you 
pour  in  the  wine  ;  first  God  cleanseth  us  by 
sanctification,  and  then  pours  in  the  wine  of 
glory.  Solomon  was  first  anointed  with  oil, 
and  then  he  was  a  king,  1  Kings  i.  39. 
First  God  anoints  us  with  the  holy  oil  of  his 
Spirit,  and  then  he  sets  the  crown  of  happi- 
ness upon  our  head.  Purencss  of  heart  and 
seeing  God  are  linked  togetlier.  Mat.  v.  8. 

Quest.  How  may  sanclijication  be  attain- 
ed to  ? 

Ans.  \.  Be  conversant  in  the  word  of 
God,  John  xvii.  17,,  "  Sanctifvthem  tliroup-h 
thy  truth."  The  word  is  botii  a  glass  to 
shew  us  the  spots  of  our  soul,  and  a  laver 
to  wash  them  away  ;  the  word  hath  a  trans- 
forming virtue  in  it,  it  irradiates  the  mind, 
and  consecrates  the  heart. 


A.  2.  Get  faith  in  Christ's  blood,  Acts 
XV.  9.,  "  Purifying  their  hearts  by  faith." 
She  in  the  gospel  that  touched  the  hem  of 
Christ's  garment  was  healed :  a  touch  of 
faith  purifies.  Nothing  can  have  a  greater 
force  upon  the  heart,  to  sanctify  it,  than 
faith  ;  if  I  believe  Christ  and  his  merits  are 
mine,  how  can  I  sin  against  him  ?  Justi- 
fying faith  doth  that  in  a  spiritual  sense, 
which  miraculous  faith  doth,  it  removes 
mountains,  the  mountains  of  pride,  lust, 
envy.  Faith  and  the  love  of  sin  are  incon- 
sistent. 

A.  3.  Breathe  after  the  Spirit;  it  is 
called  "  the  sanctification  of  the  Spirit," 
2  Thess.  ii.  13.  The  Spirit  sanctifies  the 
heart,  as  lightning  purifies  the  air,  as  fire 
refines  metals.  Oinne  agens  general  shbi  si- 
mile. The  Spirit  stamps  the  impression  of 
its  own  sanctity  upon  the  heart,  as  the  seal 
prints  its  efiigies  and  likeness  upon  the  wax. 
The  Spirit  of  God  in  a  man  perfumes  him 
with  holiness,  and  makes  his  heart  a  map  of 
heaven. 

A.  4.  Associate  with  sanctified  persons. 
They  may,  by  their  counsel,  prayers,  holy 
example,  be  a  means  to  make  you  holy  : 
as  the  communion  of  saints  is  in  our  creed, 
so  it  should  be  in  our  company,  Prov.  xiii. 
20.,  "  He  that  walketh  with  wise  men, 
shall  be  wise."  Association  begets  assimi- 
lation. 

A.  5.  Pray  for  sanctification.  Job  pro- 
pounds a  question,  "  Who  can  bring  a  clean 
thing  out  of  an  unclean  ?"  Job  xiv.  4. 
God  can  do  it.  Out  of  an  unholy  heart  he 
can  produce  grace.  O  !  make  David's 
prayer,  Psal.  Ii.  10.,  "  Create  in  me  a  clean 
heart,  O  (iod."  Lay  thy  heart  before  the 
Lord,  and  say,  "  Lord,  my  unsanctified 
heart  pollutes  all  it  toucheth.  I  am  not  fit 
to  live  with  such  an  heart,  for  I  cannot  ho- 
nour thee;  nor  die  with  such  an  heart,  for 
I  cannot  see  thee.  O  create  in  me  a  new 
heart ;  Lord  consecrate  my  heart,  and  make 
it  thy  temple,  and  thy  praises  shall  be  sung 
there  for  ever  !" 

Use  Sd.  Of  thankfulness.  Hath  God 
brought  a  clean  thing  out  of  an  tuiclean, — 
hath  he  sanctified  you  ?  wear  this  jewel  of 
sanctification  with  thankfulness,  Col.  i.  12., 
"  Giving  thanks  to  the  Father,  which  hath 
made  us  meet  to  be  partakers  of  the  inheri- 


OF  ASSURANCE. 


167 


tancc,"  &c.  Christian,  tliou  couldest  defile 
thyself,  but  not  sHnctily  thyself;  but  God 
hath  done  it,  he  hath  not  only  chained  up 
sin,  but  changed  thy  nature,  and  made 
thee  as  a  king's  daughter,  all  glorious  with- 
in. He  hath  put  upon  thee  the  breast- 
plate of  holiness,  which,  though  it  may  be 
shot  at,  can  never  be  shot  through.  Are 
there  any  here  that  are  sanctiliod  ?  God 
hath  done  more  for  you  than  millions :  they 
may  be  illuminated,  but  not  sanctified.     He 


hath  <lone  more  for  you,  than  if  he  had 
made  you  the  sons  of  princes,  and  caused 
you  to  ride  upon  the  high  places  of  the 
earth.  Are  you  sanctified  ?  heaven  is  be- 
gun in  you ;  happiness  is  nothing  but  the 
quintessence  of  holiness.  O  how  thankful 
should  you  be  to  God  !  Do  jus  that  blind 
man  in  the  gospel,  after  he  had  received  his 
sight,  "  He  followed  Christ,  glorifying  God," 
Luke  xviii.  43.  Make  heaven  ring  of  God's 
praises ! 


OF  ASSURANCE. 


Quest.  XXXVI.  JVHAT are  the  benefits 
which  flow  from  namtJfication  ? 

Axs.  Assurance  of  God's  love,  peace  of 
conscience,  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  in- 
crease of  grace,  and  perseverance  therein  to 

tlie  end. 

The  first  benefit  flowing  from  sanctifica- 
tion,  is  assurance  of  God's  love. 

2  Pet.  i.  10.,  "  Give  diligence  to  make 
your  calling  and  election  sure."  Sanctifi- 
cati<»n  is  the  seed,  assurance  is  the  flower 
which  grows  out  of  it :  assurance  is  a  con- 
sequent of  sanctification,  the  saints  of  old 
had  it,  1  John  ii.  3.,  "  We  know  that  we 
know  him,"  2  Tim.  i.  12  ,  "I  know  whom 
I  have  believed,"— iiere  was  senms  fides,— 
the  reflex  act  of  faith;  and  Gal.  ii.  20., 
"  Christ  hath  loved  me,"— here  was  faith 
flourishing  into  assurance,  ^colampadias, 
when  he  vi^as  sick,  pointed  to  his  heart, 
saying,  Uic  sat  lucis,—'  Here  I  have  light 
enough,'  meaning  comfort  and  assurance. 

Quest.  1.  Have  all  sanctified  persons  as- 
surance ? 

Ans.  They  have  a  right  to  it,  and  I  do 
incline  to  believe  that  all  have  it  in  some 
degree  before  their  last  expiring;  though 
their  comfin-t  may  not  be  so  strong,  and 
their  vital  spirits  so  weak,  that  they  cannot 
express  what  they  feel.  But  I  dare  not 
positively  aflirm  that  all  have  assurance  in 
the  first  moment  of  their  sanctification;  a 
letter  may  be  written,  when  it  is  not  seal- 
ed,—so  grace  may  be  written  in  the  heart, 
yet  the  Spirit  may  not  set  the  seal  of  assu  - 
ranee  to  it.  God  is  a  free  agent,  and  may 
give  or  suspend  assurance  pro  licito  as  he 


pleases.     "Wliere    there    is   the   sanc-tif\'iiig 
work  of  the  Spirit,    he   may  withhold   the 
sealing  work,  partly  to  keep  the  soul  hum- 
ble, partly  to  punish  our  careless  walking; 
we  neglect  our  spiritual  watch,  grow  remiss 
in  duty,  and  then  walk  under  a  cloud ;  we 
quench  the  graces  of  the  Spirit,  and  God 
withholds  the  comforts :  and  partly  to  jMit  a 
difference  between  earth  and  heaven.     This 
I  the  rather  speak,  to  bear  up  the  hearts  of 
God's  people  who  are  dejected  because  they 
have  no  assurance ;  you  may  have  the  wa- 
ter of  the  Spirit  poured  on  you  in  sanctifi- 
cation, though  not  the  oil  of  gladness  in  as- 
surance ;  there  may  be  faith  of  adherence, 
and  not  of  evidence  ;  thei-e  may  be  life  in 
the  root,   when   there   is   no   fruit    in   the 
branches  to  be  seen ;  so  faith  in  the  heart, 
when  no  fruit  of  assurance. 
Quest.  2.    JVhat  is  assurance  ? 
Ans.   It  is  not  vocal,  any  audible  voice, 
or  brought  to  us  by  the  help  of  an  angel 
[or    revelation.      Assurance    consists    of    a 
practical  syllogism,  where  the  word  of  God 
I  makes  the  major, — conscience  the  minor, — 
i  tlie   Spirit   of   God    the    conclusion.     The 
I  word  saith,  *  He  that  fears  and  lo\  es  God, 
is  loved  of  God ;'  there  is  the  major  propo- 
1  sition ;   then  conscience   makes  the  uiin(tr, 
'  but  I  fear  and  love  God  ;'  then  the  Sjtirit 
makes  the  conclusion,   '  therefore  thou  art 
loved  of  God,'  and  this  is  that  which   the 
apostle  calls,   '•  The  witnessing  of  the  Spi- 
rit with  our  spirits,  that  we  are  his   chil- 
dren," Rom.  viii.  16. 

Quest.  3.    Whether  hath  a  sanctified  soul 
such  aw  assurance  as  excludes  all  doubtings  f 


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OF  ASSURANCE. 


witli  it  for  the  richest  prize, — but  his  as- 
surance, though  it  be  infallible,  it  is  not 
perfect.  There  will  be  sometimes  a  trepi- 
dation or  trembling;  he  is  safe,  yet  not 
without  fears  and  doubts  :  as  a  ship  lies 
safe  at  anchor,  yet  may  be  a  little  shaken 
by  the  wind.  If  a  Christian  had  no  doubt- 
ings,  there  would  be  no  unbelief  in  him  ; 
had  he  no  doubtings  there  would  be  no  dif- 
ference between  grace  militant  and  grace 
triumphant.  Had  not  David  his  ebbings 
sometimes  as  well  as  flowings  ?  Like  the 
mariner,  who  sometimes  cries  out,  stellam 
video, — '  I  see  a  star  :'  sometimes  the  star 
is  out  of  sight.  Sometimes  we  hear  David 
say,  "  Thy  loving-kindness  is  before  mine 
eyes,"  Ps.  xxvi.  3.;  but  at  another  time 
he  was  at  a  loss,  Ps.  Ixxxix.  49.,   '   Lord, 


Ans.  He  hatli  that  which  bears  up  Ins  forbidden  fruit ;  he  knows,  though  he  can- 
heart  from  sinking, — he  hath  such  an  ear-  j  not  sin  away  his  soul,  yet  he  may  sin  away 
nest  of  the  Spirit,   that  he  would  not  part    liis  assurance  ;  but   he  who  hath   the   ic/nis 

^  fatuus  of  presumption,  doth  not  fear  defil- 
ing his  garments,  he  is  bold  in  sin,  Jer.  iii. 
4,  5.,  "  Wilt  thou  not  cry  unto  me,  my 
Father?  Behold,  Thou  hast  done  evil 
things  as  thou  couldst  !"  Balaam  said, 
My  God,  yet  was  a  sorcerer.  It  is  a  sign 
he  hath  no  money  about  him,  wlio  fears 
not  to  travel  all  hours  in  the  night ;  'tis  a 
sign  he  hath  not  the  jewel  of  assurance, 
who  fears  not  the  works  of  darkness. 

A.  3.  True  assurance  is  built  upon  a 
scripture  basis ;  the  word  saith,  "  The  ef- 
fect of  righteousness  shall  be  quietness  and 
assurance  for  ever,"  Isa.  xxxii.  17.  A 
Christian's  assurance  is  built  upon  this 
scripture ;  God  hath  sown  the  seed  of  righ- 
teousness in  his  soul,  and  this  seed  hath 
brought  forth  the  harvest  of  assurance ; 
but  presumption  is  a  spurious  thing,  it  hath 
not  scripture  to  shew  for  its  warrant, — it 
is  like  a  Avill  without  seal  and  witnesses, 
which  is  null  and  void  in  law, — presump- 
tion wants  both  the  witness  of  the  word, 
and  the  seal  of  the  Spirit. 

A.  4.  Assurance  flowing  from  sanctifi- 
cation  always  keeps  the  heart  in  a  lowly 
posture  :  '  Lord,'  saith  the  soul,  '  what  am 
I,  that,  passing  by  so  many,  the  golden 
beams  of  thy  love  should  shine  upon  me  ?* 
St.  Paul  had  assurance :  is  he  proud  of 
this  jewel  ?  No,  Eph.  iii.  8.,  "  To  me  who 
am  less  than  the  least  of  all  saints."  Tlie 
more  love  a  Christian  receives  from  God, 
the  more  he  sees  himself  a  debtor  to  free 
grace,  and  the  sense  of  his  debt  keeps  his 
heart  humble ;  but  presumption  is  bred  of 
pride.  He  who  presumes,  disdains ;  lie 
thinks  himself  better  than  others,  Luke 
xviii.  11.,  "  God,  I  thank  thee,  I  am  not 
as  other  men  are,  nor  as  this  Publican." 
Feathers  fly  up,  but  gold  descends ;  he  who 
hath  this  golden  assurance,  his  heart  de- 
scends in  humility. 

Quest.  5.  IVIiot  is  it  mat/  excite  us  to 
huh  after  assurance  ? 

Ans.  To  consider  how  sweet  it  is,  and  the 
noble  and  excellent  effects  it  produceth  : 
1.  How  sweet  it  is.     This  is  the  manna 


where  are  thy  former  loving-kindnesses  ?" 
And  there  may  fall  out  an  eclipse  in  a 
Christian's  assurance,  to  put  him  upon 
lonffin^  after  heaven, — then  there  shall  not 
be  the  least  doubting, — then  the  banner 
of  God's  love  shall  be  always  displayed 
upon  the  soul, — then  the  light  of  God's 
face  shall  be  without  clouds,  and  have  no 
gun-setting, — then  the  saints  shall  have  an 
Tm interrupted  assurance,  and  be  ever  with 
the  Lord. 

Quest.   4.    What  are  the  differences  be- 
tween true  assurance  and  prcsianption  ? 

Ans.  \.  They  differ  in  the  method  or 
manner  of  working  :  divine  assurance  flows 
from  humiliation  for  sin,  I  speak  not  of  the 
measure  of  humiliation,  but  tlie  truth. 
Tliere  are  in  Palermo,  reeds  growing,  in 
which  there  is  a  sugared  juice :  a  soul 
humbled  for  sin  is  the  bruised  reed,  in 
which  grows  this  sweet  assurance.  God's 
Sj)irit  is  a  spirit  of  bondage,  before  it  be  a 
spirit  of  adoption  ;  but  presumption  ariseth 
without  any  humbling  word  of  the  Spirit: 
'  How  earnest  thou  by  the  venison  so  soon.' 
The  plough  goes  before  the  seed  be  sown ; 
the  heart  must  be  plowed  up  by  humiliation 
and  repentance,  before  (Jod  sow  the  seed  of 

assurance. 

//.  2.  He  who  hath  a  real  assurance,  will 
take  heed  of  that  which  will  weaken  and 
daik.'u  his  assurance ;  he  is  fearful   of  the 


in   the  golden   pot, — the  white  stone, —  the 
wine  of  i)aradise  which  cheers  the  heart 


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169 


How  comfortable  is  God's  smile  !  The  sun 
is  more  refresliing  wlicn  it  sliines  out,  tlian 
wlien  it  is  liid  in  a  cloud, — it  is  a  pruiliba- 
tion  and  a  foretaste  of  glory, — it  puts  a 
man  in  heaven  before  his  time  ;  none  can 
know  how  delicious  and  ravishing  it  is,  but 
such  as  have  felt  it,  as  none  can  know 
how  sweet  honey  is,  but  they  who  have 
tasted  it. 

2.  The  noble  and  excellent  eflfects  it  pro- 
duceth  :  1.  Assurance  will  make  us  love 
God,  and  praise  him :  (1.)  Love  him.  Love 
is  the  soul  of  religion, — the  fat  of  the  sa- 
crifice,— and  who  can  love  God  so,  as  he 
who  Iiatli  assurance?  The  sun  reflecting 
its  beams  on  a  burning-glass,  makes  the 
glass  burn  that  which  is  near  to  it :  so  as- 
surance (which  is  the  reflection  of  God's 
love  upon  the  soul)  makes  it  burn  in  love 
to  God.  St.  Paul  was  assured  of  Christ's 
love  to  him.  Gal.  ii.  20,,  "  Who  loved  me :" 
and  how  was  his  heart  fired  with  love  ?  he 
valued  and  admired  nothing  but  Christ, 
Phil.  iii.  8.  As  Christ  was  fastened  to  the 
cross,  so  he  was  fastened  to  Paul's  heart. 
(2.)  Praise  him.  Praise  is  the  quit-rent 
we  pay.  to  the  crown  of  heaven.  Who  but 
he  who  hath  assurance  of  his  justification, 
can  bless  God,  and  give  him  the  glory  of 
what  he  hath  done  for  him  !  Can  a  man 
in  a  swoon  or  apoplexy,  praise  God  that 
he  is  alive?  Can  a  Christian,  staggering 
with  fears  about  his  spiritual  condition, 
praise  (jlod  that  he  is  elected  and  justified  ? 
No :  "  The  living,  the  living,  he  shall 
praise  thee,"  Isa.  xxxviii.  19.  Such  as  are 
enlivened  with  assurance,  they  are  the 
fittest  persons  to  sound  forth  God's  j)raise. 

Effect  2-  Assurance  would  drop  sweetness 
into  all  our  creature-enjoyments  ;  it  would 
be  as  sugar  to  wine,  an  earnest  of  more  ;  it 
gives  a  blessing  with  the  venison  ;  as  guilt 
embitters  our  comforts,  it  is  like  drinking 
out  of  a  wormwood  cup,  so  assurance  would 
indulcerate  and  sweeten  all  healtli,  and  the 
assurances  of  God's  love  are  sweet  riclies, 
and  with  the  assurance  of  a  kingdom  are 
delectable,  nay,  a  dinner  of  green  herbs, 
with  the  assurance  of  God's  love,  is  princely 
fare. 

Effect  3.  Assurance  would  make  us  ac- 
tive and  lively  in  God's  service ;  it  would 
excite  prayer,   quicken  obedience.     As  di- 


ligence begets  assurance,  so  asRuranci'  be- 
gets diligence.  Assurance  will  not  (as  the 
Papists  say)  breed  security  in  the  soul,  but 
industry;  doul)ting  does  discourage  us  in 
God's  service,  but  the  assurance  of  his  fa- 
vour breeds  joy,  "  For  the  joy  of  the  Lord 
is  your  strength,"  Neh.  viii.  10.  Assurance 
makes  us  m()unt  up  to  heaven,  ;is  eagles, 
in  lioly  duties;  it  is  like  the  Spirit  in  Eze- 
kiel's  wheels,  that  moved  them,  and  lifted 
them  up.  Faith  would  make  us  walk,  but 
assurance  would  make  us  run  :  we  should 
never  think  we  could  do  enough  for  God. 
Assurance  would  be  as  wings  to  the  bird, — 
as  weights  to  the  clock,  to  set  all  the  wheels 
of  obedience  a-running. 

Effect  4.  Assurance  would  be  a  golden 
shield  to  beat  back  temptation  :  assurance 
triumphs  over  temptation.  There  are  two 
sorts  of  temptations  Satan  useth :  1.  He 
tempts  to  draw  us  to  sin ;  now  the  being 
assured  of  our  justification  would  make 
this  temptation  vanish.  '  What,  Satan?  shall 
I  sin  jigainst  him  who  hath  loved  me,  and 
washed  me  in  his  blood!  Shall  I  return 
to  folly  after  God  lialli  spoken  peace? 
Shall  I  weaken  my  assurance,  wound  my 
conscience,  grieve  my  Comforter  ?  Avoid, 
Satan,  tempt  no  more  !'  2.  Satan  would 
make  us  question  our  interest  in  God  ;  he 
tells  us  we  are  hy{M)crites,  and  God  doth 
not  love  us.  Now  there  is  no  such  shield 
against  this  tenijjtation  as  assurance.  What, 
Satan  ?  Have  I  a  real  work  of  grace  in 
my  heart,  and  the  seal  of  the  Spirit  to  wit- 
ness it,  and  dost  thou  tell  me  God  doth 
not  love  me?  Now  I  know  thou  art  an 
impostor,  who  goest  about  to  disprove 
what  I  sensibly  feel.  If  faith  resists  the 
devil,  assurance  wt)uld  put  him  to  flight. 

Effect  5.  Assurance  would  make  us  con- 
tented though  we  have  but  a  little  in  the 
world;  he  who  hath  enough  is  content; 
he  wh<)  hath  sun-light  is  content  though 
he  want  torch-lijxht.  A  man  that  hath  as- 
surance,  hath  enough,  in  nno  solvatorc  oinnes 
fforciit  grinmcB  ad  suhifem.  He  hath  the 
riches  of  Christ's  merit, — a  pledge  of  his 
love, — an  earnest  of  his  glory;  he  is  filled 
with  the  fulness  of  God, — here  is  enough, 
and  having  enough  he  is  content,  Ps.  xvi. 
5.,  "  The  Lord  is  the  j)ortion  of  my  in- 
heritance;"   "  the  lines  are  fallen  to  me  in 


170 


OF  ASSURANCE. 


pleasant  places,  and  I  have  a  goodly  heri- 
tage." Assurance  will  rock  the  heart  quiet ; 
the  reason  of  discontent,  is  either  because 
men  have  no  interest  in  God,  or  do  not 
know  their  interest.  St.  Paul  saith,  "  I 
know  whom  I  have  believed,"  2  Tim.  i.  12. 
There  was  the  assurance  of  his  interest. 
And,  2  Cor.  vi.  10.,  "  As  sorrowful,  yet 
always  rejoicing,"  &c.  There  was  his  con- 
tentment. Get  but  assurance,  and  you 
will  be  out  of  the  weekly  bill  of  murmurers, 
you  will  be  discontented  no  more.  No- 
thing can  come  amiss  to  him  that  hath  as- 
surance? God  is  his.  Hath  he  lost  a 
friend  ?  his  father  lives.  Hath  he  lost  his 
only  child  ?  God  hath  given  him  his  only 
Son.  Hath  he  scarcity  of  bread?  God 
hath  given  him  the  finest  of  the  wheat, 
the  bread  of  life.  Arc  his  comforts  gone? 
he  hath  the  Comforter.  Doth  he  meet 
with  storms  on  the  sea?  he  knows  where 
to  put  in  for  harbour, — God  is  his  por- 
tion, and  heaven  is  his  haven.  This  assu- 
rance gives  sweet  contentment  in  every 
condition. 

Effect  t).  Assurance  would  bear  up  the 
heart  in  sufferings,  it  would  make  a  Chris- 
tian endure  troubles  with  patience  and 
cheerfulness.  With  patience,  Heb.  x.  36., 
"  Ye  have  need  of  patience."  There  are 
some  meats  (we  say)  are  hard  of  digestion, 
and  only  a  good  stomach  will  concoct  them  ; 
affliction  is  a  meat  hard  of  digestion,  but 
patience  (like  a  good  stomach)  will  be  able 
to  digest  it;  and  whence  come  patience  but 
from  assurance  ?  Rom.  v.  3.,  "  Tribulation 
worketh  patience,"  v.  5.,  because  the  love  of 
God  is  shed  abroad  in  our  hearts,"  with 
cheerfulness.  Assurance  is  like  the  mari- 
ner's lantern  on  the  deck,  which  gives  light 
in  a  dark  night.  Assurance  gives  the  light 
of  comfort  in  affliction,  Heb.  x.  34.,  Ye 
"  took  joyfully  the  spoiling  of  your  goods, 
knowing  in  yourselves,"  &.c.  there  was  as- 
surance. He  that  hath  assurance,  can  re- 
joice in  tribulation  ;  he  can  gather  grapes  of 
thorns,  and  honey  out  of  the  lion's  carcase. 
Latimer  said,  "  When  I  sit  alone,  and  can 
have  a  settled  assurance  of  the  state  of  my 
soul,  and  know  that  God  is  mine,  I  can 
laugh  at  all  troubles,  and  nothing  can  daunt 
me." 

Effect  7.  Assurance  would  pacify  a  trou- 


bled conscience  :  he  who  hath  a  disturbed 
vexatious  conscience,  carries  an  hell  about 
him,  Eheu  quis  intus  scorpia  !  but  assurance 
cures  the  agony,  and  allays  the  fury  of  con- 
science ;  conscience,  that  before  was  turned 
into  a  serpent,  now  is  like  a  bee  that  hath 
honey  in  its  mouth, — it  speaks  peace, — 
trnnquillus  Deus,  tranquillat  omnia,  Tertui- 
When  God  is  pacified  toward  us,  then  con- 
science is  pacified.  If  the  heavens  are  quiet, 
and  there  are  no  winds  stirring  thence,  the 
sea  is  quiet  and  calm  ;  so  if  there  be  no  anger 
in  God's  heart, — if  the  tempest  of  his  wrath 
do  not  blow, — conscience  is  quiet  and  serene. 

Effect  8.  Assurance  would  strengthen  us 
against  the  fears  of  death.  Such  as  want 
it,  cannot  die  with  comfort ;  they  are  in 
CEquiUihrio, — they  hang  in  a  doubtful  sus- 
pense what  should  become  of  them  after 
death, — but  he  who  hath  assurance  hath  an 
ha])py  and  joyful  passage  out  of  the  world, 
he  knows  he  is  passed  from  death  to  life, 
he  is  carried  full  sail  to  lieaA'en  !  Though 
he  cannot  resist  death,  yet  he  overcomes  it 

Quest.  6.  What  shall  they  do  that  want 
assurance  ? 

Ans  \st.  Such  as  want  assurance,  let  them 
labour  to  find  grace.  When  the  sun  denies 
light  to  the  earth,  it  may  give  forth  its  in- 
fluence ;  when  God  denies  the  light  of  his 
countenance,  he  may  give  the  influence  of 
his  grace. 

Quest.  How  shall  we  know  we  have  a  real 
work  of  gracCf  and  so  have  a  right  to  assur- 
ance ? 

Ans.  If  we  can  resolve  two  queries,  1. 
Have  we  high  appreciations  of  Jesus  Christ  ? 
1  Pet.  ii.  7.,  "  To  you  that  belicA'e  he  is» 
precious."  Christ  is  all  made  up  of  beau- 
ties and  delights ;  our  praises  fall  short  of 
his  worth,  and  is  like  spreading  canvas 
upon  cloth  of  gold.  How  precious  is  his 
blood  and  incense  !  The  one  pacifies  our 
conscience,  the  other  perfumes  our  ])rayers. 
Can  we  say  Ave  have  endearing  thoughts  of 
Christ?  Do  we  esteem  him  our  pearl  of 
price,  our  bright  morning-star  ?  Do  we 
count  all  our  earthly  enjoyments  but  as 
dung  in  comparison  of  Christ  ?  Phil.  iii.  8. 
Do  we  prefer  the  worst  things  of  Christ, 
before  the  best  things  of  the  world ;  the  re- 
proaches of  Christ  before  the  world's  em- 
braces ?  Heb.  xi.  2G. — Query  2.  Have  we 


OF  ASSURANCE. 


171 


ijpi  indwelling  of  tlie  Spirit?  2  Tim.  i.  14., 
•«  Tho  Holy  Gliost  wliic'h  dwclloth  in  us." 

Quest.  Hoic  may  we  hninr  that  ice  have 
the  indurlfinr/  presence  of  the  Spirit  ? 

Ans.  Not  by  liavinj]^  soniotinios  good  mo- 
tions stirred  up  in  us  by  the  Spirit,  lie  may 
work  in  us  yet  not  dwell,  but  by  the  sanc- 
tifying ])ower  of  the  Spirit  in  our  heart ; 
tlie  Spirit  infuseth  divinum  imiohm, — a  di- 
vine nature, — it  stamps  its  own  impress  and 
effigies  on  the  soxil,  making  llie  complexion 
of  it  holy.  The  Spirit  ennobles  and  raiseth 
the  lieart  above  the  world.  When  Nebu- 
chadnezzar had  his  understanding  given 
him,  he  grazed  no  longer  among  the  beasts, 
but  returned  to  his  throne,  and  minded  the 
affairs  of  his  kingdom :  when  the  Spirit  of 
God  dwells  in  a  man,  it  carries  his  heart 
above  the  visible  orbs,  it  makes  him  ai/perna 
anhelare, — thirst  after  Christ  and  glory.  If 
we  can  find  this,  then  we  have  grace,  and 
so  have  a  right  to  assurance 

Ans  2d.  If  you  want  assurance,  wait  for 
it.  If  the  figures  are  graven  on  the  dial,  it 
is  but  waiting  a  while,  and  the  sun  shines ; 
when  grace  is  engraven  in  the  heart,  it  is 
but  waiting  a  while  and  we  shall  liave  the 
sunshine  of  assurance,  "  He  that  believeth 
shall  not  make  haste,"  Isa.  xxviii.  IG.  He 
will  stay  (jiod's  leisure.  Say  not,  God  hath 
forsaken  you,  he  will  never  lift  up  the  light 
of  his  countenance  ;  but  rather  say  as  the 
church,  Isa.  viii.  17.,  ''  I  will  wait  uj)on  the 
Lord,  that  hidetli  his  face  from  the  house 
of  Jacob." — 1.  Hath  God  waited  for  your 
conversion  and  will  not  you  wait  for  his 
consolation  !  How  long  did  he  come  a  woo- 
ing to  you  by  his  Spirit  ?  He  waited  till  his 
head  was  filled  with  dew :  he  cried,  as  Jer. 
xiii.  27.,  "  Wilt  thou  not  be  made  clean  ? 
when  shall  it  once  be?"  O!  Cliristian,  did 
God  wait  for  thy  love,  and  canst  thou  not 
wait  for  his  ? — 2.  Assurance  is  so  sweet  and 
pi-ecious,  that  it  is  worth  waiting  for ;  the 
price  of  it  is  above  rubies,  it  cannot  be  va- 
lued with  the  gold  of  Ophir.  Assinance 
of  God's  love  is  a  pledge  of  election,  it  is 
the  angel's  banquet:  what  other  joy  have 
they !  lus  Micah  said,  Judg.  xviii.  24.,  "  What 
have  I  more ;"  so,  when  God  assures  the 
soul  of  his  eterTial  purposes  of  love,  what 
hath  he  more  to  give?  Whom  (io<\  kisseth 
he  crowns.     Assurance  is  the  iint  fruits  of 


paradise:  one  smile  of  God's  face,  one  glance 
of  liis  eye,  one  crumb  of  the  hidden  manna 
is  so  sweet  and  delicious,  that  it  deserves 
our  waiting. — 3.  God  hatlj  given  a  promise 
that  we  should  not  wait  in  vain,  Isa.  xlix. 
23.,  "  They  shall  not  be  ashamed  that  wait 
for  me."  Perhujis  God  reserves  this  cordi- 
al of  assurance  for  a  fainting  time  ;  he  keeps 
sometimes  his  best  wine  till  hist.  Assur- 
ance shall  be  reserved  as  an  ingredient  to 
sweeten  the  bitter  cup  of  death. 

Quest.  7.  How  may  deserted  souls  he  com- 
forted who  ars  cast  down  for  want  of  assur- 
ance ?  7  hey  have  the  day-star  of  y race  risen 
in  their  souls  ;  but  as  Job  complains,  "  1  went 
mourning  without  the  sun,"  Job  xxx.  28.  J'hey 
go  mourning  for  want  of  the  sun-ti<iht  (f  God  s 
face  ;  their  joy  is  eclipsed,  they  walk  in  dark- 
ness, and  see  no  light,  Isa.  1.  18.  How  shall 
we  comfort  such  as  lie  bleeding  in  desertion, 
and  are  cast  down  for  want  of  assurance  '? 

Ans.  1.  Want  of  assurance  shall  not  hin- 
der the  success  of  the  saint's  prayers.  Sin 
lived  in,  doth  put  a  bar  to  our  ])rayer  ;  but 
want  of  assurance  doth  not  hinder  jnayer  ; 
we  may  go  to  God  still  in  a  humble,  fidu- 
cial manner.  A  Christian  ])erhaps  may 
think,  because  he  doth  not  see  God  s  smil- 
ing face,  therefore  God  will  not  hear  him  ; 
this  is  a  mistake,  Ps.  xxxi.  22.,  "  I  said  in 
my  haste,  I  am  cut  off  from  before  thine 
eyes,  nevertheless  thou  heardest  the  voice 
of  my  supplicatit»n."  If  we  pour  out  sighs 
to  heaven,  God  hears  every  groan ;  though 
he  doth  not  shew  us  his  face,  he  may  lend 
us  his  ear. 

A.  2.  Faith  may  be  strongest  when  .assu- 
rance is  weakest ;  the  woman  of  Canaan 
had  no  assurance  but  a  glorious  faith  :  "  O 
woman,  great  is  thy  faith  !"  Mat.  xv.  28. 
'  Rachel  was  more  fair,  but  Leah  was  more 
fruitful.'  Assurance  is  more  fair  and  h)ve- 
ly  to  look  upon,  but  a  Iruitl'ul  faith  God 
seeth  it  better  for  us,  John  xx.  28.,  '*  Bles- 
sed are  they  that  believe  and  feel  not." 

A.  3.  When  (iod  is  out  of  sight,  yet  he 
is  not  out  of  covenant,  Ps.  Ixxxix.  28.,  "  My 
covenant  shall  stand  fast."  Though  a  wife 
doth  not  see  her  husband's  face  in  many 
years,  yet  the  marriage-relation  holds,  and 
he  will  come  again  to  her  after  a  long  v«)y- 
age.  God  may  he  gone  from  the  soul  in 
desertion,    but    the    covenant   stands    fast, 


172 


OF  ASSURANCE. 


[sa.  liv.  10.,  "  The  covenant  of  my  peace 
sliall  not  be  removed." — Quer.  Buttliispro- 
viise  was  vwde  to  the  Jews,  and  doth  not  be- 
long to  us,  Yes,  V.  17.,  "  Tins  is  tlie  heri- 
tage of  tlie  servants  of  the  Lord."  This  is 
made  to  all  the  servants  of  God,  those  who 
are  now  living,  as  well  as  those  who  lived 
in  the  time  of  the  Jews. 

Quest.  8.  JV/iat  slioidd  we  do  to  get  assu- 
rance ? 

Ans.  1.  Keep  a  pure  conscience ;  let  no 
guilt  lie  upon  the  conscience  unrepented  of: 
God  seals  no  pardons  before  repentance. 
God  will  not  pour  in  the  wine  of  assurance 
into  a  foul  vessel,  Heb.  x.  22.,  "  Let  us  di-aw 
near  in  full  assurance  of  faith,  having  our 
hearts  sprinkled  from  an  evil  conscience  !" 
Guilt  clips  the  wings  of  comfort ;  he  who 
is  conscious  to  himself  of  secret  sins,  can- 
not draw  near  to  God  in  full  assurance, — 
he  caimot  call  God  father,  but  judge ;  keep 
conscience  as  clear  as  your  eye,  that  no 
dust  of  sin  fall  into  it. 

A  2.  If  you  would  have  assurance,  be 
much  in  the  actings  of  grace,  1  Tim.  iv.  7., 
"  Excercise  thyself  rather  unto  godliness." 
Men  grow  rich  by  trading ;  by  trading  in 
gi'ace  we  grow  rich  in  assurance,  2  Pet.  i.  10., 
"  Make  your  election  sure."  How  ?  "  Add 
to  your  faith  virtue,  and  to  virtue  know- 
ledge." Keep  grace  upon  the  wing,  it  is 
the  lively  faith  flourisheth  into  assurance. 
No  man  will  set  up  a  great  sail  into  a  small 
boat,  but  in  a  large  vessel :  God  sets  up  the 
sail  of  assurance  in  an  heart  enlarged  with 
grace. 

A.  3.  If  you  would  have  assurance,  che- 
rish the  Holy  Spirit  of  God.  When  David 
would  have  assurance,  he  prays,  "  take  not 
thy  Holy  Spirit  from  me,"  Ps.  li.  11.  He 
knew  that  it  was  the  Spirit  only  that  could 
make  him  hear  the  voice  of  joy  :  the  Spirit 
is  the  Comforter,  he  seals  up  assurance, 
2  Cor.  i.  22.  Therefore  make  much  of  the 
Spirit,  do  not  grieve  it:  as  Noah  opened 
the  ark  to  receive  the  dove,  so  shoidd  we 
open  our  hearts  to  receive  the  Spirit,  this  is 
the  blessed  dove  which  brings  an  olive  branch 
of  assurance  in  its  mouth. 

A.  4.  Let  us  lie  at  the  pool  of  the  ordi- 
nances, frequent  the  word  and  sacrament, 
Cant.  ii.  2.,  "  He  brought  me  to  tlie  ban- 
queting-house,  and  his  banner  over  me  was 


love."  The  blessed  ordinances  are  the  ban- 
queting-house  where  God  displays  the  ban- 
ner of  assurance.  The  sacrament  is  a  seal- 
ing ordinance  ;  Christ  made  himself  known 
to  his  disciples  in  the  breaking  of  bread  : 
so,  in  the  holy  supper,  in  the  breaking  of 
bread  God  makes  himself  known  to  us,  to 
be  our  God  and  portion. 

Quest.    9.   How  shoidd  they  carry  them- 
selves who  have  assurance  ? 

Ans.  1.  If  you  have  assurance  of  your 
justification,  do  not  abuse  assurance  :  1.  It 
is  an  abusing  of  assurance,  when  we  grow 
more  remiss  in  duty  ;  as  the  musician,  hav- 
ing money  thrown  him,  leaves  off  playing 
By  remissness,  or  intermitting  the  exercises 
of  religion,  we  grieve  the  Spirit,  and  that 
is  the  way  to  have  an  embargo  laid  upon 
our  spiritual  comforts. — 2.  We  a1>use  assu- 
rance, when  we  grow  presumptuous  and 
less  fearful  of  sin.  What!  because  a  father 
gives  his  son  an  assurance  of  his  love,  and 
tells  him  he  will  entail  his  land  upon  him, 
shall  the  son  therefore  be  wanton  and  dis- 
solute? This  were  the  way  to  lose  his  fath- 
er's affection,  and  make  him  cut  off  the  en- 
tail ;  it  was  an  aggravation  of  Solomon's 
sin,  "  his  heart  was  turned  away  from  the 
Lord,  after  he  had  appeared  to  him  twice," 
1  Kings  xi.  9.  It  is  bad  to  sin  when  one 
wants  assurance,  but  it  is  worse  to  sin  when 
one  hath  it.  Hath  the  Lord  sealed  his  love 
with  a  kiss  ?  Hath  he  left  a  pledge  of  hea- 
ven in  your  hand,  and  do  you  thus  requite 
the  Lord  ?  AVill  you  sin  with  manna  in 
your  mouth  ?  Doth  God  give  you  the  sweet 
clusters  of  assurance  to  feed  on,  and  will 
you  return  him  wild  grapes?  It  much  pleas- 
eth  Satan,  either  to  see  us  want  assurance, 
or  abuse  it :  this  is  to  abuse  assurance,  when 
the  pulse  of  our  soul  beats  faster  in  sin,  and 
slower  in  duty. 

A.  2.  If  you  have  assurance,  admire  this 
stupendous  mercy.  You  deserved  tliat  God 
should  give  you  gall  and  vinegar  to  drink, 
and  hath  he  made  the  honey-comb  of  his 
love  to  drop  upon  you  ?  O  fall  down  and 
adore  his  goodness  !  Say,  Lord,  how  is  it 
that  thou  shouldest  manifest  thyself  to  me, 
and  not  to  other  believers  !  those  whom 
thou  lovest  as  the  apple  of  thine  eye,  yet 
thou  boldest  them  in  suspense,  and  givest 
[  them  no   assurance   of   thy    love ;   though 


OF  ASSURANCE. 


173 


thou  bast  piven  them  the  now  namo,  yet  not 
the  white  stone;  tlioiij^li  tliey  have  the  seed  of 
graee,  yet  not  tlte  oil  of"  p:la(hi(«s  ;  tlioiifrli 
they  have  the  Holy  Ghost,  the  sanctifier,  yet 
not  the  Holy  Ghost,  the  comforter  !  Lord, 
whence  is  it  that  thou  sliouldest  manifest 
thyself  to  me,  and  make  my  ffolden  heams 
of  assurance  shine  upon  my  soul  ?  O  admire 
God  !  this  will  be  the  work  of  heaven. 

A.  3.  Let  your  hearts  be  endeared  in 
love  to  God.  If  God  gives  liis  people  cor- 
rection, they  must  love  him  ;  much  more 
when  he  gives  them  assurance,  Ps.  xxxi.  23., 
"  O  love  the  Lord,  ye  his  saints."  Hath 
God  brought  you  to  the  borders  of  Canaan, 
— given  you  a  bunch  of  graj)es, — crowned 
you  with  loving-kindness, — confirmed  your 
pardon  under  the  broad  seal  of  heaven  ? 
How  can  you  be  frozen  at  such  a  fire? 
How  can  vou  choose  but  be  turned  into  so- 
raphims  burning  in  divine  love  !  Say  as  St. 
Austin,  animam.  ineom  in  oHio  hnbnem, — '  I 
would  hate  my  own  soul,'  if  I  did  not  find 
it  loving  Cod.  Give  Cod  the  cream  and 
quintessence  of  your  love,  and  shew  your 
love  bv  boiuff  willing  to  lose  all  for  his  sake. 

A.  4.  If  you  have  assurance,  improve  it 
for  God's  glory,  several  ways:  \.  By  en- 
couraging sucii  as  are  yet  unconverted; 
tell  them  how  sweet  this  hidden  maima  is ; 
tell  them  what  a  good  master  you  serA'e, 
what  gales  you  have  had:  tell  them  God 
hath  carried  you  to  the  hill  of  myrrh,  to 
the  mountains  of  spices,  he  hath  given  you 
not  only  a  prospect  of  heaven,  but  an  ear- 
nest. O  persuade  sinners,  by  all  the  love 
and  mercy  of  God,  that  they  would  enrol 
their  names  in  his  family,  and  cast  them- 
selves upon  him  for  salvation  !  Tell  them, 
God  hath  met  with  you,  and  unlocked  the 
soprets  of  free  grace,  and  assured  you  of  a 
land  flowing  with  those  infinite  delights 
which  eve  hath  not  seen.  Thus,  bv  telling 
others  what  God  Imth  done  for  your  soul, 
vou  mav  make  them  in  love  Avith  the  ways 

•  •  • 

of  (uh\,  and  cause  them  to  turn  proseljtes 
to  r(>ligion. — 2.  Improve  assurance,  by  com- 
iorting  such  as  want  it:  Be  as  the  good 
Samaritan,  pour  wine  and  oil  into  their 
wounds.  You  who  have  a.ssuraiice,  are 
gotten,  a-s  it  were  to  the  haven,  you  are 
sure  of  your  happiness  :  but  do  you  not  .see 
others  who  are  struggling  with  the  waves 


of  temptation  ana  desertion,  and  are  ready 
to  sink?  O  now  Kym|)athize  with  them,  and 
do   what    you  can   to  couifort  them    when 
they  are  iu  this  deep  ocean  !  2  Cor.  i,   6., 
"  Whether  we  be  comforted,  it  is  for  your 
consolation."     The  C()mfortable  ex})erienLO 
of  one  Christian,    being  communicated  to 
another  doth   much   revive  and  bear  up  his 
fainting  heart:   "Our  comfort,"  sailh  the 
apostle,  "  is  for  your  consolation." — 3.  Im- 
prove assurance  by  walking  more  heavenly. 
You  should  scorn  these  things  below  ;  you 
who  have  an  earnest  of  heaven,  should  not 
be  too  earnest  for  the  earth  :  you  have  an- 
gels' food,  and  it  becomes  not  you  with  the 
serpent  to  lick  the  dust.     The  wicked  are 
all  for  corn,   wine,  and  oil,  but  you  have 
that  which   is  better  :    God  hath  lifted  up 
the  light  of  his  countenance  ;  will  you  han- 
ker after  the  world,    when  you  have  been 
feeding  upon  the  grapes  and  pomegranates 
of  the  holy  land?   Do   you  now  lust  after 
the  garlic  and  onions  of  Egypt  ?   When  you 
are  clothed  with  the  sun,   will   you  set  the 
moon  and  stars  above  you  ?   O  !   let  them 
scramble  for  the  world,   who  have  nothinor 
else  but  husks  to  feed  on,  have  you  assu- 
rance of  heaven,   and  is  not  that  enough  ? 
Will  not  a  kingdom  satisfy  you  ?  Such  iis 
are  high  in  assurance,  should  be  in  the  al- 
titudes, live  above  the  world. — 4.   Improve 
assurance  by  a  cheerful  walking.     It  is  for 
condemned  persons   to    go   hanging   down 
their  heads  :   but  hast  thou  thy  absolution? 
Doth  thy  (iod  smile  on  thee  ?   Cheer  up, 
2  Sam.  xiii.  4.,    "  Why  art  thou,  being  the 
king's  son,  lean  ?"  Art  thou  the  king's  son, 
— hath  God  assured  thee  of  thy  adoption, 
and  art  thou  sad  ?  Assurance  should  be  an 
anti(l<»te  against  all  trouble.      What  though 
tlie  world  hate  thee,    yet  thou  art  assured 
that    thou    art    one    of    God's     favourites. 
Wljat  though  there  is  but  little  oil  iu  the 
cruse,   and  thou  art  low  in  the  world,   yet 
thou  art  high  in  a.ssurance.     O  then  n'joiee  ! 
How  musical  is  the  bird, — how  doth  it  chirp 
and  sing,   that  knows  not  whore  to  pick  up 
the  next  cruuib  !  and  shall  they  be  sad  and 
discontented,   who  have  God's  bond  to  as- 
sure them  of  their  daily  bread,  and  his  love 
to  assure  them  of  heaven?    But  certainly 
those  who  have  sissurance,   cannot  but  be 
of  51  .sanguine  complexion. 


174 


OF  PEACE. 


A.  5.  If  you  have  an  assurance  of  salva- 
tion, let  this  make  you  long  after  a  glorified 
tstate.  He  who  hath  an  earnest  in  his  hand, 
desires  the  whole  sum  to  he  paid ;  that  soul 
who  hath  tasted  how  sweet  the  Lord  is, 
should  long  for  a  fuller  enjoyment  of  him 
in  heaven.  Ilath  Ciirist  put  this  ring  of  as- 
sui'ance  on  thy  hand,  and  so  espoused  thee 
to  himself;  how  shouldcst  thou  long  for 
the  marriage-supper  of  the  Lamh  ?  Rev. 
xix.  9.  O  Christian,  think  with  thyself, 
if  a  glimpse  of  heaven,  a  smile  of  God's 
face  he  so  sweet,  what  will  it  be,  to  he  ever 
sunning  thyself  in  the  light  of  God's  counte- 
nance !  Certainly,  you  who  have  an  assur- 
ance of  vour  title  to  heaven,  cannot  but  de- 


sire possession.     Be  content  to  live,    but 
willing  to  die. 

A.  6.  If.  you  have  assurance,  be  careful 
you  do  not  lose  it ;  keep  it,  for  it  is  youi 
life,  viz.  Bene  esse, — the  comfort  of  voui 
life.  Keep  assurance,  1st,  By  prayer,  Ps 
xxxvi.  10.,  "  O  continue  thy  loviug-kind- 
ness  :"  Lord,  continue  assurance ;  do  not 
take  away  this  privy  seal  from  me.  2dly, 
Keep  assurance  by  humility  ;  pride  cstrang- 
eth  God  from  the  soul ;  when  you  are  high 
in  assurance,  be  low  in  humility.  St.  Paul 
had  assurance,  and  he  baptizeth  himself 
with  this  name,  "  Chief  of  sinners,"  1  Tim. 
i.  15.  The  jewel  of  assurance  is  best  kept 
in  the  cabinet  of  an  humble  heart. 


OF  PEACl'. 

1  Pet.  i.  2.  Grace  unto  you  and  peace  he  multiplied. 


HAVING  spoken  of  the  first  fruit  of 
sanctification,  assurance,  I  proceed  to  the 
second,  viz.  Peace,  "  Peace  be  multiplied." 

Quest.  What  are  the  several  species  or 
kinds  of  Peace  ? 

Ans.  Peace,  in  scripture,  is  compared  to 
a  river,  Isa.  Ixvi.  12.,  this  river  parts  itself 
into  two  silver  streams. 

\sL  There  is  an  external  peace,  and  that 
is,  1.  CEconomical,  peace  in  a  family.  2. 
Political,  peace  in  the  state.  Peace  is  the 
nurse  of  plenty,  Ps.  cxlvii.  14.,  "  He  mak- 
eth  ]iciicc  in  thy  borders,  and  filleth  thee 
witli  the  finest  of  the  wheat."  How  plea- 
sant is  it  when  the  waters  of  blood  begin  to 
assuage,  and  we  can  see  the  windows  of  our 
ark  oj)en,  and  the  dove  returning  with  an 
olive  branch  of  peace  !  3.  Ecclesiastical, 
peace  in  the  church.  Unity  in  Trinity  is 
the  greatest  mystery  in  heaven,  and  Unity 
in  verity  the  greatest  mercy  on  earth.  Peace 
ecclesiastical  stands  in  opposition  to  schism 
and  persecution. 

2dlf/,  A  spiritual  peace,  which  is  twofold, 
— peace  above  us,  or  peace  with  God, — and 
peace  within  us,  or  peace  with  conscience. 
This  is  superlative;  other  peace  may  be 
lasting,  but  this  is  everlasting. 

Quest.  2.    Whence  comes  this  peace  ? 

Ans.  This  peace  hath  the  whole  Trinity 


for  its  author,  1.  God  the  Father  is  "  the 
God  of  peace,"  1  Thess.  v.  23.  2.  God  the 
Son  is  the  "  Prince  of  peace,"  Isa.  ix.  6. 
3.  Peace  is  said  to  be  the  "  fruit  of  the  Spi- 
rit," Gal.  V.  22.  j 

1.  God  the  Father  is  the  God  of  peace.    • 
As  he  is  the  God  of  order,  1  Cor.  xiv.  33., 
so  tlij  God  of  peace,  Phil.  iv.  9.     This  was 
the  form  of  the  priest's  blessing  the  people, 
Numb.  vi.  26.,  "  The  Lord  give  thee  peace." 

2.  God  the  Son  is  the  purchaser  of  peace. 
He  had  made  peace  by  his  blood,  Col.  i.  20., 
"  Having  made  peace  through  the  blood  of 
his  cross."  The  atonement  Aaron  made 
for  the  people  when  he  entered  into  the 
holy  of  holies  with  blood,  was  a  type  of 
Christ  our  high  priest,  who  hath  by  his  sa- 
crifice pacified  his  angry  Father,  and  made 
atonement  for  us.  Clirist  purchased  our 
peace  upon  hard  terms ;  his  soul  was  in  an 
agony,  while  he  was  travailing  to  bring 
forth  peace  to  the  world. 

3.  Peace  is  a  fruit  of  the  Spirit.  lie  seals 
up  ])eace  to  the  conscience.  The  Spirit 
clears  uj)  the  work  of  grace  in  the  heart 
from  whence  ariseth  peace.  There  was  a 
well  of  water  near  Hagar,  but  she  did  not 
see  it,  therefore  we})t :  a  Christian  hath 
grace,  but  doth  not  see  it,  therefore  weeps. 
Now  the  Spirit  discovers  this  well  of  water, 


OF  PEACE. 


175 


t  enables  conscience  to  witness  to  a  man 
tliat  liatli  the  real  work  of  p-ace,  and  so 
peace  Hows  into  the  kouI.  Thus  you  see 
whence;  this  peace  comes:  the  Father  de- 
crees it,  the  Son  purchaseth  it,  the  Holy 
rJhost  applies  it. 

Quest.  3.  JVIielhcr  such  as  are  destitute  of 
grace  may  hax'e  peace  ^ 

Ans.  ]S'<».  Peace  flows  from  sanctification, 
but  they  beings  unregenerate,  have  nothing 
to  do  with  peace,  Isa.  Ivii.  21.,  "  There  is 
no  peace,  saith  my  God,  to  the  wicked." 
They  may  have  a  truce,  but  no  peace.  God 
may  forbear  the  wicked  a  while,  and  stop 
the  roaring  of  his  cannon  ;  but  though  there 
be  a  truce,  yet  no  peace.  The  wicked  may 
have  something  which  looks  like  peace,  but 
it  is  not.  They  may  be  fearless  and  stupid ; 
but  there  is  a  great  difference  between  a 
stupified  conscience,  and  a  pacified  con- 
science, Luke  xi.  21.,  "  \\  hen  a  strong  man 
armed  kee])eth  his  palace,  his  goods  are  in 
peace."  This  is  the  devil's  peace  ;  he  rocks 
men  in  the  cradle  of  security ;  he  cries, 
'  peace  !  peace  !'  when  men  are  on  the  pre- 
cipice of  hell.  The  seeming  peace  a  sinner 
hath,  is  not  from  the  knowledge  of  his  hap- 
piness, but  tlie  ignorance  of  his  danger. 

Quest.  4.  JVhat  are  the  signs  of  a  false 
peace  ? 

Ans.  1.  A  false  peace  batb  mucli  confi- 
dence in  it,  but  this  confidence  is  conceit. 
The  sinner  doth  not  doubt  of  God's  mercy ; 
from  which  presumptuous  confidence  aris- 
eth  some  kind  of  quiet  in  the  mind.  The 
same  word  in  the  Hebrew  {cassal)  signifies 
both  confidence  and  folly.  Indeed  a  sin- 
ner's confidence  is  folly ;  how  confident 
were  the  foolish  virgins  ? 

A.  2.  False  peace  separates  those  things 
which  God  hath  joined  together  :  God  joins 
holiness  and  peace,  but  he  who  hath  a  false 
peace,  separates  these  two.  He  lays  claim 
to  peace,  but  banisheth  holiness,  Deut.  xxLv. 
19.,  "  I  shall  have  peace,  though  I  walk  in 
the  imagination  of  my  heart,  to  add  drunk- 
enness to  thirst."  The  wicked  are  loose 
and  vain,  and  yet  thank  God  that  they  have 
peace, — a  delusion.  You  may  as  well  suck 
health  out  of  poison,  as  peace  out  of  sin. 

A.  3.  False  peace  is  not  willing  to  be 
tried  ;  a  sign  they  are  bad  wares  which  will 
not  endure  the  light;  a  sign  a  man  hath 


stolen  goods,  when  he  will  not  have  bin 
house  searched.  A  false  peace  cannot  en- 
dure to  be  tried  by  the  word.  The  word 
speaks  of  an  humbling*  and  refining  work 
upon  the  soul  before  peace  ;  false  peace  can- 
not endure  to  hear  of  this ;  the  least  trouble 
will  shake  this  peace,  it  will  end  in  despair. 
In  a  false  ])eace,  conscience  is  asleep  ;  but. 
when  this  lion  of  conscience  shall  be  awak- 
ened at  death,  then  it  will  roar  upon  a  man, 
he  will  be  a  terror  to  himself,  and  be  ready 
to  lay  violent  hands  upon  himself. 

Quest.  5.  IJow  shall  we  know  that  ours 
is  a  true  peace  ? 

Ans.  1.  True  peace  flows  from  union 
with  Christ.  Communio  fundatur  in  unione. 
The  graft  or  scion  must  first  be  innoculat- 
ed  into  the  tree  before  it  can  receive  sap  or 
nourishment  from  it ;  so  we  must  first  be 
ingi-afted  into  Christ,  before  we  can  receive 
peace  from  him.  Have  we  faith  ?  By  holi- 
ness we  are  made  like  Christ;  by  believing 
we  are  made  one  with  Christ,  and  being  in 
Christ  we  have  peace,  John  xvi.  33. 

A,  2.  True  peace  flows  from  subjection  t(» 
Christ;  where  Christ  gives  ])eac(',  there  he 
sets  up  his  government  in  the  heart,  Isa.  ix. 
7.,  "  Of  his  government  and  peace  there 
shall  be  no  end."  Christ  is  called  "  a  priest 
upon  his  throne,"  Zech.  vi.  13.  Christ  as  a 
priest  makes  peace ;  but  he  will  be  a  priest 
upon  his  throne,  he  brings  the  heart  in  sub- 
jection to  him.  If  Christ  be  our  peace,  he 
is  our  prince,  Isa.  ix.  G.  ^Vlienever  Christ 
pacifies  the  conscience,  he  subdues  the  lust. 

A.  3.  True  peace  is  after  trouble.  First, 
God  lets  loose  a  spirit  of  bondage,  he  con- 
vinceth  and  humbleth  the  soul ;  then  ho 
speaks  ])eace.  Many  say  they  have  ])eacc, 
but  is  this  peace  before  a  storm,  or  alter  it .'' 
True  peace  is  after  trouble.  First  there 
was  the  earthquake,  and  then  the  fire,  and 
then  the  still  small  voice,  1  Kings  xi\.  11. 
Thou  who  never  hadst  any  legal  bruisiiigs, 
mayest  sus])ect  thy  peace;  (Jod  ])iairs  tho 
golden  oil  of  peace  into  broken  hearts. 

Quest.  6.  JVhether  have  all  sand  fad  per- 
sons this  peace  ? 

Ans.  They  have  a  title  to  it ;  they  have 
the  ground  of  it ;  grace  is  the  seed  of  peace, 
and  it  will  in  time  turn  to  peace,  as  tluj 
blossoms  of  a  tree  to  fruit,  milk  to  creara. 
They  have  a  promise  of  it,  Ps.  xxix.  11. 


OF  PEACE. 


"  The    Lord    will    bless   his    people    with  they  spoil  the  sweet  music  of  peace  in  their 

peace."     Tliey  may  have  peace  with  God,  souls.     As  the  fire  decays,  so  the  cold  in- 

thoufjh  not  peace  in  their  own  conscience;  creaseth  ;  as  fervency  in  duty  abates,  so  our 

they   have   the   initials  and  beginnings   of  peace  cools. 


peace.  There  is  a  secret  peace  the  heart 
hath  in  serving  God ;  such  meltings  and 
enlargements  in  duty  as  do  revive  the  soul, 
and  bear  it  up  from  sinking. 

Quest.  7  But  ichy  have  not  all  believer  a 
the  full  evjoyment  and  possession  of  peace  ? 
Why  is  not  this  flower  of  peace  fully  ripe  and 
bloivn  ? 

Ans.  Some  of  the  godly  may  not  have  so 
full  a  degree  of  peace.  1.  Through  the 
fury  of  temptation.  The  devil,  if  he  can- 
not destroy  us,  he  will  disturb  us.  Satan 
disputes  against  our  adoption  ;  he  would 
make  us  question  the  work  of  grace  in  our 
hearts,  and  so  troubles  the  waters  of  our 
peace :  Satan  is  like  a  subtle  cheater,  who, 
if  he  cannot  make  a  man's  title  to  his  land 
void,  yet  he  will  put  him  to  many  troublL'- 
some  suits  in  law.  If  Satan  cannot  make 
us  ungodly,  he  will  make  us  unquiet :  vio- 
lent winds  make  the  sea  rough  and  stormy ; 
the  winds  of  temptation  blowing,  disturb 
peace  of  spirit,  and  put  the  soul  into  a  com- 
motion.— 2.  The  godly  may  not  enjoy  peace, 
through  mistake  and  mi.sapprehension  ab(mt 
sin.  They  find  so  much  corruption,  that 
sure,  if  there  were  grace,  there  would  not 
be  such  strong  working  of  corruption : 
whereas  this  should  be  so  far  from  dis- 
couraging Christians,  and  hindering  their 
peace,  that  it  is  an  argument  for  them. 
Let  me  ask.  Whence  is  it  that  you  feel  sin  ? 
No  man  can  feel  sin,  but  by  grace.  A 
wicked  man  is  insensible;  lay  an  hundred 
weight  upon  a  dead  man,  he  doth  not  com- 
plain, but  the  being  sensible  of  corruption 
argues  a  gracious  principle,  Rom.  vii.  21. 
Again,  Whence  is  it  that  tiiere  is  a  combat 
witii  sin,  but  from  the  life  of  grace?  Gal. 
V.  17.  Dead  tilings  cannot  combat.  Whence 
is  it  that  tlie  saints  weep  for  sin  ?  what  are 
these  tears  but  seeds  of  faith?  The  not 
understanding  of  this,  hinders  a  Christian's 
peace. — 3.  The  godly  may  not  enjoy  peace, 
through  remissness  in  duty ;  they  lea^e 
their  first  love.  When  Christians  abate 
their  fervency,  God  abates  their  peace ; 
if  you  slacken  the  strings  of  a  viol,  the  mu- 
sic is  spoiled,  if  Christians  slack  in  duty, 


Use  1st.  Labour  for  this  blessed  peace, — - 
peace  with  God  and  conscience.  Peace  with 
neighbour-nations  is  sweet,  Pax  una  tri- 
nmphis  inuineris  melior.  The  Hebrew  word 
schalom,  '  peace,'  com])rehends  all  bless- 
ings, it  is  the  glory  of  a  kingdom  ;  a  prince's 
crown  is  more  beautiful  when  it  is  hung 
with  the  white  lily  of  peace,  than  when  it 
is  set  with  the  red  roses  of  a  bloody  war. 
O  then,  how  sweet  is  peace  of  conscience  ! 
It  is  a  bulwark  against  the  enemy,  Phil.  iv. 
7.,  it  shall  keep  you  as  in  a  garrison  ;  you 
may  throw  out  the  gauntlet  and  bid  defi- 
ance  to  the  enemies ;  it  is  the  golden  pot 
and  the  manna;  it  is  the  first  fruits  of  j)a- 
radise.  It  is  still  music ;  for  want  of  this 
a  Christian  is  in  continual  fear,  he  doth  not 
take  that  comfort  in  ordinances.  Hannah 
went  up  to  the  feast  at  Jerusalem,  but 
"  she  wept  and  did  not  eat,"  1  Sam.  i.  7. 
So,  a  poor  dejected  soul  goes  to  an  ordi- 
nance, but  doth  not  eat  of  the  feast;  he 
weeps  and  doth  not  eat.  He  cannot  take 
that  comfort  in  worldly  blessings,  health, 
estate,  relations ;  he  wants  that  inward 
peace,  which  should  be  a  sauce  to  sweeten 
his  comforts.  O  therefore  labour  for  this 
blessed  peace  !  Consider  the  noble  and  ex- 
cellent effects  of  it :  1.  It  gives  boldness 
at  the  throne  of  grace  ;  guilt  of  conscience 
clips  the  wings  of  prayer,~-it  makes  the 
face  blush,  and  the  heart  faint, — but  when 
a  Christian  hath  some  lively  apprehensions 
of  God's  love,  and  the  Spirit  whispering 
peace,  then  he  goes  to  God  witli  boldness, 
as  a  child  to  his  fiither,  Ps.  x.w.  1.,  "  Un- 
to thee,  O  Lm-d,  I  lift  up  my  soul."  Time 
was  when  David's  soul  was  bowed  down, 
Ps.  xxxviii.  6.,  "  I  am  bowed  down  great- 
ly ;"  but  now  the  case  is  altered,  he  will 
lift  up  his  soul  to  God  in  a  way  of  triumph, 
whence  was  this  ?  God  hath  spoken  peace 
to  his  soul,  Ps.  xxA'i.  3.,  "  Thy  loving - 
kindtiess  is  before  mine  eyes." — 2.  This  di- 
vine peace  fires  the  heart  with  love  to 
Christ.  Peace  is  the  result  of  pardon ;  he 
who  hath  a  pardon  sealed  cainiot  choose 
but  love  his  prince.  How  endeared  is  Christ 
to  the  soul !     Now  Christ  is  precious  in- 


OF  PEACE. 


177 


eed.  *  O,  saith  the  soul,  how  sweet  is 
this  rose  of"  Sharon  !  Ilatli  Christ  waded 
through  a  sea  of  hlood  and  wrath,  to  pur- 
chase my  peace  ?  Hath  lie  not  only  made 
peace,  but  spoke  peace  to  me  ?  How  should 
my  heart  ascend  in  a  fiery  chariot  of  love  ! 
How  willing  should  I  be  to  do  and  suffer 
for  Christ  !' — 3.  This  peace  quiets  the  heart 
in  trouble,  Mic.  v.  5.,  "  This  man  shall  be 
the  peace,  when  the  Assyrian  shall  come 
into  our  land,  and  tread  in  our  palaces." 
The  enemy  may  invade  our  palaces,  but 
not  our  peace ;  this  man  Christ  shall  be  the 
peace.  When  the  head  .iches,  the  heart 
may  be  well ;  when  worldly  troubles  as- 
sault a  Christian,  his  mind  may  be  in  peace 
and  quiet,  Ps.  iv.  8.,  "  I  will  lay  me  down 
in  peace,  and  sleep."  'Twiis  now  a  sad 
time  with  David,  he  was  fleeing  for  his  life 
from  Absalom  ;  it  was  no  small  aflliction 
to  think  that  his  own  son  should  seek  to 
take  away  his  Father's  life  and  crown; 
David  wept  and  covered  his  face,  2  Sam. 
XV.  30.,  yet  at  this  time,  saith  he,  "  I  will 
lay  me  down  in  peace  and  sleep."  He  had 
trouble  from  his  son,  but  peace  from  his 
conscience;  David  could  sleep  upon  the 
soft  pillow  of  a  good  conscience;  this  is  a 
peace  worth  getting. 

Quest.  8.  U'/iat  shall  we  do  to  attain  this 
blessed  peace  ? 

Ana.  1.  Let  us  ask  it  of  God.  He  is  the 
God  ot  peace,  he  beats  back  the  roaring 
lion,  he  stills  the  raging  of  conscience ;  if 
we  could  call  all  the  angels  out  of  heaven, 
they  could  not  speak  peace  without  God. 
The  stars  cannot  m.ikc  day  without  the 
sun ;  none  can  make  day  in  a  dark  deserted 
soul,  but  the  Sun  of  Righteousness.  As 
the  wilderness  cannot  water  itself,  but  re- 
mains dry  and  parched  till  the  ch)U(ls  drop 
their  moisture :  so  our  hearts  cannot  have 
peace  till  he  infuse  it,  and  drop  it  upon  us 
by  his  Spirit.  Therefore  pray,  "  Lord, 
thon  who  art  the  God  of  poace,  create 
peace :  thou  who  art  the  Prince  of  ]>eace, 
command  it.  Give  me  that  ])eace  which 
may  sweeten  trouble,  yea,  the  bitter  cup  of 
death." 

A.  2,  If  you  would  have  peace,  make 
war  with  sin.  Sin  is  the  Achan  that  trou- 
bles us, — the  Trojnn  horse, — 2  Kings  ix. 
22.,   "  When  Joram  saw  Jehu,   he  said,   Is 


It  peace,  Jehu?  And  he  answered,  What 
peace,  so  long  as  the  whoredoms  of  thy  uio- 
thcr  Jezebel  and  her  witchcrafts  are  so 
many  ?"  What  peace,  so  long  as  sin  re- 
mains unmortilled  ?  If  you  would  have 
peace  with  God,  break  the  league  with  sin, 
— give  battle  to  sin,  it  is  a  most  just  war, 
God  hath  ])roclaimed  it,  nay,  he  hath  pro- 
mised us  victory,  "  Sin  sliall  not  have  do- 
minion," Rom.  vi.  14.  No  way  to  peace, 
but  by  maintaining  a  war  with  sin.  Pax 
nostra  helium  contra  da;>noncm,  Te ut.  W hen 
Samson  had  slain  the  lion,  there  came  honey 
out  of  the  lion  :  by  slaying  sin,  we  get  this 
honey  of  peace. 

A.  3.  Go  to  Christ's  blood  for  peace. 
Some  go  to  fetch  their  peace  from  their 
own  righteousness,  not  Christ's ;  they  go 
for  peace  to  their  holy  life,  not  Christ's 
death  ;  if  conscience  be  troubled,  tliey  strive 
to  quiet  it  with  their  duties.  This  is  not 
the  right  way  to  peace;  duties  must  not  be 
neglected,  nor  yet  idolized.  Look  up  to 
the  blood  of  sprinkling,  Heb.  xii.  24.  That 
blood  of  Christ  which  ])acified  God,  must 
pacii'y  conscience;  Christ's  blood  being 
sucked  in  by  faith,  gives  peace,  Rom.  v. 
1.,  "  Being  justified  by  faith,  we  luive  peace 
with  God."  No  balm  to  cure  a  wounded 
conscience,  but  the  blood  of  Christ. 

A.  4.  Walk  closely  with  God.  Peace 
flows  from  purity,  (»al.  vi.  Ifi.,  "  As  many 
JUS  walk  according  to  this  rule,  peace  be  on 
them."  In  the  text,  grace  and  peace  are 
put  together ;  grace  is  the  root,  and  peace 
is  the  flower.  As  balm-water  drops  from 
the  limbec,  so  divine  peace  comes  out  of 
the  limbec  of  a  gracious  heart.  Walk  very 
holily:  (lod's  Spirit  is  first  a  refiner  before 
a  comforter. 

Use  2d.  You  who  liave  this  peace, — 
j)eace  above, — pe.'ice  within, — labour  to  keep- 
it;  it  is  a  precious  jewel,  do  not  lose  it;  it 
is  sad  to  have  the  league  of  national  peace 
broken,  but  it  is  worse  to  have  the  peace 
of  c()nscience  broken :  Oh  preserve  this 
j)eace  !  First,  take  heed  of  rolaj)scs.  Hath 
God  spoken  peace?  do  not  turn  again  to 
folly,  Ps.  Ixxxv.  8.  Besides  the  ingiati- 
tude,  there's  folly  in  relapses.  It  was  long 
ere  God  was  reconciled  and  the  breach 
made  up,  and  will  you  agjiin  eclipse  and 
forfeit  your  peace  ''     Hath  God  healed  tho 


178 


OF  JOY. 


wound  of  conscience,  and  will  you  tear  it 
open  again  ?  Will  you  break  another  vein  ? 
Will  you  cut  a  new  artery  ?  this  is  return- 
ing indeed  to  folly.  Wli.it  madness  is  it 
to  meddle  again  with  that  sin,  which  will 
breetl  the  worm  of  conscience  !  Secondly, 
Make  up  your  spiritual  accounts  daily ; 
see  how  matters  stand  between  God  and 
your  youls,  Ps.  Ixxvii.  6.,  "  I  commune 
with  my  own  heart."     Often   reckonings 


keep  God  and  conscience  friends ;  do  with 
your  hearts  as  you  do  with  your  watches, 
wind  them  up  every  morning  by  prayer, 
and  at  night  examine  whether  your  hearts 
have  gone  true  all  that  day,  whether  the 
wheels  of  your  affections  have  moved  swift- 
ly toward  heaven.  Oh  call  yourselves 
often  to  account ;  keep  your  reckonings 
even,  and  that  is  the  way  to  keep  your 
peace. 


OF  JOY. 
Gal.  v.  22.   The  fruit  of  the  Spirit  is  joy. 


THE  third  fruit  of  justification,  adoption, 
and  sanctification,  is  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost. 
Joy  is  the  setting  the  soul  upon  the  top  of 
a  pinnacle,  'tis  the  cream  of  the  sincere 
milk  of  the  word. 

Quest.  JVhat  is  this  joy  ? 

Ans.  Spiritual  joy  is  a  sweet  and  delight- 
ful passion,  arising  from  the  apprehension 
and  feeling  of  some  good,  whereby  the  soul 
is  sujjported  under  present  troubles,  and 
fenced  against  future  fear. 

1.  It  is  a  delighl'ul  passion.  So  it  is  con- 
trarv  to  sorrow,  which  is  a  perturbation  of 
mind,  whereby  the  heart  is  pcrj)lexed  and 
cast  down.  Joy  is  a  sweet  and  pleasant 
affection,  which  eases  the  mind,  exhilarates 
and  comforts  the  spirits. 

2.  It  ariseth  from  the  feeling  of  some 
good.  Joy  is  not  a  fancy,  or  bred  of  con- 
ceit ;  but  is  rational,  and  ariseth  from  the 
feeling  of  some  good,  viz.  the  sense  of  God's 
love  and  favour.  Joy  is  so  real  a  thing 
that  it  makes  a  sudden  change  in  a  person ; 
it  turns  mourning  into  melody.  As  in  the 
spring-time,  when  the  sun  comes  to  our 
horizon,  it  makes  a  sudden  alteration  in  the 
face  of  the  universe, — tlwj  birds  sing, — the 
flowers  appear, — the  fig-tree  puts  forth  her 
green  figs, — every  thing  seems  to  rejoice 
and  put  off'  its  mourning,  as  being  revived 
with  the  sweet  inllnence  of  the  sun  :  so, 
when  the  Sun  of  Righteousness  ariseth  on 
the  soul,  it  makes  a  sudden  alteration,  and 
the  soul  is  infinitely  rejoiced  with  the  gold- 
en beams  of  God's  love. 

3.  By  it  the  soul  is  supported  under  pre- 


sent troubles.  Joy  stupifies  and  swallows 
up  troubles;  it  carries  the  heart  above  them, 
as  the  oil  swims  above  the  water. 

4.  The  heart  is  fenced  against  future 
fear.  Joy  is  both  a  cordial  and  an  antidote  ; 
it  is  a  cordial  which  gives  present  relief  to 
the  spirits  when  they  are  sad ;  and  an  an- 
tidote, it  fenceth  off  foar  of  approaching 
danger,  Ps.  xxiii.  4.,  "  I  will  fear  no  evil  ; 
for  thou  art  with  me,  thy  rod  and  thy  staff 
comfort  me." 

Quest.  Hoiv  is  this  joy  wrought? 
Ans.  1.  It  ariseth  partly  from  the  pro- 
mise ;  as  the  bee  lies  at  the  breast  of  the 
flower,  and  sucks  out  the  sweetness  from 
it,  so  faith  lies  at  the  breast  of  a  promise 
and  sucks  out  the  quintessence  of  joy,  Ps. 
xciv.  19.,  "  Thy  comforts  delight  my  soul ;' 
that  is,  the  comforts  which  distil  from  the 
limbeck  of  the  promises. 

A.  2.  The  Spirit  of  God  (who  is  called 
the  'Comforter,'  John  xiv.  26.)  doth  some- 
times drop  in  this  golden  oil  of  joy  into  the 
soul;  the  Spirit  whispers  to  a  believer  the 
remission  of  his  sin,  and  sheds  God's  love 
abroad  into  the  heart,  Rom.  v.  5.,  whence 
flows  infinite  joy  and  delight. 

Quest.  JJ'hat  are  the  seasons  7vhen  God 
doth  iiswdly  give  his  people  these  divine  joj/s? 
Ans.  Five  seasons:  1st  Season.  Some- 
times at  the  blessed  supper ;  the  soul  oft 
comes  weeping  after  (  lirist  in  the  sacra- 
ment, and  God  sends  it  away  weeping  for 
joy.  The  Jews  had  a  custom  at  their  feasts, 
they  poured  ointment  on  their  guests,  and 
kissed  them  :  in  the  Eucharist,    God  ofte 


OF  JOY. 


179 


pours  the  oil  of  gladness  on  tlie  saints,  and    ing.     Joy  after  desertion  is  like  a  resurrec-. 


kisseth  them  with  the  kisses  of  his  lips. 
There  are  two  grand  ends  of  the  sacrament, 
the  strengthening  of  faith,  and  the  flourish- 
ing of  joy.  Here  in  this  ordinance,  God 
displays  the  hanner  of  his  love ;  here  be- 
lievers taste  not  only  sacramental  bread, 
but  hidden  manna.  Caution,  not  that  God 
always  meets  the  soul  with  joy.  lie  may 
give  increase  of  grace,  when  not  increase  of 
joy;  but  oftentimes  he  pours  in  the  oil  of 
gladness,  and  gives  the  soul  a  privy  seal  of 
his  love,  as  Christ  made  himself  known  in 
the  breaking  of  bread. 

2d  Season.  Before  God  calls  his  people 
to  suffering,  Acts  xxiii.  11.,  "  Be  of  good 
cheer,  Paul."  When  God  was  about  to 
give  Paul  a  cup  of  blood  to  drink,  he  spiced 
it  with  joy,  2  Cor.  i.  5.,  "  As  the  sufferings 
of  Christ  abound  in  us,  so  our  consolation 
also  aboundeth  :"  this  made  the  martyrs' 
flames  beds  of  roses,  when  Stej)hcn  was 
stoning,  he  saw  heaven  open,  and  the  Sun 
of  Righteousness  shined  in  his  face.  God 
candies  our  wormwood  with  sugar. 

3d  Season.  After  sore  conflicts  with 
Satan.  Satan  is  the  red  dragon  who  trou- 
bleth  the  waters;  he  puts  the  soul  into 
frights,  makes  it  believe  tliat  it  hath  no 
grace,  and  that  God  doth  not  love  it ;  thoiigli 
Satan  cannot  blot  out  a  Christian's  evidence, 
yet  he  may  cast  such  a  mist  before  his  eyes, 
that  he  cannot  read  it.  Now,  when  tlie 
soul  hath  been  bruised  with  tcmj)tations, 
God  will  comfort  this  bruised  rccd  :  he  now 
gives  joy,  ad  corroborandinn  tituhtm, — to 
confirm  a  Christian's  title  to  heaven.  After 
Satan's  fiery  darts,  comes  the  white  stone  ; 
no  better  balm  to  heal  a  tempted  soul,  than 
the  oil  of  gladness:  as  after  Christ  was 
tempted,  then  came  an  angel  to  comfort  him 

4th  Season.  After  desertion  :  desertion 
is  a  poisoned  arrow  which  shoots  to  the 
heart,  Job  vi.  4.  God  is  called  a  fire  and 
a  light:  the  deserted  soul  feels  the  fire,  but 
doth  not  see  the  light ;  it  cries  out,  as  A- 
saph,  Ps.  Ixxvii.  8.,  "  Is  his  mercy  clean 
gone  ?"  Now,  when  the  soul  is  in  this  case, 
and  ready  to  faint  away  in  despair,  Cjod 
shines  upon  the  soul,  and  gives  it  some  ap- 
prehension of  his  favour,  and  turns  the  sha- 
dow of  death  into  the  light  of  the  morning. 
God  keeps  his  cordials  for  a  time  of  faint- 


tion  from  the  dead. 

.')th  Season.  At  the  hour  of  death,  such 
as  have  had  no  joy  in  their  lifetime,  God 
])uts  in  this  sugar  in  the  bottom  of  the  cup, 
to  make  their  death  sweet.  Now,  at  the 
last  hoTH-,  when  all  other  comforts  are  gone, 
(jod  sends  the  Comforter:  and  when  their 
appetite  to  meat  fails,  God  feeds  them  with 
hidden  manna.  Sure,  as  the  wicked,  be- 
fore they  die,  have  some  ajjprehensions  of 
hell  and  wrath  in  their  conscience  ;  so  the 
godly  have  some  foretastes  of  God's  ever- 
lasting favour,  though  sometimes  their  dis- 
eases may  be  such,  and  their  animal  spirits 
so  oppressed,  that  they  cannot  express  what 
they  feel.  Jacob  laid  himself  to  sleep  on  a 
stone,  where  he  saw  a  a  ision,  a  ladder,  and 
the  angels  ascending  and  descending:  so, 
when  the  saints  lay  themselves  down  to 
sleep  the  sleep  of  death,  they  have  often  a 
vision  ;  they  see  the  light  of  God's  face,  and 
have  the  evidences  of  his  love  sealed  up  to 
them  for  ever. 

QuKST.  4.  IVhat  are  the  differences  between 
tcordlij  joys  and  spiritual? 

Ans.  The  gleanings  of  the  one  are  better 
than  the  vintage  of  the  other.  1.  Spiritual 
jovs  help  to  make  us  better,  worldly  joys 
do  often  make  us  worse,  Jer.  xxii.  21.,  "I 
spake  unto  thee  in  thy  prosperity,  but  thou 
saidst,  I  will  not  hear."  Pride  and  luxury 
are  the  two  worms  bred  of  wordly  plea- 
sures, IIos.  iv.  11.,  "  Wine  takes  away  the 
heart ;"  it  '\?i  foment iim  libid'inis,  '  the  inflam- 
er  of  lust.'  Ai'(;.  As  Satan  entered  in  the 
sop,  so  often  in  the  eup  !  but  spiritual  joy 
makes  one  better ;  it  is  like  cordial  water, 
which  (as  j)iiysicians  say)  doth  not  only 
cheer  the  heart,  but  purges  out  the  noxious 
humours  ;  so  divine  joy  is  a  cordial  w.iter, 
wlilch  doth  not  only  comfort  but  cleanse ; 
it  makes  a  C  hristian  more  holy, — it  causeth 
an  antipathy  against  sin, — it  infuseth 
strength  to  do  and  suffer,  Neh.  wn.  10., 
"  The  joy  of  the  Lord  is  your  strength." 
As  some  colours  do  not  only  delight  the 
eye,  but  strengthen  tlio  sight :  so  the  joys 
of  God  do  not  only  refresh  the  soul,  but 
strengthen  it.  '•  The  joy  of  the  Lord  is 
your  strength." 

A.  2.  Spiritual  joys  are  inward, — they 
are  heart  joys,  John  xvi.  22.,  "  Your  heart 


180 


OF  JOY. 


Bliall  rejoice."  Seneca  saitli,  true  joy  hitet 
in  profinido, — it  is  hidden  witliin  ;  worldly 
joy  is  in  svp€rjicie,—\i  lies  on  the  outside, 
like  tlie  dew  that  wets  the  leaf,  2  Cor.  v. 
12.,  who  "  ghiry  in  appearance,"  (in  the 
Greek)  in  the  face.  It  goes  no  farther  than 
the  face, — it  is  not  witliin, — in  '  laughter 
the  heart  is  sad.'  Like  a  house  which  hath 
a  gilded  frontispiece,  but  all  the  rooms 
within  are  hung  in  mourning.  But  spiri- 
tual joy  lies  most  within,  '  Your  heart  shall 
rejoice.'  Divine  joy  is  like  a  spring  of  wa- 
ter which  runs  under  ground  :  a  Ciiristian, 
others  can  see  his  sufferings,  but  they  see 
not  his  joy,  Prov.  xiv.  10.,  "  A  stranger  in- 
termeddieth  not  with  his  joy."  This  joy  is 
bidden  manna,  hid  from  the  eye  of  the  world: 
be  hath  still  music  which  others  hear  not ; 
the  marrow  lies  within,  the  best  joy  is  within 
the  heart. 

A.  3.  Spiritual  joys  are  sweeter  than  o- 
tbers,  better  than  wine,  Cant.  i.  2.  Tliey 
are  a  Christian's  festival ;  they  are  the  gold- 
en pot  and  the  manna ;  they  are  so  sweet, 
that  they  make  every  thing  else  sweet, — 
sweeten  he.'dth,  estate,  as  sweet  water  pour- 
ed on  flowers  make  them  more  fragrant 
and  aromatical.  Divine  joys  are  so  delici- 
ous and  ravishing,  that  they  do  very  much 
put  our  mouth  out  of  taste  to  earthly  de- 
lights ;  as  be  who  hath  been  drinking  spi- 
its  of  alkermes,  tastes  little  sweetness  in 
water.  St.  Paul  had  tasted  these  divine 
joys,  and  his  mouth  was  out  of  taste  to 
worldly  things  :  the  ^vorld  was  crucified  to 
him.  Gal.  vi.  14.  It  was  like  a  dead  thing, 
he  could  find  no  sweetness  in  it. 

A.  4.  Spiritual  joys  are  more  pure,  they 
are  not  tempered  with  any  bitter  ingredi- 
ents ;  a  sinner's  joy  is  mixed  with  dregs,  it 
is  imbittered  with  fear  and  guilt ;  the  wolf 
feeds  in  the  breasts  of  his  joy,  he  drinks 
wormwood  wine,  but  spiritual  joy  is  not 
muddied  with  guilt,  but  like  a  crystal 
stream,  runs  pure  ;  it  is  all  spirits  and  quin- 
tessence,— it  is  joy  and  nothing  but  joy, — 
it  is  a  ix)se  without  prickles, — it  is  honey 
without  the  wax. 

A.  5.  These  are  satisfying  and  filling  joys, 
John  xvi.  24 ,  "  Ask  that  your  joy  may  be 
full."  AVorldly  joys  can  no  more  fill  the 
heart,  than  a  drop  can  fill  a  cistern  ;  they 
may  ple;ise  tlie  palate  or  fancy,  (Plato  calls 


them  '  pictures  of  joy')  not  satisfy  the  soul, 
Eccl.  i.  8 ,  "•  Tlie  eye  is  not  satisfied  with 
seeing,  nor  the  ear  with  hearing;"  but  the 
joys  of  God  satisfy,  Ps.  xciv.  19.,  "  Thy 
comf(»rts  delight  my  soul."  There  is  as 
much  difference  between  spiritual  joys  and 
earthly,  as  between  a  banquet  that  is  eaten, 
and  one  that  is  painted  on  the  Avail. 

A  6.  These  are  stronger  joys  than  world- 
ly, Heb.  vi.  18.,  "  Strong  consolation." 
Tliey  are  strong  indeed,  that  can  bear  up  a 
Christian's  heart  in  trials  and  afflicti<ms, 
1  Thcss.  i.  6.,  "  Having  received  the  word 
in  much  affliction,  with  joy."  These  are 
roses  that  grow  in  winter,  these  joys  can 
sweeten  the  waters  of  Marah,  he  that  hath 
these  can  gather  gra])es  of  tlionis,  and  fetch 
honey  out  of  the  carcass  of  a  lion,  2  Cor. 
vi.  10.,  "  As  sorrowing,  yet  always  rejoic- 
ing." At  the  end  of  the  rod  a  Christian 
tastes  honey. 

A.  7.  These  are  unwearied  joys :  other 
joys,  when  in  excess,  oft  cause  a  loathing, 
— we  are  apt  to  surfeit  on  them, — too  much 
honey  nauseates, — one  mjiy  be  tired  with 
pleasure  as  well  as  labour, — Xerxes  off^ercd 
a  reward  to  him  that  could  find  out  a  new 
pleasure  :  but  the  joys  of  God,  though  they 
satisfy,  yet  they  never  surfeit ;  a  drop  of 
joy  is  sweet,  but  the  more  of  this  wine  the 
better;  such  as  drink  of  the  joys  of  heaven 
are  never  cloyed ;  the  satiety  is  without 
loathing,  because  they  still  desire  the  joy 
wherewith  they  are  satiated. 

A.  8.  These  are  more  abiding  joys. 
Worldly  joys  are  soon  gone ;  such  as  ci'ovvn 
themselves  with  rose-buds,  and  bathe  in  the 
perfumed  waters  of  pleasure,  yet  these  joys 
which  seem  to  be  sweet  are  swift,  like  me- 
teors, they  give  a  bright  and  sudden  flash, 
and  then  disappear;  but  the  joys  which  be- 
lievers have  are  abiding ;  they  are  a  blos- 
som of  eternity,  a  pledge  and  earnest  of 
those  rivers  of  pleasure  which  run  at  God's 
right  hand  for  evermore. 

Quest.  5.  Why  is  this  joy  (o  he  laboured 
for? 

Ans.  1.  Because  this  joy  is  self-existent, 
— it  can  subsist  in  the  want  of  all  other 
carnal  joy.  This  joy  dejteuds  not  upon 
outward  things.  As  the  philosophers  once 
said,  when  the  musicians  came  to  them, 
"  philosophers  can  be  merry  without  music ;" 


OF  JOY. 


181 


lie  that  Iiatb  this  joy  can  be  cliecrful  in  tlio  tlio  hidden  manna.  4.  Be  often  upon  your 
deficiency  of  carnal  joys  ;  he  can  rejoice  in  knees,  pray  with  life  and  fervency.  The 
God,  in  sure  hope  of  glory,  "  thoujrh  the  same  Spirit  that  fills  the  heart  with  sighs, 
fig-tree  doth  not  flourish,"  Hah.  iii.  17.  fills  it  with  joys.  The  same  Spirit  that  in- 
Spiritual  joy  can  go  without  silver  crutch-  dites  the  ])rayer  seals  it.  When  Ilannali 
OS  to  support  it.  Spiritual  joy  is  Inghcr  had  prayed,  her  countenance  was  no  more 
built  than  upon  creatures,  it  is  built  on  the  sad,  1  Sam.  i.  18.  Praying  Christians 
love  of  CJod;  on  the  promises;  on  the  blood  ,  have  mucli  intercourse  with  (iod,  and  none 
of  Christ.  I  are  so  like  to  have  the  secrets  of  his  love 

A.  2.  Because  spiritual    joy  carries  the  I  imparted,   as  those   who  hold  corrcspond- 


Roul  through  duty  cheerfully;  the  sabbath 
is  a  delight,  religion  is  a  recreation.  Fear 
and  sorrow  hinder  us  in  the  discharge  of 
duty ;  but  a  Christian  serves  God  with  ac- 
tivity, when  he  serves  him  with  joy.  The 
oil  of  joy  makes  the  wheels  of  obedience 
move  faster.  How  fervently  did  they  pray 
whom  God  made  joyful  in  the  house  of 
prayer  ?  Isa.  Ivi.  7. 

A.  3.  It  is  called  the  kingdom  of  God, 
Rom.  xiv.  27.,  because  it  is  a  taste  of  that 
which  the  saints  have  in  the  kingdom  of 
God.  What  is  the  heaven  of  the  angels 
but  the  smiles  of  God's  face, — the  sensi])le 
perception  and  feeling  of  those  joys,  which 
are  iulinitely  ravishing  and  full  of  glory? 
And  to  eucoiu'age  and  quicken  us  in  seek- 
ing after  tliem,  consider,  that  Christ  died 
to  purchase  this  joy  for  his  saints :  he  was 
a  man  of  sorrows,  that  wc  may  be  full  of 
joy,  he  prays  that  the  saints  may  have  this 
divine  joy,  John  xvii.  13.,  "  And  now  I 
come  to  thee,  that  thev  may  have  m\  ioy 
fulfilled  in  themselves."  And  this  ])vayer 
he  now  prays  over  in  heaven ;  he  knows 
we  never  love  him  so  as  when  we  feel  his 
love  :  which  may  encourage  us  to  seek  after 
this  joy ;  we  \>Yiiy  for  that  which  Christ 
himself  is  praying  for,  that  his  joy  may  be 
fulfilled  in  us. 

Quest.  6.  JV/iat  shall  we  do  to  obtain  this 
spiritual  joy  ? 

Ans.  Walk  accurately  and  heavenly ; 
God  gives  it  after  a  long  and  close  walk- 
ing with  him.  1.  Observe  your  hours; 
set  time  every  day  a])art  for  God.  2. 
Mourn  for  sin  :  mourning  is  the  seed  (as 
Basil  saith)  out  of  which  the  flower  of  spi- 
ritual joy  grows,  Isa.  Ivii.  18.,  "  I'll  rest(;re 
comfort  to  his  mourners."  3.  Keep  the 
book  of  conscience  fair  written  :  do  not  by 
presumptuous  sins  blur  your  evidences:   a 


ence  with  him  ;  by  a  close  walking  with 
God,  we  get  these  bunches  of  grapes  by 
the  way,  which  are  an  earnest  of  future 
happiness. 

Quest.  7.  Hoiv  shall  wc  comfort  them 
that  watitjOy  ? 

Am.  Such  as  walk  in  close  communion 
with  God  have  more  than  others. 

1.  Initial  joy,  joy  in  semine, — in  the  seed, 
Ps.  xcvii.  11.,  "  Light  (a  metaphor  for  joy) 
is  sown  for  the  righteous."  Grace  in  the 
heart  is  a  seed  of  joy  ;  though  a  Christian 
wants  the  sun,  he  hath  a  daystar  in  his 
heart. 

2.  A  believer  hath  real,  though  not  roy- 
al comforts ;  he  hath,  as  Aquiuiis  saith, 
gmidiinn  in  Deo,  though  not  a  J)eo, — ;joy 
'  in  God,'  though  not  '  from  God.'  Joy 
in  God  is  the  delight  and  complacency  the 
soul  takes  in  God,  Ps  civ.  31.,  "  I  will  be 
glad  in  the  Lord."  He  that  is  truly  graci- 
ous, is  so  far  joyful  as  to  take  comfort  in 
God  ;  though  he  cannot  say,  God  rejoiceth 
in  him,  yet  he  can  say,  lie  rejoiceth  in  God. 

3.  He  hath  supj)orting.  though  iu)t  trans- 
porting comforts;  he  hath  so  much,  that 
keeps  him  from  sinking,  Ps.  cxxxviii.  3., 
"  Thou  strengthenedst  me  with  strength  in 
uiy  soul."  If  a  Christian  hath  not  (iod's 
arm  to  embrace  him,  yet  to  uphold  him : 
thus  .a  Christian,  who  walks  with  God, 
hath  something  that  be.ars  up  his  heart  fi"om 
sinking,  and  it  is  but  waiting  a  wliile,  and 
he  is  sure  of  those  joys  which  are  unspeak- 
able, aiul  fidl  of  glory. 

Use  \st.  Then  see  that  religion  is  no  me- 
lancholy thing ;  it  brings  joy  ;  the  fruit  of 
the  Spirit  is  joy, — Mutnfiir  non  tolitur.  A 
poor  Christian  that  feeds  on  bread  and  wa- 
ter may  have  piner  joy  than  the  greatest 
monarch  ;  though  he  fares  liard,  he  feeds 
high  ;  he  hath  a  table  spread  from  heaven, 
good  conscience  is  the  ark  where  God  puts    — angels'   food, —hidden   manna;    he   hath 


199 


OF  GROWTH  IN  GRACE. 


sometimes  those  sweet  raptures  of  joy,  as  a 
cause  of  jubilation  of  spirit,  2  Cor.  xii.  3., 
he  liath  tliat  which  is  better  felt  than  can 
be  expressed. 

Use  2.  If  God  gives  his  people  such  joy 
in  this  life  :  O  then  what  glorious  joy  will 
he  give  them  in  heaven  !  Mat.  xxv.  21., 
"  Enter  thou  into  the  joy  of  thy  Lord," 
Here  joy  begins  to  enter  into  us,  there  we 
shall  enter  into  joy ;  God  keeps  his  best 
wine  till  last.  Pleliogabalus  bathed  himself 
in  sweet  perfumed  waters  :  what  joy  when 


the  soul  shall  for  ever  bathe  itself  in  the 
pure  and  pleasant  fountain  of  God's  love  ? 
What  joy  to  see  the  orient  briglitness  of 
Christ's  face,  and  have  the  kisses  of  those 
lips  which  drop  sweet  smelling  myrrh  ? 
LcBtabitur  sponsa  in  amplexibus  Domini, 
Aug.  O  !  if  a  cluster  of  grapes  here  be  so 
sweet,  what  will  tlie  full  vintage  be?  How 
may  tliis  set  us  all  a  longing  for  that  place 
where  sorrow  cannot  live,  and  where  joy 
cannot  die  ! 


OF  GROWTH  IN  GRACE. 
2  Pet.  iii.  18.  But  grow  in  grace. 


THE  fourth  fruit.  Growth  of  grace. 
True  grace  is  progressive, — of  a  spreading, 
growing  nature.  It  is  with  grace  as  with 
the  light :  first,  there  is  the  crepusculum,  or 
daybreak,  then  it  shines  brighter  to  the 
full  meridian.  A  good  Christian  is  like 
the  crocodile,  quamdiu  vivet  crescit, — he 
hath  never  done  growing.  The  saints  are 
not  only  compared  to  stars  for  their  light, 
but  to  trees  for  their  growth,  Isa.  Ixi.  3., 
Hos.  xiv.  5.  A  good  Christian  is  not  like 
Hezekiah's  smi  that  went  backward,  nor 
Joshua's  sun  that  stood  still,  but  is  always 
advancing  in  holiness,  and  increasing  with 
the  increase  of  God,  Col.  ii.  16.  Now  to 
amplify  and  illustrate  this  : 

Quest.  1.  Huw  many  ivays  may  a  Chris- 
tian he  said  to  grow  in  grace  ? 

Ans,  1.  He  grows  vigore, — in  the  exer- 
cise of  grace ;  his  lamp  is  burning  and 
shining,  therefore  we  read  of  a  lively  hope, 
1  Pet.  i.  3.  Here  is  the  activity  of  grace  ; 
the  church  prays  for  the  blowing  of  the 
Spirit,  that  her  spices  might  flow  forth, 
(^ant.  iv.  16. 

A.  2.  A  Christian  gi-ows  gradi/, — in  the 
degree  of  grace  ;  he  goes  from  strength  to 
strength,  Ps.  Ixxxiv.  7.  viz.  from  one  de- 
gree of  grace  to  anotlier.  A  saint  goes 
from  '  faith  to  faith,'  Rom.  i.  17.,  and  his 
love  abounds  more  and  more,  Phil.  i.  6. 
Here  is  growing  in  the  degree. 

Quest.  2.  Wiat  is  the  right  manner  of  a 
Christian's  "roivth  ? 


Ans.  1.  The  right  manner  of  growth,  is 
to  grow  less  in  one's  own  eyes,  Ps.  xxii.  6., 
"  I  am  a  worm  and  no  man."  The  si^ht 
of  corruption  and  ignorance  makes  a  Chris- 
tian grow  into  a  dislike  of  himself,  he 
doth  vanish  in  his  own  eyes.  Job  abhor- 
red himself  in  the  dust,  ch.  xlii.  6.  This 
is  good,  to  grow  out  of  conceit  with  one's 
self. 

A.  2.  The  right  manner  of  growth  is  to 
grow  proportionably,  when  a  Christian 
grows  in  one  grace  as  well  as  another, 
2  Pet.  i.  5.  To  grow  in  knowledge,  but 
not  in  meekness,  brotherly  love,  good 
works,  this  is  not  the  right  growth ;  a 
thing  may  swell  and  not  grow, — a  man 
may  be  swelled  with  knowledge,  yet  may 
have  no  spiritual  growth, — the  riglit  man- 
ner of  growth  is  uniform,  gro\ying  in  one 
grace  as  well  as  another.  As  tlie  beauty 
of  the  body  is,  when  there  is  a  symmetry 
of  parts,  not  only  the  head  grows,  but  the 
arms  and  breast ;  so  spiritual  growth  is 
most  beautiful,  when  there  is  a  symmetry 
and  proportion,  every  grace  thrives. 

A.  3.  The  right  manner  of  growth  is, 
when  a  Christian  liath  grace  suitable  to  his 
several  employmonts  and  occasions  ;  \\hen 
corruptions  are  strong,  and  he  hath  grace 
able  to  "five  check  to  them, — burdens  are 
lieavy,  and  he  hath  patience  able  to  bear 
them, — temptations  fierce,  and  he  hath 
faith  jible  to  resist  them. — here  is  grace 
growing  in  the  right  manner. 


OF  GROWTH  IN  GRACE. 


18S 


Quest.  3.  Whence  is  it  that  true  grace 
cannot  but  grow  ? 

Ans.  1 .  It  is  proper  for  grace  to  grow ; 
it  is  semen  nianens,  the  seed  of  God,  1  Jolin 
iii.  9.  It  is  tlie  nature  of  seed  to  grow  ; 
grace  doth  not  lie  in  tlic  heart,  as  a  stone 
in  the  earth,  but  as  seed  in  the  earth,  whicli 
will  spring  up,  first  the  blade  and  then  the 
ear,  and  then  the  full  corn  in  the  ear. 

A.  2.  Grace  cannot  but  grow,  from  the 
sweetness  and  excellency  of  it ;  he  that 
hath  grace,  is  never  weary  of  it,  but  still 
would  have  more.  The  delight  he  hath  in 
it,  causeth  thirst ;  grace  is  the  image  of 
God,  and  a  Christian  thinks  he  can  never 
be  enough  like  God.  (irace  instills  peace ; 
therefore  a  Christian  cannot  but  strive  to 
increase  in  grace,  because,  as  grace  grows, 
so  peace  grows. 

A.  3.  Grace  cannot  hut  grow,  from  a 
believer's  ingrafting  into  Christ ;  he  who  is 
a  scion,  ingrafted  into  this  noble,  generous 
stock,  cannot  but  grow.  Christ  is  so  full 
of  sap,  and  vivifical  influence,  that  he 
makes  all  inoculated  into  him  grow  fruit- 
ful, Hos.  xiv.  8.,  "  From  me  is  thy  fruit 
found." 

Quest.  4.  Jfliat  motives  or  incentives  are 
there  to  make  us  grow  in  grace  ? 

Ans.  1.  Growth  is  the  end  of  the  ordi- 
nances. Why  doth  a  man  lay  out  cost  on 
ground,  manure  and  water  it,  but  that  it 
may  grow  ?  The  sincere  milk  of  the  word 
is  given,  that  we  may  grow  thereby,  1  Pet. 
ii.  2.  The  table  of  the  Lord  is  on  purpose 
for  our  spiritual  nourishment  and  increase 
of  grace. 

A.  2.  The  growth  of  grace  is  the  best 
evidence  of  the  truth  of  it.  Things  that 
liave  no  life  will  not  grow ;  a  ])icture  will 
not  grow,  a  stake  in  the  hedge  will  not 
grow,  but  a  plant  that  hath  a  vegetative 
life  grows.  The  growing  of  grace  shews 
it  to  be  alive  in  the  soul. 

//.  3.  Growth  in  grace  is  the  beauty  of 
a  Christian.  The  more  a  child  grow  s,  the 
more  it  comes  to  its  favour  and  complexion, 
and  looks  more  ruddy ;  so,  the  more  a 
Christian  grows  in  grace,  the  more  he  comes 
to  his  spiritual  complexion,  he  looks  fairer. 
Abraham's  faith  was  beautiful  when  in  its 
infancy,  but  at  last  it  grew  so  vigorous  and 
eminent,  that  God  himself  was  in  love  with 


it,  and  crowned  Abraham  with  this  honour, 
to  be  the  '  father  of  the  faithful.' 

A.  4.  The  more  we  grow  in  grace,  the 
more  glory  we  bring  to  God.  God's  glory 
is  more  worth  than  the  salvation  of  all 
men's  souls.  This  should  be  our  design, 
to  raise  the  trophies  of  God's  glory  ;  and 
how  can  we  do  it  more,  than  by  growing 
in  grace  ?  John  xv.  8.,  "  Hereby  is  my 
Father  glorified,  that  ye  bear  much  fruit." 
Though  the  least  drachm  of  grace  will  bring 
salvation  to  us,  yet  it  will  not  bring  so 
much  glory  to  God,  Phil.  i.  11.,  "  lulled 
with  the  fruits  of  righteousness,  which  are 
to  the  praise  of  his  glory."  It  commends 
the  skill  of  the  husbandman,  when  his 
plants  grow  and  thrive  ;  it  is  a  ])raise  and 
honour  to  God,  when  we  thrive  in  grace. 

A.  5.  The  more  we  grow  in  grace,  the 
more  will  God  love  us.  Is  it  not  that  wo 
pr.iy  for  ?  The  more  growth,  the  more 
God  will  love  us.  The  husbandman  loves 
his  thriving  plants  ;  the  thriving  Christian 
is  God's  TIephzihah,  or  chief  delight.  Christ 
loves  to  see  the  vine  flourishing,  and  the 
pomegranates  budding,  Cant.  vi.  11.  Christ 
acce])ts  the  truth  of  grace,  but  commends 
the  growth  of  grace,  Mat.  viii.  10.,  "  I  have 
not  found  so  great  fiiitli,  no  not  in  Israel." 
Would  you  be  .as  the  beloved  disciple  that 
lay  in  Christ's  bosom  ?  AVould  you  have 
much  love  from  Christ  ?  labour  for  much 
gr(twth,  let  i'aith  fl<»urish  with  good  works, 
and  love  increase  into  zeal. 

A.  G.  What  need  have  we  to  grow  in 
grace.  There  is  still  something  lacking  in 
our  faith,  1  Thess.  iii.  10.  (irace  is  but  in 
its  infancy  and  minority,  and  we  must  still 
be  adding  a  ciil)it  to  onr  sjiiritiial  stature; 
the  apostles  said,  "  Lord  increase  our  faith," 
Luke  xvii.  5.  (irace  is  but  weak,  2  Sam. 
iii.  39.,  "  I  am  this  day  weak,  thoufih  a- 
nointed  king."  So,  though  we  arc  anoint- 
ed with  grace,  yet  we  are  but  weak,  and 
had  need  arrive  at  further  degrees  of  sanc- 
tity. 

//.  7.  The  growth  of  grace  will  hinder 
the  growth  of  corrujjtion.  The  more  health 
grows,  the  more  the  distempers  of  the  body 
abate;  so  it  is  in  spiritnals, — the  more  Im- 
mility  grows,  the  more  tlie  swrllii:g  of  i)rido 
is  assuaged, — the  more  purity  of  heart 
grows,  tlie  more  the  fire  of  lust  is  abated. 


184 


OF  GROWTH  IN  GRACE. 


Tlie  ^rowtfi  of  flowers  in  the  garden  cloth 
not  liinder  tlie  growing  of  weeds,  hut  tlie 
growing  of  this  flower  of  grace  liinders  the 
Bproiiting  of  corruption.  As  some  plants 
have  an  antipatliy,  and  will  not  thrive  if 
they  grow  near  together,  as  the  vine  and 
the  hay  tree  :  so,  where  grace  gi'ows,  sin 
will  not  thrive  so  fast. 

A.  8.  We  cannot  grow  too  much  in 
grace :  there  is  no  nimium, — no  excess  there. 
The  hody  may  gi-ow  too  great,  as  in  the 
dropsy ;  but  faitli  cannot  grow  too  great, 
2  Tliess.  i.  3.,  "  Your  faith  groweth  ex- 
ceedingly ;"  here  was  exceeding,  yet  not 
excess.  As  a  man  cannot  have  too  much 
health,  so  not  too  much  grace.  Grace  is 
the  heauty  of  holiness,  Ps.  ex.  3.  We  can- 
not have  too  much  sjnritual  beauty  ;  it  will 
be  the  only  trouble  at  death,  that  we  have 
grown  no  more  in  grace. 

A.  9.  Such  as  do  not  grow  in  grace,  de- 
cay in  grace.  Non  progredi  in  via  est  re- 
gredi,  Bern.  There  is  no  standing  at  a 
stay  in  religion,  either  we  go  forward  or 
backward  ;  if  faith  doth  not  grow,  unbe- 
lief will ;  if  heavenly  mindedness  doth  not 
grow,  covetousncss  will.  A  man  that  doth 
not  increase  his  stock,  diminisheth  it;  if 
you  do  not  improve  your  stock  of  grace, 
your  stock  will  decay.  The  angels  on  Ja- 
cob's ladder  were  either  ascending  or  de- 
scending  ;  if  you  do  not  ascend  in  religion, 
you  descend. 

A.  10.  The  more  we  grow  in  grace,  the 
more  we  shall  flourish  in  glory.  Though 
every  vessel  of  glory  shall  be  full,  yet  some 
vessels  hold  more ;  he  whose  pound  gained 
ten,  was  made  ruler  over  ten  cities,  Luke 
XIX.  17.  Such  as  do  not  grow  much, 
though  they  do  not  lose  their  glory,  yet 
they  lessen  their  glory.  If  any  shall  follow 
tlie  Lamb  in  whiter  and  larger  robes  of 
glory  than  others,  thc^y  shall  be  such  as  have 
shone  most  in  grace  here. 

Use.  Lament  we  may  the  want  of  growth : 
religion  in  many  is  grown  only  into  a  form 
and  profession  :  this  is  to  grow  in  leaves, 
not  in  fruit.  Many  Christians  aw)  like  a 
body  in  an  atrophy,  which  doth  not  thrive; 
thev  are  not  nourished  bv  the  scm-ukuis  tliev 
hear;  like  the  angels  who  assumed  Ijodics, 
tlicy  did  eat,  but  did  not  grow  It  is  very 
suspicious  where  there  is  no  growth,  there 


wants  a  vital  principle.  Some  instead  of 
growing  better,  grow  worse :  they  grow 
more  earthly,  more  profane,  2  Tim.  iii.  13. 
Evil  men  proficient  iv  pejus,-  '  shall  wax 
worse  and  worse.'  Many  grow  hell  ward, — 
they  grow  past  shame,  Eph.  ii.  3,  5,- — they 
are  like  some  watered  stuff's,  which  grow 
more  rotten. 

Quest.  5.  How  shall  ice  knoiv  xvhether  we 
grow  in  grace  ? 

Ans.  For  the  deciding  of  this  question, 
I  shall,  First,  Shew  the  signs  of  our  not 
growing;  Secondly,  Of  our  growing. 

\st,  The  signs  of  our  not  growing  in 
grace,  but  rather  falling  into  a  spiritual 
consumption. 

Sign  1.  Wlien  Ave  have  lost  our  spiritual 
appetite.  A  consumptive  person  hath  not 
that  stomach  to  his  medt  as  formerly.  Per- 
haps, Christian,  thou  canst  remember  the 
time  when  thou  didst  hunger  and  thirst  af- 
ter righteousness,  thou  didst  come  to  the 
ordinances  with  such  a  stomach  as  to  a 
feast,  but  now  it  is  otherwise,  Christ  is  not 
so  prized,  nor  his  ordinances  so  loved:  a 
sad  presage,  grace  is  on  the  declining  hand, 
— thou  art  in  a  deep  consumption.  A  sign 
David  was  near  his  grave,  when  he  covered 
him  with  clothes,  and  got  no  heat,  1  Kings 
i.  1.:  so,  when  a  person  is  plied  with  hot 
clothes,  I  mean  ordinances,  yet  he  hath  no 
heat  of  afi'ection  to  spiritual  things,  this  is 
a  sign  he  is  declining  in  grace. 

Sign  2.  When  Ave  groAV  more  Avorldly. 
Perhaps  once  Ave  AA^ere  mounted  into  higher 
orbs, — AA'e  did  set  our  liearts  on  things 
aboA'c,  and  speak  the  language  of  Canaan, — 
but  noAV  our  minds  are  taken  oft'  heaven, 
Ave  dig  our  comfort  out  of  these  lower 
mines,  and  Avith  Satan  comjiass  the  earth  t 
a  sign  Ave  are  going  down  the  hill  apace, 
and  our  grace  is  in  a  consumption.  It  is 
observable  AA-hen  nature  decays,  and  people 
are  near  dying,  they  groAV  more  stooping; 
and  truly,  Avhen  men's  hearts  ^row  more 
stooping  to  the  earth,  and  they  can  hardly 
lift  up  themselA'es  to  an  heavenly  thought, 
if  grace  be  not  dead,  yet  it  is  ready  to  die, 
ReA'.  iii.  2. 

Sign  3.  Wlicn  we  are  less  troubled  abonf 
sin.  Time  Avas  Avhen  the  least  siu  did 
grieA'e  us,  as  the  leiust  hair  makes  the  eye 
weep:  but  now  Ave  can  digest  sin  without 


OF  GROWTH  IN  GRACE. 


185 


remorse.  Time  was  when  a  Christian  was 
troubled  if  he  neglected  closet-prayer  :  now 
he  can  omit  family-prayer.  Time  was 
when  vain  thoughts  did  trouble  him :  now 
he  is  not  troubled  for  loose  practices.  Here 
is  a  sad  declension  in  religion  ;  and  truly 
grace  is  so  far  from  growing,  that  we  can 
hardly  perceive  its  pulse  to  beat. 

2dly,  The  signs  of  our  growing  in  grace. 

Sign  1.  The  first  sign  of  our  growing  is 
when  we  are  got  beyond  oiir  former  mea- 
sures of  grace :  a  sign  a  child  thrives,  when 
he  hath  outgrown  his  clothes,  his  clothes 
are  too  little  for  him.  That  knowledge 
which  would  serve  us  before,  will  not  serve 
us  now, — we  have  a  deeper  insight  into  re- 
ligion,— our  light  is  clearer, — our  spark  of 
love  is  increased  into  a  flame  :  there  is  a 
sign  of  growth.  That  competency  of  grace 
we  once  had,  is  too  scanty  for  us;  we  have 
outgrown  ourselves. 

Sign  2.  When  we  are  more  firmly  rooted 
in  religion,  Col.  ii.  7.,  Rooted  in  him,  and 
established  :  the  spreading  of  the  root  shews 
the  growth  of  the  tree.  When  we  are  so 
strongly  fastened  on  Christ,  that  we  cannot 
be  blown  down  with  the  breath  of  heretics, 
a  blessed  sign  of  growth.  Athanasius  was 
called  Adainus  ecclesice,  an  adamant  that 
could  not  be  removed  from  the  love  of  the 
truth. 

Sign  3.  The  third  sign  of  growth :  when 
we  have  a  more  spiritual  frame  of  heart. 
\st.  We  are  more  spiritual  in  our  princi- 
ples ;  we  oppose  sin  out  of  love  to  God,  and 
as  it  strikes  at  his  holiness.  2dli/,  We  are 
more  spiritual  in  our  affections  ;  we  gi'ieve 
for  the  first  rising  of  corruption,  for  the 
bubbling  up  of  vain  thoughts,  the  spring 
that  runs  under  ground.  We  mourn  not 
only  for  the  penalty  of  sin,  but  the  pollu- 
tion ;  it  is  not  only  a  coal  that  burns,  but 
blacks.  3dlg,  We  are  spiritual  in  the  per- 
formance of  duty;  we  are  more  serious, 
reverent,  fervent;  we  have  more  life  in 
prayer,  we  put  fire  to  the  sacrifice,  Rom. 
xii.,  "  Fervent  in  spirit."  We  serve  God 
with  more  love,  which  ripens  and  mellows 
our  duty,  and  makes  it  come  off  with  a  bet- 
ter relish. 

Sign  4.  The  fourth  sign  of  growth  :  when 
grace  gets  ground  by  opposition.  The  fire, 
by  an  antiperitasis,  burns  nottest    in  the 


coldest  season.  Peter's  courage  increased 
by  the  opposition  of  the  higli  priest  and 
tlie  rulers,  Acts  iv.  8,  11.  The  martyrs' 
zeal  was  increased  by  persecution.  Here 
was  grace  of  the  first  magnitude. 

Quest.  6.  fVhat  shall  we  do  (o  grow  in 
grace  f 

Ann.  1.  Take  heed  of  that  which  will 
hinder  its  growth, — the  love  of  any  sin. 
The  body  may  as  well  thrive  in  a  fever,  as 
grace  can  where  any  sin  is  chcrislied. 

A.  2.  Use  all  means  for  growth  in  grace, 
l.s^,  "  Exercise  yourselves  to  godliness," 
1  Tim.  iv.  7.  The  body  grows  stronger  by 
exercise.  Trading  of  money  makes  men 
grow  rich ;  the  more  we  trade  our  faith  in 
the  promises,  the  richer  in  faith  we  grow. 
2dly,  If  you  would  be  growing  Christians, 
be  humble  Christians.  It  is  observed  in 
some  countries,  (as  in  France.)  the  best 
and  largest  grapes,  which  they  make  their 
wine  of,  grow  on  the  lower  sort  of  atucs; 
the  humble  saints  grow  most  in  grace, 
1  Pet.  V.  5.,  '•  God  giveth  grace  to  the 
humble  "  "idly,  Pray  to  God  for  sjnritual 
growth.  Some  pray  that  they  may  grow 
in  gifts.  It  is  better  to  grow  in  grace  than 
gifts ;  gifts  are  for  ornament,  grace  is  for 
nourishment, — to  edify  others,  to  save  our- 
selves. Some  pray  that  they  may  grow 
rich,  but  a  fruitful  heart  is  better  than  a 
full  purse.  Pray  that  God  would  make 
you  grow  in  grace,  though  it  be  by  afflic- 
tion, Heb.  xii.  10.  The  vine  grows  by 
pruning.  God's  pruning-knife  is  to  make 
us  grow  more  in  grace. 

Quest.  7.  How  may  we  comfort  such  as 
complain  they  do  not  grow  in  grace  ? 

Ans.  They  may  mistake ;  they  may  grow, 
when  they  think  they  do  not,  Prov.  xiii.  7., 
"  There  is  that  maketh  liimself  poor,  yet 
he  is  rich."  The  sight  Christians  have  of 
their  defects  in  grace,  and  their  thirst  after 
greater  measures  of  grace,  makes  them  think 
they  do  not  grow  when  they  do.  He  who 
covets  a  great  estate,  because  lie  hath  not 
so  much  as  he  desires,  therefore  he  thinks 
himself  to  be  poor.  Indeed  Christians 
should  seek  after  the  grace  they  want,  but 
they  must  not  therefore  overlook  the  grace 
they  have.  Let  Christians  he  thankfid  for 
the  least  growth  ;  if  von  do  not  grow  so 
much  in  assurance,  hh'sv  ftod  \['  you  grow 

2  A 


186 


OF  PERSEVERANCE. 


in  sincerity ;  if  you  do  not  grow  so  much 
in  know' edge,  bless  God  if  you  grow  in 
humility.     If  a  tree  grows  in  the  root,  it  is 


a  true  growth ;  if  you  grow  in  the  root- 
grace  of  humility,  it  is  as  needful  for  you 
as  any  other  growth. 


OF  PERSEVERANCE. 
1  Pet.  i.  5.   JVho  are  kept  hy  the  power  of  God  through  faith  unto  salvation. 


THE  fifth  and  last  fruit  of  sanctification 
is  perseverance  in  grace.  The  heavenly 
inheritance  is  kept  for  the  saints,  1  Pet.  i. 
4. ;  and  they  are  kept  to  the  inheritance ; 
in  my  text,  "  Who  are  kept  by  the  power 
of  God  through  faith  unto  salvation."  The 
apostle  asserts  a  saint's  stability  and  per- 
manency ill  grace.  The  saints'  perseve- 
rance is  much  oppugned  by  Papists  and 
Arminians ;  but  it  is  not  the  less  true  be- 
cause it  is  opposed.  A  Christian's  main 
comfort  depends  upon  this  doctrine  of  per- 
severance; take  away  this,  and  you  much 
prejudice  religion,  and  cut  the  sinews  of 
all  cheerful  endeavours.  Before  I  come 
to  the  full  handling  and  discussing  this 
great  point,  let  me  first  clear  the  sense  of 
it,  Avhich  I  shall  do  by  way  of  concession 
or  grant. 

When  I  say,  believers  do  persevere  :  \st,  I 
grant  that  such  as  are  so  only  in  profession, 
may  fall  away,  2  Tim.  iv.  10.,  "  Demas  hath 
forsaken  me."  Blazing  comets  soon  evapo- 
rate. A  building  on  sand  will  fall,  Mat. 
vii.  26,,  Seeming  grace  may  be  lost.  No 
wonder  to  see  a  bough  fall  from  a  tree  that 
is  only  tied  on !  Hypociites  are  only  tied 
on  Christ  by  an  external  profession,  they 
are  not  ingrafted.  Who  ever  thought  arti- 
ficial motions  would  hold  long  ?  The  hypo- 
crite's motion  is  only  artificial,  not  vital. 
All  blossoms  do  not  ripen  into  fruit. 

2dl{i,  I  grant  that,  if  believers  were  left 
to  stand  upon  their  own  legs,  they  might 
fall  finally.  Some  of  the  angels,  who  were 
stars  full  of  light  and  glory,  yet  did  actual- 
ly lose  their  grace;  and  if  those  pure  angels 
fell  from  grace,  much  more  would  the  god- 
ly, who  have  so  much  sin  to  betray  them, 
ii'they  wore  not  upheld  by  a  superior  power. 
3^////,  1  grant,  true  believers,  though  they 
do  not  fall  away  actually,  and  lose  all  their 

race,   yet  their  grace  may  fail  in  the  de- 


gree, and  they  may  make  a  great  breach 
upon  their  sanctification.     Grace  may  be 
moritura,    non   mortua^ — '  dying,    but   not 
dead,'  Rev.  iii.  2.,  "  Strengthen  the  things 
which  are   ready  to  die."     Grace  may  be 
like  fire  in  the  embers  :  though  not  quench- 
ed, yet  the  flame  is  gone  out.     This  decay 
of  grace  I  shall   shew  in  two  particulars. 
1.  The  lively  actings  of  grace  may  be  sus- 
pended,  Rev.  ii.  4.,  "  Thou  hast  left  thy 
first  love."     Grace  may  be  like  a  sleepy 
habit ;  tlie  godly  may  act  faintly  in  religion, 
— the  pulse  of  their  affections  may  beat  low. 
The  wise  \irffins   slumbered.   Mat.  xxv.  5. 
The  exercise  of  grace  may  be  hindered  ;  as 
when  the  course  of  water  is  stopped,   and 
doth  not  run.     2.  Instead  of  grace  exercis- 
ing in  the  godly,  corruption  may  exercise, — 
instead  of  patience,    murmuring, — instead 
of  heavenliness,  earthliness.     How  did  pride 
put  forth  itself  in  the  disciples  when  they 
strove  who  should  be  the  greatest !    How 
did  lust  ])ut  forth  itself  in  David  !     Thus 
lively  and  vigorous  may  corruption  be  in 
the  regenerate  ;  they  may  fall  into  enormous 
sins.     But.  though  all  this  be  granted,  yet 
they   do  not,   penitus  exeidere, — fall   away 
finally  from  grace.     David  did  not  quite 
lose  his  grace ;  for  then,  why  did  he  i)ray, 
"  Take  not  away  thy  Holy  Spirit  from  me?" 
He  had  not  quite  lost  the  Sjnrit.     As  Euty- 
chus,   when  he  fell  from  a  window.   Acts 
XX.  and  all  thought  he  was  dead  :  No,  saitli 
Paul,  "  his  life  is  in  him."     So  David  fell 
fouUv,  but  there  was  the  life   of  grace  in 
him.     Though  the  siiints  may  come  to  that 
pass,  they  have  but  little  faith,   yet  not  to 
have  no  faith  ;  though  their  grace   may  be 
drawn   low,    yet  not  drawn   dry ;    though 
"race  niav  be  abated,  not  abolished  ;  though 
the  \Aise  virgins  slumbered,  yet  their  lamps 
were  not  quite  gone  out.     Grace,  when  it 
is  at  the  lowest,   shall  revive  and  flourish; 


OF  PERSEVERANCE. 


181 


as  when  Samson  had  lost  his  strength,  his  xvii.   11.,    Conserva   illos, — Father,   "  keep 
hair  grewagain,  and  he  renewed  his  strength.  I  those  wliom  thou  hast  given  me," — keep 


Having  tlms  exphiined  the  proposition,  I 
come  now  to  the  amplifying  this  great  doc- 
trine of  the  saints'  perseverance. 

Quest.  1.  Bi/  what  means  do  Christians 
come  to  persevere  ? 

Arts.  1.  By  the  manuduction  and  help 
of  ordinances,  prayer,  word,  sacraments. 
Christians  do  not  arrive  at  perseverance 
when  they  sit  still  and  do  notliing.  It  is 
not  with  us  as  with  passengers  in  a  ship, 
who  are  carried  to  the  end  of  their  voyage, 
and  they  sit  still  in  the  ship  ;  or,  as  it  is 
with  noblemen,  wiio  have  their  rents  brought 
in  without  their  toil  or  labour ;  but  we  ar- 
rive at  salvation  in  the  use  of  means, — as  a 
man  comes  to  the  end  of  a  race  by  running, 
— to  a  victory  by  fighting,  Mat.  xxvi.  41., 
"  Watch  and  pray."  As  Paul  said.  Acts 
xxAni.  31.,  "  Except  ye  abide  in  the  ship, 
ye  cannot  be  saved."  Believers  shall  come 
to  shore  at  last, — arrive  at  heaven ;  but 
"  except  they  abide  in  the  ship,"  viz.  in  the 
use  of  ordinances,  "  they  cannot  be  saved." 
The  ordinances  cherish  grace ;  as  they  be- 
get grace,  so  they  arc  the  breast-milk  by 
which  it  is  nourished  and  preserved  to  eter- 
nity. 

A.  2.  Auxilio  spiritus, — by  the  sacred  in- 
fluence and  concurrence  of  the  Spirit.  Tiie 
Spirit  of  God  is  continually  at  work  in  the 
heart  of  a  believer  to  carry  on  grace  to  per- 
severance ;  it  drops  in  fresh  oil  to  keep  the 
lamp  of  grace  burning.  The  Spirit  excites, 
strengthens,  increaseth  grace,  and  makes  a 
Christijin  go  from  one  step  of  faith  to  ano- 
ther, till  he  comes  to  the  end  of  his  faith, 
salvation,  1  Pet.  i.  9.  It  is  a  fine  expres- 
sion of  the  apostle,  2  Tim.  i.  14.,  "  The 
Holy  Ghost  which  dwelleth  in  us."  He 
who  dwells  in  an  house,  keeps  the  house  in 
repair  :  the  Spirit  dwelling  in  a  believer, 
keeps  grace  in  repair.  Grace  is  compared 
to  a  river  of  the  water  of  life,  John  vii.  38. 
This  river  can  never  be  dried  up,  because 
Gods  Spirit  is  a  spring  which  continually 
feeds  it. 

A.  3.  Grace  is  carried  on  to  perseverance, 
1  y  Christ's  daily  intercession.  As  the  Spi- 
rit is  at  work  in  the  heart,  so  is  Christ  at 
vork  in  heaven.  Christ  is  ever  praying 
that  tiie  saints  grace  may  hold  out,  John 


them  as  the  stars  in  their  orbs, — keep  them 
as  jewels,  that  they  may  not  be  lost.  "  Fa- 
ther keep  them."  That  prayer  Christ  made 
for  Peter,  was  the  copy  of  his  prayer  he 
now  makes  for  believers,  Luke  xxii.  32., 
"  I  have  prayed  for  thee,  that  thy  faith  fail 
not,"  that  it  be  not  totally  eclipsed  ;  how 
can  the  children  of  such  prayers  perish  ? 

Quest.  2,   By  what   arguments   may  we 
prove  the  saints'  perseverance  9 

Ans.  1.  A  veritate  Dei, — '  from  the  truth 
of  God.'  God  hath  both  asserted  it,  and 
promised  it :  1.  God  hath  asserted  it,  1  John 
ii.  9.,  "  His  seed  remaineth  in  him."  1  John 
ii.  27.,  "  The  anointing  ye  have  received  of 
him  abideth  in  you." — 2.  As  God  liath  jts- 
scrted  ii,  so  he  hath  promised  it :  the  truth 
of  God,  the  most  orient  pearl  of  his  crown, 
is  laid  a  pawn  in  the  promise,  John  x.  23., 
"  I  will  give  unto  them  eternal  life,  and 
they  shall  never  perish."  Jer.  xxxi.i.  40., 
"  I  will  make  an  everlasting  covenant  with 
them,  that  I  will  not  turn  away  from  them 
to  do  them  good,  but  I  will  put  my  fear  in 
their  hearts,  that  they  shall  not  depart  from 
me."  God  will  so  love  his  people  that  he 
will  not  forsake  them  ;  and  they  shall  so 
fear  him,  that  they  shall  not  forsake  him. 
If  a  believer  should  not  persevere,  God 
should  break  his  promise,  Hos.  ii.  19.,  *'  I 
will  betroth  thee  unto  me  for  ever,  in  righ- 
teousness and  loving-kindness."  God  doth 
not  marry  his  people  unto  himself,  and  then 
divorce  them  ;  he  hates  putting  away,  Mai. 
ii.  16.  God's  love  ties  the  marriage-knot 
so  fast  that  neither  death  nor  hell  can  bre;'K 
it  asunder. 

2.  The  second  argument  is,  a  potentia  Dsi, 
— from  the  power  of  God.  In  the  text,  we 
"  are  kept  by  the  power  of  God  unto  sal- 
vation." Every  ])erson  in  the  Trinity  hath 
an  hand  in  makitig  a  believer  jiersevere. 
(Jod  the  Father  establisheth,  1  Cor.  i.  21. 
God  the  S<m  conlirms,  1  Cor.  i.  8.  (iod 
the  Holy  Ghost  seals,  Eph.  i.  13.;  so  that  it 
is  the  power  of  God  that  keeps  us.  Alas, 
we  are  not  kept  by  our  own  i)ower  !  The 
Pelagians  held,  that  man.  by  his  own  j)()\ver, 
might  overcome  tcniptation  and  persevere. 
But  St.  Austin  conlutes  tlicni.  "  Man," 
Kaith  he,   "  pra}  s   unto  God   for   per.sever- 


183 


Ot  PERSEVERANCE. 


ancc,  wliicli  would  Le  absurd,  if  he  had 
power  of  liiinself  to  persevere."  And,  saith  j 
St.  Austin,  "  if  all  the  power  be  inherent  I 
in  a  man's  self,  then  wliy  sliould  not  one 
persevere  as  well  as  another  ?  Why  not  Ju- 
das as  well  as  Peter?"  So  that  it  is  not  by 
any  other  than  the  power  of  God  that  we 
are  kept.  As  tlie  Lord  preserved  Israel 
from  perishing  in  tlie  wilderness,  till  he 
brought  them  to  Canaan  :  the  same  care 
will  he  take,  if  not  in  a  miraculous  manner, 
yet  in  a  spiritual  invisible  manner,  in  pre 
serAnng  his  people  in  a  state  of  grace,  till 
he  bring  them  to  the  celestial  Canaan.  As 
the  heathens  feigned  of  Atlas,  that  he  did 
bear  up  the  heavens  from  falling,  the  power 
of  God  is  that  Atlas  which  bears  up  the 
saints  from  falling.  It  is  disputed,  whether 
gi'ace  of  itself  may  not  perish,  as  Adam's  ; 
yet  sure  I  am,  grace  kept  by  the  power  of 
God  cannot  perish. 

3.  The  third  argument  is  taken  ab  elec- 
tionc, — from  God's  electing  love.  Such  as 
God  liath  from  all  eternity  elected  to  glory 
cannot  fall  away  finally  ;  but  every  true  be- 
liever is  elected  to  glory,  therefore  he  can- 
not fall  away.  What  can  frustrate  election, 
or  make  God's  decree  void  ?  This  argument 
stands  like  Mount  Sion,  which  cannot  be 
moved  ;  insomuch  that  some  of  the  Papists 
hold,  that  those  who  have  absolute  election 
cannot  fall  away,  2  Tim.  ii.  19.,  "  The 
foundation  of  God  standeth  sure,  having 
this  seal.  The  Lord  knoweth  them  that  ai'C 
his."  The  foundation  of  God  is  nothing 
else  but  God's  decree  in  election ;  and  this 
stands  sure,  God  will  not  alter  it,  others 
cannot. 

4.  The  fourth  argument  is  taken,  ab 
unione  cum  C/tn'sfo, — from  believers'  union 
with  Christ.  They  are  knit  to  Christ,  as 
whc  members  to  the  head,  by  the  nerves 
and  ligaments  of  faitli,  so  that  they  cannot 
be  broken  off,  Eph.  iii.  What  was  once 
said  of  Christ's  natural  body,  is  true  of  his 
mystical.  "  A  bone  of  it  shall  not  be  bro- 
ken.*^'  As  it  is  not  possible  to  sever  the 
leaven  and  the  dough  when  they  are  once 
mingled  and  kneaded  together,  so  it  is  im- 
possible, when  Christ  and  believers  are  once 
united,  ever  to  be  separated :  Christ  and 
his  members  make  one  body.  Now,  is  it 
possible  that  any  j)art  of  Christ  should  per- 


ish ?  How  can  Christ  lose  any  member 
of  his  body  mystical,  and  be  perfect?  In 
short,  Si  iinus  excidat  qunrc  non  et  alter  ?  If 
one  believer  maybe  broken  off  from  Christ, 
then,  by  the  same  rule,  why  not  another? 
Why  not  all  ?  And  so  Christ  should  be  an 
head  without  a  body. 

5.  The  fifth  argument  is  taken  ab  emp- 
tio7ie, — from  the  nature  of  a  purchase.  A 
man  will  not  lay  down  his  money  for  a  pur- 
chase which  may  be  lost,  and  the  fee-simple 
alienated.  Christ  died,  that  he  might  jnir- 
chase  us  as  a  peo])le  to  himself  for  ever, 
Heb.  ix.  12.,  "  Having  obtained  eternal  re- 
demption for  us."  Would  Christ,  think 
ye,  have  shed  his  blood  that  we  might  be- 
lieve in  him  for  a  while,  and  then  fall  a- 
way  ?  Do  we  think  Christ  will  lose  hit; 
purchase  ? 

6.  The  sixth  argument  is,  a  victoria  supra 
mundum, — from  a  believer's  '  victory  over 
the  world.*  The  argument  stands  thus: 
He  who  overcomes  the  world,  doth  perse- 
vere in  grace ;  but  a  believer  doth  over- 
come the  world,  therefore  he  perseveres  in 
grace,  1  John  v.  4.,  "  This  is  the  victory 
that  overcometh  the  world,  even  our  faith." 
A  man  may  lose  a  single  battle  in  the  field, 
yet  at  last  win  the  victory.  A  child  of 
God  may  be  foiled  in  a  single  battle  against 
temptation  (as  Peter  was)  but  at  last  he 
is  victorious.  Now,  if  a  saint  be  crowned 
victor, — if  the  world  be  conquered  by  him, 
— he  must  needs  persevere.  I  come  next 
to  answer  some  objections  of  the  Armi- 
nians. 

[st,  The  first  objection  of  Ai'minians,  is. 
If  a  believer  shall  persevere  in  grace,  then,  to 
tchat  purpose  are  all  those  admonitions  in 
scripture  ?  "  Let  him  take  heed  lest  he  fall," 
1  Cor.  X.  12.  And  Heb.  iv.  1.,  "  Let  us 
fear,  lest  any  of  you  seem  to  come  short." 
These  admonitions  seem  to  be  superjluous 
and  vain,  if  a  saint  shall  certainly  per^ 
severe. 

Ans.  No,  these  counsels  and  admonitions 
are  necessary  to  caution  believers  against 
carelessness ;  they  are  as  goads  and  spurs 
to  quicken  them  to  a  greater  diligence  in 
working  out  their  salvation.  These  admo- 
nitiims  do  not  imply  the  saints  can  fall 
away,  but  they  are  preservatives  to  keep 
them  from  falling  away.     Christ  told  some 


OF  PERSEVERANCE. 


189 


of  liis  disciples,  they  sliould  abide  in  liim, 
yet  l)e  exhorts  them  to  abide  in  him,  John 
XV.  His  exliorting  tlicm  was  not  in  tlic 
least  to  question  their  al>idin<!:  in  him,  but 
to  awaken  their  dilij^ence,  and  make  them 
pray  the  haidcr  that  tliey  mi}:rlit  abide  ia 
him. 

2(f/t/,  The  second  objection  is,  Heb.  vi.  4., 
'  It  is  impossih/e  for  those  who  were  once  en- 
lightened, and  have  tasted  of  the  heavenly 
gift,  and  were  made  partakers  of  the  Holtf 
Ghost,  avd  have  tasted  the  f/ood  tvord  of  God, 
and  the  powers  of  the  tcorld  to  come,  if  theij 
ihall  f(dl  away,  to  renew  them  again  unto  re- 
pentance" 

Ans.  This  place  of  scripture  hath  no  force 
in  it,  for  the  apostle  here  speaks  of  hypo- 
crites. He  shews  how  far  they  may  go, 
yet  fall  away.  I.  "  They  who  were  once 
enlightened:"  Men  may  have  great  illu- 
minations, yet  fall  away.  Was  not  Judas 
enlightened?  2.  They  have  been  made 
"  partakers  of  the  Holy  Ghost," — the  com 


the  hypocrite  may  liave  a  kind  of  taste  of 
the  sweetness  of  religion,  but  his  taste  doth 
not  nourish.  Tlicre  is  a  great  deal  of  dif- 
ference between  one  that  takes  a  gargle 
•uid  a  cordial  :  tlie  gargh?  only  waKhclh  his 
mouth, — he  tastes  it,  and  puts  it  out  again, 
— but  a  cordial  is  drunk  down  which  nour- 
isheth  and  cherisheth  the  spirits.  Tlic  liy- 
pocrite,  wiio  hath  only  some  smack  or  t:iste 
of  religion  (as  one  tastes  a  gargle)  may  fall 
away.  4.  And  have  felt  "  the  |)owers  <»i 
the  world  to  come  :"  that  is  they  may  liave 
sucli  apprehensions  of  the  glory  of  heaven, 
as  to  be  affected  with  it,  and  seem  to  have 
some  joy  in  the  thoughts  of  it,  yet  fall 
away  :  as  in  the  parable  of  the  stony  ground, 
Mat.  xiii.  20.  Ail  this  is  spoken  of  the 
hypocrite ;  but  it  doth  not  therefore  jirove, 
that  the  true  believer,  who  is  effectually 
wrought  upon,  can  fall  away.  Though 
meteors  fall,  it  doth  not  therefore  i'ollow, 
that  true  stars  fall.  That  this  scripture 
speaks  not  of  sound  believers,  is  clear  from 


mon  gifts  of  the  Spirit,  not  the  special  grace,  i  ver.  9.,  "  But  we  are  persuaded  better 
3.  They  have  "  tasted  the  good  word  of  tilings  of  you,  and  things  that  accompany 
God."     Tasting  here  is  opposed  to  eating      salvation." 


OF  PERSEVER.VNCE. 


1  Pet.  i.  5.    JVlio  are  kept  by  thx  power  of  God  through  faith  unto  salcalion. 


Use  Ut.  SEE  the  excellency  of  grace,  it 
perseveres:  other  things  are  but  for  a  sea- 
son,—health  and  riches  are  sweet,  but  they 
are  but  for  a  season, — but  grace  is  a  blos- 
som of  eternity.  The  seed  of  God  remains, 
I  John  iii.  9.  Grace  may  suffer  an  eclipse, 
not  a  dissolution.  It  is  called  substance, 
for   its   solidity,   Vvov.   viii.    21.:   and  du- 


"  My  sheep  hear  my  voice,  and  I  know 
them,  and  they  follow  me :  and  I  give  unto 
them  eternal  life."  "  My  shi  cp,"  there  is 
election ;  "  hear  my  voice,"  there  is  voca- 
tion ;  "  and  I  know  them,"  there  is  justi- 
fication ;  "  and  I  give  unto  them  eternal 
life,"  there  is  <rlorilication.  How  mav  this 
uiake  us  love  (iod,   and  set  \i\)  the   monu- 


rable  riches,  for  its  permanency,  Prov.  viii.  ,  ments   and  trophies   ol"  his   praise!      How 

18.     It  lasts  as  louf  as  the  soul, — as  hea-    much  have  we  done  to  cause  God  to  with- 

ven  lasts.     Grace  is  not  like  a  lease  which    draw  his  Sj)irit,  and  suffer  us  to  fall  linal- 

.soon    expires,   but  it  runs  parallel  with  e-    ly !    y<'t   that  he   should   keep   us,    let   his 

name  be  blessed,  and  his  memorial  eter- 
nized, who  keepeth  the  feet  of  his  saints, 
1  Sam.  ii.  9. 

Branch  3.  Sec  whence  it  is  that  saints  do 
persevere  in  holiness:  it  is  solely  to  be  as- 
cribed to  the  power  of  God.  We  are  kept 
by  his  power, — kept  as   in  a  garrison.      It 


ternity. 

Branch  2.  See  here  that  which  may  ex- 
cite in  the  saints  everlasting  h>ve  and  gra- 
titude to  God.  What  can  make  us  love 
God  m(ne  than  the  fixedness  of  his  love  to 
us  ?  He  is  not  only  the  author  of  grace, 
but  finisher;   his  love   is   perpetuated  and 


>ut  fimsher;    Ins   love   is   perpeuuucu  .mu     uy  ms  |»»»i:i,— .^v  j-.  .-   ^ -- 

arried  on  to  our  salvation,  John  x.  27.,  '  is  a  wonder  any   Christian   perseveres,    rl 


190 


OF  PERSEVERANCE. 


you  consider, — 1.  Corruption  within.  The 
tares  are  mingled  with  the  wheat, — there  is 
more  sin  than  grace, — yet  gi-ace  is  habi- 
tually predominant.  Grace  is  like  a  spark 
in  the  sea,  a  wonder  it  is  not  quenched, — 
a  wonder  sin  doth  not  destroy  grace ;  that 
it  doth  not  do,  as  sometimes  the  nurse  to 
the  infant,  overlay  it,  and  it  dies ;  so  that 
this  infant  of  grace  is  not  smothered  by 
corruption.  2.  Temptations  without.  Sa- 
tan envies  us  happiness,  and  he  raiseth  his 
militia,  stirs  up  persecution ;  he  shoots  his 
fiery  darts  of  temptations ;  they  are  called 
darts  for  their  swiftness,  fiery  for  their  ter- 
ribleness.  We  are  every  day  beset  with 
devils ;  as  it  was  a  wonder  Daniel  was  kept 
alive  in  the  midst  of  the  roaring  lions :  so, 
tliat  there  are  many  roaring  de^als  about 
us,  and  yet  Ave  are  not  torn  in  pieces.  Now, 
whence  is  it  we  stand  against  these  power- 
ful temptations  ?  We  are  kept  by  the  power 
of  God.  3.  The  world's  golden  snares, 
riches  and  pleasure.  Luke  xviii.  24.,  "  How 
hardly  shall  they  that  have  riches  enter  in- 
to the  kingdom  of  God  ?"  How  many  have 
been  cast  away  upon  these  golden  sands, 
2  Tim.  iv^  10.,  as  Demas?  What  a  won- 
der any  soul  perseveres  in  religion,  that 
the  earth  doth  not  choke  the  fire  of  all 
good  affections  ?  Whence  is  this  but  from 
the  power  of  God?  We  are  kept  by  his  power. 
Use  2d.  Consolation.  This  doctrine  of 
perseverance  is  as  a  Bezoar  stone ;  it  is  a 
sovereign  cordial  to  keep  up  the  spirits  of 
the  godly  from  fainting.  There  is  nothing 
doth  more  trouble  a  child  of  God  than  this, 
he  fears  he  shall  never  hold  out;  these 
weak  legs  of  mine  will  never  carry  me  to 
heaven.  But  perseverance  is  an  insepara- 
ble fruit  of  sanctification.  Once  in  Christ, 
and  for  ever  in  Christ.  A  believer  may 
fall  from  some  degrees  of  grace,  but  not 
from  the  state  of  grace ;  an  Israelite  could 
never  wholly  sell  or  alienate  his  land  of  in- 
heritance, Luke  XV.  23.  A  type  of  our 
heavenly  inheritance,  which  cannot  be 
wholly  alienated  from  us.  How  despairing 
is  the  Aruiinian  doctrine  of  fallinfr  from 
grace?  To-day  a  saint, — to-morrow  a  re- 
probate ;  to-day  a  Peter, — to-morrow  a  Ju- 
das. This  must  needs  cut  the  sinews  of 
a  Christian's  endeavour,  and  be  as  the  bor- 
ing an  hole  in  the  vessel,  to  make  all  the 


wine  of  his  joy  run  out.  Were  the  Armi- 
nian  doctrine  true,  how  could  the  apostle 
say,  the  seed  of  God  remains  in  him, 
1  John  iii.  9.,  and  the  anointing  of  God 
abides  ?  1  John  ii.  27.  ^^Hiat  comfort  were 
it  to  have  one's  name  written  in  the  book 
of  life,  if  it  might  be  blotted  out  again  ? 
But,  be  assured,  for  your  comfort,  grace, 
if  true,  though  never  so  weak,  shall  perse- 
vere; though  a  Christian  hath  but  little 
grace  to  irade  Avith,  yet  he  need  not  fear 
breaking,  because  God  doth  not  only  give 
him  a  stock  of  gi'ace,  but  will  keep  his 
stock  for  him.  Gratia  concutili/r,  non  exai- 
titur,  Aug.  Grace  may  be  shaken  with 
fears  and  doubts,  but  it  caiuiot  be  plucked 
up  by  the  roots.  Fear  not  falling  awav. 
If  any  thing  should  hinder  the  saints'  per- 
severance, then  it  must  be  either  sin  or 
temptation;  but  neither  of  these.  1.  Not 
the  sin  of  believers.  That  which  humbles 
them  shall  not  damn  them ;  but  their  sins 
are  a  mean  to  humble  them,  they  gather 
grapes  off  thorns;  from  the  thorn  of  sin 
they  gather  the  grape  of  humility.  2.  Not 
temptation.  The  devil  lays  the  train  of 
his  temptation  to  blow  up  the  fort  of  a 
saint's  grace ;  but  this  cannot  do  it.  Temp- 
tation is  a  medicine  for  security ;  the  more 
Satan  tempts,  the  more  the  saints  pray. 
When  Paul  had  the  messenger  of  Satan  to 
buffet  him,  2  Cor.  xii.  8.,  "  For  this  I  be- 
sought the  Lord  thrice  that  it  might  depart 
from  me."  Thus  nothing  can  break  off  a 
believer  from  Christ,  or  hinder  his  perse- 
verance. Let  this  wine  be  given  to  such 
as  are  of  an  heavy  heai't :  this  perseverance 
is  comfort.  1.  In  the  loss  of  worldly  com- 
forts. Wlien  our  goods  may  be  taken  a- 
way,  our  gi-ace  cannot,  Luke  x.  42.,  "  Ma- 
ry hath  chosen  the  better  part  which  can- 
not be  taken  from  her."  2.  In  the  hour 
of  death.  When  all  things  fail,  friends 
take  their  farewell  of  us,  yi  t  still  grace  re 
mains.  Death  may  separate  all  things  else 
from  us  but  grace;  a  C'hristian  may  say 
on  his  deathbed,  as  Olevan,  once,  "  Sight 
is  gone, — speech  and  hearing  are  depart- 
ing,— but  the  loving-kindness  of  God  will 
never  depart." 

Quest.  1.  What  motives  and  ijicentives  are 
there  to  make  Christians  persevere  ? 

Ans.  1.  It  is  the  crown  and  glory  of  a/ 


OF  PERSEVERANCE. 


191 


Cliristian  to  persevere,  In  Christianis  non 
initia  sed  fide  laudanlur.  Prov.  xvi.  31., 
"  The  lioary  lioad  is  ;i  crown  of  glory,  if 
found  in  the  way  of  righteousness."  When 
grey  hairs  shine  with  golden  virtues,  this 
is  a  crown  of  glory.  The  cliurcli  of  Thya- 
tira  was  best  at  last.  Rev.  ii.  19.,  "  I  know 
thy  patience  and  thy  works,  and  the  last  to 
b(!  more  tlian  the  first."  The  excellency 
of  a  building  is  not  in  having  the  first  stone 
laid,  but  when  it  is  finished.  The  glory 
and  excellency  of  a  Christian  is,  when  he 
hath  finished  the  work  of  faith. 

A.  2.  You  are  within  a  few  days'  march 
of  heaven.  Salvation  is  near  to  you,  Rom. 
xiii.  1 1.,  "  Now  is  our  salvation  nearer  than 
when  we  believed."  Christians,  it  is  but  a 
little  while  and  you  will  have  done  weeping 
and  praying,  and  be  triumphing ;  you  shall 
put  off  your  mourning,  and  put  on  white 
robes ;  you  shall  put  off  your  armour,  and 
put  on  a  victorious  crown  ;  you  who  have 
made  a  good  progress  in  religion,  you  are 
almost  ready  to  commence  and  take  your 
degree  of  glory ;  now  is  your  salvation  near- 
er than  when  you  began  to  believe.  Wlien 
ft  man  is  almost  at  the  end  of  a  race,  will 
he  now  tire,  or  faint  away  ?  O  labour  to 
persevere, — your  salvation  is  now  nearer, — 
you  have  but  a  little  way  to  go,  and  you 
will  set  your  foot  in  heaven  !  Though  the 
way  be  up-hill  and  full  of  tliorns,  viz.  suf- 
ferings, yet  you  have  gone  the  greatest  part 
of  your  way,  and  shortly  you  shall  rest  from 
your  labours 

A.  3.  How  sad  is  it  not  to  persevere  in 
holiness?  You  expose  yourselves  to  the  re- 
proaches of  men,  and  the  rebukes  of  God. 
First,  to  the  repro;ft;hes  of  men.  They 
will  deride  both  you  and  your  profession, 
Luke  xiv,  30.,  "  This  man  began  to  build, 
and  was  not  able  to  finish."  Such  is  he 
who  begins  in  religion,  and  doth  not  perse- 
vere :  he  is  tl.e  ludibrium,  and  derision  of 
all.  Secondly,  to  the  rebukes  of  God. 
God  is  most  severe  against  such  as  fall  off, 
because  they  bring  an  evil  report  upon  re- 
ligion. Apostacy  breeds  a  bitter  worm  in 
conscience ;  what  a  worm  did  Spira  feel  ! 
And  it  brings  swift  damnation  ;  it  is  a  draw- 
ing back  to  perdition,  Heb.  x.  39.  God  will 
make  his  sword  drunk  with  the  blood  of  a- 
postates. 


A.  4.  The  promises  of  mercy  arc  annex- 
ed only  to  perseverance.  Rev.  iii.  5.,  "  He 
that  overcometh,  ^hall  be  clothed  in  white 
raiment,  and  I  will  not  blot  out  his  name 
•  out  of  the  book  of  life,"  Non  pngnanti  sed 
vincenti  dmihitur  corona,  Aug.  The  promise 
is  not  to  liiin  that  fights,  but  that  overcomes, 
Luke  xxii.  28.,  "  Ye  are  they  which  have 
continued  with  me,  and  I  ap]»oint  inito  you 
a  kingdom  "  The  promise  of  a  kingdom, 
saith  Chrysostom,  is  not  made  to  them  that 
heard  Christ  or  followed  him,  but  that  con- 
tinued with  him.  Perseverance  carries  a- 
way  the  garland  ;  no  man  hath  the  crown 
set  upon  his  head,  but  he  who  holds  out  to 
the  end  of  the  race.  O  therefore,  by  all 
this,  be  persuaded  to  persevere  !  God  makes 
no  account  of  such  as  do  not  persevere. 
Who  esteems  of  corn  that  sheds  before  har- 
vest, or  fruit  that  falls  from  the  tree  before 
it  be  ripe  ? 

Quest.  2.    What  expedients  or  means  may 
be  used  for  a  Christianas  perseverance  ? 

Ans.  1.  Take  heed  of  those  things  which 
will  make  you  desist  and  fall  a\\ay.  Ist^ 
Take  heed  of  presumption.  Do  not  pre- 
sume upon  your  own  strength ;  exercise  an 
holy  fear  and  I'ealousy  over  vour  own  hearts, 
Rom.  xi.  20.,  "  Be  not  high-minded,  but 
fear,"  1  Cor.  x.  12.,  "  Let  him  tliat  think- 
eth  he  standeth,  take  heed  lest  he  fall."  It 
was  Peter's  sin,  he  leaned  more  upon  his 
grace  than  upon  Christ,  and  then  he  fell. 
A  Christian  hath  cause  to  fear  lest  the  lust 
and  deceit  of  his  lieart  betray  him  ;  take 
heed  of  presuming  ;  fear  begets  prayer, — 
prayer  begets  strength, — and  strength  be- 
gets steadfastness.  2dly,  Take  heed  of  hy- 
j)ocrisy.  Judas  was  first  a  sly  hy])ocrite.  and 
then  a  traitor,  Ps.  Ixxviii.  37.,  "  Their  heart 
was  not  right  with  CJod,  neither  were  they 
steadfast  in  his  covenant."  If  there  be  any 
venom  or  malignity  in  the  blood,  it  will 
break  forth  into  a  p!ague-sore.  The  venom 
of  hypocrisy  is  in  danger  of  breaking  out 
into  the  plague-sore  of  scandal.  3r////,  Be- 
ware of  a  vile  heart  of  unbelief,  Heb  iii 
12.,  "  Take  heed  lest  there  he  in  any  of  you 
an  evil  heart  t)f  unbelief,  in  dej)arting  from 
the  living  God."  Whence  is  apostacy  but 
from  incredulity?  Men  do  not  believe 'the 
truth,  and  then  they  fall  from  the  truth. 
Unbelieving  and  unstable  go  together,  Ps. 


192 


OF  PERSEVKRANCE. 


Ixxviii.  22.,   "  Tliey  believed  not  in  God;" 
ver.  41.,  "  They  turned  back." 

A.  2.  If  you  would  be  pillars  In  the  tem- 
ple of  God,  and  persevere  in  sanctity, 

Fi7'st,  Look  that  you  enter  into  relij^ion 
upon  a  right  ground;  be  well  grounded  in 
the  distinct  knowledge  of  God ;  you  must 
know  the  love  of  the  Father,  the  merit  of 
the  Son,  and  the  efficacy  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
Such  as  know  not  God  aright,  will  by  de- 
grees fall  off.  The  Samaritans  sometimes 
sided  with  the  Jews  when  they  were  in  fa- 
vour, but  afterwards  disclaiuied  all  kindred 
with  them,  when  Antiochus  persecuted  the 
Jews ;  and  no  wonder  the  Samaritans  were 
no  more  fixed  in  religion,  if  you  consider 
what  Christ  saith  of  the  Samaritans,  John 
iv.  22  ,  "  Ye  worship  ye  know  not  what :" 
thev  were  ignorant  of  the  true  God.  Let 
your  knowledge  of  God  be  clear,  and  serve 
him  ])urely  out  of  choice,  and  then  you  will 
persevere,  Ps.  cxix.  30,  31.,  "  I  have  chosen 
the  way  of  truth,  I  have  stuck  unto  thy  tes- 
timonies." 

Seamr/ft/,  Get  a  real  work  of  grace  in  your 
heart,  Heb.  xiii.  9.,  "  It  is  a  good  thing  that 
the  heart  be  established  with  gnice."  No- 
thing will  hold  out  but  grace;  it  is  only 
this  anointing  abides  ;  paint  will  fall  off. 
Get  an  heart-changing-  work,  1  Cor.  vi.ll., 
"  But  ye  are  washed,  but  ye  are  sanctified." 
Be  not  content  with  baptism  of  water, 
without  baptism  of  the  Spirit ;  the  reason 
men  persevere  not  in  religion,  is  for  want 
of  a  vital  principle ;  a  branch  must  needs 
wither,  that  hath  no  root  to  grow  upon. 

Thirdlij,  If  you  would  persevere,  I  e  very 
sincere.  Perseverance  grows  only  upon 
the  root  of  sincerity,  Ps.  xxv.  21.,  "  Let  in- 
tegrity and  uj)rightness  preserve  me."  The 
breast|jiate  of  sincerity  can  never  be  shot 
through.  How  many  storms  was  Job  in  ? 
the  devil  set  against  him, — his  wife  tempted 
him  to  curse  God, — his  friends  accused  him 
of  being  a  liyjjocrite, — here  was  enough  one 
would  think,  to  have  made  liim  to  desist 
from  religion  :  yet  for  all  tiiis,  he  perseveres. 
Wliat  preserved  him  ?  It  was  his  sincerity. 
Job  xx^^i.  6.,  "  My  righteousness  I  hold 
fast,  and  will  not  let  it  go  ;  my  heart  shall 
not  reproach  me  so  long  as  I  live." 

Fourlhhf,  If  you  would  persevere,  be  hum- 
ble, St.  Chrvsostora  calls  humilitv  the  mo- 


ther of  all  the  graces.  God  lets  a  poo 
humble  Christian  stand,  when  others  of 
higher  parts,  and  who  have  higher  thoughts 
of  themselves,  fall  off  by  apostacy.  They 
are  likest  to  persevere,  whom  God  u  ill  give 
most  grace  to  :  "  But  he  gives  grace  to  the 
humble,"  1  Pet.  v.  5.  They  are  likest  to 
persevere,  who  liave  God  dwelling  in  tliem  : 
But  God  dwells  in  the  humble  soul,  Isa. 
Ivii.  15.  Nun  requiescet  SpirUus  Sanctus  Jiisi 
super  hwtii'em,  Bern.  The  lower  the  tree 
roots  in  the  earth,  the  firmer  it  is;  the  more 
the  soul  is  rooted  in  humility,  the  more  es 
tablished  it  is,  and  is  in  less  danger  of  fall- 
ing away. 

Fijthly^  Would  you  persevere,  cherish  the 
grace  of  faith.  Faith  doth  stabilere  aninnwif 
2  Cor.  i.  24.,  "  By  fkith  ye  stand."  1.  Faith 
knits  us  to  Christ,  as  the  members  are  knit 
to  the  head  by  nerves  and  sinews.  2.  Faith 
fills  us  with  love  to  God, — it  works  by  love, 
Gal.  V.  6. ;  and  he  who  love*  God,  will  ra- 
ther die  than  desert  him.  The  soldier  who 
loves  his  general,  will  die  in  his  service. 
3.  Faith  gives  us  a  prospect  of  heaven,  it 
shews  an  invisible  glory ;  and  he  who  hath 
Clu'ist  in  his  heart,  and  a  crown  in  his  eye,' 
will  not  faint  away.  O  cherish  faith  !  Keep 
your  faith,  and  your  faith  will  keep  you ; 
while  the  pilot  keeps  his  ship,  his  ship  keeps 
him. 

Sixthh/,  Would  we  persevere,  let  us  seek 
God's  power  to  help  us  ;  we  are  kept  by  the 
power  of  God.  The  child  is  safest  when  it 
is  held  in  the  nurse's  arms  ;  so  are  we,  wh.en 
we  are  held  in  the  arms  of  free  grace.  It  is 
not  our  holding  God,  but  his  holding  us,  pre- 
serves us.  When  a  boat  is  tied  to  a  rock, 
it  is  secure ;  so  when  we  are  fast  tied  to  the 
Rock  of  Ages,  then  \vc  are  impregnable. 
O  engage  God's  power  to  help  us  to  perse- 
vere !  We  engage  his  power  by  prayer  ;  let 
us  pray  to  him  to  keep  us,  Ps.  xvii.  5., 
•'  Hold  up  my  goings  in  thy  j)ath,  that  my 
footsteps  slip  not."  It  was  a  good  prayer 
of  Beza,  Doviine  quod  apisii  pcr/lc'i,  7ie  in 
portu  navfrogiiim.  accidat, — '  Lord  ]>erfect 
what  thou  hast  begun  in  me,  that  I  may  not 
suffer  shipwreck  when  I  am  almost  at  the 
haven.' 

Seventhly,  If  you  would  persevere,  set  be- 
fore your  eyes  the  noble  examples  of  those 
who  have  persevered  in  religion.     Quot  mar- 


A  BELIEVER'S  PRIVILEGE  AT  DEATH. 


103 


tyres^  qnotfidehs  in  ccelis.  Jam  triumphant  ? 
What  a  glorious  army  of  saints  and  martyrs 
have  gone  before  us  !  How  constant  to  the 
death  was  St.  Paul?  Acts  xxi.  13.  How 
persevering  in  the  faith  were  Ignatius,  Po- 
lycarp,  Athanasius  ?  These  were  stars  in 
their  orbs, — pillars  in  the  temple  of  God. 


Let  us  look  on  their  zeal  and  courage,  and 
be  animated,  Heb.  xii.  1.,  "  Seeing  we  also 
are  compsissed  about  with  so  gi'eat  a  cloud 
of  witnesses,  let  us  run  with  patience  the 
race  that  is  set  before  us  "  The  crown  is 
set  at  the  end  of  the  race  ;  if  we  win  the 
race,  we  shall  wear  the  crown. 


A  BELIEVER'S  PRIVILEGE  AT  DEATH. 
Phil.  i.  21.  For  to  me  to  live  is  Christ,  and  to  die  is  gain. 


SAINT  PAUL  was  a  great  admirer  of 
Christ, — he  desired  to  know  nothing  but 
Christ  and  him  crucified,  1  Cor.  ii.  2.  No 
medicine  like  the  blood  of  Christ ;  and  in 
the  text,  "  To  me  to  live  is  Christ,  and  to 
die  is  gain." 

I.  "  For  me  to  live  is  Christ."  We 
must  understand  Paul  of  a  spiritual  life. 
"  For  me  to  live  is  Christ,"  i.  e.  Christ  is 
my  life :  so  Greg  Nyssen ;  or  thus,  my 
life  is  made  up  of  Christ ;  as  a  wicked 
man's  life  is  made  up  of  sin',  so  Paul's  life 
"was  made  up  of  Christ,  he  was  full  of  Christ. 
TBut  that  I  may  give  you  the  sense  of  the 
text  more  fully,  take  it  in  these  three  par- 
ticulars ; 

1.  Christ  is  the  principle  of  my  life. 

2.  Christ  is  the  end  of  my  life. 

3.  Christ  is  the  joy  of  my  life. 

I.  "  For  me  to  live  is  Christ,"  i.  e.  Christ 
is  the  principle  of  my  life.  I  fetch  my  spi- 
ritual life  from  Christ,  as  the  branch  fetch- 


etli    its    sap   from    the 
"  Christ  liveth  in  me." 


root,    Gal.  ii.  20., 
Jesus  Christ  is  an 


head  of  influence ;  he  sends  forth  life  and 
spirits  into  me,  to  quicken  me  to  every  ho- 
ly action.  Thus,  "  For  me  to  live  is  Christ;" 
Christ  is  the  principle  of  my  life ;  from  his 
fulness  I  live,  as  the  vine-branch  lives  from 
the  root. 

2.  "  For  me  to  livo  is  Christ,"  i.  e.  Christ 
is  the  end  of  my  life, — I  live  not  to  myself 
but  to  Christ.  So  Grotius  and  Causabon, 
Christio  servio.  "  For  to  me  to  live  is 
Christ :"  all  my  living  is  to  do  service  to 
Christ ;  Rom.  xiv.  8.,  *'  Whether  we  live, 
we  live  unto  the  Lord,"  when  we  lay  out 
ourselves  wholly  for  Christ.  As  the  factor 
trades  for  the  merchant,  so  we  trade  for 


Christ's  interest,  we  propagate  his  gos])el ; 
the  design  of  our  life  is  to  exalt  Christ, 
and  make  the  crown  upon  his  head  flou- 
rish. Now,  it  may  be  said,  "  For  us  to  live 
is  Christ," — our  whole  life  is  a  living  to 
Christ. 

3.  "  For  me  to  live  is  Christ,"  i.  e.  Christ 
is  the  joy  of  my  life,  Ps.  xliii.  4.,  "  God  my 
exceeding  joy,"  or  the  cream  of  my  joy. 
A  Christian  rejoiceth  in  Christ's  righteous- 
ness :  he  can  rejoice  in  Christ,  when  world- 
ly joys  are  gone  ;  when  the  tulip  in  a  gar- 
den withers,  a  man  rejoiceth  in  liis  jewels  : 
when  relations  die,  a  saint  can  rejoice  in 
Christ  the  pearl  of  price.  In  this  sense, 
"  For  me  to  live  is  Christ,"  he  is  the  joy 
of  my  life  ;  if  Christ  were  gone,  my  life 
would  be  a  death  to  me. 

Use.  It  should  exhort  us  all  to  labour 
to  say  as  the  apostle,  "  For  me  to  live  ia 
Christ."  Christ  is  the  pi-inciple  of  my  life, 
the  end  of  my  life,  tlie  joy  of  my  life.  *'  For 
me  to  live  is  Christ ;"  and  then  we  may 
comfortably  conclude,  that  to  die  shall  bo 
gain. 

II.  And  that  brings  me  to  the  second 
part  of  the  text,  "  And  to  die  is  gain." 

Docf.  To  a  believer  death  is  great  gain. 
A  saint  can  tell  what  his  losses  for  Christ 
are,  but  he  cannot  tell  how  great  his  gjiins 
are  at  death,  "  To  me  to  die  is  gain."  Death 
to  a  believer  is  crespuscufum  gluritr, — the 
day-break  of  eternal  briffhtness.  To  show 
fully  what  a  believer's  gains  are  nt  death, 
were  a  ta.sk  too  great  for  an  angel, — all  liy- 
perboles  fall  short, — the  reward  of  glory 
exceeds  our  very  faith  :  only  let  me  give 
you  some  dark  views  and  imperfect  linea- 
ments of  that  infinite  irlory  the  saints  shall 

2B 


194* 


A  BELIEVER'S  PRIVILEGE  AT  DEATH. 


gain  <at  the  liour  of  death  ;  "To  me  to  die 
is  gain." 

1.  Believers  at  death  sliall  gain  a  writ 
of  ease  from  all  sins  and  troubles ;  they 
shall  be  in  a  state  of  impeccability.  Sin 
expires  with  their  life.  I  think  sometimes 
what  an  happy  state  that  will  be,  never  to 
have  a  sinful  thought  more  ;  and  they  shall 
have  a  quietus  est  from  their  troubles.  Here 
Da^nd  cried  out,  "  My  life  is  spent  with 
grief,  and  my  years  with  sighing,"  Ps.  xxxi. 
10.  Quid  est  dill  viverc,  nisi  diu  torqueri, 
Aug.  Life  begins  with  a  cry,  and  ends 
with  a  2Toan  :  but  at  death  all  troubles  die. 

2.  Believers  at  death  shall  gain  the  glo- 
rious siffht  of  God.  They  shall  see  him, 
Ist,  Intellectually  with  the  eyes  of  their 
mind,  which  divines  call  the  beatifical  vi- 
sion ;  if  there  were  not  such  an  intellectual 
sight  of  God,  how  do  the  spirits  of  just 
men,  made  perfect,  see  him  ? — 2c//?/,  They 
shall  behold  the  glorified  body  of  Jesus 
Christ ;  and  if  it  be  pleasant  to  behold  the 
sun,  then  how  blessed  a  sight  will  it  be  to 
see  Christ  the  Sun  of  Righteousness  clothed 
with  oar  human  nature,  shining  in  glory 
above  the  angels  ?  Through  Christ's  flesh, 
as  through  a  transparent  glass,  some  bright 
rays  and  beams  of  the  Godhead  shall  dis- 
play themselves  to  glorified  eyes  ;  the  sight 
of  God  through  Christ  will  be  very  com- 
placential  and  delightful ;  the  terror  of 
God's  essence  will  be  taken  away ;  God's 
majesty  will  be  mixed  with  beauty,  and 
sweetened  with  clemency ;  it  will  be  infi- 
nitely delightful  to  the  saints  to  see  the  a- 
miable  aspects  and  smiles  of  God's  face. 
VlHiich  brings  me  to  the  third  thing. 

3.  Tlie  saints  at  death  shall  not  only 
have  a  sight  of  God,  but  shall  enjoy  the 
love  of  God  ;  there  shall  be  no  more  a  vail 
on  God's  face,  nor  his  smiles  chequered 
with  frowns,  but  God's  love  shall  discover 
itself  in  all  its  orient  beauty  and  fragrant 
sweetness.  Here  the  saints  pray  for  God's 
love,  and  they  have  a  few  drops,  but  there 
they  shall  have  as  much  as  their  vessel  can 
receive.  To  know  this  love  that  passcth 
knowledge,  this  will  cause  jubilation  of 
spirit,  and  create  such  holy  raptures  of  joy 
in  the  saints  as  are  superlative,  and  would 
soon  overwhelm  them  if  God  did  not  make 
them  able  to  bear. 


4.  Believers  at  death  shall  gam  a  cele.s- 
tial  palace, — an  house  not  made  with  hands, 
2  Cor.  V.  1.  Here  the  saints  are  straiten- 
ed for  room,  they  have  but  mean  cottages 
to  live  in, — but  they  shall  have  a  royal  pa- 
lace to  live  in  ;  here  is  but  their  sojourning 
house, — there  in  heaven  is  their  mansion- 
house, — an  house  built  high  above  all  the 
visible  orbs, — an  house  bespangled  with 
light,  Col.  i.  12., — enriched  with  peailsand 
precious  stones.  Rev.  xxi.  19.  And  this  is 
not  their  landlord's  house,  but  their  Father's 
house,  John  xiv.  2. ;  and  this  house  stands 
all  upon  consecrated  ground ;  it  is  set  out 
by  transparent  glass  to  show  the  holiness 
of  it.  Rev.  xxi.  27. 

5.  Believers  at  death  shall  gain  the  sweet 
society  of  glorified  saints  and  angels :  this 
will  add  something  to  the  felicity  of  heaven, 
as  every  star  adds  some  lustre  to  the  firma- 
ment.    \st,   The   society   of  the   glorified 
saints;  we  shall  see  them  in  their  souls,  as 
well  as  in  their  bodies  ;  their  bodies  shall 
be  so  clear  and   bright,   that  we  shall  see 
their  souls  shining  through  their  bodies,  as 
the  wine  through  the  glass ;  and  believers 
at  death  shall  have  converse  with  the  saints 
glorified.     And  how  delightful  will  that  be, 
when  they  shall  be  freed  from  all  their  sin- 
ful corruptions,  pride,  envy,  passion,  cen- 
soriousness,   which    are   scars    upon    them 
here  to  disfigure  them?     In  heaven  there 
shall   be  perfect   love   among  the    saints ; 
they  shall,  as  the  olive  and  myrtle,  sweetly 
embrace  each  other ;  the  saints  shall  know 
one  another,  as  Luther  speaks.     If  in  the 
transfiguration  Peter  knew  Moses  and  Elias, 
whom  he  never  saw  before,  Mat.  xvii.  3., 
then  much  more,  in  the  glorified  state,  the 
saints    shall   perfectly  know  one  another, 
though  they  never  saw  them  before.     2d/t/, 
The  saints  at  death  shall  behold  the  angels 
with  the  glorified  eye  of  their  understand- 
ing.    The  wings  of  the  cherubim  (repre- 
senting the  angels)  were  made  of  fine  gold 
to  denote  both   their  sanctity  and  splen- 
dour ;  the  angels  are  compared  to  lightning. 
Mat.  xxviii.  3.,  because  of  those  sjiarkling 
beams  of  majesty,  which  as  lightning  shoot 
from  them.     And  when  saints  and  angels 
shall    meet  and  sing   together   in   concert 
in  the  heavenly  choir,  what  divine  harmo- 
ny, what  joyful  triumphs  will  it  create  ! 


A  BELIEVER'S  PRIVILEGE  AT  DEATH. 


195 


'  6.  Believers  at  death  shall  gain  perfec- 
tion of  holiness.  Here  grace  was  but  in 
cunabitli, — in  its  cradle,  very  imperfect ; 
we  cannot  write  a  copy  of  holiness  without 
blotting ;  believers  are  said  to  receive  but 
primitias  Spiriius, — '  the  first-fruits  of  the 
Spirit,'  Rom.  viii.  22.  But  at  death  the 
saints  shall  arrive  at  perfection,— their  know- 
ledge clear, — their  sanctity  perfect,— their 
sun  shall  be  in  its  full  meridian  splendour. 
They  need  not  then  pray  for  increase  of 
grace ;  they  shall  love  God  as  much  as 
they  would  love  him,  and  as  much  as  he 
desires  to  have  them  love  him;  they  shall 
be  then,  in  respect  of  holiness,  as  the  angels 
of  God. 

7.  At  death  the  saints  shall  gain  a  royal 
magnificent  feast.  I  told  you  before  what 
a  glorious  palace  they  shall  have;  but  a 
man  may  starve  in  a  house,  if  there  be  no 
cheer.  The  saints  at  death  shall  have  a 
royal  banquet,  shadowed  out  in  scripture 
by  a  marriage-supper.  Rev.  xix.  9.  Bul- 
linger  and  Gregory  the  Great  understand 
by  that  marriage-supper  of  the  Lamb,  the 
stately,  magnificent  festival  the  saints  shall 
have  in  heaven ;  they  shall  feed  on  the  tree 
of  life.  Rev.  xxii.  They  shall  have  the 
heavenly  nectar  and  ambrosia, — "  the  spic- 
ed wine,  and  the  juice  of  the  pomegranate," 
Cant.  viii.  2.  This  royal  supper  of  the 
Lamb  will  not  only  satisfy  hunger  but  pre- 
vent it,  Rev.  vii.  16.,  "  They  shall  hunger 
no  more."  Nor  can  there  be  any  surfeit 
at  this  feast,  because  a  fresh  course  will  be 
continually  serving ;  new  and  fresh  delights 
will  spring  from  God;  tlierefore  the  tree 
of  life  in  paradise  is  said  to  bear  twelve 
sorts  of  fruit,  Rev.  xxii.  2. 

8.  Believers  at  death  shall  gain  honour 
and  dignity,  they  shall  reign  as  kings; 
therefore  we  read  of  the  ensigns  of  their 
royalty,  their  white  robes  and  crowns  ce- 
lestial* 1  Tim.  iv.  7.  We  read  that  the 
doors  of  the  holy  of  holies  were  made  "  of 
palm-trees  and  open  flowers,  covered  with 
gold,"  1  Kings  vi.  35. :  an  emblem  of  that 
victory  and  triumph,  and  that  golden  gar- 
land of  honour  wherewith  God  hath  invest- 
ed the  saints  glorified.  When  all  worldly 
honour  shall  lie  in  the  dust, — the  mace,  the 
star,  the  robe  of  ermine,  the  imperial  dia- 
dem,— then  shall  the  saints'  honour  remain ; 


not  one  jewel  shall  be  plucked  out  of  their 
crown ;  they  shall  gain  at  death  a  blessed 
eternity.  If  the  saints  could  have  the  least 
suspicion  or  fear  of  losing  their  glory,  it 
would  much  cool  and  imbitter  their  joy; 
but  their  crown  fadeth  not  away,  I  Pet. 
V.  4".  As  the  wicked  have  a  worm  that  ne- 
ver dies,  so  the  elect  have  a  crown  that 
never  fades.  Ever,  is  a  short  word,  but 
hath  no  ending.  Jnfiue  erit  gaudium  sine 
fine^  Bern.  2  Cor.  iv.  18.,  "  The  things 
which  are  not  seen  are  eternal."  Ps.  xvi. 
11.,  "  At  thy  right  hand,  are  pleasures  for 
evermore."  Who  can  span  eternity  ?  Mil- 
lions of  ages  stand  but  for  cyphers  in  eter- 
nity. This  is  the  dah^  or  highest  strain 
of  the  saint's  glory;  ever  in  Christ's  bo- 
som. 

Quest.  How  come  the  saints  to  have  all 
this  gain  ? 

Ans.  Believers  have  a  right  to  all  this 
gain  at  death  upon  divers  accounts  :  by  vir- 
tue of  the  Father's  donation, — the  Son's 
purchase, — the  Holy  Ghost's  earnest, — and 
faith's  acceptance.  Therefore  the  state  of 
future  glory  is  called  the  saint's  proper  in- 
heritance, Col.  i.  12.  They  are  heirs  of 
God,  and  have  a  right  to  inherit. 

Use  \st.  See  the  great  difference  between 
the  death  of  the  godly  and  the  wicked; 
the  godly  are  gainers  at  death,  the  wicked 
are  great  losers  at  death.  They  lose  four 
things : 

(1.)  They  lose  the  world,  and  that  is  a 
great  loss  to  the  wicked ;  they  laid  up  their 
trea.'^ure  upon  earth,  and  to  be  turned  out 
of  it  all  at  once  is  a  great  loss. 

(2.)  Tliey  lose  their  souls.  Mat.  xvi.  26, 
27.  The  soul  was  at  first  a  noble  piece  of 
coin,  which  God  stamped  his  own  image 
upon  ;  this  celestial  spark  is  more  precious 
than  the  whole  globe  of  the  world,  but 
the  sinner's  soul  is  lost;  not  'that  the  souls 
of  the  wicked  are  annihilated  at  death,  but 
damnified. 

(3.)  They  lose  heaven.  Heaven  is  sedea 
beatorum, — the  royal  seat  of  the  blessed ;  it 
is  the  region  of  happiness,  the  map  of  per- 
fection. There  is  that  manna  which  is  an- 
gels' food;  there  is  the  garden  of  spices, 
the  bed  of  perfumes,  the  river  of  pleasure 
Sinners,  at  death,  lose  all  this. 

(4.)  They  lose  their  hopes;  for  thougk 


19G 


A  BELIEVER'S  PRIVILEGE  AT  DEATH. 


they  lived  winkedlj^  yet  they  hoped  God 
was  miTciful,  and  they  Ijoped  that  they 
should  ^o  to  lieaven.  Their  liope  was  not 
an  anchor,  but  a  spider's  web.  Now,  at 
death  they  lose  their  Jiopes,  they  see  they 
did  but  flatter  themselves  into  hell,  Job 
viii.  14.,  ''  Whose  hope  shall  be  cut  off. " 
Tliat  is  sad,  to  have  a  man's  life  and  his 
hope  cut  off  together. 

Use  2d.  If  the  saints  gain  such  glorious 
things  at  death ;  then  how  may  they  desire 
death  ?  Doth  not  every  one  desire  prefer- 
ment ?  Nemo  onic  furiera  fcBlix.  Faith 
gives  a  title  to  heaven,  death  a  possession. 
Though  we  should  be  desirous  of  doing  ser- 
vice here,  yet  we  should  be  ambitious  of  be- 
ing with  Christ,  Phil.  i.  23.  We  should 
be  content  to  live,  hut  willing  to  die.  Is 
it  not  a  blessed  thing  to  be  freed  from  sin, 
and  to  lie  for  ever  in  the  bosom  of  divine 
love?  Is  it  not  a  blessed  thing  to  meet 
our  godly  relations  in  heaven,  and  to  be 
singing  divine  anthems  of  praise  among  the 
ansrels  ?  Doth  not  the  bride  desire  the 
marriage  day,  especially  if  she  were  to  be 
matched  unto  the  crown  ?  What  is  the 
place  we  now  live  in,  but  a  place  of  banish- 
ment from  God?  We  are  in  a  wilderness, 
while  the  angels  live  at  court.  Here  we 
are  combating  with  Satan,  and  should  not 
we  desire  to  be  out  of  the  bloody  field, 
where  the  bullets  of  temptation  fly  so  fast, 
and  to  receive  a  victorious  crown?  Think 
what  it  will  be  to  have  always  a  smiling 
aspect  from  Christ's  face, — to  be  brought 
into  the  banqueting-house,   and  have   the 


banner  of  his  love  displayed  over  you  !  O 
ye  saints,  desire  death  ;  it  is  your  ascension- 
day  to  heaven  !  Kirrerler'^  ommn  egredere  ! 
said  liilarion  on  his  deathbed  :  "  Go  forth, 
my  soul,  what  fearest  thou?"  Anothei 
holy  m-.n  said,  "  Lord,  lead  me  to  that 
glory  which  I  liave  seen  as  through  a  glass  ; 
haste,  Lord,  and  do  not  tarry !"  Some 
plants  thrive  best  when  they  are  transplant- 
ed :  believers,  when  they  are  by  death  trans- 
planted, cannot  choose  but  tiirive,  because 
they  have  Christ's  sweet  sunbeams  shining 
upon  them.  And  what  thougli  the  pas- 
s-age tlirough  the  valley  of  the  shadow  of 
death  be  troublesome  ?  who  would  not  be 
willing  to  pass  a  tempestuous  eea,  if  ho 
were  sure  to  be  crowned  so  soon  as  he  camu 
to  shore. 

Use  3d.  Comfort  in  the  loss  of  our  dear 
and  pious  relations.  They,  when  they  die, 
are  not  only  taken  away  from  the  evil  to 
come,  but  they  are  great  gainers  by  death, 
— they  leave  a  wilderness,  and  go  to  a  pa- 
radise,— they  change  their  complaints  into 
thanksgivings, — they  leave  their  sorrows 
behind,  and  enter  into  the  joy  of  their 
Lord.  Why  should  we  weep  for  their  pre- 
ferment? Believers  have  not  their  por- 
tion paid  till  the  day  of  their  death  :  God's 
promise  is  his  bond  to  make  over  heaven 
in  reversion  to  them ;  but  though  they 
have  his  bond,  they  do  not  receive  their 
portion  till  the  day  of  death.  O  rejoice  to 
think  of  their  happiness  who  die  in  the 
Lord!  To  them  "to  die  is  gain;"  they 
are  as  rich  as  heaven  can  make  them. 


A  BELIEVER'S  PRIVILEGE  AT  DEATH. 


Phil.  i.  2L  For  to  me  to  live  is  Christ,  and  to  die  is  gain. 


HOPE  is  a  Christian's  anchor  which  he 
casts  within  the  vail,  Rom.  xii,  12.,  "  Re- 
joicing in  hope"  A  Christian's  hope  is  not 
in  this  life,  but  he  "  hath  hope  in  liis  death." 
Prov.  xiv.  32.  The  best  of  a  saint's  com- 
fort begins  when  his  life  ends  ;  the  wicked 
have  all  their  heaven  here,  Luke  vi.  24 , 
"  Wo  unto  you,  rich,  you  have  received 
your  consolation."  You  may  make  your 
acQuittance,  and  write,  "  Received  in  full 


payment;"  Luke  xvi.  25.,  "  Son,  remember 
that  thou  in  thy  lifetime  receivedst  thy  good 
things  ;"  hut  a  saint's  haj)piness  is  in  rever- 
sion ;  "  The  righteous  hatli  hope  in  his 
death."  God  keeps  the  best  wine  till  last. 
If  Cato  tlie  heathen  said,  ''  To  me  to  die  is 
gain,"  lie  saw  mortality  to  be  a  mercy:  then, 
what  may  a  believer  say?  Eccl.  vii.  1., 
'•  The  day  of  death  is  better  than  the  day 
of  one's  birth."     Nemo  ante  f antra  Jalix. 


A  BELIEVER'S  PRIVILEGE  AT  DEATH. 


197 


SoLov.     A  qncon  of  tliis  land  said,  slie  pre- 
ferred licr  coffin  before  her  cradle. 

Quest.  L  IVhat  benefits  do  believers  receive 
at  death  ? 

Ana.  1,  They  have  pjeat  immunities. — 2. 
Tln'ir  bodies  are  united  to  Christ  in  the  jn-ave 
till  the  resurrection. — 3.  They  pass  imme- 
diately into  a  state  of  pi  or  y. 

I.   The  saints  at  death  have  g^reat  immu- 
nities and  freedoms.     An  apprentice  when 
out  of  his  time  is  made  free  :  when  the  saints 
are  out  of  their  time  of  living,  then  thoy  are 
made  free, — not  luade  free  till  death.      1. 
At  death  they  are  freed  from  a  body  of  sin. 
There  are  in  the  best  reliquicB  peccati, — some 
remainders  and  relics  of  corruption,  Rom. 
vii.  21..  "  O  wretched  man  that  I  am,  who 
shall  deliver  me  from  this  body  of  death  !" 
Bv  the  body  of  death  is  meant  the  cmigerief^, 
— the  mass  and  lump  of  sin.      It  may  well 
be  called  a  body  for  its  weightiness,  and  a 
body  of  death  for  its  noisomeness.     (1.)   It 
wriglis  us  down  ;  sin  hinders  us  from  doing 
good.     A  Christian  is  like  a  bird  that  would 
be  fixing  up,   but  hath  a  string  tied  to  its 
legs  to  hinder  it ;  so  he  would  be  flying  up 
to  heaven  with  the  wings  of  desire,  but  sin 
hinders  him,   Rom.  vii.  15  ,   "  For  what  I 
would,  that  I  do  not."     A  Christian  is  like 
a  ship  that  is  under  sail,   and  at   anchor  ; 
grace  would  sail  forward,  but  sin  is  the  an- 
chor that  holds  it  back.      (2.)   Sin  is  more 
active  in  its  s])here  than  grace.     How  stir- 
ring was  lust  in  David,  when  his  grace  lay 
dormant!    (3.)  Sin  sometimes  gets  the  niiis- 
tery  and  leads  a  saint  captive,  Rom.  vii.  19., 
"  The  evil  that  I  would  not,    that  I  do." 
Paul    was  like    a    man    carried   down   the 
stream,  and  could  not  bear  up  against   it. 
How  oft  is  a  child  of  God  overpowered  with 
pride   and   passion  !    Therefore  Paul  calls 
pin,  a  law  in  his  members,   Rom.  vii.  24-.  ; 
it  binds  as  a  law  ;  it  hath  a  kind  of  juris- 
diction over  the  soul  as  Caesar  had  over  the 
senate.     (4.)  Sin  defiles  the  soul, — it  is  like 
a  stain  to  beauty, — it  turns  the  soul's  azure 
brightness  into  sable.      (.5.)   Sin  debilitates 
us, — it  disarms  us  of  our  strength,  2  Sam. 
iii.  39.,   "  I  am  this  day  weak,   though  a- 
nointed  king:"  so,  though  a  saint  be  crown- 
ed with  grace,    yet  he  is  weak,    though   a- 
noiiitcd  a  spiritual  king.      (().)   Sin  is  ever 
restless.  Gal.  v.  17.,  "  The  flesh  lusts  against  | 


the  Spirit."  It  is  an  inmate  that  is  always 
rpiarrelling ;  like  Marcellus,  that  Roman 
captain,  of  whom  Hannibal  said,  whether 
he  <li(l  beat  or  was  beaten,  he  would  never 
be  quiet.  (7.)  Sin  adheres  to  us,  we  can- 
not get  rid  of  it ;  it  may  be  compared  to  a 
wild  fig-tree  growing  on  a  wall,  though  the 
roots  are  pulled  up,  yet  there  are  some  fi- 
bres, some  strings  of  it  in  the  joints  of  the 
stone-work,  which  cannot  be  gotten  out. 
(8.)  Sin  mingles  with  our  duties  and  graces ; 
we  cannot  write  a  copy  of  holiness  without 
blotting.  This  makes  a  child  of  God  weary 
of  his  life,  and  makes  him  water  his  couch 
with  his  tears,  to  think  sin  so  strong  a  party, 
and  he  should  often  offend  that  God  whom 
he  loves  ;  this  made  Paul  cry  out  Miser  ego 
homo  !  '  O  wretched  man  that  I  am  !'  Hence 
Paul  did  not  cry  out  of  his  aflliction.  of 
his  prison-chain,  but  of  the  body  of  ^in. 
Now  a  believer  at  death  shall  be  freed  from 
sin  ;  he  is  not  taken  away  in,  but  from  his 
sins;  he  shall  never  have  a  vain,  proud 
thought  more;  he  shall  never  grieve  the 
Spirit  of  God  any  more ;  sin  brought  death 
into  the  world,  and  death  sliall  carry  sin 
out  of  the  world.  The  Persians  had  a  cer- 
tain day  in  the  year  in  which  they  killed 
all  serpents  and  venomous  creatures  :  such 
a  day  will  the  day  of  death  be  to  a  believer, 
it  will  destroy  all  his  sins,  which,  like  so 
many  serj)ents  have  stung  him.  Death 
smites  a  believer  as  the  angel  did  Peter,  he 
made  his  ch.ains  fall  off,  so  death  makes  all 
the  chains  of  sin  fall  off,  Acts  xii.  7.  Be- 
lievers at  death  are  made  perfect  in  holiness, 
Heb.  xii.  23.,  "  The  spirits  of  just  men  made 
perfect."  At  death  the  souls  of  believers 
recover  their  virgin  purity.  O  what  a  bles- 
sed privilege  is  this,  to  be  sine  macida  et 
ruga^ — without  spot  or  wrinkle,  Eph.  v.  27., 
— to  be  purer  than  the  sunbeams, — to  be  as 
free  from  sin  as  the  angels  !  This  makes  a 
believer  so  desirous  to  have  his  pass  to  bo 
gone ;  he  would  fain  live  in  that  pure  air 
where  no  black  vapours  of  sin  arise. 

2.  At  death  the  saints  shall  be  freed  from 
all  the  troubles  and  incumbrances  to  which 
this  life  is  subject.  "  Sin  is  the  seed  sown, 
and  trouble  is  the  harvest  reaped  "  EvRip. 
Life  and  trouble  are  marrii'd  together;  there 
is  more  in  life  to  wean  us  than  to  tem|)t  us. 
Parents  divide  a  portion  of  sorrow  to  their 


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A  BELIEVER'S  PRIVILEGE  AT  DEATH. 


cliildrcn,  and  yet  leave  enough  for  them- 
selves, Job  V.  7.,  "  Man  is  born  to  trouble," 
- — he  is  heir  to  it, — it  is  his  birtliright, — you 
may  as  well  separate  weight  from  lead  as 
trouble  from  the  life  of  man,  Q_nid  est  diu 
vivere,  nisi  diu  torqueri  ?  Aug.  King  Hen- 
ry's emblem,  a  crown  hung  in  a  bush  of 
thorns  ;  there  is  a  far  greater  proportion  of 
bitterness  than  pleasure  in  this  life,  Prov. 
vii.  17.,  "  I  have  perfumed  my  bed  with 
myrrh,  aloes  and  cinnamon."  For  one 
sweet  ingredient  thei'e  were  two  bitter ;  for 
the  cinnamon,  there  were  myrrh  and  aloes. 
A  man's  grace  will  not  exempt  him  from 
troubles.  Gen.  xlvii.  9.,  "  Few  and  evil  have 
the  days  of  the  years  of  my  life  been." 
Tiiough  he  was  a  godly  patriarch, — though 
he  had  met  with  God,  Gen.  xxxii.  30., — he 
named  "  the  name  of  the  place  Peniel,  for 
I  have  seen  God  face  to  face," — yet  he  had 
his  troubles ;  "  Few  and  evil,"  &c.  There 
are  many  things  to  imbittcr  life  and  cause 
trouble,  and  death  frees  us  from  all. —  1.  Care. 
The  mind  is  full  of  perplexed  thoughts,  how 
to  bring  about  such  a  design, — how  to  pre- 
vent such  an  evil  :  the  Greek  word  for  care, 
comes  from  a  primitive  in  the  Greek,  that 
signifies  '  to  cut  tlic  heart  in  pieces.'  Care 
doth  discruciate  the  mind,  waste  the  spi- 
rits ;  no  such  bitter  bread  as  the  bread  of 
carefulness,  Ezek.  xii.  19.  Care  is  a  spiri- 
tual canker  which  eats  out  the  comfort  of 
life :  death  is  the  cure  of  care. — 2.  Fear. 
Fear  is  the  ague  of  the  soul  which  sets  it  a 
shaking;  1  John  iv.  18,,  "  There  is  torment 
in  fear."  Fear  is  like  Prometheus's  vul- 
ture, it  giuiws  upon  the  heart.  There  is  a 
mistrustful  fear, — a  fear  of  want ;  and  a 
distracting  fear, — a  fear  of  danger ;  and  a 
discouraging  fear, — a  fear  God  doth  not 
love  us.  These  fears  leave  sad  impressions 
upon  the  mind  ;  now  at  death  a  believer  is 
freed  from  these  torturing  fears ;  he  now 
knows  he  is  passed  from  death  to  life  ;  he  is 
as  far  from  fear,  as  the  damned  are  from 
hope;  the  grave  buries  a  Christian's  fear. — 
3.  Labour,  Eccl,  i.  8.,  "  All  things  are  full 
of  labour."  Some  labour  in  the  mine;  o- 
thcrs  among  the  Muses  ;  God  hath  made  a 
law,  "  In  the  sweat  of  thy  face  thou  shalt 
cat  bread,"  but  death  gives  a  believer  a  quie- 
tus est;  it  takes  him  off  from  his  day-labour, 
Rev.  xiv.  13.,  '•  Blessed  are  the  dead  that 


die  in  Lord,  they  rest  from  their  labours.' 
What  needs  working  when  they  have  their 
reward?  VVliat  needs  fighting,  when  the 
crown  is  set  on  their  head  ?  They  rest  from 
their  labours. — 4.  Suffering :  believers  are 
as  a  lily  among  thorns ;  as  the  dove  among 
the  birds  of  prey.  The  wicked  have  an  an- 
tipathy against  the  righteous,  and  secret  ha- 
tred will  break  forth  into  open  violence, 
Gal.  iv.  29.,  "  He  that  was  born  after  the 
flesh,  persecuted  him  that  was  born  after  the 
Spirit."  The  dragon  is  described  with  seven 
heads  and  ten  horns.  Rev.  xii.  3.  He  plot- 
teth  with  the  one,  and  pusheth  with  the 
other.  But  at  death  the  godly  shall  be  freed 
from  the  molestations  of  the  wicked ;  they 
shall  never  be  pestered  with  these  vermin 
more.  Job  iii.  17.,  "  There  (viz.  in  the  grave) 
the  wicked  cease  from  troubling."  Death 
doth  to  a  believer,  as  Joseph  of  Arimathea 
did  to  Christ,  it  takes  him  down  from  the 
cross,  and  gives  liim  a  writ  of  ease  ;  the  ea- 
gle that  flies  high,  cannot  be  stung  with  the 
serpent ;  death  gives  the  soul  the  wings  of 
the  eagle,  that  it  flies  above  all  these  venom- 
ous serpents  here  below. — 5.  Temptation. 
Though  Satan  be  a  conquered  enemy,  yet 
he  is  a  restless  enemy,  1  Pet.  v.  8.  He 
walketh  about;  the  devil  is  always  going 
his  diocese,  he  hath  his  snares  and  his  darts ; 
one  he  tempts  with  riches,  another  with 
beauty.  It  is  no  small  trouble  to  be  conti- 
nually followed  with  temptations  ;  it  is  as 
bad  as  for  a  virgin  to  have  her  chastity  daily 
assaulted  ;  but  death  will  free  a  child  of 
God  from  temptation,  he  shall  never  be 
vexed  more  with  the  old  serpent.  After 
death  hath  shot  its  darts  at  us,  the  de^-il 
shall  have  done  shooting  his ;  though  grace 
puts  a  believer  out  of  the  devil's  possession, 
only  death  frees  him  from  the  devil's  temp- 
tation.— 6.  Sorrow.  A  cloud  of  sorrow  ga- 
thers in  the  heart,  and  drops  into  tears,  Ps. 
xxxi.  10.,  "  My  life  is  sj)ent  with  grief,  and 
my  years  with  sighing."  It  was  a  curse, 
Gen.  iii.  16.,  "  In  sorrow  thou  shalt  bring 
forth."  Many  things  occasion  sorrow ; 
sickness,  law-suits,  treachery  of  friends, 
disappointment  of  hopes,  loss  of  estate, 
Ruth  i.  20.,  "  Call  me  not  Naomi,  call  me 
Mara:"  "  I  went  out  full,  and  the  L(nd  hath 
brought  me  home  agjun  emj)ty."  Sorrow 
is  the  evil  s])irit  thai  haunts   us ;  the  world 


A  BELIEVER'S  PIUVILEGE  AT  DEATH. 


199 


U  a  Bochim ;  Rachel  wept  for  lier  cliil- 
dren ;  some  grieve  that  they  liavc  no  chil- 
dren, and  others  grieve  that  their  children 
are  undiitiful.  Thus  we  spend  our  years 
with  sighing ;  it  is  a  valley  of  tears,  but 
death  is  the  funeral  of  all  our  sorrows, 
Rev.  vii.  17.,  "  And  God  shall  wipe  away  all 
tears."  Then  Christ's  spouse  puts  off  her 
mourning ;  how  can  the  children  of  the 
bride-chamber  mourn,  when  the  bridegroom 
shall  be  with  them?  Mat.  ix.  15.  Thus 
death  gives  a  believer  his  quietus  est  ;  it  frees 
him  from  sin  and  trouble  ;  though  the  apos- 
tle calls  death  the  last  enemy,  1  Cor.  xv.  11., 
yet  it  is  the  best  friend :  "  To  me  to  die  is 
gain." 

Use  \st.  See  here  that  which  may  make 
a  true  saint  \villing  to  die  ;  death  will  set 
him  out  of  gun-shot, — free  him  from  sin 
and  trouble  ;  there  is  no  cause  of  weeping 
to  leave  a  valley  of  tears ;  the  world  is  a 
stage  on  which  sin  and  misery  are  acted. 
Believers  are  here  in  a  strange  country, 
why  then  should  they  not  be  willing  to  go 
out  of  it  ?  Death  beats  otf  their  fetters  of 
sin,  and  sets  them  free.  Who  goes  weep- 
ing from  a  gaol  ?  Besides  our  own  sins, 
the  sins  of  others.  The  world  is  a  place 
where  Satan's  scat  is ;  a  place  where  we 
see  God  daily  dishonoured.  Lot — who  was 
a  bright  star  in  a  dark  night — his  righteous 
soul  was  vexed  with  the  unclean  conversa- 
tion of  the  wicked,  2  Pet.  iii.  7.  To  see 
God's  sabbaths  broken,  his  truths  .adul- 
terated, his  glory  eclipsed,  is  that  which 
wounds  a  godly  heart.  This  made  David 
cry  out,  Ps.  cxx.  5.,  "  Wo  is  me  that  I 
dwell  in  Mesech,  that  I  sojourn  in  the 
tents  of  Kedar  !"  Kedar  was  Arabia, 
where  were  Ishmael's  posterity ;  this  was 
a  cut  to  David's  heart  to  dwell  there.  O 
then  be  willing  to  depart  out  of  the  tents 
of  Kedar  ! 

II.  The  bodies  of  believers  are  united  to 
Christ  in  the  grave,  and  shall  rest  there  till 
the  resurrection.  They  are  said  to  sleep 
in  Jesus.  1  Thcss.  iv.  14.  The  dust  of  be- 
liet'^eis  is  part  of  Christ's  body  mystical. 


The  graA'e  is  a  dormitory  or  place  of  rest 
to  the  saints,  where  their  bodies  quietly 
sleep  in  Christ,  till  they  are  awakened  out 
of  their  sleep  by  the  trumpet  of  the  arch- 
angel. 

Quest.  2.  But  hoiv  shall  we  know  that  we 
shall  gain  all  this  at  death,  to  be  freed  from 
sin  and  trouble,  and  to  have  our  bodies  united 
to  Christ  in  the  grave  ? 

Ans.  If  we  are  believers,  then  we  gain 
all  this  at  death.  "  To  me,"  saith  Paul, 
"  to  die  is  gain :"  to  me,  quatenus,  a  be- 
liever. Are  we  such  ?  Have  we  this  bless- 
ed faith  ?  Faith,  wherever  it  is,  is  opera- 
tive. Lapidaries  say  there  is  no  precious 
stone  but  hath  virtutem  insitam, — some  hid- 
den virtue  in  it :  so  I  may  say  of  faith, 
it  hath  some  secret  virtue  in  it, — it  anchors 
the  soul  on  Christ, — it  hath  both  a  justify- 
ing and  sanctifying  virtue  in  it, — it  fetcli- 
eth  blood  out  of  Christ's  sides  to  pardon, 
and  water  out  of  his  sides  to  purge, — it 
works  by  love, — it  constrains  to  duty, — it 
makes  the  head  study  for  Christ,  the  tongue 
confess  him,  the  hands  work  for  him.  I 
have  read  of  a  father  wlio  had  three  sons, 
and,  being  to  die,  left  in  his  will  all  his  e- 
state  to  that  son  who  could  find  his  ring 
with  the  jewel  which  had  an  healing  vir- 
tue. The  case  was  brought  before  the 
judges  ;  the  two  elder  sons  counterfeited  a 
ring,  but  the  younger  son  brought  the  true 
ring,  which  was  ])roved  by  the  virtue  of  it, 
whereupon  his  Father's  estate  went  to  him. 
To  this  ring  I  may  compare  faith  :  there  is 
a  counterfeit  faith  in  the  world,  but  if  we 
can  find  this  ring  of  faith  which  hath  the 
healing  virtue  in  it  to  purify  the  heart,  this 
is  the  true  faith  which  gives  us  an  interest 
in  Christ,  and  entitles  us  to  all  these  privi- 
leges at  death,  to  be  freed  from  sin  and 
sorrow,  and  to  have  our  bodies  united  to 
Christ  while  tliey  are  in  the  grave. 

3.  I  should  now  come  to  tlie  third  privi- 
lege at  death,  the  souls  of  believers  pass 
immediately  into  glory.  Wiiere  I  shall 
lead  you  to  the  top  of  mount  Pisgali,  and 
give  you  a  short  view  of  the  glory  of  heaven. 


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A  BELIEVER'S  PRIVILEGE  AT  DEATH. 


A  BELIEVER'S  PRIVILEGE  AT  DEATH. 


Phil.  i.  2L  And  to  die  is  gain. 


III.  AT  deatli  the  souls  of  believers  pass 
,nty  glory.  Death  brings  mnloriim  omnium 
ad('m])tionem^ — omnium  adepdonem  ;  death 
is  the  day-break  of  eternal  brightness.  And 
here  I  shall  lead  you  to  the  top  of  Mount 
Pisgah,  and  give  you  a  glimpse  of  the  holy 
land. 

Quest.  1.  IVhat  is  comprehended  in  glory  ? 

Ann.  Glory  is  status  omnium  bonorum  ag- 
gregatione  pcrftctus,  Boetius.  It  is  a  per- 
fect state  of  bliss  whicli  consists  in  the  ac- 
cumulation and  heaping  together  all  those 
good  tilings  which  immortal  souls  are  ca- 
pable of.  And  truly  here  I  am  at  a  loss ; 
all  that  I  can  say  falls  short  of  the  celestial 
glory  !  Apelles's  pencil  cannot  delineate  it, 
— angels'  tongues  cannot  express  it, — we 
shall  never  understand  glory  fully,  till  we 
are  in  heaA'en, — only  let  me  give  you  some 
dark  views,  and  some  imperfect  lineaments 
of  that  state  of  glory  saints  shall  arrive  at 
after  death. 

1.  The  first  and  most  sublime  part  of  the 
glory  of  heaven  is  the  full  and  sweet  frui- 
tion of  God  :  ipse  Deus  siifficit  ad  proem ium, 
Aug.  We  are  apt  to  think  the  happiness 
of  heaven  is  in  being  free  from  pain  and 
misery,  but  the  A'ery  quintessence  of  happi- 
ness, is  the  enjoyment  and  fruition  of  God ; 
this  is  the  diamond-ring  of  glory.  God  is 
an  infinite  inexhaustible  fountain  of  joy ; 
and  to  have  him,  is  to  have  all.  Now  the 
enjoyment  of  God  imj)lies  three  things. 

\.   It  implies  our  seeing  of  God. 

2.  Our  loving  of  God. 

3.  God's  loving  us. 

1st.  The  enjoying  of  God  implies  our 
seeing  of  God,  1  John  iii,  2.,  "  We  shall 
see  him  as  he  is  :"  Here  we  see  him  as  he 
is  not :  mutable,  mortal ;  there  as  he  is. 

Quest.  2.  How  shall  ire  see  God? 

Ans.  1.  We  shall  see  liim  intellectually, 
with  the  eves  of  our  mind.  This  divines 
call  ihe  beatifical  vision:  we  shall  have  a 
full  knowledtie  of  God,  though  not  know 
him  fully.  If  there  were  not  sucli  an  in- 
teUectual  sight  ol   God,   then  how  do  t!ie 


spirits  of  just  men  made  perfect  see  God. 
This  sight  of  God  will  be  very  glorious,  as 
when  a  king  on  his  coi  onation-day  shews 
himself  in  all  his  royalty  and  magnificence. 

A.  2.  We  shall  corporally  behold  the 
glorified  body  of  Jesus  Christ :  ;ind  if  it  be 
a  pleasant  thing  to  behold  the  sun,  Eccl. 
xi.  7.,  then,  how  blessed  a  sight  will  it  be 
to  behold  the  Sun  of  Righteousness, — to 
see  Christ  clothed  in  our  human  nature, 
sitting  in  glory  above  the  angels  !  Solo- 
mon saith,  "  the  eye  is  not  satisfied  with 
seeing,"  Eccl.  i.  8.,  but  sure  the  eyes  of 
saints  will  be  satisfied  with  seeinsr  that  o- 
rient  brightness  which  shall  shine  from  the 
beautiful  body  of  Christ.  It  must  needs 
be  satisfying,  because  through  Christ's  flesh 
some  rays  and  beams  of  the  Godhead  shall 
gloriously  display  themselves.  God's  ex- 
cellent majesty  would  overwhelm  us  ;  but 
through  the  vail  of  Christ's  flesh  Ave  shall 
behold  the  divine  glory. 

A.  3.  Our  seeing  God  will  be  transform- 
ing. We  shall  so  see  him  as  to  be  in  some 
measure  assimilated  and  changed  into  his 
image,  1  John  iii.  2.,  "  We  shall  be  like 
him."  If,  when  Moses  was  with  God  on 
the  mount,  and  had  but  some  im])erfect 
sight  of  his  glory,  '  Moses*  face  shined,' 
Exod.  xxxiv.  35.,  how  shall  the  saints  glo- 
rified shine,  being  always  in  God's  j)re- 
sence,  and  having  some  beams  of  his  glory 
put  upon  them?  "  We  shall  be  like  him." 
One  that  is  deformed,  may  look  on  beauty, 
and  not  be  made  beautiful ;  but  the  saints 
shall  so  see  God,  as  that  sight  sliall  trans- 
form them  into  his  likeness,  Ps.  xvii.  15., 
"  When  I  awake,  I  shall  be  satisfied  with 
thy  likeness."  Not  that  the  saints  shall 
partake  of  God's  essence  :  for  as  the  iron 
in  the  fire  is  made  fiery,  yet  remains  iron 
still,  so  the  saints,  by  beholding  God's  mar- 
jesty,  shall  be  made  glorious  creatures,  but 
yet  creatures  still. 

A.  4.  Our  seeing  of  God  in  heaven  will 

be  unweariable.     Let  a  man  see  the  rarest 

1  (sight  tiiat  is,  he  will  soon  be  cloyed ;  when 


A  BELIEVER'S  PRIVILEGE  AT  DEATH. 


201 


he  comes  into  a  garden,  and  sees  delicious  ing,  tlicy  weep  over  their  sins  and  afflic- 
walks,  fair  arbours,  ple;isant  flowers,  witli-  tions, — then  their  water  shall  be  turned  in- 
in  a  little  while  he  grows  weary,  but  it  is  to  wine, — then  the  vessels  of  mercy  shall 
not  so  in  heaven,  there  is  no  surfeit, — ibi  ;  be  filled  and  run  over  with  joy, — then  they 
nee  fames  necfastidium,  Bern.  The  saints 
will  never  be  weary  of  their  prospect,  viz. 
of  seeing  God ;  for,  (lod  being  infinite, 
there  sluvll  be  every  moment  new  and  fresh 
delight  springing  from  God  into  the  souls 
of  the  glorified. 

2f/.  The  second  thing  implied  in  our  en- 
joying God,  is  our  loving  of  God.  It  is  a 
saint's  grief  that  his  heart  is  like  the  frozen 
ocean, — that  he  can  melt  no  more  in  love 
to  God :  but  in  heaven  the  saints  shall  be 
like  seraphims,  burning  in  divine  love; 
love  is  a  pleasant  affection ;  "  fear  hath  a 
torment  in  it,"  1  John  iv.  18.;  love  hath 
joy  in  it.  To  love  beauty  is  delightful : 
God's  amazing  beauty  will  attract  the  saints' 
love,  and  it  will  be  their  heaven  to  love 
him. 

3t/.  The  third  thing  implied  in  enjoying 
God,  is  God's  loving  us.  Were  there  glory 
in  God,  yet,  if  there  were  not  love,  it  would 
much  eclipse  the  joys  of  heaven  :  but  "  God 
is  love,"  1  John  iv.  16.  The  sidnts  glori- 
fied cannot  love  so  much  as  they  are  loved. 
What  is  their  love  to  God's?  What  is 
their  star  to  this  sun  ?  God  doth  love  his 
people  on  earth,  when  they  are  black  as 
well  as  comely ;  they  have  their  imperfec- 
tions; O  how  entirely  will  he  love  them, 
when  they  are  without  "  spot  or  wrinkle  !" 
Eph.  v.  21. 

1.  This  is  the  felicity  of  heaven,  to  be  in 
the  sweet  embraces  of  God's  love;  to  be 
the  Hephzibah^ — the  delight  of  the  King  of 
Glory;  to  be  sunning  ourselves  in  the  light 
of  God's  countenance.  Then  the  saints 
shall  know  "  the  love  of  Christ  which  pjiss- 
eth  knowledge,"  Eph.  iii.  19.  From  this 
glorious  manifestation  of  God's  love,  will 
llow  infinite  joy  into  the  souls  of  the  bless- 
ed :  therefore  heaven  is  called  "  entering 
into  the  joy  of  our  Lord,"  Mat.  xxv.  21. 
The  seeing  of  God,  the  loving  of  God,  and 
being  beloved  of  God,  will  cause  a  jubila- 
tion of  spirit,  and  create  such  holy  raptures 
of  joy  in  the  saints,  as  is  unspeakable  and 
full  of  gh)ry,  1  Pet.  i.  8.  In  Den  qmulain 
dvJcUlene  dclectatur  aniina,  imo  rapilur,  Aug. 
Now  the  saints  spend  their  years  with  sigh- 


shall  have  their  ])alm-branches  and  harps 
in  their  hands.  Rev.  xiv.  2.,  in  token  of 
tlieir  triuuij)hs  and  rejoicing. 

2.  The  second  thing  comprehended  in 
glory,  is  the  good  sociaty  there.  First,  There 
are  the  angels ;  every  star  adds  to  the  light, 
— those  blessed  cherubims  will  welcome 
us  to  paradise.  If  the  angels  rejoiced  so 
at  the  conversion  of  the  elect,  how  will 
they  rejoice  at  their  coronation  !  Secondly, 
There  is  the  company  of  the  saints,  Ileb. 
xii.  23.,  "  The  spirits  of  just  men  made 
perfect." 

Quest.  3.  Whether  shall  the  saints  in  glo- 
ry know  each  other  ? 

/Ins.  Certainly  they  shall ;  for  our  know- 
ledge in  heaven  shall  not  be  diminished  but 
increased.  We  shall  not  only  know  our 
friends  and  godly  relations,  but  those  glo- 
rified saints  which  we  never  saw  before; 
it  must  be  so;  for  society  without  acquain- 
tance is  not  comfortable,  and  of  this  opinion 
were  St.  Austin,  Anslem,  Luther,  And 
indeed  the  scripture  seems  to  hint  so  much 
to  us;  for,  if  Peter  in  the  transfiguration 
knew  Moses  and  Elias,  whom  he  never  saw 
before.  Mat.  xvii.  4.,  then  surely  in  hea- 
ven the  saints  shall  know  one  another,  and 
be  infinitely  delighted  in  each  other's  com- 
pany. 

3.  The  third  thing  comprehended  in  glo- 
ry, is  perfection  in  holiness.     Holiness  is 
the  beauty  of  God  and  angels ;  it  makes  hea- 
ven ;  what  is  happiness  but  the  quintessence 
of  holiness  ?     Here  a  Christian's  grace  is 
imperfect,  he  cannot  write  a  copy  of  holi- 
ness without  blotting.     He   is  said  to  re- 
ceive   but    primitias    Spiritus, — the    *  first 
fruits  of  the  Spirit,'   grace  in  Jiiri,  Rom. 
viii.  23. ;  but  at  death  believers  shall  anivo 
at  ])erfection  of  grace;  tJicn  this  sun  shall 
be  in   its   meridian   splendour;  then  shall 
they  not  need  to  pray  for  increase  of  grace, 
for  they  shall  be  as  the  angels,  their  light 
shall  he  clear  as  well  as  their  joy  full. 

4.  The  fourth  thing  in  glory  is  dignity 
and  honour;  they  shall  reign  as  kings; 
therefore  the  saints  glorified  are  said  to 
have  their  insif/nia  ret/alia,  their  ensigns  of 

2C 


202 


A  BELIEVER'S  PRIVILEGE  AT  DEATH. 


royalty,  their  white  robes  and  their  crown, 
2  Tim.  iv.  7.  Caesar,  after  liis  victories, 
in  token  of  honour,  had  a  chair  of  ivory 
set  for  him  in  the  senate,  and  a  throne  in 
the  theatre ;  the  saints,  having  obtained 
their  victories  over  sin  and  Satan,  shall  be 
enthroned  with  Christ  in  the  empyrean 
heaven.  To  sit  with  Christ  denotes  safety  ; 
to  sit  on  the  throne,  dignity,  Ps.  cxlix.  9., 
"  This  honour  have  all  the  saints." 

5.  The  fifth  thing  in  glory,  is  the  har- 
mony and  union  among  the  heavenly  inha- 
bitants. The  devil  cannot  get  his  cloven 
foot  into  heaven ;  he  cannot  conjure  up 
any  storms  of  contention  there;  there  shall 
be  perfect  union  :  there  Calvin  and  Luther 
are  agreed  ;  there  is  no  jarring  string  in  the 
heavenly  music ;  there  is  nothing  to  make 
any  difference,  no  pridj  or  envy  there. 
Though  one  star  may  differ  from  another, 
one  may  have  a  greater  degree  of  glory, 
yet  every  vessel  shall  be  full :  there  shall 
the  saints  and  angels  sit  as  olive-plants 
round  about  their  Father's  table  in  love  and 
unity.  Then  shall  they  join  together  in 
concert,— then  shall  the  loud  anthems  of 
praise  be  sung  in  the  heavenly  choir. 

6.  The  sixth  thing  in  glory,  is  a  blessed 
rest,  Heb.  iv.  9.,  "  There  remaineth  there- 
fore a  rest."  FcbUx  tr an  situs  a  labore  ad 
requiem.  Here  we  can  have  no  rest,  tossed 
and  turned  as  a  ball  on  racket,  2  Cor.  iv. 
8.,  "  We  are  troubled  op  every  side."  How 
can  a  ship  rest  in  a  storm  ?  But  after  death 
the  saints  get  into  their  haven.  Every 
thing  is  quiet  in  the  centre;  God  is  cen- 
trum guietativum  animce,  as  the  schoolmen, 
"  the  centre  where  the  soul  doth  sweetly 
acquiesce."  A  Christian,  after  his  weary 
marches  and  battles,  shall  put  off  his  bloody 
armour,  and  rest  himself  upon  the  bosom 
of  Jesus,  tliat  bed  of  perfume  ;  when  death 
hath  given  the  saints  the  wings  of  a  dove, 
then  they  shall  fly  away  to  paradise  and  be 
at  rest. 

7.  The  seventh  thing  in  glory,  is  eterni- 
ty, 2  Cor.  iv.  17.,  "  An  eternal  weight  of 
glory."— hY,  Glory  is  a  weight:  the  He- 
brew AV'ord  for  glory  {quod  signijicat  pon- 
dus)  is  a  weight :  God  must  make  us  able 
to  bear  it. — 2rf/^,  An  eternal  weight.  Glo- 
ry is  such  a  manna  as  doth  not  breed  worms. 
If  the  saints'  glory  in  heaven  were  but  for 


a  time,  and  they  were  in  fear  of  losing  it» 
it  would  eclipse  and  imbitter  the  joys  of 
heaven ;  but  eternity  is  written  upon  their 
joys ;  the  garland  made  of  flowers  of  para- 
dise fades  not,  1  Pet.  v.  4.  I  have  read 
of  a  river  which  they  call  the  day-river, 
in  which  time  it  runs  with  a  full  torrent, 
but  at  night  it  is  dried  up ;  such  arc  all 
earthly  comforts,  they  run  with  a  full 
stream  all  the  daytime  of  life,  but  at  the 
night  of  death  they  are  dried  up  ;  but  the 
saints  glorified  shall  drink  of  the  rivers  of 
pleasure  for  evermore,  Ps.  xvi.  11.  Eter- 
nity is  the  heaven  of  heavens ;  in  fine  gau- 
dium  erit  sine  fine,  Bern.  The  joys  of  hea- 
ven as  overflowing,  so  everflowing. 

Quest.  4.  JVhen  do  believers  enter  upon 
possession  of  glory  ? 

Ans.  They  pass  immediately  after  death 
into  glory.  Some  hold,  with  the  Platonists 
and  Lucianists,  that  the  soul  dies ;  but  ma- 
ny of  the  sober  heathens  believed  t!ie  soul's 
immortality.  The  Romans,  when  their 
great  men  died,  caused  an  eagle  to  be  let 
loose,  and  fly  about  in  the  air,  signifying 
hereby  that  the  soul  was  immortal,  and  did 
not  die  with  the  body.  Christ  tells  us  the 
soul  is  not  capable  of  killing,  Luke  xii.  4., 
therefore  not  of  dying.  And  as  the  soul 
doth  not  die,  so  neither  doth  it  sleep  in  the 
body  for  a  time ;  if  the  soul  be  at  death  ab- 
sent from  the  body,  2  Cor.  v.  8.,  then  it 
cannot  sleep  in  the  body.  There  is  an  im- 
mediate passage  from  death  to  glory ;  it  is 
but  winking,  and  we  shall  see  God,  Luke 
xxiii.  43.,  "  To-day  shalt  thou  be  with  me 
in  paradise."  By  paradise  is  meant  hea- 
ven. The  third  heaven  into  which  Paul 
was  rapt  (which  all  hold  to  be  the  heaven 
of  the  blessed)  was  called  paradise,  2  Cor. 
xii.  4.  Now  saitli  Christ  to  the  thief  on 
the  cross,  "  To-day  shalt  thou  be  with  me 
in  paradise."  His  body  could  not  be  there, 
for  it  was  laid  in  the  grave ;  but  it  was 
spoken  of  his  soul,  that  it  should  be  im- 
mediately after  death  in  heaven.  Let  none 
be  so  vain  as  to  talk  of  purgatory ;  a  soul 
])urged  by  Christ's  blood,  needs  no  fire  of 
purgatory,  but  goes  immediately  from  a 
deathbed  into  a  glorified  state. 

Use  \st.  See  what  little  cause  believers 
have  to  fear  death,  when  it  brings  such  glo- 
rious benefits;    "  to   me  to  die  is  gain 


I'l 


OF  THE  RESURRECTION. 


203 


Wliy  should  the  saints  fear  their  prefer- 
ment ?  Is  it  not  a  blessed  thing  to  see  God, 
to  love  God,  and  to  lie  for  ever  in  the  bo- 
som of  divine  love  ?  Is  it  not  a  blessed  thinir 
to  meet  our  p^odly  relations  in  heaven  ? 
^\^ly  should  the  saints  be  afraid  of  their 
blessings  ?  Is  a  virgin  afraid  to  be  matched 
unto  the  crown  ?  Now  is  but  the  contract, 
— at  death  is  the  marriage-supper  of  the 
Lamb,  Rev.  xix.  9.  What  hurt  doth  death, 
but  take  us  from  among  fiery  serpents,  and 
places  us  among  angels  ?  What  hurt  doth  it 
do,  but  to  clothe  us  with  a  robe  of  immor- 
tality ?  Hath  he  any  wrong  done  him  that 
hatli  his  sackclotli  pulled  off,  and  hath  cloth 
oi'gold  put  upon  him?  Fear  not  dying,  ye 
who  cannot  live  but  by  dying ! 

Use  2d.  You  who  are  real  saints,  whose 
hearts  are  purified  by  faith,  spend  much 
time  in  musing  upon  these  glorious  benefits 
which  you  shall  have  by  Christ  at  death. 
Thus  might  you  by  a  contem|)lative  lile,  be- 
gin the  life  of  angels  here,  and  be  in  heaven 
before  your  time.  Eudoxius  was  so  affect- 
ed with  the  glory  of  the  sun,  that  he  thought 
lie  was  born  <mly  to  behold  it.  What  should 
we  contemplate  but  celestial  glory,  when 
we  shall  see  God  face  to  face  ;  David  was 
got  above  the  ordinary  sort  of  men,  he  was 
in  the  altitudes,  Ps.  cxxxix.  18.,  "  I  am  still 
with  thee."  A  true  saint  every  day  t.ikes 
a  turn  in  heaven  ;  his  thoughts  and  desires 
are  like  cherubims  flying  up  to  par.idise. 
Can  men  of  the  world  so  delight  in  looking 


upon  their  bags  of  gold,  and  fields  of  corn, 
and  shall  not  the  heirs  of  heaven  take  more 
delight  in  conteinj)lating  their  glory  in  re- 
version ?  Could  we  send  forth  faith  as  a 
sf)y,  and  every  day  view  the  glory  of  the 
Jerusalem  above,  how  would  it  rejoice  us, 
as  it  doth  the  heir  to  think  of  the  inherit 
ance  which  is  to  come  into  his  hand  sjiortly  ? 
J7.se  3//.  Consolation.  This  is  that  which 
may  comfort  the  saints  in  two  cases. — 1. 
Under  their  wants;  they  abound  only  in 
wants, — the  meal  is  almost  spent  in  the  b  ir- 
rel, — hut  be  ])atient  till  death,  and  you  shall 
have  a  supj)ly  of  all  your  wants,  you  shall 
have  a  kingdom,  and  be  as  rich  as  heaven 
can  make  you.  lie  who  hath  the  promise 
of  an  estate,  after  the  expiring  of  a  few 
years,  though  at  present  he  hath  nothing  to 
help  himself,  yet  comforts  himself  with  this, 
that  shortly  he  shall  have  an  estate  come 
into  his  hand,  1  John  iii.  2.,  "  It  doth  not 
yet  appear  what  we  shall  be."  We  shall 
be  enamelled  with  glory,  and  be  as  rich  as 
the  angels.  2.  A  true  saint  is,  (jis  Luther) 
/iceres  crucis ;  but  this  may  make  us  go 
cheerfully  through  our  sufferings  ;  there  are 
great  things  laid  up  in  store, — there  is  glory 
coming,  which  eye  hath  not  seen, — we  shall 
drink  of  the  fruit  of  the  vine  in  the  king- 
dom of  heaven.  Though  now  we  drink  iu 
a  wormwood-cup,  yet  here  is  sugar  to 
sweeten  it :  we  shall  taste  of  those  joys  of 
])aradise  which  exceed  our  faith,  and  may 
be  better  felt  than  they  can  be  expressed. 


OF  THE  RESURRECTION. 


John  v.  28,  29.  Marvel  not  at  this :  for  the  hour  is  coining,  in  the  which  all  that  are  in  thk 
graves  shall  hear  his  voice,  and  shall  come  furl h;  then  '^"''^  have  done  good,  unto  the  lesur- 
rcction  oflije;  and  they  that  have  done  evil,  uutu  tlie  resurrection  of  damnation. 


Quest.  XXXVIIL  IVH AT  henefts  shall 
beliivtrs  receive  from  Christ  at  the  rtsvrnc- 
tion  ? 

Axs.  1.  Their  bodies  shall  be  raised  up 
to  glory. 

A.  2.  They  shall  be  openly  acquitted  at 
the  day  of  judgment ;  and  shall  be  made 
perfectly  blessed  in  the  full  enjoyment  of 
G(mI  fur  ever. 

1.  The  bodies  of  believers  shall  be  rai.sed 


up  to  glory.  Tlie  doctrine  of  the  resurrec- 
tion is  a  fundamental  article  of  our  faith ; 
the  apostle  puts  it  amving  the  princii)hs  oi 
the  doctrine  of  Christ,  lleb.  vi.  2.  The 
body  shall  rise  again  :  we  are  not  so  sure 
to  rise  out  of  our  beds  as  we  are  to  rise  out 
of  our  graves.  The  ransomed  body  shall 
rise  again.  Some  hold  that  the  soul  shall 
be  clothed  with  a  new  body ;  but  then  it 
were  improper  to  call  it  a  resurrection,  it 


204 


OF  THE  RESURRECTION. 


would  be  rather  a  creation,  Job  xix.  2G., 
"  Tliough  worms  destroy  tliis  body,  yet  in 
my  flesh,  shall  I  see  God."  Not  in  another 
flesh,  but  my  flesh,  1  Cor.  xv.  53.,  "  This 
corruptible  must  put  on  incorruption." 

Quest.  By  what  arguments  may  the  re- 
surreclicn  he  proved  ? 

Argument  1.  By  scripture,  John  vl.  44., 
*'  I  will  raise  him  up  at  the  last  day."  Isa. 
XXV.  8.,  "  He  will  swallow  up  death  in  vic- 
tory." That  is  by  delivering  our  bodies 
from  the  captivity  of  the  grave  wherein 
death  for  a  time  had  power  over  them, 
I  Thess.  iv.  14.,  "  Them  which  sleep  in  Je- 
sus, will  God  bring  with  him." 

Arg.  2.  Christ  is  risen :  therefore  the  bo- 
dies of  the  saints  nust  rise.  Christ  did  not 
rise  from  the  dead  as  a  private  person,  but 
as  the  public  head  of  the  church  ;  and  the 
bead  being  raised,  the  rest  of  the  body  shall 
not  always  lie  in  the  grave.  Christ's  rising 
is  a  pledge  of  our  resurrection,  2  Cor.  iv. 
14.,  "  Knowing  that  he  which  raised  up  the 
Lord  Jesus,  shall  raise  us  up  also  by  Jesus." 
Christ  is  called  the  first-fruits  of  them  that 
sleep,  1  Cor.  xv.  20.  As  the  first-fruits  is 
a  sure  e^^dence  that  the  harvest  is  coming 
on,  so  the  resurrection  of  Christ  is  a  sure 
evidence  of  the  rising  of  our  bodies  out  of 
the  grave.  Christ  cannot  be  perfect  as  he 
is  Christ  mystical,  unless  his  members  be 
raised  with  him. 

Arg.  3.  In  respect  of  God's  justice.  If 
God  be  a  just  God,  then  he  will  reward  the 
bodies  of  the  saints  as  well  their  souls. 
It  cannot  be  imagined  that  the  souls  of  be- 
lievers should  be  glorified,  and  not  their 
bodies;  they  have  served  God  with  their 
bodies. — tlusir  bodies  have  been  members  of 
holiness, — their  eyes  have  dropped  tears  for 
gin, — their  hands  have  relieved  the  poor, — 
their  tongues  have  set  forth  God's  praise : 
therefore  justice  and  equity  require  that 
their  bodies  should  be  crowned  as  well  as 
their  souls :  and  how  can  that  be,  unless 
they  are  I'aised  from  the  dead  ? 

Arg.  4.  If  the  body  did  not  rise  again, 
then  a  believer  should  not  be  completely 
happy :  for  though  the  soul  can  subsist 
without  the  body,  yet  it  hath  appetium  imi- 
onis, — a  desire  of  re-union  with  the  body, 
and  it  is  not  fully  happy  till  it  be  clothed 
with  the  body :  therefore  undoubtedly  the 


body  shall  rise  again.  If  the  soul  should 
go  to  heaven,  and  not  the  body,  then  a  be- 
liever should  be  only  half-saved. 

OhJ.  1.  But  some  say,  as  the  Virgin  Mary 
to  the  angel,  "  How  can  this  be  ?"  so,  how 
can  it  be,  that  the  body  which  is  consumed 
to  ashes  should  rise  again  ? 

Ans.  It  doth  not  oppose  reason,  but  tran- 
scend it;  there  are  some  resemblances  of 
the  resurrection  in  nature.  The  corn,  which 
is  sown  in  the  ground,  dies  before  it  springs 
up,  I  Cor.  xy.  36.,  "  That  which  thou  sow- 
est  is  not  quickened,  except  it  die."  In 
winter  the  fruits  of  the  earth  die,  in  spring 
there  is  a  resurrection  of  them :  Noah's 
olive  tree  springing  after  the  flood  was  a 
lively  emblem  of  the  resurrection.  After 
the  passion  of  our  Lord,  '•  many  bodies  of 
the  saints  which  slept  in  the  grave  arose," 
Mat.  xxvii.  52.  God  can  more  easily  raise 
the  body  out  of  the  grave,  than  we  can  a- 
wake  a  man  out  of  sleep. 

0/)j.  2.  But  when  the  dust  of  many  are 
mingled  together ;  how  is  it  possible  that  a 
separation  should  be  made  and  the  same 
numerical  body  arise. 

Ans.  If  we  belicA^e  God  can  create,  then 
he  can  distinguish  the  dust  of  one  body 
from  another ;  do  not  we  see  the  chymist 
can,  out  of  several  metals  mingled  together, 
as  gold,  silver,  alchymy,  extract  the  one 
from  the  other, — the  silver  from  the  gold, — 
the  alchymy  from  silver, — and  can  reduce 
every  metal  to  its  own  kind  ?  And  shall  we 
not  much  more  believe,  that  when  our  bo- 
dies are  mingled  and  confounded  with  other 
substances,  the  wise  God  is  able  to  make 
an  extraction,  and  re-invest  every  soul  with 
its  own  body  ? 

Quest.  3.  Shall  none  but  the  bodies  of  t/ie 
righteous  he  raised  ? 

Ans.  Yes,  all  that  are  in  the  gi-aves  shall 
hear  Christ's  voice,  and  shall  come  forth. 
Acts  xxiv.  15.  There  shall  be  a  resurrec- 
tion of  the  dead  both  of  the  just  and  unjust : 
Rev.  XX.  12.,  "I  saw  the  dead,  both  small 
and  great,  stand  before  God."  But  though 
all  sliall  be  raised  out  of  their  graves,  yet 
all  shall  not  be  raised  alike. 

1.  The  bodies  of  the  wicked  shall  be 
raised  with  ignominy :  those  bodies  which 
on  the  earth  did  tempt  and  allure  others 
with  their  beauty,  shall  be  at  the  resurrec- 


OF  THE  RESURRECTION. 


?05 


tion  loatlisome  to  heliold ;  tlu-y  shuU  bo 
ghastly  s]>ectHcIcs,  us  the  pliraso  is,  Ish.  Ixvi. 
24.,  "  Tlioy  shall  be  an  abhorring-  unto  all 
flesh."  But  the  bodies  of  the  saints  shall 
be  raised  with  honour,  1  Cor.  xv.  43.,  "  It 
is  sown  in  dishonour,  it  is  raised  in  glory." 
The  saints'  bodies  then  shall  shine  as  spark- 
ling diamonds.  Mat.  xiii.  43.,  '•  Then  shall 
the  rig;httous  shine  forth  as  the  sun." 

2.  Tlie  bodies  of  the  saints  shall  arise  out 
of  tlicir  graves  with  triumph;  the  bodies  of 
the  wicked  shall  come  out  of  the  grave 
with  trembling,  as  being  to  receive  their 
fatal  doom,  but  the  godly,  when  they  a- 
wake  out  of  the  dust  shall  sing  for  joy,  Isa. 
xxvi.  19.,  *'  Awake  and  sing,  ye  that  dwell 
in  tlic  dust."  When  the  archangel's  trum- 
pet sounds,  then  the  saints  shall  sing;  the 
bodies  of  believers  shall  come  out  of  the 
grave  to  be  made  happy,  as  tlie  chief  butler 
came  out  of  the  prison,  and  was  restored 
to  all  his  dignity  at  the  court;  but  the  bo- 
dies of  the  wicked  shall  come  out  of  the 
grave,  .is  the  chief  baker  out  of  prison,  to 
be  executed,  (icn.  xl.  22. 

Use  \t.  Believe  this  doctrine  of  the  re- 
surrection ;  and  that  the  same  bodv  that  dies 
shall  rise  again,  and  with  the  soul  be  crown- 
ed. Without  the  belief  of  this,  iota  corruit 
religio,  '  all  religion  falls  to  the  ground,' 
1  Cor.  XV.  14.,  If  the  dead  rise  not,  then 
Christ  is  not  risen,  and  then  our  faith  is 
vain. 

f/se  2r/.  Comfort.  The  body  shall  rise 
again  ?  this  was  Job's  comfort,  Job  xix.  26., 
"  Though  worms  destroy  this  body,  yet 
in  my  flesh  shall  I  see  God."  The  body  is 
sensible  of  joy  as  well  as  the  soul  ;  and  in- 
deed we  shall  not  be  in  all  our  glory,  till 
our  bodies  are  re-united  to  our  souls.  O 
consider  what  joy  there  will  be  at  the  re- 
uniting of  the  body  and  the  soul  at  the  re- 
surrection I  Look  what  sweet  embraces  of 
joy  were  between  old  Jacob  and  Joseph, 
when  they  first  saw  one  another,  Gen.  xlvi. 
29.,  such,  and  infinitely  more,  will  there 
be,  when  the  body  and  soul  of  a  saint  shall 
meet  together  at  the  resurrection  !  How 
will  the  body  and  soul  greet  one  another  ! 
What  a  welcome  will  the  soul  give  to  the 
body  !  O  blessed  body  !  when  I  prayed, 
tliou  didst  attend  my  ])rayers  with  hands 
lifted  up,    and  knees  bowed   down ;    thou  | 


wert  willing  to  suffer  with  me,  and  now 
thou  slmlt  reign  with  me  ;  thou  wert  sown 
in  dislifuiour,  but  now  art  raised  in  glory. 
O  my  dear  body  !  I  will  enter  into  thee  a- 
gain.  and  be  eternally  married  to  thee. 

Use  S(/.  The  resurrection  of  the  body  is 
a  cordial  when  a  Christian  lies  a-dying. 
Thy  body,  though  it  drop  into  the  sepul- 
chre, it  shall  revive  and  flourish  as  .in  herb 
in  the  resurrection  :  the  grave  is  a  bed  of 
dust  where  the  bodies  of  saints  sleep  ;  but 
they  shall  be  awakened  by  the  trump  of 
the  archangel.  The  grave  is  your  long 
home,  but  not  your  last  home :  though 
death  strip  you  of  your  beauty,  yet  at  the 
resurrection  you  shall  have  it  restored  a- 
gain.  As  David,  when  he  found  Saul  a- 
sleej),  took  away  his  spear  and  cruse  of  wa- 
ter, but  when  he  awoke,  he  restored  them 
again,  1  Sam.  xxvi.  22.,  so,  though  at  death 
all  our  strength  and  beauty  be  taken  away, 
yet  at  the  resurrection  God  will  restore  all 
again  in  a  more  glorious  m.inner. 

Quest.  4.  But  /tow  shall  we  knoiv  that 
our  bodies  shall  be  raised  to  a  glorious  resur~ 
rection  ? 

Ans.  If  we  have  a  part  in  the  first  resur- 
rection. Rev.  XX.  6.,  "  Blessed  and  holy  is 
he  that  hath  a  part  in  the  first  resurrecti«»n." 
Q.  IVhat  is  meant  by  this  ?  A.  It  is  a  ris- 
ing by  repentance  out  of  the  grave  of  sin  ; 
he  who  lies  buried  in  sin,  can  have  little 
hope  of  a  joyful  resurrection ;  his  body 
shall  be  raised  but  not  in  glory.  O  then  ! 
ask  conscience,  have  you  a  part  in  the  first 
resurrection  ?  hath  the  Spirit  entered  into 
you,  and  lifted  you  up?  Hath  he  raised  you 
out  of  your  unbelief?  Hath  he  raised  yom* 
hearts  above  the  earth  ?  This  is  the  first 
resurrection;  and  if  your  souls  are  thus 
sj)iritually  raised,  then  your  bodies  shall  be 
gloriously  raised,  and  shall  shine  as  stars 
in  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  Regeneration 
makes  way  for  a  glorious  resurrection. 

Use.  Seeing  you  expect  your  bodies 
should  arise  to  glory,  keep  your  bodies  un- 
spotted from  sin.  Shall  a  drunken  body 
rise  to  glory  ?  Shall  an  unclean  body  rise 
to  glory?  Shall  a  thievish  body  steal  iuto 
heaven  ?  O  keep  your  bodies  pure, — keep 
your  eyes  from  unchaste  glances, — your 
hands  from  bribes, — your  tongues  from 
slander;   defile  not  your  bodies,  whicli  )ou 


206 


OF  THE  RESURRECTION 


hope  shall  rise  one  day  to  glory.  Your  bo- 
dies are  the  members  of  Christ :  and  hear 
what  the  apostle  saith,  1  Cor.  vi.  15., 
"  Sliall  I  then  take  the  members  of  Christ, 
and  make  them  the  members  of  an  harlot  ? 
God  forbid."  O  keep  your  bodies  unspot- 
ted, let  them  be  instruments  of  rigliteous- 
ness,  1  Cor.  vi.  20.,  "  Glorify  God  in  your 
body !"  If  your  bodies  glorify  God,  God 
will  glorify  your  bodies. 

Quest.  5.  But  seeing  ow  bodies  must  be 
laid  in  the  grave,  and  they  may  lie  many  years 
rotting  tliere  before  the  resurrection ;  ichat 
may  support  and  comfort  us  is  this  case  ? 

Ans.  1.  That  God  will  not  leave  his 
people  in  the  grave.  Our  friends  bring 
us  to  the  grave  and  leave  us  there,  but 
God  will  not;  God  will  go  to  the  grave 
with  us,  and  watch  over  our  dead  bodies, 
and  take  care  of  our  ashes.  Rizpah 
watched  over  the  dead  bodies  of  the  sons 
of  Saul,  and  guarded  them  against  the 
ravenous  fowls  of  the  air,  2  Sam.  xxi.  10. 
Thus  the  Lord  w.atcheth  over  the  dead 
bodies  of  the  saints,  and  looks  to  it,  that 
none  of  their  dust  be  missing.  Christian, 
thou  hast  a  God  to  watch  over  thy  body 
when  thou  art  dead  I 

A.  2.  The  bodies  of  the  saints  in  the 
gi'ave,  though  separated  from  their  souls, 
are  united  to  Christ.  The  dust  of  a  believ- 
er is  part  of  Christ's  mystical  body. 

A.  3.  When  the  bodies  of  the  saints  are 
in  the  sepulchre,  their  souls  are  in  paradise ; 
the  soul  doth  not  sleep  in  the  body,  "  but 
the  spirit  shall  return  to  God  that  gave  it," 
Eccl.  xii.  7.  The  soul  immediately  par- 
takes of  those  joys  the  blessed  angels  do ; 
when  tlic  body  returns  to  dust,  the  soul  re- 
turns to  rest ;  when  the  body  is  sleeping, 
the  soul  is  triumphing  ;  when  the  body  is 
buried,  the  soul  is  crowned;  as  the  spios 
were  sent  before  to  taste  of  the  fruits  of  the 
land,  Numb,  xiii.,  so  at  death  the  soul  is 
sent  before  into  heaven,  to  taste  of  the  fruit 
of  the  holy  land. 

A.  4.  When  God's  time  is  come,  the 
*  graves  shall  deliver  up  their  dead,'  Rev. 
XX.  13,  when  the  judge  sends,  the  jailor 
must  deliver  up  his  prisoners ;  as  God  said 
to  Jacob,  Gen.  xlvi.  4.,  "  I  will  go  down 
with  thee  into  Eg}'^pt,  and  I  will  surely 
bring  thee  up  again,"  so  the  Lord  will  go 


down  with  us  into  the  grave,  and  will  surer 
ly  bring  us  again. 

A.  5.  Though  the  bodies  of  the  saints 
shall  rot  and  be  loathsome  in  the  grave, 
yet  afterwards  they  shall  be  made  illustri- 
ous and  glorious.  Concerning  this,  consi- 
der, 

1.  The  bodies  of  the  saints,  when  they 
arise,  shall  be  comely  and  beautiful.  The 
body  of  a  saint  in  this  life  may  be  deform- 
ed :  those  whose  minds  are  adorned  with 
virtue,  yet  may  have  mis-shapen  bodies  ; 
as  the  finest  cloth  may  have  the  coarsest 
list:  but  this  deformed  body  shall  be  amia- 
ble and  beautiful.  This  beauty  consists  in 
two  things:  1.  Perfection  of  parts.  There 
shall  be  a  full  proportion  of  all  the  mem- 
bers ;  in  this  life  there  is  oft  a  defect  of 
members ;  the  eye  is  lost,  the  arm  is  cut 
off,  but  in  the  resurrection  all  parts  of  the 
bod)"  shall  be  restored  again  ;  therefore  the 
resurrection  is  called  the  time  of  restoring 
all  things.  Acts  iii.  19.  Malchus'  ear  cut, 
restituit. — 2.  Clarity  and  splendour.  The 
bodies  of  the  saints  shall  have  a  graceful 
majesty  in  them;  they  sha'l  belike  Ste- 
phen whose  face  shone  as  if  it  had  been  the 
face  of  an  angel,  Acts  vi.  15.  Nay,  they 
sliall  be  made  like  Christ's  glorious  body, 
Phil.  iii.  21. 

2.  The  bodies  of  the  saints,  when  they 
arise,  shall  be  free  from  the  necessities  of 
nature,  as  hunger  and  thirst,  Rca'.  vii.  16., 
"  They  shall  hunger  no  more."  Moses  on 
the  mount  was  so  filled  with  the  glory  of 
God,  that  he  needed  not  the  recruits  of  na- 
ture. Much  more  in  heaven  shall  the  bo- 
dies of  the  saints,  so  filled  with  God's  glory, 
be  upheld  without  food. 

3.  The  bodies  of  the  saints,  when  they 
arise,  shall  be  swift  and  nimble.  Our  bo- 
dies on  earth  are  dull  and  heavy  in  their 
motion  ;  then  they  shall  be  swift,  and  made 
fit  to  ascend,  as  the  body  of  Elias  in  the 

Now  the  bodv  is  a  clog ;  in  heaven  it 


an*. 


shall  be  a  wing.  We  shall  be  as  the  an- 
gels, Mat  xxii.  30.  And  how  nimble  are 
they  ?  The  angel  Gabriel  in  a  short  time 
came  from  heaven  to  the  earth,  Dan.  ix.  2L 
As  the  helm  turns  the  ship  instantly  wlii- 
ther  the  steersman  will ;  so  the  body  in  an 
instant  will  move  which  way  the  soul  wilL 
4.  Tlie  bodies  of  the  saints,  at  the  resur- 


OF  THE  DAY  OF  JUDGMENT. 


20t 


rcction,  shall  be  very  firm  and  strong, 
1  Cor.  XV.  43.,  "  It  is  raised  in  power." 
Througli  frequent  labour  .and  sickness,  the 
strongest  body  begins  to  languish  :  but  at 
the  resurrection  we  sliall  l)e  of  a  strong 
constitution  ;  then  there  will  be  no  weari- 
ness in  the  body,  nor  faintness  in  the  spi- 
rits. This  may  comfort  you  who  now  con- 
flict with  many  bodily  weaknesses.  This 
weak  body  shall  be  I'aised  in  power ;  the 
body,  which  is  now  a  weak  reed,  shall  be 
like  a  rock. 

5.  The  bodies  of  the  saints  at  the  resur- 
rection shall  be  immortal,   1  Cor.  xv.  53., 


"  This  mortal  must  put  on  immortality  ; 
our  bodies  shall  run  parallel  with  eternity, 
Luke  XX.  3G.,  "  Neither  can  they  die  any 
more."     Heaven  is  an  healthful  climate, — 
I  there  is  no  bill   of  mortality  there.     If  a 
I  physician  could  give  you  a  receipt  to  keep 
you  from  dying,  what  sums  of  money  would 
you  give  ?     At  the  resurrection  Christ  shall 
give  the  saints  such  a  receipt,  Rev.  xxi.  4., 
"  There  shall  be  no  more  death." 
!       II.  The  second  privilege  believers  shall 
have  at  the  resurrection,  is,  They  shall  be 
openly  acquitted  at  the  day  of  judgment. 


OF  THE  DAY  OF  JUDGMENT. 


Quest.  XXXVIII.  JVHA  T  benefits  do  be- 
lievers receive  from  Christ  at  the  resurrection  ? 

Ans.  Their  bodies  shall  be  raised  up  to 
glory,  and  shall  be  openly  acquitted  at  the 
day  of  judgment,  and  crowned  with  the 
full  and  perfect  enjoyment  of  God  to  all  e- 
ternity. 

II.  They  shall  be  openly  acquitted  at  the 
day  of  judijment.  This  is  to  be  laid  down 
for  a  position,  that  there  shall  be  a  day  of 
judgment,  Rom.  xiv.  10.,  "  For  we  shall 
all  stand  before  the  judgment-seat  of  Christ." 
This  is  the  grand  assizes, — the  greatest  ap- 
pearance that  ever  was,  Now  Adam  shall 
see  all  his  posterity  at  once.  We  must  all 
appear ;  the  greatness  of  men's  ])ersons  doth 
not  exempt  them  from  Christ's  tribunal ; 
kings  and  captains  are  brought  in  trembling 
before  tlie  Lamb's  throne,  Rev.  vi.  15.  We 
must  all  appear,  and  appear  in  our  own 
persons,  not  by  a  proxy. 

Quest.  1.  How  doth  it  appear  that  tliere 
shall  be  a  day  of  judgment  ? 

Ans.  Two  ways.  1.  By  the  suffrage  of 
scripture,  Eccl.  xii.  9.  12,  Ik,  "  For  God 
shall  bring  every  work  into  judgment,  with 
every  secret  thing:."  Ps.  xcvi.  13.,  "  For 
he  cometh,  for  he  cometh  to  judge  the  earth." 
The  reduplication  denotes  the  certainty, 
Dan.  vii.  9,  10.,  ''  I  beheld  till  the  thrones 
weie  cast  down,  and  the  Ancient  of  davs 
did  sit,  whose  garment  was  white  as  snow." 
*'  The  judgment  was  set,  and  the  books 
were  opened." — 2.  It  appears  fi'om  the  pet- 


ty sessions  kept  in  a  man's  own  conscience ; 
when  a  man  doth  virtuously,  conscience  doth 
excuse  him,  when  evil,  conscience  doth  ar- 
raign and  condemn  him.  Now,  what  is 
this  private  session  kept  in  the  court  of 
conscience,  but  a  certain  fore-runner  of  that 
general  day  of  judgment  when  all  the  world 
shall  be  summoned  to  God's  tribunal  ? 

Quest.  2.    Why  must  there  be  a  day  of 
judgment  ? 

Ans.  That  there  may  be  a  day  of  retri- 
bution,  ^^■hen  God  may  render  to  e\ery  one 
according  to  his  work.  Things  seem  to  be 
carrie<l  very  unequally  in  the  world  ;  the 
wicked  do  so  prosper  as  if  they  were  re- 
warded for  doing  evil ;  and  the  godly  do  so 
suffer  as  if  they  were  j)unished  for  being 
good.  Therefore  for  the  vindicating  of 
God's  justice,  there  must  be  a  day,  \\  here- 
in tliere  shall  be  a  righteous  distribution 
of  ])unishments  and  rewards  to  men,  ac- 
cording to  their  actions. 

Quest.  3.    JVho  shall  be  judge  ? 

Ans.  The  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  John  v. 
22.,  "  The  Father  hath  committed  all  judg- 
ment to  the  Son."  It  is  an  article  of  our 
creed,  that,  Christ  "shall  come  to  judge  the 
quick  and  the  dead,"  It  is  a  great  honour 
jmt  upon  Christ ;  he  who  was  himself  judg- 
ed, shall  now  be  judge  ;  he  who  once  hung 
upon  the  cross,  shall  sit  upon  the  bench. 
Christ  is  fit  to  be  judge,  as  he  partakes 
both  of  the  manhood  and  (iodhead. 

1.  Of  th  nhood:  being  clothed  with 


208 


OF  THE  DAY  OF  JUDGMENT. 


the  liuman  nature,  lie  may  be  visibly  seen 
of  all.  It  is  requisite  the  judge  sliould  be 
seen,  Rev.  i.  7.,  "  Beliold,  he  cometh  with 
clouds,  and  every  eye  shall  see  him." 

2.  As  he  partakes  of  the  Godhead  :  he 
is  of  infinite  prudence  to  understand  all 
causes  brought  before  him,  and  of  infinite 
power  to  execute  offenders.  He  is  describ- 
ed with  seven  eyes,  Zech.  iii,  9.,  to  denote 
his  prudence ;  and  a  rod  of  iron,  Ps.  ii.,  to 
denote  his  power.  He  is  so  wise  that  he 
cannot  be  deluded;  and  so  strong,  that  he 
cannot  be  resisted. 

Quest.  4.  JV/mi  will  the  court  sit,  when 
will  (he  time  of  judgment  he  ? 

Ans.  For  the  quando,  or  the  time  of  the 
geneial  judgment,  it  is  a  secret  kept  from 
the  angels,  Mat.  xxiv.  36.,  "  Of  that  day 
and  hour  knoweth  no  man,  no  not  the  an- 
gels of  h«!aven."  But  this  is  sure,  it  can- 
not be  far  off;  one  great  sign  of  the  ap- 
proach of  the  day  of  judgment,  is,  *  That 
iniquity  shall  abound,'  Mat.  xxiv.,  sure  then 
this  day  is  near  at  hand,  for  iniquity  did 
never  more  abound  than  in  this  age,  and 
lust  grows  hot,  and  love  grows  cold.  This 
is  certain,  when  the  elect  are  all  converted, 
then  Christ  will  come  to  judgment;  as  he 
that  rows  a  ferry-boat,  stays  till  all  the 
possengers  are  taken  into  his  boat,  and 
then  he  rows  away,  so  Christ  stays  till  all 
the  elect  are  gathered  in,  and  then  ho  will 
hasten  away  to  judgment. 

Quest.  5.  What  shall  he  the  modus  or 
manner  of  trial  ? 

Ans.  1.  The  citing  of  men  to  the  court. 
The  dead  arc  cited  as  well  as  the  li\dng. 
Men,  when  thev  die,  avoid  the  censure  of 
our  law-courts;  but  at  the  last  day,  the 
dead  are  cited  to  God's  tribunal,  Rev.  xx. 
12.,  "  I  saw  the  dead  small  and  great  stand 
before  Ood."  This  citinjr  of  men  will  be 
by  the  sound  of  a  trumpet,  1  Thess.  iv.  IG., 
and  this  trumj)et  will  sound  so  loud,  that 
it  will  raise  men  out  of  iheir  graves.  Mat. 
xxiv.  31.  Such  as  will  not  hear  the  trum- 
pet of  the  gospel  sound  in  their  ears  repent 
and  believe,  shall  hear  the  trumj)et  of  the 
archangel  sounding,  arise  and  he  judged. 

A.  2.  The  approach  of  the  judge  to  the 
bench. 

First,  This  will  be  terrible  to  the  wicked. 
llow  can  a  guilty  prisoner  endui*e  the  sight 


of  the  judge  ?  If  Felix  trembled  when  Paul 
preached  of  judgment.  Acts  xxiv.  25.,  how 
will  sinners  tremble  when  they  shall  see 
Christ  come  to  judgment?  Christ  is  de- 
scribed (sitting  in  judgment)  with  a  fiery 
stream  issuing  from  him,  Dan.  vii.  10. 
Now  the  Lamb  of  God  will  be  turned  into 
a  lion ;  the  sight  of  Christ  will  strike  ter- 
ror into  sinners.  As  when  Joseph  said  to 
his  brethren,  "  I  am  Joseph  whom  ye  sold 
into  Egypt,  they  were  troubled  at  his  pre- 
sence," Gen.  xlv.  4.  :  now,  how  did  their 
hearts  smile  them  for  their  sin  ?  so,  when 
Christ  shall  come  to  judgment,  and  say, 
"  I  am  Jesus  whom  ye  sinned  against, —  I 
am  Jesus  whose  laws  ye  have  broken,  whose 
blood  ye  despised, — I  am  now  come  to  judge 
you,"  O  what  horror  and  amazement  will 
take  hold  of  sinners  !  Tliey  will  be  trou- 
bled at  the  presence  of  their  judge. 

Secondly,  The  approach  of  Christ  to  the 
bench  of  judicature  will  be  comfortable  to 
the  righteous.  1.  Christ  will  come  in  splen- 
dour and  great  glory.  His  first  coming 
in  the  flesh  was  obscure,  Isa.  liii.  2.  He 
was  like  a  prince  in  disguise ;  but  his  se- 
cond coming  will  be  illustrious,  "  he  shall 
come  in  the  glory  of  his  Father,  with  the 
holy  angels,"  Mat.  xvi.  27.  O  what  a 
bright  day  will  that  be,  when  such  a  num- 
ber of  angels,  those  morning-stars,  shall 
appear  in  the  air,  and  Christ  the  Sun  of 
Righteousness  shall  shine  in  splendour  a- 
bove  the  brightest  cherub  !  2.  Christ  will 
come  as  a  friend.  Indeed,  if  the  the  saints' 
judge  were  their  enemy,  they  might  fear 
condemning ;  but  he  who  loves  them,  and 
prayed  for  them,  is  their  judge ;  he  who  is 
their  husband  is  their  judge,  therefore  they 
need  not  fear  but  all  things  shall  go  well  on 
their  side. 

Thirdly,  The  trial  itself,  which  hath  a 
dark  and  a  light  side.  1.  A  dark  side.  It 
will  fall  heavy  on  the  wicked  :  the  judge 
being  set,  the  books  are  opened,  Rev.  xx. 
12., — the  book  of  conscience, — and  the  book 
of  God's  remembrance.  And  now  the  sin- 
ner's charge  being  read,  and  all  their  sins 
laid  open, — their  murder,  drunkenness,  un- 
deanness, — Christ  will  say,  "  Sinners,  what 
can  you  plead  for  yourselves  that  the  sen- 
tence of  death  should  not  pass  ?"  The 
wicked  being  convicted  Avill  be  speechless. 


OF  THE  DAY  OF  JUDGMENT. 


Then  follows?  that  dismal  gcntencc,  Mat. 
XXV.  41.,  lie  mah'dicti, — "  Depart  from  rac, 
ye  cursed,  into  everlasting  fire,  prepared  for 
the  devil  and  his  angels  !"  He  that  said 
to  God,  "  depart  from  me;"  Job  xxi.  14., 
and  to  religion,  "  depart  from  me ;"  must 
now  hear  that  word  pronounced  from  his 
judge,  "  de])art  from  me ;" — a  dreadful 
sentence,  hut  righteous  !  Ps.  li.  4.  The  sin- 
ner himself  shall  cry,  Guilty  !  Though  the 
wicked  have  a  sea  of  wrath,  yet  not  one 
drop  of  injustice.  And  when  once  the  sen- 
tence is  past,  it  is  irreversible,  there  is  no 
appealing  to  an  higher  court.  2.  The  trial 
hath  a  light  side :  it  will  be  for  increasing 
the  joy  and  happiness  of  the  righteous. 
The  day  of  judgment  will  be  a  day  of  jubi- 
lee to  them. 

l.s^.  At  that  day  Christ  their  judge  will 
own  them  by  name.  Those  whom  the 
world  scorned,  and  looked  upon  as  preci- 
sians and  fools,  Christ  will  take  by  the 
hand,  and  openly  acknowledge  them  to  be 
his  favourites.  What  is  Christ's  confess- 
ing of  men,  Luke  xii.  8.,  but  his  openly  ac- 
knowledging them  to  be  precious  in  his 
eyes  ? 

2d.  Christ  as  judge  will  plead  for  them. 
It  is  not  usual  to  be  both  judge  and  advo- 
cate, to  sit  on  the  bench  and  plead :  but 
it  shall  be  so  at  the  day  of  judgment. 

1.  Christ  will  plead  his  own  blood  for  the 
saints.  "  These  persons  I  have  paid  a  price 
for,  they  are  the  travail  of  my  soul ;  they 
have  sinned,  but  my  soul  was  made  an  of- 
fering for  their  sin." 

2.  Christ  will  vindicate  them  from  all 
unjust  censures.  Here  they  were  strange- 
ly misrepresented  to  the  woild,  as  proud, 
hypocritical,  factious  ;  Paul  was  called  a  se- 
ditious man,  the  head  of  a  faction,  Acts 
xxiv.  5. ;  but  at  the  day  of  judgment  Christ 
will  clear  the  saints'  innocency,  then  he  will 
"  bring  forth  their  righteousness  as  the 
light,"  Ps.  xxxvii.  6.  As  he  will  wipe  off 
tears  from  their  eyes,  so  dust  from  their 
name.  Moses,  when  he  was  charged  with 
ambition  that  he  took  too  mut-h  nj)on  him, 
comforted  himself  with  this,  "  To-morrow 
will  the  Lord  shew  who  are  his,"  Numb, 
xvl.  5.  So  may  the  saints,  when  reproach- 
ed, comfort  themselves  with  the  day  of 
■udgmeut;    Uien  will   Christ   say  who  arc  | 


his;   then  shall  the  saints  come  forth  as  tho 
wings  of  a  dove  covered  with  silver. 

3.  Christ  as  judge  will  absolve  them  be- 
fore men  an<l  angels ;  jis  Pilate  said  of  Christ, 
"  I  find  no  fault  in  this  man,"  Luke  xxiii. 
4.,  so  will  Christ  say  of  the  elect,  "  I  find 
no  fault  in  them,  I  j)ronounce  them  righ- 
teous." Then  follows,  "  come  ye  blessed 
of  my  Father,  inherit  the  kingdom,"  Mat. 
XXV.  34.  As  if  Christ  should  say,  "  O  yo 
happy  ones,  the  delight  of  my  soul,  tlie 
fruit  of  my  sufferings,  stand  no  longer  at 
the  bar  !  Ye  are  heii's-apparent  of  the 
crown  of  heaven,  enter  and  take  possession." 
At  the  hearing  of  this  sentence,  with  wliat 
raAnshing  joy  will  the  saints  be  filled? 
This  word,  "  Come,  ye  blessed,"  \\\\\  be 
music  to  their  ear,  and  a  cordial  to  their 
heart. 

4.  Christ  will  mention  before  men  and 
angels  all  the  good  deeds  the  saints  have 
done,  Mat.  xxv.  35.,  "  I  was  an  hungered, 
and  ye  gave  me  meat ;  I  was  thirsty,  and 
ye  gave  me  drink."  You  that  have  wept 
in  secret  for  sin, — that  have  shewn  any 
love  for  Christ's  name, — that  have  been 
rich  in  good  works, — Christ  will  take  no- 
tice of  it  at  the  last  day,  and  say,  "  weU 
done,  good  and  faithful  servants."  Pie 
himself  will  be  the  herald  to  proclaim  youn 
praises;  thus  it  shall  be  done  to  the  mani 
wliom  Christ  deliglits  to  honour. 

5.  Christ  will  call  his  saints  from  the 
bar,  to  sit  upon  the  bench  with  him  to 
judge  the  world,  Jude  14.,  "  Behold  the^ 
Lord  Cometh  with  ten  thousand  of  his 
saints,  to  execute  judgment  upon  all;" 
1  Cor.  vi.  2.,  "  Do  ye  not  know  that  tho 
saints  sliall  judge  the  world?"  The  saints 
shall  sit  with  Christ  in  judicature,  as  jus- 
tices of  peace  with  the  judge, — they  shall 
ap|)hiu(l  Christ's  righteous  sentence  on  the 
wicked,  and,  as  it  were,  vote  with  Christ. 
This,  as  it  is  a  great  honour  to  the  saints, 
.so  it  must  needs  add  to  the  sorrows  of  tho 
wicked,  to  see  those  wliom  they  ojicc  hat- 
ed and  derided,  sit  as  judges  upon  them. 

0.  Ti»e  saints  shall  be  fully  crowned  with, 
the  enjoyment  of  God  for  ever.  They  shall; 
be  in  his  sweet  presence,  "  in  whose  pre- 
sence is  fulness  of  joy,"  Ps.  xvi.  11.;  and 
this  shall  he  for  ever.  The  banner  of  God's 
love  sliall  be  eternally  displayed;  the  joys 

2D 


5iO 


OF  THE  DAY  OF  JUDGMENT. 


of  heaven  are  without  Intermission  and  ex- 
piration, 1  Thess.  iv.  17.,  "  And  so  shall 
we  be  ever  with  tlie  Lord."  I 

Use.  As  it  is  sad  news  to  the  wicked. —  i 
Tliey  shall  "  not  stand  in  judgment,"  Ps. 
i.  5.  Tliey  shall  come  to  judgment,  but 
they  shall  not  stand  in  judgment,  viz.  they 
shall  not  stand  acquitted, — they  shall  not 
stand  with  boldness,  but  sneak  and  hang 
down  their  head,  and  not  be  able  to  look 
their  judge  in  the  face :  so  it  is  great  con- 
solation to  the  godly.  Wlien  the  apostle 
luid  said,  "  The  Lord  shall  descend  from 
lieaA^en  with  a  shout,  with  the  voice  of  the 
arch-angel,  and  the  trump  of  God ;"  he 
presently  adds,  "  Wherefore  comfort  one 
another  with  these  words,"  1  Thess.  iv.  16, 
18. — 1.  The  day  of  judgment  is  comfort, 
in  respect  of  weakness  of  grace.  A  Chris- 
tian is  ready  to  be  troubled,  to  see  his  grace 
w)  niiiiute  and  imperfect ;  but,  at  the  last 
day,  if  Christ  find  but  a  drachm  of  true 
grace,  it  shall  be  accepted.  If  thine  be 
I  rue  gold,  though  it  be  many  grains  too 
light,  Christ  will  put  his  merits  into  the 
scidcs,  and  make  it  pass  current. — 2.  It  is 
a  comfort  to  such  of  the  saints  who  have  met 
with  unrighteous  judgment  in  the  world, — 
who  have  been  wronged  of  their  estates  in 
law-suits,  or  had  their  lives  taken  away  by 
an  unrighteous  sentence, — Christ  will  judge 
things  over  again,  and  will  give  a  righteous 
sentence.  If  your  estates  have  been  taken 
away  wrongfully,  you  shall  be  restored  a 
thousand-fold  at  the  day  of  judgment.  If 
you  have  lost  your  lives  for  Christ,  yet  you 
shall  not  lose  your  crown ;  you  shall  wear 
a  garland  made  of  the  flowers  of  paradise, 
which  fade  not  awav. 

Bra7i(h.  \st.  Meditate  much  upon  the  day 
of  judgment.  Feathers  swim  upon  the  wa- 
ter, but  gold  sinks  into  it;  light  feathery 
Christians  float  in  vanity,  they  mind  not 
the  day  of  judgment,  but  serious  spirits 
iiink  deep  into  the  thoughts  of  it. — 1.  The 
mcditatiim  of  this  last  day  would  make  us 
very  sincere.  ^Vc  would  then  labour  to 
approve  our  hearts  to  God  the  great  judge 
and  umpire  of  the  world.  It  is  easy  to 
carry  it  fair  before  men,  but  there  is  no  dis- 
sembling or  prevaricating  with  God;  he 
Bees  what  the  heart  Ls,  and  will  accordingly 
pass   his    verdict. — 2.    The    meditation    of 


Christ's  coming  to  judge  ns,  would  keep 
us  from  judging  our  brethren.  We  are  apt 
to  judge  others  as  to  their  final  state ;  which 
is  for  men  to  step  into  Christ's  place,  and 
take  his  work  out  of  his  hand,  James  iv. 
12.,  "  Who  art  thou  that  judgest  another  ?" 
Thou  that  passest  a  rash  sentence  upon  an- 
other, thou  must  come  thyself  shortly  to 
be  judged,  and  then  perhaps  he  may  be  ac- 
quitted, and  thou  condemned. 

Brandt  2d.  So  demean  and  carry  your- 
selves, that,  at  the  day  of  judgment,  you  may 
be  sure  to  be  acquitted,  and  have  those  glo- 
rious privileges  the  saints  shall  be  crowned 
with. 

Quest.  How  is  that  ? 

Ans.  1.  If  you  would  stand  acquitted  at 
the  day  of  judgment,  then,  \st.  Labour  to 
get  into  Christ.  Phil.  iii.  9.,  '•  Tliat  I 
may  be  found  in  him."  Faith  implants  us 
into  Christ, — it  engarrisons  us  in  him,  and 
then  "  there's  no  condemnation,"  Rom. 
viii.  L  There's  no  standing  before  Christ, 
but  by  being  in  Christ.  2dly,  Labour  for 
humility.  It  is  a  kind  of  self-annihilation, 
2  Cor.  xii.  11.,  "  Though  I  be  nothing." 
Christian,  hast  thou  parts  and  abilities,  and 
dost  thou  coA'cr  them  with  the  vail  of  hu- 
mility ?  as  Moses,  when  his  face  shone,  put 
a  veil  over  it.  If  thou  art  humble,  thou 
shalt  be  acquitted  at  the  day  of  judgment. 
Job  xxii.  29.,  "  He  shall  s.ave  the  humble 
person."  An  humble  man  judgeth  himself 
for  his  sins,  and  Christ  will  acquit  them 
who  judge  themselves. 

A.  2.  If  you  would  stand  acquitted  at  the 
last  day,  then  keep  a  clear  conscience.  Do 
not  load  yourselves  with  guilt,  and  farnish 
your  judge  with  matter  against  you.  "  The 
Lord,"  saith  Paul,  "  hath  appointed  a  day 
in  which  he  will  judge  the  world,"  Acts 
xvii.  31.  And  how  would  Paul  fit  himself 
for  that  day  ?  Acts  xxiv,  IG.,  "  Herein  1 
exercise  myself  to  have  always  a  conscience 
void  of  oftcnce,  towards  God  and  towards 
man."  Be  careful  of  the  first  and  second 
table  ;  be  holy  and  just.  Have  hearts  with- 
out false  aims,  and  hands  without  false 
weights.  Keep  conscience  as  clear  as  your 
eye,  that  no  dust  of  sin  fall  into  it.  They 
that  sin  against  conscience,  \v\\\  be  shy  of 
their  judge:  such  as  take  in  prohibited  goods, 
cannot  endure  to  see  the  searchers  that  ai"e 


OF  OBEDIENCE  TO  GOD'S  REVEALED  WILL. 


211 


Rppointed  to  open  their  packs.  Christian, 
thy  pack  will  be  opened  at  the  last  day, — 
I  mean,  thy  conscience ;  and  Christ  is  the 
searclier,  to  see  what  sins,  what  prohibited 
goods  thou  liast  taken  in ;  and  tlien  he  pro- 
ceeds to  judgment.  O  be  sure  to  keep  a 
good  conscience ;  this  is  the  best  way  to 
stand  with  boldness  at  the  day  of  judgment ! 
The  voice  of  conscience  is  the  voice  of  God ; 
if  conscience  doth  upon  just  grounds,  ac- 
quit us,  God  will  acquit  us,  1  John  iii.  21., 
"  If  our  heart  condemn  us  not,  then  liave 
we  confidence  toward  God." 

A.  3.  If  you  would  stand  acquitted  at  the 
last  day,  then  trade  your  talents  for  God's 
glory;  lay  out  yourselves  for  God,  honour 
him  with  your  substance ;  relieve  Christ's 
members ;  this  is  the  way  to  be  acquitted. 
He  that  had  five  talents  traded  with  them, 


and  made  them  five  talents  more,  "his  lord 
said  unto  him,  well  done  good  and  faithful 
servant,"  INIat.  xxv.  21. 

A.  4.  If  you  would  stand  acquitted  at  the 
day  of  judgment,  get  an  entire  love  to  the 
saints,  1  John  iii.  14.,  "  We  know  we  are 
passed  from  death  to  life,"  &c.  Love  is  the 
{ truest  touch-stone  of  sincerity.  To  love 
grace  for  grace,  shows  the  Spirit  of  God  to 
be  in  a  man.  Doth  conscience  witness  for 
you  ?  Are  you  perfumed  with  this  swjct 
spice  of  love  ?  Do  you  delight  most  in  those 
in  whom  tlic  image  of  God  shines?  Do  you 
reverence  their  graces  ?  Do  you  bear  with 
their  infirmities  ?  A  blessed  evidence  that 
you  shall  be  acquitted  in  the  day  of  judg- 
ment. "  We  know  that  we  have  passed 
from  death  to  life,  because  we  love  the 
brethren." 


OF  OBEDIENCE  TO  GOD'S  REVEALED  WILL. 

Deut.  xxvii.  9,  10.  Take  heed  and  hearken^  O  Israel,  this  day  thou  art  become  the  people  of 
the  Lord  thy  God ;  thou  shalt  therefore  obey  the  voice  of  the  Lord  thy  God,  and  do  his 
commandments. 


Quest.  XXXIX.  WHAT  is  the  duty  that 
God  requirelh  of  man  ? 

Axs.  Obedience  to  his  revealed  will. 

It  is  not  enough  to  hear  God's  voice,  but 
we  must  obey.  Obedience  is  a  part  of  that 
honour  we  owe  to  God,  Mai.  i.  6.,  "  If  I  be 
a  Father,  where  is  my  honour  ?"  Obedi- 
ence carries  in  it  the  life-blood  of  religion. 
"  Obey  the  voice  of  the  Lord  God,  and  do 
his  commandments."  Obedience  without 
knowledge  is  blind,  and  knowledge  Avithout 
obedience  is  lame.  Rachel  was  fair  to  look 
upon,  but,  being  barren,  said,  "  Give  me 
children,  or  I  die  :"  so,  if  knowledge  dotli 
not  bring  forth  the  child  of  obedience,  it 
will  die,  1  Sam.  xv.  22.,  "  To  o])ey  is  bet- 
ter than  sacrifice."  Saul  thought  it  w;is 
enough  for  him  to  offer  sacrifices,  though 
he  disobeyed  God's  command  :  no,  "  to  obey 
is  better  than  sacrifice."  God  disclaims 
sacrifice,  if  obedience  be  wanting,  Jer.  vii. 
82.,  "  I  spake  not  to  your  fathers  concern- 
ing burnt-offerings,  but  this  thing  com- 
manded I  them,  saying,  obey  my  voice." 
INot  but  that  God  did  enjoin  those  religious 


rites  of  worship  ;  but  the  meaning  is,  God 
looked  chiefly  at  obedience,  without  which, 
sacrifice  was  but  devout  folly.  The  end 
why  God  hath  given  us  his  laws,  is  obedi- 
ence, Lev.  xviii.  4.,  "  Ye  .shall  do  my  judg- 
ments, and  keep  my  ordinances."  Why 
doth  a  king  publish  an  edict,  but  that  it 
may  be  observed  ? 

Quest.  1.  What  is  the  ride  of  obedience  ? 

Ans.  The  written  word ;  that  is  proper 
obedience  which  the  word  requires  ;  our  o- 
bedicnce  must  correspond  with  the  word, 
as  the  copy  with  the  original.  To  seem  to 
be  zealous,  if  it  be  not  according  to  the 
word,  is  not  obedience,  but  will-worship. 
Popish  traditions,  which  have  no  footing  in 
the  word,  are  abominable ;  and  God  will 
say,  Qi/is  qua:sivit  hacc  ?  "  Who  hatli  re- 
quired this  at  your  hand  ?"  Isa.  i.  12.  The 
apostle  condemns  the  worshipping  of  an- 
gels, which  had  a  show  of  humility.  Col. 
ii.  18.  The  Jews  might  say  they  were  loath 
to  be  so  bold  as  to  go  to  God  in  their  own 
persons, — they  would  1>e  more  humble,  and 
prostrate  themselves  before  the  angels,  and 


212 


OF  OBEDIENCE  TO  GOD'S  REVEALED  WILL. 


desire  tliem  to  present  tlieir  petitions  to 
God  :  this  sliow  of  humility  was  lutteful  to 
God,  l)ecause  there  was  no  word  to  warrant 
it. 

Quest.  2.  Jlliat  are  the  rigid  ingredietits 
in  our  obedience  to  make  it  acceptable  ?  How 
must  it  be  qualified  ? 

Arm.  \.  Obedience  must  be  cum  animi 
prolubio, — free  and  clieerful,  else  it  is  pe- 
nance, not  sacrifice,  Isa.  i.  19.,  "  If  ye  be 
willing  and  obedient."  Though  we  serve 
God  with  weakness,  let  it  be  with  willing- 
ness. You  love  to  see  your  servants  go 
clieerfully  about  your  work.  Under  the 
law,  God  would  have  "  a  free-will  offering," 
Deut.  xvi.  10.  Hypocrites  obey  God  grudg- 
ingly, and  against  their  will ;  they  do  J'a- 
cere  bomun,  but  not  velle.  Cain  brought 
his  sacrifice,  but  not  his  heart.  'Tis  a  true 
rule,  Quic(/uid  cor  nonjacit,  non  fd^ — '  what 
the  heart  doth  not  do,  is  not  done.*  Wil- 
lingness is  the  soul  of  obedience  ;  God  some- 
times accepts  of  willingness  without  the 
work,  but  never  of  the  work  without  will- 
ingness. Cheerfulness  shews  that  there  is 
love  in  the  duty;  and  love  doth  to  our  ser- 
vices, as  the  sun  doth  to  the  fruit,  mellow 
and  ripen  them,  and  make  them  come  off 
with  a  better  relish. 

A.  2.  Obedience  must  be  devout  and  fer- 
vent, Rom.  xii.  11.,  "Fervent  in  spirit," 
&c.  Quce  cbullit  prce  nrdore — it  alludes  to 
water  that  boils  over — so  the  heart  must 
boil  over  with  hot  affections  in  the  service 
ot  Ciod.  The  glorious  angels — who,  for  their 
burning  in  fervour  and  devotion,  are  called 
Serapliims — these  God  chooseth  to  serve  him 
in  heaven.  Tlie  snail  under  the  law  was 
unclean,  because  a  dull  slothful  creature  : 
obedience  without  fervency  is  like  a  sacri- 
fice without  fire.  AVjiy  should  not  our  o- 
bedience  be  lively  and  fervent?  God  de- 
serves the  flower  and  strength  of  our  affec- 
tions. Domitian  would  not  have  his  statue 
carved  in  wood  or  iron,  but  in  gold  :  lively 
affections  make  golden  services.  It  is  fer- 
vency makes  obedience  acceptable.  Elijah 
was  fervent  in  spirit,  and  his  prayer  opened 
and  shut  heaven  ;  and  again  he  j)raved,  and 
fire  fell  on  his  enemies,  2  Kings  i.  10.  Eli- 
jah's prayer  fetched  fire  from  heaven,  be- 
cause, being  fervent,  it  carried  fire  up  to  hea- 
ven :  quicquid  decorum  ex  fide  proficitar,  Aug. 


A.  3.  Obedience  must  be  extensive, — it 
must    reach   to  all   God's    commands,   Ps 
cxix.  6.,   "  Then  shall   I  not  be  ashamed» 
{or,  as  it  is  in  the  Hebrew,  lo  eliosh,  blush) 
when  I  have  respect  to  all  thy  command- 
ments."     Quicquid  propter  Deum  fit  cequuli- 
ter  fit.     There  is  a  stamp  of  divine  authori- 
ty upon  all  (iod's  commands;  and,  if  I  obey 
one  precept  because  God  commands,  I  must 
obey  all.     True  obedience  runs  through  all 
duties  of  religion,  as  the  blood  through  all 
the  veins,  or  the  sun  through  all  the  signs 
of  the   zodiac.     A  good   Christian   makeji 
gospel-piety   and    moral   equity   kiss   each 
other.     Herein  some  discover  their  hypo- 
crisy,  they  will  obey  God  in  some  things 
which  are  more  facile,  and  may  raise  their 
repute,  but  other  things  they  leave  undone,. 
Mark  x.  21.,  "  One  thing  thou  lackest," — 
unum  deest.     Herod  would  hear  John  Bap- 
tist, but  not  leave  liis  incest ;  some  will  pray, 
but  not  give  alms;   otliers  will  give  alms, 
but  not  ])ray.  Mat.  xxiii.  23.,  "  Ye  pay  tithe 
of  mint  and  annise,  and  lune  neglected  the 
weightier   matters  of  the   law,  judgment, 
mercy  and  faith."     The   badger  hath  one 
foot  shorter  than  the  other :   so  these  are 
sliorter  in  some  duties  than  in  others.     God 
likes  not  such  partial  servants,  that  will  do 
some  part  of  the  work  he  sets  them  about, 
and  leave  the  other  undone. 

A.  4.  Obedience  must  be  sincere,  viz. 
We  must  aim  at  the  glory  of  God  in  it. 
Finis  specificat  actionem^ — in  religion  the 
end  is  all.  The  end  of  our  obedience  must 
not  be  to  stop  the  mouth  of  conscience,  or 
to  gain  applause  or  preferment,  but  that  we 
may  gi'ow  more  like  God,  and  bring  more 
glory  to  God,  1  Cor.  x.  31.,  "  Do  all  to  the 
glory  of  God."  That  which  hath  sjioiled 
many  glorious  actions,  and  made  them  hjse 
their  reward,  is,  when  men's  aims  have  been 
wrong ;  the  Pharisees  gave  alms,  but  blew 
a  trumpet  that  they  might  have  glory  of 
men.  Mat.  vi.  2.,  alms  should  shine,  but  not 
blaze.  Jehu  did  well  in  destroying  the 
Baal-worshippers,  and  God  commended  him 
for  it ;  but,  because  his  aims  were  not  good, 
(he  aimed  at  settling  himself  in  the  king- 
dom,) therefore  God  looked  upon  it  as  no 
better  than  murder,  IIos.  i.  4.,  "  I  will  a- 
vcnge  the  blood  of  Jezreel  upon  the  house 
of  Jehu."     O  let  us  look  to  our  ends  in  o- 


OF  OBEDIENCE  TO  GODS  REVEALED  WILL. 


213 


bedicncc !  It  is  possible  tlie  .iction  may  be 
right,  and  not  tlie  heart,  2  Chron.  xxv.  2., 
"  Joash  did  tliat  which  was  riglit  in  the 
siglit  of  tlie  Lord,"  but  not  with  a  perfect 
heart.  Two  things  are  chiefly  to  be  eyed 
in  obedience,  the  principle  and  the  end :  a 
child  of  God  though  he  shoots  short  iu  his 
obedience  yet  he  takes  a  right  aim. 

A.  5.  Obedience  must  be  in  and  through 
Christ,  Eph.  i.  6.,  "  He  made  us  accepted 
in  the  beloA'ed."  Not  our  obedience,  but 
Christ's  merits,  procure  acceptance;  we 
must,  in  every  part  of  worship  tender  up 
Christ  to  God  in  the  arms  of  our  faith  ;  un- 
less we  serve  God  thus,  in  hope  and  con- 
fidence of  Christ's  merits,  we  Co  rather  pro- 
voke God,  tliJin  please  him.  As,  when 
king  Uzziah  would  offer  incense  without 
a  priest,  God  was  angry  with  him,  and 
struck  him  with  lej)rosy,  2  Chron.  xxvi. 
16.,  so  when  we  do  not  come  to  God  in 
and  through  Christ,  we  offer  up  incense  to 
God  without  a  priest ;  and  what  can  we  ex- 
pect but  severe  rebukes? 

A.  6.  Obedience  must  be  constant,  Ps. 
cvi.  3.,  "  Blessed  is  he  who  doth  righteous- 
ness at  all  times."  True  obedience  is  not 
like  an  high  colour  in  a  fit,  but  it  is  a  right 
sanguine;  it  is  like  the  fire  on  the  altar, 
which  was  always  kept  burning,  Lev.  vi. 
13.  Hypocrites'  obedience  is  but  for  a  sea- 
son ;  it  is  like  plastering  work,  which  is 
soon  washed  off";  but  true  obedience  is  con- 
stant; thougli  we  meet  with  affliction,  we 
must  go  on  iu  our  obedience.  Job  xvii.  9., 
"  The  righteous  shall  hold  on  his  way." 
We  have  vowed  constancy  ;  we  have  vow- 
ed to  renounce  the  pomp  and  vanities  of 
the  world,  and  to  fight  under  Christ's  ban- 
ner to  death.  When  a  servant  hath  en- 
tered into  covenant  with  his  master,  and 
the  indentures  are  sealed,  then  he  cannot 
go  back,  he  must  serve  out  his  time :  there 
are  indentures  drawn  in  baptism,  and  in 
the  Lord's  supper  the  indentures  are  re- 
newed and  sealed  on  our  ])art,  that  we  will 
be  faithful  and  constant  in  our  obedience, 
therefore  we  mast  imitate  Christ,  who  be- 
came obedient  to  the  death,  Phil.  ii.  8. 
The  crown  is  set  upon  the  head  of  perse- 
verance, Rev.  ii.  26,  28.,  "  He  that  keeps  my 
words  unto  the  end,  to  him  will  I  give" 
**  th3  moriiing  star." 


Use  l.sY.  This  indicts  such  who  live  in  a 
contradiction  to  this  text :  they  have  cast 
off"  the  yoke  of  obedience,  Jer.  xliv.  16., 
"  As  for  the  word  which  thou  hast  spoken 
to  us  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  we  will  not 
hearken  unto  thee."  God  bids  men  pray 
in  their  family, — they  live  in  the  total  ne- 
glect of  it :  he  bids  them  sanctify  the  sab- 
bath,— they  follow  their  pleasures  on  that 
day  :  God  bids  them  abstain  from  the  ajH 
pearance  of  sin, — they  do  not  abstain  from 
the  act,  they  live  in  the  act  of  revenge, 
in  the  act  of  uncleanness.  This  is  an  hio^h 
contempt  of  God  ;  it  is  rebellion,  and  rebel- 
lion is  as  the  sin  of  witchcraft. 

Quest.  IV hence  is  it  that  men  do  not  obey 
God  ?     They  knoiv  their  duly  yet  do  it  not  ? 

Ans.  1.  The  not  obeying  of  God  is  for 
want  of  faith,  Isa.  liii.  1.,  Qjiis  credidet? 
"Who  hath  believed  our  report?"  Did 
men  believe  sin  were  so  bitter  that  hell  fol- 
lowed at  the  heels  of  it,  would  they  go  on 
in  sin  ?  Did  they  believe  there  were  such 
a  I'eward  for  the  righteous  that  jjodliness 
were  gain,  would  they  not  j)ursue  it  ?  But 
they  are  atheists,  not  fully  captivated  into 
the  belief  of  these  things;  hence  it  is  they 
obey  not.  This  is  Satan's  master-piece, — 
his  draw-net  by  which  he  drags  millions 
to  hell,  by  kee|)ing  them  in  infidelity  ;  he 
knows,  if  he  can  but  keep  them  from  be- 
lieving the  truth,  he  is  sure  to  keep  them 
from  obevinir  it. 

A.  2.  The  not  obeying  God  is  for  want 
of  self-denial.  God  commands  one  thing, 
and  men's  lusts  command  another,  and  they 
will  rather  die  than  deny  their  lusts;  now, 
if  lust  cannot  be  denied,  God  cannot  be 
obeyed. 

Use  2d.  Obey  God's  voice.  This  is  the 
beauty  of  a  Christian. 

Quest.  IVhat  are  the  great  arguments  or 
incentives  to  obedience  ? 

Ans.  1.  Obedience  makes  us  precious  tc 
God ;  we  shall  be  his  favourites,  Exod.  xix. 
5.,  "  If  ye  will  obey  my  voice,  ye  shall  be 
a  peculiar  treasure  to  me  above  all  people;" 
you  shall  be  my  portion,  my  jewels,  tne 
apple  of  mine  eye,  "  I  will  give  Egypt  for 
thy  ransom,"  Isa.  xliii.  3. 

A.  2.  There  is  nothing  lost  by  obedience. 
To  obey  God's  will  is  the  way  to  have  our 
will.     1.  Would  we  have  a  bles.siug  in  oiu 


214 


OF  OBEDIENCE  TO  GOD'S  REVEALED  WILL. 


estates,  let  us  obey,  Deut.  xxviii.  1,  3.,  "  If 
thou  shalt  hearken  to  the  voice  of  the  Lord, 
to  do  all  his  commandments,  blessed  shalt 
thou  be  in  the  field :  blessed  shall  be  thy 
basket  and  thy  store."  To  obey,  is  the 
best  way  to  thrive  in  our  estates. — 2.  Would 
we  have  a  blessing  in  our  souls,  let  us  obey, 
Jer.  vii.  23.,  "  Obey  my  voice,  and  I  will 
be  your  God."  My  Spirit  shall  be  your 
guide,  sanctifier,  and  comforter,  Heb.  v.  9., 
"  Christ  became  the  author  of  eternal  sal- 
vation to  all  them  that  obey  him."  While 
we  please  God,  we  please  ourselves ;  while 
we  give  him  the  duty,  he  gives  us  the  dow- 
ry. We  are  apt  to  say,  as  Amaziah, 
2  Chron.  xxv.  9.,  "  What  shall  we  do  for 
the  hundred  talents?"  You  see  you  lose 
nothing  by  obeying ;  the  obedient  son  hath 
the  inheritance  settled  on  him.  Obey,  and 
you  shall  have  a  kingdom,  Luke  xii.  32., 
"  It  is  your  Father's  good  pleasure  to  give 
you  the  kingdom." 

Use  3d.  Wliat  a  sin  disobedience  is  !  1st, 
It  is  an  irrational  sin.  (1.)  We  are  not 
able  to  stand  it  out  in  defiance  against  God, 
1  Cor.  X.  22.,  "  Are  we  stronger  than  he  ?" 
Will  the  sinner  go  to  measure  arms  with 
God?  He  is  the  Father  Almighty,  who 
can  command  legions :  if  we  have  no 
strength  to  resist  him,  it  is  irrational  to  dis- 
obey him.  (2.)  It  is  irrational,  as  it  is  a- 
gainst  all  law  and  equity :  we  have  our 
daily  subsistence  from  God ;  in  him  we  live 
and  move,  is  it  not  equal,  that  as  we  live 
by  him,  we  should  live  to  him  ?  that  as  God 
gives  us  our  allowance,  so  we  should  give 
him  our  allegiance  ? 

2dli/,  It  is  a  destructive  sin,  2  Thess.  i. 
7,  8.,  "  The  Lord  Jesus  shall  be  revealed 
from  heaven  with  his  mighty  angels,  in 
flaming  fire,  taking  vengeance  on  them 
that  obey  not  the  gospel."  He  who  refus- 
eth  to  obey  God's  will  in  commanding,  shall 
be  sure  to  obey  his  will  in  punishing.  The 
sinner,  while  he  thinks  to  slip  the  knot  of 
obedience  twists  the  cord  of  his  own  dam- 
nation ;  he  pcrishetli  without  excuse ;  he 
hath  no  plea  or  apology  to  make  for  him- 
self, Luke  xii.  47.,  "  Tiie  servant  wliich 
knew  his  lord's  will,  but  did  it  not,  shall 
be  beaten  with  many  stripes."     God  will 


say  why  did  you  not  obey?  You  knew 
how  to  do  good,  but  did  it  not ;  therefore 
your  blood  is  upon  your  own  head. 

Quest.  What  means  shall  tve  use  that  tm 
may  obey  ? 

Ans.  1.  Serious  consideration.  Consider, 
God's  commands  are  not  grievous :  he  com- 
mands nothing  unreasonable,  1  John  v.  3. 
It  is  easier  to  obey  the  commands  of  God 
than  sin ;  the  commands  of  sin  are  bur- 
thensome ;  let  a  man  be  under  the  power 
of  any  lust,  how  doth  he  tire  himself? 
What  hazards  doth  he  run,  even  to  the  en- 
dangering of  his  health  and  soul,  that  he 
may  satisfy  his  lusts?  What  tedious  jour- 
nies  did  Antiochus  Epiphanes  take  in  per- 
secuting the  Jews?  Jer.  ix.  5.,  "  They 
weary  themselves  to  commit  iniquity ;"  and 
are  not  God's  commands  more  easy  to  obey  ? 
Chrysostod  saith,  virtue  is  easier  than  vice, 
temperance  is  less  burdensome  than  diunk- 
enness.  Some  have  gone  with  less  pains 
to  heaven,  than  others  have  to  hell. — Con- 
sideration 2.   God  commands  nothing  but 


what  is  beneficial,   Deut.  x.   12,   13. 


(( 


o 


Israel,  what  doth  the  Lord  require  of  thee, 
but  to  fear  the  Lord  thy  God,  and  to  keep 
his  statutes,  which  I  command  thee  this 
day,  for  thy  good  ?"  To  obey  God,  is  not 
so  much  our  duty  as  our  privilege;  his 
commands  carry  meat  in  the  mouth  of  them. 
He  bids  us  repent :  and  why  ?  that  our  sins 
may  be  blotted  out.  Acts  iii.  19.  He  com- 
mands us  to  believe:  and  why?  that  we 
may  be  saved,  Acts  xvi.  31.  There  is  love 
in  every  command :  as  if  a  kiisg  should  bid 
one  of  his  subjects  dig  in  a  gold  mine,  then 
take  tlie  gold  to  himself. 

A.  2.  Earnest  supplication.  Im])lore  the 
help  of  the  Spirit  to  carry  us  on  in  obedi- 
ence :  God's  Spirit  makes  obedience  easy 
and  delightful.  If  the  load-stone  draw  the 
iron,  now  it  is  not  hard  for  the  iron  to  move : 
if  God's  Spirit  quicken  and  draw  the  heart, 
now  it  is  not  hard  to  obey.  When  a  gale 
of  the  Spirit  blows,  now  we  go  full  sail  in 
obedience.  Turn  that  promise  into  a  prayer, 
Ezek.  xxxvi.  27.,  "  I  will  put  my  Spirit 
within  you,  and  cause  you  to  walk  in  my 
statutes."  The  promise  encourageth  us, — 
the  Spirit  enables  us  ^o  obedience. 


OF  LOVE. 


215 


OF  LOVE. 


THE  rule  of  obedience  being  the  moral 
law,  comprehended  in  the  Ten  Command- 
ments, the  next  question  is, 

Quest.  XL  1 1.  JVhat  is  the  su7n  of  the 
Ten  Commandments  ? 

Ans.  The  sum  of  the  Ten  Command- 
ments is,  to  love  the  lord  our  God  with 
all  oiu*  heart,  with  all  our  soul,  with  all 
our  strength,  and  ^^'ith  all  oiu*  mind,  and 
our  neighbour  as  ourselves. 

Deut.  vi.  5.,  "  Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord 
thy  God,  with  all  thy  heart,  and  \\nth  all 
thy  soul,  and  with  all  thy  might."  The 
dut}^  called  for  is  love,  yea,  the  strength  of 
love,  "  with  all  thy  heart :"  God  will  lose 
none  of  our  love.  Love  is  the  soul  of  reli- 
gion, and  that  which  goes  to  the  right  con- 
stituting a  Christian  ;  love  is  the  (jueen  of 
the  graces  ;  it  shines  and  spaikles  in  God's 
eye,  as  the  precious  stones  did  on  the 
breast-plate  of  Aaron. 

Quest.   L   JVhat  is  love  ? 

Ans.  It  is  an  holy  fire  kindled  in  the  af- 
fections, whereby  a  Christian  is  carried  out 
strongly  after  God  as  the  Supreme  Good. 

Quest.  2.  Wliat  is  the  anteccdeyit  of  love 
to  God? 

Ans.  The  antecedent  of  love  is  know- 
ledge :  the  Spirit  shines  upon  the  under- 
standing, and  discovers  these  orient  beau- 
ties in  God, — his  wisdom,  holiness,  mercy, 
— and  these  are  the  lenocinium,  the  load- 
stone to  entice  and  draw  out  love  to  God. 
Jgnoti  nidla  cupido^ — such  as  know  not  God 
cannot  love  him ;  if  the  sun  be  set  in  the 
understanding,  there  must  needs  be  night 
in  the  aflFcctions. 

Quest.  3.  Wherein  doth  the  formal  nor- 
ture  of  love  consist  ? 

Ans.  The  nature  of  love  is  in  delighting 
in  the  object :  ComptaccJitia  amantis  in  amn- 
to,  Age  IN.  This  is  our  loving  God,  our 
taking  dilight  in  him,  Ps.  xxxvii.  4.,  "  De- 
light thyself  also  in  the  Lord;"  as  a  bride 
delights  herself  in  her  jewels.  Grace  chan- 
geth  a  Christian's  aims  and  delights. 

Quest.  4.  How  must  our  love  to  God  be 
q>udfitd? 


Ans.  I.  If  it  be  a  sincere  love,  we  must 
love  God  with  all  our  heart :  in  the  text, 
"  Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  [Heb. 
J^ecol  leuauca']  with  pU  thy  heart."  God 
will  have  the  whole  hem-t ;  we  must  not  di- 
vide our  love  between  God  and  sin  ;  the 
true  mother  would  not  have  the  child  di- 
A-ided,  nor  will  God  have  the  heart  divided  ; 
it  must  be  the  whole  heart. 

A.  2.  We  must  love  God  propter  se, — 
for  liimself,  for  his  own  intrinsic  excellen- 
cies ;  we  must  love  him  for  his  loveliness. 
Meretricitcs  est  amor  plus  annulum  quam 
sponsum  amare  ;  "  It  is  an  harlot's  love,  to 
love  the  portion  more  than  the  person." 
Hypocrites  Ioac  God  because  he  gives  them 
corn  and  wine  :  we  must  love  God  for  him- 
self, for  those  shining  perfections  which  are 
in  him.     Gold  is  loved  for  itself 

//.  3.  We  must  love  God  with  all  oui 
miglit  (in  the  Hebrew  text  our  vehemency). 
We  must  love  God,  quoad  posse, — as  much 
as  we  arc  able.  Christians  should  be  like 
seraphims  burning  in  holy  love ;  we  can 
never  love  God  so  much  as  he  deserves  ; 
the  angels  in  heaven  cannot  love  God  so 
much  as  he  deserves. 

yl.  4.  Love  to  God  must  be  active  in  its 
sphere  ;  love  is  an  industrious  affection,  it 
sets  the  head  a-studying  for  God, — hands 
a-\A<)rkiiig, — feet  a-running  in  tlu;  ways  of 
his  commandments, — it  is  called  "  the  la- 
bour of  love,"  1  Thess.  i.  3.  Mary  Magda* 
leiie  loved  Christ,  and  ])oured  her  oint- 
ments on  him.  We  think  Ave  never  do  e- 
nough  for  the  person  whom  we  love. 

A.  5.  Love  to  God  must  be  superlative. 
God  is  the  quintessence  of  beauty,  a  whole 
paradise  of  delight ;  and  he  nnist  have  a 
priority  in  our  love.  Our  love  to  (Jod 
must  be  above  all  things  besides,  a.s  the  oil 
swims  above  the  water  ;  avc  must  love  God 
above  estate,  relations.  Great  is  the  love  to 
relations  :  there  is  a  story  in  the  French 
Academy,  of  a  daughter,  who,  when  her 
father  was  condemned  to  die  by  hunger, 
gave  him  suck  with  her  own  breasts.  But 
our  love  to  God  must  be  above  father  and 


2ir> 


OF  LOVE. 


mother,  Mat.  x.  37.  We  may  ^ve  the  crea- 
ture the  milk  of  our  love,  God  must  have 
the  cream  ;  the  spouse  keeps  the  juice  of  her 
pomegranates  for  Christ,  Cant.  viii.  2. 

y/.  ().  Our  love  to  Cod  must  he  constant, 
like  the  fire  the  Vestal  virgins  kept  in 
Rome,  which  did  not  go  out.  Love  must 
he  like  the  motion  of  the  pulse,  it  heats  as 
long  as  there  is  life.  Cant.  viii.  7.,  "  Many 
waters  cannot  quench  love  ;"  not  tlie  wa- 
ters of  persecution.  Ej)h.  iii.  17.,  "  Rooted 
in  love."  A  hranch  withers  that  doth  not 
grow  on  a  root ;  that  love  may  not  die, 
it  must  be  well  rooted. 

Quest.  5.    What  are  the  visible  signs  of 
our  love  to  God  ? 

Ana.  \.  If  we  love  God,  then  our  desire 
i^  after  him,  Isa.  xxvi  8.,  "  The  desire  of 
our  soul  is  to  thy  name."  He  who  loves 
Ciod,  breathes  after  communion  with  him, 
Ps.  xlii.  2.,  "  My  soul  thirsteth  for  the 
living  God."  Persons  in  love  desire  to  be 
often  conferring  together;  he  who  loves 
God,  desires  to  be  much  in  his  presence; 
lie  loves  the  ordinances,  they  are  the  glass 
where  tlie  glory  of  God  is  resplendent :  in 
the  ordinances  we  meet  with  him  whom 
our  souls  love,  we  have  God's  smiles  and 
whispers,  and  some  foretastes  of  heaven. 
Sucli  as  have  no  desire  after  ordinances, 
liave  no  love  to  God. 

A.  2.  The  second  Aisible  sign  :  lie  who 
loves  God  cannot  take  contentment  in  any 
thing  without  him.  An  hypocrite  who  pre- 
tends to  love  God,  give  him  but  corn  and 
wine,  and  he  can  be  content  A^nthout  God : 
but  a  soul  fired  with  love  to  God,  cannot 
be  without  him ;  lovers  faint  away,  if  they 
have  not  a  sight  of  the  object  loved.  A 
gracious  soul  can  want  health,  but  not 
want  God,  who  is  the  health  of  his  counte- 
nance, Ps.  xliii.  5.  If  God  should  say  to  a 
soul  that  entirely  loves  him,  'take  tbv  ease, 
smm  in  pleasure,  solace  thyself  in  the  de- 
lights of  the  worUl,  but  thou  slialt  not 
enjoy  my  presence,' — this  would  not  con- 
tent the  soul.  Nay,  if  (jod  should  say,  '  I 
wUl  let  thee  be  taken  u])  to  heaven,  but  I 
will  retire  into  a  withdrawiiig-rcMtm.  and 
thou  shalt  not  see  my  face,' — this  would 
not  content  the  soul,  it  is  an  hdl  to  want 
God.  The  ])hilosopher  saith  there  can  be 
no  gold  witlu)ut  the  influence  of  the  sun : 


there  can  be  no  golden  joy  in  the  soul  with- 
out God's  sweet  presence  and  influence. 

A.  3.  The  third  visible  sign :  he  who 
loves  God,  hates  that  which  would  separate 
between  him  and  God,  and  that  is  sin 
Sin  makes  God  hide  his  face  ;  it  is  like  an 
incendiary  which  parts  chief  friends  ;  tliere- 
fore  the  keenness  of  a  Christian's  hatred  is 
set  against  sin,  Ps.  cxix.  128.,  "  I  hate 
every  false  way."  Antipathies  can  never 
be  reconciled;  one  cannot  love  health  but 
he  must  hate  poison  ;  so  we  cannot  Ioa'c 
God  but  we  must  hate  sin,  wliich  would 
destroy  our  communion  with  him. 

A.  4.  The  fourth  visible  sign  is  sympa- 
thy ;  friends  that  love  do  grieve  for  the  e- 
v\\s  which  befall  each  other.  Homer  de- 
scribing Agamemnon's  grief  when  he  was 
forced  to  sacnfice  his  daughter,  bnngs  in 
all  his  friends  weeping  with  him,  and  ac- 
companying him  to  the  sacrifice  in  mourn- 
ing ;  lovers  grieve  together ;  if  we  have 
true  loA'e  in  our  heart  to  God,  we  cannot 
but  grieve  for  those  things  which  grieve 
him, — we  shall  lay  to  heart  his  dishonours, 
— the  luxuiy,  drunkenness,  contempt  of 
God  and  religion,  Ps.  cxix.  136.,  "  Rivers 
of  waters  run  down  mine  eyes,"  &c.  Some 
speak  of  the  sins  of  others,  and  niiike  a 
laughing  at  them  :  sure  they  have  no  love 
to  God,  who  can  laugh  at  that  which  grieves 
his  Spirit.  Doth  he  love  his  father,  who 
can  laugh  to  heai*  him  reproached  ? 

A.  5.  The  fifth  visible  sign  :  he  who  loves 
God,  labours  to  render  him  lovelv  to  o- 
thers ;  he  not  only  admires  God,  but  speaks 
in  his  praises,  that  he  may  allure  and  <baw 
others  to  be  in  love  with  God.  She  that  is 
in  love  will  commend  her  lover:  the  love- 
sick spouse  extols  Christ,  she  makes  a  pane- 
gj'rical  oration  of  his  worth,  that  she  might 
persuade  others  to  be  in  love  with  him, 
Cant.  V.  11.  His  head  is  as  the  most  fine 
gold.  True  love  to  God  cannot  be  silent ; 
it  will  be  eloquent  in  setting  forth  God's 
renown  ;  no  better  sign  of  loving  God,  than 
by  making  liim  appear  lovely,  and  so  di'aw- 
ing  proselytes  to  him. 

A.  G.  The  sixth  visible  sign  :  lie  who 
loves  God,  weejis  bitterly  for  his  absence. 
Maiy  comes  weeping,  "  They  have  taken 
awav  the  Lord,"  Jt>hn  xx.  2.  One  cries, 
my   health  is  gone ;  another,  my  estate  i* 


OF  LOVE. 


217 


gone ;  but  he  who  is  a  lover  of  God,  cries 
out,  iny  God  is  gone,  I  cannot  enjoy  him 
whom  I  love  !  What  can  all  worldly  com- 
forts do,  when  once  (iod  is  absent  ?  It  is 
like  a  funeral-banquet,  where  there  is  much 
meat  but  no  cheer.  Job  xxx.  28.,  "  I  went 
mourninir  without  the  sun."  If  Rachel 
mourned  so  for  the  loss  of  her  children, 
what  vail  or  pencil  can  shadow  out  the  sor- 
row of  that  Christian  who  hath  lost  God's 
sweet  presence  ?  such  a  soul  pours  forth 
floods  of  tears,  and  while  it  is  lamenting^, 
seems  to  s.ay  thus  to  God,  '  Lord,  thou  art 
in  heaven,  hearing  the  melodious  songs  and 
triumphs  of  angels,  but  I  sit  here  in  the 
valley  of  tears,  weeping  because  thou  art 
gone.  O  when  wilt  thou  come  to  me,  and 
revive  me  with  the  light  of  thy  counte- 
nance !'  Or,  '  Lord,  if  thou  wilt  not  come 
to  me,  let  me  come  to  thee,  where  I  shall 
have  a  perpetual  smile  of  thy  face  in  hea- 
ven, and  shall  never  more  complain,  "  My 
heloved  hath  withdrawn  himself."  ' 

A.  7.  The  seventh  visible  sign  :  he  who 
loves  God,  is  willing  to  do  and  suffer  for 
him.  He  subscribes  to  God's  commands  ; 
he  submits  to  his  will.  l.<f^.  He  subscribes 
to  God's  commands  :  if  God  bids  him  mor- 
tify sin, — love  his  enemies, — be  crucified 
to  the  world, — he  obeys.  It  is  a  vain  thing 
for  a  man  to  say  he  loves  God,  and  sliglits 
his  commands.  2r////,  He  submits  to  (iod's 
will  ;  if  God  will  have  him  suffer  f(»r  him, 
he  doth  not  dispute,  but  obey,  1  Cor.  xiii. 
7.,  Love  "  endureth  all  tilings."  Love 
made  Christ  suffer  f<»r  us,  and  love  will 
make  us  suffer  for  him.  It  is  true  every 
Christian  is  not  a  martyr,  but  he  hath  a 
spiri;  of  martyrdom  in  him  ;  he  hath  a  dis- 
position of  mind  to  suffer,  if  God  call  him 
to  it,  2  Tim.  iv.  o.,  "  I  am  now  ready  to  be 
offered  up :"  not  only  the  sufferings  were 
ready  for  Paul,  but  he  was  ready  for  the 
sufferings.  Origen  choosed  rather  to  live 
despised  in  Alexandria,  than  with  Plotinus 
to  deny  the  faith,  and  be  great  in  the  prince's 
favour.  Rev.  xii.  II.  Many  say  they  love 
God,  but  will  not  suffer  the  loss  of  any 
thing  for  him.  If  Christ  should  have  said 
to  us,  '  I  love  you  well,  you  are  dear  to  me, 
but  I  cannot  suffer  for  you,  I  cannot  lay 
down  my  life  for  you,'  we  sliould  have  ques- 
tioned his  love  verv  much  :  and  ^n^^v  not 


the  Lord  question  ours,  wlicn  we  pretend 
love  to  him,  but  will  endure  nothing  for 
his  sake  ? 

Use  ]st.  What  shall  we  say  to  them  \vho 
have  not  a  draclun  of  love  in  their  hearts 
to  (rod?  They  luive  their  life  from  him, 
yet  do  not  love  him.  God  spreads  their  ta- 
ble every  day,  yet  they  do  not  love  him  ; 
sinners  dread  God  as  a  judge,  but  do  not 
love  him  as  a  father.  All  the  strength  in 
the  angels  cannot  make  the  heart  love  (iod  ; 
judgments  will  not  do  it;  only  omnipotent 
grace  can  make  a  stony  heart  melt  in  love. 
How  sad  is  it  to  be  void  of  love  to  (iod  ! 
When  the  body  is  cold,  and  hath  no  heat 
in  it,  it  is  a  sign  of  death ;  he  is  spiritually 
dead  who  hath  no  heat  of  love  in  his  heart 
to  God.  Shall  such  live  with  God,  that 
doth  not  love  him?  Will  God  lay  an  ene- 
my in  his  bosom  ?  Such  as  will  not  be 
drawn  with  cords  of  love,  shall  be  bound 
in  chains  of  darkness. 

Use  2d.  Let  us  be  persuaded  to  love  God 
with  all  our  heart  and  might.  O  let  us 
take  our  love  off  from  other  things,  and 
place  it  upon  God  !  Love  is  the  heart  of 
religion,  the  fat  of  the  offering;  it  is  the 
grace  which  Christ  inquires  most  after, 
John  xxi.  15.,  "  Simon  lovest  thou  me?" 
Love  makes  all  our  services  acceptable,  it 
is  the  musk  that  ])erfumes  them.  It  is  not 
so  much  duty,  as  love  to  duty,  (iod  delights 
in :  therefore  serving  and  loving  God  are 
put  together,  Isa.  Ivi.  (J.  It  is  better  to 
love  iiim  than  to  serve  him ;  obedience 
without  love  is  like  wine  without  the  spirit. 
O  then,  be  persuaded  to  love  God  with  all 
your  heart  and  might  !  To  persuade  to 
this  virgin -affection  of  love. 

1.  It  is  nothing  but  your  love  God  de- 
sires. The  Lord  might  have  demanded 
your  children  to  be  ofl'ered  in  sacrifice ;  he 
might  have  bid  you  cut  and  lance  your- 
selves, or  lien  in  hell  a  while;  but  he  only 
desires  your  love,  he  would  only  have  this 
flower.  Is  this  an  hard  request,  to  love 
(lod?  Was  ever  any  debt  ejisicr  paid  than 
this  ?  Is  it  any  labour  for  the  wife  to  love 
her  husband  ?  Love  is  delightful.  2s/^on 
jyotest  amor  esse,  ct  diilcix  mm  esse,  Bf.iix. 
What  is  there  in  our  love,  that  (iod  should 
desire  it?  Why  shouhl  a  king  desire  the 
love  of  a  woman  that  is  in  deht  and  discas- 

2  E 


218 


OF  THE  PREFACE  TO  THE  TEN  COMMANDMENTS. 


ed  ?  God  doth  not  want  our  love.  There 
are  anj^els  enough  in  heaven  to  adore  and 
love  him.  What  is  God  the  better  for  our 
love  ?  It  adds  not  the  least  cubit  to  his  es- 
sential blessedness.  God  doth  not  need 
our  love,  yet  seeks  it.  Why  doth  God  de- 
sire us  to  give  him  our  heart  ?  Prov.  xxiii. 
26.  Not  that  he  needs  our  heart,  but  that 
he  may  make  it  better. 

2.  Great  will  be  our  advantage,  if  we 
love  God.  God  doth  not  court  our  love, 
that  we  should  lose  it,  1  Cor.  ii.  9.,  "  Eye 
hath  not  seen,  nor  ear  heard  the  things 
which  God  hath  prepared  for  them  that 
love  him."  If  you  will  love  God,  you  shall 
have  such  a  reward  as  exceeds  your  faith. 
God  will  betrothe  you  to  himself  in  the 
dearest  love,  Hos.  ii.  19.,  "  I  will  betrothe 
thee  unto  me  for  ever,  in  lo^dng-kindness 
and  mercies;"  Zeph.  iii.  17.,  "The  Lord 
thy  God  will  rejoice  over  thee  with  joy,  he 
will  rest  in  his  love."  If  you  love  God,  he 
will  interest  you  in  all  his  riches  and  dig- 
nities, he  will  give  you  heaven  and  eartli 
for  your  dowry,  he  will  set  a  crown  on  your 
head.  Vespasian  the  emperor  gave  a  gi'eat 
reward  to  a  woman  who  came  to  him,  and 
professed  she  loved  him  ,  God  gives  a  crown 
of  life  to  them  that  love  him,  James  i.  12. 

3.  Love  is  the  only  grace  that  shall  live 
witli  us  in  heaven.  In  heaven  we  shall 
need  no  repentance,  because  we  have  no 
sin  ;  no  faith,  because  we  shall  see  God 
face  to  face:  but  love  to  God  shall  abide 
for  ever,  '  Love  never  faileth,'  1  Cor.  xiii. 
8.  I  low  shall  we  nourish  this  grace,  which 
shall  outlive  all  the  graces,  and  run  paral- 
lel with  eternity  ! 

4.  Our  love  to  God  is  a  sign  of  his  love 
to  us,  1  John  iv.  19.,  "  We  love  him  be- 
cause he  first  loved  us."  By  nature  we 
have  no  love  to  God;  we  have  hearts  of 


stone,  Ezek.  xxxvi.  1.  And  how  can  any 
love  be  in  hearts  of  stone  ?  Our  loving 
him  is  from  his  loving  us.  If  the  glas? 
burn  it  is  because  the  sun  hath  shined  on 
it,  else  it  could  not  burn;  if  our  hearts 
burn  in  love,  it  is  a  sign  the  Sun  of  Righ- 
teousness hath  shined  upon  us. 

Quest.  How  shall  we  do  to  love  God  a- 
right  ? 

Ans.  1.  Wait  on  the  preaching  of  the 
word.  As  faith  comes  by  hearing,  so  doth 
love;  the  word  sets  forth  God,  in  his  in- 
comparable excellencies ;  it  doth  decyphei 
and  pencil  him  out  in  all  his  glory,  and  a 
sight  of  his  beauty  inflames  love. 

A.  2.  Beg  of  God  that  he  will  give  you 
a  heart  to  love  him.  WTien  king  Solomon 
asked  wisdom  of  God,  "  the  speech  pleased 
the  Lord,"  1  Kings  iii.  10.  So,  when  thou 
criest  to  God,  '  Lord,  give  me  a  heart  to 
love  thee,  it  is  my  grief  I  can  love  thee  no 
more  !'  sure  this  prayer  pleaseth  the  Lord, 
and  he  will  pour  out  his  Spirit  upon  thee, 
whose  golden  oil  will  make  the  lamp  of  thy 
love  burn  bright. 

A.  3,  You  who  have  love  to  God,  keep 
it  flaming  upon  the  altar  of  your  heart. 
Love,  as  fire,  will  be  ready  to  go  out.  Rev. 
ii.  4.,  "  Thou  hast  left  thy  first  love." 
Through  neglect  of  duty,  or  too  much  love 
of  the  world,  our  love  to  God  will  cool. 
O  preserve  your  love  to  God  !  As  you 
would  be  careful  to  preserve  the  natural 
heat  in  your  body,  so  be  careful  to  ]>rescrve 
the  heat  of  love  to  God  !  Love  is  like  oil 
to  the  wheels,  it  quickens  us  in  God's  ser- 
vice. When  you  find  your  love  abate  and 
cool,  use  all  means  for  quickening;  when 
the  fire  is  going  out,  you  throw  on  fuel : 
when  the  flame  of  love  is  going  out,  make 
use  of  the  ordinances  as  sacred  fuel  to  keep 
the  fire  of  yom-  love  burning. 


OF  THE  PREFACE  TO  THE  TEN  COMMANDMENTS. 

ExoD.  XX.  1,  2.  And  God  spake  all  these  words,  saymg,  I  am  the  LORD  thy  God,  8fc. 


Quest.  XLIII.  WHAT  is  the  preface  to 
llie  Ten  Command tneiits  ? 

Axs.  The  preface  to  the  Ten  Command- 
ments is,  "  I  am  the  Lord  thy  God." 


Where  observe,  1.  The  preface  to  the 
preface,  *'  (lod  spake  all  these  words,  say- 
ing." 2.  The  preface  itself  to  the  com- 
mandments, "  1  am  the  Lord  thy  God." 


OF  THE  PREFACE  TO  THE  TEN  COMMANDMENTS. 


219 


1.  I  begin  with  tlie  first,  the  preface  to 
the  preface,  "  (Jod  spake  all  these  words, 
saying,"  &c.  This  is  like  the  sounding  of 
a  trumpet  before  a  solemn  proclamation, 
"  God  spake  ;"  other  parts  of  the  Bible  are 
said  to  be  uttered  by  the  mouth  of  the  holy 
prophets,  Luke  i.  70.,  but  here  God  spake 
in  his  own  person. 

Quest.  How  may  we  understand  this  [God 
spake],  he  hath  no  bodily  ports  or  organs  of 
speech  ? 

Ans.  God  made  some  intelligible  sound, 
or  formed  a  voice  in  the  air,  which  was  to 
the  Jews  as  God's  very  speaking  to  them. 
In  the  text,  1.  The  lawgiver,  God,  "  God 
spake."   2.  The  law  itself,  "  all  these  words." 

1.  The  lawgiver,  "  God  spake."  There 
are  two  things  requisite  in  a  lawgiver.  \st. 
Wisdom.  Laws  arc  founded  upon  reason  ; 
and  he  must  be  wise  that  makes  laws,  (iod, 
in  this  respect,  is  most  fit  to  be  a  lawgiver; 
*'  he  is  wise  in  heart,"  Job  ix.  4. ;  he  hath  a 
monopoly  of  wisdom,  1  Tim.  i.  17.,  "  The 
only  wise  God."  Therefore  lie  is  the  fittest 
to  enact  and  constitute  laws,  ''idly.  The 
second  thing  requisite  in  a  lawgiver  is  au- 
thority. If  a  subject  make  laws,  though 
never  so  wise,  yet  they  want  the  stamp  of 
authority.  God  hath  the  supreme  power  in 
his  hand ;  he  derives  a  being  to  all ;  and  he 
who  gives  men  their  lives,  hath  most  right 
to  give  them  their  laws. 

2.  The  law  itself,  "  all  these  words ;"  that 
is,  all  the  words  of  the  moral  law,  which  is 
usually  styled  the  decalogue  or  ten  com- 
mandments. It  is  called  the  moral  law, 
because  it  is  the  rule  of  life  and  manners. 

St.  Chrysostom  compares  the  scrij)ture  to 
a  garden, — the  moral  law  is  a  chief  flower 
in  it;  the  scripture  is  a  banquet, — the  moral 
law  the  chief  dish  in  it. 

(1.)  The  moral  law  is  perfect,  Ps.  xiA'. 
7.,  "  The  law  of  the  Lord  is  perfect."  It  is 
an  exact  model  swd  platform  of  religion  ;  it 
is  the  standard  of  truth,  the  judge  of  con- 
troversies, the  pole  star  to  direct  us  to  hea- 
ven. Prov.  vi.  23.,  "  The  commandment 
is  a  lamp."  Though  the  moral  law  be  not 
a  Christ  to  justify  us,  yet  it  is  a  rule  to  in- 
struct us. 

(2.)  The  moral  law  is  unalterable  ;  it  re- 
mains still  ill  force.  Thou'::h  tlie  ceremo- 
nial  and  judiciiJ  law  are  abrogated,  yet  the 


moral  law,  delivered  by  God's  own  mouth 
is  to  be  of  perpetual  use  in  the  church. 
Therefore  the  law  was  written  in  tables  of 
stone,  to  shew  the  perpetuity  of  it. 

(3.)  The  moral  law  is  very  illustrious  and 
full  of  glory.  God  did  put  glory  upon  it 
in  the  manner  of  the  promulgation  of  it. 
1.  The  people,  before  the  moral  law  was 
delivered  were  to  wash  their  clothes,  Exod. 
xix.  10.,  whereby  as  by  a  type,  God  requir- 
ed ihe  sanctifying  of  their  ears  and  hearts 
to  receive  the  law. — 2.  There  were  bounds 
set  that  none  might  touch  the  mount,  Exod. 
xix.  12.,  which  was  to  breed  in  the  people 
reverence  to  the  law. — 3.  God  wrote  the 
law  with  his  own  finger,  Exod.  xxxi.  18., 
which  was  such  an  honour  put  upon  the 
moral  law  as  we  read  of  no  other  written. 
God  did  by  some  mighty  operation  make 
the  law  legible  in  letters,  as  if  it  had  l>een 
written  with  his  own  finger. — 4.  God's  put- 
ting the  law  in  the  ark  to  be  kept,  was  an- 
other signal  mark  of  honour  put  upon  it. 
The  ark  was  the  cabinet  in  which  (iod  put 
the  ten  commandments,  as  ten  jewels. — 5. 
At  the  delivery  of  the  moral  law,  there  was 
the  attendance  of  many  angels,  Deut.  xxxii. 
Here  was  a  parliament  of  angels  called,  and 
(iod  himself  was  the  speaker. 

Use  \st.  Here  we  may  take  notice  of  God's 
goodness  who  hath  not  left  us  without  a 
law  :  therefore  the  Lord  doth  often  set  it 
down  as  a  demonstration  of  his  love,  in 
giving  his  commandments  :  Ps.  cxlvii.  20., 
"  He  hath  not  dealt  so  with  any  nation,  and 
as  for  his  judgments  they  have  not  known 
them  ;"  Neh.  ix.  13.,  "  Thou  gavest  them 
true  laws,  good  statutes  and  command- 
ments." What  a  strange  creature  would 
man  he  if  he  had  no  law  to  direct  him  ! 
There  would  he  no  living  in  the  world ;  we 
should  have  none  born  but  Ishmaels,  every 
man's  hand  would  be  against  his  neighhour. 
Alan  would  grow  wild,  if  he  had  not  alllic- 
tion  to  tame  him,  aiul  the  moral  law  to  guide 
him.  The  law  of  God  is  an  hedge  to  keep 
us  within  the  bounds  of  sobriety  and  piety. 

Use  2d  If  God  Rj>ake  all  these  words  of 
the  moral  law,  then  it  condemns,  l.s/,  The 
Marcionites,  and  Manichees,  who  speak 
slightly,  yea,  hliisjihemously  of  the  moral 
law  :  they  say,  it  is  below  a  Christian,  it  is 
carnal,  which  the  apostle  confutes,  when  h% 


220 


OF  THE  PREFACE  TO  THE  TEN  COMMANDMENTS. 


fiaitli,  "  Tlie  law  is  spiritual,  but  I  am  car- 
nal," Rom.  vii.  14-.  2r//y,  The  Antinomi- 
ans,  who  will  not  admit  the  moral  law  to 
be  a  rule  to  a  believer.  We  say  not  he  is 
under  the  curse  of  the  law,  but  the  com- 
mand ;  we  say  not  the  moral  law  is  a  Christ, 
but  it  is  a  star  to  lead  one  to  Christ ;  we  say 
not  it  doth  save,  but  it  doth  sanctify.  They 
wlio  cast  God's  law  behind  their  backs, 
God  will  cast  their  prayers  behind  his  back  ; 
they  who  will  not  have  the  law  to  rule 
them,  shall  have  the  law  to  judge  them. 
3rf///,  The  papists,  who  (as  if  God's  law  were 
imperfect,  and  when  he  spake  all  these 
words  he  did  not  speak  enough)  add  their 
canons  and  traditions  to  the  moral  law. 
This  is  to  tax  God's  wisdom,  as  if  he  knew 
not  how  to  make  his  own  law.  And  sure- 
ly it  is  an  high  provoking  sin,  Rev.  xxii. 
18.,  "  If  any  man  shall  add  unto  these 
things,  God  shall  add  unto  him  the  plagues 
written  in  this  book."  As  it  is  a  great  evil 
to  add  any  thing  to  a  man's  sealed  will,  so 
much  more  to  add  any  thing  to  that  law 
God  himself  spake,  and  ^vl•ote  with  his  own 
fingers. 

Use  3d.  If  God  spake  all  these  words,  viz. 
of  the  moral  hiw,  then  this  presseth  upon 
us  several  duties  :  1.  If  God  spake  all  these 
words,  then  we  must  hear  all  these  words. 
The  words  which  God  speaks  are  too  pre- 
cious to  be  lost.  As  we  would  have  God 
hear  all  our  words  when  we  pray,  so  we 
must  hear  all  his  words  when  he  speaks. 
We  must  not  be  as  the  deaf  adder  which 
stoppeth  her  cars  :  he  that  stops  his  ears 
when  God  cries,  shall  cry  himself,  and  not 
be  heard. 

2.  If  God  spake  all  these  words,  then  we 
must  attend  to  them  with  reverence.  Every 
word  of  the  moral  law  is  an  oracle  from 
heaven  ;  God  himself  is  the  preacher  ;  this 
calls  for  reverence.  If  a  judge  gives  a 
charge  u])on  the  bench,  all  attend  with  re- 
verence. In  the  moral  law  God  himself 
gives  a  charge,  "  God  spake  ail  these 
words,"  Therefore,  with  what  veneration 
should  we  attend  '^  Moses  put  off  his  shoes 
from  his  feet,  in  token  of  reverence  when 
God  was  about  to  speak  to  him,  Exod.  iii. 
5,  6. 

3.  If  God  spake  all  these  words  of  the 
moral  law,  then  we  must  remember  them. 


Sure  all  God  speaks  is  worth  remembering. 
Those  words  are  weighty  which  concern 
salvation,  Deut.  xxxii.  47.,  "  It  is  not  a  vain 
thing  for  you,  because  it  is  your  life."  Our 
memory  should  be  like  the  chest  in  the  ark 
where  the  law  was  kept :  God's  orjicles  are 
ornaments,  and  sliall  we  forget  them  ?  Jer. 
ii.  32.,  "  Can  a  maid  forget  her  ornaments?" 

4.  If  God  spake  all  these  words,  then  be- 
lieve them.  See  the  name  of  God  written 
upon  every  commandment.  The  heathens, 
that  they  might  gain  credit  to  their  laws, 
reported  that  they  were  inspired  by  the  gods 
at  Rome.  The  moral  law  fetcheth  its  pe- 
digree from  heaven  :  Ipse  dixit, — Ciod  spake 
all  these  words.  Shall  we  not  give  credit 
to  the  God  of  heaven  ?  How  would  the  an- 
gel confirm  the  women  in  the  resurrection 
of  Christ,  Mat.  xxviii.  7.,  "  Lo,  (saitli  he) 
I  have  told  you ;"  I  speak  in  the  w  »)rd  of 
an  angel.  Much  more  should  the  moral 
law  be  believed,  when  it  comes  to  us  in  the 
word  of  God.  "  God  spake  all  these  words." 
Unbelief  enervates  the  virtue  of  God's  word, 
and  makes  it  prove  abortive,  Heb.  iv.  2., 
"  The  word  did  not  profit  them,  not  being 
mixed  with  faith."  Eve  gave  more  credit 
to  the  devil  when  he  spake,  than  she  did  to 
God. 

5.  If  God  spake  all  these  words,  then  love 
the  commandments,  Ps.  cxix.  97.,  "  O  how 
love  I  tliv  law  !  it  is  mv  meditation  all  the 
day."  "  Consider  how  I  love  thy  ])rece])ts," 
Ps.  cxix.  159.  The  moral  law  is  the  copy 
of  God's  will, — our  spiritual  directory;  it 
shews  us  what  sins  to  avoid,  what  duties  to 
pursue;  the  ten  commandments  are  a  chain 
of  pearls  to  adorn  us.  they  are  our  treasury 
to  enrich  us,  they  are  more  pncious  than 
hinds  of  spices,  or  rocks  of  diamonds,  Ps. 
cxix.  72.,  "  The  law  of  thy  mouth  is  better 
to  me  than  thousands  of  gold  and  silver." 
The  law  of  God  hath  truth  and  goodness 
in  it,  Nell.  ix.  13.  Truth,  for  God  spake 
it  ;  and  goodness,  for  there  is  nothing  the 
commandment  enjoins,  but  is  for  our  good. 
O  then  let  this  command  our  love  ! 

6.  If  G()d  spake  all  these  words,  then 
teach  your  children  the  law  of  God,  Deut, 
vi.  7.,  "  These  words  which  I  coiuniand  thee 
this  day  shall  he  in  thy  heart,  and  tlum  shalt 
teach  them  diligently  to  thy  children."  He 
who  is  godly,  is  both  a  diamond  and  a  load 


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221 


stone ;  a  diamond  for  the  sparkling  of  his 
grace,  and  a  loadstone  for  his  attractive  vir- 
tue in  drawing  others  to  the  love  of  God's 
precepts,  vir  bonus  magis  aliis  prodest  quam 
sibi.  You  that  are  parents,  discharge  your 
duty;  though  you  cannot  impart  grace  to 
your  children,  yet  you  may  impart  know- 
ledge. Let  your  children  know  the  com- 
mandments of  God,  Deut.  xi.  19.,  "Ye shall 
teach  them  to  your  children."  You  are 
careful  to  leave  your  children  a  portion  ; 
leave  the  oracles  of  heaven  Avith  them  ;  in- 
struct them  in  the  law  of  God  ;  if  God  spake 
all  these  words,  you  may  well  speak  them 
over  again  to  your  children. 

7.  If  God  spake  all  these  words,  then  the 
moral  law  must  be  obeyed.  If  a  king 
speaks,  his  word  commands  allegiance, 
much  more,  when  God  speaks,  all  his  words 
must  be  subscribed  to.  Some  will  obey 
partially,  obey  some  commandments,  not 
others, — like  a  j)lough,  which  when  it  comes 
to  a  stiff  piece  of  earth,  makes  a  baulk, — 
but  (lod  tliat  spake  all  the  words  of  the 
moral  law,  will  have  all  obeyed  :  God  will 
not  dispense  with  the  breach  of  one  law. 
Indeed  princes,  for  special  reasons,  disj)ense 
sometimes  with  penal  statutes,  and  will  not 
take  the  severity  of  the  law:  but  God,  who 
spake  all  these  words,  binds  men  with  a 
siibpceiiit  to  yield  obedience  to  every  law. 

This  condemns  the  churcli  of  Rome,  who 
instead  of  obeying  the  whole  moral  law, 
blot  out  one  commandment,  and  dispense 
with  others. —  I.  They  leave  out  the  second 
commandment  out  of  their  catechises,  be- 
cause it  makes  against  images;  and  to  fill 
up  the  number  often,  they  divide  the  tenth 
commandment  into  two.  Thus  they  run 
themselves  into  that  dreadful  premunire, 
Rev.  xxii.  19.,  "  If  any  man  shall  take  a- 
way  from  the  words  of  this  book,  God  shall 
take  away  his  part  out  of  the  book  of  life." 
— 2.  As  they  blot  out  one  commamlment, 
."nd  cut  that  knot  which  they  cannot  un- 
tie, so  they  dispense  with  other  command- 


ments; they  dispense  with  the  sixth  com- 
manduient,  making  murder  meritorious,  in 
case  of  proj»agating  the  catholic  cause; 
they  dispense  with  the  seventh  command- 
ment,  wherein  God  forbids  adultery, — the 
poi)e  dispenseth  with  the  sin  of  uncleanness, 
yea,  incest,  only  paying  such  fines  and 
sums  of  money  into  his  coffer.  No  wonder 
the  po])e  takes  men  off  from  their  loyalty 
to  kings  and  ])rinces,  when  he  teacheth 
them  disloyalty  to  God  !  Some  of  the  pajiists 
say  expressly  in  their  writings,  that  tho 
pope  hath  power  to  dispense  with  the  laws 
of  God,  and  can  give  men  a  license  to  break 
the  commandments  of  the  Old  and  New 
Testament.  That  such  a  religion  ever  get 
foot  in  England,  the  Lord  in  mercy  ])re- 
vent !  If  God  spake  all  the  commandments, 
then  we  must  obey  all ;  he  who  breaks  this 
hedge  of  the  commandments,  a  serpent  shall 
bite  him. 

Onj.  Bid  what   man  alive  can  obey  all 
God's  cowmayidincnta  ? 

Ana.  To  obey  the  law  in  a  legal  sense, 
viz.  to  do  all  the  law  requires,  no  man  alive 
can;  sin  hath  cut  the  lock  of  original  righ- 
teousness, where  our  strength  lay;  but,  in 
a  true  gospel-sense,  we  may  so  obey  the 
mcual  law,  as  to  find  acceptance.  Which 
gospel-obedience  consists  in  a  real  endea- 
vour to  observe  the  whole  moral  law,  Ps. 
cxix.  1G6.,  "  I  have  done  thy  conunand- 
ments  ;"  not,  I  have  done  all  I  should  do, 
but  I  have  done  all  I  am  able  to  do ;  .and 
wherein  our  obedience  comes  short,  we  look 
up  to  the  perfect  righteousness  and  obedi- 
ence of  Christ,  and  hope  for  pardon  through 
his  blood  :  this  is  evangelically  to  obey  the 
moral  law,  wliich,  though  it  be  not  to  sa- 
tisfaction, yet  it  is  to  aceej)tation.  Tlius  I 
have  done  with  the  first,  the  preface  to  the 
prefaci',  "God  spake  all  these  words:"  I 
should  now  come  to  the  second,  the  preface 
itself  to  the  commandments,  '  I  am  the 
Lord  thy  God,'  &c. 


ExoD.  XX.  2.  /  am  the.  Lord  thy  God,  §t. 


II.  THE  preface  itself,  which  consists  of 
three  parts  :  L  "I  am  the  Lord  thy  (iod  ;" 
2.  "  Which  have   brought  thee  out  of  the 


land  of  Egypt ;"  3.  "  Out  of  the  house  of 
bondage." 

First.   "  I  am  the  Lord  thy  (Jod  "    Wlu-re 


222 


OF  THE  PREFACE  TO  THE  TEN  COMMANDMENTS. 


we  have  a  description  of  God,  1.  By  his 
essential  greatness,  "  I  am  the  Lord ;"  2. 
By  his  relative  goodness,  "  thy  God."  \st, 
By  his  essential  greatness,  "  I  am  the  Lord," 
or,  as  it  is  in  the  Hebrew,  Jehovah.  By 
this  great  name  God  sets  forth  his  majesty. 
Sancthis  hahitum  fuit^  saith  Buxtorf.  The 
name  of  Jehovah  was  had  in  more  reve- 
rence among  the  Jews  than  any  other  name 
of  God,  it  signifies  God's  self-sufficiency, 
eternity,  independency,  immutability,  Mai. 
iii.  6. 

Use  \st.  If  God  be  Jehovah, — the  foun- 
tain of  being,  who  can  do  what  he  will, — 
let  us  fear  this  great  Lord,  Deut.  xxviii. 
58.,  "  That  thou  mayest  fear  this  glorious 
and  fearful  name,  Jehovah" 

Use  2(1.  If  God  be  Jehovah,  the  supreme 
Lord,  then  it  condemns  the  blasphemous 
papists,  who  speak  after  this  manner,  '  Our 
Lord  God  the  Pope.'  Is  it  a  wonder  the 
pope  lifts  his  triple  crown  above  the  head 
of  kings  and  emperors,  when  he  usurps 
God's  title,  "  shewing  himself  that  he  is 
God  ?"  2  Thess.  ii.  4.  The  pope  goes  to 
make  himself  Lord  of  heaven, — for  he  will 
canonize  saints  there;  Lord  of  earth, — for 
with  his  keys  he  doth  bind  and  loose  whom 
he  pleaseth ;  Lord  of  hell, — for  he  can  free 
men  out  of  purgatory:  but  God  will  pull 
down  these  plumes  of  pride ;  he  will  "  con- 
sume this  man  of  sin  with  the  breath  of  his 
mouth,  and  the  brightness  of  his  coming." 
2  Thess.  ii.  8. 

2c?/?/,  God  is  described  by  his  relative 
goodness,  "  thy  God."  Had  God  only  call- 
ed himself  Jehovah,  it  might  have  terrified 
us,  and  made  us  flee  from  him,  but  when 
he  said,  "  thy  God,"  this  may  allure  and 
draw  us  to  him  ;  this,  though  a  preface 
to  the  law,  is  pure  gospel.  This  word 
Eloeha,  '  thy  God,'  is  so  sweet,  that  we  can 
never  suck  out  all  the  honey  in  it.  '  I  am 
thy  God,'  not  only  by  creation,  but  by  elec- 
tion. This  word,  "  thy  God,"  though  it 
was  spoken  to  Israel,  yet  is  a  charter  be- 
longs to  all  the  saints.  For  the  further  ex- 
plication, here  are  three  questions. 

Quest.    1.   How    God  comes   to   be  our 

God? 

Ans.  Through  Jesus  Christ.  Christ  is 
a  middle  person  in  the  Trinity ;  he  is  Em- 
manuely  '  God  with  us :'  he  brings  two  dif- 


ferent parties  together ;  he  makes  our  na- 
ture lovely  to  God,  and  God's  nature  lovely 
to  us ;  he,  by  his  death,  causeth  friendship, 
yea,  union  :  he  brings  us  within  the  verge 
of  the  covenant,  and  so  God  becomes  our 
God. 

Quest.  2.  JVhat  doth  this  imply,  God  be- 
ing our  God  ? 

Ans.  It  is  comprehensive  of  all  good 
things.  God  is  our  strong  tower, — our  foun- 
tain of  living  water, — our  salvation.  More 
particularly,  God  being  our  God  implies  the 
sweetest  relation. 

1.  The  relation  of  a  father,  2  Cor.  vi.  18., 
"  I  will  be  a  Father  unto  you."  A  father 
is  full  of  tender  care  for  his  child.:  whom 
doth  he  settle  the  inheritance  upon,  but  IiIm 
child  ?  God  being  our  God,  will  be  a  fa- 
ther to  us :  a  "  Father  of  mercy,"  1  Cor. 
i.  3. ;  "  The  everlasting  Father,"  Isa.  ix.  6. 
If  God  be  our  God,  we  have  a  Father  in 
heaven  that  never  dies. 

2.  It  imports  the  relation  of  a  husband, 
Isa.  liv.  5.,  "  Thy  Maker  is  thy  husband." 
If  God  be  our  husband,  he  esteems  us  pre- 
cious to  him,  as  the  apple  of  his  eye,  Zech. 
ii.  8.  He  imparts  his  secrets  to  us,  Ps. 
XXV.  14.  He  bestows  a  kingdom  upon  us 
for  our  dowry,  Luke  xii.  32. 

Quest.  3.  Hotv  mmj  ice  come  to  hnow 
this  covenant  union.,  that  God  is  our  God  ? 

Ans.  1.  By  having  his  grace  planted  in 
us.  Kings'  children  are  known  by  their 
costly  jewels :  it  is  not  having  common 
gifts  which  shews  we  belong  to  God,  many 
have  the  gifts  of  God  without  God,  but  it 
is  grace  gives  us  a  true  genuine  title  to 
God.  In  particular,  faith  is  vinculum  unionise 
— the  grace  of  union ;  by  this  we  may 
spell  out  our  interest  in  God.  Faith  doth 
not,  as  the  mariner,  cast  its  anchor  down- 
wards, but  upwards ;  it  trusts  in  the  mercy 
and  blood  of  God,  and  trusting  in  God, 
engageth  him  to  be  our  God;  other  graces 
make  us  like  God,  faith  makes  us  one  with 
him. 

A.  2.  We  may  know  God  is  our  God  by 
having  the  earnest  of  his  Spirit  in  our 
hearts,  2  Cor.  i.  22.  God  often  gives  the 
purse  to  the  wicked,  but  the  Spirit  only  to 
such  as  he  intends  to  make  his  heirs.  (1.) 
Have  we  had  the  consecration  of  the  Spi- 
rit ?     If  we  have  not  had  the  sealing  work 


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223 


of  tlio  Spirit,  have  we  liad  tbc  licalin«^  work  ? 
1  John  ii.  20,,  "  Yo  liavo  an  iiiictioii  iVoin 
the  holy  One."  Tlic  Spirit,  wlicrc  it  is, 
stamps  the  impress  of  its  own  holiness  upon 
tlie  heart ;  it  embroiders  and  bespanjjles 
tlie  soul,  and  makes  it  all  <]^lorious  within. 
(2.)  Have  we  had  the  attraction  of  the 
Spirit?  Cant.  i.  4.,  "  Draw  me,  we  will 
run  after  thee."  Ilath  the  Spirit,  by  its 
magnetic  virtue,  drawn  our  hearts  to  God? 
Can  we  say,  as  Cant.  i.  7.,  "  O  thou  whom 
my  sold  loveth  !"  Is  God  our  paradise  of 
delight?  our  SeguUah,  or  chief  treasure! 
Arc  our  hearts  so  chained  to  God,  that  no 
other  objecl  can  enchant  us,  or  draw  us 
away  from  him?  (3.)  Have  we  had  the 
elevation  of  the  Spirit?  Ilath  it  raised 
our  hearts  above  the  world?  Ezek.  iii.  14., 
"  The  Spirit  lifted  me  up."  Hath  the  Spi- 
rit made  us  supremn  onhclare  ?  seek  the 
things  above  where  Christ  is.  Though 
our  flesh  is  on  earth,  is  our  heart  in  hea- 
ven ?  Though  we  live  here,  trade  we  a- 
bove?  Hath  the  Spirit  thus  lifted  us  up? 
By  this  we  may  come  to  know,  that  Cod 
is  our  God :  where  God  gives  his  Sj)irit 
for  an  earnest,  there  he  gives  himself  for  a 
portion. 

J.  3.  We  may  know  God  is  our  God,  if 
be  hath  given  us  the  hearts  of  children. 
Have  we  obediential  hearts?  Ps.  xxAni.  8. 
Do  we  subscribe  to  God's  commands,  when 
his  commands  cross  our  will  ?  A  true 
saint  is  like  the  flower  of  the  sun  :  it  opens 
and  shuts  with  the  sun,  he  opens  to  God, 
and  shuts  to  sin.  If  we  have  the  hearts  of 
children  then  God  is  our  father. 

A.  4.  We  may  know  God  is  ours,  and 
we  have  an  interest  in  him,  by  our  stand- 
ing up  for  his  interest.  AVe  will  appear  in 
liis  cause,  and  vindicate  his  truth,  wherein 
his  glory  is  so  much  concerned.  Athana- 
sius  was  the  bulwark  of  truth  ;  he  stood  up 
for  it,  when  most  of  the  world  were  Arians. 
In  former  times  the  nobles  of  Polonia,  when 
the  gospel  Avas  read,  did  lay  their  hands 
upon  their  swords,  signifying  that  they 
were  ready  to  defend  the  faith,  and  hazard 
their  lives  for  the  gospel  :  no  better  sign  of 
our  having  an  interest  in  God,  than  by  our 
standing  up  for  his  interest. 

A.  5.  We  may  know  God  is  ours,  and 


an  interest  in  us,  Cant.  ii.  16.,  "  My  belov- 
ed is  mine,  and  I  am  his."  When  God 
saitli  to  the  soul,  "Thou  art  mine;"  the 
soul  answers,  "  Lord  I  am  thine ;  all  I 
have  is  at  thy  service;  my  head  shall  be 
thine  to  study  for  thee  ;  my  tongue  shall 
be  thine  to  praise  thee."  If  God  be  our 
God  by  way  of  donati()n,  we  are  his  ])v  way 
of  dedication  ;  we  live  to  him,  and  are  more 
his  than  we  are  our  own.  And  thus  we 
may  come  to  know  that  God  is  our  God. 

Uae  \st.  Above  all  things  let  us  get  this 
great  charter  confirmed,  that  God  is  our 
God.  Deity  is  not  comfortable  without 
propriety.  Tolle  Deum,  et  tille  Deum,  Aug. 
O  let  us  labour  to  get  sound  evidences, 
that  God  is  our  God  !  We  cannot  call 
health,  liberty,  estate,  ours;  O  let  us  be  a- 
ble  to  call  God  ours,  and  say  as  the  church, 
Ps.  Ixvii.  6.,  "  God,  even  our  own  God 
shall  bless  us  !"  Let  every  soul  here  la- 
bour to  pronounce  this  Shibboleth,  '  My 
God.'  And  that  we  may  endeavour  after 
this  to  have  God  for  our  God;  consider,  1. 
The  misery  of  such  as  have  not  God  for 
their  God.  In  how  sad  a  condition  are 
they,  when  an  hour  of  distress  comes?  This 
was  Saul's  case,  1  Sam.  xxviii.  15.,  "  I  am 
sore  distressed;  for  the  Philistines  make 
war  against  me,  and  the  Lord  is  departed 
from  me."  A  wicked  man,  in  time  of  trou- 
ble, is  like  a  vessel  tossed  on  the  sea  with- 
out an  anchor,  it  falls  on  rocks  or  sands  ; 
a  sinner,  not  having  God  to  be  his  God, 
though  he  make  a  shift  while  health  and 
estate  last,  yet,  when  these  crutches  which 
he  leaned  upon  are  broken  his  heart  sinks. 
It  is  with  a  wicked  man  as  it  is  with  the 
old  world,  when  the  flood  came  ;  the  waters 
at  first  came  to  the  valleys,  but  then  the 
peoj)le  would  get  to  the  hills  and  moun- 
tains, but  when  the  waters  came  to  the 
mountains,  then  there  might  be  some  trees 
on  the  high  hills,  and  they  would  climb  up 
to  them  ;  ay,  but  then  the  waters  did  rise 
up  to  the  tops  of  the  trees, — now  all  ho])es 
of  being  saved  were  gone,  their  hearts  fail- 
ed them.  So  it  is  with  a  man  that  hath 
not  God  to  be  his  God  :  if  one  comfort  be 
taken  away,  he  hath  another, — if  he  lose  a 
child,  he  hath  an  cstnte, — ay,  but  when  the 
waters  rise  higher  death  comes  and  takes 


we  have  an  interest  in  him,  h\  his  having    away  all ;    now   he   hath   nothing  to   help 


224 


OF  THE  PREFACE  TO  THE  TEN  COMMANDMENTS. 


himself  witli,  no  God  to  go  to,  he  must 
needs  die  despairing.  2.  How  great  a  pri- 
viU'ffe  it  is  to  liave  God  tor  our  God  ?  Ps. 
exliv.  1.3.,  "  Happy  arc  tlie  pco|)lc  whose 
God  is  the  Lord."  Beatitude  hofninis  est 
Dens,  Aug.  That  you  may  see  tlie  privi- 
lege of  this  charter; 

1.  If  God  be  our  God,  then,  though  we 
may  feel  the  stroke  of  evil,  yet  not  the 
Bting.  He  must  needs  be  happy  who  is  in 
such  a  condition  tliat  nothing  can  hurt 
him ;  if  he  lose  his  name, — it  is  written  in 
the  book  of  life  ;  if  he  lose  his  liberty, — his 
conscience  is  free  ;  if  he  lose  his  estate, — 
he  is  possessed  of  the  pearl  of  price  ;  if  he 
meets  with  storms, — he  knows  where  to 
put  in  for  harbour ;  God  is  his  God,  and 
heaven  is  his  haven. 

2.  If  God  be  our  God,  then  our  soul  is 
safe.  The  soul  is  the  jewel,  it  is  a  blossom 
of  eternity,  Dan.  vii.  15.,  "  I  was  grieved 
in  the  midst  of  mv  bodv ;"  in  tiie  Chaldee 
it  is  "  in  the  midst  of  my  sheat/i."  The 
body  is  but  the  sheath ;  the  soul  is  the 
princely  part  of  man  which  sways  the  scep- 
tre of  reason  ;  it  is  a  celestial  spark,  as  Da- 
mascene calls  it.  If  God  be  our  God,  the 
soul  is  safe,  as  in  a  garrison.  Death  can 
do  no  more  hurt  to  a  virtuous  heaven-boi'n 
soul,  than  David  did  to  Saul,  when  he  cut 
off  the  lap  of  his  garment;  the  soul  is  safe, 
being  hid  in  the  promises, — hid  in  the 
wounds  of  Christ, — hid  in  God's  decree. 
The  soul  is  the  pearl,  and  heaven  is  the  ca- 
binet where  God  will  lock  it  up  safe. 

3.  If  God  be  our  God,  then  all  that  is 
in  God  is  ours  :  the  Lord  saith  to  a  saint 
in  covj'nant,  as  the  king  of  Israel  to  the 
king  of  Syria,  1  Kings  xx.  4.,  "  I  am  thine, 
and  all  that  I  have."  So  saith  God,  "  I 
am  thine."  How  happy  is  he  Avho  not  on- 
ly inherits  the  gil"t  of  God,  but  inherits 
God  himself!  All  that  I  have  shall  be 
thine;  my  wisdom  shall  be  thine,  to  teach 
thee;  my  power  shall  be  thine,  to  support 
thee  ;  my  mercy  shall  be  thine,  to  save  thee. 
God  is  an  infinite  ocean  of  blessedness,  and 
there  is  enough  in  him  to  fill  us.  If  a  thou- 
sand vessels  be  thrown  into  the  sea,  there 
is  cnouffh  in  the  sea  to  fill  them. 

4.  If  God  be  our  God,  he  will  entirely 
love  us  :  propriety  is  the  ground  of  love. 
God  may  give  men  kingdoms,  and  not  love 


them  ;  but  he  cannot  be  our  God,  and  not 
love  us.  He  calls  his  covenanted  saints, 
Jediduth  Naphshi,  "  The  dearly  beloved  of 
my  soul,"  Jer.  xii.  7.  He  rejoiceth  over 
them  with  joy,  and  rests  in  his  love,  Zeph. 
iii.  17. ;  they  are  his  refined  silver,  Zech. 
xiii.  9. ;  his  jewels,  Mai.  iii.  17. ;  his  royal 
diadem,  Isa.  Ixii.  3.  He  gives  them  llie 
cream  and  flower  of  his  love;  he  not  only 
opens  his  hand  and  fills  them,  Ps.  cxlv. 
16.,  but  opens  his  heart  and  fills  them. 

5.  If  God  be  our  God,  he  will  do  more 
for  us  than  all  the  world  besides  can.  M'liat 
is  that  ?  1.  He  will  give  us  peace  in  trou* 
ble:  when  a  storm  without,  he  will  malce 
music  within.  The  world  can  create  trou- 
ble in  peace,  but  God  can  create  peace  ic 
trouble;  he  will  send  the  Comforter,  who, 
as  a  dove,  brings  an  olive-branch  of  peace 
in  his  mouth,  John  xiv.  16.  2.  God  will 
give  us  .1  crown  of  immortality  :  the  world 
can  give  a  crown  of  gold,  but  that  crown 
hath  thorns  in  it,  and  death  in  it :  but  God 
will  give  "  a  crown  of  glory  that  fadeth 
not  away,"  1  Pet.  v.  4.  The  garland  made 
of  the  flowers  of  paradise  never  withers. 

6.  If  God  be  our  God,  he  will  bear  with 
many  infirmities.  God  may  respite  sinners 
a  while,  but  long  forbearance  is  no  acquit- 
tance ;  he  will  throw  them  to  hell  for  their 
sins;  but  if  God  be  our  God,  he  will  not 
for  every  failing  destroy  us;  he  bears  with 
his  spouse  as  with  the  weaker  vessel;  God 
may  chastise,  Ps.  Ixxxix.  32.,  he  may  use 
the  rod  and  the  ])runing-knife,  but  not  the 
bloody  axe.  Numb,  xxili.  21.,  "  He  hath 
not  beheld  iniquity  in  Jacob  :"  he  will  not 
see  sin  in  his  people,  so  as  to  destroy  them  ; 
he  sees  their  sins  so  as  to  pity  them  ;  he 
sees  them  as  a  physician  sees  a  disease  in 
his  patient,  to  heal  him,  Isa.  Ivii.  18.,  "  I 
have  seen  his  Avays,  and  I  will  heal  him." 
Every  failing  doth  not  break  the  marriage- 
hoiul  asunder.  The  disciples  had  great 
fiiilings,  they  all  forsook  Christ  and  fled  ; 
but  this  did  not  break  off  their  interest  in 
God,  therefore  saith  Christ,  at  his  ascen- 
sion, "  Tell  my  dicsiples,  I  go  to  my  God 
and  to  their  God." 

7.  If  God  be  once  our  God,  he  is  so  for 
ever,  Ps.  xlviii.  14.,  "  This  God  is  our  God 
for  ever  and  ever."  Wliatever  worldly 
comforts  we  have  are  but  for  a  season,  Htfb, 


OF  THE  PREFACE  TO  THE  TEN  COMMANDMENTS. 


225 


xi.  2h.;  we  must  part  with  all.  As  Paul's 
friends  did  aecouipaiiy  liim  to  the  ship,  and 
there  Iclt  him,  Acts  xx.  28.,  so  all  our 
earthly  comforts  will  but  po  with  us  to  the 
grave,  and  there  leave  us.  You  cannot 
say  you  have  liealth,  and  shall  have  it  for 
ever;  you  have  a  child,  and  shall  have  it 
for  ever;  but  if  God  be  your  God,  you 
shall  have  him  for  ever  ;  "  This  God  is  our 
God  for  ever  and  ever."  If  God  be  our 
God,  he  will  be  a  God  to  us  as  long  as  he 
IS  a  God  !  "  You  have  taken  away  my  gods," 
saith  Micah,  Judges  xviii.  2i.  But  it  can- 
not be  said  to  a  belieA'er,  that  his  God  is 
taken  away;  he  may  lose  all  things  else, 
but  cannot  lose  his  God.  God  is  ours  from 
everlasting  in  election,  and  to  everlasting 
in  glory. 


8.  If  God  be  our  God,  we  shall  enjov 
all  our  godly  relations  with  him  in  heaven. 
The  great  felicity  on  earth,  is  to  enjoy  re- 
lations ;  a  father  sees  his  own  picture  in  a 
child ;  a  wife  sees  a  piece  of  herself  in  her 
husband  ;  we  plant  the  flower  of  love  among 
our  relations,  aiul  the  loss  of  them  is  like 
the  pulling  off  a  limb  from  the  body.  But 
if  God  be  ours,  with  enjoying  God  we  shall 
enjoy  all  our  pious  relations  in  glorv.  TIio 
gracious  child  shall  see  his  godly  father,  the 
virtuous  wife  shall  see  her  religious  hus- 
band in  Christ's  arms :  and  then  there  will 
be  a  dearer  love  to  relations  than  ever  was 
before,  though  in  a  far  different  manner  ; 
then  relations  shall  meet  and  never  part : 
"  And  so  shall  we  be  ever  with  the  Lord," 
1  Tliess.  iv.  17. 


ExoD.  XX.  2.  /crm  the  Lord  thy  God,  Sfc. 


TO  all  such  as  can  make  out  this  cove- 
nant union,  it  exhorts  to  several  things. 

1st.  If  (iod  be  our  God,  let  us  improve 
our  interest  in  him, — cast  all  our  burdens 
upon  him, — the  burden  of  our  fears,  wants, 
sins,  Ps.  Iv.  22.,  "  Cast  thy  burden  upon 
the  Lord."  Wicked  men,  who  are  a  bur- 
den to  God,  have  no  right  to  cast  their  bur- 
den upon  him ;  but  such  as  have  God  for 
their  God,  are  called  upon  to  cast  their  bur- 
den on  him.  Where  should  the  child  case 
all  its  cares  but  in  the  bosom  of  its  parent? 
Judges  xix.  20.,  "  Let  all  thy  wants  lie  upon 
me."  So  God  seems  to  say  to  his  children, 
'  Let  all  your  wants  lie  upon  mc.'  (Chris- 
tian, what  doth  trouble  thee  ?  Thou  hast  a 
God  to  pardon  thy  sins,  to  supply  thy  wants, 
— therefore  roll  your  burden  on  the  Lord  : 
1  Pet.  V.  7.,  "  Casting  all  your  care  on  him," 
Whence  are  Christians  so  disquieted  in  their 
mind  ?  They  are  taking  care,  when  they 
should  be  casting  care  away. 

2d.  If  God  be  our  God,  let  us  learn  to  be 
contented,  though  we  have  the  less  of  other 
things.  Contentment  is  a  rare  jewel;  it  is 
the  cure  of  care.  If  we  have  God  to  be  our 
God,  well  may  we  be  contented.  "  I  know 
whom  I  have  believed,"  2  Tim.  i.  12.  :  there 
was  Paul's  interest  in  God;  2  Cor.  vi.  10., 
*'  As  having  nothing,   yet  possessing  all  :" 


there  was  his  content.  That  such  who  have 
covenant-union  with  God  may  be  filled  with 
contentation  of  spirit,  consider  what  a  rich 
blessing  God  is  to  the  soul. 

1.  God  is  bonnm  siifficiens, — a  sufliicient 
good.  He  who  hath  God  hath  enough.  If 
a  man  be  thirsty  bring  him  to  a  spring,  and 
he  is  satisfied ;  in  God  there  is  enough  to 
fill  the  heaven-born  soul;  "  He  gives  grace 
and  glory,"  Ps.  Ixxxiv.  11.  There  is  in 
God  not  only  a  suflliciency,  but  a  redun- 
dancy ;  he  is  not  only  full  as  a  vessel  but  as 
a  spring.  Other  things  can  no  more  fill  the 
soul  than  a  mariner's  breath  can  fill  the  sails 
of  a  ship  ;  but  in  God  is  a  cornucopia,  an  in- 
finite fulness;  he  hath  enough  to  fill  the  an- 
gels, therefore  enough  to  fill  us.  The  heart 
is  a  triangle,  which  only  the  Trinity  can  fill. 

2.  God  is  bonum  smicfijicans, — a  sanctify- 
ing good.  1.  He  sanctifies  all  our  comforts,, 
and  turns  them  into  blessinfrs.  Health  is 
blessed,  estate  is  blessed,  he  gives  with  the 
venison  a  blessing,  Ps.  cxxxii.  15.,  "  I  will 
abundantly  bless  her  provision."  He  gives 
us  that  life  we  have  tmiqnmn  arhaho, — as  an 
earnest  of  more.  He  jrives  the  little  meal' 
in  the  barrel,  as  an  earnest  of  the  roval  feast 
in  paradise.  2.  Me  s.iiirlifies  all  our  cros- 
ses; they  shall  not  be  destructive  ])uiii.sh. 
ments,   but  medicines, — they  sJiall  corrodo 

2F 


2'?6 


OF  THE  PREFACE  TO  THE  TEN  COMMANDMENTS. 


and  eat  out  the  venom  of  sm, — they  shall 
polish  and  refine  our  grace.  The  more  the 
diamond  is  cut  it  sparkles  the  more.  God's 
stretching  the  strings  of  his  viol,  is  to  make 
the  music  hetter. 

3.  God  is  bonwn  sekcfum, — a  choice  good. 
All  things,  sub  sole,  are  but  bona  scabelli,  as 
Austin,  the  blessings  of  the  footstool ;  but 
to  have  God  himself  to  be  ours,  is  the  bles- 
sing of  the  throne.  Abraham  gave  gifts  to 
the  sons  of  the  concubines,  but  he  set- 
tled the  inheritance  upon  Isaac  :  Gen.  xxv. 
5.,  "  Abraham  gave  all  that  he  had  to 
Isaac."  God  may  send  away  the  men  of 
the  world  with  gifts,  a  little  gold  and  silver ; 
but,  in  giving  us  himself,  he  gives  us  the 
very  quintessence,  his  gi*ace,  his  love,  his 
kingdom  ;  here  is  the  crowning  blessing. 

4.  God   is    bonum   summum, — the    chief 
good,  in  the  chief  good  there  must  be.  First, 
delectability,  it  must  have  something  that 
is  delicious  and  sweet :  and  where  can  we 
suck   those   pure    quintessential   comforts, 
which  ravish  us  with  delight,  but  in  God  ? 
In  Deo  quadam  dulcedine  delectatur  anima, 
imo  rapitur ;   "  At  God's    right    hand  are 
pleasures,"  Ps.  xvi.  11.     Secondly,  In  the 
chief  good  there  must  be  transcendency,  it 
must  have  a  surpassing  excellency.    Thus 
God  is  infinitely  better  than  all  other  things; 
it  is  below  the  Deity  to  compare  other  things 
with  it.     Wlio  would  go  to  weigh  a  feather 
with  a  mountain  of  gold  ?    God  is  fons  et 
origo, — the  spring  of  all  entities,   and  the 
cause  is  more  noble  than  the  effect.     It  is 
God  that  bespangles  the  creation, — that  puts 
light  into  the  sun, — that  fills  the  veins   of 
the   earth  with  silver ;    creatures    do    but 
maintain  life,  God  gives  life  ;  God  infinite- 
ly outshines  all  sviblunary  glory  ;  he  is  bet- 
ter than  the  soul,  than  angels,  than  heaven. 
Thirdly,  In  the  chief  good,  there  must  be 
not  only  fulness,  but  variety  ;  where  variety 
is  wanting  we  arc  apt  to  nauseate ;  to  feed 
only  «n  honey,  would  breed  loathing ;  but  in 
God  is  all  variety  of  fulness.  Col.  i.  19.     He 
is  aii  universal  good,  commensurate  to  all 
our  wants ;  he  is  bonum  in  quo  omnia  bona, 
a  son,  a  portion,  an  horn  of  salvation  ;  he  is 
called  the  "  God  of  all  comfort,"  2  Cor.  i.  3. 
There  is  a  complication  of  all  beauties  and 
delights  in  him;  health  hath  not  the  com- 
fort of  beauty,  asor  beauty  of  riches,   nor 


riches  of  wisdom,  but  God  is  the  God  of  all 
comfort.  Fourthly,  In  the  chief  good  there 
must  be  eternity.  God  is  a  treasure  that 
can  neither  be  drawn  low,  nor  drawn  dry. 
Though  the  angels  are  still  spending  on 
him,  he  can  never  be  spent ;  he  abides  for 
ever.  Eternity  is  a  flower  of  his  crown. 
Now,  if  God  be  our  God,  here  is  enough  to 
let  in  full  contentment  into  our  souls.  What 
though  we  want  torch-light,  if  we  have  the 
sun?  Wliat  if  God  deny  us  the  flower,  if 
he  hath  given  us  the  jewel?  How  should 
this  rock  a  Christian's  heart  quiet  ?  If  we 
say  God  is  our  God,  and  we  are  not  con- 
tent, we  have  cause  to  question  our  interest 
in  him. 

3</.  If  we  can  clear  up  this  covenant-union 
that  God  is  our  God,  let  this  cheer  and  re- 
vive us  in  all  conditions.  To  be  content 
with  God,  is  not  enough,  but  to  be  cheerful. 
What  greater  cordial  can  you  have,  than 
union  with  Deity  ?  When  Jesus  Christ  was 
ready  to  ascend,  he  could  not  leave  a  richer 
consolation  with  his  disciples  than  this, 
Tell  them,  "  I  go  to  my  God  and  your 
God,"  John  XX.  17.  Who  should  rejoice, 
if  not  they,  who  have  an  infinite,  all-suffi- 
cient, eternal  God  to  be  their  portion,  who 
are  as  rich  as  heaven  can  make  them  ? 
What  though  I  want  health  ?  I  have  God 
"  who  is  the  health  of  my  countenance,  and 
my  God,"  Ps.  xlii.  11.  What  though  lam 
low  in  the  world  ?  if  I  have  not  the  earth, 
I  have  him  that  made  it.  The  philosopher 
comforted  himself  with  this,  though  he  had 
no  music  or  vine-trees,  yet  here  are  the 
household  gods  with  me  :  so,  though  we 
have  not  the  vine  or  fig-tree,  yet  we  have 
God  with  us.  I  cannot  be  poor,  saith  St. 
Bernard,  as  long  as  God  is  rich :  for  his 
riches  are  mine.  O  let  the  saints  rejoict 
in  this  covenant-union  !  To  say  God  is  ours, 
is  more  than  to  say  heaven  is  ours ;  heaven 
would  not  be  heaven  without  God.  All 
the  stars  cannot  make  day  without  the  sun-, 
all  the  angels,  those  morning-stars,  cannot 
make  heaven  without  Christ  the  Sun  of 
Righteousness.  And  as  to  have  God  for 
our  God  is  matter  of  rejoicing  in  life,  so 
especially  it  will  be  at  our  death.  Let  a 
Christian  think  thus,  1  am  going  to  mv 
God.  A  child  is  glad  when  he  is  going 
home  to  his  father.     This  was  Christ's  com- 


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227 


fort,  when  he  was  leavinfj  the  worhl,  John 
•XX.  17.,  "  I  go  to  my  God."  And  tl)is  is  a 
believer's  death-bed  cordial,  I  am  going  to 
my  God ;  I  s-liall  change  my  place,  but  not 
my  kindred  ;  I  go  to  my  God  and  my  Fa- 
ther. 

Ath.  If  God  be  our  God,  then  let  us  break 
forth  into  doxology  and  praise,  Ps.  cxviii. 
28.,  "  Thou  art  my  God,  and  I  will  praise 
thee."  O  infinite,  .astonishing  mercy,  that 
God  should  take  dust  and  ashes  into  so  near 
a  bond  of  love  as  to  be  our  God  !  As  Micah 
said,  Judges  xviii.  24.,  "  What  have  I 
more  ?"  so,  what  hath  God  more ;  what 
richer  jewel  hath  he  to  bestow  upon  us  than 
himself?  what  hath  he  more?  That  God 
should  put  off  most  of  the  world  with  rich- 
es and  honour, — that  he  should  pass  over 
himself  to  us  by  a  deed  of  gift,  to  be  our 
God,  and  by  virtue  of  this  settle  a  kingdom 
upon  us, — O  let  us  praise  him  with  the  best 
instrument,  our  heart ;  and  let  this  instru- 
ment be  screwed  up  to  the  highest  pitch ; 
let  us  praise  him  with  our  whole  heart ! 
See  how  David  riseth  by  degrees,  Ps.  xxxii. 
11.,  "  Be  glad  in  the  Lord,  and  rejoice,  and 
shout  for  joy."     "  Be  glad,"  there  is  thank- 


fulness ;  "  Rejoice,"  there  is  clieerfulncss ; ' 
"  Shout,"  there  is  triumph.  Praise  is  call- 
ed incense,  because  it  is  so  sweet  a  sacri- 
fice. Let  the  saints  be  choristers  in  God'.<i 
praises.  The  deepest  springs  yield  the 
sweetest  water ;  the  more  deeply  sensible 
we  are  of  God's  covenant-love  to  us,  the 
sweeter  praises  we  should  yield.  We  should 
begin  here  to  eternize  God's  name,  and  do 
that  work  on  earth  which  we  shall  be  al- 
ways doing  in  heaven,  Ps.  cxlvi.  2.,  "  While 
I  live,  will  I  praise  the  Lord." 

^th.  Let  us  carry  ourselves  as  those  who 
have  God  to  be  our  God ;  that  is,  when  we 
walk  so,  that  others  may  see  there  is  some- 
thing of  God  in  us.  Live  holily ;  what 
have  we  to  do  with  sin  ?  Is  it  not  this, 
that  if  it  doth  not  break,  yet  it  will  weaken 
the  interest  ?  Hos.  xiv.  8.,  "  What  have  I 
to  do  any  more  with  idols  ?"  So  would  a 
Christian  say,  "  God  is  my  God ;  what  have 
I  to  do  any  more  with  sin,  with  lust,  pride, 
malice  !  Bid  me  commit  sin  !  as  well  bid 
me  di-ink  poison  !  Shall  I  forfeit  my  inte- 
rest in  God?  Let  me  rather  die,  than  wil- 
lingly offend  him  who  is  the  crown  of  my 
joy,  the  God  of  my  salvation  !" 


ExoD.  XX.  2.  The  land  of  Egypt,  §r. 


THE  second  part  of  the  preface,  "  which 
have  brought  thee  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt, 
out  of  the  house  of  bondage."  Egypt  and 
the  house  of  bondage  are  the  same;  only 
they  are  represented  to  us  under  a  different 
expression,  or  notion.  I  begin  with  the 
first  expression,  "  \^Tiich  have  brought  thee 
out  of  the  land  of  Egj^t." 

Quest.  Why  doth  the  Lord  mention  this 
deliverance  of  Israel  out  of  Egypt  ? 

Ans.  1  Because  of  the  strangeness  of  the 
deliveran'ce.  God  delivered  his  people  Israel 
by  strange  signs  and  wonders, — by  send- 
\\ig  plague  after  plague  upon  Pharaoh, — 
blasting  the  fruits  of  the  earth, — killing  all 
the  first-born  in  Egypt,  Exod.  xii.  29.  And 
when  Israel  marched  out  of  Eg}T)t,  God 
made  the  waters  of  the  sea  to  part  and  be- 
come a  wall  to  his  people,  while  they  went 
on  dry  ground ;  and  as  he  made  the  sea  a 
CiUi^eway  to  Israel,  so  a  grave  to  Pharaoh 


and  his  chariots.  Well  might  the  Lord 
mention  liis  bringing  them  out  of  the  land 
of  Egypt,  because  of  the  strangeness  of  the 
deliverance  !  God  MTought  miracle  upon 
miracle  for  their  deliverance. 

A.  2.  God  mentions  Israel's  deliverance 
out  of  Egj'^pt,  because  of  the  greatness  of 
the  deliverance.  God  delivered  Israel  from 
the  pollutions  of  Egypt ;  Eg}^pt  was  a  bad 
air  to  live  in,  it  was  infected  with  idola- 
try; the  Egyptians  were  gross  idolaters, 
they  were  guilty  of  that  which  the  apostle 
speaks  of,  Rom,  i.  23.,  "  They  changed  tlie 
glory  of  the  incorruptible  God  into  an  im- 
age made  like  to  corruptible  man,  and  to 
birds,  and  four-footed  beasts,  and  creeping 
things."  The  Egyptians  worshipped  in- 
stead of  the  true  God,  First,  corruptible 
man  ;  they  deified  their  king  Apis,  forbid- 
ding all,  under  pain  of  death,  to  say  that 
he  was  a  man.     2dly,  They  were  worslup- 


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•  pers  of  birds,  tliey  worslilpped  the  liawk. 
3dlv,  They  were  worshippers  of  beasts, 
they  worshipped  the  ox  :  thus  they  made 
the  image  of  a  beast  to  be  tlieir  god.  4thly, 
Tlicy  were  worsliippers  of  creeping  things, 
they  worshipped  the  crocodile,  and  the  In- 
dian mouse.  Tlierefore  God  mentions  this 
as  a  memorable  and  signal  favour  to  Israel, 
that  he  brought  them  out  of  such  an  idola- 
trous country  ;  "  I  brought  thee  out  of  the 
land  of  Egypt." 

The  thing  I  would  note  is  this.  That  it  is 
,  no  small  blessing  to  be  delivered  from  jda- 
ces  of  idolatry.     God  speaks  of  it  no  less 
than  ten  times  in  the  Old  Testament,   "  I 
brought  you  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt ;" 
an   idolatrous   place.     Had  there  been  no 
iron  furnace  in  ILgypt,  yet  there  being  so 
many  altars  there,  and  false  gods,  it  was  a 
great  privilege  to  Israel  to  be  delivered  out 
of  Egypt.     Joshua  reckons  it  among  the 
chief  and  most  memorable  mercies  of  God 
to  Abraham,    that  he  brought  him  out  of 
.  Ur  of  the  Chaldees,  where  Abraham's  an- 
.  castors  served  strange  gods.  Josh.  xxiv.  2, 
3.     It  is  well  for  the  plant  that  is  set  in  a 
bad  soil,   to  be   transplanted   to   a  better, 
where  it  may  grow  and  flourish  :  so  when 
,any  are  planted  among  idolaters,   it  is  a 
mercy  when  they  are  removed  and  trans- 
planted  into    Zion,    where    are   the  silver 
drops  of  God's  word  to  make  them  grow  in 
holiness. 

'Quest.  Wherein  doth  it  appear  that  it  is 
such  a  great  blessing  to  be  delivered  from 
places  of  idolatry  ? 

Ans.  1.  It  is  a  great  mercy,  because  our 
nature  is  so  prone  to  idolatry.  Israel  be- 
gan to  be  defiled  with  the  idols  of  Egypt, 
Ezek.  xxii.  3.  Dry  wood  is  not  more  prone 
to  take  fire,  than  our  nature  is  to  idolatry. 
The  Jews  made  cakes  to  the  queen  of  hea- 
ven, that  is  the  moon,  Jer.  vii.  18. 

Quest.  Whence  is  it  that  we  are  so  prone 
to  idolatry  ? 

Ans.  1.  Because  we  are  led  much  by 
\nsible  objects,  and  love  to  have  our  sen- 
ses pleased.  Men  naturally  fancy  a  god 
that  they  may  see  ;  though  it  be  such  a  god 
that  cannot  see  them,  yet  they  would  see 
it.  The  true  God  is  invisible ;  tjiis  makes 
the  idolater  worship  something  that  he  m»i^ 
sec. 


A.  2.   It  is  a  mercy  to  be  delivered  from 
idolatrous  places,  because  o{  the  greatness 
of   the  sin  of   idolatry.     It  is  giving  that 
glorv  to  an  image,    which  is  due  to  God. 
All  divine  worship  God  doth  appropriate  to 
himself;  it  is  a  flower  of  his  crown.     The 
fat  of  the  sacrifice  God  laid  claim  to,  Lev, 
iii.  3. :  divine  worship  is  the  fat  of  the  sacri- 
fice whicli  God  reserves  for  himself.     The 
idolator  devotes   this    woi'ship   to  his  idol, 
which  the  Lord  will  by  no  means  endure, 
Isa.  xlii.  8.,   "  My  glory  will  I  not  give  to 
another,  neither  my  praise  to  graven  imag- 
es."     Idolatry  is  spiritual  adultery,    Ezek. 
xxiii.   37,,     "  With   their   idols  have   they 
committed    adultery."      To    worship    any 
other  than  God  is  to  break  Avcdlock  ;  this 
makes  the  Lord  disclaim  his  interest  in  a 
people,  Hos.  ii.  2.,   "  Plead  with  your  mo- 
ther,   plead    she    is    not    my    wife."     And 
Exod.  xxxii.  7.,   "  Thy  people  have  corrupt- 
ed themselves  ;"  no  more  my  ]»cople,    but 
thy  people.     God  calls  idolatry,  blas})hemy, 
Ezek.  XX.  27,   31.,   "  In  ihis  your  fathers 
have  blasphemed   me."     Idolatry  is  devil- 
worship,  Deut.  xxxii.  17.,  "  They  sacrificed 
to  devils,    not   unto   God ;    to   new  gods." 
These  new  gods  were  old  devils,   Lev.  xvii. 
7.,  "  And  they  shall  no  more  offer  their  sa- 
crifice unto  devils;"  the  Hebrew  word /a- 
shcgjiirim,  is  '  the  hairy  ones,'  because  the 
devils  were  hairy,  and  appeared  in  the  forms 
of  satyrs  and  goats.     IIo^v  dreadful  a  sin  is 
idolatry  ;  and  what  a  signal  mercy  is  it  to 
be  snatched  out  of  an  idolatrous  place,  as 
Lot  was  snatched  by  the  angels  out  of  So- 
dom ! 

A.  3.  It  is  a  mercy  to  be  delivered  out 
of  idolatrous  places,  because  idolatry  is 
such  a  silly  irrational  religion.  I  may  say, 
as  Jer.  viii.  9.,  "  What  wisdom  is  in  them  ?" 
Is  it  not  folly  to  refuse  the  best,  and  choose 
the  worst  ?  The  trees  in  the  field  of  Joth- 
am's  parable,  desj)ised  the  vine-tree  which 
cheers  both  God  and  man,  and  the  olive  which 
is  full  of  fatness,  and  the  fig-tree  whicli  is  full 
of  sweetness,  and  cliose  tlie  bramble  to  reign 
over  them;  this  was  a  foolish  choice,  Judg. 
ix. :  so,  for  us  to  refuse  the  living  God,  who 
hath  power  to  save  us,  an!  to  make  choice  of 
an  idol,  that  hath  eyes  and  sees  not,  feet  hut 
^yalks  not,  Ps.  cxv.  5,  7.,  what  a  prodigy 
of  madness  is   this?    Tlierefore   to   be   dc- 


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229 


fivercd  from   committing   such  folly,    is  a 
mercy. 

A.  i.  It  is  a  mercy  to  be  delivered  from 
id«»latroiis  places,  because  of  the  sad  judg- 
ments inflicted  upon  idolaters.  This  is  a 
'Bin  which  enragetli  (Jod,  and  makes  the 
fury  come  up  in  his  face,  Ezek.  xxxviii.  18. 
Search  through  the  whole  book  of  Ciod,  and 
you  sliail  find  no  sin  God  hath  followed 
witli  more  plagues  than  idolatry,  Ps.  xvi. 
4.,  "  Their  sorrows  shall  be  multiplied,  that 
hasten  after  another  god."  Ps.  Ixxviii.  58, 
59.,  "  They  moved  him  to  jealousy  with 
their  graven  images."  When  Cod  heard 
this,  "  he  was  wroth,  and  gi-eatly  abhorred 
Israel ;'  ver.  60.,  "  So  that  he  forsook  the 
tabernacle  of  Shiloh."  Sliiloh  was  a  city 
belonging  to  the  tribe  of  Ephraim  ;  there 
God  set  his  name,  Jer.  vii.  12. ;  but,  for 
their  idolatry  (iod  forsook  that  place,  gave 
his  ]»eople  up  to  the  sword,  caused  his 
priests  to  be  slain,  his  ark  to  be  carried 
away  captive,  and  it  never  returned  to  Shi- 
loh Juiy  more.  How  severe  was  God  a- 
gainst  Israel,  for  worshipping  the  golden 
calf?  Exod.  xxxii.  27.  The  Jews  say,  that 
in  everv  miserv  that  befalls  them,  there  is 
undo  aurei  vitu/i, — au  ounce  of  the  golden 
calf  in  it.  Rev.  x\'iii.  4.,  "  Come  out  of 
her,  my  people,  that  ye  be  not  partakers  of 
her  sins,  and  that  ye  receive  not  of  her 
phignes."  Idolatry,  lived  in,  cuts  men  off 
from  heaven,  1  Cor.  vi.  9.  :  so  then  it  is  no 
small  mercy  to  be  delivered  out  of  idola- 
trous places. 

Use  1st.  See  the  goodness  of  God  to  our 
nation,  who  hath  brought  us  out  of  mysti- 
cal Egypt,  delivering  us  from  popery,  which 
is  Romish  idolatry,  and  hath  caused  the 
light  of  his  truth  to  break  Ibrth  gloi  iitusly 
among  us.  In  former  times,  and  more 
lately  in  the  Marian  days,  England  was 
overspread  with  idolatry, — we  worshii)ped 
God  after  a  false  manner,  that  is  idolatry, 
not  only  to  worship  a  false  (iod,  but  the 
true  (iod  in  a  false  manner, — this  w;ls  our 
case  formerly,  we  had  purgatory,  indul- 
gencies,  the  idolatrous  mass,  the  Scrij)tures 
locked  up  in  an  unknown  tongue,  invoca- 
tion of  saints  and  angels,  image-worship. 
Images  are  teachers  of  lies,  Ilab.  ii.  18. 
Wherein  do  they  teach  lies?  Because  tliey 
represent  God  in  a  bodily  sha[)e,  whereas 


he  cannot  be  seen.  Dent.  iv.  12.,  "  But  saw 
I  no  similitude,  only  ye  heard  a  voice."  QiiOii 
invisihile  est,  ptn(/i  von  potest,  Aimbr.  God 
cannot  be  pictured  out  by  any  finger;  you 
.  cannot  ])icture  the  soul  being  a  spirit,  much 
less  God,  Isa.  xl.  18.,  "  To  whom  then 
will  ye  liken  God?"  The  papists  say, 
they  worship  God  by  the  image;  which 
hatli  a  great  absurdity  in  it,  for  if  it  be  ab- 
surd to  bow  down  to  the  picture  of  a  king, 
when  the  king  himself  is  present,  then 
much  more  to  bow  down  to  the  image  of 
God,  when  God  himself  is  present,  Jer. 
xxiii.  21.  What  is  the  popish  religion,  but 
a  biuidle  of  ridiculous  ceremonies  ?  Their 
wax,  flowers,  pLves,  of/niis  Dei,  cream  and 
oil,  beads,  crucifixes, — what  arc  these  but 
Satan's  policy  to  dress  up  a  carnal  wor- 
ship, fitted  to  carnal  minds  ?  O  Avhat  cause 
have  we  to  bless  God,  for  deliverinof  us 
from  popery  !  It  was  a  mercy  to  be  deli- 
vered from  the  Sj)anish  invasion  and  the 
powder-treason;  but  a  far  greater  to  be 
delivered  from  the  popish  religion,  which 
Avould  have  made  God  give  us  a  bill  of 
divorce. 

Use  2d.  If  it  be  a  great  blessing  to  be 
delivered  from  Egypt,  ])()])ish  idolatry ;  then 
it   shews   their   sin   and  folly,  who,   being 
brought  out  of  Egypt,  are  willing  to  return 
into  Egypt  again  ;  having  put  oif  the  yoke 
of  Rome,  would  fain  put  it  on  agaiii.     The 
apostle  saith,   "  Flee  from  idolatry,"  1  Cor. 
X.  11.     But  these  rather  flee  to  idolatry; 
herein   we   are   like   the   people   of  Israel, 
who,  notwithstanding  all  the  idolatry  and 
tyranny  of  Egypt,  yet  longed  to  go  back 
to  Egypt,  Numb.  xiv.  4.,   "  Let  us  make  a 
captain  and  let  us  return  into  Egypt."     But 
how  shall  they  go  back  into  Egypt?     How 
shall    they    have    food   in    the    wilderness? 
AN'ill  (iod  rain  d<)wn  manna  any  more  uj)ou 
such  rebels?     How  will  they  get  over  the 
red  sea  ?     Will  (iod  divide  the  water  again 
by  miracle,  for  such  as  leave  his  service, 
and  go   into   idolatrous   Egypt  ?     Yet   say 
they.    Let   us   make   a  captain.     And   are 
there  not  such  spirits  amongst  us,  who  say, 
"  Let  us  make  a  captain,  and   go  b.ick   to 
the  Romish  Egypt  again  ?"     And  if  we  do, 
what  shall  we  get  by  it  ?     I  am  afraid  the 
leeks  and  onions  of  Egypt  will  make  us 
sick.     Do  we  ever  think,  if  we  drink  in  the 


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cup  of  fornication,  we  shall  drink  in  the 
cup  of  salvation?  O  that  any  should  so 
forfeit  their  reason,  as  to  enslave  them- 
selves to  thft  see  of  Rome !  That  they 
should  be  willing  to  hold  a  candle  to  a 
mass-priest,  and  bow  down  to  a  strange 
god  !  Let  us  not  say  we  will  make  a  cap- 
tain ;  but  rather  say  as  Ephraim,  Hos.  xiv. 
8.,  "  \Miat  have  I  to  do  any  more  with 
idols?" 

Use  M.  If  it  be  a  mercy  to  be  brought 
out  of  Eg)'pt,  then  it  is  not  desirable  or  safe 
to  plant  one's  self  in  an  idolatrous  place 
where  it  may  be  a  capital  crime  to  be  seen 
with  a  Bible  in  one's  hand.      Some  for  se- 
cular gain  thrust  themselves  among  idola- 
ters, and  think  there  is  no  danger  to  live 
where  Satan's  seat  is :  but  do  you  pray  God 
would  not  lead  you  into  temptation,  and  do 
you  lead  yourselves.     You  are  in  great  dan- 
ger of  being  polluted ;  it  is  hard  to  be  as 
the  fish,  which  keeps  fresh  in  salt  waters. 
A  man   cannot   dwell   among  the   blacka- 
moors,   but    he   will   be   discoloured;    you 
will  sooner  be  corrupted  by  idolaters,  than 
they  will  be  converted  by  you ;  Joseph  got 
no  good  by  living  in  an  idolatrous  court ; 
he  did  not  teach  Pharaoh  to  pray,  but  Pha- 
raoh taught  him  to  swear,  Ps.  cvi.  35.,  they 
"  were  mingled  among   the   heathen,   aiul 
served  their  ido's."     I  fear  this  hath  been 
the  undoing  of   many;    tliey   have   seated 
themselves  amongst  ick»laters,  for  advanc- 
ing their  trade,  and  at  hist  have  not  only 
traded  with  them  in  their  commodities,  but 
in  their  religion. 

line  A'th.  Is  it  a  mercy  to  be  brought  out 
of  the  land  of  Egypt, — places  which  are 
defiled,  and  where  sin  reigns?  then  it  re- 
proaches such  parents  as  shew  little  love  to 
the  souls  of  their  children,  whether  it  be  in 
putting  them  out  to  service,  or  matching 
them. — 1.  In  ])utting  them  out  to  service  : 
their  care  is  chiefly  for  their  bodies,  that 
they  may  be  provided  for,  but  care  not 
what  becomes  of  their  souls ;  their  souls  are 
in  Egypt,  in  houses  where  there  is  drinking, 
swearing,  sabbath-breaking,  aiul  where  God's 
name  is  every  day  dishonoured. — 2.  In 
matching  their  children,  they  look  only  at 
money,  2  Cor.  vi.  14.,  "  Be  not  ye  une- 
qually yoked  :"  if  their  children  be  ecpially 
yoked  for  estate,  they  care  not  whether  they 


be  unequally  yoked  for  religion :  now,  to 
such  parents,   (1.)   Think  how  precious  tho 
soul  of  your  child  is ;  it  is  immortal,  it  is 
capable  of  communion  with  God  and  an- 
gels :  and  will  you  let  this  soul  be  lost,  by 
placing  it  in  a  bad  family?     If  you  had  an 
horse  you  loved,  you  would  not  put  him 
into  a  stable  with  other  horses  that  were 
sick  and  diseased ;  and  do  you  not  love  your 
child  better  than  your  horse  ?  (2.)  God  hath 
intrusted  you  with  the  souls  of  your  chil- 
dren,  you  have  a   charge   of  souls.      God 
saith,  as  1  Kings  xx.  39.,   "  Keep  this  man  : 
if  by  any  means  he  be  missing,  then  thy 
life  shall  be  for  his  life."     So  saith  God, 
'  If  the  soul  of  thy  child  miscarry  by  thy 
negligence,    his  blood  will  I  require  at  thy 
hand.'     Think  of  this,  all  ye  parents ;  take 
heed  of  placing  your  children  in  Eg^-pt,  in 
a  Avicked  family ;  do  not  put  them  in  the 
devil's  mouth :  find  out  a  sober,  religious 
family,    such   a  family  as  Joshua's,    chap, 
xxiv.  15.,   "  As  for  me  and  my  house  we 
will  serve   the  Lord."     Such   a  family  as 
Cranmer's,  which  was  pa/ces/ra  pietatis, — • 
a  nursery  of  piety ;  such  a  family  as  is  a 
Bethel,  of  which  it  may  be  said,  as  Col.  iv. 
15.,   "  The  church  which  is  in  his  house." 
Use  btli.   Let   us   pray  that   God   would 
keep  our  English  nation   from  tlie  defile- 
ments of  Egypt,  that  it  may  not  be  again 
overspread  with  superstition  and  idolatry. 
O  sad  religion  !  not  only  to  have  our  estates, 
our  bodies   enslaved,   but  our   conscience. 
Prav  that  the  true  protestant  religion  may 
still  flourish  among  us,  that  the  sun  of  the 
gospel  may  still  shine  in  our  horizon.     The 
gospel   lifts  a  people  up  to  heaven,    it  is 
columna  et  corona  regni, — '  the  crown  and 
glory  of  the  kingdom ;'  if  this  be  removed, 
then  Ichahod^  the  glory  is  departed  !     The 
top  of  the  beech-tree  being  cut  off,  the  whole 
body  of  the  tree  withers  apace :  the  gospel 
is  the  top  of  all  our  blessings,  if  this  top  be 
cut,  the  whole  body  ])olitic  will  soon  wi- 
ther.    O  pray  that  the  Lord  will  cmitinue 
the  visible  tokens  »)f  his  presence  among  us, 
his  ordinances,  that  England  may  be  called, 
Jehovah  Shaminah,   "  The  Lord  is  there  !" 
Ezck.  xlvlii.  35.     Pray  that  righteousness 
and  peace  may  kiss  each  other,  that  so  glory 
may  dwell  in  our  land ! 


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231 


ExoD.  XX.  2.   Out  of  the  House  of  Bondage. 


III.  "  EGYPT,"  and  "  the  Iiouse  of  bon- 
dage," are  the  same,  only  they  are  express- 
ed under  a  different  notion.  By  Egypt 
is  meant  a  place  of  idolatry  and  supersti- 
tion ;  by  the  house  of  bondag^e,  is  meant  a 
place  of  affliction.  Israel,  while  they  were 
in  Egypt,  were  under  great  tyranny ;  they 
had  cruel  task-masters  set  over  them,  who 
put  them  to  hard  labour,  and  set  them  to 
make  brick,  yet  allowed  them  no  straw ; 
therefore  Egypt  is  called  the  iron  furnace, 
Deut.  iv.  20.,  and  here  the  house  of  bon- 
dage. From  this  expression,  "  I  brought 
thee  out  of  the  house  of  bondage,"  two 
things  are  to  be  noted  :  1.  God's  cliildren 
may  sometimes  be  under  sore  afflictions, 
"  In  the  house  of  bondage."  That  God 
will  in  his  due  time  bring  them  out  of  their 
afflicted  state,  "  I  brought  thee  out  of  the 
house  of  bondage." 

1st.  God's  children  may  sometimes  be 
under  sore  afflictions,  In  domo  servitutis, — 
*  in  the  house  of  bondage.'  God's  people 
have  no  right  of  ease  granted  them, — no 
charter  of  exemption  from  trouble  in  this 
life;  while  the  wicked  are  kept  in  sugar, 
the  godly  are  oft  kept  in  brine.  And  in- 
deed, how  could  God's  power  be  seen  in 
bringing  them  out  of  trouble,  if  he  did 
not  sometimes  bring  them  into  it?  or  how 
should  God  wij)e  away  the  tears  from  their 
eyes  in  heaven,  if  on  earth  they  shed 
none?  Doubtless  God  sees  there  is  need 
that  his  children  should  be  sometimes  in 
the  house  of  bondage,  1  Pet.  i.  6.,  "  If  need 
be,  ye  are  in  heaviness;"  the  body  some- 
times doth  more  need  a  bitter  potion  than  a 
julap. 

Quest.  1.  Why  God  lets  his  people  he  in 
the  house  of  bondage,  in  an  afflicted  state  ? 

Alts.  lie  doth  it,  1.  For  probation  or 
irial :  Deut.  viii.  16.,  "  Who  led  thee  through 
that  terrible  wilderness,  that  he  might  hum- 
ble tliee  and  prove  thee."  Affliction  is  the 
touch-stone  of  sincerity,  Ps.  Ixvi.  10,  11., 
"  Tlioii  O  God,  hast  pioved  us;  thou  hast 
tried  us  as  silver:  thou  laidst  affliction  upon 
our  loins."  Hypocrites  may  euil)race  the 
true  religion  in  prosperity,  and  court  this 


queen  while  she  hath  a  jewel  hung  at  her 
ear,  but  he  is  ji  good  Christian  who  will 
keep  close  to  God  in  a  time  of  suffering, 
Ps.  xliv.  17.,  "  All  this  is  come  upon  us, 
yet  have  we  not  forgotten  thee."  To  love 
God  in  heaven,  is  no  wonder :  but  to  love 
God  when  he  chastiseth  us,  this  dicovers 
sincerity. 

2.  For  purgation  :  to  purge  our  corrup- 
tion. Ardet  pakn,  purgatur  aurum,  Isa. 
xxvii.  9.,  "  And  this  is  all  the  fruit,  to  take 
away  his  sin."  The  eye,  though  it  be  a 
tender  part,  yet  when  it  is  sore,  we  put 
sharp  powders  and  \A'aters  into  it,  to  eat 
out  the  pearl  :  though  the  people  of  God 
are  dear  to  him,  yet,  when  conniption  be- 
gins to  grow  in  them,  he  will  apply  the 
sharp  powder  of  affliction,  to  eat  out  the 
pearl  in  tlie  eye.  Affliction  is  God's  flail 
to  thrash  off  our  husks  ;  it  is  a  means  God 
useth  to  purge  out  sloth,  luxury,  pride  and 
love  of  the  world.  "  God's  fire  is  in  Zion," 
Isa.  xxxi.  9.  This  is  not  to  consume,  but 
to  refine;  what  if  we  have  more  affliction, 
if  by  this  means  we  have  less  sin. 

3.  For  augmentation :  to  increase  tlio 
graces  of  the  Spirit.  Grace  thrives  most 
in  the  iron  furnace ;  sharp  frosts  nourish 
the  corn,  so  do  sharp  afflictions  grace ; 
grace  in  the  saints  is  often  as  fire  hid  in 
the  embers,  affliction  is  the  bellows  to  blow- 
it  up  into  a  flame.  The  Lord  makes  the 
house  of  bondage  a  friend  to  our  grace ;  now 
faith  and  patience  act  their  part ;  the  dark- 
ness of  the  night  cannot  hinder  the  bright- 
ness of  a  star,  so,  the  more  the  diamond  ia 
cut  the  more  it  sparkles,  and  the  more  God 
afflicts  us,  the  more  our  graces  cast  a  sj)ark- 
ling  lustre. 

4.  For  preparation  :  to  fit  and  prepare 
the  saints  for  glory,  2  Cor.  iv.  17.  These 
stones  which  are  cut  out  for  a  building  are 
first  hewn  and  squared :  the  godly  are  call- 
ed '  living  stones,'  1  Pet.  ii.  5.  And  God 
doth  first  hew  and  polish  them  by  affliction 
that  they  may  be  fit  for  the  heavenly  build- 
ing ;  the  house  of  bondage  prepares  for  the 
"  house  not  made  witii  hands,"  2  Cor.  v.  1. 
The  vessels  of  mercy  aie  seasoned  with  af- 


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OF  THE  PREFACE  TO  THE  TEN  COMMANDMENTS. 


fliction,  and  then  the  wine  of  glory  is  pour- 
ed in. 

Quest.  2.  Hotu  do  the  qffliclions  of  the 
godhj  differ  from  the  nffUctionx  of  the  wicked? 

Ans.  1.  These  are  but  castigations, — those 
on  the  wicked  are  punishments  ;  these  coine 
from  a  fatlier, — those  from  a  judge. 

A.  2.  Afflictions  on  the  godly  are  fruits 
of  covenant-mercy,  2  Sam.  vii.  14.  But 
afflictions  on  the  wicked  are  effects  of  God's 
wrath,  Eccl.  V.  17.,  "  He  liath  much  wratli 
with  his  sickness."  Afflictions  on  tlie  wick- 
ed are  the  pledge  and  earnest  of  hell ;  they 
are  like  the  pinioning  of  a  malefactor,  which 
doth  presage  his  execution. 

A.  3.  Afflictions  on  the  godly  make  them 
better,  but  afflictions  on  the  wicked  make 
them  worse ;  the  godly  pray  more,  Ps.  cxxx. 
1.,  the  wicked  blaspheme  more,  Rev.  xvi. 
9.,  "  Men  were  scorched  with  great  heat, 
and  blasphemed  the  name  of  God."  Af- 
flictions on  the  wicked  make  them  more 
impenitent;  every  plague  upon  Egypt  in- 
creased the  plague  of  hardness  in  Pharaoh's 
heart.  To  what  a  prodigy  of  wickedness 
do  some  persons  come  after  great  sickness  ? 
Affliction  on  the  godly  is  like  bruising  of 
spices,  which  are  most  sweet  and  fragrant; 
affliction  on  the  wicked  is  like  stamping 
of  weeds  with  a  pestle,  which  makes  them 
more  unsavoury. 

Use  \st.  It  shews  us,  that  we  are  not  to 
wonder  to  see  Israel  in  the  house  of  bon- 
dage, 1  Pet.  iv.  12.  The  holiness  of  the 
saints  will  not  excuse  them  from  sufferings. 
Christ  was  the  holy  one  of  God,  yet  he  was 
in  the  iron  furnace  :  Christ's  spouse  is  a  lily 
thorns,    Cant.    ii.    2.      His    sheep, 


among 


though  ihey  have  the  ear-mark  of  election 
upon  them,  yet  may  have  their  wool  fleeced 
off;  the  godly  have  some  good  in  them, 
therefore  the  devil  afflicts  them,  and  some 
evil  in  them,  thercfoie  (iod  afflicts  tlicin. 
While  there  are  two  seetls  in  the  world, 
expect  to  be  under  the  black  rod.  The  gos- 
pel tells  us  of  reigning,  but  iirst  of  sufl'er- 
ing,  2  Tim.  ii.  12. 

Branch  2.  It  informs  us,  that  affliction  is 


in  an  afflicted  state.  When  the  Barbarians 
saw  the  viper  on  Paul's  hand,  they  said, 
"  No  doubt  this  man  is  a  murderer,"  Acts 
xxviii.  4.,  so,  when  we  see  the  viper  of  af- 
fliction fasten  upon  the  godly,  we  are  apt 
to  censure  them,  and  say,  these  are  greater 
sinners  than  others,  and  God  hates  them  ; 
this  rash  censuring  is  for  want  of  wisdom. 
Were  not  Israel  in  the  house  of  bondage  ? 
Jeremiah  in  the  dungeon  ?  Paul  a  night  and 
a  day  in  the  deep  ?  (iod's  afflicting  is  so  far 
from  evidencing  hatred,  that  liis  not  afflict- 
ing is,  Hos.  iv.  14.,  "  I  will  not  punish  your 
daughters  when  they  commit  whoredom." 
Deus  max'ime  irascitur  cum  non  i/asvitnry 
Bern.  God  puiiislieth  most  when  he  doth 
not  punish  ;  his  hand  is  heaviest  when  it 
seems  to  be  lightest;  the  judge  will  not  burn 
him  in  the  hand  wliom  he  intends  to  exe- 
cute. 

Brcnich  3.  If  God's  own  Israel  maybe  in 
the  house  of  bondage,  then  afllictions  do  not 
of  tliemselves  demonstrate  a  man  n)isera])le, 
indeed  sin  unrepented  of,  makes  one  miser- 
able ;  but  the  cross  doth  not.  If  God  hath 
a  design  in  afllicting  his  children,  to  make 
them  hapj)y,  then  they  are  not  miserable ; 
but  God  s  afflicting  them  is  to  make  them 
lia])py,  therefore  they  are  not  miserable, 
Job  V.  17.,  "  Happy  is  the  man  whom  God 
correcteth."  The  wtu'ld  counts  them  hap- 
])y  who  can  keej)  out  of  affliction  ;  h\it  the 
scripture  calls  them  happy  who  are  afflicted. 

QuES'i'.  How  are  thtt/  happij  ? 

Ans.  1.  Because  thev  are  moreholv,  Ileb. 
xii.  10. — 2.  Because  they  are  nu)re  in  (iod's 
favour,  Prov,  ili.  12.  Tiie  goldsmith  loves 
his  gold  when  in  the  furnace. — 3.  Because, 
they  haA'e  more  of  (lod's  sweet  ])resenee, 
Ps.  xci.  15.  And  they  cannot  he  unhaj)py 
that  have  (jiod's  powerful  juesence  in  suj>- 
]torting,  his  gracious  ])resence  in  sanctifying 
their  aflliction.  4.  Because,  the  nu)re  af- 
fliction they  have,  the  more  degrees  of  glory 
they  shall  have ;  the  lower  they  have  been 
in  the  iron  furnace,  they  shall  sit  u])on  the 
higher  throne  of  glory  :  the  lieavier  their 
crosses,  the  lieavier  shall  be   their   crown. 


not  always  the  sign  of  (iod's  anger.      Israel,  i  So  then,  if  afllictions  nuike  a  Christian  lia])- 


tlie  apple  of  God's  eye,  a  ])eculiar  treasure 
to  him  above  all  people,  Exod.  xix.  5.,  yet 
these  were  in  the  house  of  bondage.     We 


py,  they  cannot  denominate  him  miserable. 

Branch  4.  See  the  merciful  pro-\idence  of 

God  to  his  children  :   thouyh  they  niav  l>e 


aie  apt  to  judge  and  censure  them  who  are    in  the  house  of  bondage,  and  smart  by  af- 


OF  THE  PREFACE  TO  THE  TEN  COMMANDMENTS. 


233 


fliction,  yet  they  shall  not  he  hurt  by  af- 
llictioii.  What  hurt  doth  the  fan  to  the 
corti  ?  only  separates  the  chaff  from  it.  Or, 
the  lance  to  the  hotly  ?  only  lets  out  the 
iuip(»sthnine.  The  house  of  bondag-e  doth 
that  which  sometimes  ordinances  will  not 
do ;  it  doth  humble  and  reform,  Job  xxxvi. 
8,  10.,  "  If  they  be  lield  in  cords  of  afflic- 
tion, he  openeth  their  ear  to  discipline,  and 
commandeth  that  they  return  from  iniqui- 
ty." O  what  a  merciful  providence  is  this, 
thoug^h  God  bruise  his  people,  yet,  while  he 
is  bruising  them,  he  is  doing  them  good  ? 
As  if  one  should  throw  a  bag  of  money  at 
another,  and  a  little  bruise  him,  yet  it  doth 
enrich  him.  Affliction  enricheth  the  soul, 
and  yields  the  sweet  fruits  of  righteousness, 
Heb.  xii.  11. 

Branch  5.  If  Israel  be  in  the  house  of 
bondage,  if  the  Lord  deals  so  with  his  own 
children,  then,  how  severely  will  he  deal 
with  the  wicked  ?  If  God  be  so  severe  with 
them  he  loves,  how  severe  will  he  be  with 
them  he  hates?  If  it  be  done  in  the  green 
tree,  what  shall  be  done  in  the  dry?  If  they 
that  pray  and  mourn  for  sin  be  so  severely 
dealt  with,  what  will  become  of  them  that 
swear  and  break  the  sabbath,  and  are  un- 
clean ?  If  Israel  be  in  the  iron  furnace,  the 
wicked  shall  lie  in  the  fiery  furnace  of 
hell.  It  should  be  the  saddest  news  to 
wicked  men,  to  hear  that  the  peojde  of  God 
are  afflicted,  let  them  think  how  dreadful 
will  the  case  of  sinners  be,  1  Pet.  iv.  17., 
"  Judgment  must  begin  at  the  house  of 
God;  and  if  it  first  begin  at  us,  what  shall 
the  end  be  of  them  that  obey  not  the  gos- 
pel?" If  God  thrash  his  wheat,  he  will 
burn  the  chaff.  If  the  godly  suffer  castiga- 
tion,  the  wicked  shall  suflFer  condemnation. 
If  he  mingle  his  people's  cup  with  worm- 
wood he  will  mingle  the  wicked's  cup  with 
fire  and  brimstone. 

Uxe  2(1.  If  Israel  be  in  tlie  house  of  bon- 
dage, then,  1.?^,  Do  not  entertain  too  hard 
tliouglUs  of  affliction.  Christians  are  apt 
to  hxtU  upon  the  cross  and  the  iron  furnace 
as  friglitfid  things,  and  do  what  they  can 
to  shun  them.  Nay,  sometimes,  to  avoid 
affliction,  tiiey  run  themselves  into  sin. 
But  do  not  think  too  hardly  of  affliction  ; 
do  not  look  upon  it  as  through  tlie  miilti- 
pl^-ing-glass  of  fear ;  the  house  of  bondage 


is  not  hell.  Consider,  first,  AVlience  dotti 
affliction  come  ?  even  from  a  wise  God, 
who  prescribes  Avhatever  befalls  us.  Perse- 
cutions are  but  like  a[)othecaries.  They  give 
us  that  j)hysic  which  God  prescribes.  Se- 
condly, Affliction  hath  its  light  side,  as  well 
as  its  dark.  God  can  sweeten  our  afflic- 
tions, candy  our  wormwood,  2  Cor.  i.  5., 
"  As  our  sufferings  abound,  so  doth  also 
our  consolation."  Argerius  dated  his  let- 
ters from  the  pleasant  garden  of  the  Leo- 
nine prison.  God  doth  sometimes  so  revive 
his  children  in  trouble,  that  they  had  ra- 
ther bear  their  afflictions  than  want  tlieir 
comforts.  Why  then  should  Christians  en- 
tertain such  hard  thoughts  of  afflictions  ? 
Do  not  look  at  its  grim  face,  but  at  the 
message  it  brings,  which  is  to  enrich  U8 
both  Avith  grace  and  comfort. 

2(////,  If  Israel  be  sometimes  in  the  house 
of  bondage,  in  an  afflicted  state,  then  think 
befoi-ehand  of  affliction ;  say  not  as  Job 
xxix,  18.,  "  I  shall  die  in  my  nest."  In 
the  house  of  mirth,  think  of  the  house  of 
bondage ;  you  that  are  now  Naomi,  may 
be  Marah,  Ruth  i.  20.  How  quickly  may 
the  scene  turn,  and  the  hyperbole  of  joy 
end  in  a  catastrophe!  All  outward  tilings 
are  upon  the  tropics,  given  to  cJiange.  The 
forethoughts  of  affliction  would  make  us 
so))er  aiul  moderate  in  the  use  of  lawful 
delight;  it  would  cure  a  surfeit.  C-hrist 
at  a  feast  mentions  his  burial, — a  good  an- 
tidote against  a  surfeit.  The  forethoughts 
of  affliction  would  make  us  prepare  for  it ; 
it  would  take  us  off  the  world,  it  would 
put  us  upon  a  search  of  our  evidences, — 
We  should  see  what  oil  Ave  liaA'e  in  our 
lamp,  Avhat  grace  Ave  can  find,  that  Ave  may 
be  able  to  stand  in  the  evil  day.  That  sol- 
dier Avas  imprudent  Avho  had  his  SA\^ord  to 
Avhet,  Avhen  he  Avas  just  going  to  fight, 
lie  Avho  fitrecasts  sufferings,  Avill  have  the 
shield  of  faith,  and  the  SAvord  of  the  S])irit 
ready,  that  he  may  not  be  surprised. 

3r////,  If  afflictions  do  come,  let  us  labour 
to  deport  ourselves  Avisely  as  Christians, 
that  Ave  may  adorn  our  sufferings;  that  is, 
let  us  endure  Avith  patience;  James  v.  10., 
"  Take  my  brethren  tlie  proj>hets  for  an 
example  of  enduring  affliction  and  patience." 
Satan  labours  to  take  adAantage  of  us  in 
affliction,  by  making  us  either  faint  or  mur-  ■ 

Q  G 


234 


OF  THE  PREFACE  TO  THE  TEN  COMMANDMENTS. 


nmr  ,  lie  blows  tlio  coals  o\  passion  and 
discontent,  and  tlien  warms  himself  at  the 
fire.  Patience  adorns  sufferinfrs.  A  Chris- 
tian should  say  as  Jesus  Christ,  "  Lord, 
not  my  will  but  thy  will  be  done."  And 
indeed,  it  is  a  sii^n  the  afflicticm  is  sanctifi- 
ed, when  the  heart  is  brought  to  a  sweet 


submissive  frame,  and  then  God  will  re- 
move the  affliction ;  he  will  take  us  out  of 
the  iron  furnace.  And  that  brings  me  t5 
the  second  thing,  God's  deliverance  of  his 
people  Israel,  "  I  brought  you  out  of  the 
house  of  bondage." 


*.  ^-^  *^^  %*  v-%  ^.-%  v^  *^*  ^,^  %■%%.■»  V^%^V  ^^%  %^*^^»* 


*'%/%%^%'«^%V%%^«.«^'«  V^  W%^ 


ExoD.  XX.  2.    Which  brought  thee  out  of  the  house  of  bondage. 


WE  may  consider  these  words,  "  Which 
brought  thee  out  of  the  house  of  bondage  ;" 
either,  1.  Literally;  or,  2.  Spiritually,  and 
mystically.  \st.  In  the  letter,  "  I  brought 
thee  out  of  the  house  of  bondage ;"  that  is, 
I  delivered  you  out  of  the  misery  and  ser- 
vitude you  sustained  in  Egypt,  where  you 
were  in  the  iron  furnace.  2d.  Spiritually 
and  mystically,  "  I  brought  thee  out  of 
the  house  of  bondage."  So  it  is  a  type  of 
our  deliverance  by  Christ  from  sin  and  hell. 

First,  Literally,  in  the  letter,  "  I  brought 
thee  out  of  the  house  of  bondage,"  viz.  out 
of  great  misery  and  slavery  in  the  iron  fur- 
nace. The  thing  I  note  hence  is,  though 
God  bring  his  people  sometimes  into  trou- 
ble, yet  he  will  bring  them  out  again,  Is- 
rael was  in  the  house  of  bondage,  but  at 
last  I  brought  you  out  of  bondage.  1.  That 
God  doth  deliver  out  of  trouble.  2.  In 
what  manner.  3.  Wlien  are  the  seasons. 
4.  Why  God  delivers.  5.  How  the  deli- 
verances of  the  godly  and  wicked  out  of 
trouble  differ. 

l.sf,  That  God  doth  deliver  his  children 
out  of  troiddes,  Ps.  xxii.  4.,  "  Our  fathers 
trusted  in  thee,  they  trusted,  and  thou  didst 
deliver  them ;"  2  Tim.  iv.  17.,  "  And  I 
was  delivered  out  of  the  mouth  of  the  lion," 
viz.  from  Nero;  Ps.  Ixvi.  11,  12.,  "Thou 
laidst  affliction  upon  our  loins,  but  thou 
broughtest  us  out  into  a  wealthy  place;" 
Ps.  XXX.  5.,  "  Heaviness  may  endure  for  a 
night,  but  joy  cometh  in  the  moi-ning." 
God  brought  Daniel  out  of  the  lion's  den, 
Zion  out  of  Babylon.  God,  in  his  due  time, 
gives  an  issue  out  of  trouble,  Ps.  Lwiii.  20. 
The  tree  which  in  the  winter  seems  dead, 
in  the  spring  revives  :  Post  nubila  Phabus. 
Affliction  may  leap  on  us  as  the  viper  did 
on  Paul,  but  at  last  this  viper  shall  be  sha- 


ken off.  It  is  called  a  cup  of  .affliction,  Isa. 
li.  17.  The  wicked  drink  a  sea  of  wrath, 
the  godly  drink  only  a  cup  of  affliction, 
and  God  will  say  shortly,  '  Let  this  cup 
pass  away.'  God  will  give  his  people  a 
gaol-delivery. 

2dly,  Quest.  In  what  manner  doth  God 
deliver  his  people  out  of  trouble  ? 

Ans.  He  doth  it  like  a  God,  in  wisdom. — 
1.  He  doth  it  sometimes  suddenly.  As  the 
angel  was  caused  to  fly  swiftly,  Dan.  ix. 
21.,  so  God  sometimes  makes  a  deliverance 
fly  swiftly,  upon  the  wing,  and  on  a  sud- 
den he  turns  the  shadow  of  death  into  the 
light  of  the  morning.  As  God  gives  us 
mercies  above  what  we  can  think,  Eph.  iii. 
20.,  so  sometimes  before  we  can  think  of 
them,  Ps.  cxxvi.  1.,  "  Wlien  the  Lord  turn- 
ed the  captivity  of  Sion,  we  were  like  them 
that  dream ;"  we  were  in  a  dream,  we  ne- 
ver thought  of  it.  Joseph  could  not  have 
thought  of  such  a  suddeli  alteration,  to  be 
the  same  day  freed  out  of  prison,  and  made 
the  chief  ruler  in  the  kingdom.  Mercy 
sometimes  does  not  stick  long  in  the  birth, 
but  is  broujxht  forth  on  a  sudden. — 2.  God 
sometimes  delivers  his  people  strangely. 
Thus  the  whale  which  swallowed  up  Jonah 
was  the  means  of  bringing  him  safe  to 
land.  God  sometimes  delivers  his  people 
in  that  very  way  they  think  he  will  de- 
stroy ;  in  bringing  Israel  out  of  Egypt, 
God  stirred  up  the  heart  of  the  Egyptians 
to  hate  them,  Ps.  cv.  24.,  and  that  was 
the  means  of  their  deliverance.  He  brought 
Paul  to  shore  by  a  contrary  wind,  and 
upon  the  broken  pieces  of  the  ship,  Acts 
xxvii.  44. 

3<////,  Quest.  IVhen  are  the  times  and  sea- 
sons that  God  tisualhf  dclicers  his  people  out 
of  the  bondage  of'  aJ/Ucliun  9 


THE  PREFACE  TO  THE  TEN  COMMANDMENTS. 


235 


Ans.  1.  \^nicn  they  arc  in  the  greatest 
extremity.  When  Jonah  was  in  the  helly 
of  hell,  then,  chap.  ii.  5.,  "  Thou  hast 
Drought  up  my  life  from  corruption."  When 
there  is  but  an  hair's  brcadtli  l)ct\veen  the 
godiv  ami  death,  then  (Jod  ushers  in  deli- 
verance. When  the  shij)  in  the  gospel  was 
rtlmo»t  covered  with  waves,  then  Christ  a- 
wokc  and  rebuked  the  wind.  When  Isaac 
was  upon  the  altar,  and  the  knife  going  to 
be  put  to  his  throat,  then  comes  the  angel, 
"  Lay  not  thy  liand  upon  the  child."  When 
Peter  began  to  sink,  then  Christ  took  him 
by  the  hand.  Cum  (hipUcrnilcr  /alcres,  venit 
Muses, — '  when  the  tale  of  brick  was  dou- 
bled, then  comes  Moses'  the  temporal  savi- 
our. When  the  people  of  God  are  in  the 
greatest  danger,  then  appears  the  morning- 
star  (►f  deliverance.  When  the  ])atient  is 
ready  to  faint,  then  the  cordial  is  given. 

J.  2.  The  second  season  is,  when  afflic- 
tion hath  done  its  work  upon  them :  when 
it  liath  cflFected  that  which  God  hath  sent 
it  for.  As,  1.  When  it  hath  humbled  them. 
Lam.  iii  19,  20.,  "  Remembering  my  af- 
fliction, the  w(u-mwood  and  gall,  my  soul 
is  humbled  in  me."  When  (iod's  corrosive 
hath  eaten  out  the  proud  flesh.  2.  \Mien 
it  hath  tamed  their  impatience.  Before, 
they  were  proud  and  impatient,  like  fro- 
v/ard  children  that  would  struggle  with 
their  ])arents,  but  when  their  cursed  hearts 
are  tamed,  and  they  say  as  Micah  vii.  9., 
"  I  will  bear  the  indignation  of  the  Lord, 
because  I  have  sinned  against  him  ;"  and 
as  Eli,  "  It  is  the  Lord ;  let  him  do  what 
Bcemeth  him  good:"  Let  him  hedge  me 
with  thorns,  if  he  will  plant  me  with  grace. 

J.  3.  When  they  are  more  partakers  of 
God's  holiness,  Heb.  xii.  10.,  they  are  more 
full  of  hcavenly-mindedness.  When  the 
sharp  frost  of  affliction  hath  brought  forth 
the  spring -flowers  of  grace,  now  the  cross 
s  sanctified,  and  God  will  bring  them  out 
of  the  house  of  bondage.  Ludus  in  Iceti- 
ti.im  rvrtctur,  cineres  in  atrol/as.  ^^^len  the 
metal  is  reflned,  then  it  is  taken  out  of  the 
furnace ;  when  affliction  hath  healed  us, 
then  Ciod  takes  ott"  the  smarting  plaster. 

4//////,  Quest.  Il'/ii/  di)(li  ih>d  bring  his 
peojilc  out  of  (lie  house  of  houd:i(je  ? 

Ans.  llcre])y  he  makes  way  f<»r  his  own 
glory,  (iod's  glory  is  dearer  to  him  than  any 


thing  besides;  it  is  a  crown-jewel.  God 
by  raising  his  people,  raiseth  the  trophies 
of  his  own  honour;  lie  glorifies  his  attri- 
butes ;  his  power,  goodness,  and  tr»th,  do 
all  ride  in  triumph. 

1.  His  power.  If  God  did  not  some- 
times bring  his  ])eoplc  into  trouble,  how 
would  his  power  be  seen  in  bringing  them 
out?  He  brought  Israel  out  of  tlie  house 
of  bondage,  with  miracle  upon  miracle;  he 
saved  them  with  an  outstretched  arm,  Ps. 
cxiv.  5.,  "  what  ai!eth  thee,  O  thou  sea, 
that  thou  fleddest?"  ^c.  It  is  spoken  of 
Israel's  march  out  of  Egypt,  "  When  tJie 
sea  fled,  and  the  waters  were  parted  each 
from  other."  Here  was  the  power  of  God 
set  forth,  Jer.  xxxii.  27.,  "  Is  there  any 
thing  too  hard  for  me  ?"  God  loves  to  lielp 
when  things  seem  past  hope ;  he  creates 
deliverance,  Ps.  cxxiv.  8.  He  brought 
Isaac  out  of  a  dead  womb,  and  the  Messiah 
out  of  a  virgin's  womb.  O  Jiow  doth  his 
power  shine  forth,  when  he  overcomes  seem- 
ing impossibilities,  and  works  a  cure  when 
things  look  desperate  ! 

2.  His  truth.  God  hath  made  promises 
to  his  people,  when  they  are  under  great 
pressures,  to  deliver  them;  and  his  truth 
is  engaged  in  his  promise,  Ps.  1.  15.,  «  Call 
upon  me  in  the  day  of  trouble,  I  will  deli- 
ver thee."  Job  V.  19.,  "  He  shall  deliver 
thee  in  six  troubles,  yea  in  seven."  How 
is  the  scripture  bespangled  with  these  pro- 
mises as  the  firmament  is  with  stars?  Ei- 
ther God  will  deliver  them  from  death,  or 
by  death  ;  he  will  make  a  way  to  escape, 
1  Cor.  X.  13.  When  promises  are  verified, 
God's  truth  is  magnified. 

3.  His  goodness.  God  is  full  of  com- 
passion to  such  as  are  in  misery.  The  He- 
brew word,  rocham,  for  mercy,  signifies 
bowels.  God  hath  "  sounding  of  bowels," 
Isa.  Ixiii.  15.  And  this  symj)athy  stirs  up 
God  to  deliver,  Isa.  Ixiii.  9.,  "  In  his  love 
and  pity  he  redeemed  them."  This  makes 
way  for  the  triumj)h  of  God's  goodness. 
For  he  is  tender-hearted,  lie  will  not  over 
afflict ;  he  cuts  asunder  the  bars  of  iron, 
he  breaks  the  yoke  of  the  oppressor.  Thus 
all  his  attributes  ride  in  triumph,  in  saving 
his  people  out  of  trouble. 

bthlif.  Quest.  IIoic  the  deliverance  of  the 
godly  and  wicked  out  of  trouble,  differ  ? 


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OF  THE  PREFACE  TO  THE  TEN  COMMANDMENTS. 


Ans.  1.  The  deliverances  of  the  godly 
are  preservations ;  ot"  the  wicked  are  reser- 
vations, 2  Pet.  ii.  9.,  "  The  Lord  knows 
how  to  deliver  the  godly,  and  to  reserve 
the  unjust  to  be  punished."  A  sinner  may 
be  delivered  from  dangerous  sickness,  and 
out  of  prison  ;  but  all  this  is  but  a  reserva- 
tion to  some  greater  evil. 

A.  2.  God  delivers  the  wicked  (or  rather 
spares  them)  in  anger.  Deliverances  to 
the  wicked  are  not  given  as  pledges  of 
God's  love,  but  symptoms  of  displeasure, 
as  quails  were  given  to  Israel  in  anger : 
but  deliverances  of  the  godly  are  in  love, 
2  Sam.  xxii.  20.,  "  He  delivered  me  because 
lie  delighted  in  me."  Isa.  xxxviii.  17., 
"  Thou  hast,  in  love  to  my  soul,  delivered 
me  from  the  pit  of  corruption ;"  or  as  in 
the  Hebrew,  Chashiacta  Nap/ishi, — thou 
bast  loi'ed  me  from  the  pit  of  corruption. 
A  wicked  man  may  say,  Lord,  thou  hast 
delivered  me  out  of  the  pit  of  corruj)tion  ; 
but  a  godly  man  may  say.  Lord,  thou  hast 
loved  me  out  of  the  pit  of  corruption.  It 
is  one  thing  to  have  God's  power  deliver 
us,  and  another  thing  to  have  his  love  deliver 
us.  O,  saith  Hezekiah,  "  Thou  hast  in  love 
to  my  soul,  delivered  me  from  the  pit  of 
corruption." 

Quest.  How  may  it  be  known  that  a  deli- 
verance co?nes  in  love  ? 

Ans.  1.  When  a  deliverance  makes  our 
heart  boil  over  in  love  to  God,  Ps.  cxvi.  1., 
"  I  love  the  Lord  because  he  hath  heard 
my  voice."  It  is  one  thing  to  love  our 
mercies,  another  thing  to  love  the  Lord  ; 
then  a  deliverance  is  in  love,  when  it  caus- 
eth  love. 

A.  2.  Then  a  deliverance  is  in  love,  when 
we  have  hearts  to  improve  it  for  God's  glo- 
ry. The  wicked  instead  of  improving  their 
deliverance  for  God's  glory,  improve  their 
corruption  ;  they  grow  worse  after,  as  the 
metal  when  it  is  taken  out  of  the  fire  grows 
harder  ;  but  then  our  deliverance  is  in  love, 
when  we  improve  it  for  (Jod's  glory.  God 
raiseth  us  out  of  a  low  condition,  and  we 
lift  him  up  in  our  praises,  and  honour  him 
with  our  substance,  Prov.  iii.  9.  He  re- 
covers us  from  sickness,  and  Ave  spend  our- 
selves in  his  service.  Mei'cy  is  not  as  the 
sun  to  the  fire  to  dull  it  and  put  it  out;  but 
as  oil  to  the  wheel,  to  make  it  move  faster. 


A.  3.  Then  a  deliverance  comes  in  love, 
when  it  makes  us  more  exemplary  in  holi- 
ness ;  our  lives  are  walking  bibles.  A 
thousand  praises  and  doxologies  do  not  ho- 
nour God  so  much  as  the  mortifying  of  one 
lust,  Obadiah  17.,  "  On  mount  Zion  there 
shall  be  deliA^erances  and  holiness."  When 
these  two  go  together, — deliverance  and 
holiness, — when  being  made  monuments 
of  mercy,  we  are  patterns  of  piety, — now 
a  deliverance  comes  in  love,  and  we  may 
say  as  He/ekiah,  "  Thou  hast  in  love  to 
my  soul,  delivered  it  from  the  pit  of  cor- 
ruption." 

Use  1st.  If  God  brings  his  people  out  of 
bondage,  then  let  none  despond  in  trouble. 
Say  not  "  1  shall  sink  under  this  burden  ;" 
or  as  David,  "  I  shall  one  day  perish  by 
the  hand  of  Saul."  God  can  make  this 
text  good,  personally  and  nationally ;  to 
bring  his  ])eople  out  of  the  house  of  bon- 
dage when  he  sees  a  fit  season,  he  will  put 
forth  his  arm  and  save  them  ;  and  he  can 
do  it  with  ease,  2  Chron.  xiv.  11.,  "  It  is 
nothing  with  thee,  Lord,  to  help."  He  that 
can  turn  tides,  can  turn  the  times ;  he  that 
raised  Lazarus  when  he  was  dead,  can  raise 
thee  when  thou  art  sick,  Isa.  Ixiii.  5.,  "  I 
looked,  and  there  was  none  to  help;  there- 
fore my  own  arm  brought  salvation."  Do 
not  despond;  believe  in  God's  power;  faith 
sets  God  on  work  to  deliver  us. 

Use  2d.  Labour  (if  you  are  in  trouble) 
to  be  fitted  for  deliverance;  many  would 
have  deliverance,  but  are  not  fitted  for  it. 

Quest.  JVhe7i  are  we  Jitted  for  deliver' 
ance  ? 

Ans.  Wlien  we  are,  by  our  afflictions, 
conformed  to  Christ :  namely,  when  we 
have  learned  obedience ;  Heb.  \.  8.,  "  Yet 
learned  he  obedience  by  the  things  which 
he  suffered ;"  that  is,  he  learned  sweet  sub- 
mission to  his  Father's  will.  Luke  xxii. 
42.,  "  Not  my  will  but  thine  be  done." 
When  we  have  thus  learned  obedience  by 
our  sufferings,  we  are  willing  to  do  what 
God  would  have  us  to  do,  and  be  what  God 
would  have  us  be.  Now  we  are  conformed 
to  Christ,  and  are  fitted  for  deliverance. 

Use  3d.  If  God  hath  brought  you  at  any 
time  out  of  the  house  of  bondage,  out  of 
great  and  eminent  troubles,  be  much  in 
doxology  and  praise.     Deliverance  calls  for 


OF  THE  PREFACE  TO  THE  TEN  COMMANDMENTS. 


237 


praise,  Ps.  xxx.  11,  12.,  "Thou  bast  put 
off  my  sackloth  :  and  girded  me  with  glad- 
ness :  to  the  end  tliat  my  gh)ry  may  sing 
praise  to  thee."  "  My  glory,"  that  is,  my 
tongue,  which  is  the  instrument  of  glorify- 
ing thee.  The  saints  are  temples  of  tlie 
Holy  Ghost,  1  Cor.  iii.  16.  Where  should 
God's  praises  be  sounded  but  in  his  temple  ? 
Benejicium  poatulat  (fichim^ — the  deepest 
springs  yield  the  sweetest  water,  and  hearts 
deeply  sensible  of  God's  deliverances  yield 
the  sweetest  praises.  Moses  tells  Pharoah, 
when  he  was  going  out  of  Egypt,  "  We 
will  go  Avith  our  sheep  and  our  cattle," 
Exod.  X.  9. :  why  so,  because  he  might 
liave  sacrifices  of  thanksgiving  ready  to  of- 
fer to  God  for  their  deliverance.  To  have 
a  thankful  heart  for  deliverance  is  a  greater 
blessing  than  the  deliverance  itself,  Luke 
xvii.  15.,  one  of  the  lepers,  "  when  he  saw 
he  was  healed,  turned  back,  and  with  a  loud 
voice  glorified  God."  The  leper's  thankful 
heart  was  a  greater  blessing  than  to  be 
healed  of  his  leprosy.  Have  any  of  you 
here  been  brought  out  of  the  house  of  bon- 
dage,— out  of  prison,  sickness,  or  aity 
death-threatening  danger  ?  do  not  forget  to 
be  thankful ;  be  not  graves,  but  temples. 
And,  that  you  may  be  the  more  thankful, 
observe  every  emphasis  and  circumstance 
in  your  deliverance ;  as  to  be  brought  out 
of  trouble  when  you  were  in  articulo  mortis^ 
there  was  but  an  hair's  breadth  between 
you  arid  death  ;  or  to  be  brought  out  of  af- 
fliction, without  sin,  you  did  not  purchase 
your  deliA'erance  by  the  ensnaring  of  your 
consciences ;  or,  to  be  brought  out  of  trou- 
ble upon  the  wings  of  prayer;  or,  that  those 
who  were  the  occasions  of  bringing  you  in- 
to trouble,  should  be  the  instruments  of 
bringing  you  out ;  these  circumstances,  be- 


ing well  weighed,  do  heighten  a  deliverance, 
and  should  heighten  our  thankfulness.  The 
cutting  of  a  stone  may  be  of  more  value 
than  the  stone  itself;  and  the  circumstanc- 
ing  of  a  deliverance  may  be  greater  tlian 
the  deliverance  itself. 

Quest.  2.  But  how  shall  we  praise  God 
in  a  right  manner  for  deliverance  ? 

Ans.  1.  Be  holy  persons.  In  the  sacrifice 
of  thanksgiving,  whosoever  did  eat  there- 
of, with  their  uncleanness  upon  them,  were 
to  be  cut  off.  Lev.  vii.  20.;  to  typify  how 
unpleasing  their  praises  and  thank-olferings 
are  who  live  in  sin. 

A.  2.  Praise  God  with  humble  hearts,  ac- 
knowledge how  unworthy  you  were  of  de- 
liverance. God's  mercies  are  not  debts, 
but  legacies ;  and  that  you  should  have  a 
legacy  given  you,  be  humble.  Rev.  xi.  16., 
"  The  elders  fell  upon  their  faces  (an  ex- 
pression of  humility)  and  worshipped  and 
praised  God." 

A.  3.  Praise  God  for  deliverances  cordi- 
ally, Ps.  cxi.  1.,  "  I  will  praise  the  Lord 
with  my  whole  heart."  In  religion  there  is 
no  music  but  in  concert,  when  heart  and 
tongue  join. 

A.  4.  Praise  God  for  deliverances  con- 
stantly, Ps.  cxlvi.  2.,  "  AVliile  I  live  will  I 
bless  the  Lord ;"  some  will  be  thankful  while 
the  memory  of  a  deliverance  is  fresh,  and 
then  they  leave  off,  like  the  Carthaginians, 
who  used  at  first  to  send  the  tenth  of  their 
yearly  revenue  to  Hercules  ;  but  by  degrees 
they  grew  weary,  and  left  off  sending.  But 
we  must  be  constant  in  our  eucharistical 
sacrifice  or  thank-offering  ;  the  motion  of 
our  praise  must  be  like  the  motion  of  our 
pulse,  which  beats  as  long  as  life  lasts,  Ps. 
cxlvi.  2.,  "  I  will  sing  praises  to  my  God 
while  I  have  a  being." 


%.«,^  %^«^^«.^ -v  %%^v^  ^ 


Exod.  xx.  2.   Out  of  the  home  of  bondage. 


Secondly,  THESE  words  are  to  be  un- 
derstood mystically  and  spiritually.  By 
Israel's  deliverance  from  the  house  of  bon- 
dage, is  typified  their  spiritual  deliverance 
from  sin,  Satan,  and  hell. 

I.  From  sin.  The  house  of  bondage  was 
a  tyne  of  Israel's  deliverance  from  sin.    Sin 


is  the  true  bondage,  it  enslaves  the  soul. 
XihU  durius  servitute,  Cicero.  "  Of  all  con- 
ditions, servitude  is  the  worst."  "  I  was 
held  before  conversicm  (saith  Austin)  not 
with  an  iron  chain,  but  with  the  obstinacy 
of  mine  own  will."  Sin  is  the  enslaver  ; 
sin  is  called  a  law,  Rom.  vii.  23.,  because  it 


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OF  THE  PREFACE  TO  THE  TEN  COMMANDMENTS. 


hatli  fnich  a  binding:  power  over  a  man ;  and 
it  is  said  to  reign,  Rom.  vi.  12.,  because  it 
cxerciseth  a  tyrannical  power ;  and  men  are 
said  to  be  tlie  servants  of  sin,  Rom.  vi.  17., 
because  tliey  are  so  enslaved  by  it.  Thus 
sin  is  tlie  house  of  bondage.  Israel  was  not 
so  enslaved  in  the  iron  furnace  as  the  sin- 
ner is  by  sin ;  those  are  worse  slaves  and 
vassals  who  are  under  the  power  of  sin, 
than  those  who  are  under  the  power  of 
earthly  tyrants. 

1.  Other  slaves  have  the  tyrants  only 
ruling  over  their  bodies, — but  the  sinner 
hath  his  soul  tyrannized  over;  the  soul, 
tliat  princely  thing,  which  sways  the  scep- 
tre of  reason,  and  was  once  crowned  with 
perfect  knowledge  and  holiness,  this  prince 
now  goes  on  foot ;  it  is  enslaved,  and  made 
a  lackey  to  every  base  lust. 

2.  Other  slaves  have  some  pity  shewn 
them, — the  tyrant  gives  them  meat,  and 
lets  them  have  hours  for  their  rest;  but  sin 
is  a  merciless  tyrant,  it  will  let  men  have 
no  rest.  Judas  had  no  rest  until  he  had 
l)etrayed  Christ,  and  after  that,  he  had  less 
rest  in  his  conscience.  How  doth  a  man 
hackney  himsslf  out  in  the  service  of  sin, 
WJiste  his  body,  break  his  sleep,  distract  his 
mmd  ^  A  wicked  man  is  every  day  doing 
sin's  drudgery-work. 

3.  Other  slaves,  though  they  arc  set  a- 
bout  servile  work,  yet  about  lawful  :  it  is 
lawful  to  work  in  the  galley,  tug  at  the  oar ; 
but  all  the  laws  and  commands  of  sin  are 
unlawful.  Sin  saith  to  one  man,  defraud  ; 
to  another,  be  unchaste  ;  to  another,  take  re- 
venge ;  to  another,  take  a  false  oath.  Thus 
all  sin's  commands  arc  unlawful ;  we  cannot 
obey  sin's  law,  but  by  breaking  God's  law. 

4.  Other  slaves  are  forced  against  their 
will ;  Israel  groaned  under  slavery,  Exod. 
li.  23. ;  but  sinners  are  content  to  be  under 
the  command  of  sin, — they  are  willing  to 
be  slaves,— they  love  their  chains,— they 
will  not  take  their  freedom  ;  they  "  glorv 
:  s  in  their  shame,"  Phil.  iii.  19.  Tliey  wear 
their  sins,  not  as  their  fetters,  but  their  orna- 
ments ;  they  rejoice  in  iniquity,  Jer.  xi.  15. 

5.  Other  slaves  are  brought  to  correction, 
but  sin's  slaves  are,  without  repentance, 
brought  to  condemnation ;  other  slaves  lie 
in  the  iron  furnace,  sin's  slaves  lie  in 
tlie  fiery  furnace.     What  freedom  of  will 


hath  a  sinner  to  his  own  confusion,  when 
he  can  do  nothing  but  what  sin  will  have 
him  ?  He  is  enslaved.  Thus  sinners  are  in 
the  house  of  bondage,  but  God  takes  his 
elect  out  of  this  house  of  bondage  :  he  beats 
off  the  chains  and  fetters  of  sin  ;  he  rescues 
them  from  their  slavery ;  he  makes  them 
free,  by  bringing  them  into  the  gloriouft 
liberty  of  the  children  of  God,  Rom.  viii. 
The  law  of  love  now  commands,  not  the 
law  of  sin.  Though  the  life  of  sin  be  pro- 
longed, yet  not  the  dominion :  as  those 
beasts  in  Daniel  had  their  lives  prolonged 
for  a  season,  but  their  dominion  was  taken 
away,  Dan.  vii.  12.  The  saints  are  made 
spiritual  kings,  to  rule  and  conquer  their 
corruptions, — to  "  bind  these  kings  in 
chains,"  Ps.  cxlix.  8.  This  is  matter  of  the 
highest  praise  and  thanksgiving,  to  be  thus 
taken  out  of  the  house  of  bondage,  to  be 
freed  from  enslaving  lusts  and  made  kings 
to  reign  in  glory  for  ever. 

II.  The  bringing  Israel  out  of  the  house 
of  bondage  was  a  type  of  their  deliverance 
from  Satan.  Thus  men  naturally  are  in 
the  house  of  bondage,  they  are  enslaved  to 
Satan.  Satan  is  called  the  prince  of  this 
world,  John  xiv.  30.,  and  the  god  of  this 
world,  2  Cor.  iv.  4.,  because  he  hath  such 
power  to  command  and  enslave  them. 
Though  Satan  shall  one  day  be  a  close  pri- 
soner in  chains,  yet  now  he  doth  insult  and 
tyrannize  over  the  souls  of  men  ;  sinners 
are  under  the  rule  of  Satan,  he  cxerciseth 
over  them  such  a  jurisdiction  as  Casar  did 
over  the  senate.  The  devil  fills  men's  heads 
with  error,  and  their  hearts  with  malice, 
Acts  V.  3.,  "  Whv  hath  Satan  filled  thine 
heart  ?"  A  sinner's  heart  is  the  devil's 
mansion-house,  Mat.  xii.  44.,  "  I  will  re- 
turn into  mine  house."  And  sure  that  must 
needs  be  an  house  of  bondage,  wliich  is  the 
devil's  mansion-house.  Satan  is  a  ])erfect 
tyrant : — 1.  He  rules  men's  minds,  he  blinds 

1.,  "  The 


linds 
li  Ignorance,   2  Cor.  iv, 


them  witl 

god  of  this  world  hath  blinded  the  minds  of 
them  that  believe  not." — 2.  He  rules  their 
memories  ;  they  shall  remember  that  which 
is  evil,  and  forget  that  which  is  good ;  their 
memories  are  like  a  scarcer  or  strainer,  that 
lets  go  all  the  j)ure  li<juor,  and  retains  only 
the  dregs. — 3.  He  rules  their  wills:  though 
the  devil  cannot  force  the  will  yet  he  draws 


OF  THE  PREFACE  TO  THE  TEN  COMMANDMENTS. 


230 


I 


it,  John  viii.  34..,  "  The  lusts  of  your  father 
you  will  do."  He  liath  pot  your  licarts, 
and  him  you  will  ohey;  his  strong  tempta- 
tions do  more  to  draw  men  to  evil,  than  all 
the  promises  of  God  can  draw  them  to  good. 
This  is  the  sLate  of  every  man  by  nature, 
lie  is  in  the  house  of  b(mdage,  the  devil  hath 
him  in  his  power ;  a  sinner  grinds  in  the 
devil's  mill,  he  is  at  the  command  of  Satan, 
as  the  ass  is  at  the  command  of  the  driver. 
No  wonder  to  see  men  oppress  and  perse- 
cute !  These  slaves  must  do  what  the  god 
of  this  world  will  have  them.  How  could 
those  swine  but  run,  when  the  devil  enter- 
ed into  them?  Mat.  viii.  32.  When  the  de- 
vil tempted  Ananias  to  tell  a  lie,  he  could 
not  but  speak  what  Satan  had  put  in  his 
heart,  Acts  v.  3.  When  the  devil  entered 
into  Judas,  and  bid  him  betray  Christ,  Ju- 
das would  do  it,  though  he  hanged  himself. 
This  case  is  sad  and  dismal,  to  be  tlms  in 
the  house  of  bondage,  under  tlie  power  and 
tyranny  of  Satan.  When  David  would 
curse  the  enemies  of  God,  how  did  he  pray 
against  them  ?  That  Satan  might  be  at  their 
right  hand,  Ps.  cix.  G.  He  knew  he  could  lead 
them  into  any  snare.  If  Satan  be  at  the 
sinner's  right-hand,  let  the  sinner  take  heed 
lie  be  not  set  on  God's  left  hand.  Is  not 
this  a  case  to  be  bewailed,  to  see  men  taken 
captive  by  Satan  at  his  will  ?  2  Tim.  ii.  26. 
he  leads  sinners  as  slaves  before  him  in  tri- 
umph ;  he  possesseth  them.  If  people  should 
see  but  their  beasts  bewitched  and  posses- 
sed of  the  devil,  they  would  be  much  trou- 
bled ;  yet  their  souls  are  possessed  by  Satan, 
but  they  are  not  sensible.  What  can  be 
worse  than  to  be  in  the  house  of  bondage, — 
to  have  the  devil  hurry  men  on  in  their  lust 
to  perditi<m  ?  Sinners  are  willingly  enslav- 
ed to  Satan  ;  they  love  their  gaoler ;  are  con- 
tent to  sit  quietly  under  Satan's  jurisdic- 
tion ;  they  choose  this  bramble  to  rule  them, 
though  within  a  while,  fire  will  come  out 
of  this  bram])le  to  devour  them,  Judges  ix. 
Now,  what  an  infinite  mei'cy  of  God  is  it, 
when  he  brings  poor  souls  out  of  this  house 
of  bondage, — when  he  gives  thoin  a  gaol- 
delivery  from  the  prince  of  darkness  !  Je- 
sus Christ  redeems  captives, — Iw  ransoms 
sinners  by  price,  and  rescues  them  by  force. 
As  David  took  a  lamb  out  of  the  lion's 
mouth,  I  Sam.  xvii.  34.,  so  Christ  rescues 


souls  out  of  the  mouth  of  this  roaring  lion. 
O  what  a  mercy  is  it  to  be  brought  out  of 
the  house  of  bondage,  to  be  taken  from  be- 
ing made  captives  to  the  prince  of  the  power 
of  the  air,  and  to  be  made  subjects  of  the 
Prince  of  Peace  !  And  this  is  done  by  the 
preaching  of  the  word,  Acts  xxvi.  18.,  "  To 
turn  them  from  the  power  of  Satan  unto 
God." 

HI.  The  bringing  of  Israel  out  of  the 
house  of  bondage  was  a  type  of  their  being 
delivered  from  hell.  Ilell  is  domus  servitu-^ 
tis, — an  house  of  bondage ;  an  house  built 
on  purpose  for  sinners  to  lie  in. 

1.  That  there  is  such  an  house  of  bon- 
dage where  the  damned  lie,  Ps.  L\.  17., 
"  The  wicked  shall  be  turned  into  hell." 
Mat.  xxiii.  33.,  "  How  can  ye  escape  the 
damnation  of  hell  ?"  If  any  one  shall  ask 
where  this  house  of  bondage  is, — where  is 
the  place  of  hell  ?  I  wish  you  may  never 
know  feelingly.  "  Let  us  not  so  much 
(saith  Chrysostom)  labour  to  know  where 
hell  is,  as  how  to  escape  it."  Yet  to  satis- 
fy curiosity,  hell  is  locus  subterraneiis, — some 
place  beneath,  Prov.  xv.  24.,  "  Hell  be- 
neath." Hesiod  saith,  "  Hell  is  as  far  un- 
der the  earth,  as  heaven  is  above  it."  Luke 
viii.  31.,  "  The  devils  besought  Christ  that 
he  would  not  command  them  to  go  into  the 
deep."     Hell  is  in  the  deep. 

2.  Quest.  JVhy  there  must  he  this  house 
of  bondage  ?  why  a  hell  ? 

Ans.  Because  there  must  be  a  place  for 
the  execution  of  divine  justice;  earthly 
monarchs  have  their  prison  for  malefactors, 
and  shall  not  God  have  his ;  sinners  are 
criminal  persons,  they  have  offended  God ; 
and  it  would  not  consist  with  God's  holi- 
ness and  justice,  to  have  his  laws  infringed, 
and  not  appoint  penalties  for  the  trans- 
gressors. 

3.  The  dreadfulness  of  this  place.  Could 
you  but  for  one  hour  hear  the  groans  and 
shrieks  of  the  damned,  it  would  confirm 
you  in  this  truth,  that  hell  is  an  house  of 
bondage;  hell  is  the  emj)hasis  of  misery. 
Besides  the  poena  domni, — the  punishment 
of  loss,  which  is  the  exclusion  <»f  the  soul 
from  the  glorified  sight  of  God,  which  di- 
vines think  the  worst  ])art  of  hell,  I  say 
besides  this,  there  will  be  vccna  sensus, — 
the  punishment  of  sense.     If,  when  lJod'» 


OF  THE  PREFACE  TO  THE  TEN  COMMANDMENTS. 


wrath  is  kindled  Ijtit  a  little,  and  a  spark 
of  it  flies  into  a  man's  conscience  in  this 
life,  it  is  so  terrible — as  in  the  case  of 
Spira — ihcn  what  will  hell  itself  be?  That 
I  may  describe  this  house  of  bondag^e, 

1.  In  hell  there  will  be  a  plurality  of  tor- 
ments: 1.  "  Bonds  and  chains,"  2  Pet.  ii. 
4.  2.  The  worm,  Mark  ix.  44.  This  is 
the  worm  of  conscience  :  and  the  lake  of 
fire.  Rev.  xx.  15.  Other  fire  is  but  painted 
to  this. 

2.  This  house  of  hell  is  haunted  with  de- 
A'ils,  Mat.  XXV.  41.  Anslem  hath  a  saying, 
"  I  had  rather  endure  all  torments,  than 
see  the  devil  with  bodily  eyes."  Such  as 
go  to  hell  must  not  only  be  forced  to  behold 
the  devil,  but  must  be  shut  up  in  the  den 
with  this  lion ;  they  must  keep  the  devil 
company ;  the  devil  is  full  of  spite  against 
mankind  ;  this  red  dragon  will  spit  fire  in 
men's  faces. 

3.  The  torments  of  hell  abide  for  ever, 
Rev.  xiv.  11.,  "  The  smoke  of  their  tor- 
ment ascendeth  up  for  ever  and  ever," 
IMark  ix.  44.  Time  cannot  finish  it,  tears 
cannot  quench  it ;  the  wicked  are  salaman- 
ders, who  live  always  in  the  fire  of  hell,  and 
are  not  consumed ;  after  sinners  have  lain 
millions  of  years  in  hell,  their  punishment  is 
as  far  from  ending,  as  it  was  at  the  begin- 
ning. If  all  the  earth  and  sea  were  sand, 
and  every  thousandth  year  a  bird  should 
come,  and  take  away  one  grain  of  this  sand, 
it  would  be  a  long  time  ere  that  vast  heap 
of  sand  were  emptied ;  yet,  if  after  all  that 
time  the  damned  might  come  out  of  hell, 
there  was  some  hope;  but  this  word  EVER 
breaks  the  heart. 

Quest.  But  how  doth  this  seem  to  stand 
with  God's  Justice,  for  a  sin  committed  in  a 
moment  to  punish  it  with  eternal  torment  ? 

Ans.  1.  Because  there  is  an  eternity  of 
sin  in  man's  nature.  2.  Because  sin  is 
crimen  Icesa  mojestatis, — it  is  committed  a- 
gainst  an  infinite  majesty;  therefore  the 
sin  is  infinite,  and  proportionably  the  pu- 
nishment must  be  infinite.  Now  because 
a  finite  creature  cannot  bear  infinite  wrath, 
therefore  he  must  be  eternally  satisfying 
what  he  cannot  satisfy  at  once.  Now  then, 
if  hell  be  such  an  house  of  bondage,  what 
infinite  cause  have  they  to  bless  God,  who  arc 
delivered  from  it?     1  Thess.  i.  10.,  "Je- 


sus delivered  us  from  the  ^vrath  to  come." 
Jesus  Christ  suffered  the  torments  of  hell  in 
his  soul,  that  believers  should  not  suffer 
them.  If  we  are  thankful,  when  we  are 
ransomed  out  of  prison,  or  delivered  from 
fire,  O  how  should  we  bless  God  to  be  pre- 
served from  the  wrath  to  come  !  And  that 
which  may  cause  the  more  thankfulness, 
is  because  the  most  part  go  into  this  house 
of  bondage,  the  most  part  go  to  hell ;  there- 
fore to  be  of  the  number  of  those  few  that 
are  delivered  from  it,  is  matter  of  infinite 
thankfulness.  I  say  most  go  to  this  house 
of  bondage  when  they  die ;  most  go  to  hell. 
Mat.  vii.  13.,  "  Broad  is  the  v/ay  which 
leadeth  unto  destruction,  and  many  there 
be  that  go  in  thereat."  The  greatest  part 
of  the  world  lies  in  wickedness,  1  John  v. 
19.  Divide  the  world,  saith  Brerewood, 
into  thirty-one  parts, — nineteen  parts  of  it 
are  possessed  by  Jews  and  Turks, — seven 
parts  by  Heathens  :  so  that  there  are  but 
five  parts  of  Christians,  and  among  these 
Christians  so  many  seduced  papists  on  the 
one  hand,  and  so  many  formal  protestanta 
on  the  other,  that  we  may  conclude  the 
major  part  of  the  world  goes  to  hell. — 1, 
The  scripture  compares  the  wicked  to  bri- 
ars, Isa.  X.  17.  There  are  but  few  lilies 
in  your  fields,  but  in  every  hedge  thorns 
and  briars. — 2.  To  "  the  mire  in  the  streets," 
Isa.  X.  6.  Few  jewels  or  precious  stones 
in  the  street,  but  you  cannot  go  a  step  but 
you  meet  with  mire.  The  wicked  are  as 
common  as  the  dirt  in  the  street.  Look 
into  the  generality  of  people,  how  many 
drunkards  for  one  that  is  sober? — how 
many  adulterers  for  one  that  is  chaste  ? — 
how  many  hypocrites  for  one  that  is  sin- 
cere ? — The  devil  hath  the  harvest,  and 
God  only  a  few  gleanings.  O  then,  such 
as  are  delivered  from  the  house  of  bondage, 
hell,  have  infinite  cause  to  admire  and  bless 
God !  How  should  the  Aessels  of  mercy 
run  over  with  thankfulness  ?  When  most 
are  carried  prisoners  to  hell,  they  arc  deli- 
vered from  wrath  to  come. 

Quest.  How  shall  I  know  I  am  delivered 
from  hell? 

Ans.  1.  Those  whom  Christ  saves  from 
hell  he  saves  from  sin.  Mat.  i.  21.,  "  He 
shall  save  his  people  from  their  sins.** 
Hath  God  delivered  you  from  the  power 


OF  THE  COMMANDMENTS. 


241 


of  corruption,  from  pride,  malice,  lust? 
If  he  hath  delivcretl  you  from  the  hell  of 
sin,  then  he  hath  delivered  you  from  the 
hell  of  torment. 

A.  2.  If  you  have  got  an  interest  in 
Christ, — prizing,  confiding,  loving  him, — 
then  you  are  delivered  from  hell  and  dam- 
nation, Rom.  viii.  1.,  "  No  condemnation 
to  them  that  are  in  Christ  Jesus."     K  you 


are  in  Christ,  then  he  hath  put  the  garment 
of  his  rigliteousness  over  you,  and  hell-fire 
can  never  singe  this  garment.  Pliny  ob- 
serves, nothing  will  so  soon  quench  fire  as 
salt  and  blood  ;  the  salt  tears  of  repent- 
ance and  the  blood  of  Christ  will  quench 
the  fire  of  hell  that  it  shall  never  kindle 
upon  you. 


V»^*%>%V%»^%'^^^%^^^^^^^^^^^»%^^^^^^^^'^^'^^^^%^^^^'»^^^^^^^^»^'^^^*^»^^^^^»'^V^^-»  %>%■%%  %^%^^»»^ 


OF  THE  COMMANDMENTS. 

ExoD.  XX.  3.   TTiott  shall  have  no  other  gods  before  me. 


BEFORE  I  come  to  the  commandments, 
1  shall  premise  some  things  about  the  mo- 
ral law :  viz,  answer  questions,  and  lay 
down  rules. 

Quest.  1.  IVliat  is  the  difference  between 
the  moral  law  and  the  gospel  ? 

Ans.  1.  The  law  requires  that  we  wor- 
ship God  as  our  Creator;  the  gospel  re- 
quires that  we  worship  God  in  and  through 
Christ.  God  in  Christ  is  propitious ;  out 
of  Ciirist  we  may  see  God's  power,  jus- 
tice, holiness, — in  Christ  we  see  his  mercy 
displayed. 

A.  2.  Tlie  moral  law  requires  obedience, 
but  gives  no  strength— as  Pharaoh  required 
brick  but  gave  no  straw — but  the  gospel 
gives  strength ;  the  gospel  bestows  faith 
on  the  elect;  the  gospel  sweetens  the  law, 
it  makes  us  serve  God  with  delight. 

Quest.  2.  Of  what  use  then  is  the  moral 
law  to  us  ? 

Ans.  The  law  is  a  glass  to  shew  us  our 
sins,  that  so,  seeing  our  pollution  and  mi- 
sery, we  may  be  forced  to  flee  to  Christ 
to  satisfy  for  former  guilt,  and  save  from 
future  wrath.  Gal.  iii.  21.,  "  The  law  wsis 
<mr  school-master  to  bring  us  to  Christ." 

Quest.  3.  But  is  the  moral  latv  still  in 
force  to  believers;  is  it  net  abolished  to 
than  ? 

Ans.  In  some  sense  it  is  abolished  to  be- 
lievers. 1.  In  respect  of  justification  ;  they 
are  not  justified  by  their  obedience  to  the 
moral  law.  Believers  are  to  make  great 
use  of  the  moral  law — as  I  shall  shew — but 
they  must  trust  only  to  Christ's  righteous- 
ness for  justification ;  as  Noah's  dove  made 


use  of  her  wings  to  fly,  but  trusted  to  the 
ark  for  safety.  If  the  moral  law  could 
justify,  Avhat  need  were  there  of  Christ's 
dying? — 2.  The  moral  law  is  abolished  to 
believers,  in  respect  of  the  malediction  of 
it ;  they  are  freed  from  the  curse  and  dam- 
natory power  of  it.  Gal.  iii.  13.,  "  Christ 
hath  redeemed  us  from  the  curse  of  the 
law,  being  made  a  curse  for  us." 

Quest.  4.  How  was  Christ  made  a  curse 
for  us  ? 

Ans.  Christ  may  be  considered,  1.  As  thfr 
Son  of  God,  and  so  he  was  not  made  a 
curse. — 2.  As  our  pledge  and  surety,  Heb- 
vii.  22.,  and  so  he  was  made  a  curse  for  us:: 
this  curse  was  not  upon  his  Godhead,  but 
upon  his  manhood.  This  curse  was  the 
wrath  of  God  lying  upon  him ;  and  thus 
Christ  hath  taken  away  from  believers  the 
curse  of  the  law,  by  being  made  a  curse 
for  them.  But  though  the  moral  law  is 
thus  fur  abolished,  yet  it  remains  a  perpe- 
tual rule  to  believers ;  though  tlie  moral 
law  be  not  their  Saviour,   yet  it  is  their 

I  guide;  though  it  be  not  fcedus,  a  covenant 
of  life,  yet  it  is  norma,  a  rule  of  living ;  e- 
very  Christian  is  bound  to  conform  to  the 
moral  law,  and  write,  as  exactly  as  he  can, 
after  this  copy,  Rom.  iii.  31.,  "  Do  we  then 
make  void  the  law  through  faith,  God  for- 
bid." Thoujjh  a  Christian  is  not  under  the 
condemning  power  of  the  law,  yet  he  is  un- 

1  der  the  commanding  power:  to  love  God, 
to  reverence  and  obev  him,   this  is  a  law 

.  alway  binds  and  will  bind  in  heaven.  This 
I  urge  against  the  Aiitiuoniians,  who  say 

!  the  moral   law  is  abrogated  to   believers ; . 

2  11 


242 


OF  THE  COMMANDMENTS. 


which,  as  it  contradicts  scripture,  so  it  is  a 
key  to  open  the  door  to  all  licentiousness. 
They  wlio  will  not  have  the  law  to  rule 
them,  shall  never  have  the  gospel  to  save 
them.  HaA'ing  answered  these  questions, 
I  shall  in  the  next  place,  lay  down  some 
gener.il  rules  for  the  right  understanding 
of  the  Decalogue,  or  Ten  Commandments  : 
these  rules  m«iy  serve  to  give  us  some  light 
into  the  sense  and  meaning  of  the  com- 
mandments. 

Ihde  1.  Tlie  commands  and  prohibitions 
of  the  moral  law  reach  the  heart. — 1.  The 
commands  of  the  moral  law  reach  the  heart: 
tlie  commandments  require  not  only  out- 
ward actions  but  inward  affections, — they 
require  not  only  the  outward  act  of  obedi- 
ence, but  the  inward  affection  of  loA'e,  Deut. 
vi.  5.,  "  Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God, 
with  all  thy  heart." — 2.  The  threats  and 
prohibitions  of  the  moral  law  reach  the 
heart ;  the  law  of  God  forbids  not  only  the 
act  of  sin,  but  the  desire  and  inclination  ; 
not  only  doth  it  forbid  adultery,  but  lust- 
ing, Mat.  V.  28.  Not  only  stealing,  but 
coveting,  Rom.  vii,  7.  Lex  Jinmana  ligal 
inanum,  lex  diva/a  conipriinet  an  imam, — 
•  man's  law  binds  only  the  hands,  God's 
law  binds  the  heart.' 

livle  2.  In  the  commandments  there  is  a 
synecluhche,  more  is  intended  than  is  spoken. 
1.  Where  any  duty  is  commanded,  there 
the  contrary  sin  is  forbidden,  &c.  When 
we  are  commanded  to  keep  the  sabbath-day 
holy,  there  we  are  forbidden  to  Ijreak  the 
eabbath  ;  when  we  are  commanded  to  live 
in  a  calling,  "  Six  days  shalt  thou  labour," 
there  we  arc  forbidden  to  live  idly,  and  out 
of  a  calling. — 2.  Where  any  sin  is  forbid- 
den, there  the  contrary  duty  is  command- 
ed. When  we  are  forbidden  to  take  God's 
name  in  vain,  the  contrary  duty  is  com- 
manded, that  we  should  reverence  his  name, 
Deut.  xxviii.  .58.,  "  That  thou  mayest  fear 
this  glorious  :ind  fearful  name,  The  Lord 
thy  God."  Where  we  are  forl)i(lden  to 
wrong  our  neighbour,  there  is  the  contrarv 
duty  included,  that  we  should  do  him  all 
the  good  we  can,  by  vindicating  his  name 
and  supplying  his  wants. 

Rule  3.  Where  any  sin  is  forbidden  in 
the  commandment,  there  the  occasion  of  it 
is  also  forbidden.     Where  murder  is  for- 


bidden, there  envy  and  rash  anger  are  for- 
bidden, which  may  occasion  it.  ANHiere  a- 
dulter)^  is  forbidden  in  the  commandment, 
there  is  forbidden  all  that  may  lead  to  it, 
— as  wanton  glances  of  the  eye, — or  com- 
ing into  the  company  of  an  harlot,  Prov.  v. 
8.,  "  Come  not  nigh  the  door  of  her  house;" 
he  who  would  be  free  from  the  plague, 
must  not  come  near  the  infected  house. 
Under  the  law  the  Nazarite  was  forbidden 
to  drink  wine ;  nor  might  he  eat  grapes  of 
which  the  wine  was  made. 

Rule  4.  In  relatio  subintellif/itur  correla- 
tum, — where  one  relation  is  named  in  the 
commandment,  there  another  relation  is  in- 
cluded. Where  the  child  is  named,  there 
the  father  is  included;  where  there  is  the 
duty  of  children  to  parents  mentioned,  there 
is  included  also  the  duty  of  parents  to  chil- 
dren ;  where  the  child  is  commanded  to 
honour  the  parent,  there  is  implied  that 
the  parent  is  also  commanded  to  instruct, 
to  love,  to  provide  for  the  child. 

Rule  5.  Where  greater  sins  are  forbid- 
den, there  lesser  sins  are  also  forbidden. 
Though  no  sin  in  its  own  nature  is  little, 
yet  comparatively  one  may  be  less  than  an- 
other :  where  idolatry  is  forbidden,  there  is 
forbidden  superstition,  or  bringing  any  inno- 
vation into  God's  worship,  which  he  hath  not 
appointed.  As  the  sons  of  Aaron  were  for- 
bidden to  worship  an  idol,  so  to  sacrifice  to 
God  with  strange  fire.  Lev.  x.  1.  Mixture 
in  sacred  things,  is  like  a  dash  in  the  wine, 
which  though  it  gives  a  colour,  yet  doth 
but  debase  and  adulterate  it.  It  is  highly 
provoking  ♦^  God  to  bring  any  superstitious 
ceremony  uiIj  his  worship  which  he  hath 
not  prescribed;  it  is  to  tax  God's  wisdom, 
as  if  he  were  not  wise  enough  to  appoint 
the  manner  how  he  will  be  served. 

Rule  6.  The  law  of  God  is  copulative. 
I^x  est  copulativn.  The  first  and  second 
tables  are  knit  together, — jjiety  to  God,  and 
equity  to  our  neighbour,  these  two  tables 
which  (iod  hath  joined  together  must  not 
be  ])ut  asunder.  Try  a  moral  man  by  the 
duties  of  the  first  table, — piety  to  God, — 
and  there  you  will  fiiul  him  negligent;  try 
an  hypocrite  by  the  duties  of  the  second 
table, — equity  to  his  neighbour, — and  there 
you  will  find  him  tardy.  He  who  is  strict 
in  the  second  table  but  neglects  the  first. 


OF  THE  COMMANDMENTS. 


243 


or  he  who  is  zealous  in  the  first  tabic,  but 
iien^lccts  the  second,  his  heart  is  not  right 
with  God.  The  Pharisees  were  the  hijrhe^it 
pretenders  to  the  first  table,  zeal  and  holi- 
ness ;  but  Christ  detects  their  hypocrisy. 
Mat.  xxiii.  23.,  "  Ye  have  omitted  judg- 
ment, mcrcv  and  faith."  Thcv  were  bad 
in  the  second  table ;  they  omitted  judgment, 
that  was,  being  just  in  their  dealing ;  mer- 
cy, in  relieWng  the  poor ;  and  faith,  that  is 
faithfulness  in  their  promises  and  contracts 
with  men.  God  wrote  both  the  tables,  and 
our  obedience  must  set  a  seal  to  both. 

7?///^  7.  God's  law  forbids  not  only  the 
acting  of  sin  in  our  own  persons,  but  being 
accessory  to,  or  having  any  hand  in  the 
sins  of  others. 

Quest.  Hotc  and  in  what  sense  may  ice 
be  said  to  partake  of,  and  have  an  hand  in 
the  sins  of  others  ? 

Ans.  1.  By  decreeing  unrighteous  de- 
crees, and  imposing  on  others  that  which 
is  unlawful.  Jeroboam  made  the  people 
of  Israel  to  sin ;  he  was  accessory  to  their 
idolatry,  by  setting  up  golden  calves :  so 
David  though  he  did  not  in  his  own  person 
kill  Uriah,  yet  because  he  wrote  a  letter  to 
Joab,  to  set  Uriah  in  the  fore-front  of  the 
battle,  and  it  was-  done  by  his  command, 
therefore  he  was  accessory  to  Uriah's  death, 
and  the  murder  of  him  was  laid  to  David's 
charge  by  the  prophet,  2  Sam.  xii.  9., 
"  Thou  hast  killed  Uriah  the  Hittite  with 
the  sword." 

A.  2.  We  become  accessory  to  the  sins 
of  others  by  not  hindering  them  when  it  is 
in  our  power,  Q^ui  non  prohibit  cum  /K>test, 
Judtt.  If  a  master  of  a  family  see  his  ser- 
vant break  the  sabbath,  or  hear  him  swear, 
and  let  him  alone,  doth  not  use  the  power 
he  hath  to  suppress  him,  he  becomes  acces- 
sory to  his  sin.  Eli,  for  not  punishing  his 
sons  when  they  made  the  ofiering  of  the 
Lord  to  be  abhorred,  made  himself  guilty, 
1  Sam.  iii.  14.  He  that  suffers  an  offender  to 
p;iss  unpunished,  makes  himself  an  offender. 

A.  3.  By  counselling,  abetting,  or  pro- 
voking others  to  sin.  Ahithophel  made 
himself  guilty  of  the  fact,  by  giving  coun- 
sel to  Absalom  to  go  in  and  defile  his  fa- 
ther's concubines,  2  Sam.  xvi.  21.  He  who 
shall  tempt  or  solicit  another  to  be  drunk 
though  himself  be  sober,  yet  being  the  oc- 


casion of  another's  sin,  he  is  accessory  to 
it,  Hah.  ii.  15.,  "  Woe  unto  him  that  giveth 
his  neighbour  drink,  that  puttest  thy  bottle 
to  him." 

A.  4.  Bv  consenting  to  another's  sin. 
Saul  did  not  cast  one  stone  at  Stephen,  yet 
the  scripture  saith,  "  Saul  was  consenting 
to  his  death,"  Acts  viii,  1.  Thus  he  had  a 
hand  in  it.  If  several  did  combine  to  mur- 
der a  man,  and  they  should  tell  another  of 
their  intent,  and  he  should  give  his  consent 
to  it,  he  were  guilty:  though  his  hand  were 
not  in  the  murder,  yet  his  heart  was  in  it ; 
though  ho  did  not  act  it,  yet  he  did  approve 
it,  so  it  became  his  sin. 

A.  5.  By  example,  vivitiir  exeinplis.  Ex- 
amples are  powerful  and  cogent ;  setting  a  bad 
example  occasions  another  to  sin,  and  so  a 
person  becomes  accessory.  If  the  father 
swears,  and  the  child  by  his  example  learn 
to  swear,  the  father  is  accessorv  to  the 
child's  sin ;  he  taught  him  by  his  example. 
As  there  are  diseases  hereditary,  so  there 
are  sins. 

Rule  8.  The  last  rule  about  the  com- 
mandments is  this,  that  though  we  cannot, 
by  our  own  strength,  fulfil  ail  these  com- 
mandments, yet  doing  quoad  posse, — what 
we  are  able,  the  Lord  hath  provided  en- 
couragement for  us.  There  is  a  threefold 
encouragement. 

1.  That  though   we  liave  not  ability  to 
obey  any  one  command,  yet  God  hath,   in 
the  new  covenant,  promised  to  work  that 
in  us,  which  he  requires,  Ezek.  xxxAn.  27., 
"  I  will  cause  you  to  walk  in  my  statutes." 
Ciod  commands  us  to  love  him.     Alas  how 
weak  is  our  love  !  it  is  like  the  herb  that 
is   yet   only  in   the  first  degree  ;  but  God 
hath    promised    to   circumcise   our   hearts, 
that  we  shall  love  him,   Deut.  xxx.  6.     He 
that   doth    command    us,    will    enable    us. 
God  commands  us  to  turn   from  sin,  but 
alas  !  we  have  not  power  to  turn  :  there- 
fore God  hath  promised  to  turn  us, — to  put 
his  Spirit  within  us,  and  turn  the  heart  of 
stone   into   flesh,   Ezek.  xxxvi.  26.     There 
is  nothing  in  the  command,   but  the  same 
is   in   the   promise.      Therefore,   Christian, 
be  not   discouraged,  though  thou  hast  no 
strength   of  thy   own,   vet   God  will   give 
thee    this    strength.      The    in»n    hath    no 
power  to   move,   but   when   the  loadstone 


244 


OF  THE  FIRST  COMMANDMENT. 


draws  it,  it  can  move,  Isa.  xxvi.  12.,  "  Thou 
also  liast  wrouglit  all  our  works  in  us." 

2.  Though  we  cannot  exactly  fulfil  the 
moral  law,  yet  God  will,  for  Christ's  sake, 
mitigate  the  rigour  of  the  law,  and  accept 
of  something  less  than  he  requires.  God 
in  the  law  requires  exact  obedience,  yet  he 
will  accept  of  sincere  obedience  ;  he  will  a- 
bate  something  of  the  degree,  if  there  be 
truth  in  the  inward  parts ;  God  will  see 
the  faith,  and  pass  by  the  failing;  the  gos- 
pel remits  something  of  the  severity  of  the 
moral  law. 


3.  Wherein  our  personal  obedience  comes 
short,  God  will  be  pleased  to  accept  us  in 
our  surety,  Eph.  i.  6.,  "  He  hath  made  us 
accepted  in  the  beloved."  Though  our  o- 
bedience  be  imperfect,  yet,  through  Christ 
our  surety,  God  looks  upon  it  as  perfect.  | 
And  that  very  service  which  God's  law  I 
might  condemn,  God's  mercy  is  pleased  to 
crown,  by  virtue  of  the  blood  of  our  Me- 
diator. Having  given  you  these  rules  about 
the  commandments,  I  shall  come  next  to 
the  direct  handling  of  them. 


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OF  THE  FIRST  COMMANDMENT. 

ExoD.  XX.  3.   TJiou  shall  have  no  other  gods  before  me. 


Quest.  XLV.  WHY  doth  the  command- 
ment  run  in  the  second  person  singular,  Thou  ? 
IVhy  doth  7iot  God  say,  You  shall  have  no 
other  gods,  but,  Thou  ? 

Ans.  Because  the  commandment  concerns 
every  one,  and  God  would  have  you  take 
it  as  spoken  to  you  by  name.  Though  we 
are  forward  to  take  privileges  to  ourselves, 
yet  we  are  apt  to  shift  off  duty  from  our- 
selves to  others:  therefore  the  command- 
ment runs  in  the  second  person.  Thou  and 
Thou^  that  every  one  may  know,  that  the 
commandment  is  spoken  to  him,  as  it  were, 
by  name.  And  so  I  come  to  the  command- 
ment, "  Thou  shalt  have  no  other  gods  be- 
for  me."  This  commandment  may  well 
lead  the  van,  and  be  set  in  the  front  of  all 
the  commandments,  because  it  is  the  foun- 
dation of  all  true  religion.  The  sum  of 
this  commandment  is,  that  we  should  sanc- 
tify God  in  our  hearts,  and  give  him  a  pre- 
cedency above  all  created  beings.  There 
are  two  branches  of  this  commandment : 
1.  That  we  must  have  one  God.  2.  That 
we  must  have  but  one.  Or  thus,  1.  That 
we  must  have  God  for  our  God.  2.  That 
we  must  have  no  other. 

1.  That  we  must  have  God  for  our  God : 
it  is  manifest  that  we  must  have  a  God, 
and  "  who  is  God  save  the  Lord  ?"  2  Sam. 
xxii.  32.  The  Lord  Jehovah  (one  God 
in  three  persons)  is  the  true,  living,  eter- 
nal God;  and  him  must  we  have  for  our 
God. 


Quest.  L  What  is  it  to  make  God  to  be  a 
God  to  us  ? 

Ans.  \.  To  make  God  to  be  a  God  to  us,  is 
to  acknowledge  him  for  a  God;  thegodsof  the 
heathens  are  idols,  Ps.  xc^^.  5.,  and  we  "  know 
that  an  idol  is  nothing,"  1  Cor.  viii.  4.,  that 
is,  it  hath  nothing  of  Deity  in  it ;  if  we  cry, 
"  Help,  O  Idol !"  an  idol  cannot  help;  the 
idols  were  themselves  carried  into  captivity, 
Isa.  xlvi.  2.,  so  that  an  idol  is  nothing :  va- 
nity is  ascribed  to  it,  Jer.  xiv.  22.,  we  do 
not  acknowledge  it  to  be  a  God.  But  this 
is  to  make  God  to  be  a  God  to  us,  when  we 
do,  ex  animo,  acknowledge  him  to  be  God, 

1  Kings  xviii.  39.,  All  the  people  fell  on 
their  faces  and  said,  "  The  Lord  he  is  the 
God  !  the  Lord  he  is  the  God !"  Yea,  we 
acknowledge    God    to   be    the    only    God, 

2  Kings  xix.  15.,  "  O  Lord  God  of  Israel 
which  dwellest  between  the  cherubims,  thou 
art  the  God,  even  thou  alone  !"  Deity  is  a 
jewel  that  belongs  only  to  his  crown.  Yet 
further,  we  acknowledge  that  there  is  no 
God  like  him,  1  Kings  viii.  22,  23.,  "  And 
Solomon  stood  before  the  altar  of  the  Lord ; 
and  he  said  Lord  God  of  Israel,  there  is  no 
god  like  thee."  Ps.  Ixxxix.  6.,  "  For  who 
in  the  heaven  can  be  compared  unto  the 
Lord  ?  Who  among  the  sons  of  the  migh- 
ty can  be  likened  unto  the  Lord."  In  the 
Chaldee  it  is.  Who  among  the  angels.  None 
can  do  as  God :  he  brought  the  world  out 
of  nothing,  "  and  hangeth  the  earth  upon 
nothing,"  Job  xxvi.  7.     This  is  to  make 


OF  THE  FIRST  COMMANDMENT. 


245 


God  to  be  a  God  to  us,  when  we  are  per- 
suaded in  our  liearts,  and  confess  with  our 
tongues,  and  subscribe  with  our  hand,  tliat 
God  is  tlio  only  true  God,  and  that  there  is 
none  comparable  to  him. 

A.  2.  To  make  God  to  be  a  God  to  us, 
is  to  choose  him,  Josh.  xxiv.  15.,  "  Choose 
ye  tliis  day  whom  ye  will  serve ;  but  as  for 
me  aTid  my  house  we  will  serve  the  Lord:" 
that  is,  we  will  choose  the  Lord  to  be  our 
God.  It  is  one  thing  for  the  judgment  to 
approve  of  God,  and  another  for  the  will  to 
choose  him.  Religion  is  not  a  matter  of 
chance,  but  choice. 

Quest.  JV/iat  is  antecedent  to,  or  goes  be- 
foie  this  choice  ? 

Ans.  \.  Before  this  choosing  God  for  our 
God,  there  must  be  knowledge ;  we  must 
know  God,  before  we  can  choose  him ;  be- 
fore one  choose  the  person  he  will  marry, 
he  must  first  have  some  knowledge  and 
cognizance  of  the  person  :  so  we  must  know 
God,  before  we  can  choose  him  for  our 
God,  1  Chron.  xxviii.  9.,  "  Know  thou  the 
God  of  thy  fathers."  We  must  know  God 
in  his  attributes,  glorious  in  holiness,  rich 
in  mercy,  faithful  in  promises.  We  must 
know  God  in  his  Son ;  as  in  a  glass  a  face 
is  represented;  so  in  Christ,  as  in  a  trans- 
parent glass,  we  see  God's  beauty  and  love 
shine  forth.  This  knowledge  must  go  be- 
fore our  choosing  of  God.  Lactantius  said, 
all  the  learning  of  the  philosophers  was 
without  a  head,  because  it  wanted  the 
knowledge  of  God. — 2.  Wherein  our  choos- 
ing of  God  consists.  It  is  an  act  of  mature 
deliberation ;  a  Christian  having  viewed 
the  superlative  excellencies  in  God,  and  be- 
ing stricken  into  an  holy  admiration  of  his 
perfections,  he  singles  out  God  from  all  o- 
ther  objects,  to  set  his  heart  upon  ;  he  saith 
as  Jacob,  Gen.  xxviii.  2L,  "  The  Lord 
sbali  be  my  God." — 3.  The  effect  of  choos- 
ing God  :  the  soul  that  chooseth  God,  de- 
votes himself  to  God,  Ps.  cxix.  38.,  "  Thy 
servant  who  is  devoted  to  thy  fear."  As 
the  vessels  of  the  sanctuary  were  conse- 
crated and  set  apart  from  common  to  holy 
uses,  so  the  soul  who  hath  chosen  (iod  to 
be  his  God,  hath  dedicated  and  set  himself 
apart  for  God,  and  will  be  no  more  for  pro- 
fane uses. 

A.  2.  To  make  God  to  be  a  God  to  us, 


is  to  enter  into  a  solemn  covenant  with 
him,  that  he  shall  be  our  God :  after  choice 
follows  the  marriage-covenant.  As  God 
makes  a  covenant  with  us,  Isa.  Iv.  3.,  "  I 
will  make  an  everlasting  covenant  with 
you,  even  the  sure  mercies  of  David  :"  so 
we  make  a  covenant  with  him,  2  Chron. 
XV.  12.,  "  They  entered  into  covenant  to 
seek  the  Lord  God  of  their  fathers."  And 
Isa.  xliv.  5.,  "  One  shall  say,  I  am  the 
Lord's:  and  another  shall  subscribe  with 
his  hand  unto  the  Lord ;"  like  soldiers,  that 
subscribe  their  names  in  the  muster-roll. 
This  covenant,  "  That  God  shall  be  our 
God,"  we  have  often  renewed  in  the  Lord's 
supper ;  and  it  is  like  a  seal  to  a  bond,  to 
bind  us  fast  to  God,  and  to  keep  us  that  we 
do  not  depart  from  him. 

A.  3.  To  make  God  to  be  a  God  to  us,  is 
to  give  him  adoration  :  which  consists,  1. 
In  reverencing  of  him,  Ps.  Ixxxix.  7.,  "  God 
is  to  be  had  in  reverence  of  all  them  that 
are  about  him."  The  seraphims,  who  stood 
about  God's  throne  covered  their  faces,  Isa. 
vi.  and  Elijah  wrapt  himself  in  a  mantle, 
when  the  Lord  passed  by,  in  token  of  re- 
verence. This  reverence  shews  the  high 
esteem  we  have  of  God's  sacred  majesty. — 
2.  Adoration  is  in  bowing  to  him,  or  wor- 
shipping him,  Ps.  xxix.  2.,  "  Worship  the 
Lord  in  the  beauty  of  holiness."  Neh.  viii. 
6.,  "  They  bowed  their  heads,  and  worship- 
ped the  Lord  with  their  faces  to  the  ground." 
Divine  worship  is  the  peculiar  honour  be- 
longing to  the  Godhead  :  this  God  is  jealous 
of,  and  will  have  no  creature  share  in,  Isa. 
xlii.  8.,  "  My  glory  will  I  not  give  to  ano- 
ther." Magistrates  may  have  a  ci^'il  re- 
spect or  veneration,  God  only  a  religious 
adoration. 

A.  4.  To  make  God  to  be  a  God  to  us,  is 
to  fear  him,  Deut.  xxviii.  58.,  "  That  thou 
mayest  fear  this  glorious  and  fearful  name, 
The  Lord  thy  God."  This  fearing  of  God 
isj  1.  To  have  God  always  in  our  eye,  Ps. 
x\'i.  8.,  "  I  have  set  the  Lord  alwavs  before 
me."  And  Ps.  xxv.  15.,  "  Mine  eyes  are 
ever  towards  the  Lord."  He  who  fears 
God,  imagines,  that  whatever  he  is  doing, 
God  looks  on,  and,  as  a  judge,  weighs  all 
his  actions.  2.  To  fear  God,  is,  when  we 
have  such  an  holy  awe  of  God  upon  our 
hearts,  that  we  dare  not  sin,   Ps.  iv.   4., 


246 


OF  THE  FIRST  COMMANDMENT. 


"  Stand  in  awe  and  sin  not."  The  wicked 
sin  and  fear  not ;  the  godly  fear  and  sin  not, 
Gen.  xxxix.  9.,  "  How  then  can  I  do  this 
great  wickedness,  and  sin  against  God  ?" 
Bid  me  sin,  bid  me  drink  poison.  It  is  a 
saying  of  Anselm,  "  If  hell  were  on  one 
side,  and  sin  on  the  other,  I  would  rather 
leap  into  hell,  than  willingly  sin  against 
my  God."  (1.)  This  glorious  and  fearful 
name :  he  who  fears  God  will  not  sin,  though 
it  be  never  so  secret.  Lev.  xix.  14.,  "  Thou 
shalt  not  curse  the  deaf,  nor  put  a  stumb- 
ling-block before  the  blind,  but  shalt  fear 
thy  God."  Suppose  you  should  curse  a 
deaf  man,  he  cannot  hear  you  curse  him ; 
or  if  you  lay  a  block  in  a  blind  man's  way, 
and  make  him  fall,  he  cannot  see  you  lay 
it ;  ay,  but  the  fear  of  God  will  make  you 
forsake  these  sins  which  can  neither  be 
heard  nor  seen  by  men.  (2.)  Where  the 
fear  of  God  is,  it  destroys  tlie  fear  of  man  ; 
the  three  children  feared  God,  therefore 
they  feared  not  the  king's  wrath,  Dan.  iii. 
16.  The  gi'eater  noise  drowns  the  less ; 
the  noise  of  thunder  drowns  the  noise  of  a 
river ;  so  when  the  fear  of  God  is  superin- 
tendent in  the  soul,  it  drowns  all  other  car- 
nal fear.  This  is  to  make  God  to  be  a  God 
to  us,  when  we  have  an  holy  filial  fear  of 
liim ;  "  That  thou  mayest  fear." 

A.  5.  To  make  God  to  be  a  God  to  us,  is 
to  trust  in  him,  Ps.  cxli.  8.,  "  Mine  eyes 
are  unto  thee,  O  God  the  Lord  :  in  thee  is 
my  trust."  2  Sam.  xxii.  3.,  "  The  God  of 
my  rock,  in  him  will  I  trust."  There  is 
nothing  we  can  trust  in  but  God  ;  all  the 
creatures  arc  a  refuge  of  lies, — they  are  like 
the  Egyptian  reed,  too  weak  to  support  us, 
but  strong  enough  to  wound  us,  Oninis  7rio- 
tus  fit  super  iimnohili.  God  only  is  a  suffi- 
cient foundation  to  build  our  trust  upon  ; 
and  then,  when  we  trust,  we  make  him  a 
God  to  us  ;  else  we  make  him  an  idol,  if  we 
do  not  trust  in  him.  Trusting  in  God  is 
when  we  rely  on  his  power  as  a  Creator, 
and  on  his  love  as  a  Father.  Trusting  in 
God  is,  when  we  commit  our  chief  treasure 
to  him ;  our  soul  is  our  chief  treasure,  we 
commit  our  soul  to  him,  Ps.  xxxi.  5.,  "  Into 
thy  hands  I  commit  my  spirit."  As  the 
orphan  trusts  his  estate  with  his  guardian, 
so  we  trust  our  souls  with  God;  this  is  to 
make  him  a  God  to  us. 


Quest.  1.  How  shall  we  know  that  ice  trust 
in  God  aright  ? 

Ans.  If  we  trust  in  God  aright,  then  we 
will  trust  in  God  at  one  time  as  well  as  an- 
other, Ps.  Ixii.  8.,  "  Trust  in  liim  at  all 
times."  Can  we  trust  God.  1.  In  our 
straits  ?  when  the  fig-tree  doth  not  flourish, 
— when  our  earthly  crutches  are  broken, — 
can  we  now  lean  upon  God's  promise? 
When  the  pipes  are  cut  off  that  used  to 
bring  us  comfort,  can  we  live  upon  God, 
in  whom  are  all  our  fresh  springs  ?  When 
we  have  no  bread  to  eat  but  the  bread  of 
carefulness,  Ezek.  xix.  8., — %v'hen  we  have 
no  water  to  drink  unless  tears,  Ps.  Ixxx.  5., 
"  Thou  givest  them  tears  to  drink  in  great 
measure," — can  we  now  trust  in  God's  pro- 
vidence to  make  supply  for  us?  A  good 
Christian  believes  that  if  God  feed  the  i*a- 
vens,  he  will  feed  his  children;  he  lives 
upon  God's  all-sufficiency,  not  only  for 
grace,  but  food  ;  he  believes  if  God  will  give 
him  heaven,  he  will  give  daily  bread ;  he 
trusts  God's  bond,  Ps.  xxxvii.  3.,  "  Verily 
thou  shalt  be  fed."  2.  Can  we  trust  God 
in  our  fears  ?  fear  is  the  age  of  the  soul. 
When  adversaries  begin  to  grow  high,  can 
we  now  display  the  banner  of  faith  ?  Ps.  Ivi. 
3.,  "  Wliat  time  I  am  afraid,  I  will  trust  in 
thee."  Faith  cures  the  trembling  at  the 
heart :  faith  gets  above  fear,  as  the  oil  swims 
above  the  water.  This  is  to  trust  in  God, 
and  it  is  to  make  him  to  be  a  God  to  us. 

A.  6.  To  make  God  to  be  a  God  to  us,  is 
to  love  him  ;  in  the  godly,  fear  and  love  kiss 
each  other. 

A.  7.  To  make  him  a  God  to  us,  is  to  obey 
him.  But  I  forbear  to  speak  of  these,  be- 
cause I  shall  be  large  upon  them  in  the  se- 
cond commandment ;  "  Shewing  mercy  un- 
to thousands  of  them  that  love  me  and  keep 
my  commandments." 

Quest.  Why  mtist  tve  cleave  to  the  Lord  as 
our  God  ? 

Ans.  1.  From  the  equity  of  it:  it  is  but 
equal  we  should  cleave  to  him  as  our  God, 
from  whom  we  receive  our  being ;  who  can 
have  a  better  right  to  us  than  he  that  gives 
us  our  breath  ?  Ps.  c.  3.,  "  For  it  is  he  that 
made  us,  and  not  we  ourselves."  It  is  un- 
equal, yea  ungrateful,  to  give  away  our  love 
or  worship  to  any  but  God. 

A.  2.  From  the  utility.     If  we  cleave  to 


OF  THE  FIRST  COMMANDMENT. 


247 


the  Lord  as  our  God  ;  then,  1.  He  will  bless 
us,  Ps.  Ixvii.  6.,  "  God,  even  our  own  God, 
will  bless  us."  He  will  bless  us,  (1.)  In  our 
estate,  Deut.  xxviii.  4,  5.,  "  Blessed  shall  be 
the  fruit  of  thy  ground  :  blessed  shall  be 
thy  basket  and  thy  store ;"  we  sliall  not  only 
have  our  sack  full  of  corn,  but  it  shall  be 
blessed  :  here  is  money  in  the  mouth  of  the 
sack.  (2.)  He  will  bless  us  with  peace,  Ps. 
xxix.  11.,  "  The  Lord  will  bless  his  people 
with  peace  :"  outward  peace,  which  is  the 
nurse  of  plenty,  Ps.  cxlvii.  14.,  "  He  mak- 
eth  peace  in  thy  borders:"  inward  peace,  a 
smiling  conscience  ;  this  is  sweeter  than  the 
dropping  honey.  2.  God  will  turn  all  e^dls 
to  our  good,  Rom.  viii.  He  will  make  a 
treacle  of  poison.  Joseph's  imprisonment 
was  a  means  for  his  advancement.  Gen.  1. 
20.  Out  of  the  bitterest  drug  God  will  dis- 
til his  glory  and  our  salvation.  In  short, 
God  will  be  our  guide  to  death,  our  com- 
fort in  death,  our  reward  after  death.  So  then 
the  utility  of  it  may  make  us  cleave  to  the 
Lord  as  our  Gcd,  Ps.  cxHv.  15.,  "  Happy  is 
that  peojjle  who  have  the  Lord  for  their  God." 

yl.  3.  From  the  necessity.  1st,  If  God 
be  not  our  God,  he  will  curse  our  blessings ; 
Mai.  ii.  2.,  and  God's  curse  blasts  wherever 
it  comes.  2f////,  If  God  be  not  our  God,  we 
have  none  to  help  us  in  misery  ;  will  God 
helj)  his  enemies;  will  heassist  them  whodis- 
claiui  him  ?  3d/i/,  If  we  do  not  make  God 
to  be  our  God,  he  will  make  himself  to  be 
our  judge-:  and  if  he  condemns,  there  is  no 
aitpcaling  to  a  higher  court.  So  that  there 
is  a  necessity  of  having  God  for  our  (iod, 
unless  we  intend  to  be  eternally  espoused 
to  misery. 

Use  \.st.  If  we  must  have  one  God,  and 
the  Lord  Jehovah  for  our  God,  it  condemns 
the  Atheists  who  have  no  God,  Ps.  xiv.  1., 
**  The  fool  hath  said  in  his  heart.  There  is 
no  God."  There  is  no  God  he  believes  in, 
or  worships ;  such  Atheists  were  Diogoras 
and  Theodorus.  When  Seneca  had  reprov- 
ed Nero  for  his  impieties,  Baith  Nero,  "  Dost 
thou  think  I  believe  there  is  any  God,  when 
I  do  such  things  ?"  The  duke  of  Silesia 
was  so  infatuated,  that  he  affirmed,  Negue  in- 
feros^ iieque  superos  esse, — '  that  there  \\as 
neither  God  nor  devil.'  We  may  see  God  in 
the  works  of  his  fingers.     The  creation  is  a 


great  volume,  in  which  we  may  read  a  God- 
head, and  he  must  needs  put  out  his  own 
eyes,  that  denies  a  God.  Aristotle,  though 
an  heatlien,  did  not  only  acknowledge  God, 
when  he  cried  out,  "  Thou  Being  of  beings, 
liave  mercy  on  me  !"  but  he  thought,  he  that 
did  not  confess  a  Deity,  was  not  worthy  to 
live.  Thoy  who  will  not  believe  a  God, 
shall  feel  him.  Ileb.  x.  31.,  "  It  is  a  fear- 
ful thing  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  living 
God." 

Use  2d.  It  condemns  Christians,  who  pro- 
fess to  own  God  for  their  God,  yet  they  do 
not  live  as  if  he  were  their  God.  1.  They 
do  not  believe  in  him  as  a  God ;  when  they 
look  upon  their  sins,  they  are  apt  to  say, 
can  God  pardon  ?  when  they  look  upon  their 
wants,  can  God  provide?  can  he  prepare  a  ta^ 
ble  in  the  wilderness  ? — 2.  They  do  not  love 
him  as  a  God:  they  do  not  give  him  the  cream 
of  their  love,  but  are  apt  to  love  other  things 
more  than  God ;  they  say  they  love  God, 
but  will  part  with  nothing  for  him. — 3. 
They  do  not  worship  him  as  a  God;  they 
do  not  give  him  that  reverence,  nor  pray 
with  that  devotion,  as  if  they  were  praying 
to  a  God.  How  dead  are  their  hearts?  If 
not  dead  in  sin,  yet  dead  in  duty.  'Tis  as 
if  praying  to  a  god  that  hath  eyes  and  sees 
not, — ears,  and  hears  not.  In  hearing  the 
word,  how  mucii  distraction,  what  regard- 
less hearts  have  many  ?  they  are  thinking 
of  tlunr  sho})s  and  drugs.  Would  a  king 
take  it  well  at  our  hands,  if,  when  he  is 
speaking  to  us,*  we  should  be  playing  with 
a  feather?  when  God  is  speaking  to  us  in 
his  word,  and  our  hearts  are  taken  up  with 
thoughts  about  the  world,  is  not  this  play- 
ing with  a  feather?  O  how  may  this  hum- 
ble most  of  us,  we  do  not  make  God  to  be 
a  God  to  us?  We  do  not  believe  in  him, 
love  him,  worship  him  as  a.  God.  INhuiy 
heathens  have  worshipped  their  false  gods 
with  more  seriousness  and  devotion  than 
some  Christians  do  the  true  God.  O  let  us 
chide  ourselves  !  Did  I  say  chide  ?  let  us 
abhor  ourselves  for  our  deadness  and  for- 
mality in  religion, — how  we  have  ])n»fessed 
God,  yet  we  have  not  worshij)ped  him  as 
God !  So  much  for  the  fust,  "  We  nuist 
have  God  for  our  God  :"  I  should  come  to 
the  second,  "  We  must  have  no  other  God." 


24S 


OF  THE  FIRST  COMxMANDMENT. 


ExoD.  XX.  3.  Thou  shall  have  no  other  gods  before  me. 


1.  THAT  we  must  have  "  no  other  god :" 
"  Tlioii  shah  have  no  other  gods  hefore  me." 

Qlest.  UTiat  is  meant  by  this  word.  Be- 
fore me  ? 

Ana.  That  is,  before  my  face, — in  coJi- 
spectu  jneo, — in  my  sight:  Deut.  x.wii.  15., 
"  Cursed  he  he  that  makes  a  giaven  image, 
and  puts  it  in  a  secret  place."  Some  would 
not  bow  to  the  idol  where  others  might  see, 
but  they  would  secretly  bow  to  it ;  but 
though  tliis  was  out  of  man's  sight,  it  was 
not  out  of  God's  sight :  "  Cursed  therefore 
(saith  God)  be  he  that  puts  the  image  in  a 
secret  place."  "  Thou  shalt  have  no  other 
gods."  1.  There  is  really  no  other  god. 
2.  AVe  must  have  no  other. 

1.  There  is  really  no  other  God.     The 
Valentiuians    held   there   were   two   Gods, 
the  Polvtheists  that  there  were  many ;  the 
Persians   worshipped  the  sun ;   the  Eg}p- 
tians,  the  ox  and  elephant ;  the  Grecians, 
Jupiter ;   but   there   is  no  other  than   the 
true  God,  Deut.  iv.  39.,  "  Know  therefore 
this  day,  and  consider  it  in  thine  heart,  that 
the  Lord  he  is  God  in  heaven  above,  and 
upon  the  earth  beneath ;  there  is  none  o- 
ther,"  For,  1.  There  is  but  one  First  Cause, 
that  hath  its  being  of  itself,  and  on  which 
all  other  beings  depend;  as  in  the  heavens 
tlie  Priimnn    Mobile    moves    all   the   other 
orbs,  so  God  is  the  Great  Mover,  he  gives 
life  and  motion  to  everv  thiufj  existent. — 
2.  There  is  but   one   Omnipotent   Power. 
If  tiiere  be  two  omnipotents,  then  we  must 
always    suppose    a    contest   between   these 
two ;  that  which  one  would  do,  the  other 
Power,  being  equal,  would  oppose,  and  so 
all  things  wttuld  be  brought  into  a  confu- 
sion.    If  a  ship  should  liave  two  pilots  of 
equal  power,   one  would  be  ever  crossing 
the  other ;  when  one  would  sail,  the  other 
would  cast  anchor ;  here  were  a  confusion, 
and  tiic  sliip  must  needs  ])erish.     The  or- 
der and  harmony  in  the  world,  the  con- 
stant and  uniform  government  of  all  things, 
is  a  clear  argument  that  there  is  but  one 
Omnipotent,    one   God  that  rules  all :   Isa. 
xliv.  6.,  "  I  am  tin-  Hrst,  and  I  am  the  last, 
and  besides  me  tiicre  is  no  God." 


2.  We  must  have  no  other  God.  **  Thou 
shalt  have  no  other  gods  before  me :"  this 
commandment  forbids,  1.  Serving  a  false 
God,  and  not  the  true,  Jer.  ii.  27.,  "  sa^nng 
to  a  stock.  Thou  art  my  father  ;  and  to  a 
stone,  Thou  hast  brought  me  forth."  Or, 
2.  Joining  a  false  god  with  a  true,  2  Kings 
\\\\.  33,,  "■  They  feared  the  Lord,  and 
served  their  own  gods."  Both  these  are 
forbidden  in  the  commandment ;  we  must 
adliere  to  the  true  God,  and  no  other; 
"  God  is  a  jealous  God,"  and  he  will  en- 
dure no  co-rival.  A  ^\'ife  cannot  lawfully 
have  two  husbands  at  once:  nor  may  we 
have  two  Gods,  Exod.  xxxiv.  14.,  "  Thou 
shalt  worship  no  other  god,  for  the  Lord  is 
a  jealous  God."  Ps.  xvi.  4.,  "  Tlieir  sor- 
rows shall  be  multiplied  that  hasten  after 
another  god."  The  Lord  interprets  it  a 
'  Forsaking  of  him,'  to  espouse  any  other 
god.  Judges  ii.  12.,  "  They  forsook  the 
Lord,"  and  followed  other  gods.  God 
would  not  have  his  people  so  much  as 
make  mention  of  idol  gods,  Exod.  xxiii.  13., 
"  Make  no  mention  of  the  name  of  other 
gods,  neither  let  it  be  heard  out  of  thy 
mouth."  God  looks  upon  it  as  a  breaking 
of  the  marriage-covenant,  to  go  after  other 
gods.  Therefore,  when  Israel  committed 
idolatry  with  the  golden  calf,  God  disclaims 
his  interest  in  them,  Exod.  xxxii.  7.,  "  Thy 
people  have  corrupted  themselves."  Be- 
fore, God  called  Israel  his  people  ;  but  when 
they  went  after  other  gods,  "  Now  (saith 
the  Lord  to  Moses)  they  are  no  more  my 
people  but  thy  people."  Hos.  ii.  2.,  "  Plead 
with  your  mother,  plead ;  for  she  is  not  my 
^\^fe."  She  doth  not  keep  faith  with  me ; 
she  hath  stained  herself  with  idols,  there- 
fore I  will  divorce  her ;  "  she  is  not  my 
wife."  To  go  after  other  gods,  is  what 
God  cannot  beai*;  it  makes  the  fury  rise 
up  in  his  face,  Deut.  xiii.  6,  8,  9.,  "  If  thy 
brother,  or  thy  son,  or  the  wife  of  thy  bo- 
som, or  thv  friend,  which  is  as  thine  own 
soul,  entice  thee  secretly,  saying,  let  us  go 
and  serve  other  gods,  thou  shalt  not  con- 
sent unto  him,  neither  shall  thine  eye  pity 
him ;   but  thou  siluilt  surely  kill  him  ;  thine 


OF  THE  FIRST  COMMANDMENT. 


249 


hand  shall  be  first  upon  him  to  put  him  to 
death,  and  afterwards  the  hand  of  all  the 
people." 

Quest.  But  what  is  it  to  have  other  gods 
besides  the  true  God?  I  fear  vpon  search^ 
we  have  more  idolaters  among  us  than  we  are 
aware  of. 

Ans.  To  trust  in  any  thing  more  than 
(iod,  is  to  make  it  a  god.  1.  If  we  trust 
in  our  riches,  then  we  make  riclies  our  god : 
we  may  take  comfort,  not  put  confidence 
in  them.  It  is  a  foolish  thing  to  trust  in 
them.  (1.)  They  are  deceitful  riches,  Mat. 
xiii.  2.,  and  it  is  foolish  to  trust  to  that 
wljich  will  deceive  us.  1st,  They  have  no 
solid  consistency,  they  are  like  landscapes 
or  golden  dreams,  which  leave  the  soul 
empty  when  it  awakes  or  comes  to  itself. 
2dly,  They  are  not  what  they  promise ; 
they  promise  to  satisfy  our  desires,  and 
they  increase  them ;  they  promise  to  stay 
with  us,  and  they  take  wings.  (2.)  They 
are  hurtful,  Eccl.  i.  18.,  "  Riches  kept  for 
the  owners  thereof  to  their  hurt."  It  is 
foolish  to  trust  to  that  which  will  hurt  one  : 
who  would  take  hold  of  the  edge  of  a  ra- 
zor to  help  him?  They  are  oft  fuel  for 
pride  and  lust,  Ezek.  xxviii.  5.,  Jer.  v.  7. 
So  that  it  is  folly  to  trust  in  our  riches  : 
but  some  do,  and  so  make  money  their 
god,  Prov.  X.  15.,  "  The  rich  man's  wealth 
is  his  strong  tower."  He  makes  the  wedge 
of  gold  his  hope,  Job  xxxi.  24.  God  made 
man  of  the  dust  of  the  earth,  and  man 
makes  a  god  of  the  dust  of  the  earth.  Mo- 
ney is  his  creator,  redeemer,  comforter : 
his  creator ;  if  he  had  money,  now  he  thinks 
he  is  made  :  his  redeemer  ;  if  he  be  in  dan- 
ger, he  trusts  to  his  money  to  redeem  him : 
his  comforter  ;  if  he  be  sad,  money  is  the 
golden  harp  to  drive  away  the  evil  spirit. 
Thus,  by  trusting  to  money,  we  make  it  a 
god. 

2.  If  we  trust  in  the  arm  of  flesh,  we 
make  it  a  god,  Jer.  x^'ii.  5.,  "  Cursed  be 
the  man  that  trusteth  in  man,  and  maketh 
flesh  his  arm."  The  Syrians  trusted  in 
their  army,  which  was  so  numerous  that  it 
filled  the  country,  1  Kings  xx.  27.,  but  this 
arm  of  flesh  withered,  v.  29.  What  we 
make  our  trust,  God  makes  our  shame. 
The  sheep  run  to  the  hedges  for  shelter  and 
they  lose  their  wool :  we  have  run  to  se- 


cond causes  to  help  us,  and  we  have  lost 
much  of  our  golden  fleece, — they  have  not 
only  been  reeds  to  fail  us,  but  thorns  to 
prick  us.  We  have  broken  our  parliament- 
crutches,  by  leaning  too  hard  upon  them. 

3.  If  we  trust  in  our  wisdom,  we  make 
it  a  god,  Jer.  ix.  23.,  "  Let  not  tlie  wise 
man  glory  in  his  wisdom  !"  Glorying  is 
the  height  of  confidence.  Many  a  man 
doth  make  an  idol  of  his  wit  and  parts ;  he 
deifies  himself,  but  how  oft  doth  God  take 
the  wise  in  their  owi^  craftiness.  Job  vi.  13. 
Ahithophel  had  a  great  wit, — liis  counsel 
was  as  the  oracle  of  God, — but  his  wit 
brought  him  to  the  halter,  2  Sam.  xvii.  23. 

4.  If  we  trust  in  our  civility,  we  make 
it  a  god.  Many  trust  to  this,  none  can 
charge  them  with  gross  sin.  Civility  is  but 
nature  refined  and  cultivated ;  a  man  may 
be  washed,  and  not  changed;  his  life  may 
be  civil,  yet  there  may  be  some  reigning 
sin  in  his  heart;  the  Pharisee  could  say, 
"  I  am  no  adulterer,"  Luke  x\dii.  11.,  but 
he  could  not  say,  I  am  not  proud.  To 
trust  to  civility,  is  to  trust  to  a  spider's 
web. 

5.  If  we  trust  to  our  duties  to  save  us, 
we  make  them  a  god,  Isa.  Ixiv.  6.,  "  Our 
righteousnesses  are  as  filthy  rags;"  they 
are  fly-blown  with  sin.  Put  gold  in  the 
fire,  and  there  comes  out  much  dross ;  our 
most  golden  duties  are  mixed  with  infir- 
mity; we  are  apt  either  to  neglect  duty, 
or  idolize  it.  Use  duty,  but  do  not  trust 
to  it;  for  then  you  make  it  a  god.  Trust 
not  to  your  praying  and  hearing;  these 
are  the  means  of  salvation,  but  they  are 
not  saviours.  If  you  make  duties  bladders 
to  trust  to,  you  may  sink  to  hell  with  these 
bladders. 

6.  If  we  trust  in  our  grace,  we  make  a 
god  of  it.  Grace  is  but  a  creature ;  if  we 
trust  to  it,  we  make  it  an  idol.  Grace  is 
imperfect,  we  cannot  trust  to  that  to  save 
us  which  is  imperfect,  Ps.  xxvi.  1.,  "I 
have  walked  in  my  integrity  :  I  have  trust- 
ed also  in  the  Lord."  David  did  walk  in 
his  integrity ;  but  did  not  trust  in  his  in- 
tegrity :  "  I  have  trusted  also  in  the  Lord." 
If  we  trust  in  our  graces,  we  make  a  Christ 
of  them.  They  are  gootl  graces,  but  bad 
Christs.  To  love  any  thing  more  than  God. 
is  to  make  it  a  god. 

21 


250 


OF  THE  FIRST  COMMANDMENT. 


1st,  If  we  love  our  estate  more  than  God, 
then  we  make  it  a  god.  The  young  man 
in  the  gospel  loved  his  gold  better  than  his 
Saviour;  the  world  lay  nearer  his  heart 
than  Clnist,  Mat.  xix.  22.  Fulgens  hoc  au- 
ram  prcestringit  oculos,  Var.  Hence  it  is, 
the  covetous  man  is  called  an  idolater,  Eph. 
V.  5.  Why  so?  Because  he  loves  his  e- 
state  more  than  God,  and  so  he  makes  it 
his  god ;  though  he  doth  not  bow  down  to 
an  idol,  yet  he  worships  the  graven  image 
in  his  coins ;  he  is  an  idolater.  That 
which  hath  most  of  the  heart,  that  we  make 
a  god. 

2dlt/,  If  we  love  our  pleasures  more  than 
God  we  make  a  god  of  pleasure,  2  Tim.  iii. 
4.,  "  Lovers  of  pleasure  more  than  lovers 
of  God."  Many  let  loose  the  reins,  and 
give  themselves  up  to  all  manner  of  sensual 
delights;  they  idolize  pleasure,  Job  xxi.  12, 
13.,  "  They  take  the  timbrel,  and  the  liarp, 
and  rejoice  at  the  sound  of  the  organ ; 
they  spend  their  days  in  wealth."  I  have 
read  of  a  place  in  Africa,  where  the  people 
spend  all  their  time  in  dancing,  and  making 
merry :  and  have  not  we  many  who  make 
a  god  of  pleasure,  who  spend  their  time  in 
going  to  plays  and  visiting  stews,  as  if  God 
had  made  them  like  the  leviathan,  to  play 
in  the  water  ?  Ps.  civ.  26.  In  the  coun- 
try of  Sardinia  there  is  an  herb  like  balm, 
that  if  one  eat  too  much  of  it,  he  will  die 
laughing:  such  an  herb  is  pleasure;  if  one 
feeds  immoderately  on  it,  he  will  go  laugh- 
ing to  hell.  Such  as  make  a  god  of  plea- 
sure, let  them  read  but  two  scriptures, 
Eccl.  vii.  4.,  "  The  heart  of  fools  is  in  the 
house  of  mirth."  And,  Rev.  xviii.  7., 
"  How  much  she  hath  lived  deliciously, 
so  much  torment  give  her."  Sugar  laid  in 
a  damp  place  turns  to  water ;  so  all  the  su- 
gared joys  and  pleasures  of  sinners  will  turn 
to  the  water  of  tears  at  last. 

3dlt/,  If  we  love  our  belly  more  than  God, 
we  make  a  god  of  it,  Phil.  iii.  19.,  "  Whose 
god  is  their  belly."  Clemens  Alexandrinus 
writes  of  a  fish  that  had  its  heart  in  its  bel- 
ly :  an  emblem  of  epicures,  their  heart  is  in 
tlieir  belly, — they  do  sncrificari  /ari, — their 
belly  is  their  god,  and  to  this  god  they  pour 
drink-offerinffs.  The  Lord  allows  what  is 
fitting  for  the  recruiting  of  nature,  Deut. 
XI.  la.,   "  I  will  send  grass,  that  thou  may- 


est  eat  and  be  full."  But,  to  mind  nothing 
but  the  indulging  of  the  appetite,  is  idola- 
try ;  "  Whose  god  is  their  belly."  Wliat 
pity  is  it,  that  the  soul,  that  princely  part, 
which  sways  the  sceptre  of  reason  and  is 
a-kin  to  angels,  should  be  enslaved  to  the 
brutish  part  ! 

4thli/,  If  we  love  a  child  more  than  God, 
we  make  a  god  of  it.  How  many  are  guil- 
ty in  this  kind  ?  they  think  of  their  chil- 
dren, and  delight  more  in  them  than  in 
God ;  they  grieve  more  for  tlie  loss  of  their 
first  born,  than  for  the  loss  of  their  first 
love.  This  is  to  make  an  idol  of  a  child, 
and  to  set  it  in  God's  room.  Thus  God 
is  oft  provoked  to  take  away  our  children. 
If  we  love  the  jewel  more  than  him  that 
gave  it,  God  will  take  away  the  jewel,  that 
our  love  may  return  to  him  again. 

Use  \st.  It  reproves  such  as  have  other 
gods,  and  so  renounce  the  true  God.  1. 
Such  as  set  up  idols,  Jer.  ii.  28.,  "  Accord- 
ing to  the  number  of  thy  cities  are  thy  gods, 
O  Judah."  Hos.  xii.  Ill,  "  Their  altars 
are  as  heaps  in  the  furrows  of  the  field," — 
2.  Such  as  seek  to  familiar  spirits.  This 
is  a  sin  condemned  by  the  law  of  God, 
Deut.  xviii.  10,  11.,  "There  shall  not  be 
found  among  you  any  that  consult  with  fa« 
miliar  spirits."  It  is  ordinary,  that  if  peo- 
ple have  lost  any  of  their  goods,  they  send 
to  wizai'ds  and  soothsayers,  to  know  how 
they  may  come  by  their  goods  again  :  what 
is  this  but  for  people  to  make  a  god  of  the 
devil,  by  consulting  with  him,  and  putting 
their  trust  in  him  ?  Wliat !  because  you 
have  lost  your  goods,  will  you  lose  your 
souls  too  ?  2  Kings  i.  6.  So,  is  it  not  be- 
cause you  think  there  is  not  a  God  in  hea- 
ven, that  you  ask  counsel  of  the  devil  ?  If 
any  be  guilty,  be  humbled. 

Use  2d.  It  sounds  a  retreat  in  our  ears. 
Let  it  call  us  off  from  the  idolizing  any 
creature ;  and  renouncing  other  gods,  let 
us  cleave  to  the  true  God  and  his  service. 
If  we  go  away  from  God,  we  know  not 
where  to  mend  ourselves. 

1.  It  is  honourable  serving  of  the  true 
God ;  Servire  Deo  est  regnare.  It  is  more 
honour  to  serve  God,  than  to  haA'e  kings 
serve  us. — 2.  Serving  the  true  God  is  de- 
lightful, Isii.  Ivi.  7.,  "  I  will  make  them 
joyful  in  my  house  of  prayer."     God  oft 


OF  THE  SECOND  COMMANDMENT. 


251 


displays  the  banner  of  his  love  in  an  ordi- 
nance, and  pours  in  the  oil  of  gladness  into 
the  heart.  All  God's  ways  are  pleasant- 
ness, his  paths  are  strewed  with  roses, 
Prov.  iii.  17.  3.  Serving  the  true  God  is 
beneficial ;  they  have  great  gain  here, — the 
hidden  manna, — inward  peace,  and  a  great 
reward  to  come.  They  that  serve  God 
shall  have  a  kingdom  when  they  die,  Luke 
xii.  32.,  and  shall  wear  a  crown  made  of 
the  flowers  of  paradise,  1  Pet.  v.  4.  To 
serve  the  true  God  is  our  true  interest. 
God  hath  twisted  his  glory  and  our  salva- 
tion together.  He  bids  us  believe ;  and 
why  ?  that  we  may  be  saved.  Therefore, 
renouncing  all  others,  let  us  cleave  to  the 
true  God. 

2.  You  have  covenanted  to  serve  the  true 
Jehovah,  renouncing  all  others.  When 
one  hath  entered  into  covenant  with  his 
master,  and  the  indentures  are  drawn  and 
sealed,   then  he  cannot  go  back,  but  must 


serve  out  his  time.  We  have  covenant- 
ed in  baptism  to  take  the  Lord  for  our 
God,  renouncing  all  others, — and  renewed 
this  covenant  in  the  Lord's  supper, — and 
shall  we  not  keep  our  solemn  vow  and  co- 
venant ?  We  cannot  go  away  from  God 
without  the  highest  perjury,  Heb.  x.  38., 
"  If  any  man  draw  back,"  as  a  soldier  that 
steals  away  from  his  colours,  '  my  soul 
shall  have  no  pleasure  in  him  :  I  will  pour 
vials  of  wrath  on  him,  and  make  mine  ar- 
rows drunk  with  blood.' 

3.  None  ever  had  cause  to  repent  of  cleav- 
ing to  God  and  his  service  :  some  have  re- 
pented that  they  had  made  a  god  of  the 
world.  Cardinal  Wolsey  said,  "  Oli  that 
I  had  served  my  God  as  I  have  served  my 
king,  he  would  never  have  left  me  thus  !" 
None  ever  complained  of  serving  (lod :  it 
was  both  their  comfort  and  crown  on  their 
death-bed. 


OF  THE  SECOND  COMMANDMENT. 

ExoD.  XX.  4.   Thou  shcdt  not  make  unto  tJiee  any  graven  image,  ^c. 


IN  the  first  commandment  is  forbidden 
the  worshipping  a  false  god  :  in  this,  the 
worshipping  the  true  God  in  a  false  man- 
ner. 

1.  "  Thou  shalt  not  make  unto  thee  any 
graven  image."  This  forbids  not  the  mak- 
ing an  image  for  civil  use,  Mat.  xxii.  20., 
"  Wliose  is  this  image  and  superscription  ? 
They  say  unto  him.  It  is  Caesar's."  But 
the  commandment  forbids  setting  up  an 
image  for  religious  use  or  worship. 

2.  "  Nor  the  likeness  of  any  thing,"  &c. 
All  ideas,  portraitures,  shapes,  images  of 
God,  whether  by  effigies  or  pictures,  are 
here  forbidden,  Deut.  iv.  15,  16.,  "  Take 
heed  lest  ye  corrupt  yourselves,  and  make 
the  similitude  of  any  figure."  God  is  to 
be  adored  in  the  heart,  not  painted  to  the 
eye. 

3.  "  Thou  shalt  not  bow  down  to  them." 
The  intent  of  making  images  and  pictures, 
is  to  worship  them.  No  sooner  was  Nebu- 
chadnezzar's golden  image  set  up,  but  all 
the   people   fell  down   and  worshipped   it, 


Dan.  iii.  7.  Therefore  God  forbids  the 
prostrating  of  ourselves  before  an  idol.  So 
then,  the  thing  prohibited  in  tliis  command- 
ment is  image-worship.  To  set  up  an  im- 
age to  represent  God,  is  a  debasing  of  the 
Deity,  it  is  below  God.  If  one  should  make 
images  of  snakes  or  spiders,  saying  he  did 
it  to  represent  his  prince,  would  not  the 
prince  take  this  in  high  disdain  ?  What 
greater  disparagement  to  God,  than  to  re- 
present the  infinite  God  by  that  which  is 
finite, — the  living  God,  by  that  which  is 
without  life,  and  the  Maker  of  all,  by  a 
thing  which  is  made  ? 

\st.  To  make  a  true  image  of  God  is  im- 
possible. God  is  a  spiritual  essence,  John 
iv.  24. ;  and,  being  a  Spirit,  he  is  invisible, 
Deut.  iv.  15.,  "  Ye  saw  no  similitude  in  the 
day  that  the  Lord  spake  unto  you  in  Iloreb 
out  of  the  midst  of  the  fire."  How  can  any 
paint  the  Deity  ?  Can  they  make  an  imago 
of  that  which  tliey  never  saw  ?  Qiiod  invisi- 
hile  est,  pigni  non  potest,  A.aib.  "  Ye  saw  no 
similitude "     It   is   impossible   to   make  a 


252 


OF  THE  SECOND  COMMANDMENT. 


picture  of  the  soul,  or  to  paint  the  an- 
gels, because  they  are  of  a  spiritual  na- 
ture; much  less  then  can  we  paint  God 
by  an  image,  who  is  an  infinite,  uncreated 
Spirit. 

2d.  To  worship  God  by  an  image,  is  both 
absurd  and  unlawful. 

1.  It  is  absurd  and  irrational ;  for,  1. 
The  workman  is  better  than  the  work,  Heb. 
iii.  3.,  "  He  who  hath  buikled  the  house 
hath  more  honour  than  the  house."  If  the 
workman  be  better  than  the  work,  and 
none  bow  to  the  workman,  how  absurd 
then  is  it  to  bow  to  the  work  of  his  hands  ? 
2.  Is  it  not  an  absurd  thing  to  bow  down 
to  the  king's  picture,  when  the  king  him- 
self is  present  ?  more  so  to  bow  down  to 
an  image  of  God,  when  God  himself  is 
every  where  present. 

2.  It  is  unlawful  to  worship  God  by  an 
image  ;  for,  1.  It  is  against  the  homily  of 
the  church ;  it  runs  thus  ;  "  The  images  of 
God,  our  Saviour,  the  Virgin  Mary,  are  of 
all   others   the   most  dangerous;    therefore 
the  greatest  care  ought  to  be  had  that  they 
stand  not  in  temples  and  churches."     So 
that  image-worship  is  contrary  to  our  own 
homilies,  and  doth  affront  the  authority  of 
the  church  of  England.     2.  Image-worship 
is  expressly  against  the  letter  of  scripture. 
Lev.  xxvi.  1.,  "  Ye  shall  make  no  gi'aven 
image,  neither  shall  ye  set  up  any  image  of 
stone,  to  bow  down  to  it,"  Deut.  xvi.  22., 
*'  Neither  shalt  thou  set  thee  up  any  image 
which    the    Lord    thy    God    hateth."     Ps. 
xcvii.  7.,    "  Confounded  be  all   they  that 
serve    graven    images."     Do    we    think   to 
please  God,  by  doing  that  which  is  contra- 
ry to  his  mind,  and  that  which  he  hath  ex- 
pressly   forbidden? — 3.    Image-worship    is 
against   the  practice  of  the  saints  of  old. 
Josiah,  that  renowned  king,  destroyed  the 
groves    and    images,    2    Kings    xxiii.    24. 
Constantine  abrogated  the  images  set  up  in 
temples;    the  Christians  destroyed  images 
at  Basil,  Zurich,  Bohemia ;  when  the  Ro- 
man emperors  would  have  thrust  images 
upon  them,  they  chose  rather  to  die  than 
deflower  their  virgin-profession  by  idola- 
try; they  refused  to  admit  any  painter  or 
carver    into    their    society,    because    they 
would  not  have  any  carved  statue  or  image 
of  God  ;  when  Serapliiou  bowed  to  an  idol, 


the  Christians  excommunicated  him,  and 
delivered  him  up  to  Satan. 

Use  \st.  It  reproves  and  condemns  the 
church  of  Rome,  who  from  the  Alpha  of 
their  religion  to  the  Omega,  are  wholly  i- 
dolatrous.  They  make  images  of  God  the 
Father, — painting  him  in  their  church  win- 
dows as  an  old  man, — and  an  image  of 
Christ  on  the  crucifix;  and,  because  it  is 
against  the  letter  of  this  commandment, 
therefore  they  sacrilegiously  blot  out  the 
second  commandment  out  of  their  catechi- 
ses, dividing  the  tenth  commandment  into 
two ;  now  this  image- worship  must  needs 
be  very  impious  and  blasphemous,  because 
it  is  a  giving  that  religious  worship  to  the 
creature,  which  is  only  due  to  God.  It  is 
vain  for  papists  to  say,  they  give  God  the 
worship  of  the  heart,  and  the  image  only 
the  worship  of  the  body ;  for  the  worship 
of  the  body  is  due  to  God,  as  well  as  tlie 
worship  of  the  heart ;  and  to  give  an  out- 
ward veneration  to  an  image,  is  to  give 
that  adoration  to  a  creature,  which  only  be- 
longs to  God,  Isa.  xlii.  8.,  "  My  glory  will 
I  not  give  to  another." 

Ob  J.  1.  The  papists  say,  they  do  not  wor- 
ship the  image,  but  only  make  use  of  it  as  a 
medium,  to  worship  God  by  it.  Ne  imagine 
quidem  Christi  in  quantum  est  lignum  sculp- 
tum,  ultra  debetur  reverentia,  Aquinas. 

Ans.  1.  Where  hath  God  bidden  them 
worship  him  by  an  effigy  or  image  ?  Isa.  i. 
12.,  "  Who  hath  required  this  at  your 
hands?"  The  papists  cannot  say  so  much  as 
the  devil,  Scriptum  est, — '  It  is  written.' 

A.  2.  The  heathens  may  bring  the  same 
argument  for  their  gross  idolatry,  as  the 
papists  do  for  their  image-worship.  Who 
of  the  heathens  were  so  simple,  as  to  think 
gold  or  silver,  or  the  figure  of  an  ox  or  el- 
cj)hant,  were  God  ?  They  were  only  em- 
blems and  hieroglyphics  to  represent  him ; 
they  did  worship  the  invisible  God,  by 
such  visible  things.  To  worship  God  by 
an  image,  God  takes  a.s  done  to  the  image 
itself. 

Obj.  2.  But,  say  the  papists,  images  are 
laymen's  books,  and  theij  are  gooa  to  put  tis 
in  mind  of  God.  One  of  the  popish  councils 
affirmed,  that  we  might  learn  more  by  an  im- 
age, than  by  long  study  of  the  scriptures. 

Am.  Hab.  ii.  18.,   "  What  profiteth  the 


OF  THE  SECOND  COMMANDMENT. 


253 


graven  image,  the  molten  image,  and  a 
teacher  of  lies  ?"  Is  an  image  a  lay-man's 
book  ?  See  then  what  lessons  this  book 
teacheth,  it  teacheth  lies  ;  it  represents  God 
in  a  visible  shape,  who  is  invisible.  For 
the  papists  to  say  they  make  use  of  an  im- 
age to  put  them  in  mind  of  God,  is  as  if  a 
woman  should  say,  she  keeps  company  with 
another  man,  to  put  her  in  mind  of  her 
husband. 

Obj.  3.  But  did  not  Moses  make  the  im- 
age of  a  brazen  serpent  ?  Why  then  may  not 
images  he  set  up  ? 

Ans.  That  was  done  by  God's  special 
command,  Numb.  xxi.  8.,  "  Make  thee  a 
fiery  serpent ;"  and  there  was  a  special  use 
of  it,  both  literal  and  spiritual.  But  what ! 
doth  the  setting  up  of  this  image  of  the 
brazen  serpent  justify  the  setting  up  of  im- 
ages in  churches  ?  What !  because  Moses 
did  make  an  image  by  God's  appointment, 
may  we  therefore  set  up  an  image  of  our 
own  devising  ? — because  Moses  made  an 
image  to  heal  them  that  were  stung,  is  it 
lawful  therefore  to  set  up  images  in  church- 
es, to  sting  them  that  are  whole  ?  This  doth 
not  all  follow.  Nay,  that  A'ery  brazen  ser- 
pent which  God  liimself  commanded  to  be 
set  up,  when  Israel  did  look  upon  it  with  too 
much  reverence,  and  began  to  burn  incense 
to  it,  Hezekiah  defaced  that  image,  and  cal- 
led it  Nehushta?!,  (mere  brass) ;  and  God 
commended  him  for  so  doing,  2  Kings  xviii.4. 

Obj.  4.  But  is  not  God  represented  as 
having  hands,  and  eyes,  and  ears  ?  Why  then 
may  we  not  make  an  image  to  represent  him 
by,  and  help  our  devotion  ? 

Ans.  Though  God  is  pleased  to  stoop  to 
our  weak  capacities,  and  set  himself  out  in 
scripture  by  eyes,  to  signify  his  omnisciency, 
and  iiands  to  signify  his  power,  yet  it  is 
very  absurd  from  metaphors  and  figurative 
expressions  to  bring  an  argument  for  imag- 
es and  pictures  ;  for,  by  that  rule,  God  may 
be  pictured  by  the  sun  and  the  elen)cnt  of 
fire,  and  by  a  rock ;  for  God  is  set  forth  by 
tliese  metaphors  in  scripture  :  and  sure  the 
papists  themselves  would  not  like  to  have 
such  images  made  of  God. 

Quest.  1.  If  it  be  not  lauful  to  make  the 
image  of  God  the  Father,  yet  may  ice  not 
make  an  image  of  Christ,  who  took  upon  him 
the  nature  of  man? 


Ans.  No.  Epiphaniu8  seeing  an  imago 
of  Christ  hanging  in  a  church,  brake  it  in 
pieces.  It  is  Christ's  Godhead,  united  to 
his  manhood  that  makes  him  to  be  Christ ; 
therefore  to  picture  his  manhood,  when  wq 
cannot  picture  his  Godhead,  is  a  sin,  be- 
cause we  make  him  to  be  but  half  Clirist, 
— we  separate  what  God  hath  joined, — we 
leave  out  that  wliich  is  the  chief  thing, 
which  makes  him  to  be  Christ. 

Quest.  2.  But  how  then  shall  we  conceive 
of  God  aright,  if  we  may  make  no  image  or 
resemblance  of  him  ? 

Ans.  We  must  conceive  of  God  spiritual- 
ly, viz.  1.  In  his  attributes, — his  holiness, 
justice,  goodness,  which  are  the  beams  by 
which  his  divine  nature  shines  forth.  2. 
We  must  conceive  of  him  as  he  is  in  Christ' 
Christ  is  the  "  image  of  the  invisible  God," 
Col.  i.  15.,  as  in  tlie  wax  we  see  the  print 
of  the  seal.  Set  the  eyes  of  your  faith  on 
Christ-God-man,  John  xiv.  9.,  "  He  that 
hath  seen  me,  hath  seen  tlie  Father." 

Use  2d.  Take  heed  of  idolatry,  viz.  im- 
age-worship. Our  nature  is  prone  to  this 
sin,  as  dry  wQod  to  take  fire ;  and  indeed, 
what  needs  so  many  words  in  the  com- 
mandment, "  Thou  shalt  not  make  any  gra- 
ven image,  or  the  likeness  of  any  thing"  ia 
heaven,  earth,  water,  sun,  moon,  stars, 
male,  female,  fish, — "  thou  shalt  not  bow 
down  to  them  :"  I  say,  what  needed  so 
many  words,  but  to  show  liow  suliiject  we 
are  to  this  sin  of  false  worship  ?  It  con- 
cerns us  therefore  to  resist  this  sin.  Where 
the  tide  is  apt  to  run  with  greater  force, 
there  we  had  need  to  make  the  banks  high- 
er and  stronger  ;  the  plague  of  idolatry  is 
very  infectious,  Ps.  cvi.  35,  36.,  "  They 
were  mingled  among  the  heathen,  and  serv- 
ed their  idols."  It  is  my  advice  to  you  to 
avoid  all  occasions  of  this  sin. 

1.  Come  not  into  the  company  of  idola- 
trous papists ;  dare  not  to  live  under  the 
same  roof  with  tliem,  else  you  run  ijito  the 
devil's  mouth.  John  the  divine  would  not 
be  in  the  bath  where  Cerinthus  the  heretic 


was. 


2.  Go  not  into  their  chapels  to  see  their 
crucilixes,  or  hear  mass;  as  the  looking  on 
an  harlot  draws  to  adultery,  so  the  looking 
on  tlie  popish  gilded  picture  may  draw  to 
idolatry.     Some  care  not  though  they  go 


254 


OF  THE  SECOND  COMMANDMENT. 


and  see  their  idol-worship :  indeed,  a  va- 
grant that  hath  nothing  to  lose,  cares  not 
though  he  goes  among  thieves  ;  such  as  have 
no  goodness  in  them,  care  not  into  what 
idolatrous  places  they  come,  or  what  temp- 
tations they  cast  themselves  upon  ;  but  you 
who  have  a  treasure  about  you,  good  prin- 
ciples, take  heed  the  popish  priests  do  not 
rob  you  of  your  principles,  and  defile  you 
with  their  images. 

3.  Dare  not  to  join  in  marriage  with 
image- worshippers.  Solomon,  though  a  man 
of  wisdom,  yet  his  idolatrous  wives  di-ew 
away  his  heart  from  God.  The  people  of 
Israel  entered  into  an  oatli  and  curse  that 
they  would  not  give  their  daughters  in  mar- 
riage to  the  idolaters,  Neh.  x.  30.  For  a 
protestant  and  papist  to  marry,  is  to  be  un- 
equally yoked,  2  Cor.  vi.  14. ;  and  there  is 
more  danger  that  the  papist  will  corrupt 
the  protestant,  than  hope  that  the  protes- 
tant will  convert  the  papist.  Mingle  wine 
and  vinegar,  the  vinegar  will  sooner  sour 
the  wine,  than  the  wine  will  sweeten  the 

vinegar. 

4.  Avoid  superstition,  which  is  a  bridge 
leads  over  to  Rome.     Superstition  is  the 
bringing  in  any  ceremony,  fancy,  or  inno- 
vation into  God's  worship,   which  he  never 
appointed.     This  is  very  provoking  to  God, 
because  it  reflects  much  upon  his  honour, 
as  if  he  were  not  wise  enough  to  appoint 
the  manner  of  his  own  worship.     God  hates 
all  strange  fire  to  be  offered  in  his  temple. 
Lev.  X.  1.     A  ceremony  may  in  time  bring 
to  a  crucifix.     They  who  contend  for  the 
cross  in  baptism,  why  may  they  not  as  well 
have  the  oil,  salt,  and  cream,  the  one  being 
as  ancient  as  the  other  ?  Such  as  are  for 
altar-worship,   they  who  will  bow   to  the 
east,  may  in  time  bow  t«»  the  host.     Take 
heed  of  all  occasions  of  idolatry ;  idolatry 
is  devil-worsliip,  Ps.  cvi.  37.,  and  if  you 
search  tlirough  the  whole  Bible,  there  is  no 
one  sin  that  God  liath  more  followed  with 
plagues,   than  idolatry;   the  Jews  have  a 


saying,  that  in  every  evil  that  befals  them, 
there  is  uncia  aurei  vituli, — an  ounce  of  the 
golden  calf  in  it.  Hell  is  a  place  for  idola- 
ters. Rev.  xxii.  15.,  "  For  without  are  idola- 
ters." Senesius  calls  the  devil  a  rejoicer 
at  idols,  because  the  image-worshippers  help 
to  fill  hell.  That  you  may  be  preserved 
from  idolatry  and  image-worship, 

1.  Get  good  principles,  that  you  may  be 
able  to  oppose  the  gainsayer.  Whence  doth 
the  popish  religion  get  ground  ?  not  from 
the  goodness  of  their  cause,  but  from  the 
ignorance  of  their  people. 

2.  Get  love  to  God.  The  wife  that  loves 
her  husband  is  safe  from  the  adulterer  ;  and 
the  soul  that  loves  Christ  is  safe  from  the 
idolater. 

3.  Pray  that  God  will  keep  you.  Though 
it  is  true,  there  is  nothing  in  an  image  to 
tempt — for  if  we  pray  to  an  image,  it  can- 
not hear,  and  if  we  pray  to  God,  by  an  im- 
age, he  will  not  hear  :  I  say,  there's  nothing 
to  tempt — yet  we  know  not  our  own  hearts, 
or  how  soon  we  may  be  draAvn  to  vanity, 
if  God  leave  us ;  therefore  pray  that  you  be 
not  enticed  by  false  worship,  or  receive  the 
mark  of  the  beast  in  your  right  hand  or 
forehead.  Pray,  Ps.  cxix.  117.,  "  Hold 
thou  me  up,  and  I  shall  be  safe."  Lord,  let 
me  neither  mistake  my  way  for  want  of 
light  nor  leave  the  true  way  for  want  of 
courage. 

4.  Let  us  bless  God,  who  hath  given  us 
the  knowledge  of  his  truth  ;  that  we  have 
tasted  the  honey  of  his  word,  and  our  eyes 
are  enlightened.  Bless  him  that  he  hath 
shewn  us  the  pattern  of  his  house, — the 
right  mode  of  worship ;  that  he  hath  dis- 
covered to  us  the  forgery  and  blasphemy  of 
the  Romish  religion.  Let  as  pray,  that 
God  will  preserve  pure  ordinances,  and 
powerful  preaching  among  us :  idolatry 
came  in  at  first  by  the  want  of  good  preach- 
ing,— then  the  people  began  to  have  goldeu 
images,  when  they  had  wooden  priests. 


OF  THE  SECOND  COMMANDMENT. 


255 


ExoD.  XX.  5.  For  I  the  Lord  thy  God  am  a  jealous  God,  visiting  the  iniquity  of  the  fathers 
upon  the  children,  unto  the  third  and  fourth  generation  of  them  that  hate  me. 


f.  "  !•  tlie  Lord  tliy  God  am  a  jealous 
God."  The  first  reason  why  Israel  must 
not  worship  graven  images  is,  because  the 
Lord  is  a  jealous  God,  Exod.  xxxiv.  14., 
"  The  Lord,  whose  name  is  Jealous,  is  a 
jealous  God."  Jealousy  is  taken,  L  In  a 
good  sense,  and  so  God  is  jealous  for  his 
people.  2.  In  a  bad  sense,  and  so  God  is 
jealous  of  his  people. 

L  In  a  good  sense  ;  and  so  God  is  jealous 
for  his  people,  Zeeh.  i.  14.,  "  Thus  saith  the 
Lord,  I  am  jealous  for  Jerusalem,  and  for 
Zion,  witb  a  great  jealousy."  God  hath  a 
dear  affection  for  his  people,  they  are  his 
Hephzibah,  or  delight,  Isa.  Ixii.  4.  The  ap- 
ple of  his  eye,  Zech.  ii.  8.  To  express  how 
dear  they  are  to  him,  and  how  tender  he  is 
of  them, — Nihil  charius  pupitld  oculi,  Dru- 
sius.  They  are  his  spouse,  adorned  with 
jewels  of  grace;  they  lie  near  to  his  heait. 
He  is  jealous  for  his  spouse,  therefore  he 
will  be  avenged  on  them  who  go  to  wrong 
her,  Isa.  xlii.  13.,  "  The  Lord  shall  stir  up 
jealousy  like  a  man  of  war ;  he  shall  roar, 
he  shall  prevail  against  his  enemies."  What 
is  done  to  the  saints,  God  takes  as  done  to 
himself,  2  Kings  xix.  22.,  and  the  Lord  will 
undo  all  them  that  afflict  Zion,  Zeph.  iii. 
19.,  "  I  will  undo  all  that  afflict  thee." — 
2.  Jealousy  is  taken  in  a  bad  sense,  and  so 
God  is  jealous  of  his  people :  and  so  it  is 
taken  in  this  commandment,  '  I  the  Lord 
thy  God  am  a  jealous  God.'  I  am  jealous 
lest  you  should  go  after  false  gods,  or  wor- 
ship the  true  God  in  a  false  manner ;  lest 
you  defile  your  virgin-profession  by  images. 
God  will  have  his  spouse  to  keep  close  to 
him,  and  not  go  after  other  lovers,  IIos.  iii. 
3.,  "  Thou  shalt  not  be  for  another  man." 
God  cannot  bear  a  co-rival:  our  coniucral 
love,  viz.  a  love  joined  with  adoration  and 
worship,  must  be  given  only  to  God. 

Use  \st.  Let  us  give  God  no  just  cause 
to  be  jealous.  A  good  wife  will  be  so  dis- 
creet and  chaste  as  to  give  her  husband  no 
just  occasion  of  jealousy.  Let  us  avoid  all 
sin,  especially  this  sin  of  idolatry,  or  image- 


wor.sbip  ;  it  is  heinous,  after  we  have  enter- 
ed into  a  marriage-covenant  with  God,  now 
to  prostitute  ourselves  to  an  image.  Idola- 
try is  spiritual  adultery,  and  (iod  is  a  jea- 
lous God,  he  will  avenge  it ;  image-worship 
makes  God  abhor  a  people,  Ps.  Ixxviii.  58, 
59.,  "  They  moved  him  to  jealousy  with  their 
graven  images.  When  God  heard  this,  he 
was  wroth,  and  greatly  abhorred  Israel." 
Image-worship  enragetli  God,  Prov.  ^i.  34. 
•'  Jealousy  is  the  rage  of  a  man  ;"  it  makes 
God  divorce  a  peoj)le,  IIos.  ii,  2.,  "  Plead 
with  your  mother,  plead  ;  for  she  is  not  my 
wife."  Cant.  viii.  0.,  "  Jealousy  is  cruel  as 
the  grave."  As  the  grave  devours  men's 
bodies,  so  God  will  devour  inuige-worship- 
pers. 

Use  2d.  If  God  be  a  jealous  Ciod,  let  it  be 
a  word  to  such  whose  friends  are  popish 
idolaters,  and  they  are  hated  by  their  friends 
because  they  are  of  a  different  religion,  and 
perhaps  they  cut  off  tlieir  niainfeiiance  from 
them.  O  remember,  God  is  a  jealous  Ciod  I 
Better  move  your  parents  to  hatred,  than 
move  God  to  jealousy;  their  anger  cannot 
do  you  so  much  hurt  as  God's  ;  if  they  will 
not  provide  for  you,  God  will,  Ps.  xxvii.  10., 
"  When  my  father  and  mother  forsake  me, 
then  the  Lord  will  take  me  up." 

n.  The    second    reason    against    image- 
worship,  «  Visiting  the  iniquity  of  the  fa- 
thers upon  the  children  unto  the  third  and 
fourth   generation."      There  is  a    twofold 
visitiug:    1.  Tliere  is  God's  visiting  in  mer- 
cy. Gen.  1.  25.,  "  God  will  surely  visit  you;" 
that  is,  he  will  bring  you  into' the  land  of 
Canaan,   the  type   of  heaven.     Thus  God 
hath  visited  us  with  the  sun-beams  of  his 
favour ;  he  hath  made  us  swim  in  a  sea  of 
mercy;    this    is    an    happy   visitation.— 2. 
There  is  God's  visiting  in  anger,  Jer.  v.  9., 
"  Shall  I  not  visit  for  these  things  ?"  that 
is,  God's  visiting  with  the  rod  :  and  Isa.  x. 
3.,  "  What  will  ye  do  in  the  day  of  visita- 
tion ?"  that  is,  in  the  day  when   God  shall 
visit  with  his  judgments.     Thus  God's  vi- 
siting is  taken  here,  in  this  commandment, 


OF  THE  SECOND  COMMANDMENT. 


«  visitinfT  iniquity,"  that  is,  punishing  ini- 
quity.    Observe  here  three  things. 

Observe  1.  That  sin  makes  God  visit ; 
"  Visiting  iniquity."  Sin  is  the  cause  why 
God  visits  with  sickness,  poverty,  Ps.  Ixxxix. 
31  32.,  "  If  they  break  my  statutes,  tlien 
will  I  visit  tlieir  transgressions  with  the 
rod."  Sin  twists  the  cords  which  pinch  us ; 
sin  creates  all  our  troubles, — it  is  the  gall 
in  our  cup,  and  the  gravel  in  our  bread  ; 
Flagitum  etjlagellum,  sunt  sicut  ocus  et  silutn. 
Sin  is  the  Trojan  horse,— the  Fhseton  that 
sets  all  on  fire ;  it  is  the  womb  of  our  sor- 
rows, and  the  grave  of  our  comfort.  God 
visits  for  sin. 

Observe  2.  One  special  sin  God  visits  for, 
is  idolatry  and  image-worship.     "  Visiting 
the  iniquity  of  the  fathers."     Most  of  God's 
envenomed  arrows  have  been   shot  among 
idolaters,  Jer.  vii.  12.,   "  Go  now  into  my 
place  which  was  in  Shiloh,  where  I  set  my 
name  at  the  first,  and  see  what  I  did  to  it." 
God,  for  Israel's  idolatry  suffered  their  ar- 
my to  be  routed, — their  priests  slain, — the 
ai-k  taken  captive ;  and  we  never  read  that 
the  ark  returned  to  Shiloh  any  more.     Je- 
rusalem was  the  most  famous  metropolis  of 
the  world ;  there  was  the  temple,  Ps.  cxxii. 
4.,  "  Whither  the  tribes  go  up,  the  tribes 
of  the  Lord."     Yet,  for  their  high   places 
and  images,  their  city  was  besieged  and  ta- 
ken by  the  Chaldean  forces,  2  Kings  xxv. 
4.     Wlien  images  we're  set  up  in  Constan- 
tinople, the  chief  seat  of  the  Eastern  em- 
pire,  this  city — which  was  in  the   eye  of 
the  world  impregnable — was  taken  by  the 
Turks,  and  many  cruelly  massacred.     Then 
the  Turks  in  their  triumphs  reproached  the 
idolatrous  Christians,  causing  an  image  or 
crucifix  to  be  carried  through  the  streets  in 
contempt,  and  throwing  dirt  upon  it,  cried, 
"  This  is  the  God  of  the  Christians  !"     Here 
was    God's    visitation    for    their    idolatry. 
God  hath  set  special   marks  of  his  wrath 
upon  idolaters ;  at  a  place  called  Epoletium, 
there  ])crished  by  an  earthquake  350  per- 
sons, while  they  were  offering  sacrifice  to 
idols.     Idolatry  hath  brought  misery  upon 
the  Eastern  churches,  it  removed  the  gol- 
den  crndlesticks    of  Asia.     This  iniquity 
God  visits  for. 

Observe  3.  Idolatrous  persons  are  enemies 
not  only  to  their  own  souls,  but  to  their 


children :  '  Visiting  the  iniquity  of  the  fa- 
thers upon  their  children.'  As  an  idola- 
trous father  entails  his  land  of  inheritance, 
so  he  entails  God's  anger  and  curse  upon 
them.  A  jealous  husband,  finding  his  wife 
liath  stained  her  integrity,  may  justly  cast 
off  her  and  her  children  too,  because  they 
are  none  of  his.  If  the  father  be  a  traitor 
to  his  prince,  no  wonder  if  all  the  children 
suffer.  God  may  visit  the  iniquity  of  im- 
age-worshippers upon  their  children. 

Quest.  But  is  it  not  said,  "  Every  one 
shall  die  for  his  own  sin ;  the  son  shall  not 
bear  the  iniquity  of  the  father  ?"  How  then 
doth  God  say,  He  "  will  visit  the  iniquity  <f 
the  fathers  upon  the  children  ?" 

Ans.  Though  the  son  be  not  damned  for  his 
father's  sin,  yet  he  may  be  severely  punished, 
Job  xxi.  19.,  "  God  layeth  up  his  iniquity 
for  his  children ;"  that  is,  God  lays  up  the 
punishment  of  his  iniquity  for  his  children  ; 
the  child  smarts  for  the  fatlier's  sin.  Jero- 
boam thought  to  have  established  the  king- 
dom by  idolatrous  woi'ship,  but  it  brouglit 
ruin  upon  him  and  all  his  posterity,  1  Kings 
xiv.  10.  Ahab's  idolatry  wronged  his  pos- 
terity, they  lost  the  kingdom,  and  weie  all 
beheaded,  2  Kings  x.  7.,  "  They  took  the 
king's  sons,  and  slew  seventy  persons." 
There  God  visited  the  iniquity  of  the  father 
upon  the  children.  As  a  son  catcheth  an 
hereditary  disease  from  his  father,  the  stone 
or  gout ;  so  he  catcheth  misery  from  him, 
his  father's  sin  ruins  him. 

Use  \st.  If  so,  then  how  sad  is  it  to  be 
the  child  of  an  idolater  ?  It  had  been  sad 
to  have  been  one  of  Gehazi's  children,  who 
had  leprosy  entailed  upon  them,  2  Kings 
V.  27.,  "  The  leprosy  of  Naaman  shall 
cleave  to  thee  and  to  thy  seed  for  ever." 
So  it  is  sad  to  be  a  child  of  an  idolater, 
or  image-worshipper ;  his  seed  are  exj)osed 
to  God's  heavy  judgments  in  this  life; 
"  God  visits  the  iniquity  of  the  fathers  \\\>- 
on  their  children."  INIethinks  I  hear  God 
speak,  as,  Isa.  xiv.  21.,  "  Prepare  slaugh- 
ter for  his  children,  for  the  iniquity  of  their 
fathers." 

Use  2d.  See  what  a  privilege  it  is  to  be 
the  children  of  good  parents ;  the  parents 
are  in  covenant  with  (}od,  and  God  lays 
up  mercy  for  their  posterity,  Prov.  xx.  7., 
"  The  just  man  walketh  in  his  integrity. 


OF  THE  SECOND  COMMANDMENT. 


his  children  are  blessed  after  him."  A  re- 
ligious parent  doth  not  procure  wrath,  but 
helps  to  keep  off  wrath  from  his  child ;  he 
seasons  his  child  with  religious  principles, 
he  prays  down  a  blessing  on  his  child ;  he 
is  a  loadstone  drawing  his  child  to  Christ 
by  good  counsel  and  example.  O  what  a 
privilege  is  it  to  be  born  of  godly  religious 
parents  !  St.  Austin  saith,  that  his  mother 
Monica  travailed  with  greater  care  and  pains 
for  his  new  birth  than  for  his  natural. 
Wicked  idolaters  entail  misery  on  their 
posterity ;  God  "  visits  the  iniquity  of  the 
fathers  upon  their  children ;"  but  religious 
parents  procure  a  blessing  upon  their  chil- 
dren ;  God  reserves  mercy  for  their  pos- 
terity. 

III.  The  third  reason  against  image-wor- 
ship, "  Of  them  that  hate  me."  This  is  a 
reason  against  image-worship,  'tis  hating 
God ;  the  papists,  who  worship  God  hy  an 
image,  hate  God.  Image-worship  U  a  pre- 
tended love  to  God,  but  God  interprets  it 
an  hating  of  him  ;  Quce  dillgit  alieiium  odil 
sponsum,—^  She  that  loves  another  man, 
hates  her  own  husband.'  An  image-lover 
is  a  God-hater.  Idolaters  are  said  to  go  a- 
whoring  from  God,  E«;ek.  xxxiv.  15.  How 
can  they  love  God?  I  shall  show  that  im- 
age-worshippers hate  God,  whatever  love 
they  pretend. 

1.  They  n^ho  go  contrary  to  God's  ex- 
press will,  hate  him.  God  saitli,  you  shall 
not  set  up  any  statue,  image,  nor  picture, 
to  represent  me ;  these  things  I  hate,  Deut. 
xsi-  22.,  "  Neither  shalt  thou  set  up  any 
image  which  the  Lord  thy  God  hatetli." 
Yet  the  idolater  will  set  up  images,  and 
worship  them.  This  God  looks  upon  as 
an  hating  of  him.  IIow  doth  that  child 
love  his  father,  who  doth  all  he  can  to  cross 
liim? 

2.  They  who  turned  Jephthah  out  of 
doors,  hated  him,  therefore  they  laboured  to 
shut  him  out  of  his  father's  house.  Judges 
xi.  7.  The  idolater  shuts  the  trutii  out  of 
doors, — he  blots  out  the  second  command- 
ment,— he  makes  a  shape  of  the  invisible 
God, — he  brings  a  lie  into  God's  wor- 
ship: which  is  a  clear  proof  he  hates  God. 


j  3.  Idolaters,  though  they  love  the  false 
j  image  of  God  in  a  picture,  yet  they  liate 
the  true  image  of  God  in  a  believer  :  tliey 
pretend  to  honour  Christ  in  a  crucifix,  yet 
persecute  Christ  in  his  members :  these 
hate  God. 

Use  \st.  This  may  confute  those  who 
plead  for  image-worshippers.  Tliey  arc 
very  devout  people, — they  adore  images, — 
they  set  up  the  crucifix,  kiss  it,  light  can- 
dles to  it:  they  love  God.  Nay,  but  who 
shall  be  judge  of  their  love?  God  saith, 
they  hate  him  ;  they  give  religious  adora- 
tion to  a  creature.  These  hate  God,  and 
God  hates  them,  and  they  shall  never  live 
with  God,  whom  God  hates ;  he  will  never 
lay  such  vipers  in  his  bosom  ;  heaven  is 
kept  as  paradise,  with  a  flaming  sword, 
that  they  shall  not  enter  in,  and  Deut.  vii. 
10.,  "  He  repayeth  them  that  hate  him,  to 
their  face."  God  will  shoot  all  his  destroy- 
ing pieces  among  idolatei's  ;  all  the  plagues 
and  curses  in  the  book  of  God  shall  befal 
the  idolater ;  the  Lord  repays  him  that 
hates  him,  to  his  face. 

Use  2d.  Let  it  exhort  us  all  to  flee  from 
Romish  idolatry  ;  let  us  not  be  among  God- 
haters,    1   John   v.   21.,    "  Little   children, 
keep  yourselves  from  idols."    As  you  would 
keep  your  bodies  from   adultery,   so   keep 
your   souls   from   idolatry.     Take   heed  of 
images,  tliey  are  images  of  jealousy  to  pro- 
voke God  to  anger;    they  are  damnable;, 
you  may  as  well  perish  by  false  devotiojis 
as  by  real  scandal ;  by  image-worship,  as 
drunkenness  and  whoredom.     A  man  may 
as  well  die  by  poison,  as  pistol ;  we  may  as 
well  go  to  hell  by  drinking  poison  in   the 
Romish  cup  of  fornication,  as  by  being  pis- 
toled with  gross  and  scandalous  sins.     To 
conclude,    "  God   is  a  jealous  God,"   who- 
will  admit  of  no  co-rival;   "he  will  visit 
the  iniquities  of  the  fathers  upon  their  chil-. 
dren  :"  he  will  entail  a  jdaguc  uiM)n  the  pos- 
terity of  idolaters.     He  interprets  idolaters 
to  be  such  as  hate  him;  he  that  is  an  im- 
age-lover is  a  God-hater.     Therefore  keep 
yourselves  pure  from  Romish  idolatry ;  if 
you  love  your  souls,  keep  yourselves  from^ 
idols. 

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ExoD.  XX.  6.  Shelving  mercy  unto  thousands,  Sfc. 


THIS  Is  another  argument  against  im- 
flge-worship,  because  such  as  do  not  pro- 
voke God  with  their  images,  he  is  merciful 
to  tliem,  and  will  entail  mercy  upon  their 
posterity;  "  shewing  mercy  unto  thou- 
sands." 

1.  Here  is  the  golden  sceptre  of  God's 
mercy  displayed. — 2.  The  persons  interested 
in  God's  mercy ;  such  as  love  him,  and 
keep  his  commandments. — 1.  The  golden 
sceptre  of  God's  mercy  displayed,  "  shew- 
ing mercy  to  thousands."  The  heathens 
thought  they  praised  Jupiter  enough,  when 
they  called  him  good  and  great :  both  these 
excellencies  meet  in  God,  majesty  and 
mercy.  Mercy  is  that  innate  propenseness 
in  God  to  do  good  to  distressed  sinners. 
God  shewing  mercy,  makes  his  Godhead 
ap})oar  full  of  glory.  When  Moses  said  to 
God,  "  I  beseech  thee  shew  me  thy  glory;" 
"I  will"— saith  God — "shew  mercy,"  Exod. 
xxxiii.  18.  His  mercy  is  liis  glory.  Mer- 
cy is  the  name  by  which  God  will  be  known, 
Exod.  xxxiv.  6.,  "  The  Lord  passed  by, 
and  prochiiuied, — '  The  Lord,  the  Lord 
God,  merciful  and  gracious  !"  '  Mercy  pro- 
coeds  primarily,  and  originally  from  God; 
he  is  called,  the  "  Father  of  mercies," 
2  Cor.  i.  3.,  because  he  begets  all  those 
mercies  and  bowels  which  are  in  the  crea- 
ture. Our  mercies  compared  with  God's 
are  scarce  so  much  as  a  drop  to  the  ocean. 

Quest.   J'Hiat  are  the  qxialifications  ? 

Ans.  \.  The  spring  of  mercy  which  God 
shev/s,  is  free  and  spontaneous.  To  set  up 
merit,  is  to  destroy  mercy  ;  nothing  can 
deserve  mercy  or  foi-ce  it ;  we  cannot  de- 
serA'e  mercy,  because  of  our  enmity,  nor 
force  it ;  we  may  force  God  to  punish  us, 
not  to  love  us.  Hos.  xiv-  4.,  "  I  will  love 
them  freely."  Every  link  in  the  golden 
chain  of  salvation  is  wrought  and  interwo- 
ven with  free  grace.  Election  is  free,  Eph. 
i.  5.,  "  He  hath  chosen  us  in  him  accord- 
ing to  the  good  pleasure  of  his  will."  Jus- 
tification is  free,  Rom.  iii.  2k,  "  Being 
justified  freely  by  his  grace. "  Say  not 
then,  I  am  unworthy ;  for  mercy  is  free. 
If  God  should  shew  mercy  only  to  such 


as  deserve  it,  he  must  shew  mercy  to  none 
at  all. 

A.  2.  The  mercy  God  shews  is  powerful. 
How  powerful  is  that  mercy  which  softens 
an  heart  of  stone  ?  Mercy  changed  Mary 
Magdalen's  heart,  out  of  whom  seven  devils 
were  cast :  she  who  was  an  inflexible  ada- 
mant, mercy  made  her  a  weeping  penitent! 
God's  mercy  works  sweetly,  yet  irresisti- 
bly ;  it  allures,  yet  conquers.  The  law 
may  terrify,  mercy  dotli  molify.  Of  what 
sovereign  power  and  efficacy  is  that  mercy 
which  subdues  the  pride  and  enmity  of  the 
heart,  and  beats  oft'  those  chains  of  sin  in 
which  the  soul  is  held  ! 

-^.  3.  The  mercy  which  God  shews  is 
superAbundant,  Exod.  xxxiv.  6,  7.,  "Abun- 
dant in  goodness,  keeping  mercy  for  thou- 
sands." Qod  visits  iniquity  only  "  to  the 
third  and  fourth  generation,"  Exod.  xx.  5., 
but  he  shews  laercy  to  a  thousand  genera- 
tions. The  Lord  hath  treasures  of  mercy 
lying  by,  therefore  he  is  said  to  be  "  plen- 
teous in  mercy,"  Ps.  Ixxxvi.  5.,  and  "  rich 
in  mercy,"  Eph.  ii.  4.  The  vial  of  God's 
wrath  doth  but  drop,  but  the  fountain  of 
his  mercy  runs.  The  sun  is  not  so  full  of 
light,  as  God  is  of  love. 

God  hath  mercy.  First,  Of  all  dimen- 
sions ;  he  hath  depth  of  mercy, — it  reach- 
eth  as  low  as  sinners  ;  and  height  of  mer- 
cy,— it  reacheth  above  the  clouds. 

Secondly,  God  hath  mercies  for  all  sea- 
sons :  mercies  for  the  night,  he  gives  sleep; 
nay,  sometimes  he  gives  a  song  in  the  night, 
Ps.  xlii.  8.  And  he  hath  mercies  for  the 
morning.  Lam.  iii.  23.,  "  His  compassions 
are  new  e^•ery  morning." 

Thirdly,  (Jod  hath  mercies  for  all  sorts. 
Mercies  for  the  poor,  1  Sam.  ii.  8.,  "  He 
raiseth  the  poor  out  of  the  dust ;"  mercies 
for  the  prisoner,  Ps.  Ixix.  33.,  "  He  de- 
spiseth  not  his  prisoner ;"  mercies  for  the 
dejected,  Isa.  liv.  8.,  "  In  a  little  wrath  1 
hid  my  face  from  thee,  but  with  everlasting 
kindness  will  I  have  mercy  on  thee."  God 
hath  old  mercies,  Ps.  xxv,  6.,  "  Thy  mer- 
cies have  been  ever  of  old  ;"  and  new  mer- 
cies, Ps.  xl.  3.,  "  He  hath  put  a  new  song  in 


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259 


mymoutli."  Every  time  wc  draw  our  breath, 
we  suck  in  mercy.  God  hath  mercies  un- 
der heaven,  and  tliose  we  taste  of;  and 
mercies  in  heaven,  and  tliose  we  liope  for. 
Tlius  God's   mercies  are  superabundant. 

A.  4.  The  mercy  God  shews  is  abiding, 
Ps.  ciii.  17.,  "  The  mercy  of  the  Lord  is 
from  cvcrhisting  to  everlasting."  God's 
anger  to  his  cliihh-en  lasts  but  a  while,  Ps. 
cii.  9.,  but  his  mercy  lasts  for  ever.  God's 
mercy  is  not  like  the  widow's  oil,  which 
ran  a  while,  and  then  ceased,  2  Kings 
iv.  6.  Over-flowing,  ever-flowing.  God's 
mercy,  as  it  is  without  bounds,  so  without 
bottom,  Ps.  cxxxvi.,  "  His  mercy  endureth 
for  ever."  God  never  cuts  off  the  entail 
of  mercy  from  the  elect. 

Quest.  2.  How  many  ways  is  God  said 
to  shew  mercy  ? 

Atis.  1.  We  are  all  living  monuments  of 
God's  mercy.  God  shews  mercy  to  us  in 
daily  supplying  us. —  1.  He  supplies  us  with 
health  :  health  is  the  sauce  which  makes 
our  life  relish  sweeter.  How  Avould  they 
prize  this  mercy,  who  are  chained  to  a  sick- 
bed ! — 2.  God  supplies  us  with  provisions, 
Gen.  xlviii.  15.,  "  The  God  which  fed  me 
all  my  days."  Mercy  spreads  our  tables, 
it  carves  us  every  bit  of  bread  we  eat ;  we 
never  cb-ink  but  in  the  golden  cup  of  mercy. 

A.  2.  God  shews  mercy  in  lengthening 
out  our  gospel-liberties,  1  Cor.  xvi.  9. 
"  There  are  many  adversaries ;"  many 
would  stop  the  Avaters  of  the  sanctuary 
that  they  should  not  run  ;  we  enjoy  the 
sweet  seasons  of  grace, — we  hear  joyful 
sounds, — we  see  the  goings  of  God  in  his 
sanctuajy, — we  enjoy  sabbath  after  sab- 
bath,— the  manna  of  the  word  yet  falls  a- 
bout  our  tents,  when  in  divers  parts  of  the 
land  they  have  no  manna.  Here  is  God's 
shewing  mercy  to  us,  be  spins  out  our  for- 
feited liberties. 

A.  3.  God  shews  mercy  to  us  in  prevent- 
ing many  evils  from  invading  us,  Ps.  iii.  3., 
"  Thou  O  Lord  art  a  shield  for  me."  God 
hath  restrained  the  wrath  of  men,  and  been 
a  screen  between  us  and  danger ;  when  the 
destroying  angel  hath  been  abroad,  and 
shot  his  deadly  arrow  of  pestilence,  God 
hath  kept  off  the  arrow  that  it  hath  not 
come  near  us. 

A.  4.  God  shews  mercy  in  delivering  us, 


2  Tim.  iv.  17.,  "  And  I  was  delivered  out 
of  the  mouth  of  the  lion,"  viz.  Nero.  God 
hath  restored  us  from  the  grave.  May  we 
not  write  the  writing  of  Hezekiah,  Isa. 
xxxviii.  9.,  "  When  he  had  been  sick,  and 
was  recovered  of  his  sickness?"  When 
we  thought  the  sun  of  our  life  had  been 
setting  (iod  hath  made  it  return  .to  its  for- 
mer brightness. 

A.  !).  (lod  shews  mercy  in  restraining 
us  from  sin;  lusts  within,  are  worse  than 
lions  without.  The  greatest  sign  of  God's 
anger  is  to  give  men  up  to  their  sins,  Ps. 
Ixxxi.  12.,  "  So  I  gave  them  up  to  their 
own  hearts'  lusts;"  let  them  sin  themselves 
to  hell,  \n\t  God  hath  laid  the  bridle  of  re- 
straining grace  upon  us.  As  God  said  to 
Abimelech,  Gen.  xx.  G.,  "  I  withheld  thee 
from  sinning  against  me ;"  so  God  with- 
held us  from  those  exorbitancies  which 
might  have  made  us  a  prey  to  Satan,  and 
a  terror  to  ourselves. 

A.  6.  God  shews  mercy  in  guiding  and 
directing  us.  Is  it  not  a  mercy  for  one 
that  is  out  of  the  way  to  have  a  guide  ? 
First,  There  is  a  providential  guiding :  God 
guides  our  affairs  for  us, — chalks  out  a 
way  he  would  have  us  to  walk  in, — he  re- 
solves our  doubts,  unties  our  knots,  ap- 
points the  bounds  of  our  habitation,  Acts 
xvii.  26.  Secondly,  A  spiritual  guiding, 
Ps.  Ixxiii.  24.,  "  Thou  shalt  guide  me  with 
thy  counsel."  As  Israel  had  a  pillar  of 
fire  to  go  before  them,  so  God  guides  us 
with  the  oracles  of  his  word,  and  the  con- 
duct of  his  Spirit.  He  guides  our  head, 
keeps  us  from  error ;  and  he  guides  our 
feet,  keeps  us  from  scandal.  O  what  mer- 
cy is  it  to  have  God  to  be  our  guide  and 
])ilot !  Ps.  xxxi.  3.,  "  For  thy  name's  sake 
lead  me  and  guide  me." 

A.  7.  (iod  shews  mercy  in  correcting  us. 
God  is  angry  in  love  ;  he  smites  that  he 
may  sa\e.  God's  rod  is  not  a  rod  of  iron 
to  break  us,  but  a  fatherly  rod  to  humble 
us,  Heb.  xii.  10.,  "  He,  for  our  profit,  that 
we  might  be  partakers  of  his  holiness." 
Either  Ciod  will  mortify  some  corru})tion, 
or  exercise  some  srace.  Is  there  not  nier- 
cy  in  this?  Every  cross,  to  a  child  of 
God  is  like  Paul's  cross  wind,  which  though 
it  broke  the  ship,  it  brought  Paul  to  shore 
upon  the  broken  pieces,  Acts  xxvii.  44. 


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OF  THE  SECOND  COMMANDMENT. 


A.  8.  God  shews  mercy  in  pardoning  us, 
Mic.  vii.  18.,  "  Who  is  a  God  like  thee, 
that  pardonest  iniquity?"  'Tis  mercy  to 
feed  us,  ricli  mercy  to  pardon  us ;  tliis  mer- 
cy is  spun  out  of  the  bowels  of  free  grace ; 
this  is  enough  to  make  a  sick  man  well : 
Isa.  xxxiii.  24.,  "  The  inhabitant  shall  not 
say,  I  am  sick ;  the  people  that  dwell  there- 
in shall  be  forgiven  their  iniquity."  Par- 
don of  sin  is  a  mercy  of  the  fii'st  magni- 
tude ;  God  seals  the  sinner's  pardon  with 
a  kiss.  This  made  David  put  on  his  best 
clothes,  and  anoint  himself;  his  child  new- 
ly dead,  and  God  had  told  him  the  sword 
should  not  depart  IVom  his  house,  yet  now 
he  falls  anointing  himself;  the  reason  was, 
God  had  sent  him  his  pardon  by  the  pro- 
phet Nathan,  2  Sam.  xii.  13.,  "  The  Lord 
hath  put  away  thy  sin."  Pardon  is  the 
only  fit  remedy  for  a  troubled  conscience. 
What  can  give  case  to  a  wounded  spirit 
but  j)ardoning  mercy  ?  Offer  him  the  ho- 
nours and  pleasures  of  the  world  ;  'tis  as  if 
you  bring  flowers  and  music  to  one  that  is 
condemned. 

Quest.  How  may  I  know  my  sins  are  par- 
doned ? 

Ans,  Wliere  God  removes  the  guilt,  he 
breaks  the  power  of  sin,  Mic.  vii.  19.,  "  He 
will  have  compassion  upon  us,  he  will  sub- 
due our  iniquities."  With  pardoning  love 
God  gives  subduing  grace. 

A.  9.  God  shews  his  mercy  in  sanctifying 
us,  Lev.  XX.  8.,  "  I  am  the  Lord  that  sancti- 
fy you."  This  is  the  partaking  of  the  divine 
nature,  2  Pet.  i.  4.  God's  Spirit  is  a  spirit 
of  consecration,  though  it  sanctify  us  but 
in  ])art,  yet  in  every  part,  1  Thess.  v.  23. 
This  is  such  a  mercy  that  God  cannot  give 
it  in  anger  ;  if  we  are  sanctified,  then  we  are 
elected,  2  Thess.  ii.  13,,  "God  hath  chosen 
you  to  salvation,  through  sanctification." 
This  doth  disponere  ad  catum  ;  it  prej)ares 
for  happiness,  as  the  seed  prepares  for  har- 
vest. When  the  virgins  had  been  anointed 
and  perfumed,  then  they  were  to  stand  be- 
fore the  king,  Esth,  ii.  12.,  so,  when  we 
liave  had  the  anointing  of  God,  then  we  shall 
stand  before  the  King  of  heaven. 

A.  10.  God  shews  mercy  in  hearing  our 
prayers,  Ps.  iv.  1.,  "  Have  mercy  upon  me, 
and  hear  my  prayer."  Is  it  not  a  favour, 
when  a  man  puts  up  a  petition  to  the  kinj;, 


and  liath  it  granted?  When  wc  pray  for 
pardon,  adoption,  the  sense  of  God's  love, 
to  have  God  give  a  gracious  answer, — what 
a  signal  mercy  is  this?  God  may  sometimes 
delay  an  answer,  when  he  will  not  deny. 
You  do  not  presently  throw  a  musician 
money,  because  you  love  to  hear  his  mu* 
sic  :  God  loves  the  music  of  prayer,  there- 
fore doth  not  presently  let  us  hear  from 
him,  but  in  due  season  he  will  give  an  an- 
swer of  peace,  Ps.  Ixvi.  20.,  "  Blessed  be 
God,  which  hath  not  turned  away  my  pray- 
er, nor  his  mercy  from  me."  If  God  doth 
not  turn  away  our  prayer,  then  he  d«)th  not 
turn  away  his  mercy. 

A.  11.  God  shews  mercy  in  saving  us, 
Titus  iii.  5.,  "  According  to  his  mercy  he 
saved  us."  This  is  the  top-stone  of  mercy, 
and  it  is  laid  in  heaven.  Now  mercy  dis- 
plays  itself  in  all  its  o)ient  colours;  now 
mercy  is  mercy  indeed,  when  God  shall 
perfectly  refine  us  from  all  the  lees  and 
dregs  of  corruption.  Our  bodies  shall  be 
made  like  Christ's  glorious  body,  and  our 
souls  like  the  angels.  Saving  mercy  is 
crowning  mercy  ;  it  is  not  only  to  be  freed 
from  hell,  but  enthroned  in  a  kingdom.  In 
this  life  we  do  rather  desire  God  than  enjoy 
him,  but  what  rich  mercy  will  it  be  to  be 
fully  possessed  of  God,  to  see  his  smiling 
face,  and  to  have  Cod  lay  us  in  his  bosom  ? 
This  will  fill  us  with  "  joy  unspeakable  and 
full  of  glory  ;"  Ps.  xvii.'  15.,  "  I  shall  be  sa- 
tisfied, when  I  awake,  with  thy  likeness." 

Use  \st.  As  an  argument  agninst  despair  : 
see  what  a  great  encouragement  here  is  to 
serve  God, — he  shews  mercy  to  thousands. 
Who  would  not  be  willing  to  serve  a  prince 
who  is  given  to  mercy  and  clemency  ?  («od 
is  represented  with  a  rainbow  round  about 
him.  Rev.  iv.  3.,  an  emblem  «)f  his  mercy. 
Acts  of  severity  arc  rather  forced  fiom  God  ; 
judgment  is  his  strange  work,  Isa.  xxviii. 
21.  Therefore  the  disciples,  who  are  not 
said  to  wonder  at  the  otliei  miiacles  ol 
Christ,  yet  did  wonder  when  the  fig-tiee 
was  cursed  and  withered,  because  it  was 
not  Christ's  manner  to  put  forth  acts  of  se- 
verity. God  is  said  to  delight  in  mercy, 
Mic.  vii.  18.  Justice  is  God's  left  hand, 
mercy  is  Ids  right  hand :  God  useth  hia 
right  hand  most ;  he  is  more  used  to  mercy 
than  to  justice, — tardior  est  Deus  ad  par- 


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261 


cendum  qitam  nrl  puuirridmn.  God  is  said  to 
l)c  '*  slow  to  aii<i;c'r,"  Ps.  ciii.  8.,  but  "  ready 
to  foririvc,"  Ps.  Ixxxvi.  5.  This  may  eii- 
cotiraijc  us  to  serve  Cod.  What  arfjuinent 
^\'ill  prevail,  if  incrcy  will  not?  Were  God 
all  justice,  it  luij^lit  ("right  us  from  him;  but 
bis  mercy  may  be  a  loadstone  to  draw  us  to 
him. 

Use  2d.  Branch  1.  Hope  in  God's  mer- 
cies, Ps.  cxlvii.  11  ,  "  The  Lord  takes  plea- 
sure in  them  that  fear  him,  and  hope  in  his 
mercy."  (lod  counts  it  his  glory  to  be 
scattering  ])ardons  amoi\g  men. 

Ohj.  But  I  have  Urn  a  r/rcaf  sinner,  and 
sure  there  is  no  viercy  for  me. 

Ans.  No,  not  if  thou  goest  on  in  sin,  and 
art  so  resolved  ;  but,  if  thou  wilt  break  off 
thy  sins,  the  golden  sceptre  of  mercy  shall 
be  held  forth  to  thee,  Isa.  Iv.  T.,  *'  Let  the 
wicked  forsake  his  way,  and  let  him  return 
unto  the  Lord,  arul  ho  will  have  mercy  upon 
him."  And  Christ's  bl<»od  is  "  a  fountain 
set  o])en  for  sin  and  undeanncss,"  Zech. 
xiii.  1.  Mercy  doth  more  overflow  in  God, 
than  sin  in  us;  God's  mercy  can  drown 
great  sins,  as  the  sea  covers  great  rocks. 
Some  of  those  Jews  who  had  their  hands 
imbrued  in  Christ's  blood,  were  saved  by 
that  blood  :  God  loves  to  magnify  his  good- 
ness, to  display  the  trophies  of  free  grace, 
and  to  set  up  his  mercy  above  you,  in  spite 
of  sin, — theref«»re  hope  in  God's  mercv. 

Branch  2.  If  God  shew  mercy  to  thou- 
sands, labour  to  know  that  his  mercy  is  for 
you,  Ps.  lix.  17.,  "  lie  is  the  God  of  my 
mercy."  A  man  that  was  ready  to  drown, 
saw  a  rainbow  :  saith  he,  '  What  am  I  the 
better,  though  God  will  not  drown  the 
world,  if  I  drown  ?'  so,  what  are  we  the 
better  God  is  merciful,  if  we  perish  ?  Let 
us  labour  to  know  God's  special  mercy  is 
for  us. 

Quest.  How  shall  we  know  it  belongs  to 
us? 

Ans.  1.  If  we  put  an  higli  value  and  csti- 
■nate  upon  God's  mercy.  God  will  not 
throw  away  his  mercy  on  them  that  slight 
it ;  we  prize  health,  but  we  prize  adopting 
mercy  above  it.  This  is  the  diamond  in  the 
ring,  it  outshines  all  other  comforts. 


A.  2.  If  we  arc  fearers  of  God,  we  have 
a  reverend  awe  upon  us  ;  we  tremble  at  sin, 
and  flee  from  it,  as  Moses  did  from  his  rod 
tinned  into  a  serpent,  Luke  i.  50.,  "  His 
mercy  is  on  them  that  fear  him." 

A.  3.  If  we  take  sanctuary  in  God's  mer- 
cy, we  trust  in  it,  Ps.  lii.  8.  As  a  man  is 
saved  by  catching  hold  of  a  cable  ;  God's 
mercy  is  a  great  cable  let  down  from  hea- 
ven to  us ;  now  taking  fast  hold  of  this  ca- 
ble by  faith,  we  are  saved,  Ps.  lii.  8.,  "  I 
trust  in  the  mercy  of  God  for  ever."  As  a 
man  trusteth  his  life  and  goods  in  a  garrison, 
so  we  trust  our  souls  in  God's  mercy. 

Quest.  JVhat  shall  we  do  to  get  a  share  in 
God's  special  mercy  ? 

Ans.  1.  If  we  would  have  mercy,  it  must 
l)e  through  Christ;  out  of  Christ  no  mercy 
is  to  be  had.  We  read  in  the  old  law.  First, 
None  might  come  into  the  holy  of  holies, 
where  the  mercy-seat  stood,  but  the  high- 
priest  ;  signifying,  we  have  nothing  to  do 
with  mercy,  but  through  Christ  our  high 
priest.  2dly,  The  high  priest  might  not 
come  near  the  mercy-seat  without  blood, 
Lev.  xvi.  11.,  to  shew  that  wc  have  no  right 
to  mercy,  but  through  the  expiatory  sacri- 
fice of  Christ's  blood.  3dly,  The  high  priest 
might  not  upon  pain  of  death  come  near  the 
incrcy-seat  without  incense.  Lev.  x\i.  13. 
No  mercy  from  God  without  the  incense  of 
Christ's  intercession  :  so  that  if  we  would 
have  mercy,  we  must  get  a  part  in  Christ. 
Mercy  swims  to  us  through  Christ's  blood. 

A.  2  If  we  would  have  mercy,  me  must 
pray  for  it,  Ps.  Ixxxv.  7.,  "  Shew  us  thy 
mercy,  O  Lord,  and  grant  us  thy  salvation." 
Ps.  :^xv.  IG.,  "  Turn  thee  unto  me,  and  have 
mercy  u\Hn\  me."  Lord  put  me  not  off  with 
common  n)ercy  ;  give  me  not  only  mercy  to 
feed  and  clothe  me,  but  mercy  to  paidon 
me;  not  only  sparing  mercy,  but  saving 
mercy.  Lord,  give  me  the  cream  of  thy  • 
mercies;  let  me  have  mercy  and  loving- 
kindness,  Ps.  ciii.  4.,  "  Whocrowneth  thee 
with  loving-kindness  and  tender  mercy." 

Be  earnest  suitors  for  mercy ;  let  vour 
wants  quicken  your  importunity ;  then  we 
pray  most  fervently,  when  we  pray  most 
feelingly. 


262 


OF  THE  SECOND  COMMANDMENT. 


ExoD.  XX.  6.  Of  them  that  love  me,  8fc. 


GOD'S  mercy  is  for  them  tliat  love  him. 
Love  is  a  gi*ace  tliat  shines  and  sparkles  in 
God's  eye,  as  the  precious  stone  did  upon 
Aaron's  hreast-plate.  Love  is  an  holy  ex- 
pansion or  enlargement  of  soul,  whereby  it 
is  carried  with  delight  after  God,  as  the 
chief  good  ;  so  Aquinas  defines  love,  C07n- 
placentia  anmniifi  in  amalo ;  love  is  a  com- 
placential  delighting  in  God,  as  in  our  trea- 
sure ;  love  is  the  soul  of  religion  ;  it  is  a 
grace  highly  momentous.  If  we  had  know- 
ledge as  the  angels,  or  faith  of  miracles,  yet 
without  love  it  would  profit  nothing,  1  Cor. 
xiii.  2.  "  This  is  the  first  and  great  com- 
mandment," Mat.  xxii.  38.  It  is  so,  because, 
if  this  be  wanting,  there  can  be  no  religion 
in  the  heart;  there  can  be  no  faith,  for  "faith 
worketh  by  love,"  Gal.  v.  6.  All  else  is 
but  pageantry,  or  a  devout  compliment. 

2.  Because  love  doth  meliorate  and  sweet- 
en all  the  duties  of  religion  ;  it  makes  them 
savoury  meat,  else  God  cares  not  to  taste 
of  them. 

3.  It  is  the  first  and  great  commandment, 
in  respect  of  the  excellency  of  this  grace. 
Love  is  the  queen  of  the  graces  ;  it  out- 
shines all  the  others,  as  the  sun  the  lesser 
planets.  In  some  respect  it  is  more  excel- 
lent than  faith ;  though  in  one  sense  faith 
be  more  excellent,  virtute  nnionis,  as  it  u- 
nites  us  to  Christ, — faith  puts  upon  us  the 
embroidered  robe  of  Christ's  righteousness, 
which  is  a  brighter  robe  than  any  of  the 
angels  wear, — yet  in  another  sense  love  is 
more  excellent,  respectu  durationis,  in  res- 
pect of  the  continuance  of  it ;  it  is  the  most 
durable  grace ;  faith  and  hope  will  shortly 
cease,  but  love  will  remain.  WJieu  nil  the 
other  graces,  like  Rachel,  shall  die  in  tra- 
vail, love  shall  revive.  The  other  graces 
are  in  the  nature  of  a  lease,  only  for  term 
of  life;  love  is  as  a  frecln)ld,  it  continues 
for  ever.  Thus  love  carries  away  the  gar- 
land from  all  the  other  graces, — it  is  the 
most  iong-lived  grace, — it  is  a  bud  of  eter- 
nity,— this  grace  alone  shall  accompany  us 
in  heaven. 

Quest.  1.  How  must  our  love  to  God  be 
qualijit  d  ? 


Ans.  1.  Love  to  God  must  be  pure  and 
genuine  ;  he  must  be  loved  chiefly  for  him 
self;  this  the  schoolmen  call  amor  amicitcB. 
We  must  love  God,  not  only  for  his  bene- 
fits, but  for  those  intrinsic  excellencies 
wherewith  he  is  crowned ;  we  must  love 
God  not  only  for  the  good  which  flows 
from  him,  but  the  good  which  is  in  him. 
True  love  is  not  mercenary  ;  a  soul  that  is 
deeply  in  love  with  God,  needs  not  to  be 
hired  with  rewards ;  he  cannot  but  love 
God  for  the  beauty  of  his  holiness  :  not  but 
that  it  is  hiAvful  to  look  at  God's  benefits, — 
Moses  had  an  eye  to  the  recompense  of  re- 
ward, Heb.  xi.  27.,  but  we  must  not  love 
God  only  for  his  benefits,  for  then  it  is  not 
love  of  God  but  self-love. 

A.  2.  Love  to  God  must  be  with  all  the 
heart,  Mark  xii.  30.,  "  Thou  alialt  loA^e  the 
Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart."  We 
must  not  love  God  a  little, — give  God  a 
drop  or  two  of  our  love, — but  the  main 
stream  of  our  love  must  run  after  him  ;  the 
mind  must  think  of  God,  the  will  choose 
him,  the  affections  pant  after  him  ;  the  true 
mother  would  not  have  the  child  divided, 
nor  God  will  not  have  the  heart  divided ; 
we  must  love  him  with  our  whole  heart. 
Though  we  may  love  the  creature,  yet  it 
must  be  a  subordinate  love  :  love  to  God 
must  be  highest,  as  the  oil  swims  above  the 
water. 

A.  3.  Love  to  God  must  be  flaming ;  to 
love  coldly  is  all  one  as  not  to  love.  The 
spouse  is  said  to  be  amore  percidsa^  "  sick 
of  love,"  Cant.  ii.  5.  The  scraphims  are  so 
called,  from  their  burning :  love  turns 
saints  into  seraphims,  it  makes  them  burn 
in  holy  love  to  God ;  and  "  many  waters 
cannot  quench  this  love." 

Quest.  2.  IIow  may  we  know  ivhethcr  ive 
love  God? 

Ans.  1.  He  that  loves  God,  desires  his 
sweet  presence;  lovers  cannot  be  long  as- 
under, they  have  their  fainting  fits,  they 
want  a  sight  of  the  object  of  their  love.  A 
soul  deeply  in  love  with  God,  desires  the 
enjoyment  of  him  in  his  ordinances,  in  word, 
prayer,    sacraments.     David  was  ready  to 


OF  THE  SECOND  COMMANDMENT. 


iR'^ 


faint  away  and  die  when  lie  had  not  a  sijrht 
of  God,  Ps.  Ixxxiv.  2.,  "  My  soul  fainteth 
for  God ;"  such  as  care  not  for  ordinances, 
but  say.  When  will  the  sabbath  be  over  ? 
plaiidy  discover  want  of  love  to  God. 

A.  2.  lie  who  loves  God,  doth  not  love 
sin,  Ps.  xcvii.  10.,  "  Ye  that  love  the  Lord, 
hate  evil."  The  love  of  God  and  the  love 
of  sin  can  no  more  mix  together  than  iron 
and  clay  ;  every  sin  loved,  strikes  at  the 
being  of  God,  but  he  who  loves  God,  hath 
an  antipathy  against  sin ;  he  who  would 
part  between  two  lovers,  is  an  hateful  per- 
son :  God,  and  the  believing  soul  are  two 
loviirs, — sin  comes  to  part  betw(!en  them, — 
therefor?  the  soul  is  implacably  set  against 
sin.  By  this  try  your  love  to  God.  How 
could  Delilah  say  she  loved  Samson,  when 
she  entertained  correspondence  with  the 
Philistines  who  were  his  mortal  enemies  ? 
How  can  he  say  he  loves  God,  who  loves 
sin  which  is  God's  enemy  ? 

A.  3.  He  who  loves  God  is  not  much  in 
love  with  any  thing  else  ;  his  love  is  very 
cool  to  worldly  things ;  his  love  to  God 
moves  as  the  sun  in  the  firmament,  swiftly  ; 
his  love  to  the  world  moves  as  the  sun  on 
the  dial,  very  slow.  The  love  of  the  world 
eats  out  the  heart  of  religion  ;  it  chokes 
good  affections,  as  the  earth  puts  out  the 
fire.  The  world  was  a  dead  thing  to  Paul, 
Gal.  vi.  14.,  "  I  am  crucified  to  the  world, 
and  the  world  is  crucified  to  me."  In 
Paul  we  might  see  both  the  picture  and 
pattern  of  a  mortified  man  ;  he  that  loves 
God,  useth  the  world,  but  chooseth  God  ; 
the  world  is  his  pension,  but  God  is  his 
portion,  Ps.  cxix.  57.  Tlie  world  doth 
busy  him,  but  God  doth  delight  and  satisfy 
him.  He  saith  as  David,  Ps.  xliii.  4., 
"  God  my  exceeding  joy," — the  gladness  or 
cream  of  my  joy. 

A.  4.  He  who  loves  God  cannot  live 
without  him.  Things  we  love  we  know 
not  how  to  be  without ;  a  man  can  want 
music  or  flowers,  but  not  food  ;  a  soul  deep- 
ly in  love  with  God  looks  upon  himself  as 
undone  without  him,  Ps.  cxliii.  7.,  "  Hide 
not  thy  face  from  me,  lest  I  be  like  them 
that  go  down  iuto  the  pit."  He  saith,  as 
Job,  chap.  XXX.  28.,  "  I  went  mourning 
withi)Ut  the  sun."  I  have  star-light, — I 
want  the  Sun  of  Righteousness, — I  enjoy 


not  the  sweet  presence  of  my  God.  Is  God 
our  chief  good  that  we  cannot  live  without  ? 
AIjus,  how  do  they  demonstrate  they  have 
no  love  to  God,  who  can  make  a  shift  well 
enough  to  be  without  him  !  Let  them  have 
but  corn  and  oil,  and  you  shall  never  hear 
them  comj)lain  of  the  want  of  God  ! 

A.  5.  He  who  loves  God  will  be  at  any 
])ains  to  get  him.  What  pains  doth  the 
merchant  take,  what  hazards  doth  he  run, 
to  have  a  rich  return  from,  the  Indies  !  Ex- 
(rcnios  cnrrit  mcrcator  ad  Indos.  Jacob  lov- 
ed Rachel,  and  he  could  endure  the  heat  by- 
day,  and  the  frost  by  night,  that  he  might 
enjoy  her.  A  soul  that  loves  God,  will 
take  any  pains  for  the  fruition  of  him,  Ps. 
Ixiii.  8.,  "  My  soul  follows  hard  after  God." 
Love  is  pondus  animtB,  Aug.  It  is  as  the 
weight  which  sets  the  clock  a-going.  The 
soul  is  much  in  prayer,  weeping,  fasting 
he  strives  as  in  agony  that  he  may  obtain 
him  whom  his  soul  loves,  Plutarch  reports 
of  the  Gauls,  an  ancient  people  of  France, 
after  they  had  tasted  the  sweet  wine  of  It- 
aly, they  never  rested  till  they  had  arrived 
at  that  country  :  he  who  is  in  love  with 
God  never  rests  till  he  hath  gotten  a  part 
in  him,  Cant.  iii.  2.,  "  I  sought  him  whom 
my  soul  loveth."  How  can  they  say  they 
love  (jod,  who  are  not  industrious  in  the 
use  of  means  to  obtain  him  ?  Prov.  xix.  24., 
"  A  slothful  man  hides  his  hand  in  his  bo- 
som." He  is  not  in  agony,  but  lethargy ; 
if  Christ  and  salvation  would  drop  as  a  ripe 
fig  into  his  mouth,  he  could  be  content  to 
have  them,  but  he  is  loath  to  put  himself 
to  too  much  trouble.  Doth  he  love  his 
friend  that  will  not  make  a  journey  to  see 
him  ? 

A.  6.  He  that  loves  God,  prefers  him 
before  estate  and  life. — 1.  Before  estate, 
Phil.  iii.  8.,  "  For  whom  I  have  suffered 
the  loss  of  all  things."  AVho  that  loves  a 
rich  jewel,  would  not  part  with  a  flower  for 
it  ?  Galcacius,  marquis  of  Vico,  parted  with 
a  fair  estate  to  enjoy  God  in  his  pure  ordi- 
nances. When  a  Jesuit  persuaded  hiui  to 
return  to  his  popish  religion  in  Italy,  pro- 
raiiring  him  a  huge  sum  of  money,  saith  he, 
"  Let  their  money  ])erish  witli  them,  who 
esteem  all  the  gold  in  the  world  worth  one 
day's  communion  with  Jesus  Christ  and  hia 
Holy  Spirit." — 2.  Before  life,  Rev.  xn.  1 1 ., 


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u 


They  loved  not  their  lives  to  the  death." 
Love  to  God  carries  the  soul  above  the  love 
of  life  and  the  fear  of  death. 

A.  7.  He  who  loves  God,  loves  his  fav- 
ourites, viz.  the  saints,  1  John  v.  1.  Idom 
est  motus  animi  in  imaginem  et  rem.  To  love 
a  man  for  his  grace,  and  the  more  we  see 
of  God  in  him  the  more  we  love  him,  is  the 
infallible  siffn  of  love  to  God.  The  wicked 
pretend  to  love  God,  but  hate  and  persecute 
his  image.  Doth  he  love  his  prince,  who 
abuseth  his  statue,  or  tears  his  picture  ?  In- 
deed they  seem  to  show  great  reverence  to 
the  saints  departed  ;  they  have  a  great  rev- 
erence for  St.  Paul,  and  St.  Stephen,  and 
St.  Ijuke ;  they  canonize  dead  saints,  but 
persecute  living  saints;  and  do  these  love 
God  ?  Can  it  be  imagined  he  should  love 
God,  who  hates  his  children  because  they 
are  like  him  ?  If  Christ  were  alive  again, 
he  would  not  escape  a  second  persecution. 

A.  8.  If  we  love  God,  as  we  cannot  but 
be  fearful  of  dishonouring  him  (the  more  a 
child  loves  his  father,  the  more  he  is  afraid 
to  displease  him)  so  we  weep  and  mourn 
when  we  have  offended  him.  Peter  "  went 
out  and  wept  bitterly,"  Matth.  xxvi  75. 
When  Peter  thought  how  dearly  Christ  lov- 
ed him — he  took  him  up  to  the  mount  where 
he  was  transfigured, — Christ  showed  him 
the  glory  of  heaven  in  a  vision — now,  that 
he  should  deny  Christ,  after  he  had  receiv- 
ed such  signal  tokens  of  Christ's  love,  this 
broke  his  heart  with  grief,  "  he  wept  bit- 
terly." Are  our  eyes  limbecks  dropping 
tears  of  grief  for  sin  against  God  ?  A  bles- 
sed evidence  of  our  love  to  God  ;  and  such 
shall  find  mercy  !  '•  He  shews  mercy  to 
thoi;.sands  of  them  that  love  him." 

Use.  Let  us  be  lovers  of  God.  We  love 
our  food,  and  shall  we  not  love  him  that 
gives  it  .'*  All  the  joy  we  hope  for  in  hea- 
ven, is  in  God ;  and  shall  not  he  who  shall 
be  our  joy,  be  our  love?  It  is  a  saying  of 
St.  Austin,  Annon  pcune  satis  magna  est  non 
amare  te  ?  '  Is  it  not  punishment  enough. 
Lord,  not  to  love  thee?'  And  again,  Ani- 
wan  meam  in  odia  habcrem  :  I  would  hate 
my  own  soul,  if  I  did  not  find  it  loving  of 
God. 

Quest.  Jl7iat  are  the  incentives  to  pro- 
voke and  injlame  our  love  to  God  ? 

Ans.  1.  God's  benefits  bestowed  on  us. 


A  prince  who  bestows  continual  favours 
on  a  subject,  if  that  subject  hath  any  in- 
'  genuity,    he   cannot  but    love    his    prince. 
I  God  is  constantly  heaping  benefits  upon  us, 
1  "  Filling  our   hearts  with  food  and  glad- 
ness," Acts  xiv.  17.     As  the  lock  followed 
Israel,  whithersoever  they  went  streams  of 
water    out  of  the  rock  followed  them,  so 
God's  blessings  follow  ns  every  day ;  we 
j  swim  in  a  sea  of  mercy.     That  heart  is 
hard,  that  is  not  prevailed  with  by  all  God's 
blessings,    to    love    him.      Magnus   amoris 
amor.     Kindness  works  on  a  brute ;  the  ox 
knows  his  owner. 

A.  2.  Love  to  God  would  make  duties 
of  religion  facile  and  pleasant.  I  confess 
to  him  that  hath  no  love  to  God  religion 
must  needs  be  a  burden  ;  and  I  wonder  not 
to  hear  him  say,  "  What  a  weariness  is  it 
to  serve  the  Lord  ?"  It  is  like  rowing  a- 
gainst  the  tide.  But  love  oils  the  wheels, 
it  makes  duty  a  pleasure.  Why  are  the 
angels  so  swift  and  winged  in  God's  ser- 
vice, but  because  they  love  him?  Jacob 
thought  seven  years  but  little  for  the  love 
he  did  bear  to  Rachel.  Love  is  never  wea- 
ry ;  he  who  loves  money  is  not  weary  of 
telling  it,  and  he  who  loves  God  is  not 
weary  of  serving  him. 

A.  3.  It  is  advantageous.  There  is  no- 
thing lost  by  our  love  to  God,  1  Cor.  ii.  9., 
"  Eye  hath  not  seen,  &c.  the  things  which 
God  hath  prepared  for  them  that  love  Jiim." 
Such  glorious  rewai'ds  are  laid  up  for  them 
that  love  God,  "  that  (as  St.  Austin  saith) 
they  do  not  only  transcend  our  reason, 
but  faith  itself  is  not  able  to  comprehend 
them."  A  crown  is  the  highest  ensign  of 
worldly  glory,  and  God  hath  promised  a 
"  crown  of  life  to  them  that  love  him," 
James  i.  12.  And  it  is  a  never-fading  crown, 
1  Pet.  V.  4. 

A.  4.  By  our  loving  God,  we  may  know 
that  he  loves  us,  1  Joiin  iv.  19.,  "  We  love 
him,  because  he  first  loved  us."  If  the  ice 
melts,  it  is  because  the  sun  hath  shined 
upon  it;  if  the  frozen  heart  melts  in  love, 
it  is  because  the  Sun  of  Righteousness  hath 
shined  upon  -it. 

Quest.  Jlhat  means  may  be  used  to  excite 
our  love  to  God  ? 

Ans.  1.  Labour  to  know  God  aright. 
The  schoolmen  say  true,  Bonum  nan  amatiur 


OF  THE  SECOND  COMMANDMENT. 


265 


q^iod  non  cngnoscitur^ — we  cannot  love  that 
whicli  we  do  not  know.  God  is  the  most 
eligible  good ;  all  the  excellencies  which 
lie  scattered  in  the  creature  are  united  in 
God ;  he  is  Optimns  maxirmis.  Wisdom, 
beauty,  riches,  love,  do  all  concentre  in 
God.  How  fair  was  that  tulip  which  had 
the  colours  of  all  tulips  in  it  ?  all  perfec- 
tions and  sweetnesses  are  eminently  in 
God.  Did  we  know  God  more,  and  by  the 
eye  of  faith  see  his  orient  beauty,  our  hearts 
would  be  fired  with  love  to  him. 

A.  2.  Make  the  scriptures  familiar  to 
you.  St.  Austin  saith,  before  bis  conver- 
sion he  took  no  pleasure  in  scripture,  but 
after  conversion  it  was  his  chief  delight. 
Tiie  book  of  God  discovers  God  to  us,  in 
his  holiness,  wisdom,  veracity  and  truth  ; 
it  represents  God  rich  in  mercy,  encircled 
with  promises.  St.  Austin  calls  the  scrip- 
ture a  golden  epistle,  or  love-letter  sent 
from  God  to  us  :  by  reading  this  love-let- 
ter, we  shall  be  the  more  enamoured  with 
love  to  God,  as  by  reading  lascivious  books, 
comedies,  romances,  &c.  lust  is  provoked. 


A.  3.  Meditate  much  of  God,  and  this 
will  be  a  means  to  love  him,  Ps.  xxxix.  3., 
"  Wliile  I  was  musing,  the  fire  burned." 
Meditation  is  the  bellows  of  t'lc  affections. 
Meditate  on  God's  love  in  giving  us  Christ, 
John  iii.  16.,  "  God  so  loved  the  world, 
that  he  gave  his  only  begotten  Son,"  &c. 
That  God  should  give  Christ  to  us,  and  not 
to  the  angels  that  fell, — that  the  Sun  of 
righteousness  should  shine  in  our  horizon, 
— that  he  is  revealed  to  us  and  not  to  o- 
thers, — what  wonderful  love  is  this  !  Prov. 
vi.  28.,  "  Can  one  go  upon  hot  coals,  and 
his  feet  not  be  burned  ?"  Who  can  medi- 
tate on  God's  love  ?  who  can  tread  on 
these  hot  coals,  and  his  heart  not  burn  in 
love  to  God  ?  Bee:  an  heart  to  love  CJod  : 
the  affection  of  love  is  natural,  but  not  tlie 
grace  of  love.  Gal.  v.  22.  This  fire  of  love 
is  kindled  from  heaven  ;  beg  that  it  may 
burn  upon  tlie  altar  of  your  heart.  Sure 
this  request  is  pleasing  to  God,  and  he  will 
not  deny  such  a  prayer:  "  Lord,  give  me 
an  heart  to  love  thee  !" 


ExoD.  XX.  6.  And  keep  my  commandments,  §-c. 


LOVE  and  obedience,  like  two  sisters, 
must  go  hand  and  hand  ;  indeed  this  is  a 
good  evidence  of  our  loving  God,  John  xiv. 
15.,  "  If  ye  love  me,  keep  my  command- 
ments." Prohatio  delectiunis  est  exhibitio 
operis.  Tiie  son  that  loves  his  father  will 
obey  him.  Obedience  pleaseth  God,  1  Sam. 
XV.  22.,  "  To  obey  is  better  than  sacrifice." 
In  sacrifice,  only  a  dead  beast  is  offered, — 
in  obedience,  a  living  soul ;  in  sacrifice,  on- 
ly a  part  of  the  fruit  is  offered, — in  obedi- 
ence, fruit  and  tree  and  all ;  a  nr.an  offers 
himself  up  to  God.  "  Keep  my  command- 
ments." It  is  not  said,  God  shews  mercy 
to  thousands  that  knoiv  his  commandments, 
but  that  keep  them.  The  knowing  God's 
commandments,  without  keeping  them,  doth 
not  entitle  any  to  mercy.  The  command- 
ment is  not  only  a  rule  of  knowledge,  but 
duty.  God  gives  us  his  commandments, 
not  only  as  a  landscape  to  look  upon,  but 
as  his  will  and  testament  which  we  are  to 
perform.     A  good  Christian  is  like  the  sun, 


which  doth  not  only  send  forth  light,  but 
goes  its  circuit  round  the  world  :  so  he  hath 
not  only  the  light  of  knowledge,  but  goes 
his  circuit  too,  and  moves  in  the  sphere  of 
obedience. 

Quest.  In  what  manner  must  ue  keep 
God's  commandments  ? 

Alts.  1.  Our  keeping  the  commandments 
must  be  fiducial.  Our  obedience  to  God's 
commandments,  must  projluere  a  fide, — 
spring  from  faith;  therefore  it  is  called 
"  the  obedience  of  faith,"  Rom.  xvi.  26. 
"  Abel  by  faith  offered  up  a  better  sacri- 
fice than  Cain,"  Heb.  xi.  4.  Faith  is  a  vi- 
tal principle;  without  it  all  our  services 
are  opera  mortua, — dead  works,  Heb.  vi.  1, 
Faith  doth  meliorate  and  swe«ten  our  obe- 
dience, and  make  it  come  off  with  a  heller 
relish. 

Quest.  But  uhy  must  faith  he  mijtj 
with  obedience  to  the  commniuhiienl  'f 

Ans.  Because  faith  eyes  Christ  in  cvi  y 
dutv,  and  so  both   tiie  ])erson   and  otii:ii».g 

2  L 


266 


OF  THE  SECOND  COMMANDMENT. 


are  accepted.  The  high-priest  under  the 
law  laid  his  hand  upon  the  head  of  the 
beast  slain,  which  did  point  to  the  Messiah, 
Exod.  xxix.  10.:  so  faith  in  every  duty  lays 
its  hand  upon  the  head  of  Christ.  His 
blood  doth  expiate  the  guilt,  and  the  sweet 
odour  of  his  intercession  perfume  our  works 
of  obedience,  Eph.  i.  6.,  "  He  hath  made 
us  accepted  in  the  beloved." 

A.  2.  Our  keeping  the  commandments 
must  be  uniform.  We  must  make  con- 
science of  one  commandment  as  well  as  an- 
other, Ps.  cxix.  6.,  "  Then  shall  I  not  be 
ashamed,  when  I  have  respect  to  all  thy 
commandments."  Every  commandment 
hath  a  Jus  divinum, — the  same  stamp  of  di- 
vine authority  upon  it ;  and  if  I  obey  one 
precept  because  God  commands,  by  the 
same  reason  I  must  obey  all.  Some  obey 
the  commands  of  the  first  table  but  are 
careless  in  the  duties  of  the  second ;  and 
so,  e  contra.  Physicians  have  a  rule,  when 
the  body  sweats  in  one  part,  but  is  cold 
in  another,  it  is  a  sign  of  a  distemper :  so 
when  men  seem  zealous  in  some  duties  of 
religion,  but  are  cold  and  frozen  in  others, 
it  is  a  sign  of  hypocrisy.  We  must  have 
respect  to  all  God's  commandments. 

Quest.  Bttt  who  can  keep  all  his  com- 
mandments ? 

Ans.  There  is  a  fulfilling  of  God's  com- 
mands, and  a  keeping  of  them  ;  though  we 
cannot  fulfil   all,   yet  we   may  be   said  to 
keep  them  in  an   evangelical   sense.     We 
may   facere,    though    not    perficere.      We 
keep  the  commandments  evangelically,   \st. 
Wliere  we  make  conscience  of  every  com- 
mand; though  we  come  short  in  every  du- 
ty, yet  we  dare  not  neglect  any  duty.     2d. 
Our  desire  is  to  keep  every  commandment, 
Ps.  cxix.  5.,  "  O  that  my  ways  were  di- 
rected  to  keep  thy  statutes  !"     What  we 
want  in  strength  we  make  up  in  will.     3</. 
We  grieve  that  we  can  do  no  better ;  when 
we  fail,  we  weep ;  we  piefer  bills  of  com- 
plaint against  ourselves,    and  judge   our- 
selves for  our  failings,  Rom.  vii.  24.     Ath. 
We  do  elicere  conatum, — we  endeavour  to 
obey  every   commandment,   Phil.   iii.   14., 
"  I  press  toward  the  mark."     We  strive  as 
in  agony ;  and,  if  it  lay  in  our  power,  we 
would  fully  comport  with  every  command- 
ment.    5lh.  When  we  fall  short,  and  are 


unable  to  come  up  to  the  full  latitude  of 
the  law,  we  look  to  Christ's  blood  to  sprin- 
kle our  imperfect  obedience,  and,  with  the 
grains  of  his  merits  cast  into  the  scales,  to 
make  it  pass  current;  this  is  in  an  evangeli- 
cal sense  to  keep  all  the  commandments,  and 
though  it  be  not  to  satisfaction,  yet  it  is  to 
acceptation. 

A.  3.  Our  keeping  God's  commandments 
must  be  willing,  Isa.  i.  19.,  "  If  ye  be  wil- 


for 


(( 


free- 


ling  and  obedient."     God  was 
will  offering,"  Deut.  xvi.  10.     David  will 
run  the  way  of  God's  commandments,  Ps 
xix.  32.,  that  is,  freely  and  cheerfully.  The 
lawyers  have  a  canon,  adverbs  are  better 
than  adjectiA'es  :  it  is  not  the  bonum.  but  the 
bene, — not  the  doing  much,  but  the  doing 
well.     A  musician  is  not  commended  for 
playing  long,   but  for  playing  well ;  it  is 
obeying  God  willingly  is  accepted ;  virtus 
nolentium  nulla   est, — the  Lord  hates  that 
which  is  forced,  it  is  rather  paying  a  tax 
than  an  offering.     Cain  served  God  grudg- 
ingly ;  he  brought  his  sacrifice  not  his  heart. 
To  obey  God's  commandments  unwillingly 
is  like  the  devils  who  came  out  of  the  men 
possessed,   at  Christ's  command,  but  with 
reluctancy,  and  against  their  will,  Mat.  viii. 
29.     Obedientia  prcest  and  non  est  a  timore 
poena  sed  amore  Dei ;  good  duties  must  not 
be  pressed  nor  beaten  out  of  us  as  the  wa- 
ters came  out  of  the  rock,  when  Moses  smote 
it  with  his  rod,  but  must  freely  drop  from 
us,  as  myrrh  fi'om  the  tree,  or  honey  from 
the  comb.     If  a  willing  mind  be  wanting, 
there  wants  that  flower  which  should  per 
fume  our  obedience,   and  make  it  a  sweet 
smelling  savour  to  God.    That  we  may  keep 
God's  commandments  willingly,   let  these 
things  be  well-weighed : 

I.  Our  willingness  is  more  esteemed  than 
our  service  ;  therefore  David  counsels  Solo- 
mon not  only  to  serve  God,  but  with  a  wil- 
ling mind,  1  Chron.  xxviii.  9.  The  will 
makes  sin  to  be  worse,  and  makes  duty  to 
be  better.  To  obey  willingly  shows  we  do 
it  with  love;  and  this  crowns  all  our  services. 

II.  There  is  that  in  the  law -giver,  which 
may  make  us  A\'iliing  to  obey  the  command- 
ments, viz.  God's  indulgence  to  us. 

(1.)   God  doth  not  r('(|uire  the  simimum 

jus,  as  absolutely  necessary  to  salvation  and 

expects  not  perfect  obedience,  only  recjuires 


OF  THE  SECOND  COMMANDMENT. 


267 


Mucerity.  Do  but  act  from  a  principle  of 
love,  and  aim  at  honouring  God  in  your 
obedience,  and  it  is  accepted. 

(2.)  In  the  times  of  the  gospel  a  surety 
is  admitted.  The  law  would  not  favour  us 
so  far ;  but  now  God  doth  so  indulge  us,  that 
what  we  cannot  do  of  ourselves,  we  may  do 
by  proxy.  "  Jesus  Christ  is  a  surety  of  a 
better  testament,"  Heb.  vii.  22.  We  fall 
short  in  every  thing,  but  God  looks  upon 
us  in  our  surety  ;  and  Christ  having  fulfilled 
all  righteousness,  it  is  as  if  we  had  fulfilled 
the  law  in  our  own  persons. 

(3.)  God  gives  strength  to  do  what  he 
requires.  The  law  called  for  obedience ; 
but  though  it  required  brick,  it  gave  no 
straw;  but  in  tl*e  gospel,  God,  with  his 
commands,  gives  power,  Ezek.  xviii.  31., 
"  Make  you  a  new  heart."  Alas!  it  is  a- 
bove  our  strength ;  we  may  as  well  make  a 
new  world,  Ezek.  xxxvi.  26.,  "  I  will  give 
you  a  new  heart."  God  commands  us  to 
cleanse  oui'selves,  Isa.  i.  16.,  "  Wash  you, 
make  you  clean."  "  But  who  can  bring  a 
clean  thing  out  of  an  unclean  ?"  Job  xiv.  4. 
Therefore  the  precept  is  turned  into  a  pro- 
mise, Ezek.  xxxvi.  25.,  "  From  all  your  fil- 
thiness  Avill  I  cleanse  you."  When  the 
child  cannot  go,  the  nurse  takes  it  by  the 
hand,  IIos.  xi.  3.,  "  I  taught  Ephraim  also 
to  go,  taking  them  by  their  arms." 

III.  There  is  that  in  God's  command- 
ments, which  may  make  us  willing ;  they 
are  not  burdensome. 

1st.  For  a  Christian  (so  for  as  he  is  re- 
generate) consents  to  God's  commands, 
Rom.  vii.  16.,  "  I  consent  to  the  law  that 
it  is  good."  What  is  done  with  consent,  is 
no  burden  ;  if  a  virgin  gives  her  consent 
the  match  goes  on  cheerfully  ;  if  a  subject 
consent  to  his  prince's  laws  (as  seeing  the 
equity  and  rationality  of  them)  then  they 
are  not  irksome.  A  regenerate  person  in 
his  judgment  approves,  and  in  his  will  con- 
sents to  God's  commandments,  therefore 
they  are  not  burdensome. 

2d/i/.  God's  commandments  are  sweeten- 
ed with  joy  and  peace.  Cicero  questions 
whether  that  can  ])r()perly  be  called  a  bur- 
den which  one  carries  with  delight  and 
pleasure :  Ulrum  onus  uppellatur  <]iu)d  icelitid 
fertur.  If  a  man  carries  a  bag  of  money 
given  him,  it  is  heavy,  but  the  delight  takes 


off  the  burden:  when  God  gives  inward  joy, 
that  makes  the  commandments  delighttul, 
Isa.  Ivi.  7.,  "  I  will  make  them  joyful  in  my 
house  of  prayer."  Joy  is  like  oil  to  the 
wheels,  which  makes  a  Christian  run  in  the 
way  of  God's  commandments,  so  that  it  is 
not  burdensome. 

Mhj.  God's  commandments  are  advanta- 
geous. 1.  The  commandments  are  preven- 
tative of  evil ;  a  curb-bit  to  check  us  from 
sin.  What  mischiefs  would  we  not  run  into, 
if  we  had  not  afflicticms  to  humble  us,  and 
the  commandments  to  restrain  us?  God's 
commandments  are  to  keep  us  within 
bounds;  the  yoke  keeps  the  beast  from 
straggling;  we  are  to  be  thankful  to  God 
for  precepts  :  had  not  he  set  his  command- 
ments as  an  hedge  or  bar  in  our  way,  we 
might  have  run  to  hell,  and  never  stopt. 

2.  There  is  nothing  in  the  commandments 
but  what  is  for  our  good  :  Deut.  x.  13., 
"  To  keep  the  commandments  of  the  Lord, 
and  his  statutes,  which  I  command  thee  for 
thy  good."  (1.)  God  commands  us  to  read 
his  word;  and  what  hurt  is  in  this?  God 
bespangles  the  word  with  promises  :  as  if  a 
father  should  bid  his  son  read  his  last  will 
and  testament,  wherein  he  makes  over  a 
fair  estate  to  him.  (2.)  God  bids  us  pray : 
and  he  tells  us,  if  we  "  ask,  it  shall  be 
given,"  Mat.  vii.  7.  Ask  power  against 
sin,  —  ask  salvation,  —  and  it  shaL  be 
given.  If  you  had  a  friend  should  say, 
"  Come  when  you  will  to  me,  I  will  supply 
you  with  money,"  would  you  think  it  a 
trouble  to  visit  that  friend  often  ?  (3.)  God 
commands  us  to  fear  him.  Lev.  xxv.  43., 
•'  But  fear  thy  God."  And  there  is  honey 
in  the  mouth  of  this  command,  Luke  i.  50., 
"  His  mercy  is  upon  them  that  fear  him." 
(4.)  God  commands  us  to  believe,  and  why 
so?  "  Believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  and 
yo  shall  be  saved,"  Acts  xvi.  31.  Salvation 
is  the  crown  set  upon  the  head  of  faith  : 
good  reason  then  we  obey  God's  commands 
willingly, — they  are  for  our  good,  they  are 
not  so  much  our  duty  as  our  privilege. 

3.  God's  commandments  are  ornamental : 
Omnia  qiicB  prcsiilari  jubet  Veus,  non  vmraiU 
nos  sed  ornant :  Salvi an.  God's  command- 
ments do  not  burden  us,  but  adorn  us.  It 
is  an  honour  to  be  employed  in  a  king's  ser- 
vice :  and  so  to  be  employed  in  God's,  "  by 


268 


OF  THE  SECOND  COMMANDMENT. 


whom  kings  reign."  To  walk  in  God's 
commandments,  proclaims  us  to  be  wise, 
Deut.  iv.  5,  6.,  "  Behold  I  have  taught  you 
statutes,  keep,  therefore,  and  do  them,  for 
this  is  your  wisdom."  And  to  be  wise  is 
an  honour :  I  may  say  of  every  command- 
ment of  God,  as  Prov.  iv.  9.,  It  '•  shall  give 
to  thy  head  an  ornament  of  grace." 

4.  The  commands  of  God  are  infinitely 
etter  than  the  commands  of  sin,  these  are 

intolerable.  Let  a  man  be  under  the  com- 
mand of  any  lust,  how  doth  he  tire  himself? 
What  hazards  doth  he  run  to  the  endanger- 
ing his  health  and  soul,  tliat  he  may  satisfy 
his  lust?  Jer.  ix.  5.,  "  Tliey  weary  them- 
selves to  commit  iniquity."  And  are  not 
God's  commandments  more  equal,  facile, 
pleasant,  than  the  commands  of  sin  ?  Cliry- 
Bostom  saith  true,  "  To  act  virtue  is  easier 
than  to  act  vice."  Tem])erance  is  less  trou- 
blesome than  drunkenness  ;  meekness  is  less 
troublesome  than  passion  and  cnA'y.  Tliere 
is  more  difficulty  in  the  contrivement  and 
pursuit  of  a  wicked  design,  than  In  obeying 
the  commandments  of  God.  Hence  a  sin- 
ner is  said  to  travail  with  iniquity,  Ps.  vii. 
14.  A  woman  while  she  is  in  travail,  is  in 
pain ;  to  shew  what  pain  and  trouble  a 
wicked  man  hath  in  bringing  forth  sin. 
Many  have  gone  with  more  pains  to  hell, 
than  others  have  to  heaven.  This  may 
make  us  obey  the  commandments  willingly. 

5.  Willingness  in  obedience  makes  us 
resemble  the  angels.  The  cherubims — types 
representing  the  angels — are  described  with 
wings  displayed,  to  shew  how  ready  the  an- 
gels are  to  serve  God.  God  no  sooner 
sjyeaks  the  word,  but  they  are  ambitious  to 
obey.  How  are  they  ravished  with  joy, 
while  they  are  praising  God  !  In  heaven  we 
shall  be  as  the  angels;  by  our  willingness 
to  obey  God's  commandments,  we  shall  be 
like  them  here.  This  is  what  we  pray  for, 
that  God's  will  may  be  done  by  us  on  earth, 
as  it  is  in  heaven :  is  it  not  done  willingly 
there  ?  We  must  keep  God's  commandments 
constantly,  Ps.  cvi.  3.,  "  Blessed  is  he  who 
doth  righteousness  at  all  times."  Our  obe- 
dience to  the  command  must  be  as  the  fire 
of  the  altar  which  never  went  out,  Lev.  vi. 
9.  It  must  be  as  the  motion  of  the  pulse, 
always  beating.  The  wind  blows  off  the 
fruit,  our  fruits  of  obedience  must  not  be 


blown  off  by  the  wind  of  persecution,  John 
XV.  16.,  "  I  have  chosen  you,  that  you  should 
go  and  bring  forth  fruit,  and  that  your  fruit 
should  remain." 

Use.  It  reproves  them  who  live  in  a  wil- 
ful breach  of  God's  commandments, — ^in 
malice,  uncleanness,  intemperance, — they 
walk  antipodes  to  the  commandment.  To 
live  in  a  wilful  breach  of  the  command- 
ment is, 

L<!^,  Against  reason.  Are  we  able  to 
stand  it  out  against  God  ?  1  Cor.  x.  22., 
"  Do  we  provoke  the  Lord,  are  we  stron- 
ger than  he  ?"  Can  we  measure  arms  with 
God  ?  Can  impotency  stand  against  omni- 
potency?  A  sinner,  in  acting  sin,  acts  a- 
gainst  reason. 

2d/y,  It  is  against  equity.  We  have  our 
being  from  God ;  and,  is  it  not  equal  we 
should  obey  him  who  gives  us  our  being  ? 
We  have  all  our  subsistence  from  God ; 
and  is  it  not  fitting,  that  as  God  gives  us 
our  allowance  we  should  give  him  our  al- 
legiance ?  If  a  general  gi^'es  his  soldier 
pay,  he  is  to  march  at  his  command :  so 
that  to  live  in  the  breach  of  his  commands, 
is  against  equity. 

Sdlf/,  It  is  against  nature.  Every  crea- 
ture in  its  kind  obeys  God's  law:  L  Ani- 
mate creatures  obey  him.  God  spake  to 
the  fish,  and  it  set  Jonah  a-shore,  Jonah  ii. 
10. — 2.  Inanimate  creatures;  "the  wind 
and  the  sea  obey  him,"  Mark  iv.  41.  The 
very  stones,  if  God  give  them  a  commis- 
sion, will  cry  out  against  the  sins  of  men, 
Hab.  ii.  11.,  "  The  stone  shall  cry  out  of 
the  wall,  and  the  beam  out  of  the  timber 
shall  answer  it."  None  disobey  God  but 
wicked  men  and  the  devil ;  and  can  we  find 
none  to  join  with  else  ? 

Athly,  It  is  against  kindness.  How  ma- 
ny mercies  have  we  to  allure  us  to  obey? 
Miracles  of  mercy ;  therefore  the  apostle 
joins  these  two  together, — disobedient  and 
unthankful,  2  Tim.  iii.  2.,  and  this  dyes  a 
sin  of  a  crimson  colour.  And,  as  the  sin 
is  great,  (for  it  is  a  contempt  of  God,  a 
hanging  out  of  the  flag  of  defiance  against 
God,  and  rebellion  is  as  the  sin  of  witch- 
craft) so  the  punishment  will  be  proportion- 
able ;  such  cut  themselves  off  from  mercy. 
God's  mercy  is  for  them  that  keep  his  com- 
mandments, but  no  mercy  to  them  that  liv* 


OF  THE  THIRD  COMMANDMENT. 


26» 


in  a  wilful  breach  of  tliem.  All  God's 
judgments  set  themselves  in  battle-array 
ag^ainst  the  disobedient.  (1.)  Temporal 
judgments,  Lev.  xxvi.  15,  16.  (2.)  Eter- 
nal. "  Christ  comes  in  flames  of  fire,  to 
take  vengeance  on  them  that  obey  not  God," 
2  Tliess.  i.  8.  Such  as  break  the  golden 
chain  of  God's  commands,  God  hath  iron 
chains  to  hold  them  ;  chains  of  darkness, 
in  which  the  devils  are  held,  Jude  6.  As 
long  as  there  is  eternity,   God  hath  time  e- 


nongh  to  reckon  with  all  the  wilful  breakers 
of  his  commandments. 

Quest.  How  shall  tve  do  to  keep  God's 
commandmetiis  ? 

Ana.  Beg  the  Spirit  of  God.  We  can- 
not do  it  in  our  own  strength  ;  "  The  Spi- 
rit must  work  in  us  both  to  will  and  to 
do,"  Phil.  ii.  13.  When  the  loadstone 
draws,  the  iron  moves  :  when  God's  Spirit 
draws,  then  we  run  in  the  way  of  God's 
commandments. 


OF  THE  THIRD  COMMANDMENT. 

ExoD.  XX.  7.   Thou  sholt  not  take  the  vame  of  the  Lord  thy  God  in  vain  :  For  (he  Lord 
will  nut  hold  him  guiltless  that  taktth  his  name  in  vain. 


THIS  commandment  has  two  parts: 
First,  A  negative  expressed  ;  that  we  must 
not  take  God's  name  in  vain,  viz.  cast  any 
rrflections  and  dishonour  on  God's  name. 
Secondly,  An  affirmative  implied  ;  that  we 
shoi'.ld  have  a  care  to  reverence  and  honour 
his  name.  But  that  I  shall  speak  to  more 
fully  ^^'llen  I  come  to  the  first  petition  in 
the  Lord's  ])raycr,  "Hallowed  be  thy  name." 
I  shall  now  speak  of  the  negative  expressed 
in  titis  comniandmont,  or  the  prohibition, 
"  Tliou  shall  not  take  the  name  of  the  Lord 
thy  God  in  vain."  The  tongue  is  an  unruly 
member.  All  the  parts  and  organs  of  the 
body  are  defiled  with  sin,  as  every  branch 
of  wormwood  is  bitter,  "  but  the  tongue  is 
full  of  deadly  poison,"  James  iii.  8.  There 
is  no  one  member  of  tlie  body  doth  more 
hreak  forth  into  God's  dishonour  than  the 
'iongue ;  therefore  this  commandment  is  a 
bridle  for  the  tcmgue, — it  is  to  bind  the 
tongue  to  its  good  behaviour  ;  "  Thou  slialt 
not  take  the  name  of  the  Lord  thy  God  in 
vain."  And  tliis  prohibition  is  backed 
with  a  strong  reason,  "  For  the  Lord  will 
not  hold  him  guiltless  ;"  that  is  he  will  not 
hold  him  innocent.  Men  of  place  and  emi- 
nency  take  it  heinously  to  have  their  names 
abused,  and  will  inflict  heavy  penalties  on 
the  offenders  :  "  The  Lord  will  not  hold 
him  guiltless  that  taketh  his  name  in  vain." 
God  looks  upon  him  as  a  criminal  person, 
and  he  will  severely  punish  liim.  Well 
then,  the  thing  to  be  insisted  on  is,   that 


great  care  must  be  had  that  the  holy  and 
reverend  name  of  God  be  not  profaned  by 
us,  or  taken  in  vain. 

Quest.  How  many  ways  may  we  be  said 
to  take  God's  name  in  vain  ? 

Aus.  1.  We  take  God's  name  in  vain 
when  we  speak  slightly  and  irreverently  of 
his  name,  Deut  xxviii.  58.,  "  That  thou 
mayest  fear  this  glorious  and  fearful  name, 
The  Lord  thy  God."  David  speaks  of  God 
with  reverence,  Ps.  1.  1.,  "  The  Lord  even 
the  most  mighty  God."  Ps.  Ixxxiii.  18., 
"  That  men  may  know,  that  thou,  whose 
name  alone  is  Jehovah,  art  the  most  High 
over  all  the  earth."  And  the  disciples, 
speaking  of  Jesus,  did  hallow  his  name, 
Luke  xxiv.  19.,  "  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  which 
was  a  prophet  mighty  in  deed  and  word 
before  God,  and  all  the  people."  "WHjen 
we  mention  the  names  of  kings,  we  give 
them  some  title  of  honour,  as  "  excellent 
majesty,"  so  should  we  speak  of  God  with 
such  sacred  reverence  as  is  due  to  the  In- 
finite INIajesty  of  heaven.  When  we  speak 
slightly  of  God  or  his  works,  God  interprets 
it  to  be  a  contempt,  and  it  is  a  taking  his 
name  in  vain. 

A.  2.  When  we  profess  God's  name,  but 
do  not  live  answerably  to  it,  it  is  a  taking 
his  name  in  vain,  Titus  i.  16.,  In  words 
they  profess  Christ,  "  but  in  works  they 
deny  him."  Wlien  men's  tongues  and  lives 
cross  one  another ;  when  under  a  mask  of 
profession,  men  will  lie  and  cozen,  and  be 


270 


OF  THE  THIRD  COMMANDMENT. 


unclean,  these  make  use  of  God's  name  to 
abuse  him,  they  take  his  name  in  vain. 
Siinulata  sanctilas  duplex  iniquitas.  Rom. 
ii.  24.,  "  The  name  of  God  is  hlaspliemed 
among  the  Gentiles  through  you."  When 
the  heathens  saw  the  Jews,  who  professed 
to  be  God's  people,  to  be  scandalous,  this 
made  them  speak  evil  of  God,  and  hate  the 
true  religion  for  their  sakcs. 

A.  3.  We  take  God's  name  in  vain  when 
we  use  God's  name  in  idle  discourse.  God 
is  not  to  be  spoken  of  but  with  an  holy  awe 
upon  our  hearts ,  and  to  bring  God's  name 
in  at  CA'ery  turn,  when  we  never  think  of 
God,— to  say,  '  O  God  !'  or  '  O  Christ !'  or, 
*  As  God  shall  save  my  soul  !'  this  is  tak- 
ing God's  name  in  vain.  And,  how  many 
are  guilty  in  this  kind  !  Though  they  have 
God  in  their  moutlis,  tliey  have  the  devil 
in  tlicir  hearts.  'Tis  a  wonder  that  fire 
(lotli  not  come  out  from  the  Lord  and  con- 
bu:ne  tiicni,  as  it  did  Nadab  and  Abihu  ! 
Lev.  X.  2. 

A.  4.  We  take  God's  name  in  vain,  when 
we  worsliip  him  with  our  lips,  but  not  our 
hearts,  this  is  to  abuse  God.  'Tis  the  heart 
which  God  calls  for,  Prov.  xxiii.  26.,  "  My 
son  give  me  thy  heart."  The  heart  is  the 
diiof  tiling  in  religion  ;  it  draws  the  will 
and  affections  after  it,  as  the  Prinutm  mo- 
bile draws  the  other  orbs  along  with  it. 
The  heart  is  the  incense  that  perfumes  our 
holy  things, — it  is  the  altar  that  sanctifies 
the  offerinc".  Now,  when  we  seem  to  wor- 
ship  God,  but  withdraw  our  heart  from 
him,  we  take  his  name  in  vain,  Isa.  xxix. 
13.,  "  This  peoj)le  draw  near  me  with  their 
mouth,  and  with  their  lips  they  do  honour 
nii',  but  thev  have  removed  their  heart 
from  me." 

]sf,  Hypocrites  take  God's  name  in  vain, 
— their  religion  is  a  lie, — they  seem  to  ho- 
1  our  God,  but  they  do  not  love  him, — their 
Hearts  go  after  their  lusts,  lios.  iv.  8., 
"  They  set  their  hearts  on  their  iniquity." 
Their  eyes  are  lifted  up  to  heaven,  but 
their  hearts  are  rooted  in  the  earth,  Ezek. 
xxxiii.  31.  These  are  devils  in  Samuel's 
mantle,  they  take  God's  name  in  vain. 

2d/i/,  Suj)erstitious  persons  take  God's 
name  in  vain.  They  bring  (lod  a  few  ce- 
remonies wliich  he  never  appointed ;  they 
bow  at  Christ's  name,  and  cringe  to  the  al- 


tar, but  hate  and  persecute  God's  imagv>; 
these  take  his  name  in  vain. 

A.  5.  We  take  God's  name  in  vain,  when 
we  pray  to  him  but  do  not  believe  in  him. 
Faith  is  the  great  grace  that  honours  God, 
Rom.  iv.  20.     Abraham    being    strong   in 
faith,   gave  glory   to   God :   but  when   we 
pray  to  God,  but  do  not  mix  faith  with  our 
prayer,  we  take  his  name  in  vain.     '  I  may 
pray,  (saith  a  Christian)  but  I  sliall  be  ne- 
ver  the  better ;    I  question   A^'hether   God 
doth  hear,  or  Avhether  he  will  grant.'     This 
is  to  dishonour  God,  and  take  liis  name  in 
vain, — this  is  to  make  God  either  an  idol, 
that  he  hath  ears  and  hears  not,  or  a  liar, 
who  promiseth   mercy  to  the  penitent  but 
will  not  make  good  his  word,  1  John  v.  10., 
"  He   that    believeth   not   hath  made   God 
a  liar."     When    tlie  apostle  saith,    "  How 
shall  they  call  on  him  in  whom  they  have 
not  believed  ?"   Rom.  x.  14.,  the  meaning 
is.  How  shall  they  call  on  God  aright,  and 
not  believe  in  liim  ?     But  how   many  do 
call  on  God  who  do  not  believe  in  him  ? 
They  ask  for  pardon,  but  unbelief  whisj)ors 
their  sins  are  greater  than  can  be  for<:iven. 
Thus  to  pray  and  not  believe    is   to  take 
God's  name  in  vain,  and  is  an  high  dislut- 
nouring  of  God,  as  if  he  were  not  such  a 
God  as  the  word  represents  him,  "  Plen- 
teous in  mercy  to  all  that  call   upon  him," 
Ps.  Ixxxvi.  5. 

A.  G.  We  take  God's  name  in  vain  when 
we  in  any  kind  profane  and  abuse  his  word. 
Now  the  word  of  God  is  profaned,  First, 
In  general,  when  profane  men  meddle  with 
it.  It  is  unseemly  and  unbecoming  a  wick- 
ed man  to  talk  of  sacred  things, — of  God's 
providence,  and  the  decrees  of  God  and 
heaven  ;  it  was  very  distasteful  to  Christ, 
to  hear  the  devil  quote  scripture,  "  It  is 
written ;"  to  hear  a  wicked  man  that  wal- 
lows in  sin  talk  of  God  and  religion,  is  of- 
fensive,— it  is  the  taking  of  God's  name  in 
vain.  When  the  word  of  God  is  in  a  drun- 
kard's mouth  it  is  like  a  pearl  hung  upon  a 
swine.  Under  the  law,  the  lips  of  the  leper 
were  to  be  covered.  Lev.  xiii.  45. :  the  lips 
of  a  profane,  drunken  minister  ought  to 
be  covered, — l«e  is  unfit  to  speak  of  God's 
word  because  he  takes  God's  name  in  A'ain. 
But  2dly,  More  particularly  they  profane 
God's  word,  and  take  his  name  in  vain. 


OF  THE  THIRD  COMMAKDMENT. 


271 


1.  Tliat  speak  scornfully  of  God's  word, 
2  Pet.  iii.  4.,  "  Where  is  the  promise  of  his 
coiniiij^  ?  For  since  the  fathers  fell  asleep, 
all  tjjiiifrs  continue  as  they  were  from  the 
beginninif  of  the  creation."  As  if  they  had 
said,  "  Here  is  much  ado  the  preachers 
make  about  the  day  <>f  judgment,  when  all 
must  be  called  to  account  for  their  works ; 
but  where  is  the  appearing  of  that  day  ?  we 
see  things  keep  their  course,  and  continue 
as  they  were  since  the  creation."  Thus 
they  speak  scornfully  of  scripture,  and  take 
God's  name  in  vain.  If  sentence  be  not 
speedily  executed,  men  scorn  and  deride  ; 
but,  Prov.  xix.  29.,  "  Judgments  arc  pre- 
pared for  scorners." 

2.  That  speak  jestingly.  Such  are  they 
%vho  sport  and  play  with  scripture ;  'tis 
playing  with  fire.  Some  cannot  be  merry 
unless  they  make  bold  with  God ;  they 
make  the  scripture  an  harp  to  drive  away 
the  spirit  of  sadness.  Eusebius  relates  of 
one  who  took  a  piece  of  scripture  to  jest 
with,  God  struck  him  with  frenzy.  To 
play  with  scripture,  shews  a  \-ery  profane 
heart.  Some  will  rather  lose  their  souls 
than  lose  their  jests :  these  are  guilty  of 
taking  God's  name  in  vain.  Tremble  at  it : 
such  as  mock  at  scripture,  God  will  laugh 
at  your  calamity  !  Prov.  i.  26. 

3.  They  abuse  God's  word,  and  take  his 
name  in  vain,  that  bring  scripture  to  coun- 
tenance any  sin.  The  word,  which  was 
written  for  the  suppressing  of  sin,  some 
bring  it  for  the  defending  of  sin.  For  in- 
stance, first,  if  we  tell  a  covetous  man  of 
his  sin,  that  covetousness  is  idolatry,  he 
will  bring  scripture  to  maintain  his  sin  : 
"  hath  not  God  bid  me  live  in  a  calling? 
'  Six  days  shalt  thou  labour.'  Hath  not 
God  said,  that  '  he  who  provides  not  for 
his  family  is  worse  than  an  infidel  ?'  "  Thus 
lie  goes  to  support  his  covetousness  with 
scripture.  .^7is.  It  is  true,  God  hath  bid 
thee  take  pains  in  a  calling,  but  not  hurt 
thy  neighbour;  he  hath  bid  thee  provide 
for  thy  family,  but  not  by  oppression.  Lev. 
XXV.  1-1.,  "  Ye  shall  not  oppress  one  ano- 
ther." He  hath  bid  thee  look  after  a  live- 
lihood, but  not  with  the  neglect  of  thy  soul. 
He  hath  bid  thee  lay  up  thy  treasure  in 
heaven.  Mat.  vi.  20.  He  hath  command- 
ed tliee  to  lay  out,  as  well  as  lay  up, — to 


sow  seeds  of  charity  on  the  backs  and  bel- 
lies of  the  poor,  which  perhaps  thou  ne- 
glectest.  So  that  to  bring  scripture  to  up- 
hold thee  in  thy  sin,  is  an  high  profaning 
of  scripture,  and  a  taking  of  God's  name  in 
vain.  Second  instance :  if  vve  tell  a  man 
of  his  inordinate  passions, — that  he  may  be 
drunk  as  well  with  rash  anger,  as  wine, — 
he  will  bring  scri])ture  to  justify  it :  "  Doth 
not  the  word  say,  '  Be  angry  and  sin  not,'  " 
Eph.  iv,  26.  'Tis  true  that  anger  is  good 
which  is  mixed  with  zeal;  then  anger  is 
without  sin,  when  it  is  against  sin;  but 
thou  dost  sin  in  thine  anger, — thou  speak- 
est  unadvisedly  with  thy  lips, — thy  tongue 
is  set  on  fire  of  hell,  and  to  bring  scripture 
to  defend  thy  sin  is  to  profane  scripture, 
and  to  take  God's  name  in  vain. 

4.  They  abuse  the  word,  and  take  God's 
name  in  vain,  who  adulterate  the  word, 
and  wrest  it  in  a  wrong  sense.  Such  are  he- 
retics, who  put  their  own  gloss  upon  scrip- 
ture, and  make  it  speak  that  Avhich  the 
Holy  Ghost  never  meant.  For  instance, 
first,  when  we  expound  those  texts  literally 
which  are  meant  figuratively.  Thus  the 
Pharisees  were  guilty,  when  God  said  in 
the  law,  "  Thou  shalt  bind  the  command- 
ments for  a  sign  upon  thy  hand,  and  they 
shall  be  as  frontlets  between  thine  eyes,'' 
Deut.  vi.  8.  The  Pharisees  took  it  in  a  li- 
teral sense  ;  they  got  two  scrolls  of  parch- 
ment, whereon  they  wrote  the  two  tables, 
putting  one  on  their  left  arras,  and  binding 
the  other  to  their  eyebrows,  thus  they 
wrested  the  scripture  and  took  God's  name 
in  vain.  That  scripture  was  to  be  under- 
stood spiritually  and  by  a  figure :  God 
meant,  by  binding  his  laws  upon  their 
hands  that  they  should  meditate  on  his 
law,  and  put  it  in  practice ;  and  so  the  pji- 
pists  ex]K)und  that  scripture,  "  This  is  my 
body,"  literally,  of  the  very  body  of  Christ ; 
then,  when  Christ  gave  the  bread,  he  should 
have  had  two  bodies,  one  in  the  bread,  and 
the  other  out  of  the  bread,  whereas  Christ 
meant  it  figuratively,  it  is  a  sign  of  my  bo- 
dy. Thus  they,  by  wresting  the  scripture 
to  a  wrong  sense,  profane  it,  and  take  tiod's 
name  in  vain.  2dly,  Wlien  we  exi)ound 
those  scriptures  figuratively  and  allcgori- 
cally  which  the  Holy  Ghost  means  literal- 
ly.    For   example,    Christ   said    to    Peter, 


272 


OF  THE  THIRD  COMMANDMENT. 


"  Launch  out  into  the  deep,  and  let  down 
your  nets  for  a  draught/'  Luke  v.  4.     This 
text  is  spoken  in  a  plain,   literal  sense  of 
launching  out  the  ship ;  but  the  papists  take 
it  in  a  mystical  and  allegorical.     This  text 
proves,  say  they,  that  the  pope — which  is 
Peter's  successor — shall  launch  forth,  and 
catch  the  ecclesiastical  and  political  power 
over   the  west  parts  of  the   world.     This, 
say  they,  was  meant  when  Christ  bade  Pe- 
ter launch  out  into  the  deep.     But  I  think 
the  papists  have  launched  out  too  far  be- 
yond the  meaning  of  the  text.     When  men 
strain  their  wits  to  wrest  the  word  to  such 
a  sense  as  pleaseth  them,  they  do  profane 
God's  word,  and  highly  take  his  name  in 
vain. 

A.  7.  We  take  God's  name  in  vain,  when 
we  swear  by  his  name.  Many  seldom  name 
God's  name  but  in  oaths;  for  this  sin  the 
land  mourns.  Mat.  v.  34.,  "  Swear  not  at 
all,"  tiiat  is,  rashly  and  sinfully,  so  as  take 
God's  name  in  vain ;  not  but  that  in  some 
cases  it  is  lawful  to  take  an  oath  before  a 
magistrate,  Deut.  vi.  13.,  "  Thou  shalt  fear 
the  Lord  thy  God  and  serve  him,  and  swear 
by  his  name," — Heb.  vi.  16.,  "  an  oath  for 
confirmation  is  to  them  the  end  of  all  strife  ;" 
but  when  Christ  saith,  "  swear  not  at  all," 
he  forbids  such  a  swearing  as  takes  God's 
name  in  vain.  There  is  a  threefold  swear- 
ing forbidden  : 

I.  Vain-swearing;  when  men  in  their 
ordinary  discourse  let  fly  oaths.  Some 
will  go  to  excuse  their  swearing.  It  is  a 
coarse  wool  that  will  take  no  dye,  and  a 
bad  sin  indeed  that  hath  no  excuse. 

Excuse.  1.  I  swear  little  trifling  oaths; 
as  '  Faith,'  or,  '  By  the  mass.'  Ans.  The 
devil  hath  two  false  glasses  which  he  sets 
before  men's  eyes :  the  one  is  a  little  glass 
in  which  the  sin  appears  so  small  that  it 
can  hardly  be  seen,  tliis  glass  the  devil  sets 
before  men's  eyes  when  they  are  going  to 
commit  sin, — the  other  is  a  great  magnify- 
ing glass,  wherein  sin  ai)pc'ars  so  big  that 
it  cannot  be  forgiven,  the  devil  sets  tiiis  be- 
fore men's  eyes  when  they  have  sinned. 
Thou  that  sayest,  sin  is  small,  when  God 
shall  open  the  eye  of  thy  conscience,  then 
thou  wilt  see  it  great,  and  be  ready  to  des- 
pair. But  to  answer  this  plea,  thou  sayest, 
they  are  but  small  oaths,  but  Christ  for- 


bids Aain  oaths,  "  Swear  not  at  all.'*  If 
God  will  reckon  with  us  for  idle  words, 
shall  not  idle  oaths  be  put  in  the  account- 
book  ? 

Excuse  2.  But  I  swear  to  the  truth.    See 
how  this  harlot-sin  would  paint  itself  with 
an  excuse.     Ans.  1.  Though  it  be  true,  yet, 
if  it  be  a  rash  oath,  'tis  sinful.     Besides,  2. 
He  that  swears  commonly,  it  cannot  be  a- 
voided  but  sometimes  he  must  swear  more 
than  is  true  ;  as,  where  much  water  runs, 
some  gi'avel  or  mud  will  pass  along  with 
the  water, — so,  where  tiiere  is  much  swear- 
ing, some  lies  will  run  along  with  the  oaths. 
Excuse  3.  But  I  shall  not  be  believed  un- 
less I  seal  up  my  words  with  an  oath.      Ans. 
1.  A  man  that  is  honest  will  be  believed 
without  an  oath  ;  his  bare  word  carries  au- 
thority with  it,  and  is  as  good  as  letters  tes- 
timonial.    2.    I   answei".    He   who   swears, 
the  more  he  swears,  the  less  others  will  be- 
lieve him.     Juris  credil  minus, — thou  art  a 
swearer.     Another  thinks  an  oath  weighs 
very  light  with  thee,  thou  carest  not  what 
thou  swearest,  and  the  more  thou  swearest 
the  less  he  believes  thee.     He  will  trust  tliv 
bond,  but  not  thy  oath. 

Excuse  4.  But  it  is  a  custom  of  swearing 
I  have  gotten,  and  I  hope  God  will  forgive 
me.  Ans.  Though  among  men  custom 
carries  it,  and  is  pleadable  in  law,  yet  it  is 
not  so  in  the  case  of  sin, — custom  here  is 
no  plea.  Thou  hast  got  an  habit  of  swear- 
ing, and  canst  not  leave  it ;  is  this  an  ex- 
cuse ?  Is  a  thing  well  done  because  it  is 
commonly  done  ?  This  is  so  far  from  being 
an  excuse,  that  it  is  an  aggraAation  of  sin. 
As  if  one  that  had  been  accused  for  killing 
a  man,  should  plead  with  the  judge  to  spare 
him,  because  it  was  his  custom  to  murder ; 
this  is  an  aggravation  of  the  offence,  so  it 
is  here  :  therefore  all  excuses  for  the  sin  of 
vain-swearing  are  taken  away.  Dare  not 
to  live  in  this  sin,  it  is  a  taking  of  God's 
name  in  vain. 

II.  Vile  swearing,  horrid  prudigious 
oaths  not  to  be  named.  Swearers,  like  mad 
dogs,  fly  in  the  face  of  heaven;  and  when  they 
are  angered  spue  out  their  blasphemous 
venom  on  God's  sacred  Majesty.  Some  in 
gaming,  when  things  go  cross,  and  the  dice 
run  against  them,  their  tongues  run  as  fast 
against  God  in  oaths  and  curses ;  and  tell 


OF  THE  THIRD  COMMANDMENT. 


273 


them  of  their  sin, — po  to  brin<y  liome  these 
asses  from  going  astray, — and  it  is  but  pour- 
ing oil  on  the  (lame,  they  will  swear  the 
more.  St.  Austin  saith,  "  Tlioy  do  no  less 
sin  who  blaspheme  Christ  now  in  heaven, 
than  the  Jews  did  who  crucified  him  on 
earth."  Swearers  profane  Christ's  blood, 
and  tear  his  name.  An  harlot  told  her 
husband,  that  of  her  three  sons,  there  was 
but  one  of  them  his  ;  the  father  dying,  de- 
sired tlic  executors  to  find  out  which  was 
the  true  natural  son,  and  all  his  estate  he 
bequeathed  to  him.  The  father  being  dead ; 
the  executors  set  up  his  corpse  against  a 
tree,  and  delivered  to  every  one  of  these 
three  sons  a  how  siud  arrows,  telling  them, 
that  he  wjio  could  shoot  nearest  the  father's 
heart  should  have  all  the  estate.  The  two 
bastard  sons  shot  as  near  as  they  could  to  his 
heart,  but  the  third  did  feel  nature  so  work 
in  him  that  he  refused  to  shoot  at  his 
Father's  heart;  whereupon  the  executors 
judged  him  to  be  the  true  son,  and  gave  all 
the  estate  to  him.  Such  as  are  the  true 
children  of  God,  fear  to  shoot  at  him ;  but 
such  as  are  bastards,  and  not  sons,  care  not 
though  they  shoot  at  him  in  heaven  with 
their  oaths  and  curses.  And  that  which 
makes  swearing  yet  more  heinous,  is,  when 
men  have  resolved  upon  any  wicked  action, 
they  bind  themselves  with  an  oath  to  do  it; 
Kuch  were  they.  Acts  xxiii.  12.,  who  bound 
themselves  with  an  oath  and  curse  to  kill 
Paul.  To  commit  sin  is  bad  enough ;  but 
to  swear  we  will  commit  sin,  is  an  high 
profaning  God's  name,  and  is  as  it  were  to 
call  God  to  aj)prove  our  sin. 

III.  Forswearing :  this  is  an  heaven-da- 
ring sin,  Lev.  xix.  12.,  "  Ye  shall  not  swear 
by  my  name  falsely,  neither  shalt  thou  pro- 
fane the  name  of  thy  God."  Perjury  is  a 
calling  God  to  witness  to  a  lie.  It  is  said 
of  Philip  of  Macedon,  he  would  swear  and 
unswear  as  might  stand  best  with  his  in- 
terest. Jer.  iv.  2.,  "  Thou  shalt  swear, 
*  The  Lord  liveth,'  in  truth,  in  judgment, 
and  in  righteousness."  In  righteousness, 
therefore  it  must  not  be  an  unlawful  oath. 
In  judgment,  therefore,  it  must  not  be  a 
rash  oath.  In  truth,  therefore,  it  must  not 
be  a  false  oath.  Among  the  Scythians,  if  a 
man  did  forswear  himself,  he  w;is  to  have 
liis   head  stricken   off,    because  if   perjury 


were  allowed,  there  would  be  no  living  in 
a  commonwealth,  it  would  take  away  all 
faith  and  truth  from  among  men.  The  per- 
jurer is  in  as  bad  a  case  as  the  witch  ;  for 
by  a  false  oath  he  binds  his  soul  fast  to  the 
devil.  In  forswearing  or  taking  a  false  oath 
in  a  court,  there  are  many  sins  linked  toge- 
ther,— plurima  peccata  in  uno  :  for  besides 
the  taking  of  God's  name  in  vain,  the  per- 
juror is  a  thief, — by  his  false  oath,  he  robs 
the  innocent  of  his  right, — he  is  a  pervert- 
er  of  justice, — he  doth  not  only  sin  himself, 
but  occasions  the  jury  to  give  a  false  ver- 
dict, and  the  judge  to  pass  an  unrighteous 
sentence;  and  sure  God's  judgments  will 
find  him  out.  When  God's  flying-roll  or 
curse  goes  over  the  face  of  the  earth,  into 
whose  house  doth  it  enter  ?  "  Into  the  house 
of  him  who  swears  falsely :  and  it  shall 
consume  the  timber  and  stones  of  his  house," 
Zech.  A'.  4.  Beza  relates  of  a  perjurer,  that 
he  had  no  sooner  taken  a  false  oath,  but  he 
was  immediately  struck  with  an  apoplexy, 
and  never  spake  more,  but  died.  O  tremble 
at  such  horrid  impiety  ! 

A.  8.  We  highly  take  God's  name  in 
vain,  when  we  prefix  God's  name  to  any 
wicked  action.  I  say  the  mentioning  of 
(lod  to  a  wicked  design,  is  taking  his  name 
in  vain.  2  Sam.  xv.  7.,  "  I  pray,  (saithi 
Absalom)  let  me  go  and  pay  my  vow,  which 
I  have  vowed  unto  the  Lord  in  Hebron.'' 
This  pi-etence  of  paying  his  vow  made  to 
God,  was  only  to  colour  over  his  treason, 
ver.  10.,  "  When  ye  hear  the  sound  of  the 
trumpet,  ye  shall  say,  Absalom  reigneth." 
When  any  wicked  action  is  baptized  with 
the  name  of  religion,  this  is  taking  God's 
name  in  vain.  Herein  the  ])ope  is  highly 
guilty  when  he  sends  out  his  bulls  of  ex- 
ciunmunication  or  curses  against  the  Chris- 
tian ;  he  begins  with.  In  nomine  Dei, — in 
tlie  name  of  God.  What  a  ])rovoking  sin 
is  this  !  It  is  to  do  the  devil's  work,  and' 
put  God's  name  to  it. 

A.  9.  We  take  God's  name  in  vain,  when 
we  use  our  tongues  any  way  to  the  disho- 
nour of  God's  name  ;  as  when  we  use  rail- 
ing, or  curse  in  our  passions  ;  esj)ecially, 
wiien  we  wish  a  curse  upon  ourselves  if  a 
thing  b(!  not  so  when  we  know  it  to  be  false. 
I  have  read  of  one  who  wished  his  body 
mi'Hit   rot  if  tliat  which   he  said  was  not 

2M 


274. 


OF  THE  THIRD  COMMANDMENT. 


true:  aiul  soon  after  his  body  rotted,   and 
be  Vjc'came  a  loatlisome  spectacle. 

A.  10.  We  take  God's  name  in  vain  by 
rasli  a!id  unlawful  vows.  There  is  a  good 
vow  when  a  man  binds  himself  by  a  vow  to 
(io  thiit  which  the  word  binds  him  to;  as, 
it'  he  he  sick,  he  vows  if  God  restore  him, 
lie  will  live  a  more  strict  holy  life,  Ps.  Ixvi. 
13.,  "  I  v.'ill  pay  thee  my  vows  which  my 
lips  have  uttered  when  I  was  in  trouble." 
But  vovtri  non  debet  quod  Deo  displicet  : 
Buch  a  vow  should  not  be  made  as  is  dis- 
pleasing to  God, — as  to  vow  voluntary  po- 
verty, as  your  friars, — or  to  vow  to  live  in 
nunneries.  Jephtha's  vow  was  rash  and 
unlawful  ;  he  vowed  to  the  Lord  to  sacrifice 
that  to  him  which  he  met  with  next,  and  it 
was  his  daughter.  Judges  xi.  31,  34.  He  did 
ill  to  make  the  vow,  and  worse  to  keep  it 
he  became  guilty  of  the  breach  of  tlie  third 
and  sixth  commandments. 

A.  11.  Wlien  we  speak  evil  of  God,  now 
we  take  his  name  in  vain,  Ps.  Ixxviii.  19., 
"  They  spake  against  God."  Quest.  How 
do  we  speak  against  God  ?  Ans.  When  we 
murmur  at  his  providences,  as  if  he  had 
dealt  hardly  with  us.  Mui-muring  is  the 
accusing  of  God's  justice.  Gen.  xviii.  25., 
"  Shall  not  the  judge  of  all  the  earth  do 
right?"  Murmuriug  springs  from  a  bitter 
root, — it  comes  from  pride  and  discontent, 
• — it  is  a  reproaching  of  God  and  a  high 
taking  his  name  in  vain.  It  is  such  a  sin 
as  God  cannot  bear.  Numb.  xiv.  27.,  "  How 
long  shall  I  bear  with  this  evil  congrega- 
tion that  murmur  against  me  ?" 

A.  12.  And  lastly,  we  take  God's  name 
in  vain,  when  we  falsify  our  promise  :  to 
Kay,  if  God  spare  us  life  we  will  do  this, 
and  n<'ver  intend  it.  Our  promise  should 
be  sacred  and  inviolable  ;  but,  if  we  make 
no  reckoning  to  make  a  j)romise,  and  men- 
tion God's  name  in  it,  yet  never  intend  to 
keep  it,  it  is  a  double  sin  ;  it  is  telling  a  lie, 
and  taking  God's  name  in  vain.  I  should 
come  now  to  the  affirmative  implied;  but 

hereafter 

Use.  Take  heed  of  t.'dcing  God's  name  in 
vain  any  of  these  ways.  Remember  this 
commination  and  threatening  in  the  text, 
"  The  Lord  will  not  hold  him  guiltless." 
Here  is  a  mciosis, — less  is  said,  and  )nore  in- 
tended     "  He  will  not  liold  him  guiltless;" 


that  is,  he  will  be  severely  avenged  on  such 
an  one.  "  The  Lord  will  not  hold  him 
guiltless."  Here  the  Lord  speaks  after  the 
manner  of  a  judge  who  holds  the  court  of 
assize;  the  judge  here,  is  God  himself;  the 
accusers,  Satan,  and  a  man's  own  con- 
science;  the  matterof  factis,  "TakingGod's 
name  in  vain  ;"  the  malefactor  accused  is 
found  "fuiltv,  and  condemned ;  "  The  Lord 
will  not  hold  him  guiltless."  Methinks 
these  words,  "  The  Lord  will  not  hold  him 
guiltless,"  may  set  a  lock  upon  our  lips,  and 
make  us  afraid  of  speaking  any  thing  that 
may  redound  dishonour  u])on  God,  or  may 
be  a  taking  his  name  in  vain.  "  The  Lord 
will  not  hold  him  guiltless."  It  may  be 
men  may  hold  such  guiltless,  when  they 
curse,  swear,  speak  irreverently  of  God; 
)>ie?i  may  hold  them  guiltless,  let  them  a- 
lone,  not  punish  them.  If  one  takes  away 
another's  good  name,  he  shall  be  sure  to  be 
punished  :  but  if  he  takes  away  God's  good 
name,  where  is  he  that  doth  punish  him  ? 
He  that  robs  another  of  his  goods  shall  bo 
put  to  death  ;  but  he  that  robs  God  of  his 
glory,  by  oaths  and  curses,  he  is  spared ; 
but  God  himself  will  take  the  matter  into 
his  own  hand,  and  he  will  punish  him  who 
takes  his  name  in  vain. 

1.  Sometimes  God  punishes  swearing  and 
blasphemy  in  this  life.  1.*^^^,  Swearing.  In 
the  country  of  Samurtia  there  arose  a  great 
tempest  of  thunder  and  lightning:  a  soldier 
burst  forth  into  swearing, — but  the  (emj)est 
tearing  up  a  great  tree  by  the  root,  it  fell 
upon  him,  and  crushed  him  to  pieces.  The 
German  history  relates  of  a  youth,  who  was 
given  to  swearing,  and  did  use  to  invenl 
new  oaths,  the  Lord  sent  a  canker  into  his 
mouth,  which  did  eat  out  his  tongue,  where- 
upon he  died.  2d!f/,  Blasphemy.  He  who 
did  blaspheme  God,  the  Lord  caused  him 
to  be  stoned  to  death,  Lev.  xxiv.  11,  23., 
"  The  Israelitish  woman's  son  blasphemed 
the  name  of  the  Lord  and  cursed.  And 
Moses  spake  to  the  children  of  Israel,  that 
thev  should  brinff  forth  him  that  had  cursed 
out  of  the  camp,  and  stone  him  with  stones." 
Olynipias,  an  Arian  bishop,  reproached  and 
blasphemed  the  sacred  Trinity,  whereupon 
he  was  suddenly  struck  with  three  Hashes 
of  lisfhtnine  which  burned  him  to  death. 
Felix,  an  officer  of  Julian,  seeing  the  holjr 


OF  THE  FOURTH  COMMANDMENT. 


27ft 


vessels  which  were  used  in  tlic  sacrament, 
said,  in  scorn  of  Christ,  "  See  what  precious 
vessels  the  Son  of  Mary  is  served  withal  !" 
Soon  after  he  was  taken  witli  a  vomitincr  of 
l)lood  out  of  his  hlasj)hemous  moutli,  where- 
of lie  died. 

2.  Or,  if  Cod  should  not  execute  judfj- 
ment  on  the  profaners  of  his  name  in  this 
life,  yet  their  doom  is  to  come ;   God  will 


not  remit  their  guilt,  hut  deliver  them  to 
Satan  the  j^aolcr,  to  torment  them  for  ever. 
If  God  justify  a  man,  who  shall  condemn 
him?  But  if  Cod  condemn  him,  who  shall 
justify  him?  If  God  lay  a  man  in  prison, 
where  shall  he  {jet  hail  or  main-prize?  God 
will  take  his  full  l)l()\v  at  the  sinner  in  hell, 
Ileh.  X.  31.,  "  It  is  a  fearful  thing  to  fall 
into  the  hands  of  the  living  God." 


OF  THE  FOURTH  COMMANDMENT. 

ExoD.  XX.  8.  Remember  the  Sabbath-day  to  keep  it  holy.  Six  days  shalt  thou  labour,  and  do 
all  thy  work  :  Bui  the  seventh  day  is  the  Sabbath  of  the  lA)rd  thy  God ;  in  it  thou  shalt  not 
do  any  ivork,  thou,  nor  thy  son,  nor  thy  daughter,  thy  man-servant,  nor  thy  maid-servant^ 
nor  thy  cattle,  nor  thy  stranger  that  is  icithin  thy  gates.  For  in  six  days  the  Lord  made 
heaven  and  earth,  the  sea,  and  all  that  in  them  is,  and  rested  the  seventh  day ;  wherefore 
the  Lord  blessed  the  Sabbath-day  and  hallowed  it. 


THIS  commandment  was  engraven  in 
stone  by  God's  own  finger,  and  it  will  be 
our  comfort  to  have  it  engraven  in  our 
hearts. — The  sabbath-day  is  set  apart  for 
God's  solemn  worship  ;  it  is  (lod's  enclo- 
sure, and  it  must  not  be  alienated  t<>  com- 
mon uses.  The  Lord  hath  set  a  preface  be- 
fore this  commandment, — he  hath  put  a 
memento  to  it, — "  Remember  to  keep  the 
sabbath-day  holy."  This  word,  "  remem- 
ber," shews  that  we  are  apt  to  forget  sab- 
bath holiness ;  therefore  we  need  a  me- 
morandum to  put  us  in  mind  of  sanctifying 
this  day. 

rl  shall  explain  the  word. 
I.   Here  is  a  solemn  command,  "  Remem- 
ber the  sabbath- day  to  keep  it  holy." 

II.  Many  cogent  arguments  to  induce  us 
to  observe  the  command. 

I.  In  the  command,  (1.)  The  matter  of 
it,  viz.  The  sanctifying  of  the  sabbath,  which 
sabhath-sanctification  consists  in  two  things: 
— 1.  In  resting  from  our  own  works. — 2. 
In  a  conscientious  uischarge  of  our  religi- 
ous duty. 

(2.)  The  persons  to  whom  the  command 
of  sanctifying  the  sabbath  is  given:  1st, 
Eeither  superiors,  and  they  are,  1.  More 
private,  as  parents  and  masters.  Or,  2. 
More  public,  as  Magistrates.  Or,  2(liy, 
Inferiors.  1.  Natives,  as  children  and  ser- 
vants,  "  Thy  son,   and  thy  daughter,   thy  j 


man-servant,  and  thy  maid-servant."  2. 
Foreigners,  "  The  stranger  that  is  within 
thy  gates." 

II.  The  cogent  arguments  to  obey  this 
command  of  kee|)ing  holy  the  sabbath,  1. 
From  the  rationality  of  it,  "  Six  days  shalt 
thou  labour  and  do  all  thy  work."  As  if 
God  had  said  :  '  I  am  not  an  hard  master, 
I  do  not  grudge  thee  time  to  look  after  thy 
calling,  and  to  get  an  estate.  I  have  given 
thee  six  days, —  six  to  do  «11  thy  work  in, — 
and  h.lve  taken  but  one  day  for  myself:  I 
might  have  reserved  six  days  for  myself, 
and  allowed  thee  but  one,  but  I  have  given 
thee  six  days  for  the  works  of  thy  calling, 
and  have  taken  but  one  day  for  my  own 
service:  therefore  it  is  e(|ual  and  rational, 
that  thou  shouldest  set  this  day  in  a  special 
manner  apart  for  my  worship." 

2.  The  second  argument  for  sanctifying 
the  sabbath,  is  taken  from  the  justice  of  it, 
"  The  seventh  day  is  the  sabbath  of  the 
Lord  thy  God."  As  if  God  had  said  :  "  The 
sabbath-day  is  my  due,  I  challenge  a  spe- 
cial right  in  it,  and  none  hath  any  thing  to 
do  to  lay  claim  to  it.  lie  who  robs  me  of 
This  Day,  and  puts  it  to  common  uses,  is 
a  sacrilegious  person, — he  steals  from  the 
crown  of  heaven,  and  I  will  in  no  wise  hold 
him  guiltless." 

3.  The  third  argument  for  sanctifying 
the  sabbath  is  taken  from  God's  own  pat- 


276 


OF  THE  rOUUTII  COMMANDMENT. 


tern,  he  "  rested  tlic  seventh  day  "  As  if 
the  Lord  should  say  :  "  Will  you  not  folhtw 
mv  j)attern?  Ilavinj^  finished  all  my  works 
of  creation,  I  rested  the  seventh  <Iay :  so 
you  havinij  done  all  yoin"  secular  work  on 
the  six  days,  you  sliould  now  cease  from 
the  lahour  of  your  calling',  and  dedicate  the 
seventh  day  to  the  Lord,  as  a  day  of  holy 
rest." 

4.  The  fourth  argument  for  sahhath-sanc- 
tification,  is  taken  ah  i:li/i, — from  the  hcnefit 
which  redounds,  from  a  religions  ohserva- 
tion  of  the  sabbath  :  "  The  Lord  blessed 
tlie  seventh  day  and  hallowed  it."  It  is 
not  only  a  day  of  God's  aj)])ointment,  God 
did  not  only  appoint  the  seventh  day,  but 
he  blessed  the  seventh  day.  The  sah1)ath- 
day  is  not  only  a  day  of  hononr  to  God,  but 
a  day  of  blessing  to  us  ;  it  is  not  only  a  day 
wherein  we  give  God  worship,  but  a  day 
wherein  he  gives  us  grace;  on  this  day  a 
blessing  dro])s  down  from  heaven.  This  is 
a  great  argument  fo"  the  keeping  the  sab- 
bath-day holy.  God  is  not  benefited  by  it, 
wc  cannot  add  one  cubit  to  his  essential 
glory, — but  we  ourselves  are  advantaged  ; 
the  sabbath-day,  religiously  observed,  en- 
tails a  blessing  upon  our  souls,  our  estate, 
our  posterity,  as  the  not  keeping  this  day 
holy,  brings  a  curse,  Jer.  xvii.  27.  God 
curscth  a  man's  blessings,  Mai.  ii.  2.  The 
bread  which  he  eats  is  poisoned  with  a  curse; 
Ko  the  conscientious  observation  of  the  sab- 
bath, brings  all  manner  of  blessings  with 
it.  These  arc  the  arguments  to  induce  sab- 
bath-sanctification.  And  so  I  have  divided 
the  commandment  into  its  several  parts  and 
explained  the  sense  of  it. 

The  thing  I  would  haA'e  you  observe  is, 
That  this  commatidmont  about  keeping  the 
sabbath  was  not  abrogated  whh  the  cere- 
monial law,  but  it  is  purely  moral,  and  the 
observation  of  the  sabbath  is  to  be  continued 
to  the  end  of  the  world.  Where  can  we 
shew  that  God  hath  given  us  a  discharge 
from  keeping  one  day  in  seven  ?  So  that  I 
say,  this  fourth  commandment  is  moral, 
and  obligcth  Christians  to  the  perpetual 
commemoration  and  sanctification  of  the 
sabbath. 

Qi'EST.  1V/n/  God  hath  appointed  a  sab- 
hath  ? 

Ans,  \.   In  respect  of  himself.     It  is  re- 


quisite that  God  should  reserve  one  day  in 
seven  for  his  own  immediate  service,  liiat 
hereby  he  might  ])e  acknowledged  to  })e  the 
Great  Plenipotentiary  or  Sovereign  Lord, 
who  liath  ])ower  over  us  both  to  command 
worshij),  and  appoint  the  time  when  he  will  \\ 
be  M'orshipped. 

2.  In  respect  of  us.  The  sabbath-day 
makes  for  our  interest, — it  promotes  holi- 
ness in  us  ;  the  business  on  the  week-day 
makes  us  too  forgetful  of  (iod  and  (mu-  soids, 
— the  sabbath  brings  God  into  oiu-  remem- 
brance. When  the  dust  of  the  Avorld  falling 
hath  clogged  the  wheels  of  our  affections 
that  they  would  scarce  move  towards  God, 
the  sabbath  comes,  and  oils  the  wheels  of 
our  affections,  and  now  tlu-y  move  swiftly 
in  religion,  therefore  God  hath  aj)])ointed 
a  sabbath  to  ripen  our  holiness.  On  this 
day  the  thoughts  contemplate  heaven, — the 
tongue  speaks  of  God,  and  is  as  th.e  pen  of  a 
ready  writer, — now  the  eyes  drop  tears, — 
now  the  soul  burns  in  love.  When  the 
heart  Avas  all  the  week  frozen,  now  on  the 
sabbath  it  is  melted  with  the  word.  The 
sabbath  is  a  friend  to  religion, — it  files  off 
the  rust  of  our  graces,  it  is  a  s])iritual  jubi- 
lee, wherein  the  soul  is  set  to  converse  with 
its  Maker. 

I  should  in  the  next  jdace,  show  you  tlie 
modus,  or  manner  liow  we  sliould  keep  the 
sabbath-day  holy.  But  before  I  come  to 
that,  I  shall  propound  a  great  question,  viz. 

Quest.  Hotv  comes  it  to  puss  that  ice  do 
not  keep  the  sevcnth-dai/  sah/xith,  as  it  was  in 
the  primitive  institution,  but  have  changed  it 
to  another  day  ? 

Ans.  The  old  seventh-day  sabbath  (whicli 
was  the  Jewish  sabbath)  is  abrogated,  and 
in  the  room  of  it  the  first  day  of  the  Aveek 
(which  is  the  Christian  sabbath)  succeeds. 
The  morality  or  substance  of  the  fourth 
commandment  doth  not  lie  in  keeping  the 
seventh  day  precisely,  but  in  keeping  one 
day  in  seven,  which  God  hath  apj)<)inted. 

Quest.  But  how  comes  thejirst  day  iu  the 
week  to  be  substituted  in  the  room  of  the  se- 
venth day  ? 

Ans.  Not  by  ecclesiastic  authority.  Tho 
church  (saith  Mr.  Perkins)  hath  no  power 
to  ordain  a  sabbath.     But, 

1.  The  change  of  the  sabbath  from  tlie 
last  day  of  the  week  to  the   first,  was   by 


OF  THE  FOURTH  COMMANDMENT. 


277 


Christ's  own  appointment.  Christ  is  "  Lord 
of  tlie  sabbath,"  Mark  ii.  28.  And  who 
shall  appoint  a  day  but  he  wlio  is  Lord  of 
it?  He  made  this  day,  Ps.  cxviii.  24., 
"  This  is  tbc  day  which  the  Lord  hath 
madt'."  Arnobius,  and  the  cnrrcnt  of  ex- 
positors, uiulerstand  it  of  our  Christian  sab- 
bath, and  it  is  called  the  "  Lords  day," 
Rev.  i.  10.  As  it  is  called  the  "  Lord's 
supper,"  because  of  the  Lord's  institutin*;^  the 
bread  and  wine,  and  setting  it  apart  from  a 
common  to  a  more  special  and  sacred  use : 
so  it  is  called  the  Lord's  day,  l>ecause  of  the 
Lord's  insntuting  it,  and  setting  it  aj)art 
from  common  days  to  his  special  worship 
and  service.  Christ  arose  on  the  fust  day 
of  the  week  out  of  the  grave,  and  appeared 
twice  on  this  day  to  his  disciples,  John  xx. 
19,  26.,  which  was  to  intimate  to  the  dis- 
ciples (say  Austin  and  Athanasius)  that  he 
transferred,  the  Jewish  sabbath  to  the  Lord's 
day. 

2.  The  keeping  of  the  first  day  (which 
is  the  Lord's  day)  was  the  practice  of  the 
apost'es,  I  Cor.  xvi.  2.  Acts  xx.  7.,  "  On 
the  first  day  of  the  week,  when  tlie  disci- 
ples came  together  to  break  bread,  Paul 
preached  unto  them."  Here  was  both 
preaching  and  breaking  of  bread  on  this 
day.  Austin,  and  Inocentius,  and  Isidore, 
make  the  keeping  of  our  gospel-sabbath  to 
be  an  apostolical  sanction,  and  affirm,  that 
by  virtue  of  the  apostles'  practice,  this 
Lord's  day  is  to  be  sequestei'ed  and  set  apart 
for  divine  worship.  What  the  apostles  did. 
they  did  it  by  divine  authority,  for  they 
were  inspired  by  the  Holy  Ghost. 

3.  Besides,  the  primitive  church  had  the 
Lord's  day — which  we  now  celebrate — in 
high  estimation  :  it  was  a  great  badge  of 
their  religion  to  observe  this  day.  Igna- 
tius the  most  ancient  father,  who  lived  in 
the  time  of  St.  John  the  apostle,  hath  these 
words,  "  Let  every  one  that  loveth  Christ, 
keep  holy  the  first  day  of  the  week,  the 
Lord's  day."  This  day  hath  been  observ- 
ed by  the  church  of  Christ,  above  sixteen 
hundred  years,  as  learned  Bucer  notes. 
Thus  you  see  how  the  seventh-day  sab- 
bath comes  to  be  chanjred  to  the  first-dav 
sabbath. 

Now  there  is  a  grand  reason  for  chang- 
ing of  the  Jewish   sabbath   to   the   Lord's 


day,  because  this  puts  us  in  mind  of  tlie 
"  Mystery  of  our  redemption  by  Christ." 
The  reason  why  God  did  institute  the  old 
sabbath  was,  because  God  would  have  it 
kept  as  a  memorial  of  the  creation;  but 
the  Lord  hath  now  brought  the  first  day  of 
the  week  in  the  room  of  it,  in  memory  of  a 
more  glorious  work  than  creation,  and  that 
is  redemj)tion. 

Great  was  the  work  of  creation,  but 
greater  was  the  work  of  redem|)tion.  As 
it  was  said,  Hag.  ii.  9.,  "  The  glory  of  the 
second  temple  was  greater  than  the  glory 
of  the  first  temple  :  so  the  glory  of  the  re- 
demption was  greater  than  the  glory  of  the 
creation.  Great  wisdom  was  seen  in  the 
curious  making  us, — but  more  miraculous 
wisdom  in  saving  us.  Great  power  was 
seen  in  bringing  us  out  of  nothing, — but 
greater  power  in  helping  us  when  we  were 
worse  than  nothing.  It  cost  more  to  re- 
deem us  than  to  create  us.  In  the  creation 
there  was  but  '  speaking  a  word,'  Ps. 
cxlviii.  5. ;  in  the  redeeming  us,  there  was 
shedding  of  blood,  1  Pet.  i.  19.  The  crea- 
tion was  the  work  of  God's  fingers,  Ps.  viii. 
3. ;  redemption  was  the  work  of  his  arm, 
Luke  i.  5.  In  the  creation,  God  gave  us 
ourselves;  in  the  redemption,  he  gave  us 
himself.  By  creation,  we  have  a  life  in 
Adam;  by  redemption,  we  have  a  life  in 
Christ,  Col.  iii.  3.  By  creation,  we  liad  a 
right  to  an  earthly  paradise  ;  by  redemp- 
tion, we  have  a  title  to  an  heavenly  king- 
dom. So  that  well  Christ  might  change 
the  seventh  day  of  t!ie  week  into  the  first, 
because  this  day  puts  us  in  mind  of  our 
redemption,  which  is  a  more  glorious  work 
than  tlie  creation. 

Use.  The  use  I  shall  make,  is,  that  we 
should  have  this  Christian  sabbath  we  now 
celebrate  in  high  veneration.  The  Jews 
called  the  sabbath,  "  The  desire  of  days, 
and  the  Queen  of  davs  ;"  it  is  a  day  of 
sweet  rest.  This  day  we  must  call  a  "  de- 
light, the  holy  of  the  Lord,  honourable," 
Isa.  I  viii.  13.  'Metal  that  hath  the  king's 
stamp  upon  it  is  honourable,  and  of  great 
value.  God  hath  set  his  royal  stamp  upon 
the  sabbath;  it  is  the  sabbath  of  the  Lord, 
this  makes  it  honourable.  This  day  we 
should  look  upon  as  the  best  day  in  the 
week.     What   the   Pluenix   is  among    the 


27S 


OF  THE  FOURTH  COMMANDMENT. 


birds, — what  the  sun  is  among  the  planets, 
— tliat  the  Lord's  day  is  among  otliei"  days. 
"This  is  the  day  which  the  Lord  liatli 
made,"  Ps.  cxviii.  24.  God  hath  made  all 
the  days,  but  he  hath  blessed  this.  As  Ja- 
cob got  the  blessing  from  his  brother,  so 
tlie  sabbath  got  the  blessing  from  all  the  o- 
ther  days  in  the  week.  The  sabb.ath  is  a 
day  in  which  we  converse  in  a  special  man- 
ner with  God.  Tlie  Jews  called  the  sab- 
bath "a  day  of  light;"  on  this  day  the 
Sun  of  Righteousness  shines  upon  the  soul. 
The  sabbath  is  the  market-day  of  the  soul, 
— the  cream  of  time;  this  is  the  day  of 
Christ's  rising  out  of  the  grave,  and  the 
Holy  Ghost's  descending  upon  the  earth; 
this  day  is  perfumed  with  the  sweet  odour 
of  prayer,  A\'hich  goes  up  to  heaven  as  in- 
cense ;  this  day  the  manna  falls,  that  angels' 
food;  this  is  the  soul's  festival-day;  on  this 
day  the  graces  act  their  part ;  the  other 
days  of  the  week  are  most  employed  about 
earth,  this  day  about  heaven,— then  you 
gather  straw,  n(»w  jjcarl.  Now  Christ  takes 
the  tJoul  nj)  into  tlie  mount,  and  gives  it  trans- 
figuring sights  of  glory  ;  now  Christ  leads 
his  spouse  into  the  wine-cellar,  and  dis- 
plays tlie  banner  ol"  his  love;   now  he  gives 


her  his  spiced  wine,  and  the  juice  of  the 
pomegranate.  Cant.  ii.  8.  The  Lord  doth 
usually  reveal  himself  more  to  the  soul  on 
this  day.  The  apostle  John  "  was  in  the 
Spirit  on  the  Lord's  day,"  Rev.  i.  10.; 
he  was  canied  up  in  divine  raptures  towards 
heaven.  This  day  a  Christian  is  in  the  al- 
titudes,— he  walks  with  God,  and  takes  as 
it  were  a  turn  with  him  in  heaven,  1  John 
i.  3.  On  this  day  holy  affections  are 
quickened, — the  stock  of  grace  is  improved, 
— corruptions  are  weakened ;  on  this  day 
Satan  falls  like  lightning  before  the  majes- 
ty of  the  word.  Christ  wrought  most  of 
his  miracles  upon  the  sabbath  :  so  he  doth 
now ;  the  dead  soul  is  raised,  the  heart 
of  stone  is  made  flesh.  How  should  this 
day  be  highly  esteemed,  and  had  in  reve- 
rence ?  This  day  is  more  precious  than 
rubies ;  God  hath  anointed  this  day  with 
the  oil  of  gladness  above  its  fellows.  On 
the  sabbath  we  are  doing  angels'  work,  our 
tongues  are  tuned  to  God's  praises.  This 
sabbath  on  earth  is  a  shadow  and  type  of 
that  glorious  rest  and  eternal  sabbath  we 
hope  for  in  heaven,  when  God  shall  be  the 
temple,  and  the  Lamb  shall  be  the  light  f)f 
it.  Rev.  xxi.  22,  23. 


^■V*%'%^^%* 


*'*.'»^*^'*%*%^^'%  ^^^^-^-^^.^^-fc^^*.* 


Exon.  XX.  9,  10.  Six  daj/s  sliolt  than  lahour  and  do  all  thy  xcork  :  but  the  sevcntli  day  is  the 
sabbath  of  the  Lord  thy  God,  in  it  thou  shalt  do  no  manner  oftcork,  §"c. 


"SIX  d.iys  shalt  tliou  hil><»ur."  God 
would  not  have  any  live  out  of  a  calliiig; 
religion  seals  no  \\'arrant  for  idleness.  'Tis 
as  well  a  duty  to  labour  six  days  as  to  ke(  p 
holy  rest  on  the  sevcnt!)  (i;iy  :  "  Six  days 
shalt  thou  labour."  2  The'ss.  iii.  11,  12., 
"  We  hear  there  are  some  among  you,  who 
walk  disorderly,  working  not  at  all.  Now, 
them  that  are  such,  Ave  command  and  ex- 
hort by  our  Lord  Jesus,  tliat  with  (luietness 
they  work,  and  eat  their  own  bread."  A 
Christian  must  not  only  mind  heaven,  l)ut 
his  calling.  While  the  jiilot  hath  his  eve 
to  the  star,  he  hath  his  hand  to  the  helm. 
Without  labour  the  pillars  of  a  common- 
wealth will  dissolve,  and  the  earth  will  be 
like  the  sluggard's  field,  (»ver-run  with  bri- 
ars, Prov.  xxiv.  3L     Adam  in  innocency, 


though  he  was  the  monarch  of  the  world, 
vet  God  would  not  have  him  idle,  but  he 
must  dress  and  till  the  ground,  Gen.  ii.  15. 
I'ietv  doth  not  exclude  industrv.  "  Six 
days  shalt  thou  labour."  Standing  water 
])utrifies.  The  inanimate  creatures  are  in 
motion, — the  sun  goes  its  circuit,  the  foun- 
tain runs,  the  lire  sj)arkles  :  and  animate 
creatures, — Solomon  sends  us  to  the  ant 
and  pismire  to  harn  labour,  Prov.  vi.  6., 
chap.  XXX.  25.  The  bee  is  the  emblem  of  in- 
dustry ;  some  of  the  bees  trim  the  honey,  o- 
thers  work  the  wax,  others  frame  the  comb, 
others  lie  sentinel  at  the  door  of  the  hive  to 
keep  out  the  drone.  And  shall  not  man  much 
more  inure  himself  to  labour  ?  That  law  in 
paradise  was  never  yet  repealed,  "  In  the 
sweat  of  thy  face  shalt  thou  eat  bread,"  Gen. 


OF  THE  FOURTH  COMMANDMENT. 


27!/ 


iii.  19.  Such  professors  arc  to  be  disliked  wlio 
talk  of  living  by  faith  but  live  out  of  a  call- 
ing; they  me  like  the  lilies  which  toil  not 
neither  do  they  spin,  ISIat.  vi.  28.  'Tis  a 
speech  of  holy  und  learned  IMr.  Perkins, 
"  Let  a  niiin  Ic  endowed  with  excellent 
gifts,  and  lu'ar  the  word  with  reverence, 
and  receive  the  ssacrament,  yet  if  he  jiractise 
not  the  duties  of  his  calling,  all  is  but  hy- 
pocrisy." What  is  an  idle  person  good  for  ? 
What  benefit  is  there  of  a  ship  that  lies  al- 
ways on  the  shore,  or  of  armour  that  hangs 
up  and  rusts?  To  live  out  of  a  calling, 
exposeth  a  person  to  temptation.  jNIe- 
lancthon  calls  idleness  the  devil's  bath,  be- 
cause he  bathes  himself  with  delight  in  an 
idle  soul.  We  do  not  use  to  sow  seed  in 
ground  when  it  lies  fallow;  but  Satan  sows 
most  of  his  seed  of  tem])tation  in  such  p»er- 
sons  as  lie  fallow,  and  are  out  of  a  calling. 
Idleness  is  the  nurse  of  vice.  Seneca,  an 
old  heathen,  coujd  say,  Xu//us  milii  per  otium 
dies  txit^ — '  No  day  ])asseth  me  without 
some  labour.'  An  idle  person  stands  for  a 
cipher  in  the  world,  and  (iod  writes  down 
no  ciphers  in  the  book  of  life.  We  read  in 
scripture  of  eating  the  "bread  of  idleness," 
Prov.  xxxi.  27.,  and  drinking  the  "  wine 
of  violence,"  Prov.  iv.  17.  It  is  as  well  a 
sin  "  to  eat  the  bread  of  idleness,"  as  to 
"  drink  the  wine  of  violence."  An  idle 
person  can  give  no  account  of  his  time. 
Time  is  a  talent  to  trade  with,  both  in  our 
])articular  and  general  calling :  the  sloth- 
ful person  "  hides  his  talent  in  the  earth," 
— he  doth  no  good, — his  time  is  not  lived 
but  lost ;  an  idle  person  lives  unprofitably, 
— he  cumbers  the  ground  ;  God  calls  the 
slothful  servant  "  w  icked,"  Mat,  xxv.  2(5., 
"  Thou  wicked  and  slothful  seivant."  Dra- 
co, whose  laws  were  written  in  blood,  de- 
prived them  of  their  life  \\\\o  would  not 
work  for  their  living.  In  Ilelruria,  they 
caused  such  persons  to  be  banished.  Idle 
persons  live  in  the  breach  of  this  command- 
ment, "  Six  days  shalt  thou  labour."  Let 
them  take  heed  they  be  not  banished  hea- 
ven. A  man  may  as  well  go  to  hell  for 
not  working  in  his  calling,  as  for  not  be- 
lieving.    So  I  pass  to  the  next, 

"  llul  (liii  seventh  day  is  tin:  snhbath  (f  the 
Lord  thy  God,  in  it  thou  shidt  do  no  manner 
of  work" 


Having  spoken  already  of  the  reasons  of 
sanctifying  the  sabbath,  I  come  now  to  that 
question. 

Quest.  In  what  manner  we  are  to  sanc- 
tify the  snhbath  ? 

Ans.  1.  Ncffativelv.  We  mtist  do  no 
work  in  it ;  that  is  expressed  in  the  com- 
mandment, "  In  it  thou  shalt  do  no  man- 
ner of  work."  God  hath  enclosed  this  day 
for  himself,  therefore  we  arc  not  to  lay  it 
common  by  doing  any  civil  work.  As  A- 
braham,  when  he  went  to  sacrifice,  left  his 
servants  and  the  ass  at  the  bottom  of  the 
hill,  Gen.  xxii.  5.,  so,  when  we  are  to  wor- 
ship God  this  day,  we  must  leave  all  world- 
ly business  behind, — leave  the  ass  at  the 
bottom  of  the  hill.  And  as  Joseph,  when 
he  would  speak  with  his  brethren,  thrust 
out  the  Egyptians,  so,  when  we  would  con- 
verse with  Ciod  this  day,  we  must  thrust 
out  all  earthly  employments.  The  Lord's 
day  is  a  day  of  holy  rest ;  all  secular  work 
must  be  forborne  and  suspended,  it  is  a  pro- 
faning the  day,  Neh.  xiii.  15,  17.,  "  In 
those  days  saw  I  in  Judah  some  treading 
wine-presses  on  the  sabbath,  and  bringing 
in  sheaves,  as  also  wine-grapes  and  ligs, 
and  all  maimer  of  burdens  which  they 
brought  into  Jerusalem  on  the  sabbath-day; 
and  I  testified  against  them.  Then  I  con- 
tended \\\\\\  the  nobles  of  Judah,  and  said 
to  them,  '  What  evil  thing  is  this  that  ye 
do,  and  profane  the  sabbath-day  ?'  "  It  is 
sacrilege  to  rob  that  time  for  civil  work 
which  God  hath  dedicated  and  set  apart 
for  his  worsliij),  lie  that  converts  any 
time  of  the  sab  ath  for  Avorldly  business, 
is  a  worse  thief  than  he  who  robs  on  the 
highway ;  for  such  a  thief  does  but  rob 
II  an,  but  this  thief  robs  God,  he  robs  him 
of  his  day.  The  Lord  forbade  manna  to 
be  gathered  on  the  sabbath,  Exod.  xvi. 
One  would  think  that  might  have  been  dis- 
pensed with,  for  manna  was  the  '  staff  of 
their  life  ;'  and  the  time  when  manna  fell 
was  early,  between  five  and  six  in  the 
morning  ;  so  that  they  might  have  gather- 
ed it  betimes,  and  all  the  rest  of  (he  sab- 
bath they  might  have  emjdoyed  in  God's 
worship ;  and  besides,  they  needed  not  to 
have  taken  any  great  journey  for  manna, 
for  it  wa-s  but  stepping  out  of  their  doors, 
and  it  fell  about  their  tents ;  yet  they  might 


280 


OF  THE  FOURTH  COMMANDMENT. 


not  gatlicr  manna  on  the  sabbath  ;  and  but 
for  parj)osing  to  gather  it,  God  was  very 
angrv,  Exod.  xvi.  27,  28.,  "  There  went 
out  some  of  tlie  people  on  the  seventli  day 
to  gatlier,  and  they  found  none  :  and  the 
Lord  said,  '  How  h)ng  refuse  ye  to  keep 
my  commandments  and  my  laws  ?'  "  Sure- 
ly the  anointing  Christ  when  he  was  dead, 
was  a  commendable  work  ;  but  Mary  Mag- 
dalene, and  Mary  the  mother  of  James, 
though  they  had  prepared  sweet  ointments 
to  anoint  the  dead  body  of  Christ,  yet  they 
came  not  to  the  sepulchre  to  embalm  him, 
till  the  sabbath  was  past,  Luke  xxiii.  56., 
"  They  rested  on  the  sabbath-day  accord- 
ing to  the  commandment."  The  hand  can- 
not be  busied  on  the  Lord's  day,  but  the 
heart  will  be  defiled.  The  very  heathens, 
by  the  light  of  nature,  would  not  do  any 
secular  work,  in  that  time  which  they  had 
sot  apart  for  the  worship  of  their  false  gods. 
Clemens  Alexandriuus  reports  of  one  of  the 
emperors  of  Rome,  that  on  the  day  of  set 
worshij)  for  his  gods,  he  did  forbear  war- 
like affairs,  and  did  spend  that  time  in  his 
de^'otion.  To  do  scr\'ile  work  on  the  sab- 
bath, shews  an  irreligious  heart,  and  high- 
ly affronts  God ;  to  work  servile  work  on 
this  day,  is  to  follow  the  devil's  plough,  it 
is  to  debase  the  soul.  God  hath  made  this 
day  on  purpose  to  raise  the  heart  up  to  hea- 
ven, to  converse  with  God,  to  do  angel's 
work  ;  and  to  be  emj)loyed  in  earthly  work, 
is  to  degrade  the  soul  of  its  honour.  God 
will  not  have  his  day  intrenched  upon,  or 
defiled  in  the  least  thing;  tlie  man  that 
gathered  sticks  on  the  sabbath,  God  would 
have  him  stoned,  Numb.  xv.  One  would 
think  it  a  small  thing  to  pick  up  a  ^c\v 
sticks  to  make  a  fire,  but  (u>d  would  not 
have  this  day  violated  in  the  smallest  mat- 
ters. Nay,  that  work  which  had  a  refer- 
ence to  a  religious  use,  might  not  be  done 
on  the  sabbath,  as  the  hewing  of  stones  for 
the  building  of  the  sanctuary :  Bezaleel, 
who  was  to  cut  the  stones,  and  carve  the 
timber  out  for  the  sanctuary,  yet  he  must 
forbear  it  on  the  sabbath,  Exod.  xxxi.  15. 
A  temple  is  the  place  of  God's  worship, 
but  it  were  a  sin  to  build  a  temple  on  the 
Lord's  day.  This  is  keeping  the  sabbath- 
day  holy  negatively,  in  doing  no  servile 
work.     Yet  caution  :   not  but  that  works 


]  of  necessity  and  charity  may  be  done  on 
this  day, — God,  in  these  cases,  will  have 
mercy  and  not  sacrifice.  L  'Tis  lawful  to 
take  the  necessary  recruits  of  nature  ;  food 
is  to  the  body,  as  oil  to  the  lamj).  2.  'Tis 
lawful  to  do  works  of  mercy,  as  helping 
our  neighbour  when  either  life  or  estate  arc 
in  danger.  Herein  the  Jews  were  too  nice 
and  precise,  they  would  not  suffer  works  ol 
charity  to  be  done  on  the  sabbath  ;  if  a  man 
were  sick,  they  thought  on  this  day  they 
might  not  use  means  for  his  recovery. 
Christ  chargeth  them  with  tliis,  that  they 
were  angry  that  he  had  wrought  a  cure  on 
the  sabbath,  John  vii.  23.  If  an  house  were 
on  fire,  the  Jews  thought  they  might  not 
bring  water  to  quench  it ;  if  a  vessel  did 
run,  they  thought  that  on  this  day  tliey 
might  not  stop  it.  These  were  '  righteous 
overmuch  ;'  here  was  seeming  zeal,  but  it 
wanted  discretion  to  guide  it.  But  unless 
in  these  two  cases  of  necessity  and  charity, 
all  secular  work  is  to  be  suspended  and 
laid  aside  on  the  Lord's  day  :  "  In  it  thou 
shalt  do  no  manner  of  work."  Which  just- 
ly doth  arraign  and  condemn  many  among 
us  who  do  too  much  foul  their  fingers  with 
work  on  that  day, — some  dressing  great 
feasts, — others  in  opening  their  shop-doors, 
and  selling  meat  on  the  sabbath,  which  I 
have  seen.  The  mariner  will  not  set  to  sea 
but  on  the  sabbath,  and  so  runs  lull-sail 
into  the  breach  of  this  commandment.  O- 
thers  work  on  this  day  though  ])i  irately  ; 
they  put  up  their  shop-windows,  but  fol- 
low their  trade  within  doors  ;  but  though 
they  think  to  hide  their  sin  under  a  cano- 
py, God  sees  it,  Ps.  cxxxix.  7.,  "  Whither 
shall  I  flee  from  thy  presence  ?"  ver.  12., 
"  The  darkness  hideth  not  from  lliec." 
These  persons  do  ju'ofane  this  day,  and 
God  will  have  an  action  of  trespass  against 
them. 

A.  2.  Positively.  We  keep  the  sabbath-day 
holy,  by  "  consecrating  and  (Icdicating"  this 
day  to  the  "  service  ot  the  high  (iod."  'Tis 
good  to  rest  on  the  sabhalh-day  iVom  the 
works  of  our  calling  ;  but  if  we  rest  from  la- 
bour and  do  no  more,  the  ox  and  the  ass  keep 
the  sabbath  as  well  as  we,  for  they  rest  from 
labour.  We  must  dedicate  the  day  to  (i«id  ; 
we  must  not  only  "  keep  a  sab))ath,"  but 
"  sancliry"  a  sabbatn.     Tiiis  sabbath-sane- 


OF  THE  FOURTH  COMMANDMENT. 


281 


tification  consists  in  two  things:   l^^.  The  [  at  the  approach  of  it?  That  day  on  wliich 


Koleinn  [)reparation  for  it.     2d.  The  sacred 
observation  of  it. 

1.  The  solemn  preparation  for  it.  If  a 
pi'ince  were  to  come  to  your  house,  what 
pre|!aratiou  would  you  make  for  his  enter- 
faininoiit, — ^sweep  the  house,  wasli  the  floor, 
iulorn  the  room  with  the  richest  tapestry  and 
hanging^s,  that  there  might  be  something 
Kuitable  to  the  state  and  dignity  of  so  great 
a  person  ?  On  the  blessed  sabbath,  God 
intends  to  have  sweet  communion  with 
you ;  he  seems  to  say  to  you,  as  Christ  to 
Zacchcus,  Luke  xix.  5.,  "  Make  haste  and 
come  down,  lor  this  day  I  must  abide  at  thy 
house."  Now,  what  preparation  should 
you  make  fi)r  entertaining  this  King  of 
glory  ?  Now  this  prej)aration  for  the  sabbath 
is  First,  When  the  evening  of  the  Saturday 
approacheth,  sound  a  retreat ;  call  your 
minds  off  Irom  the  world  and  summon  your 
thoughts  together,  to  think  of  the  great 
work  of  the  day  approaching.  Secondly, 
Purge  out  all  unclean  affections  which  may 
indispose  you  for  the  work  of  the  sabbath. 
Evening-preparation  will  be  like  the  tun- 
ing of  the  instrument,  it  will  fit  the  heart 
the  better  for  the  duties  of  the  ensuing  sab- 
bath. 

'  2.  The  sacred  observation  of  it ;  touching 
which  these  things  are  to  be  practised  :  (1.) 
Rejoice  at  the  approach  of  this  day,  as  be- 
ing a  day  wherein  we  have  a  ])rize  for  our 
Boids,  and  enjoy  much  of  God's  presence, 
John  viii  56.,  Abraham  saw  my  day,  and 
rejoiced.  So,  when  we  see  the  light  of  a 
sabbath  shine,  we  should  rejoice,  Isa.  Iviii. 
13.,  ''  Thou  slialt  call  the  sabbath  a  de- 
light ;"  this  is  the  queen  of  days,  which  God 
bath  crowned  with  a  blessing.  As  there 
was  one  day  in  the  week  on  which  God  did 
vain  manna  twice  as  much  as  upon  any 
other  day,  so  God  rains  down  the  manna  of 
heavenly  blessings  twice  as  much  on  the 
sabbath  as  on  any  other.  This  is  the  day 
v\hcrein  Christ  carries  the  soul  into  the 
house  of  wine,  and  displays  the  banner  of 
love  over  it ;  now  the  dew  of  the  Si)irit  falls 
on  the  soul,  whereby  it  is  revived  and  com- 
forted. How  many  may  write  the  Lord's 
day,  tiie  day  of  their  new  birth  !  This  day 
of  rest  is  a  pledge  and  earnest  of  that  eter- 
nal rest  in  heaven;  and  shall  not  we  rejoice 


the  Sun  of  Righteousness  shines,  should  bo 
a  day  of  gladness. 

(2.)  Get  up  betimes  on  the  sabbath-mor- 
ning. Christ  rose  early  on  this  day  before 
the  sun  was  up,  John  xx.  \.  Did  Christ 
rise  early  to  save  us,  and  shall  not  we  rise 
early  to  worship  and  glorify  him?  Ps.  Ixiii. 
L,  "  Early  will  I  seek  thee."  Can  we  be  up 
betimes  on  other  days?  The  husbandman 
is  early  at  his  plough, — the  traveller  riseth 
early  to  go  his  journey, — and  shall  not  wo 
when  we  are  on  tliis  day  travelling  to  hea- 
ven ?  Certainly  did  we  love  God  as  we 
should,  we  would  rise  on  this  day  betimes, 
that  we  may  meet  with  him  whom  our  soul 
loveth.  Such  as  sit  up  late  at  work  on  the 
night  before,  will  be  so  buried  in  slecj)  that 
they  will  hardly  be  up  betimes  on  a  sabbath- 


mornuig. 


(3.)  Having  dressed  our  bodies,  we  must 
dress  our  souls  for  the  hearing  of  the  word. 
As  the  peoj»le  of  Israel  were  to  wash  them- 
selves before  the  law  was  delivered  to  them, 
Exod.  xix.  10.,  so  we  must  wash  and  cleanse 
our  souls,  and  that  is,  by  reading,  medita- 
tion and  prayer, 

I.  By  reading  the  word.  The  word  is  a 
great  means  to  sanctify  the  heart,  and  bring 
it  into  a  sabbath-frame,  John  xvii.  17., 
"  Sanctify  them  through  thy  truth,"  &c. 
And  read  the  word  not  carelessly,  but  with 
seriousness  and  affection  ;  it  is  the  oracle  of 
heaven, — the  well  of  salvation, — the  book 
of  life.  David,  for  the  preciousncss  of 
God's  word,  esteemed  it  above  gold  ;  and 
for  the  sweetness,  above  lioney,  Ps.  xix.  10. 
By  reading  the  word  aright,  our  hearts, 
when  they  aie  dull,  are  quickened, — when 
they  are  hard,  are  mollified, — when  cold 
and  frozen,  tare  inflamed  ;  and  we  can  say 
as  the  disciples,  "  Did  not  our  hearts  burn 
within  us  ?"  Some  step  out  of  their  bed  to 
hearing.  The  rejison  why  many  get  no  more 
good  on  a  sabbath  by  the  word  j)rcaclied, 
is  because  they  did  not  breakfast  with  (iod 
in  the  morning  by  reading  <»f  iiis  word. 

II.  Meditation.  Get  upon  the  mctunt  ot 
meditation,  and  so  converse  with  God.  Me- 
ditation is  the  soul's  retiring  of  itself,  that, 
by  a  serious  and  solemn  tliinking  upon  (iod, 
the  heart  may  be  raised  up  to  divine  affec- 
tions.— Meditation    is  a   \voik   fit   fur   the 

2N 


28^ 


OF  THE  FOURTH  COMMANDMENT. 


mornins:  of  a  siibbatli.     Meditate  on  four 
things : 

1.  On  the  v/orks  of  creation.  That  is 
expressed  liere  in  tlie  commandment,  "  Tlie 
Lord  made  iicaven  and  earth,  the  sea,"  &c. 
The  creation  is  a  looking-glass  in  which  we 
see  tlie  wisdom  and  power  of  God  gloriously 
represented.  God  produced  this  fair  struc- 
ture of  the  world  ^v'ithout  any  prc-exi stent 
matter,  and  with  a  word,  Ps.  xxxiii.  6., 
"  By  the  word  of  the  Lord  were  the  heavens 
made."  Tlie  disciples  wondered  that  Christ 
could  with  a  word  calm  the  sea,  Mat.  viii. 
26. ;  but  it  was  far  more  with  a  word  to 
make  the  sea.  Let  us  on  a  sabbath  medi- 
tate on  the  iufiniteness  of  our  Creator.  Look 
up  to  the  lirmameiit,  there  we  may  see 
"  God's  wonders  in  the  deep,"  Ps.  cvii.  24. 
Look  into  the  earth,  there  we  may  behold 
the  nature  of  minerals,  the  power  of  the 
loadstone,  the  virtue  of  herbs,  the  beauty  of 
flowers.  By  meditating  on  these  works  of 
creation,  so  curiously  embroidered,  we  come 
to  admire  God  and  praise  him,  Ps.  civ.  24., 
"  O  Lord,  how  manifold  are  thy  works,  in 
wisdom  hast  thou  made  them  all  !'  By 
meditating  on  the  works  of  creation,  we 
come  to  confide  in  God.  lie  who  can  cre- 
ate, can  provide ;  he  that  could  make  us 
when  we  were  nothing,  he  can  raise  us  when 
we  are  low  ;  Ps.  cxxiv.  8.,  "  Our  help  stands 
in  the  name  of  the  Lord  who  made  heaven 
and  earth." 

2.  Meditate  on  God's  holiness,  Ps.  cxi.  9., 
"  Holy  and  reverend  is  his  name."     Hab.  i. 

,13.,  "  Thou  art  of  purer  eyes  than  to  behold 
iniquity."  God  is  essentially,  originally, 
and  efficiently  holy  ;  all  the  holiness  in  men 
and  angels  is  but  a  crystal  stream  that  runs 
from  this  glorious  ocean.  God  loves  holi- 
ness because  it  is  his  own  image :  a  king 
cannot  but  love  to  see  his  own  effigies  stamp- 
ed on  coin.  God  counts  holiness  his  glory, 
and  the  most  sparkling  jewel  of  his  crown, 
Exod.  XV.  11.,  "  Glorious  in  holiness."  Here 
is  a  meditation  fit  for  our  first  entrance  in- 
to a  sabbath,  God's  holiness  ;  the  contem- 
plation of  this  would  work  in  us  such  a 
frame  of  heart  as  is  suitable  to  an  holy  God  ; 
it  would  make  us  then  reverence  his  name, 
hallow  his  day  ;  while  we  are  musing  of  the 
holiness  of  God's  nature,  we  begin  to  be 
transformed  into  his  likeness. 


3.  Meditate  on  Christ's  love  in  redeeming 
us,  Rev.  i.  5.  Redemption  exceeds  crea- 
tion ;  the  one  is  a  monument  of  God's  power, 
the  other  of  his  love.  Here  is  fit  work  for 
a  sabbath.  O  the  infinite  stupendous  love 
of  Christ  in  raising  poor  lapsed  creatures 
from  a  state  of  guilt  and  damnation!  (1.) 
That  Christ  who  was  God  should  die, — that 
this  glorious  Sun  of  Righteousness  should 
be  in  an  eclipse, — we  can  never  enough  ad- 
mire this  love,  no,  not  in  heaven.  (2.)  That 
Christ  should  die  for  sinners, — not  sinful 
angels,  but  sinful  mankind.  That  such 
clods  of  earth  and  sin  should  be  made  bright 
stars  of  glory :  O  the  amazing  love  of  Christ ! 
This  was  illustre  amove,  Chrisii  nmemosyni- 
unif  Brugensis.  (3.)  That  Christ  should 
not  only  die  for  sinners,  but  die  as  a  sinner, 
2  Cor.  v.  21.,  "  He  was  made  sin  for  us." 
He  who  was  among  the  glorious  persons  of 
the  Trinity,  "  was  numbered  among  trans- 
gressors," Isa.  liii.  12.  Not  that  he  had 
sin,  but  he  was  like  a  sinner,  having  our 
sins  imputed  to  him.  Sin  did  not  live  in 
him,  but  it  was  laid  upon  him.  Hci  e  a\  as 
an  hyperbole  of  love,  enough  to  strike  us  iulo 
astonishment.  (4.)  That  Christ  should  re- 
deem us,  when  he  could  not  look  to  gain 
any  thing,  or  be  advantaged  at  all  by  us. 
Men  will  not  lay  out  their  money  upon  ])ur- 
chase,  unless  it  will  turn  to  their  ))ro|-it : 
but  what  benefit  could  Christ  expect  in  pur- 
chasing and  redeeming  us  ?  We  were  in  such 
a  condition,  that  we  could  neither  deserve 
nor  recompense  Christ's  love.  First,  We 
could  not  deserve  it ;  for  we  were  in  our 
blood,  Ezek.  xvi.  6.  We  had  no  spiritual 
beauty  to  tempt  Christ.  Nay,  wo  were  not 
only  in  our  blood,  but  we  were  up  in  arms, 
Rom.  V.  8.,  "  When  we  were  yet  sinners, 
Christ  died  for  us  ;"  when  he  was  shedding 
his  blood,  we  were  spitting  out  poison.  Se- 
condly, As  we  could  not  deserve,  so  neither 
could  we  recon)pense  Christ's  love  :  lor,  1. 
After  he  had  died  for  us,  we  could  not  so 
much  as  love  him,  till  he  made  us  lovo 
him,  2.  We  could  give  Christ  nothing  in 
lieu  of  his  love,  Rom.  xi.  35.,  "  Who 
hath  first  given  to  him  ?"  We  were  fallen 
to  poverty.  If  we  have  any  beauty,  it  is 
froi)i  Christ,  Ezek.  xvi.  14.,  "  It  was  per- 
fect through  my  comeliness  which  I  put 
upon  thee."     If  we  bring  forth   any  good 


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283 


fruit,  it  is  not  of  our  own  growth,  it  comes 
from  Christ,   tlic   true   vine,    Hos.  xiv.  8., 
*'  From  me  is  thy  fruit  found."     So  that  it 
was  notliing  but  pure  love  for  Christ  to  hty 
out  his  blood  to  redeem  such  as  he  could 
not  expect  to  be  really  bettered  by.      (5.) 
That  Cln-ist  should  die  so  willingly,   John 
X.  17.,   "  I  lay  down  my  life  "     The  Jews 
could  not  have  taken  it  away,  if  he  had  not 
laid  it  down  ;  he  could  have  called  to  his 
Father  for  a  legion  of  angels  to  be  his  life- 
guard;   but   what  needed   that,    when  his 
Godhead  could  have  defended  him  from  all 
assaults?  But  he  "  laid  down  his  life  ;"  the 
Jews  did  not  so   much   thirst  for  Christ's 
death,  as  he  thirsted  for  our   redemption, 
Luke  xii.  50.,  "  I  have  a  baptism  to  be  bap- 
tized with,  and  how  am  I  straitened  till  it 
be  accomplished  ?"     Christ  called  his  suf- 
ferings a  baptism  :   he  was  to  bs  baptized 
and  sprinkled   with    his    own    blood,    and 
Christ  thought  the  time  long  before  he  suf- 
fered, "  How  am  I  straitened  till  it  be  ac- 
complished."    Therefore  to  shew   Christ's 
willingness  to  die,  his  sufferings  are  called 
*  an  offering,'  Heb.  x.  10.,  "  By  the  offer- 
ing of  the  body  of  Jesus  ;"   his  death  was  a 
free-will-offering.      (6.)  That  Christ  should 
not  grudge  nor  think  much  of  all  his  suf- 
ferings ;  his  being  scourged  and  crucified, 
(we  grudge  him  a  light  service)   but  that 
he  should  be  well  contented  with  what  he 
hath  done ;  and,  if  it  were  to  do  again,  he 
would  do  it,   Isa.  liii.  11.,  "  He  shall  see  of 
the  travail  of  his  soul,  and  be  satisfied."    As 
the  mother,  though  she  hath  hard  labour, 
yet  when  she  sees  a  child  brought  forth,  she 
doth  not  repent  of  her  pangs,  but  is  well 
contented:  so  Christ,  though  he  had  hard 
travail  upon  the  cross,   which  put  him  into 
an  agony,  yet  he  doth  not  think  much, — he 
is  not  troubled,  but  thinks  his  sweat  and 
blood  well  bestowed,  because  he  sees  the 
man-chUd  of  redemption  brought  forth  into 
the  world.     "  He  shall  see  of  the  travail  of 
his  soul,  and  shall  be  satisfied."     (7.)  That 
Christ  should  make  redemption  effectual  to 
some  and  not  to  others  :   here  is  the  quin- 
tessence of  love.     Though  there  is  a  suffi- 
ciency in  Christ's  merit  to  save  all,  yet  only 
some  partake  of  its  saving  virtue ;  all  do  not 
believe.     John  vi.  64.,   "  There  are  some 
of  you  that  believe  not."     Christ  doth  not 


pray   for   all,   John   xvii.  9.    Some  refuse 
Christ,  Ps.  cxviii.  22.,   "  This  is  the  stone 
which  the  builders  refused."     Others  deride 
him,   Luke  xvi.  14.     Others  throw  off  his 
yoke,  Lukexix.  14.,  "  We  will  not  have  this 
man  to  reign  over  us."     So  that  all  have 
not  the  benefit  of  salvation  by  him.     Herb 
in  ai)))ears  the  distinguishing  love  of  Christ, 
that  the  virtue  of  his  death  should  reach 
some  and  not  others,    1  Cor.  i.  26.,  "  Not 
many  wise  men  after  the  llesh,  not  many 
mighty,  not  many  noble  are  called."     That 
Christ  should  pass  by  many  of  birth  and 
parts,  and  that  the  lot  of  free  grace  should 
fall  upon  thee;  that  he  should  sprinkle  his 
blood  upon  thee ;  "  O  tiie  dej)th  of  the  love 
of  Christ !"     (8.)  That  Christ  should  love 
us  with  such  an  entire  transcendant  love. 
The  apostle  calls  it  a  '  Love  which  ])asseth 
knowledge,'  Eph.  iii.  19.     That  he  should 
love  us  more  than  the  angels  ;  he  loves  them 
as  his  friends,  believers  as  his  sj)ouse.     He 
loves  them  with  such  a  kind  of  love  as  God 
the  Father  bears  to  l-.im,  John  xv.  9.,  "  As 
the  Father  hath  loved  me,  so  have  I  loved 
you."     O  what  an  hyperbole  of  love  doth 
Christ  shew  in  redeeming  us  !    (9.)  That 
Christ's  love  in   our   redemption   should   be 
everlasting,  John  xiii.  1.,  "  Having  loved  his 
own,  he  loved  them  to  the  end."    As  Christ's 
love  is  matchless,  so  endless ;  the  flower  of 
Christ's  love  is  sweet,  and  that  which  makes 
it  sweeter,  it  never  dies.     Christ's  love  is 
eternized,  Jer.  xxxi.  3.      lie  will  never  di- 
vorce his  elect  spouse.     The  failings  of  his 
people  cannot  quite  take  off'  his  love  ;  they 
may  ecli|)se  his  love,  not  wholly  remove  it ; 
iheir  lailings  may  make  Christ  angry  v/ith 
them,  but  not  hale  them.  Every  failing  doth 
not  break  the  marriage-knot.  Christ's  love  19 
not  like  the  saints'  love;  sometimes  they  have 
strong  affections  towards  Christ, — at  other 
times  the  hot  fit  is  off,   and  they  can  find 
little  or  no  love  stirrinj;  in  them, — but  it  is 
not  so  with  Christ's  love  to  the  saints,  it  is 
a  love  of  eternity.     When  the  sun-shine  of 
C!:rist's  electing  love  is  once  risen  uj>on  the 
soul,  it  never  sets  finallv.     Death  may  take 
away  our  life  from  us,  but  not  Christ's  love. 
Behold  here  a  rare  sul)iect  in  a  sabbath-mor- 
ning to  meditate  upon  !    The  meditation  of 
Christ's  wonderful    love  in  redeeming  us, 
would  work  in  us  a  sabbath-frame  of  hear 


28* 


OF  THE  FOURTH  COMMANDMENT. 


I'^TTst,  It  would  melt  us  in  tears  for  our 
Rpirituai  unkiiulnesf  es, — that  we  should  sin 
against  so  sweet  a  Saviour,— that  we  should 
be  lio  more  aflectcd  with  his  love,  but  re- 
quite evil  for  good,  like  the  Athenians, 
who,  notwithstanding  all  the  good  ser^^ce 
Aristides  had  done  them,  banished  him  out 
of  their  city, — that  we  should  grieve  Christ 
with  our  pride,  rash  anger,  our  unfruitful - 
ness,  animosities,  strange  factions.  Have 
we  none  to  abuse  but  our  friend  ?  Have 
we  nothing  to  kick  against  but  the  bowels 
of  our  Saviour?  Did  not  Christ  suffer  e- 
nough  upon  the  cross,  but  we  must  needs 
make  him  suffer  more  ?  Do  we  give  him 
more  '  gall  and  vinegar  to  drink  ?'  O  if 
any  thing  can  dissolve  the  heart  in  sorrow, 
and  broach  the  eyes  with  tears,  it  is  disin- 
genuity  and  unkindness  offered  to  Christ  ! 
When  Peter  thought  of  Christ's  love  to 
him,  how  he  had  made  him  an  apostle,  and 
revealed  his  bosom-secrets  to  him,  and  ta- 
ken him  to  the  mount  of  transfiguration, 
and  that  he  should  deny  Christ,  it  broke 
his  heart  with  sorrow;  "  he  went  out  and 
wept  bitterly,"  Mat.  xxvi.  75.  What  a 
blessed  thing  is  it  to  have  the  eyes  drop- 
ping tears  on  a  sabbath !  And  nothing 
would  sooner  fetch  tears,  than  to  meditate 
on  Christ's  love  to  us,  and  our  unkind  re- 
quitals. 

Secondly,  The  meditating  on  a  Lord's 
day  morning  of  Christ's  love  would  kindle 
love  in  our  hearts  to  Christ.  How  can  we 
look  on  Christ's  bleeding  and  dying  for  us, 
and  our  hearts  not  to  be  warmed  with  love 
to  him  ?  Love  is  the  soul  of  religion, — 
the  purest  affection  ;  it  is  not  rivers  of  oil, 
but  sparks  of  love  that  Christ  values.  And 
sure,  as  David  said,  «  While  I  was  musing 
the  fire  burned,"  Ps.  xxxix.  3.,  so,  while  we 
are  musing  of  Christ's  love  in  redeeming 
us,  the  fire  of  our  love  will  burn  towards 
Christ;  and  then  is  a  Christian  in  a  blessed 
sabbath-frame,  when  he  is  like  a  sera])him 
burning  in  love  to  Christ. 

4'.  On  a  sabbath-morning  meditate  on 
the  glory  of  heaven.  Heaven  is  tl»e  extract 
and  quintessence  of  happiness.  It  is  called 
a  kingdom.  Mat.  xxv.  34.  A  kingdom  for 
its  riches  and  magnificence ;  it  is  set  out 
by  "  precious  stones,  gates  of  pearl,"  Rev. 
xxi.     There  is  all  that  is  truly  glorious, — 


transparent  light, — perfect  love, — unstained 
honour, — unmixed  joy :  and  tliat  wliich 
crowns  the  joy  of  the  celestial  ])ara<lise  is 
eternitv.  Suppose  earthly  kingdoms  were 
more  glorious  than  they  are, — their  foun- 
dations of  gold, — their  walls  of  pearl,— 
their  windows  of  sapphire, — yet  they  are 
corruptible :  but  tlio  kingdom  of  heaven 
is  eternal, —  those  rivers  of  pleasure  "  run 
for  evc'rmore,"  Ps.  xvi.  IL  And  that 
wherein  the  essence  of  glory  consists,  and 
makes  heaven  to  be  heaven,  is  the  imme- 
diate sight  and  fruition  of  the  blessed  God, 
Ps.  xvii.  15.,  "  When  I  awake  I  shall  be 
satisfied  with  thy  likeness."  O  think  of 
this  Jerusalem  above  !  This  is  proper  for 
a  sabbath ! 

L  The  meditation  of  heaven  would  raise 
our  hearts  above  the  world.  O  how  would 
these  things  disappear  and  shrink  into  no- 
thing, if  our  minds  were  mounted  above 
the  visible  orbs,  and  we  had  a  prospect  of 
glory  ! 

2.  How  would  the  meditation  of  heaven 
make  us  heavenly  in  our  sabbath-exercises  ! 
It  would  quicken  affection, — it  would  add 
wings  to  devotion, — it  would  make  us  to 
be  "  in  the  Spirit  on  the  Lord's  day,"  Rev. 
i.  10.  How  vigorously  doth  he  serA^e  (iod 
who  hath  a  crown  of  glory  always  in  his 
eye ! 

HI.  We  dress  our  souls  on  a  sabbath- 
morning,  by  prayer.  Mat.  vi.  G,,  "  When 
thou  prayest,  enter  into  thy  closet,"  &c. 
Prayer  sanctifies  a  sabbath. 

1.  The  things  we  should  pray  for  in  the 
morning  of  the  sabbath. — Beg  a  blessing 
upon  the  word  which  is  to  be  preached, — 
that  it  may  be  a  savour  of  life  to  us, — that 
by  it  our  minds  may  be  more  illuminated, 
our  corruj)tions  more  weakened,  our  stock 
of  grace  more  increased  ;  pray  that  God's 
special  presence  may  be  with  us, —  that  our 
hearts  may  burn  within  us  while  God 
speaks  ;  pray  that  we  may  receive  the  word 
into  meek,  humble  hearts,  James  i.  21., — 
that  we  may  submit  to  it,  and  bring  forth 
the  fruits  of  it.  Nor  should  we  only  pray 
for  ourselves,  but  for  others. 

First,  For  him  who  disj)enseth  the  word  : 
that  his  tongue  may  be  touched  with  a  coal 
from  (lod's  altar ;  that  God  would  warm 
his  heart  who  is  to  help   to  warm   others. 


OF  THE   FOURTH  COMMANDMKNT. 
Yonr  prayers  may  be  a  means  to  quicken 


ys5 


the  miiiisttr.  Some  complain,  tliey  find 
not  that  benefit  by  the  word  preached : 
perlia|>s  tliey  did  not  ju-ay  for  their  minis- 
ter as  they  slionid.  Prayer  is  like  the  wliet- 
ting  and  sharpening  of  an  instrument, 
which  njakes  it  cut  the  better. 

Secondly,  Pray  with  and  for  your  fami- 
ly ;  ye;i,  pray  for  all  the  congregations  that 
meet  this  day  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord, — tltat 
the  (low  of  the  Sjnrit  may  fall  with  the 
manna  of  the  word, — that  some  souls  may 
be  converted,  and  others  strengthened, — 
and  that  gospel-ordinances  may  be  conti- 
nued, and  have  no  restraint  put  upon  them. 
These  are  the  things  we  should  pray  for. 
The  tree  of  mercy  will  not  drop  its  fruit 
unless  it  be  shaken  by  the  hand  of  ])raycr. 

2.  The  manner  of  our  prayer.  It  is  not 
enough  to  say  a  prayer;  to  pray  in  a  dull, 
cold  manner,  which  teacheth  Cod  to  deny; 
•jut  we  must  pray  with  reverence,  humility, 
\ervency,  hope  in  God's  mercy,  Luke  xxii. 
44.  Christ  prayed  more  earnestly.  And 
that  we  may  pray  with  more  fervency,  we 
must  pray  with  a  sense  of  our  wants,  lie 
who  is  pinched  with  wants,  will  be  earnest 
in  craving  alms.  He  prays  most  fervently, 
who  prays  most  feelingly.  This  is  to  sanc- 
tify the  morning  of  a  sabbath,  and  it  is  a 
good  preparatory  for  the  word  preached. 
When  the  ground  is  broken  up  by  the 
plough,  now  it  is  fit  to  receive  the  seed ; 
when  the  heart  hath  been  broken  by  pray- 
er, now  it  is  fit  to  receive  the  seed  of  the 
word  preached.  Thus  you  see  how  to  dress 
your  souls  on  a  sabbath -morning.  There 
are  other  duties  remaining. 

IV.  Having  thus  dressed  your  souls  in  a 
morning  for  the  further  sanctification  of  the 
sabbath,  address  yourselves  to  th(^  hearing 
of  the  word  preached. 

1.  And  when  you  are  set  down  in  your 
seat, — Lift  up  your  eyes  to  heaven  for  a 
blessing  \ipon  the  word  to  be  dispensed  ; 
for,  you  must  know  the  word  preached 
doth  not  work  as  physic,  by  its  own  inhe- 
rent virtue,  but  by  a  virtue  from  heaven, 
and  the  co-operation  of  the  Holy  (ihost; 
thercf«)re  put  up  a  short  e;iaculatory  prayer 
for  a  blessing  upon  the  word,  that  it  may 
be  made  effectual  to  you. 

2.  The  word  being  begun  to  be  preached, 


set  yourselves  in  a  right  manner,— With 
reverence  and  holy  attt'iition,  Acts  xvi.  M., 
"  A  certain  woman,  nanuul  Lrdia,  attend- 
ed unto  the  things  which  were  spoken  of 
Paul."  Constantiiie  the  emperor  was  not- 
ed for  his  reverent  attention  to  tlie  word. 
Luke  xix.  48.,  "  Christ  tnught  daily  in  tlie 
temple:  and  all  the  people  were  atten- 
tive to  hear  him."  In  the  Greek,  'they 
hung  upon  his  lip.'  Conld  we  tell  men  of 
a  rich  purchase,  they  would  diligently  at- 
tend ;  and  shall  they  not  much  more,  when 
the  gospel  of  grace  is  preaching  unto  them  f 
Now,  that  we  may  sanctify  and  hallow  the 
sabbath,  by  attentive  hearing,  take  heed  of 
two  things  in  hearing,  viz.  \st.  distraction ; 
2d.  drowsiness. 

].<?/.  Distraction.   1  Cor.  vii.  S.^.,   "  That 
ye  may  attend  uj)on  the  Lord  without  dis- 
traction."    It  is  said  of  St.  Bernard,  that 
when  he  came  to  the  church -door,  he  would 
say,  '  Stay  here  all  my  earthly  thoughts  :'  so 
should  we  say  to  ourselves,  when  wc  are 
at  the  door  of  God's  house,   "  Stay  here  all 
my  worldly   cares,   and  wandering  cogita- 
tions ;  I  am  now  going  to  hearken  what  the 
Lord  will  say  to  me."     Distraction  hinders 
devotion.     Distraction  in   hearing  is  when 
the  mind  is  tossed  with  vain  thoughts  and 
diverted  from  the  business  in  hand.     It  is 
hard   to   make    the   quicksilver    heart    fix. 
St.  Ilierom  complained  of  himself:   "  Some- 
times  (saith  he)   when   I  am   about  God's 
ser\  ice,  per  porticos  (iinmbulo, — I  am  walk- 
ing in  the  galleries,  and  sometimes  casting 
up  accounts."     So,   oft  in  hearing  of  the 
word,   the   thoughts  dance  up  and  down ; 
and,  \vhen  our  eye   is   upon  the   minister, 
our  mind  is  upon  other  things.     Distracted 
hearing   is    far    from    sanctifying   the   sab- 
bath.     It   must  needs   be   very   lieinous  to 
ilive   way  to  vain    thoughts   at   this   time; 
because,  when  we  arc   hearing  the  word, 
we  are  now  in  God's  special  presence.     To 
do  any   treasonable    action    in   the    kuig's 
])rescnce  is  iiigh  im])udence,  Jcr.  xxin.  11., 
"  Yea,    in    my   house  have    I   found   their 
wickedness."  *  So  may  the  Lord  say,   •'  In 
my    house,    while    they    are    hearing    my 
word,  I  have  fouml  Avickedness ;  they  have 
wanton  eyes,  and  their  soul  is  set  on  va- 
nity."   This  enhanccth  and  aggravates  the 
sin. 


2H6 


OF  THE  FOURTH  COMMANDAIENT. 


Quest.  Whence  do  these  roving  distracted 
thoujIiJs  in  hearing  come  ? 

Ans.  ].  Partly  from  Satan.  The  devil 
is  no  recusant,  he  will  be  sure  to  be  present 
in  our  assemblies :  if  be  cannot  binder  us 
from  bearing,  be  will  binder  us  in  bearinp; ; 
Job  i.  0.,  "  When  tbe  sons  of  God  came  to 
present  tbemselvcs  before  tbe  Lord,  Satan 
came  also  among  tbem."  Tbe  devil  sets 
vain  objects  before  tbe  fancv»  to  cause  a 
diversion.  Satan's  great  design  is  to  ren- 
der tbe  word  we  bear  fruitless.  As  when 
one  is  writing,  anotber  jogs  bim  tb.'it  be 
cannot  write  even,  so  wben  we  are  bearing, 
tbe  devil  will  be  jogging  us  witb  a  temp- 
tation, tbat  wo  sboubl  not  attend  to  tbe 
word  preacbed,  Zecb.  iii.  1.,  "  lie  sbewed 
me  Joshua  the  bigb-priest  standing  before 
the  angel  of  tbe  Lord,  and  Satan  standing 
at  bis  right  band  to  resist  bim." 

A.  2.  These  wandering  thoughts  in  be.ir- 
ing  come  partly  from  ourselves.  We  must 
not  lay  all  the  l)lame  upon  Satan. 

(L)  They  come  from  the  eye.  A  wan- 
dering eye  causeth  wandering  thoughts. 
A  thief  may  be  let  into  tlte  bouse  at  a  win- 
dow :  so  vain  thoughts  are  let  in  at  tbe  eye. 
So  that,  as  we  are  bid  to  keep  our  feet 
wben  we  enter  into  the  house  of  God,  Eccl. 
v.  L,  so  we  bad  need  make  a  covenant  with 
our  eyes  when  we  are  in  the  house  of  God, 
Job  xxxi.  L,  that  we  be  not  distracted  by 
beliolding  other  objects. 

(2.)  Wandering  thoughts  in  hearing  rise 
out  of  the  heart.  These  sparks  come  out 
of  our  own  furnace.  Vain  thoughts  are 
the  mud  which  the  heart  (as  a  troubled 
sea)  casts  up,  Mark  vii.  21.,  "  For,"  from 
within,  "  out  of  tbe  heart"  of  men,  "  pro- 
ceed evil  thoughts."  It  is  tbe  foulness  of 
tbe  stomach  sends  up  fumes  into  tbe  head ; 
and  tbe  corruption  of  the  heart  sends  up  e- 
vil  thoughts  into  tbe  mind. 

(3.)  Distracted  thoughts  in  hearing  pro- 
ceed from  an  evil  custom.  We  inure  our- 
selves to  vain  thoughts  at  other  times,  there- 
fore we  cannot  forbear  them  on  a  sabbath. 
Custom  is  a  second  nature,  Jer.  xiii.  23., 
*'  Can  the  Ethiopian  change  bis  skin,  or  the 
Leoj)ard  bis  spots?  then  may  ye  also  do 
good,  that  iii'c  accustomed  to  do  evil  ?"  He 
tbat  is  used  to  bad  company,  knows  not 
how  to  leave  it ;  such  as  have  vain  thoughts 


keeping  tbem  company  all  the  week,  they 
know  not  bow  to  get  rid  of  tbem  on  tbe 
sabbath.  Let  me  show  you  bow  e\il  these 
vain  distracting  thoughts  in  hearing  are. 

First,  To  have  the  heart  distracted  in 
liearing,  is  a  disrespect  to  God's  omnisci- 
ency.  God  is  an  all-seeing  spirit ;  and 
thoughts  speak  louder  in  his  ears,  than 
Avords  do  in  ours,  Amos  iv.  13.,  "  He  de- 
claretb  unto  man  what  is  his  tbouglit-'* 
Therefore,  to  make  no  conscience  of  wan- 
dering thoughts  in  hearing,  is  the  affronting 
of  God's  omnisciency,  as  if  he  knew  not 
our  lieart,  or  did  not  bear  tbe  language  of 
our  thoughts. 

Secondly,  To  give  Avay  to  wandering 
thoughts  in  hearing  is  liypocrisy.  We  pre- 
tend to  bear  what  God  saith,  and  our  mind 
is  quite  upon  anotber  thing.  We  present 
God  witb  our  bodies,  but  do  not  give  him 
our  hearts,  Hos.  vii.  IL  This  hypocrisy 
God  complains  of,  Isa.  xxix.  13.,  "  This 
people  draw  near  me  with  their  mouth, 
and  with  their  lips  do  honour  me,  but  have 
removed  their  hearts  far  from  me."  This 
is  to  prevaricate  and  deal  falsely  with  God. 

Thirdly,  Vain  thoughts  in  hearing  dis- 
cover much  want  of  love  to  God.  Did  we 
love  God  we  should  listen  to  bis  words  as 
oracles,  "  and  bind  them  upon  the  table  of 
our  heart,"  Prov.  iii.  3.  When  a  friend 
whom  we  love  speaks  to  us,  and  gives  us 
advice,  we  mind  it  witb  seriousness,  and 
suck  in  every  word.  The  giving  our  thoughts 
leave  to  ramble  in  holy  duties  shows  the  de- 
fect of  our  loA'e  to  God. 

Fourthly,  Vain  impertinent  thoughts  in 
bearing  defile  an  ordinance;  they  are  as 
dead  flies  in  the  box  of  ointment.  ^\lien 
a  string  of  tbe  lute  is  out  of  tune,  it  spoils 
the  music:  distraction  of  thought  puts  our 
mind  out  of  tune,  and  makes  om*  services 
sound  harsh  «ind  un])leasant.  Wandering 
thoughts  poison  a  duty,  and  turn  it  into 
sin,  Ps.  cix.  7.,  "  Let  bis  prayer  become 
sin."  What  can  be  worse  than  to  have  a 
man's  praying  and  hearing  of  the  word  be- 
come sin?  Were  it  not  sad  wben  tbe  meat 
we  eat  should  increase  bad  humours  ?  So 
when  the  hearing  of  the  word,  which  is  tho 
food  of  the  soul,  should  be  turned  into  sin. 

Fifthly,  Vain  thoughts  in  hearing,  anger 
God.     If  tbe  king  were  speaking  to  one  of 


OF  THE  rOURTH  COM?.!  A:::  MENT. 


287 


his  snhjer.ls,  and  lie  kIiouIcI  not  ijivo  lioed 
to  Avliat  the  \i'nirr  saitli,  l)iit  Ix;  tliinkinc^  on 
another  business,  or  ])hiyin<;  with  a  feather, 
would  not  this  ])rovokc  the  kin£r?  So, 
when  we  are  in  God's  presence,  and  God 
is  speakiiifi^  to  us  in  his  word,  and  we  mind- 
ino^  not  much  what  he  saith,  but  our  hearts 
go  after  covetousness,  Ezek.  .wxiii.  31. 
Will  not  tliis  anjj^er  God,  to  be  thusslli2;-lited? 
God  hath  pronounced  a  curse  upon  such, 
Mai.  i.  14-.,  "  Cursed  be  the  deceiver  which 
hath  in  his  flock  a  male,  and  sacrificcth  to 
the  Lord  a  corrupt  thini:;."  To  have  stronjr 
lively  affections  to  the  world,  here  is  a  male 
in  the  flock ;  but  to  hear  the  word  with 
distraction, — to  give  God  duties  fly-blown 
with  vain  thoughts, — this  is  to  olTer  to  the 
Lord  a  corrupt  thing  ;  this  brings  a  curse, 
"  cursed  be  the  deceiver." 

Sixthly,  Vain  thoughts  in  hearing  (when 
allowed  and  not  resisted)  make  way  for 
hardening  the  heart.  A  stone  in  the  heart, 
is  worse  than  in  the  kidneys.  Distracted 
thoughts  in  hearing,  do  not  better  the  heart, 
but  harden  it.  Vain  thoughts  take  away 
the  holy  awe  of  God  which  should  be  upon 
the  heart ;  they  make  conscience  less  ten- 
der, and  hinder  the  efficacy  the  word  should 
have  upon  the  heart. 

Seventhly,  Vain  distracting  thoughts  rob 
us  of  the  comfort  of  an  ordinance.  A  gra- 
cious soul  oft  meets  with  God  in  the  sanc- 
tuary, and  can  say,  as  Cant.  iii.  4.,  "  I 
found  him  whom  my  soul  loveth."  He  is 
like  Jonathan,  who  having  tasted  the  honey 
on  the  rod,  his  eyes  were  enlightened.  But 
vain  thoughts  hinder  the  comfort  of  an  or- 
dinance, as  a  black  cloud  hides  the  warm 
comfortable  beams  of  the  sun  from  us. 
Will  God  speak  peace  to  us  when  our  minds 
are  wandering  and  our  thoughts  are  tra- 
velling- to  the  ends  of  the  earth  ?  Prov.  xvii. 
24.  If  ever  you  would  hear  the  word  with 
attention,  do  as  Abraham,  lie  drove  away 
the  fowls  from  the  sacrifice,  Gen.  xv.  11.: 
BO  when  we  find  these  excursions,  and  sin- 
ful wanderings  in  hearing,  labour  to  drive 
away  the  fowls, — get  rid  of  these  vain 
thoughts,  they  are  vagrants,  and  wo  must 
not  give  them  entertainment. 

Quest.  But  hoiv  shall  we  get  help  against 
iliese  vagabond  thoughts  ? 

4m.    1.  Pray  and  watch   against  them. 


2.  Let  the  sense  of  God's  omniscient  eyo 
overawe  your  hearts.  The  servant  will  not 
sp(»rt  in  his  master's  presence.  3.  Labour 
for  an  holy  fratne  of  heart.  Were  the  heart 
more  sj)iritual,  the  mind  would  be  less  fea- 
thery. 4.  Bring  more  love  to  the  word. 
That  which  we  love  we  fix  our  minds  up- 
on ;  he  that  loves  his  pleasures  and  recrea- 
tions, his  mind  is  fixed  upon  them,  and  he 
can  follow  them  witliout  distraction.  Were 
our  love  more  set  upon  the  word  preached, 
our  minds  would  be  more  fixed  upon  it. 
and  surely  there  is  enough  to  make  us  love 
the  word  preached ;  for  it  is  the  word  of 
life,  the  inlet  to  knowledge, — the  antidote 
against  sin, — the  cjuickener  of  holy  affec- 
tions :  It  is  the  true  manna  which  hath  all 
sorts  of  SAveet  tastes  in  it ;  it  is  the  pool  of 
Bethesda,  in  which  the  rivers  of  life  spring 
forth  to  heal  tlie  broken  in  heart;  it  is  a 
sovereign  elixir  or  cordial  to  revive  the  sor- 
rowful spirit.  Get  love  to  the  word  preach- 
ed, and  you  will  not  be  so  distracted  in 
hearing.  AVhat  the  heart  deliglits  in,  the 
thoughts  dwell  upon. 

'2(1.  If  you   would   sanctify   the   sabbath 
by  diligent  attentive  hearing,  take  heed  of 
drowsiness  in  hearing;    drowsiness  shews 
much  irreverence.     How  lively  are  many 
when  they  are  about  the  world,  but  in  the 
worship  of  God  how  drowsy,  as  if  the  de- 
vil had  given  them  some  opium  to  make 
them  sleep  !     A  drowsy  temper  is   (now) 
very  absurd  and  sinful.     Are  not  you   in 
j)rayer  asking  pardon  of  sin  ?     Will  the  pri- 
soner fall  asleep  when  he  is  be^-o^ino-  his 
pardon  ?     In  the  preaching  of  the  word,  is 
not  the  bread  of  life  broken  to  you, — and 
will  a  man  fall  asleep  at  his  food  ?     ^\liich 
s  W(»rse,  to  stay  from  a  sermon,  or  sleej)  at 
a  sermon  ?     While  you  slept,  perhaps  the 
truth  was  delivered,  \\  hieh  might  ha\  e  con- 
verted your  souls.     Besides,  sleeping  is  ve- 
ry offensive  in  these  holy  assemblies:  it  is 
not  only  a  grieving  the  Spirit  of  God,   but 
a  making  the  hearts  of  the  righteous  sad, 
Ezek.  xiii.  22.      It  troubles  them  to  see  any 
show  such  a  contempt  of  God  and  his  wor- 
ship;  to   see  them   busy  in  the   shop,  but 
drowsy  in  the  temple.     Therefore,  as  Christ 
said,  JMaf.  xxvi.  40.,   "  Could  ye  not  watch 
one  hour?"  so,  can  ye  not  wake  one  hour? 
I  deny  not  but  that  a  child  of  Ciod  may 


OF  THE  FOURTH  COMMANDMENT. 


Kometimes  througli  weakness  and  indispo- 
sition of  body  drop  asleep  at  a  sermon,  but 
it  is  not  voluntary  or  ordinary.  The  sun 
may  be  in  an  eclipse,  but  not  often  ;  if 
sleeping:  be  customary  and  allowed,  it  is  a 
very  bad  sign,  and  a  profaning  of  the  ordi- 
nance. A  good  remedy  against  drowsiness 
is  to  use  a  spare  diet  upon  tiiis  day.  Such 
as  indulge  their  appetite  too  much  on  a 
sabbatii,  arc  fitter  to  sleep  on  a  couch, 
than  pray  in  the  tcmj)le.  Now,  that  you 
may  throw  off  distracting  thoughts  and 
drowsiness  on  the  Lord's  day,  and  may 
hear  tlic  word  with  reverent  attention,  con- 
sider, 

1.  It  is  Cod  that  speaks  to  us  in  his  word  ; 
therefore  the  preaching  of  the  word  is  called 
the  "  breath  of  his  lips,"  Isa.  xi.  4.  And 
Christ  is  said  now  "  to  speak  to  us  from 
heaven,"  Heb.  xii.  25.,  as  a  king  speaks  in 
his  au)bassador.  Ministers  are  but  as  the 
pipes  and  organs,  it  is  the  Spirit  of  the  liv- 
ing Cod  breathes  in  them.  When  we  come 
to  the  word,  we  should  think  thus  with 
ourselves:  God  speaks  in  this  ])reacher. 
The  Thessaloiiians  heard  the  word  Paul 
preached  as  if  (rod  himself  had  spoken  unto 
them,  1  Thess.  ii.  13.,  "  When  ye  received 
the  word  of  God,  which  ye  heard  of  us,  ye 
received  it  not  as  the  word  of  men,  but  (as 
it  is  in  truth)  the  word  of  God."  When 
Samuel  knew  it  was  tlie  Lord  that  spake 
to  him,  he  lent  his  ear,  1  Sam.  iii.  10.  If 
we  do  not  regard  God  when  he  speaks  to 
us,  he  will  not  regard  us  when  we  pray  to 
him. 

2.  Consider  liow  serious  and  weighty  the 
matters  delivered  to  us  are.  As  Moses 
said,  Deut.  xxx.  19.,  "  I  call  heaven  and 
earth  to  record  this  day,  that  I  have  set  be- 
fore you  lif'L'  Jiud  death."  Can  men  be  re- 
gardless of  the  word,  or  drowsy  when  the 
weighty  matters  of  eternity  are  set  before 
them  ?  We  ])reach  of  faith,  and  holiness 
of  life,  and  the  day  of  judgment  and  the  e- 
ternal  recompenses  ;  liere  is  life  and  death 
set  before  you,  and  doth  not  all  this  call  for 
serious  attention  ?  If  a  letter  were  read  to 
one  of  special  business,  wherein  his  life  and 
estate  were  concerned,  would  not  he  be  ve- 
ry serious  in  listening  to  that  letter?  In 
the  preaching  of  the  word  your  salvation  is 
concerned ;  and  if  ever  you  would  attend, 


it  should  be  now,  Deut.  xxxii.  47.,  "  It  is 
not  a  vain  thing  for  you ;  because  it  is  vour 
life." 

3.  To  give  way  to  vain  thoughts,  and 
drowsiness  in  hearing,  doth  much  gratify 
Satan.  He  knows  that  not  to  mind  a  duty 
is  all  one  as  not  to  do  a  duty  in  religion. 
"  What  the  heart  doth  not  do,  is  not  done." 
Tiierefore  Christ  sailh  of  some,  "  Hearing 
they  hear  not,"  Mat.  xiii.  13.  How  could 
that  be  ?  Because,  though  the  word  sound- 
ed in  their  ear,  yet  they  minded  not  what 
was  said  to  them, — their  thoughts  were  up- 
on otlier  things, — therefore  it  was  all  one 
as  if  they  did  not  hear.  "  Hearing,  they 
hear  not;"  and  doth  not  this  please  Satan, 
to  see  men  come  to  the  word,  and  as  good 
stay  away  ?  They  are  haunted  with  vain 
thoughts  ;  they  are  taken  off  the  duty  while 
they  are  in  it ;  their  body  is  in  the  assem- 
bly, their  lieart  in  their  shop:  "Hearing, 
they  hear  not." 

4.  It  may  be  the  last  sabbath  that  ever 
we  shall  keep;  we  may  go  from  the  place 
of  hearing  to  the  place  of  judging;  and 
shall  not  we  give  reverent,  attention  to  the 
word,  did  we  think  thus  when  we  come 
into  God's  house  :  Perhaps  this  will  be  the 
last  time  that  ever  God  will  counsel  us  a- 
bout  our  souls ;  before  another  sermon, 
death's  alarm  will  sound  in  our  ears;  with 
what  attention  and  devotion  should  we  come 
hither,  and  our  affections  would  be  all  on 
fire  in  hearing  ? 

5.  You  must  give  an  account  for  every 
sermon  you  hear,  Luke  xvi.  2.,  Rcdde  ratiu- 
■,i(.jf/^ — «  Give  an  account  of  thy  steward- 
sliip."  So  will  God  say.  Give  an  account 
of  IJiy  hearing.  Hast  thou  been  affected 
with  the  word?  Hast  thou  profited  by  it? 
And  how  can  we  give  an  account,  if  we  have 
been  distracted  in  hearing,  and  have  not 
taken  notice  what  hath  been  said  to  us? 
The  Judge  to  whom  we  must  give  an  ac- 
count, is  God.  Were  one  to  give  an  ac- 
count to  man,  he  might  falsify  his  accounts; 
but  we  must  give  an  account  to  God.  Nee 
donis  corrutnpilnr,  ncc  hhmditiis  faUitnry 
Bern.  "  He  is  so  just  a  (lod  that  he  can- 
not be  bribed,  aiul  so  wise,  that  he  cannot 
be  deceived."  Therefore,  going  to  gi\e  an 
account  to  such  an  impartial  Judge,  liow 
should  we  observe  cxcxy  word  preached, 


OF  THE  FOURTH  COMMANDMENT. 


289 


rcmembcring-tlie  account?  Let  all  tills  make  I  lieaiing,  and  Iiavc  our  cars  cliained  to  tlie 
us  shake  off  distraction  and  drowsiness  in  ',  word. 


»««*>%v»v»    »* 


ExoD.  XX.  8.  liememher  the  sabbath-day  to  keep  it  hobj,  §r. 


2d.  IF  you  would  hear  the  word  aright, 
lay  aside  those  things  which  may  render  the 
word  preached  ineffectual :  As, 

1.  Curiosity.  Some  come  to  the  word 
preached,  not  so  much  to  get  grace,  as  to 
enrich  themselves  with  notions  :  "  Itching 
ears,"  2  Tim.  iv.  3.  Austin  confesseth  that 
hefore  his  conversion,  he  went  to  hear  St. 
Ambrose,  rather  for  his  eloquence,  than  for 
the  spirituality  of  the  matter.  Ezek.  xxxiii. 
82.,  "  Thou  art  unto  them  as  a  very  lovely 
song  of  one  that  hath  a  pleasant  voice,  and 
can  play  well  on  an  instrument."  Many 
come  to  the  word  oi.Iy  l<>  fea*t  their  ears; 
they  like  the  melody  (A'  tlic  voice,  the  mel- 
lifluous sweetness  <if  \\\c  expression,  the 
newness  of  the  notion,  Acts  xvii.  21.  This 
is  to  love  the  garnisliing  of  the  disli  more 
than  the  food  ;  this  is  to  desire  to  be  pleas- 
ed, rather  than  edified.  Like  a  woman  tliat 
paints  her  face,  but  neglects  her  hoaltli:  so 
they  paint  and  adorn  themselves  with  curi- 
ous speculations,  but  neglect  their  soul's 
health.  This  hearing  doth  neither  sanctify 
the  heart,  nor  the  sabbath. 

2.  Lay  aside  prejudice.  1.  Prejudice  a- 
gainst  the  truths  preached.  The  Sadducees 
were  prejudiced  against  the  doctrine  of  the 
resurrection,  Luke  xx.  27. — 2.  Preiudice 
against  the  ])erson  ])reacliirig  :  1  Kings  xxii. 
8.,  "  There's  one  Micliaiah  by  whom  we 
may  inrjuire  of  the  Lctrd,  but  I  hate  him." 
This  hinders  the  virtue  of  the  won!.  If  a 
patient  hath  an  ill  opinion  of  his  physician, 
he  will  not  take  any  of  his  recipes  though 
never  so  good.  Prejudice  in  the  mind  is 
like  an  ohsst ruction  in  the  stomach  which 
hinders  the  nutritive  virtue  ol"  the  nie;i(. 
Prejudice  ])oisons  the  word,  and  makes  it 
lose  its  efficacy. 

3.  Lay  aside  coA'ctousness.  Covetousness 
is  not  onlv  <rettinir  the  world  uniustlv,  but 
h)ving  it  inordinately  ;  this  is  a  great  hin- 
deranee  to  the  word  ])reaclied.  The  seed 
which  fell  auuuig  tiiorns  was  choked.  Mat. 
xiii.   22. :   an   emblem   of  the   word  bei!i{i 


preached  to  a  covetous  hearer.  The  cove- 
tous man  is  thinking  on  the  world  when  lie 
is  hearing ;  his  heart  is  in  his  shop,  Ezek. 
xxxiii.  31.,  "  They  sit  before  thee  as  ray 
people,  and  they  hear  thy  words,  but  their 
heart  goeth  after  their  covetousness."  A 
covetous  hearer  derides  the  word,  Luke  xvi. 
14.J  "  The  Pharisees,  who  were  covetous, 
heard  all  these  things,  and  thcv  derided 
him." 

4.  Lay  aside  partiality.  Partiality  in 
hearing  is,  when  we  like  to  hear  some  truths 
preached,  but  not  all.  We  love  to  hear  of 
lieaven,  but  not  of  self-denial ;  of  reigning 
with  Christ,  but  not  of  suffering  ;  of  the 
more  facile  duties  of  religion,  but  not  them 
which  are  more  knotty  and  difficult, — as 
mortification, — laying  the  axe  to  the  root, 
and  hewing  dov/n  their  beloved  sin  :  Isa. 
x\x.  10.,  "  Proj)hesy  smooth  things," — such 
as  may  not  grate  upon  our  conscience. 
Manv  like  to  hear  of  the  love  of  Christ,  but. 
not  of  loving  their  enemies  ;  they  like  the 
comforts  of  the  word,  but  not  the  reproofs. 
Ilcrod  h.eard  Jolin  Dajttist  gladly;  he  liked 
niajiy  truths,  but  not  when  he  spake  against 
his  incest.     Lay  aside  partiality. 

5.  Lay  aside  censoriousness.  Some,  in- 
stead of  judging  themselves  for  sin,  sit  as 
judges  upon  the  preacher ;  either  his  sermon 
had  too  much  gall  in  it,  or  it  was  too  long. 
These  will  sooner  censure  a  .sermon  than 
practise  it.  God  will  judge  the  judger, 
Mat.  vii.  1. 

().  Lay  aside  disobedience.  Ronu  x.  21., 
"  All  the  day  long  have  I  stretched  forth 
my  hands  unto  a  disobedient  peoj)le."  'Tis 
sj)oken  of  the  Jews  :  (lod  stretched  out  his 
hands  in  the  preaching  of  the  word,  but  they 
rejected  Christ.  Let  there  be  none  among 
von  that  williillv  refuse  the  counsels  of  the 
word  :  it  is  sad  to  have  an  adder's  ear,  an 
ad.tujaiit  heart,  Zech.  vii.  11,  12.  If,  when 
(iod  s|;eaks  to  us  in  his  word,  we  are  deaf; 
when  we  si)eak  to  him  in  prayer,  he  will 
be  dumb. 

20 


290 


OF  THE  FOURTH  COMMANDMENT. 


Sd.  If  you  would  hear  the  word  aright, 
have  good  ends  in  hearing;  "  come  to  the 
word  to  be  made  better."  Some  haA^e  no 
other  end  in  hearing,  but  because  it  is  in 
fasliion,  or  to  gain  repute,  or  stop  the  mouth 
of  conscience ;  but  come  to  the  word  to  be 
made  more  holy.  There's  a  great  deal  of 
difference  between  one  that  goes  to  a  garden  ' 
for  flowers  to  wear  in  her  bosom,  and  another  , 
that  goes  for  flowers  to  make  syrups  and  ■ 
medicines  of.  We  should  go  to  the  word 
for  a  medicine  to  cure  us,  as  Naaman  the  | 
Syrian  went  to  Jordan  to  be  healed  of  his 
leprosy :  2  Pet.  ii.  2.,  "  Desire  the  sincere 
milk  of  the  word,  that  ye  may  grow  there- 
by." Come  to  the  word  to  be  changed  into 
the  similitude  of  it;  as  the  seal  leaves  its 
print  upon  the  wax,  so  labour  that  the  word 
preached  may  leave  the  print  of  its  own  ho- 
liness upon  your  heart ;  labour  that  tlie 
"  word"  may  have  such  a  virtue  upon  you, 
as  the  water  of  jealousy,  to  kill  and  make 
fruitful,  Numb.  v.  27.  That  it  may  kill  your 
sins,  and  make  your  souls  fruitful  in  grace. 

4fh.  If  you  would  hear  the  word  a- 
riglit,  come  to  it  with  delight.  The  word 
preached  is  a  feast  of  fat  things  :  with  what 
dclial'.t  do  men  come  to  a  feast  ?  The  word 
preached  anoints  tlie  blind  eye  ;  mollifies  the 
rocky  heart ;  it  beats  oft"  our  fetters,  and 
tnr!is  us  from  the  "  power  of  satan  to  God," 
Acts  xxvi.  18.  The  word  is  the  seed  of  re- 
generation, James  i.  18.,  the  engine  of  sal- 
vatitin.  Hear  the  Avord  with  delight  and 
complacency,  Jer.  xv.  16.,  "  Thy  Avords 
were  found,  and  I  did  eat  them.  Thy  AA'ord 
was  unto  me  the  rejoicing  of  my  heart." 
Ps.  cxix.  103.,  "  How  sAveet  are  thy  words 
unto  my  taste  !  yea,  SAveeter  than  honey  to 
my  month."  Yea,  loA'e  that  Avord  which 
comes  most  home  to  the  conscience  ;  bless 
God  when  your  corruptions  haA'e  been  met 
with,  Avlien  the  sword  of  the  Spirit  hath  di- 
vided between  you  and  your  sins.  Who 
rarcs  for  that  physic  Avhich  Avill  not  work. 

5th.  If  you  Avould  hoar  the  Avord  aright, 
mix  it  Avith  faith.  Believe  the  verity  of  the 
word  ])rcached,  that  it  is  that  Avoi'dby  Avhich 
you  must  be  judged  ;  not  only  give  evidence 
to  the  word  preached,  but  learn  to  apply  it 
to  your  OAA'n  souls;  faith  concocts  the  Avord, 
and  turns  it  into  spiritual  nourishment. 
Many  hear  the  Avord,  but  it  may  be  said  of 


them,  as  Ps.  CA'i.  24.,  "  Tliey  believed  not 
his  Avord."  As  Melancthon  once  said  to 
some  of  the  Italians,  "  Ye  Italians  Avorship 
God  in  the  bread,  when  ye  do  not  believe 
him  to  be  in  heaven  :"  so,  many  hear  God's 
Avords,  but  do  not  believe  that  God  is;  they 
question  the  truth  of  his  oracles.  If  we  do 
not  mix  faith  Avith  the  Avord,  it  is  like  leav- 
ing out  the  chief  ingredient  in  a  medicine, 
Avhicli  makes  it  incff'ectual ;  unbelief  har- 
dens men's  hearts  against  the  word,  Acts 
xix.  ^.,  "  Divers  Avere  hardened,  and  be- 
lieA^ed  not."  Men  hear  many  truths  deliv- 
ered concerning  the  precionsness  of  Christ, 
— the  beauty  of  holiness, — the  felicity  of  a 
glorified  estate, — but,  if  through  unbelief 
and  atheism  they  question  these  truths,  Ave 
may  as  Avell  speak  to  the  stones  and  pillars 
of  the  church  as  to  them.  That  word  which 
is  not  believed,  can  ncA'er  be  practised.  Ubi 
ninle  crcditnr^  ihi  nee  bene  vivitur,  Hiero3I. 
Unbelief  makes  the  Avord  preached  of  no 
effect :  Ileb.  ia'.  2.,  "  The  word  preached 
did  not  profit,  not  being  mixed  with  faith 
in  them  that  heard  it."  The  Avord  to  an 
unbeliever  is  like  dioscordium  put  into  a 
dead  man's  mouth,  Avhich  loseth  all  its  vir- 
tue. If  there  be  any  unbelicA'ers  in  our 
congregations,  what  shall  ministers  say  to 
God  at  the  last  day?  "  Lord,  Ave  have 
preached  to  the  people  thou  sentest  us  to, — 
Ave  shoAved  them  our  commission, — aa'C  de- 
clared unto  them  the  whole  counsel  of  God, 
— but  they  believed  never  a  word  Ave  spake ; 
we  told  them  Avhat  Avould  be  the  fruit  of 
sin,  but  they  AA'ould  drink  their  sugared 
draught,  though  there  Avas  death  in  the  cup ; 
Lord,  AA'e  are  free  from  their  blood."  God 
forbid  that  CA'er  ministers  should  make  this 
report  to  God  of  their  people  !  But  this 
they  must  be  forced  to  do,  if  people  live  and 
die  in  unbelief.  Would  you  sanctify  a  sab- 
bath in  hearing  the  Avord  aright?  hear  the 
AA^ord  with  faith.  The  apostle  puts  these 
two  together,  "  belief  and  sah'ation,"  Hcl). 
X.  39.,  "  Wc  are  of  them  that  belicA'^e  to  the 
saviuff  of  the  soul." 

6///.  If  you  Avould  hear  the  word  aright, 
hear  it  Avith  meek  spirits:  James  i.  21.. 
"  Receive  the  Avord  in  mansuetudine, — with 
meekness."  Meekness  is  a  submissive  frame 
of  heart  to  the  Avord ;  contrary  to  this  meek- 
ness is  fierceness  of  spirit,  Avhen  men  rise 


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291 


up  in  a  rage  against  the  word,  as  if  the  pa- 
tient should  be  angry  with  the  physician 
when  he  gives  liim  a  recipe  to  purge  out  his 
bad  liumours  :  Acts  vii.  5i.,  "  When  they 
lieard  this,  tlicy  were  cut  to  the  heart,  and 
gnashed  on  Stcplien  with  their  teeth." 
2  Chron.  xvi.  10.,  "  Asa  was  wroth  with 
tlie  seer,  and  ])ut  liiin  in  a  prison-house." 
Pride  and  guilt  make  men  fret  at  the  word. 
What  made  Asa  storm  so,  but  pride  ?  he 
was  a  king,  and  tliought  he  was  too  good 
to  be  told  of  his  sin.  What  made  Cain  so 
angry,  when  God  said  to  him,  "  AVhcre  is 
Abel  thy  brother  ?"  Saith  he,  "  Am  I  my 
brother's  keeper  ?"  What  made  him  so 
touchy,  but  guilt?  He  had  imbrued  his 
hands  in  his  brother's  blood.  If  you  would 
hear  the  word  aright,  lay  down  your  pas- 
sions,— "  receive  the  word  with  meekness," 
— get  humble  hearts  to  submit  to  the  truths 
delivered.  God  takes  the  meek  person  to 
be  his  scholar,  Ps.  xxv.  9.,  "  The  meek 
will  he  teach  his  way."  Meekness  makes 
the  word  preached  to  be  an  "  ingrafted 
word,"  James  i,  21.  A  good  scion  grafted 
in  a  bad  stock  changeth  the  nature  of  it 
and  makes  it  bear  good  and  generous  fruit ; 
so,  when  the  word  preached  is  grafted  into 
men's  hearts,  it  sanctifies  them  and  makes 
them  bring  forth  the  sweet  fruits  of  righte- 
ousness. By  meekness  it  becomes  an  in- 
grafted word. 

1th.  If  you  would  hear  the  word  aright, 
be  not  only  attentive,  but  retentive.  Lay 
the  word  up  in  your  memories  and  hearts, 
Luke  viii.  15.,  "  The  seed  on  the  good 
ground  are  they,  who  having  heard  the 
word,  keep  it."  The  Greek  word  for  "  to 
keep,"  signifies  to  hold  the  word  fast,  that 
it  do  not  run  from  us.  If  the  seed  be  not 
kept  in  the  ground,  but  is  pi*esently  wash- 
ed away,  it  is  sown  to  little  purpose :  so  if 
the  word  preached  be  not  kept  in  your  me- 
mories and  hearts,  it  is  preached  in  vain. 
Many  people  liave  memories  like  leaky  ves- 
sels. If  the  word  goes  out  as  fast  as  it 
comes  in,  how  can  it  profit  ?  If  a  treasure 
1)6  put  in  a  chest  and  the  chest  he  not  lock- 
ed, it  may  easily  be  taken  out :  a  bad  me- 
mory is  like  a  chest  without  a  lock,  the  de- 
vil can  easilv  take  out  all  the  treasure, 
Luke  A^ii.  12.,  *•  Then  comes  the  devil  and 
takes  away  the  word  out  of  their  hearts," 


Labour  to  keep  in  memory  the  truths  you 
hear ;  the  things  we  esteem  we  are  not  so 
apt  to  forget.  '  Will  a  bride  ft>rget  her 
jewels  ?'  Jer.  ii.  32.,  "  Can  a  maid  forget 
her  ornaments  ?"  Did  we  prize  tin;  word 
more,  we  sliould  not  so  soon  forget  it ;  if 
the  meat  doth  not  stay  in  the  stomach,  but 
comes  up  as  fast  as  we  eat  it,  it  cannot 
nourish  :  so,  if  the  word  stays  not  in  the 
memory,  but  is  presently  gone,  it  can  do 
the  soul  but  little  good. 

Slh.  If  you  would  hear  aright,  practise 
what  you  hear.  Practice  is  the  life  of  all : 
Rev.  xxii.  14.,  "  Blessed  are  they  that  do 
his  commandments,  that  they  may  have 
right  to  the  tree  of  life."  Bare  hearing 
will  be  no  plea  at  the  day  of  judgment. 
"  Lord,  I  have  heard  so  many  sermons." 
But  God  will  say,  "  What  fruits  of  obedi- 
ence have  ye  brought  forth  ?"  The  word 
we  preach  is  not  only  to  inform  you  but 
reform  you ;  not  only  to  mend  your  sight, 
but  to  mend  your  pace  in  the  way  to  hea- 
\en  ;  a  good  hearer  is  like  the  heliotropium^ 
&c.  it  opens  and  shuts  with  the  sun, — to 
God  against  sin.  Now  that  you  may  sanc- 
tify a  sabbath  by  hearing  : 

1.  If  you  do  not  hear  the  word  aright, 
you  lose  all  your  labour.  How  many  a 
weary  step  have  you  taken ;  your  body 
hath  been  crowded,  your  spirit  faint ;  if 
you  are  not  bettered  by  hearing, — if  you 
are  as  proud,  as  vain,  as  earthly  as  ever, 
all  your  hearing  is  lost.  You  would  be 
loath  to  trade  in  vain,  and  why  not  as  well 
to  hear  sermons  in  vain  ?  Job  ix.  29., 
"  Why  then  labour  I  in  vain  ?"  Put  thif? 
question  to  your  own  soul :  "  Why  labour 
I  in  vain  ?  Why  do  I  take  all  this  pains 
to  hear,  yet  have  not  the  gi-ace  to  practise 
it  ?  I  am  as  bad  as  ever  !  why  then  labour 
I  in  vain  ?" 

2.  If  you  hear  the  word,  and  are  not  bet- 
tered by  it,  you  are  like  the  salamander  in 
the  fire,  not  hotter ;  your  hearing  will  in- 
crease your  condemnation,  Luke  \ii.  47., 
"  That  servant  which  knew  his  Lord's  will, 
and  did  it  not,  shall  be  beaten  with  many 
stripes."  We  pity  such  as  know  not  where 
to  hear;  it  will  be  worse  with  such  as  care 
not  how  they  hoar.  To  graceless  disobedi- 
ent liearers,  every  sermon  will  be  a  faggot 
to  heat  h<  II  ;  it  is  sad  to  g<>  loaded  to  hell 


292 


OF  THE  FOURTH  COMMANDMENT. 


willi  ordinances.    O  beg  tlie  Spirit  to  make  ' 
tl\e    word    })reaclied    effectual  !      Ministers 
can  })ut  speak  to  the  ear, — the  Spirit  speaks 
to  tlie  heart :  Acts  x.  44.,   "  Wliile  Peter 
sjuike,   tlie   Holy  Ghost  fell  upon  all  them  i 
that  heard  the  word."  I 

9//i.  Having  heard  the  word  in  an  holy 
and  spiritual  manner,  for  the  further  sane-  ; 
tilication  of  the  sabbath,  confer  of  the  word. 
We  are  forbidden  on  this  day  to  speak  our 
own  words,  Isa.  Iviii.  14.,  but  we  must 
speak  of  Go.'.'s  word.  Speak  of  the  ser- 
mons as  you  sit  together ;  this  is  (me  part 
of  sanctifying  the  sabbath.  Good  discourse 
brings  holy  truths  into  our  memories,  and 
fastens  them  u])on  our  hearts:  Mai.  iii.  17., 
"  Then  they  that  feared  the  Lord,  spake  of- 
ten one  to  another."  There  is  a  great  power 
and  efficacy  in  good  discourse.  Job  vi.  25., 
"  How  forcible  are  right  words?"  By  ho- 
ly conference  on  a  sabbath,  one  Christian 
heli)s  to  warm  anotiier  when  he  is  frozen, 
to  strenirthcn   another   when   he  is  weak. 


Latimer  confessed  he  was  much  furthered 
in  religion,  by  having  conference  with  Mr. 
Bilny  the  martyr.  Ps.  cxix.  172.,  «^  My 
tongue  shall  speak  of  thy  word."  One 
reason  why  preaching  the  word  on  a  sab- 
l)ath  doth  no  more  good,  .is,  because  there 
is  so  little  good  conference.  Few  sjieak  of 
the  word  they  have  heard  :  as  if  sermons 
were  such  secrets  that  they  must  not  be 
spoken  of  again,  or  as  if  it  were  a  shame  to 
speak  of  that  which  will  save  us. 

10///.  Shut  up  the  sabbath-evening  with 
repetition,  reading,  singing  of  psalms,  and 
prayer  ;  beg  that  (lod  would  bless  the  word 
you  have  heard.  But  I  hope  your  practice 
herein  will  ])revcnt  my  further  speaking. 
Could  we  but  thus  spend  a  sabbath,  we  might 
be  "  in  the  Sjiirit  on  the  Lord's  day,"  Rev. 
i.  10. ;  our  souls  might  be  nourished  and 
comforted ;  and  this  sabbath  which  we  now 
keep,  would  be  an  earnest  of  that  everlast- 
inir  sabbath  which  we  shall  celebrate  in 
heaven. 


ExoD.  XX.  8.  Remember  the  sahbalh-day  to  keep  it  holy. 


Use  Xat.  SEE  here  a  Christian's  duty, 
"  To  k<  ep  the  sabbath-day  holy." 

1.  The  whole  sabbath  is  to  be  dedicated 
to  God.  It  is  not  said.  Keep  a  part  of  llie 
Kabbath  holy,  but  the  whole  day  nuist  be 
relijj;iously  observed.  If  (iod  hath  given 
us  six  days  and  taken  but  one  to  himself, 
shall  we  grudge  him  any  part  of  that  day  ? 
It  were  sacrilege  !  The  Jews  ke|)t  a  whole 
day  to  the  Lord  ;  and  we  are  not  to  abridge 
or  curtail  the  sabbath  (saith  St.  Austin) 
more  than  the  Jews  did.  The  very  hea- 
thens, ,l>y  the  light  of  nature,  did  set  apart 
a  whole  day  in  the  honour  of  their  false 
gods ;  and  Sca^vola  the  high-priest  did  af- 
firm that  the  wilful  transgression  of  that 
day  could  have  no  expiation  or  j)ardon. 
Whoever  robs  any  ]»irt  of  the  sabbath  for 
servile  work  or  recreation,  Scievola  the 
high- priest  of  the  heathenisli  gods  shall 
rise  up  in  judgment  against  such  Christians, 
and  condemn  them.  And  i\\v.y  who  say, 
that  to  kee|>  a  whole  sabbath  is  too  Jiulai- 
cal,  let  them  shew  where  God  has  made 
any  abatement   of  the    time    of   worshij) ; 


where  he  has  said,  you  shall  keep  but  a 
part  of  the  sabbath  ;  and  if  they  cannot 
shew  that,  it  argues  much  boldness  to  go 
lo  rob  God  of  his  due.  That  a  who'e  day 
be  designed  and  set  ap;irt  for  God's  s])ecial 
worship,  is  a  perpetual  statute,  while  the 
eliurch  remains  upon  the  earth,  saith  Pet. 
iMartyr.  Of  this  oj)inion  also  ^rere  Theo- 
doret,  Austin,  Iraineus,  and  the  chief  of  the 
fathers. 

2.  As  the  whole  sabbath  is  to  be  dedica- 
ted to  God,  so  it  must  be  kept  holy;  you 
see  the  manm;r  ol"  sanclii'yiug  tlu;  Lord's 
day,  by  reading,  medltatiou,  prayer,  hear- 
ing of  the  word,  and  by  singing  of  psalms 
to  make  melody  to  the  Lord.  Now,  besides 
what  1  hav(!  said  ior  the  keejiing  this  day 
holy,  let  me  make  a  short  eoniineiit  or  ]>ar- 
aphrase  on  that  seiijituic,  Isa.  Iviii.  13., 
"  If  thou  turn  away  thy  ^iwi  from  the  sain 
bath,  (Vom  doing  thy  jdvasure  on  njy  holy 
day  :  and  call  tiie  saUhath  a  delight,  the 
holy  of  the  Lord,  honourable ;  and  shall 
honour  him,  not  doing  thy  o\vn  ways,  nor 
Hnding  thine  own  pleasure,   nor  speaking 


OF  THE  FOURTH  COMMANDMENT. 


293 


tliine  own  words :"  Here  is  a  description  of 
the  riglit  sanctifying  a  sabbath. 

(1.)  "  If  tli.'U  turn  away  thy  foot  from 
the  sabbatli."  That  may  he  understood 
cither  literally,  or  spiritually. — First,  llter- 
allv,  "  If  thou  turn  away  thy  foot  from  the 
sabbath,"  that  is,  if  tluui  withdrawest  thy 
foot  from  takiuf^  long  walks  or  journeys  on 
the  sabbath-day  :  So  the  Jewish  doctors  ex- 
pound it.  Or,  secondly,  spiritually,  "  If 
thou  turn  away  thy  foot  from  the  sabbath," 
that  is,  if  thou  turn  away  thy  affections 
(the  feet  of  thy  souf)  from  inclining  to  any 
worldly  business. 

(2.)  "  From  doing  tliy  pleasure  on  my 
holy  day."  That  is,  thou  niuKt  not  d«)  that 
which  may  please  the  carnal  ])art,  as  sports 
and  pastimes  :  this  is  to  do  the  devil's  work 
on  (lod's  day. 

(3.)  "  And  call  the  sabbath  a  delight." 
Call  it  a  delight,  that  is,  estt-em  it  so  :  though 
the  sabbath  be  not  a  day  for  carnal  pleasure, 
yet  holy  pleasure  is  not  forbidden.  Tlie 
soul  must  take  pleasure  in  the  duties  of  a 
sabbath.  The  saints  of  old  counted  the 
sabbath  .a  delight;  the  Jews  called  the  sab- 
bath dies  /ucis, — '  a  day  of  light.'  The 
Lord's  day,  on  which  the  Sun  of  Righteous- 
ness shines,  is  both  a  day  of  light  and  de- 
lijjht.  This  is  the  dav  of  sweet  intercourse 
between  God  and  the  soul.  On  this  day  a 
Christian  makes  Ins  sallies  out  to  heaven  ; 
his  soul  is  lifted  above  the  earth  ;  and  can 
this  be  without  di'light?  The  higher  the 
bird  flies,  the  sweeter  it  sings.  On  a  sa!)- 
bath  the  soul  acts  its  love  to  (iod;  and 
where  the  love  is,  there  is  the  dilight.  On 
this  day  a  believer's  heart  is  moiled,  </.  '/. 
cpiickened,  enlarged  in  holy  duties ;  and 
liow  can  all  this  be,  and  riot  a  secnt  delight 
go  along  with  it?  On  a  sabbath  a  gracious 
soul  can  say,  as  Cant.  ii.  3.,  "  I  sat  <!(»wn 
under  his  shadow  with  great  delight,  and 
his  fruit  was  sweet  to  my  taste."  How 
can  a  spiritual  heart  choose  but  call  the  sab- 
bath a  delight?  Is  it  not  delightful  to  a 
queen  to  be  putting  on  her  wedding -robes 
in  which  she  siudl  meet  the  king:  her  bride- 
groom  ?  When  we  are  about  sabbath-exer- 
cises, we  are  dressing  ourselves,  and  put- 
ting on  our  wedding-robes  in  which  we  are 
to  meet  our  heavenly  bridegroom  the  Lord 
Jesus  :  and  is  not  this  delightful  ?  On  the 


sabbath  God  makes  a  feast  of  fat  things,  he 
feasts  the  ear  with  his  word,  and  the  heart 
with  his  grace.  Well  then  may  we  call  tho 
sabbath  a  delight ;  and  to  fnid  this  holy  de- 
light, is  to  "  be  in  the  Spirit  on  the  Lord's 
day." 

(4.)  "  Tlie  holy  of  the  Lord  honourable." 
In  the  Hebrew,  it  is  glorious.     To  call  the 
sabbath  honourable,  is  not  to  be  understood 
so  much  of  an  outward  honour  given  to  it, 
by  wearing  richer  apparel,  or  having  better 
diet  on  this  day,  as  the  Jewish  doctors  cor- 
ruptly gloss  :  this  is  the  chief  honour  some 
give  to  this  day  ;  but  by  calling  the  sabbath 
honourable,    is  meant  that   honour  of   the 
heart  which  we  give  to  this  day,  reverenc- 
ing it,  and  esteeming  it  the  queen  of  davs. 
We  are  to  count  the  sabbath  honourable, 
because   God   hath    honoured   it.     All   the 
persons  in  the  Trinity  have  honoured  it,—  • 
God  the  Father  blessed  it, — God  the  Si)n 
rose  u|)on  it,  —  God  the  Holy  Ghost  descend- 
ed on  this  day.  Acts  ii.  1.  And  indeed  this 
day  is  to  be  honoured  of  all  good  Christians, 
and  had  in  high  veneration.     It  is  a  day  of 
renown.     On  this  day  a  golden  sceptre  of 
mercy  is  held   forth.     The  Christian   sab- 
hath  is  the  very  crepiiscultim  and  dawning 
oi'  the  heavenly  sabbath.      It  is  honourable, 
because  this  day  '  God  comes  down  to  us 
and  visits  us.'     To  have  the  king  of  heaven 
j)resent  in  a  special  manner  in  our  assem- 
blies,   makes  the   sabbath-day  honourable. 
Besides,   the  work  that  is  done  on  this  day 
makes  it  honourable  ;  the  six  days  are  filled 
up  wilh  servile  work,  which  makes  them 
lose  much  of  their  glory  ;  but  on  this  day 
sacred  work  is  done.     The  soul  is  employ 
ed  wholly  about  the  worship  of  God ;  it  is 
praying,    hearing,    meditating;    it  is  doing 
angels'   work,    praising,    and  blessing  God. 
Again,  the  day  is  luuiourable  by  virtue  of  a 
divine  institution;  silver  is  of  itself  valua- 
ble, but  when  the  royal  stamp  is  put  upon 
it,  it  is  honourable  :  so  God  hath  put  a  sa- 
cred stamp  upon  this  day, — the  stamp  of  di- 
vine authority,  and  the  stamj)  of  divine  be- 
nediction,— this  makes  it  honourable:   this 
is  a  sanctifying  the  sabbath,  to  call  it  a  de- 
light, and  honourable. 

(5.)  "  Not  doing  thy  own  ways."  That 
is,  thou  shalt  not  defile  the  day  by  doing 
any  servile  work. 


29i 


OF  THE  FOURTH  COMMANDMENT. 


(6.)  "  Nor  finding  thy  own  pleasure." 
That  is,  not  gratifying  the  fleshly  part,  by 
wall  s,  visits,  or  pastimes. 

(7.)  "  Nor  speaking  thy  own  words." 
That  is,  words  heterogeneous  and  unsuita- 
ble for  a  sabbath, — vain,  impertinent  words, 
— discourses  of  worldly  affairs.  Here  is 
the  sanctifying  of  a  sabbath  described. 

Use  2d.  If  the  sabbath-day  be  to  be  kept 
holy,  it  reproves  them  who,  instead  of  sanc- 
tifying the  sabbath,  profane  it.  They  take 
that  time  which  should  be  detlicated  wholly 
to  God,  and  spend  it  in  the  service  of  the 
devil  and  their  lusts.  The  Lord  hath  en- 
closed this  day  for  his  own  worship,  and 
they  lay  this  day  common.  God  hatii  set 
an  hedge  about  this  commandment,  '  re- 
member ;'  and  they  break  this  hedge ;  but 
"  whoso  breaketh  a  hedge,  a  serpent  shall 
bite  him,"  Eccl.  x.  8.  Tlie  sabbath-day  in 
England  lies  bleeding:  and  oh  that  our 
parliament  would  pour  in  some  balm  into 
the  wounds  which  tiie  sabbath  hath  receiv- 
ed !  How  is  this  day  profaned,  by  sitting 
idle  at  home,  by  selling  meat,  by  vain  dis- 
course, by  sinful  visits,  by  walking  in  the 
fields,  by  using  sports.  The  people  of  Is- 
rael might  not  gather  manna  on  the  sab- 
bath, and  may  we  use  s])orts  and  dancings 
on  this  day  ?  Truly  it  siiould  be  matter  of 
grief  to  us  to  see  so  much  sabbath-profana- 
tion !  When  one  of  Darius's  eunuchs  saw 
Alexander  setting  his  feet  on  a  rich  table 
of  Darius's,  he  fell  a-weeping:  Alexander 
asked  him  why  lie  wept  ?  He  said  it  was 
to  see  the  table  which  his  master  so  highly 
esteemed  to  be  now  made  a  footstool.  ISo 
we  may  weep  to  see  the  sabbath-day,  which 
God  so  highly  esteems,  and  hath  so  honour- 
ed and  blessed,  to  be  made  a  footstool,  and 
to  be  trampled  upon  by  the  feet  of  sinners. 
To  profane  the  sabbath,  is  a  sin  of  an  high 
nature ;  it  is  a  wilful  contempt  of  God  ;  it 
is  not  only  a  casting  God's  law  behiiul  our 
6ack,  but  a  tramjjling  it  under  foot,  (^od 
saith  '  keep  the  sabbath  holy,'  but  men  will 
pollute  it :  this  is  to  despise  God,  to  hang 
out  the  flag  of  defiance,  to  throw  down  the 
gauntlet,  and  challenge  God  himself.  Now, 
how  can  God  endure  to  be  thus  saucily  con- 
fronted by  proud  dust  ?  God  will  not  sutfer 
this  high  impudence  to  go  unpunished. 
This  will  draw  God's  curses  upon  the  sab- 


bath-breaker ;  and  God's  curse  ^^ill  b^ast 
where  it  comes,  though  the  law  of  the  land 
lets  sabbath-breakers  alone.  No  sooner 
did  Christ  curse  the  fig-tree,  but  it  wither- 
ed. To  rob  a  man  of  his  purse,  shall  be 
punished  with  death ;  but  to  rob  God  o 
his  day,  shall  not  be  punished  with  death 
But  God  will  take  the  matter  into  his  own 
hand;  he  will  see  after  the  punishing  of  sab- 
bath -violation  :  and  how  doth  he  punish  it  ? 

1.  With  s))iritual  plagues.  He  gives  up 
sabbath-profaners  to  hardness  of  heart,  and 
a  seared  conscience.  'Spiritual  judgments 
are  sorest :  Ps.  Ixxxi.  12.,  "  So  I  gave 
them  up  unto  their  own  hearts'  lusts."  A 
sear  in  the  conscience  is  a  brand-mark  of 
reprobation. 

2.  God  punisheth  this  sin  of  sabbath- 
breaking,  by  giving  them  up  to  commit  o 
ther  sins.  God,  to  revenge  the  breaking  of 
his  sabbath,  suffers  men  to  break  open  hou- 
ses, and  so  come  to  be  punished  by  the  ma- 
gistrate. How  many  such  confessions  have 
we  heard  from  thieves  going  to  be  execut- 
ed !  They  never  regarded  the  sabbath,  and 
so  God  suffered  them  to  commit  those  hei- 
nous sins,  for  which  now  they  are  to  die. 

3.  God  punisheth  sabbath-hroakirig,  by 
sadden  visible  judgments  on  men  for  this 
sin ;  (iod  punisheth  them  in  their  estates, 
and  in  their  jiersons.  One  carrying  coi'n 
into  his  barn  on  the  Lord's  day,  loth  house 
and  corn  were  consumed  with  iire  from 
hea\en.  In  Wiltshire  there  was  a  dancing- 
match  appointed  upon  the  Lord's  day ;  and 
one  of  tlie  company,  as  he  was  dancing,  fell 
down  dead  suddenly,  and  so  was  made  a 
spectacle  of  God's  justice.  The  '  Theatre 
of  God's  Judgments'  relates  of  one,  who  us- 
ed every  Lord's  day  to  hunt  in  sermon- 
time,  and  he  had  a  child  by  his  wife  with  a 
head  like  a  dog,  and  it  cried  like  a  hound. 
His  sin  was  monstrous,  and  it  was  punish- 
ed with  a  monstrous  birth.  The  Lord 
tln*eatened  the  Jews  that  if  they  would  not 
hallow  the  sabbath-day,  he  would  kindle  a 
"  fire  in  their  gates,"  Jer.  xvii.  27.  The 
dreadful  fire  which  brake  out  in  London, 
began  on  the  sabbath-day  ;  as  if  God  would 
tell  us  from  heaven,  he  was  then  punishing 
us  for  our  sabbath-profanation.  Nor  doth 
(iod  punish  it  only  in  this  life  with  death,  but 
« ith  damnation.     Such  as  break  God's  sab- 


OF  THE  FOURTH  COMMANDMENT. 


295 


bath,  let  tlicm  see  if  tlioy  can  liioak  those 
cliains  of  darkness,  in  which  they  and  the 
devils  shall  be  held. 

Use  "3d.  It  exhorts  us  to  sahhath-lioliness. 

1.  Make  conscience  of  keeping  this  day 
holy.  The  other  commandinents  have  only 
an  affirmative  in  tliem  or  a  negative;  this 
fourth  commandment  hatli  both  an  affirma- 
tive in  it  and  a  negative  ;  "  Thou  shalt  keep 
the  sabbath-day  holy,"  and,  "  thou  shalt  not 
do  any  manner  of  work  in  it ;"  to  show  how 
carefully  God  would  have  us  observe  this 
day.  Not  only  must  you  keep  this  day 
yourselves,  but  have  a  care  that  all  under 
your  charge  keep  it ;  "  tho-n,  and  thy  son, 
and  thy  daughter,  and  thy  man-servant,  and 
thy  maid-servant;"  that  is,  thou  who  art  a 
superior,  a  parent  or  a  master,  thou  must 
have  a  care  t'.iat  not  only  thyself  sanctify 
the  day,  but  those  who  are  under  thy  trust 
and  tuition.  To  blame  are  those  masters 
of  families,  who  are  careful  that  their  ser- 
vants serve  them,  but  have  no  care  that  they 
serve  God  ;  they  care  not  though  their  ser- 
vants should  serve  the  devil,  so  long  as  their 
bodies  do  them  service.  That  which  St. 
Paul  saith  to  Timothy,  1  Tim.  i.  11.,  Serva 
depositnni, — "  Keep  that  which  is  commit- 
ted to  thy  trust,"  is  of  large  extension.  Not 
only  have  a  care  of  thy  own  soul,  but  have 
a  care  of  the  souls  thou  art  entrusted  witli. 
See  that  they  who  are  under  thy  charge 
sanctify  the  sabbath.  God's  law  provided, 
that  if  a  man  met  with  an  ox  or  an  ass  go- 
ing astray,  he  should  bring  him  back  again  : 
much  more,  when  thou  seest  the  soid  of  thy 
child  or  servant  going  astray  from  God,  and 
breaking  his  sabbath,  thou  shouldest  bring 
him  back  again  to  a  religious  observation 
of  this  day.  Now  that  I  may  press  you  to 
sabbath-sanctification,  consider, 

(1.)  God  hath  promised  great  blessings 
to  the  strict  observers  of  this  day. —  I.  A 
promise  of  joy.  If  this  be  a  delight,  Isa. 
Iviii.  14,,  "  Then  shalt  thou  dcliglit  thyself 


in  the  Lord."  Delighting  in  God  is  both  a 
duty,  Ps.  xxxvii.  4.,  and  a  reward.  In 
this  text  it  is  a  reward,  "  Then  shalt  thou 
delight  thyself  in  the  Lord:"  as  if  God 
had  said,  "  If  tliou  keep  the  sabbath  con- 
scientiously, I  will  give  thee  that  which 
will  fill  thee  with  delight ;  if  thou  keep  the 
sabbath  willingly,  I  will  make  thee  keep  it 
joyfully;  I  will  give  thee  those  enlargements 
in  duty,  and  that  inward  comfort,  which 
shall  abundantly  satisfy  thee  ;  thy  soul  shall 
overflow  with  such  a  stream  of  joy,  that 
thou  shalt  say,  '  Lord,  in  keejnng  thy  sab- 
bath there  is  great  reward !'  " — 2.  Of  honour. 
And,  "  I  will  cause  thee  to  ride  upon  the 
high  places  of  the  earth."  That  is,  I  will 
advance  thee  to  honour, — ascendere  faciem^ 
— so  Munster  interprets  it.  Some,  by  the 
'  high  places  of  the  earth,'  understand  Ju- 
dea, — so  Grolius.  I  will  bring  thee  into 
the  land  of  Judea,  which  is  higher  situated 
than  the  otlier  countries  adjacent. — 3.  Of 
earth  and  heaven.  "  And  I  will  feed  thee 
with  the  heritage  of  Jacob  ;"  that  is,  "  I  will 
feed  thee  with  all  the  delicious  thinjjs  of 
Canaan,  and  afterwards  I'll  translate  thee 
to  heaven,  whereof  Canaan  was  but  a  type." 
And  another  promise,  Isa.  Ivi.  2.,  "  Blessed 
is  tlie  man  that  doth  this,  that  keej)eth  the 
sabbath  from  polluting  it."  "  Blessed  is 
the  man  ;"  in  the  Hebrew,  it  is,  blessedness. 
To  him  that  keeps  the  sabbath  holy,  here  is 
blessedness  upon  blessedness  belongs  to 
him  ;  he  shall  be  blessed  with  the  uj)per  and 
nether  springs;  he  shall  be  blessed  in  his 
name,  estate,  soul,  ]»rogeny.  Who  would 
not  keep  the  sabbath  IVom  polluting  it,  that 
shall  have  so  many  blessings  entailed  upon 
him  and  his  ])osterity  after  him? 

(2.)  A  conscientious  keeping  the  sabbath, 
seasons  the  heart  for  God's  service  all  the 
week  after.  Christian,  the  more  holy  thou 
art  on  a  sabbath,  the  more  holy  thou  wilt 
be  on  the  week  following. 


296 


OF  THE  riFTII  COMMANDMENT. 


OF  THE  FIFTH  COMMANDMENT. 

ExoD.  XX.  12.  Honour  thy  father  and  thy  mo' her :  that  thy  days  may  be  long  upon  the  landj 

which  the  Lord  thy  God  givelh  thee. 


HAVING  done  with  tlie  first  table,  I  am 
next  to  speak  of  the  duties  of  tlie  second 
table.  The  commandments  may  be  likened 
to  Jacob's  ladder  ;  the  first  table,  as  the  top 
of  his  ladder,  rcacheth  to  heaven, — it  re- 
spects God;  the  second  table,  as  the  foot  of 
the  ladder,  rests  on  the  earth, — it  respects 
superiors  and  inferiors.  By  the  first  table 
we  walk  religiously  towards  God;  by  the 
second  we  walk  religiously  towards  man. 
He  cannot  be  good  in  the  first  table  that  is 
bad  in  the  second.  "  Honour  thy  father 
and  thy  mother." 

In  this,  1.9^  A  command,  "  honour  tliy 
father  and  thy  mother." — 2d.  A  reason  an- 
nexed to  it,  "  that  thy  days  may  be  long  in 
the  land." 

I.  The  command,  "  Honour  tby  father." 

Quest.  ]Vho  is  meant  here  by  father  ? 

Ans.  Father  is  taken  several  ways  ;  tlie 
Piilitical,  Ancient,  Spiritual,  Economical, 
Natural. 

I.  Tiie  Political  father,  the  magistrate. 
Fie  is  the  father  of  his  country;  he  is  to  be 
an  encourager  of  a  irtue,  a  punisher  of  vice, 
a  father  to  tlie  widow  and  orjihan  ;  such  a 
fatlier  was  Job,  ch.  xxix.  IG.,  "  I  was  a  fa- 
ther to  the  poor ;  and  the  cause  which  I 
knew  not,  I  searched  out."  And,  as  magis- 
trates arc  fathers,  so  es])eciallv  the  king  w  ho 
is  the  head  of  magistrates,  is  a  political  fa- 
ther ;  he  is  placed  as  the  sun  among  the 
lesser  stars.     The  scripture  calls  kings  '  fa- 


order  and  liarmony  in  a  nation,  and  to  pre- 
vent those  state  convulsions  which  otherwise 
might  ensue  :  Judges  xvii.  6.,  When  "  there 
was  no  king  in  Israel,  every  man  did  that 
which  was  right  in  his  own  eyes."  A  won- 
der, Prov.  XXX.  27. 

(2.)  God  bath  promoted  kings,  that  they 
may  promote  justice.  As  they  have  a  sword 
in  their  hand,  to  signify  their  power,  so  a 
sceptre,  an  emblem  of  justice.  It  is  said  of 
Marcus  Aurelius,  emperor,  that  he  allotted 
one  hour  of  the  day  to  bear  the  complaints 
of  such  as  were  oppressed.  Kings  place 
judges  as  cherubims  about  the  throne,  for 
distribution  of  justice.  These  political  fa- 
thers are  to  be  honoured  :  "  Honour  the 
king,"  1  Pet.  ii.  17.  And  this  honour  is  to 
be  shewn  by  a  civil  respect  to  their  persons, 
and  a  cheeri'ul  submission  to  their  laws,  so 
far  as  they  agree  and  run  parallel  with 
God's  law.  Kings  are  to  be  prayed  lor, 
which  is  a  part  of  that  honour  we  give  them, 
1  Tim.  ii.  1,  2.,  "  I  exhort  that  supplica- 
tions, ))rayers,  intercessions,  be  made  for 
kings,  that  we  may  lead  a  quiet,  peaceable 
Hie  under  tiiem,  in  all  godliness  and  hones- 
ty.'' We  are  to  })ray  for  kings,  that  God 
would  honour  them  to  be  blessings;  that 
under  them  we  may  enjoy  the  gospel  of 
j)eace,  and  the  peace  of  the  gospel.  How 
ha|)py  was  the  reign  of  Numa  Pompilius, 
when  the  swords  were  beaten  into  j)lough- 
shares,  and  fhe  bees  made  their  hives  of  the 


ther  :'  Isa.  xlix.  23.,  "  Kings  shall  be   thy  :  soldiers'  helmets  ! 

nursing-fthers."  They  are  to  nurse  up!  2.  There  is  the  grave  ancient  father  who 
their  subjects  in  ])iety,  by  tlunr  good  edicts  is  venerable  for  old  age,  Avliose  grey  hairs 
and  exam|)les;  and  to  nurse  tliem  up  in  i  are  resembled  to  the  white  flowers  of  the 
peace  and  plenty.  Such  nursing-fathers  almond-tree,  Eccl.  xii.  5.  There  are  lathers 
were  David,  Hezekiah,  Josiah,  Constantine,  for  seniority,  on  whose  wrinkled  brows,  an<i 
'J'heodosius.  It  is  hMj)py  for  a  people  who  in  the  furrows  of  whose  cheeks  is  pictured 
have  such  nursing-fathers,  whoso  breasts  the  map  of  old  age.  These  lathers  are  to 
milk  comfort  to  their  children.  Tliesc  fa-  be  honoured:  Lev.  xix.  32.,  "  Thou  shalt 
thers  are  to  be  honoured  ;  for,  rise  uj)  before  the  hoary  head,   and   honour 

(1.)   Their  jilaee  deserves  honour.      God    the  face  of  the  old  man."      Esjx-cially,  those 
hath  set  these  political  fathers  to  preserve   are  to  be  honoured  who  are  fathers  not  only 


OF  TFIE  FIFTH  COMMANDMENT. 


297 


(or  their  seniority,  but  their  piety  ;  wliose  I 
souls  arc  flourishing,  when  their  bodies  are 
a-dccaying.  'Tis  a  blessed  sight  to  see  the 
springs  of  grace  in  the  autumn  of  old  age, 
— to  see  men  stooping  towards  the  grave, 
yet  going  up  the  hill  of  God, — to  see  them 
lose  their  colour,  yet  keep  their  savour. 
Such,  whose  silver  hairs  arc  crowned  with 
righteousness,  are  worthy  of  double  honour; 
they  are  to  be  honoured,  not  only  as  pieces 
of  antiquity,  but  as  patterns  of  virtue.  If 
you  see  an  old  man  fearing  God,  whose 
grace  sliiites  brightest  when  the  sun  of  his 
life  is  setting,  O  honour  him  as  a  father,  by 
reverencing  and  imitating-  him  ! 

3.  There  are  spiritual  fatlicrs,  as  pastors 
and  ministers.  These  arc  the  iiistrumciits 
of  '  the  New-birth,'  1  Cor.  iv.  !.>.,  ''  Tliougli 
ye  have  ten  thousand  instructors,  yet  liave 
ye  not  many  fathers  ;  for  in  Christ  Jesus 
I  have  begotten  you  tlirough  the  gospel." 
The  spiritual  fathers  are  to  be  honoured. 

1.  In  respect  of  their  oflice.  Wliatever 
their  persons  are,  their  office  is  honourable  ; 
they  are  the  "  Messengers  of  the  Lord  of 
Hosts,"  Mai.  ii.  7.  They  represent  no  less 
than  God  himself,  2  Cor.  v.  20.,  "  Now 
then  we  are  ambassadors  for  Christ."  Je- 
sus Christ  was  of  this  calling  ;  he  had  his 
mission  and  sanction  from  heaven,  John 
viii.  18.,  and  this  crowns  the  ministerial 
calling  with  honour. 

2.  Ministers,  these  spiritual  fathers,  are 
to  be  "  honoured  for  their  work's  sake  ;" 
they  come,  like  the  dove,  with  an  olive- 
oranch  in  their  mouth :  they  preach  glad 
tidings  of  peace ;"  their  work  is  *'  to  save 
souls."  Other  callings  have  only  to  do 
with  men's  bodies  or  estates,  but  the  minis- 
ter's calling  is  employed  about  the  souls  of 
men.  Their  work  is  to  redeem  spiritual 
captives,  and  turn  men  "  from  the  power 
of  Satan  to  God,  Acts  xxvi.  18.  Their 
work  is  "  to  enlighten  them  who  sit  in  the 
region  of  darkness,"  and  make  them  "  shine 
as  stars  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven."  These 
spiritual  fathers  are  to  be  "  honoured  for 
their  work's  sake;"  and  this  honour  is  to  be 
shewn  three  ways : 

(1.)  By  giving  them  respect,  1  Thess.v.  12, 
13.,  "  Know  them  which  labour  among  you, 
and  are  over  you  in  the  Lord,  and  esteem 
them  very  highly  in  love  for  their  work's 


sake."  I  confess,  tlie  scandalous  lives  of 
some  ministers  have  been  a  great  reproach, 
and  have  made  the  "  offering  of  the  Lord 
to  be  abhorred,"  in  some  ])laces  of  the  land. 
The  leper  in  the  law  was  to  have  his  lip  co- 
vered :  such  as  are  angels  by  office,  but  le- 
pers in  their  lives,  ought  to  have  their  lips 
covered,  and  to  be  silenced.  But  though 
some  deserve  '  no  honour,'  yet  such  as  are 
faithful,  and  make  it  their  work  to  bring 
souls  to  Christ,  are  to  be  reverenced  as  spi- 
ritual fathers.  Obadiah  honoured  the  pro- 
phet Klijah,  1  Kings  xviii.  16.  Why  did 
God  reckon  the  tribe  of  Levi  for  the  first- 
born ?  Numb.  iii.  13.  Why  did  he  appoint 
that  the  prince  should  ask  counsel  of  God 
by  the  priest?  Numb,  xxvii.  21.  Why  di  i 
the  Lord  shew,  by  that  miracle  of  "  Aaron's 
rod  flourishing,"  that  he  had  chosen  the  tribe 
of  "  Levi  to  minister  before  him  ?"  Num. 
xvii.  Why  doth  Christ  call  his  apostles  'the 
lights  of  the  world  ?'  Why  doth  he  sjiy  to 
all  his  ministers,  "  Lo,  I  am  with  yon  to 
the  end  of  the  world  ;"  but  because  he  would 
have  these  spiritual  fathers  reverenced? 
In  ancient  times  the  Egyptians  chose  their 
kings  out  of  their  priests.  They  are  far 
from  shewing  this  respect  and  honour  to 
their  spiritual  fathers  who  have  slight 
thoughts  of  such  as  have  the  charge  of  the 
sanctuary,  and  do  minister  before  the  Lord. 
"  Know  them,"  saith  the  apostle,  "  which 
labour  among  you."  Many  can  be  con- 
tent to  know  their  ministers  in  their  infir- 
mities, and  are  glad  when  they  have  any 
thing  against  ihem,  but  do  not  know  them 
in  the  apostle's  sense,  so  as  to  give  them 
"  double  honour."  Surely,  were  it  not  for 
the  ministry,  you  would  not  be  a  vineyard, 
but  a  desert;  were  it  not  for  the  ministry, 
you  would  be  destitute  of  the  two  seals  of 
the  covenant, — baptism  and  the  Lord's  sup- 
per ;  you  would  be  infidels :  "  For  faith 
c<»mes  by  hearing  ;  and  how  shall  they  hear 
withitut  a  preacher,"  Rom.  x.  14. 

(2.)  Honoin-  the  ministers,  these  spiri- 
tual fathers,  by  becoming  advocates  for 
them,  and  wiping  off  those  slanders  and  ca- 
lumnies which  are  unjustly  cast  upon  them, 
1  Tim.  V.  19.  Constantine  was  a  great  ho- 
nourer  of  the  ministry  ;  he  vindicated  them  •, 
he  would  not  read  the  envious  accusations 
broujiht  in  against  them,  but  did  burn  them. 

9.  P 


tfOS 


OF  THE  FIFTH  COMMANDMENT. 


Do  the  ministers  open  their  mouths  to  God 
for  you  in  prayer,  and  will  not  you  open 
your  mouths  in  their  hehalf?  Surely,  if 
they  labour  to  preserve  you  from  hell,  you 
should  preserve  them  from  slander ;  if  they 
labour  to  save  your  souls,  you  ought  to  save 
their  credit. 

(3.)   Honour  them  by  conforming  to  their 
doctrine.     This  is  the  greatest  honour  you 
can  put  upon  your  si)iritual  fatiiers,  by  be- 
lieving and  obeying  their  doctrine.     He  is 
an  honourer  of  the  ministry,  who  is  not  only 
a  hearer,  but  a  follower  of  the  word.     As 
disobedience   reproacheth   the  ministry,  so 
obedience  honoureth  it.     The  apostle  calls 
his  Thcssalonians   his   crown,    1  Thess.  ii. 
19.,    "  What   is   our   crown   of  rejoicing? 
are  not  ye  ?"     A  thriving  people  are  a  mi- 
nister's crown ;  when  there  is  a  metamor- 
phosis,  a  change   wrougiit, — when   people 
come  to  the  word  proud,  but  go  away  hum- 
ble,— they  come  earthly,  but  they  go  away 
heavenlv, — thcv  come,  as  Naaman  to  Jor- 
dan,  lepers,  but  tliey  go  away  healed, — this 
is  an  honour  to  the  ministry.     2  Cor.  iii.  I., 
"  Need  we,  as  some  others,  epistles  of  com- 
mendation ?"  Though  other  ministers  might 
need  letters  of  commendation,  yet  Paul  need- 
ed none  :  for,  when  men  should  hear  of  the 
obedience  of  these  Corinthiaiis,  which  was 
wrought  in  them  by  Paul's  ])reaching;  this 
was  a  sufficient  certificate   for   him,    that 
God  had  blessed  his  labours.     The  Corin- 
thians  wore   a   sufficient   honour   to   him : 
they  were  his  letters-testimonial.     You  can- 
not honour  your  spiritual  fathers  more,  than 
by  thriving  under  their  ministry,  and  living 
upon  those  sermons  which  they  preach. 

4.  There  is  the  economical  father,  that  is 
the  master ;  he  is  pater  familias, — the  fa- 
ther of  the  family,  therefore  Njuiman's  ser- 
vants called  tlii'ir  master,  '  father,'  2  Kings 
V.  13.  And  the  centurion  calls  his  servant, 
'  son,'  Mat.  viii.  6.  The  servant  is  to  ho- 
nour his  master,  as  the  father  of  the  family. 
Though  the  master  be  not  so  exactly  qua- 
lified as  he  should,  yet  the  servant  must  not 
neglect  his  duty,  but  shew  some  kind  of  ho- 
nour to  him. 

(1.)  In  obeying  his  master  in  Ileitis ef  ho- 
nestis, — in  things  that  are  lawful  and  ho- 
nest, 1  Pet.  ii.  18.,  "  Servants,  be  subject 
to  your  masters ;  not  only  to  the  good  and 


gentle,  but  also  to  the  froward."  God  hath 
no  where  given  a  charter  of  exemption  to 
free  you  from  your  duty.  You  cannot  dis- 
obey your  earthly  master,  but  you  disobey 
your  master  in  heaven.  Think  not  that 
birth,  or  high  parts,  no,  nor  yet  your  grace, 
will  exempt  you  from  obedience  to  your 
master;  to  obey  him,  is  an  ordinance  of 
God,  and  the  apostle  saith,  "  Whosoever 
resisteth  the  ordinance,  shall  receiA'e  to 
themselves  damnation,"  Rom.  xiii.  2. 

(2.)  The  servant's  honouring  of  his  mas- 
ter, (his  economical  father)  is  seen  in  being 
diligent  in  liis  service.  Apelles  painted  a 
servant  with  his  hands  full  of  tools,  an 
emblem  of  diligence.  The  loitering:  ser- 
vant  is  a  hind  of  thief;  though  he  dotli  not 
steal  from  his  master's  goods,  yet  he  steals 
that  time  which  he  should  have  employed 
in  his  master's  service.  The  slothful  vser- 
vant  is  called  a  "  wicked  servant,"  Mat. 
XXV.  26. 

(3.)  The  servant  is  to  honour  his  mas- 
ter, who  is  his  family-father,  by  being  faith- 
ful. Mat.  xxiv.  45.,  "  Who  then  is  a  faith- 
ful and  wise  servant?"  Faithfulness  is  the 
chief  thing  in  a  servant.  This  faithfulness 
in  a  servant  is  seen  in  six  things:  l.s^.  In 
tenaciousness  in  concealing  the  secrets  your 
master  hath  intrusted  you  with ;  if  tliose 
secrets  are  not  sins,  you  ought  to  promise 
privacy.  What  is  whispered  in  your  ear 
you  are  not  to  publish  on  the  house-top  ; 
such  servants  are  spies.  Who  would  keep 
a  glass  that  is  cracked  ?  Who  would  keep 
a  servant  that  hath  a  crack  in  his  brain,  and 
cannot  keep  a  secret?  2d/i/,  Faithfulness 
in  a  servant  is  seen  in  designing  the  mas- 
ter's advantage.  A  faithful  servant  esteems 
his  master's  good  as  his  own.  Such  a  good 
servant  had  Abraham  ;  when  his  master 
sent  him  to  transact  business  for  him,  lie 
was  as  careful  about  it,  as  if  it  had  been 
his  own,  (len.  xxiv.  12.,  "  O  Lord  (iod  of 
my  master  Abraham,  I  pray  thee  send  me 
good  speed  this  day,  and  shew  kindness 
unto  my  master  Abraham !"  Doubtless 
Abraham's  servant  was  as  glad  he  had  got  a 
wife  for  his  master's  son,  as  if  he  had  got 
a  wife  for  himself.  3r////,  Faithfulness  in 
a  servant  is  seen  in  standing  up  for  the  ho- 
nour of  his  master.  AVhen  he  hears  hinj 
spoken  against,  he  must  vindicate  him.    Am 


OF  THE  FIFTH  COMMANDMENT 


S99 


the  master  is  careful  of  tlic  servant's  body, 
so  tlic  servant  sliouUl  be  careful  of  the  mas- 
ter's name  ;  when  the  master  is  unjustly  re- 
proached, the  servant  cannot  be  excused  if 
he  be  possessed  with  a  dumb  devil.  47/////, 
Faithfulness  is,  when  a  servant  '  is  true  to 
his  word.'  He  dares  not  tell  a  lie,  but  will 
speak  the  truth,  though  it  be  ag^ainst  him- 
self. A  lie  doubles  tlu'  sin  :  Ps.  ci.  7.,  "  He 
tliattelletli  lies,  shall  not  tarry  in  my  sight." 
A  liar  is  near  a-kin  to  tlie  devil,  John  viii. 
44.  And  who  would  let  any  of  the  devil's 
kindred  live  A\nth  him  ?  The  lie  that  Ge- 
hazi  told  his  master  Elisha,  entailed  lepro- 
sy on  Gehazi  and  his  seed  for  ever,  2  Kings 
V.  27.  A  faithful  servant,  his  tongue  is  the 
true  index  of  his  heart.  5//////,  Faithful- 
ness is,  when  a  servant  is  against  impropri- 
ation. He  dares  not  convert  his  ujaster's 
g'oods  to  his  own  use,  Tit.  ii.  10.,  "  Not 
purloining."  What  a  servant  filcheth  from 
bis  master,  is  damnable  gain.  Theservaiit 
who  enricheth  himself  by  stealing  from  his 
master,  stuffs  his  ]>illow  with  thorns,  and 
his  head  will  lie  very  uneasy  when  he  comes 
to  die.  Qllily,  Faithfulness  is  in  preserv- 
ings the  master's  person,  if  unjustly  in  dan- 
g-er.  Banister  who  betrayed  his  master  the 
duke  of  Buckingham,  in  King  Richard  the 
Third's  reign, — it  is  remarkable  how  the 
judgments  of  God  befell  that  traitorous  ser- 
vant: liis  eldest  son  ran  mad, — his  daugh- 
ter,  of  a  singular  beauty,   was    suddenly 


struck  with  le 


prosy,- 


-his  younger  son  was 


drowned,  and  he  himself  arraigned,  and  had 
been  executed,  had  he  not  been  saved  by 
his  clergy.  That  servant  who  is  not  true 
to  his  master,  will  never  be  true  to  God  or 
his  own  soul. 

(4.)  The  servant  is  to  lionour  his  master, 
by  serving  him,  as  with  love,  (for  willinj^- 
ncss  is  more  than  the  work),  so  with  si- 
lence, that  is,  without  repining,  and  with- 
out replying :  Tit.  ii.  9.,  "  Exhort  servants 
to  be  obedient  to  their  masters,  not  answei- 
ing  again  ;"  Greek,  '  not  giving  cross  an- 
swers.' Some  servants  are  quick  at  speech, 
though  slow  at  work,  and  instead  of  being 
sorry  for  a  fault,  they  provoke  by  unbe- 
coming language :  were  the  heart  more 
humble,  the  tongue  would  be  more  silent. 
They  are  the  a])ostle's  words,  "  not  answer- 
ing again."  And  to  those  servants  who  do 
thus  honour  their  masters,  or  family-fa- 
thers, by  submission,  diligence,  faithful- 
ness, love,  and  humble  silence,  for  their  en- 
couragement let  them  take  that,  "  Servants, 
obey  in  all  things  your  masters,  according 
to  the  flesh,  not  with  eye-service,  kno\v'ing 
that  of  the  Lord  ye  shall  receive  the  re- 
ward of  the  inheritance,  for  ye  serve  the 
Lord  Christ,"  Col.  iii.  24.  In  serving  your 
masters,  you  serve  Christ,  and  he  will  not 
let  you  lose  y<mr  labour,  ye  shall  receive 
the  "  reward  of  the  inheritance."  From 
serving  on  earth,  you  shall  be  taken  up  to 
reign  in  heaven,  and  shall  sit  with  Christ 
upon  his  throne,  Rev.  iii.  21. 


»%^^V%V^^^»^i^^V^^^^^^%^^V%*%V^»^%^^^%^V%%»%%(%  %»%%%»!% 


ExoD.  XX.  12.  Honour  thrj  Father  and  thy  Mother,  Sfc. 


IF  we  are  not  just,  we  caimot  be  holy. 
Having  shown  you  how  servants  are  to  ho- 
nour their  masters,  the  fathers  of  families ; 
I  shall  next  show  how  masters  are  to  carry 
it  towards  their  servants,  that  they  may 
gain  honour  from  them. 

1.  In  general,  masters  must  remember 
that  they  have  a  master  in  heaven,  who 
will  call  them  to  account,  Eph.  vi.  9., 
"  Knowing  that  your  master  also  is  in 
heaven." 

2.  More  particularly. 

(1.)  Masters  must  have  a  care  to  pro\'ide 
for  tiieir   servants ;  as  tluy  cut  them  out 


work,  so  they  must  give  them  their  meat 
in  due  season,  Luke  xvii.  7.  And  the 
food  should  be  wholesome  and  sufficing. 
It  is  an  unworthy  thing  in  some  gover- 
nors of  families,  to  lay  out  so  much  upon 
their  own  back,  jis  to  pinch  their  servants' 
bellies. 

(2.)  Masters  should  encourage  their  sei- 
vants  in  their  work,  by  commending  them 
when  they  do  well ;  though  a  master  is  to 
tell  a  servant  of  his  faults,  vet  he  is  not  al- 
ways  to  beat  upon  one  siring,  but  some- 
times take  notice  of  that  which  is  praise- 
worthy.    This  makes  a  servant  more  cheer* 


300 


OF  THE  FIFTH  COMMANDMENT. 


ful  in  liis  work,  and  gains  the  master  love 
from  his  servant. 

(3.)  Masters  mnst  not  overburden  tlieir 
servants,  but  proportion  their  work  to  their 
strength  ;  if  you  lay  too  much  load  on  a 
servant  he  will  faint  under  it.  Christiani- 
ty tcachcth  compjissinn. 

(4.)  Masters  must  endeavour  the  spirit- 
ual g'ood  of  their  servants  ;  they  must  be 
seraphims  to  kindle  their  love  to  religion  ; 
they  must  be  monitors  to  put  them  in  mind 
of  their  souls  ;  they  must  bring  them  to 
the  pool  of  the  sanctuary,  waiting  till  the 
angel  stir  the  waters,  John  v.  4.  They 
must  seek  God  for  them,  that  their  ser- 
vants may  be  his  servants  ;  they  must  al- 
low them  time  convenient  for  secret  devo- 
tion. Some  masters  are  cruel  to  the  souls 
of  their  servants  ;  they  look  that  they  do 
the  work  about  the  liouse,  but  abridge  them 
of  the  time  they  should  employ  in  work- 
ing out  their  salvsttion. 

(5.)  Masters  should  use  mild  gentle  bc- 
havi<»ur  towards  servants,  Eph.  vi.  9., 
"  Forbearing  threatening,"  Lev.  xxv.  43., 
"  Thou  shalt  not  rule  over  him  with  rigour, 
but  fear  thy  Cod."  It  requires  wisdom  in 
a  master  to  know  how  to  keej)  up  his  au- 
thority, yet  lay  down  his  austerity :  we 
have  a  good  copj'  to  write  after, — our  Mas- 
ter in  heaven  is  "  slow  to  anger,  and  of 
great  mercy,"  Ps.  cxlv.  8.  Some  mastiirs 
are  so  harsh  and  im|)lacable,  tiiat  they  are 
enough  to  spoil  a  good  servant. 

(().)  lie  very  exact  and  jtunctual  in  the 
compacts  and  agreements  you  make  Avith 
your  servants ;  do  riot  ])revaricate,  k(!ep 
not  back  any  of  their  wages,  nor  deal  de- 
ceitfully with  them,  as  Laban  did  with  Ja- 
cob, changing  his  wages.  Gen.  xxxi.  7. 
ralsenesi*  in  ])romise  is  as  bad  as  false 
weights. 

(7.)  Be  carcfal  of  your  servants,  not  on- 
ly in  health  but  in  sickness.  Th<  y  have 
got  their  sickness  in  your  service ;  use  what 
means  you  can  for  their  recovery  ;  be  not 
like  the  Amalakite,  who  '  forsook  his  ser- 
vant when  he  was  sick,'  1  Sam.  xxx.  13., 
but  be  as  the  good  centurion,  who  kept  his 
sick  servant,  and  sought  to  Christ  for  a 
cure,  Mat.  viii.  6.  If  y<>"  have  a  beast  that 
falls  sick,  you  will  not  turn  it  off,  but  have 
it  looked  to,  and  pay  f<.r  its  cure  ;  will  you 


be  kinder  to  your  horses  than  to  your  ser 
vants  ?  Thus  should  masters  (the  fathers 
of  the  family)  carry  themselves  |)rudeiitly 
and  piously,  that  they  may  gain  honour 
from  their  servants,  and  may  give  up  their 
accounts  to  God  w  ith  joy. 

.5.  The  natural  father,  the  father  of  the 
fl<>sh,  Ilcb.  xii.  9.,  Honour  thy  natural  fa- 
ther. Tliis  is  so  noeessurv  a  dutv,  that 
TMiilo  the  ,h\\v  j)lac<'d  the  fifth  command- 
ment in  the  first  table,  as  though  we  had 
not  j)erformed  our  whole  duty  to  duA.  till 
we  had  paid  this  debt  of  honour  to  our  na- 
tural parents.  Children  are  the  vineyard 
of  the  parent's  planting,  and  honour  flone 
to  the  parent  is  some  of  the  fruit  of  the 
vineyard. 

Quest.  Wherein  are  children  to  sJiow  their 
honour  to  their  parents  ? 

Arts.  1.  In  a  reverential  esteem  of  their 
persons, — they  must  '  give  them  a  civil  ve- 
neration.' Therefore  when  the  a|)ostle 
speaks  of  fathers  of  our  bodies,  he  speaks 
also  of  'giving  them  reverence,'  Hci).  xii. 
9.  This  veneration  or  reverence  must  be 
shewn, 

1.  Inwardly,  by  fear  niixed  with  \o\o, 
Lev.  xix.  3.,  ''  Ye  shall  fear  every  man  his 
mother  and  his  father."  In  the  command- 
ment the  father  is  named  first,  here  the 
mother  is  named  first,  (1.)  Partly  to  put 
the  honour  upon  her  the  mother,  because, 
by  reason  of  many  weaknesses  incident  to 
her  sex,  she  is  apt  to  he  more  sliohted  by 
children.  y\iid,  (2.)  partly,  because  the 
mother  endures  more  for  the  child  ;  tli(>re-- 
fore,  here  God  {iives  the  motlu'r  the  jiiiori- 
ty,  names  her  first,  "  Ye  shall  fear  eveiy 
one  his  mother  and  his  father." 

2.  Reverence  must  be  shown  to  parents 
outwardly,  viz.  In  word  and  gesture. 

(1.)  In  word,  and  that  either  in  speak- 
ing to  parents,  or  speaking  of  them. 

First,  Peverence  in  speaking  to  parents  : 
children  must  speak  to  parents  respectfully, 
and  in  decent  language,  1  Kings  ii.  20., 
"  Ask  on,  my  mother,"  said  king  Solomon 
to  his  mother  Hatlisheba. 

Secondly,   Reverence  in  speaking  of  pa- 
rents :  children  must  s|)eak  of  their  parents 
:  honourably, — they  ought   to  speak   well  of 
1  them,  if  they  deserve  well,  Prov.  xxxi.  28., 
I  *•  Her  children  rise  up,  and  call  her  bless- 


OF  THE  FIFTH  COMMANDMENT. 


301 


cd."  And,  in  case  a  parent  lunvniys  wral<- 
ness  and  indiscretion,  the  child  shonhl 
make  the  best  of  it,  and,  by  bis  wise  ajxdo- 
gicvS  for  his  father,  cover  his  fatlier's  naked- 
ness. 

(2.)  In  q-cstnre.  Children  are  to  sliew 
their  reverence  to  their  parents  by  snbniis- 
sive  l)cha\  ioiir, — hy  uncoveiiii^  the  head, — 
bending  the  knee.  Josej)h,  though  he  was 
a  great  prince,  and  his  father  grown  poor, 
yet  lie  bowed  to  him,  and  behaved  himself 
as  humbly,  as  if  his  father  had  been  the 
prince,  and  he  the  ])oor  man,  Cen.  xlviii. 
And  king  Solomon,  when  his  mother  came 
to  him,  rose  off  his  throne,  and  "  bow- 
ed himself  to  her,"  1  Kings  ii.  19.  Among 
the  Lacedemonians,  if  a  cliild  bad  carried 
himself  arrogantly  or  saucily  to  his  father, 
it  was  lawful  for  the  father  to  appoint 
whom  he  would  to  be  bis  heir.  O  how 
many  cliildren  are  far  from  thus  giving  re- 
verence to  their  parents  !  They  despise 
their  ]iavents  ;  they  carry  themselves  with 
that  pride  and  malapertness  towards  them, 
that  they  are  a  shame  to  religion,  and  bring 
their  parents'  grey  hairs  with  sorrow  to  the 
grave.  Deut.  xxvii.  16.,  "  Cursed  be  he  that 
setteth  ligiit  by  bis  father  or  bis  mother." 
If  all  that  set  light  by  their  parents  are 
cursed,  bow  many  children  in  our  age  are 
under  a  curse  !  If  such  as  are  disrespectful 
to  their  parents  live  to  have  children,  they 
will  be  thorns  in  their  sides,  and  God  will 
make  them  read  their  sins  in  their  punish- 
ment. 

A.  2.  The  second  way  of  shewing  honour 
to  parents,  is  in  careful  obedience :  Col.  iii. 
20.,  "  Children  obey  your  parents  in  all 
things."  Our  Lord  Christ  herein  set  a  })at- 
tern  to  children,  Luke  ii.  52.,  be  was  sub- 
ject to  his  parents.  He  to  whom  angels 
were  subject,  yet  was  subject  to  his  parents. 
This  obedience  to  parents  is  shown  three 
ways  : 

(1.)  In  bearkening  to  tlieir  counsel,  Prov. 
i.  8.,  "  Hear  the  instruction  of  thy  father, 
and  forsake  not  the  law  of  thy  mother." 
Parents  are,  as  it  were  in  the  room  of  God  ; 
if  they  would  teach  you  the  fear  of  the 
Lord,  you  must  listen  to  their  words  as  o- 
racles,  and  not  be  as  tlie  deaf  adder  to  stop 
your  ears.  Eli's  sons  hearkened  not  to  the 
voico  of  their   father,    1   Sam.  ii.  2.').,  but 


lliey  w  e  called  "  sons  of  belial,"  ver.  |2, 
And  chihhen  must  hearken  to  the  counsel 
of  their  ])arents,  as  in  sjtiritual  matters,  so 
in  other  alfairs  which  relate  to  this  l.fe  ;  as 
in  the  choice  of  a  calling,  and  in  case  of  en- 
terins:  into  marriajie.  .Jacob  would  not 
dispose  of  himself  in  marriage  (though  b,i 
was  forty  years  old,)  without  the  adxiee 
and  consent  of  bis  parents,  Cien.  xxviii.  I, 
2.  Children  are  as  it  were  the  parents' 
proper  goods  and  possession,  and  it  is  high 
injustice  in  a  child  to  give  away  herself 
without  the  parents'  leave.  \{'  jiarcnts 
should  indeed  counsel  a  child  to  a  match 
with  one  that  is  irreligious  or  ]>opish,  I 
think  the  case  is  plain,  and  many  of  the 
learned  are  of  oj)inion,  that  here  the  child 
may  have  a  negative  voice,  and  is  not  ob- 
liged to  be  ruled  by  the  parent.  Children 
are  to  "  marry  in  the  Lord,"  I  Cor.  vii.  3i). 
— Therefore  not  with  persons  irreligious, 
for  that  is  not  to  marry  in  the  Lord. 

(2.)  Obedience  to  parents  is  shown  in 
subscribing  to  their  commands.  A  child 
should  be  the  parents'  echo  :  when  the  fa- 
ther speaks,  the  child  should  echo  back  o- 
bedience.  The  Recbabites  \vere  forbidden 
by  their  father  to  drink  wine ;  and  they 
did  obey  him,  and  were  commended  ft)r  it, 
Jer.  XXXV.  6.  And  chiUlren  must  obey 
their  parents  in  all  things,  Col.  iii.  20. 
Things  that  are  more  against  the  grain,  and 
which  they  have  most  reluctance  to,  yet 
they  must  obey  their  parents.  Esau  would 
obey  his  father,  when  he  commanded  him 
to  fetch  him  venison,  because  it  is  probable 
he  took  pleasure  in  hunting  ;  but  refused  to 
obey  him  in  a  matter  of  greater  concern- 
ment, namely,  in  the  choice  of  a  wife.  But 
though  children  must  obey  their  ])arent8 
'  in  all  things,'  yet  rcs/ri/ujifur  ad  Itcita  ct 
lioucsto, — it  is  with  this  limitation,  '  things 
just  and  honest.'  *  Obey  in  the  L(trd,' 
Epb.  vi.  1.,  that  is  so  far  as  the  commands 
of  parents  agree  with,  and  are  consonant 
to  (lod's  commands.  If  they  commaiui  a- 
gainst  God,  then  they  lose  tlieir  right  of 
being  obeyed,  but  in  this  case  we  must  un- 
child  ourselves. 

(3.)  Honour  is  to  be  shewn  to  parents, 
in  relieving  their  wants.  Joseph  cherish- 
ed his  father  in  his  old  age,  Cun.  xlvii.  12. 
It  is  but  }>aying  the  just  debt.     Paients  have 


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OF  THE  FIFTH  COMMANDMENT. 


brought  up  children  when  they  were  young, 
and  cliildren  ouglit  to  nourish  their  parents 
when  they  are  okl.  The  young  storks,  by 
the  instinct  of  nature,  bring  meat  to  the  old 
storks,  wlien  by  reason  of  age  they  are  not 
able  to  fly,  Pliny.  Lex  pdargica.  The 
memory  of  Eneas  was  honoured,  for  carry- 
ing his  aged  father  out  of  Troy  when  it 
was  on  fire.  I  have  read  of  a  daughter, 
whose  fatlier  being  condemned  to  be  starv- 
ed to  death,  she  did  in  prison  give  him  suck 
with  her  own  breasts,  which  being  known 
to  the  governors,  procured  his  freedom  out 
of  pi'ison.  To  blame  are  such,  shall  I  say 
children  or  monsters,  who  are  ashamed  of 
their  parents  when  they  are  old,  and  fallen 
to  decay  ;  when  parents'  tears  and  lean 
cheeks  may  plead  pity,  yet  children  have 
no  compassion  ;  when  they  ask  for  bread, 
they  give  them  a  stone.  Wh^n  houses  are 
shut  up,  we  say  the  plague  is  there  :  when 
children's  hearts  are  shut  up  against  their 
parents,  the  plague  is  in  those  hearts.  Our 
blessed  Saviour  took  great  care  for  his  mo- 
ther ;  when  he  was  on  the  cross,  he  charg- 
ed his  disciple  John  to  take  her  home  to 
him  as  his  mother,  and  see  that  she  wanted 
nothing,  John  xix.  26,  27.  The  reasons 
wliy  chikh'en  should  honour  their  parents, 
are, 

1.  It  is  a  solemn  command  of  God,  "  ho- 
nour thy  father,"  &c.  As  God's  word  is 
the  rule,  so  his  will  must  be  the  reason  of 
our  obedience. 

2.  Tiiey  deserve  honour,  in  respect  of 
that  great  love  and  affection  which  they 
l)ear  to  their  children  ;  and  that  love  is  evi- 
denced both  by  their  care  and  cost.  (1.) 
Their  care  in  bringing  up  their  children  ; 
a  sign  their  hearts  are  full  of  love,  be- 
cause their  hearts  are  so  full  of  care.  Pa- 
rents often  take  more  care  of  their  children 
than  for  themselves.  They  take  care  of 
them  when  they  are  tender,  lest  like  wall- 
fruit  they  should  be  nipt  in  the  bud.  And 
as  children  grow  older,  so  the  care  of  pa- 
rents grows  greater ;  they  are  afraid  of 
their  children  falling  when  young,  and  of 
worse  falls  Avhen  they  are  older.  (2.)  Their 
love  is  evidenced  by  their  cost,  1  Cor.  xii. 
14.  They  lay  up,  and  they  lay  out  for 
their  children  ;  they  are  not  like  tlie  raven 
or  ostrich,  Job.  xxxix.  14.,  which  are  cruel  \ 


to  their  young.  Parents  sometimes  do  im- 
poverish themsehes  to  enrich  their  chil- 
dren :  all  this  calls  for  honour  from  the 
children.  Children  can  never  parallel  or 
equal  parents'  love  ;  parents  are  the  instru- 
ments of  life  to  their  children,  children  can- 
not be  so  to  their  parents. 

3.  To  honour  parents,  "  is  well-pleasing 
to  the  Lord,"  Col.  iii.  20.  As  it  is  joyful 
to  the  parents,  so  it  is  pleasing  to  the  Lord. 
Children,  is  it  not  yoiu-  duty  to  please  God  ? 
In  honouring  and  obeying  your  parents, 
you  please  God,  as  well  as  when  you  re- 
pent and  believe.  And,  that  you  may  sec 
how  well  it  pleaseth  God,  he  bestows  a  re- 
ward upon  it,  "  That  thy  days  may  be  long 
in  the  land  which  the  Lord  thv  God  siveth 
thee."  Jacob  would  not  let  the  angel  go 
till  he  had  blessed  him ;  nor  God  would 
not  part  with  this  commandment  till  he 
had  blessed  it.  Here  is  tlie  blessing,  "  that 
thy  days  may  be  long  in  the  land,"  &c. 
St.  Paul  calls  this  "  the  first  commandment 
with  promise,"  Eph.  vi.  2.  The  second 
commandment  hath  a  general  promise  of 
mercy  ;  but  this  is  the  first  commandment 
that  hath  a  particular  promise  made  to  it, 
"  That  thy  days  may  be  long  in  the  land 
which  the  Lord  thy  God  giveth  thee." 
Long  life  is  mentioned  as  a  blessing,  Ps. 
cxxviii.  6.,  "  Thou  shalt  see  thy  children's 
children."  It  was  a  great  favour  of  God 
to  Moses,  that  though  he  was  an  hundred 
and  twenty  years  old,  he  needed  no  spec- 
tacles ;  "  his  eye  was  not  dim,  nor  his  na- 
tural force  abated,"  Deut.  xxxiv.  7.  God 
threatened  it  as  a  curse  to  Eli,  that  there 
should  not  be  an  old  man  in  his  family, 
1  Sam.  ii.  3L  Since  the  flood,  life  is  much 
abbreviated  and  cut  short ;  some,  the  womb 
is  their  tomb, — others  exchange  their  cradle 
for  their  grave, — others  die  in  the  flower  of 
their  age,— death  serves  its  warrant  every 
day  upon  one  or  other.  Now,  when  deatli 
lies  in  ambush  continually  for  us,  if  God 
satisfy  us  with  long  life,  Ps.  xci.  16.,  "  With 
long  life  will  I  satisfy  him,"  this  is  to  be 
esteemed  a  blessing.  It  is  a  blessing  that 
God  gives  a  long  time  to  repent,  and  a  long 


long 


time  to  eu- 


time  to  do  service,  and  a 
joy  the  coni forts  of  relations ;  and  upon 
whom  is  this  blessing  of  long  life  entailed, 
but  obedient  children  ?     "  Honour  thy  Iof* 


OF  THE  FIFTH  COMMANDMENT. 


303 


ther  tliat  thy  days  may  be  lonj^."  Nothing 
sooner  sliortens  life  than  disohcdience  to 
parents.  Absalom  was  a  disobedient  son 
Avho  sought  to  deprive  his  father  of  his  life 
and  crown,  and  he  did  not  live  out  half  his 
days ;  the  mule  he  rode  upon,  as  being 
wearv  of  such  a  burden,  left  him  hanging 
in  the  oak  betwixt  heaven  and  earth,  as 
not  fit  to  tread  upon  the  one,  or  to  enter 
into  the  other.  Obedience  to  parents  spins 
out  thy  life, — "  that  thy  days  may  be  hmg." 
Nor  doth  obedience  to  parents  only  lengthen 
life  but  sweeten  it :  therefore  it  i'ollows, 
"  that  thy  days  may  be  long  in  the  land 
which  the  Lord  thy  God  givetli  thee."     To 


live  long,  and  not  to  have  a  foot  of  land,  is 
a  misery  ;  but  obedience  to  parents  settles 
land  of  inheritance  upon  the  child.  "  Hast 
thou  but  one  blessing,  O  my  father  ?"  s^iiid 
Esau.  Behold,  God  hath  more  blessings 
for  an  obedient  child  than  one ;  not  only 
shall  he  have  a  long  life,  but  a  fruitful  land  ; 
and  not  only  shall  he  have  land,  but  land 
given  in  love, — "  the  land  which  the  Lord 
thy  God  giveth  thee."  Thou  shalt  have 
thy  land  not  only  with  God's  leave,  but 
with  his  love.  All  which  are  cogent  argu- 
ments to  make  children  honour  and  obey 
their  parents. 


*^/*^^*.^-^*.**.'*%^*^*%'»%^*^'*.'V%^/^^^%V^%'^X,^^^%^'^^^^*^^^^  .^^ 


ExoD.  XX.  12.  Honour  thy  Father- 


Use  1st.  IF  we  are  to  honour  our  fathers 
on  earth,  then  much  more  our  Father  in 
heaven  :  Mai.  i.  6.,  "  If  then  I  be  a  father, 
where  is  my  honour  ?"  A  father  is  but  the 
instrument  of  conveying  life,  but  God  is  the 
original  cause  of  our  being,  Ps.  c.  3.,  "  It 
is  lie  that  hath  made  us,  and  not  we  our- 
selves." Honour  and  adoration  is  a  pearl 
which  belongs  only  to  the  crown  of  heaven. 
And, 

L  We  shew  honour  to  our  heavenly  Fa- 
ther, by  obeying  him.  Thus  Christ  honour- 
ed his  Father,  John  vi.  38.,  "  I  came  down 
from  heaven,  not  to  do  my  own  will,  but 
the  will  of  him  that  sent  me."  This  he 
calls  honouring  of  God,  John  viii.  29.,  "  I 
do  always  those  things  that  please  him," 
v.  49.,  "  I  honour  my  father."  The  wise 
men  did  not  only  bow  the  knee  to  Christ, 
but  presented  him  with  "  gold  and  myrrh," 
Mat.  ii.  IL  :  so  we  must  not  only  bow  the 
knee,  give  God  adoration,  but  bring  him 
presents,  give  liim  golden  obedience. 

2.  We  shew  honour  to  our  heavenly  Fa- 
ther, by  appearing  adv^ocates  in  his  cause, 
and  standing  up  for  his  truth  in  an  adulte- 
rous generation.  That  son  honours  his  fa- 
ther who  stands  up  in  his  defence,  and  vin- 
dicates him  when  he  is  calumniated  and  re- 
proached. Do  they  honour  God  who  are 
ashamed  of  him?  John  xii.  42.,  "  Many 
believed  on  him,  but  did  not  confess  him," 
They  are  bastard-sons  who  are  ashamed  to 


own  their  heavenly  Father ;  such  as  are 
born  of  God,  are  steeled  with  courage  for 
his  truth,  they  are  like  the  rock  which  no 
waves  can  break, — like  the  adamant  which 
no  sword  can  cut.  Basil  was  a  chamjnon 
for  truth  in  the  time  of  the  emperor  Valens ; 
and  Athanasius,  when  the  world  was  Arian, 
appeared  for  God. 

3.  We  show  honour  to  our  heavenly  Fa- 
ther, by  ascribing  the  honour  of  all  Ave  do 
to  him,  1  Cor.  xv.  10.,  "  I  laboured  more 
abundantly  than  they  all,  yet  not  I,  but  the 
grace  of  (iod  which  was  with  me."  If  a 
Christian  hath  any  assistance  in  dutv,  aiiv 
strength  against  corruption,  he  rears  uj)  a 
pillar  and  writes  upon  it,  "  hitherto  hath 
the  Lord  helped  me."  As  Joab,  when  lie 
had  fought  against  Rabbah,  and  had  like  to 
have  taken  it,  sent  for  king  David,  that  he 
might  carry  away  the  honour  of  the  victory, 
2  Sam.  xii.  27.,  so,  when  a  child  of  God 
hath  any  conquest  over  Satan,  he  gives  all 
tJie  honour  to  God.  Hypocrites  (whoso 
lamp  is  fed  with  the  oil  of  vain-glory)  while 
they  do  any  eminent  service  for  Go<l,  seek 
themselves ;  and  so  their  very  serving  of 
him  is  a  dishonouring  him. 

4.  We  show  honour  to  our  heavenly  Fa- 
ther, by  celebrating  his  praise,  Ps.  Ixxi.  8,, 
"  Let  my  mouth  be  filled  with  thy  ])raise, 
and  with  thv  honour  all  the  day."  Rev.  v. 
13.,  "  Blessing,  honour,  glory  and  ])()wer, 
be  unto  him  that  sits   upon   ll:c   throne" 


ot 


or  THE  FIFTH  COMMANDMENT. 


Blcssiiifj  God  is  lioiionrinn^  of  God  ;  it  liKts 
him  111)  in  the  eyes  of  others;  it  spreads  Iiis 
faiTie  and  rcnosvii  in  tlie  world.  In  this 
manner  the  anj>els,  the  choristers  of  heaven, 
are  now  honouring  (jod,  they  truni[)et  iorth 
his  praise  ;  in  prayer,  wc  act  like  saints,  in 
praise  liUe  angels. 

ij.  We  shew  honour  to  oiu'  heavenly  Fa- 
ther, hy  suffering:  disliononr,  yea,  death  for 
his  sake.  St.  Paul  did  hear  in  his  hody  the 
"  marks  of  the  Lord  Jesus,"  Gal.  vi.  17. 
As  they  were  the  marks  of  honour  to  him, 
so  trophies  of  honour  to  the  gosj)el.  Tiie 
honoiU'  which  comes  to  God,  is  not  hy  hring- 
ing  that  outward  ]tomp  and  glory  to  hin), 
which  we  do  to  kings,  hut  it  comes  in  ano- 
ther way,  hy  the  suffering  of  his  ])eople ; 
they  let  the  world  see  what  a  good  God  tliey 
serve,  and  how  they  love  him,  and  will  hght 
under  his  hanncr  to  the  death.  Thus  you 
see  how  we  are  to  honour  our  heavenly  Fa  • 
ther:  (Jod  is  "  worthy  of  honour,"  Ps.  civ. 
1.,  "  Thou  art  clothed  with  honour  and 
majesty."  What  arc  all  his  attrihutcs  hut 
glorious  beams  shining  from  this  sun  ?  lie 
deserves  more  honour  than  men  or  angels 
can  give  him.  2  Sam.  xxii.  4.,  "  I  will  call 
upon  the  Lord  who  is  worthy  to  he  praised." 
God  is  worthy  of  honour.  Oftentimes  we 
confer  honour  upon  them  that  do  not  de- 
Kcrvo  it;  many  noble  ])ersons  we  give  titles 
of  honour  to,  who  are  sordid  and  vicious, 
they  do  not  deserve  honour,  but  God  is  woi-- 
thy  of  honour.  Neh.  ix.  5  ,  "  Blessed  be 
tliy  glorious  name,  which  is  exalted  above 
all  blessings  and  praise  !"  He  is  above  all 
the  accliimations  and  triumjdis  of  the  arch- 
angels. O  til  n,  let  every  true  child  of  God 
honour  his  heavenly  Father  !  Though  the 
wicked  disliononr  l.iin  by  their  fliigitious 
lives,  yet  let  not  his  own  children  dishonour 
liini.  Sins  in  you  are  worse  than  in  others  ; 
a  fault  in  a  stranger  is  not  so  nmcli  taken 
notice  of,  as  a  iault  in  a  child;  a  spot  in 
l)lack  cloth  is  not  so  much  observed,  but  a 
spot  in  scarlet,  every  one's  eye  is  upon  it; 
n  sin  in  the  v.icked  is  not  so  mueh  wonder- 
ed at,  it  is  a  spot  in  black,  but  a  sin  in  a 
child  of  CJod,  here  is  a  spot  in  scarlet ;  this 
is  more  visible,  and  brings  an  odium  and 
dishonour  upon  the  gosjicl.  Tiic  sins  of 
God's  own  cliihiren  go  nearer  to  his  heart : 
Dcut.  xxxii.  19.,   "When  the   Lord  saw  it 


he  abhorred  them,  because  of  the  provoking 
of  his  sons  and  of  his  daughters."  O  forbear 
doing  any  thing  that  may  reflect  dishonour 
u|)on  God  !  Will  y()u  disgrace  your  heaven- 
ly Father  ?  Let  not  3od  complain  of  the  pro- 
vocations of  his  sons  and  daughters  ;  let  him 
not  cry  out,  as  Isa.  i.  2.,  '•  I  have  nourished 
and  lirought  nj)  children,  and  they  have  re- 
belled against  me."  So  much  for  the  first; 
if  our  earthly  father  be  to  be  honoured, 
tlien  mueh  more  our  heavenly. 

Use  2(1.  Exhortation.  First  Branch.  Doth 
God.  command,  "  honour  thy  father  and 
thy  mother?"  Then  let  it  exhort  children 
to  ])ut  this  great  duty  in  practice  ;  be  living 
commentaries  ujion  this  commandment. 
Honour  and  reverence  your  parents  ;  not 
only  obey  their  commands,  but  submit  to 
their  rebukes  :  you  cannot  honour  your  Fa- 
ther  in  heaven,  unless  you  honour  your 
earthly  parents  ;  to  deny  obedience  to  ]>a' 
rents,  cjitails  God's  judgments  upon  chil- 
dren, Prov.  XXX.  17.,  "  The  eye  that  mock- 
eth  at  his  Father,  and  despiseth  to  obey  his 
mother,  the  ravens  of  the  valley  shall  pick 
it  out,  and  the  young  eagles  shall  eat  it." 
Eli's  two  disobedient  sons  were  slain,  I  Sam. 
iv.  11.  God  made  a  law  that  the  rebellious 
son  should  be  stoned :  the  same  death  the 
blasphemer  had.  Lev.  xxiv.  14.  Deut.  xxi, 
18.,  "  If  a  man  have  a  stubborn  and  rebel- 
lious son,  Avhich  will  not  obey  the  yoicc  of 
his  father,  or  the  voice  of  his  mother;  then 
shall  his  father  and  his  mother  lay  hold  on 
him,  and  bring  him  out  unto  the  elders  of  the 
city,  and  all  the  men  of  his  city  shall  stone 
him  with  stones  that  lie  die."  A  father 
once  complaining,  '  Never  had  a  father  a 
worse  son  than  I  have:'  '  Yes,'  said  the 
Son,  '  my  grandfather  had,' — a  jirodigy  of 
impudence  that  can  hardly  ])aralleled.  ^ian- 
lius,  when  he  was  grown  old  and  poor,  and 
had  a  son  ycry  rich,  the  old  father  desired 
some  food  of  him,  but  the  son  denied  him 
relief',  yea,  disclaimed  him  from  being  his 
father,  and  sent  him  away  with  rej)roach- 
ful  hinguage.  The  poor  old  lather  let  tears 
fall  (as  witnesses  of  his  grief.)  But  God, 
to  reyengc  this  disobedience,  struck  this 
unnatural  son  with  madness,  of  which  he 
could  never  be  cured.  Disobedient  children 
stand  in  the  place  where  all  God's  arrows 
fly. 


OF  THE  FIFTH  COMMANDMENT. 


305 


Second  "Brancli.     Let  pjirciits  so  carry  it,    tini>-,  both  in  tlioir  minority,  and  when  tlioy 
astbey  may  piin  hononr  from  their  clilldren.    eonjc   to  niutiuity,    2  Cor.  xii.    11.,   "  Tho 
Quest.    Hoiv  may  parents  so  carry  to-    cliildren  oui^ht  not  to  lay  up  for  tlie  parents, 


wards  their  cliildren^  that  their  child rtn  may 
wiUin^'ly  pry  the  debt  of  honour  and  reverence 
to  their  parents  ? 

Ans.    If  you  would  have  your   children 
honour  you, 

1.  Be  careful  to  brinp  them  up  in  the 
fear  and  nurture  of  the  Lord :  Eph.  vi.  4., 
"  Bring  tliem  up  in  the  admonition  of  the 
Lord."  You  conveyed  tlie  plague  of  sin  to 
them,  therefore  endeavour  to  get  them  heal- 
ed and  sanctified.  Austin  saith,  his  mother 
Monica  travelled  more  for  his  spiritual  birth 
than  his  natural.  Timothy's  mother  in- 
structed him  from  a  child,  2  Tim.  iii.  15. 
She  did  not  only  give  him  her  breast-milk, 
but  "  the  sincere  milk  of  the  word."  Sea- 
son your  children  with  good  principles  be- 
times, tliat  they  may,  with  Obadiah,  '  fear 
the  Lord  from  their  youth,'  1  Kings  xviii. 
12.  When  parents  instruct  not  their  chil- 
dren, they  seldom  prove  blessings.  (lod  oft 
punisheth  the  carelessness  o(  parents  with 
undutifuliiess  in  their  children.  It  is  not 
enough  that  in  baj)tism  your  child  is  dedi- 
cated to  (iod,  but  it  must  be  educated  for 
God.  Children  are  young  plants  which 
you  must  be  continuaHy  watering  with  good 
instruction,  Prov.  x-xii.  6.,  "  Train  up  a 
child  in  the  way  lie  should  go,  and  when  he 
is  old  he  will  not  depart  from  it."  The 
more  v<)ur  children  fear  God,  the  more  they 
will  honour  you. 

2.  If  von  would  have  your  children  ho- 
noin*  voiJ,  keep  up  parental  authority  over 
your  cJiildren  ;  be  kind,  but  do  not  cocker 
them  ;  if  you  let  them  get  too  much  a-head, 
they  will  contemn  you  instead  of  honour- 
ing you.  The  rod  of  discipline  must  not  be 
withheld:  Prov.  xxiii.  \\.,  "  Thou  shalt 
beat  him  with  the  rod,  and  shalt  deliver  his 
soul  fntm  hell."  A  child  indulged  and  hn- 
mouri'd  in  wickedness,  will  be  a  tlun  n  in 
th«'  parents'  eye.  David  cockered  Adoni- 
jah,  1  Kings  i.  G.,  "  His  father  had  not  dis- 
j)lejisc<l  him  at  any  time,  in  saying,  Wliy 
hast  thou  done  so?"  And  he  afterwards 
was  a  grief  of  heart  to  his  father,  an<l  was 
false  tt»  the  crown,  v.  7,  9.  Keep  iij)  your 
authority,  and  you  keep  u|)  voiir  honour. 


but  the  parents  for  the  children."  They 
are  your  own  flesh,  and,  as  the  apostle  sjiitii, 
"  No  man  ever  yet  hated  his  own  flesh," 
Eph.  V.  29.  The  jiarents'  bountifulness 
will  cause  dutifulness  in  the  child.  If  you 
pour  water  into  a  pump,  the  jnunp  will  send 
water  again  out  freely;  so,  if  parents  pour 
in  something  of  their  estate  to  their  children, 
children  (if  ingenuous)  will  pour  out  obedi- 
ence again  to  tlieir  parents. 

4.  When  your  children  are  grown  up, 
put  tliem  to  some  lawful  calling,  wherein 
they  may  serve  their  generation.  And  it  is 
good  to  consult  the  natural  genius  and  in- 
clination of  a  child ;  forced  callinnrs  do  as 
ill,  sometimes,  as  forced  matches.  To  let 
a  child  be  out  of  a  calling,  is  to  expose  him 
to  temptation.  Melancthon,  Otiuin  balneum 
diabolL  A  cliild  out  of  a  calling  is  like 
fallow-ground;  and  what  can  you  expeet 
should  grow  up  but  weeds  of  disobedienee? 

5.  Carry  it  lovingly  to  your  children ;  in 
all  your  counsels  and  commands  let  tliem. 
read  love.  Love  will  command  honour : 
and  how  can  a  parent  but  love  the  child 
who  is  his  living  picture,  nay  pai't  of  him- 
self? The  child  is  the  father  iu  the  second 
edition. 

6.  Carry  it  prudently  towards  your  chil- 
dren. A  great  point  of  prudejice,  is,  when 
a  parent  doth  not  jnovoke  his  children  to 
wrath,  Col.  iii.  21.,  "  Ij^athers  provoke  not 
your  children  to  anger,  lest  they  be  dis- 
couraged." 

Quest.  How  many  ways  may  a  parent 
provoke  his  children  to  wrath  ? 

Ans.  1.  By  giving  them  opprobrious  terms, 
1  Sam.  XX.  30.,  "  Thou  son  of  the  perverse 
rebellious  woman,"  said  Saul  to  bis  son 
.Jonathan.  Some  parents  use  imprecations 
and  curses  to  their  children  :  this  is  to  pro- 
voke them  to  wrath.  Would  you  have 
(iod  bless  vour  children,  and  do  vou  curse 
them  .'' 

2.   Parents   provoke   children   to  wrath,  . 
when   they  strike  their  cliildren  without  aj 
cause;  or  when  the  correction  exceeds  the 
fault.     This  is  rather  to  be  a  tyrant  than  a 
father.      Saul   cast  a  javelin  at  his  son  to. 


3.  Provide  for  your  children  what  is  lit- ,  sn\iie  Uim,  I  Sam.  xx.  33.,  and  his  son  was 


2  Q 


306 


OF  THE  FIFTH  COMMANDMENT. 


provoked  to  anger,  v.  34.,  "  So  Jonathan 
arose  from  the  table  in  fierce  anger."     In 
JUium  pater  obtinet  non  tyrannicum  imperium, 
sed  bosilicum.  Davenant. 

3.  When  parents  deny  their  chiklren  con- 
veniences ;  they  will  not  let  them  have  that 
which  may  cherish  or  cover  nature.  Some 
have  thus  provoked  their  children ;  they 
have  stinted  them,  and  kept  them  so  short, 
that  they  have  forced  them  upon  indirect 
courses,  and  made  them  put  forth  their  hands 
to  iniquity. 

4.  When  parents  carry  it  unequally  to- 
wards their  children,  shewing  more  kindness 
to  one  than  to  another,  this  sometimes  breeds 
bad  blood.     Though  a  parent  hath  a  greater 

^  love  to  one  child,  yet  discretion  should  guide 
affection,  that  he  should  not  show  more  love 
to  one  than  to  another.  Jacob  shewed  more 
love  to  Joseph  than  all  his  children,  and 
what  did  it  procure,  but  envy  of  his  bre- 
thren. Gen.  xxxvii.  3,  4.,  "  Now  Israel  loved 
Joseph  more  than  all  his  children,  and  when 
his  brethren  saw  that,  they  hated  him,  and 
could  not  speak  peaceably  unto  him." 

5.  When  a  parent  doth  any  thing  which 
is  sordid  and  unworthy,  that  which  casts 
disgrace  upon  himself  and  his  family — as  to 
cozen  or  take  a  false  oath — this  is  to  pro- 
voke the  child  to  wrath.  As  the  child 
should  honour  his  father,  so  the  father  should 
not  dishonour  the  child. 

6.  When  parents  lay  such  commands  upon 
their  children,  as  their  children  cannot  per- 
form  without  wronging   their   conscience. 
Saul  commanded  his  son  Jonathan  to  bring 
David  to  him,  I  Sam.  xx.  31.,   "  Fetch  him 
unto  me,  for  he  shall  surely  die."     Jonathan 
could  not  do  this  with  a  good  conscience  ; 
but  was  provoked  to  anger,  v.  34.,  "  Jona- 
'tlran  rose  from  the  table  in   fierce  anger." 
Now,  the  rojuson  why  parents  should  show 
their  prudence  in  not  provoking  their  chil- 
dren to  wrath  is  set  down.    Col.  iii.  21., 
"  Lest  they  be  discouraged."     This  word 
<//.«coMrcr^«/ implies  three  things  :  (1.)  Grief. 
The  parents'  provoking  the  child,  the  child 
so  takes  it  to  heart,  that  it  causeth  imma- 
ture  death.      (2.)    Despondency :    the   pa- 
rents'   austerity   dispirits    the    child,    and 
makes  it  unfit  for  service ;  like  members  of 
the  body  stupified,  which  are  unfit  for  work. 


(3.)  Contumacy  and  refractoriness:  the  child 
being  provoked  by  the  cruel  and  unnatural 
carriage  of  the  parent,  grows  desperate,  and 
oft  studies  to  irritate  and  vex  his  parents, 
which,  though  it  be  evil  in  the  child,  yet 
the  parent  is  accessary  to  it,  as  being  the 
occasion  of  it. 

7.  If  you  would  have  honour  from  your 
children,  pray  much  for  them.  Not  only 
lay  up  a  portion  for  them,  but  lay  up  a  stock 
of  prayer  for  them.  Monica  prayed  much 
for  her  son  Austin ;  and  it  was  said,  it  was 
impossible  a  son  of  so  many  prayers  and 
tears  should  perish.  Pray  that  your  chil- 
dren may  be  preserved  from  the  contagion 
of  the  times;  pray  that  as  your  children 
bear  yonr  images  in  their  faces,  they  may 
bear  God's  image  in  their  hearts  ;  pray  they 
may  be  instruments  and  vessels  of  glory. 
This  may  be  one  fruit  of  prayer,  that  the 
child  may  honour  a  praying  parent. 

8.  Encourage  that  whicli  you  see  good 
and  commendable  in  your  children.  Virtus 
laudata  crescit.  Commending  that  which  is 
good  in  your  children,  makes  them  more  in 
love  with  virtuous  actions ;  and  is  like  the 
watering  of  plants,  which  makes  them  grow 
more.  Some  parents  discourage  the  good 
they  see  in  their  children,  and  so  nip  vir- 
tue in  the  bud,  and  he^p  to  damn  their  chil- 
dren's souls.  They  have  their  children's 
curses. 

9.  If  you  would  have  honour  from  your 
children,  set  them  a  good  example  ;  it  makes 
children  des})ise  the  ])arents,  when  the  pa- 
rents live  in  a  contradiction  to  their  own 
precepts  ;  when  they  bid  their  children  be 
sober,  yet  they  themselves  ^^'ill  be  drunk  ; 
they  bid  their  children  fear  God,  yet  are 
themselves  loose  in  their  lives.  Oh  !  if  you 
would  have  your  children  honour  you,  teach 
them  by  an  holy  example.  A  father  is  a 
looking-ghiss,  whicli  the  child  oft  dresseth 
himself  by ;  let  the  glass  be  clear,  and  not 
spotted.  Parents  should  observe  a  good  deco- 
rum in  their  whole  carriage,  lesi  they  give 
occasion  to  their  children  to  say  to  them,  as 
Plato's  servant,  "  My  master  hath  made  a 
book  against  rash  anger,  but  he  himself  is 
passionate ;"  or,  as  a  son  once  said  to  his 
father,  "  If  I  have  done  evil,  I  have  learned 
it  of  you." 


OF  THE  SIXTH  COMMANDMENT. 


307 


OF  THE  SIXTH  COMMANDMENT. 


ExoD.  XX.  13.    Thou  shall  not  kill. 


IN  this  commandment,  ^st.  Is  a  sin  for- 
bidden, viz.  murder,  "  Thou  shalt  not  kill." 
2d.  A  duty  implied,  "  To  preserve  our  own 
life,  and  the  life  of  others." 

I.  The  sin  forbidden,  murder:  '  Thou 
shalt  not  kill.'  VYliere  two  things  are  to  be 
understood,  1*^.  The  not  injuring  another. 
2d.  Ourselves. 

\st.  In  this,  "  Thou  shalt  not  kill,"  is 
meant  the  not  injuring  another.  1.  We 
must  not  injure  him  in  his  name.  2.  In 
his  body.     3.  In  his  soul. 

1.  We  must  not  injure  another  in  his 
name.  "  A  good  name  is  a  precious  bal- 
sam ;"  it  is  a  gi'eat  cruelty  to  murder  a  man 
in  his  name.  We  injui*e  others  in  their 
name  when  we  calumniate  and  slander 
them.  'Twas  David's  complaint,  Ps.  xxxv. 
11.,  "  They  laid  to  my  charge  things  that 
I  knew  not."  The  primitive  Christians 
were  traduced  for  incest,  and  killing  their 
children,  as  Tertullian,  Dicimur  infanticidii, 
incestus  rei.  This  is  to  behead  others  in 
their  good  name ;  this  is  an  irreparable  in- 
jury ;  no  physician  can  heal  the  wounds  of 
the  tongue. 

2.  We  must  not  injure  another  in  his 
body.  The  life  is  the  most  precious  thing : 
and  God  hath  set  this  commandment  as  a 
fence  about  it,  to  preserve  it,  "  Thou  shalt 
not  kill."  God  made  a  statute  which  was 
never  to  this  day  repealed.  Gen  ix.  6., 
"  Whoso  sheddeth  man's  blood,  by  man 
shall  his  blood  be  shed."  In  the  old  law, 
had  a  man  killed  another  unawares,  he 
might  take  sanctuary;  but  if  he  had  killed 
him  willingly,  though  he  did  flee  to  the 
sanctuary,  the  holiness  of  the  place  was  not 
to  defend  him,  Exod.  xxi.  14.,  "  If  a  man 
come  presumptuously  upon  his  neighbour, 
to  slay  him  with  guile ;  thou  shalt  take 
him  from  mine  altar,  that  lie  may  die." 
Now  in  this  commandment,  '^  Thou  shalt 
fio  no  murder,"  all  those  sins  are  forbid- 
den which  lead  to  it,  and  are  the  occasions 
of  it :  As, 

(1.)  Unadvised  anger.     Anger  boils  up 


the  blood  in  the  veins,  and  oft  producetfi 
murder,  (ien.  xlix.  6.,  "  In  their  anger  they 
slew  a  man." 

(2.)  Envy.  Satan  envied  our  first  parents 
the  robe  of  innocence,  and  the  glory  of  par- 
adise; therefore  never  left  off  till  he  had 
procured  their  death.  Joseph's  brethren 
envied  him,  because  his  father  loved  him, 
and  gave  him  a  "  coat  of  many  colours  :" 
therefore  took  "  counsel  to  slay  him,"  Gen. 
xxxvii.  20.  Envy  and  murder  are  near  a- 
kin,  therefore  the  apostle  puts  them  toge- 
ther, Gal.  v.  21.,  "  Envyings,  murders.'* 
Envy  is  a  sin  breaks  both  the  tables  at  once  ; 
it  begins  in  discontent  against  God,  and 
ends  in  injury  against  man,  as  we  see  in 
Cain,  Gen.  iv.  6,  8.  Envious  Cain  was 
first  discontented  with  God, — there  he  broke 
the  first  table  ;  .ind  then  he  fell  out  with 
his  brother  and  slew  him, — there  he  broke 
the  second  table.  Anger  is  sometimes 
'  soon  over,'  like  fire  kindled  in  straw, 
which  is  quickly  out ;  but  envy  is  a  radi- 
cated thing,  and  will  not  quench  its  thirst 
without  blood,  Prov.  xxvii.  4.,  "Who  is 
able  to  stand  before  envy  ?" 

(3.)  Hatred.  The  Pharisees  hated  Christ, 
because  he  excelled  them  in  gifts,  and  had 
more  honour  among  the  ])eople  than  they; 
therefore  they  never  left  till  they  had  nailed 
him  to  the  cross,  and  taken  away  his  life 
Hatred  is  a  vermin  lives  upon  blood,  Ezek. 
xxxv.  .').,  "  I3eeause  thou  hast  had  a  perpe- 
tual liatn'd,  and  hast  shed  the  blood  of  the 
children  of  Israel."  Ilaman  hated  Morde- 
cai,  because  he  did  not  bow  to  him,  and  he 
presently  s(»ught  revenge,  he  got  a  bloody 
'  warrant  seaknl  for  the  destruction  of  the 
whole  race  and  seed  of  the  Jews,  Esther  iii. 
9.  Hatred  is  ever  cruel.  All  these  sins 
are  f»trl)idden  in  this  commandment,  which 
lead  the  van,  and  are  oft  the  occasions  of 
tJiis  sin  of  murder. 

Quest.  How  manrj  ways  is  murder  com' 
milted  ? 

Anft.  We  may  be  said  to  murder  another, 
twelve  ways:   1.  With  the  hand:  as  Joab 


308 


or  THE  S:XTH  COMMANDMENT. 


kill(d  Al)iu'r  and  Amasa,  2  Sam.  xx.  10., 
*'  Jlc  smote  Iiim  in  the  fifth  rib,  and  shed 
out   his    bowels." — 2.  Murder    is    commit- 
ted with  the  mind.     Malice  is  mental  mur- 
der,   1   John  iii.   15.     "  Whoso  hateth  liis 
brother  is  a  murderer."     To  malign  anoth- 
er, and  wish  evil  against  him  in  the  heart, 
is  a  murdering    him. — 3.  Murder  is  com- 
mitted with  the  tongue,  by  speaking  to  the 
prejudice  of  another,  and  causing  him  to  be 
put  to   death.     Thus   the  Jews  killed   the 
Lord  of  life,  when  they  inveighed  against 
him,    and   accused    him    falsely   to   Pilate, 
John  xviii.   30. — 4-.  Murder   is   committed 
with  the  pen.     So  David   killed  Uriah  in 
writing  to  Joab,  "  ve  set  Uriah  in  the  fore- 
front  of  the  hottest  battle,"  2  Sam.  xi.  15. 
Thouffh  the  Ammonites'  sword  cut  off  Uri- 
ah,   yet  David's  pen  was  the  cause  of  his 
death  ;    therefore  the  Lord  tells  David  by 
the  prophet  Nathan,  2  Sam.  xii.  9.,  "  Thou 
hast   killed    Uriah." — 5.     Murder   is   com- 
mitted by  plotting  another's  death.     Thus 
Jezebel,  though  she  did  not  lay  hands  her- 
self upon  Naboth,  yet  because  she  contriv- 
ed  his   death,  and    caused  two    false    wit- 
nesses to  swear  against  him,  and  bring  him 
within  the  compass  of  treason,  she  was  a 
murderer,   1  Kings  xxi.   10. —  6.  Murder  is 
committed  by  instilling  poison  into  potions. 
Thus  the  wife  of  Commodus  the  emperor 
killed  her  husband,  by  poisoning  the  wine 
which  he  drank.     So,  many  kill  the  chil- 
dren they  go  with,    by  taking  such  medi- 
cines, or  strong  purges,  as  prove  the  death 
of    the  child. — 7.  By  witchcraft   and  sor- 
cery ;    a    thing    forbidden   under  the    law, 
Deut.  xviii.  10.,   "  There  shall  not  be  found 
among  you  an  enchanter,  or  a  witch,  or  a 
consulter    with    familiar    spirits." — 8.    By 
having  an  intention  to  kill  another ;  as  He- 
rod would,  under  a  pretence  of  worshipping 
Christ,   have    killed    him.    Mat.   ii.  8,     13. 
So  Saul  when  he  made  David  go  as  captain 
against  the   Philistines,   designing  thereby 
that  the  Philistines  should  have  killed  him, 
1  Sam.  xviii.  17.,   "  Saul  said.   Let  not  my 
hand  be  upon  him,  but  let  the  hand  of  the 
Philistines  be  upon    him."     Here  was  in- 
tentional murder,  and  it  was  in  (iod's  ac- 
count as   bad  as    actual    murder. — 9.  By 
consenting:  to  another's  death ;  so  Saul  to 
the  death  of  Stephen,  Acts  xxii.  20.,    "  I 


also  was  standing  by  and  con^cnti  <j:  to  his 
death."  He  that  gives  consent  is  accessary 
to  the  murder. — 10.  By  not  hindering  the 
death  of  another  when  in  our  power.  Pi- 
late knew  Christ  was  innocent,  "  I  find 
no  fault  in  him  ;"  but  he  did  not  hinder  his 
death ;  therefore  he  was  guilty.  It  was 
not  washing  his  hands  in  water,  could  wash 
away  the  guilt  of  Christ's  blood. — 11.  By 
unmercifulness.  (1.)  By  taking  away  that 
which  is  necessary  for  the  sustentation  of 
life  :  as  to  take  away  those  tools  or  utensils 
whereby  a  man  gets  his  living,  Deut.  xxiv. 
C,  "  No  man  shall  take  the  upper  or  the 
nether  millstone  to  pledge,  for  he  taketh  a 
man's  life."  (2.)  By  not  helping  him  when 
he  is  ready  to  perish.  You  may  be  the 
death  of  another,  as  well  by  not  relieving 
him,  as  by  offering  him  violence.  Simon 
parens,  occidisti,  Amb.  If  thou  dost  not 
feed  him  that  is  starving,  thou  killest  him. 
And  then,  how  many  are  guilty  of  the 
breach  of  this  commandment. — 12.  By  not 
executing  the  law  upon  capital  offenders. 
A  felon  having  committed  six  murders,  the 
judge  may  be  said  to  be  guilty  of  five  of 
them,  because  he  did  not  execute  the  felon 
for  his  first  offence. 

The  next  thing  I  shall  speak  to,  is,  to 
shew  the  aggravations  of  this  sin  of  mur- 
der :  As, 

1.  To  shed  the  blood  of  another  cause- 
less ;  as  to  kill  another  in  an  humour  or 
frolic.  A  bee  will  not  sting  unless  provok- 
ed, but  many  when  they  are  not  provoked, 
will  take  away  the  life  of  another.  This 
makes  tlie  sin  of  blood  more  bloody.  The 
less  provocation  to  a  sin  the  greater  sin. 

2.  To  shed  the  blood  of  another  contra- 
ry to  promise.  Thus,  after  the  princes  of 
Israel  had  sworn  to  the  (libeonites,  that 
they  should  live.  Josh.  ix.  15.,  Saul  slew 
them,  2  Sam.  xxi.  1.  Here  were  two  sins 
twisted  together, — breach  of  oath,  and  mur- 
der. 

3.  To  take  away  the  life  of  any  public 
person  enhanceth  the  murder,  and  makes  it 
greater;  as,  (1.)  To  kill  a  judge  upon  the 
bench,  because  he  represents  the  king's  per- 
son. (2.)  To  murder  a  person  whose  office 
is  sacred,  and  comes  on  the  King  of  heaven's 
embassage  :  the  murdering  of  him  may  be 
the  murdering  of  many.     Herod  added  tliis 


OF  THE  SIXTH  COMMANDMENT. 


S09 


sin  uhovc  all,  tliat  lie  shut  up  John  Baptist 
in  prison,  Luke  iii.  20.,  thou  much  more  to 
behead  John  in  ])risou.  (3.)  To  stain  one's 
hands  with  royal  blood.  David's  heart 
smote  him,  because  h<i  did  but  cut  off  the 
lap  of  kin<j  Saul's  garment,  1  Sam.  xxiv.  5. 
How  would  David's  heart  have  smitten  him, 
if  he  had  cut  off  Saul's  head  ? 

4,  To  shed  the  blood  of  a  near  relation, 
aggravates  the  murder,  and  dyes  it  of  a 
deeper  crimson.  For  a  son  to  kill  his  Fa- 
ther is  horrid.  Parricides  are  monsters  in 
nature.  Qui  occidit  palrem,  p/un'ma  connnit- 
tit  pcccato  in  vno.  CicEuo.  '  He  who  takes 
away  his  father's  life,  committcth  many  sins 
in  one;'  he  is  not  only  guilty  of  murder, 
but  of  disobedience,  ingratitude,  ostracism, 
aTid  diabolical  cruelty.  Exod.  xxi.  15., 
"  He  who  smiteth  his  father  or  mother, 
shall  be  surely  put  to  death."  Then  hoiv 
many  deaths  is  he  worthy  of  that  destroys 
his  father  or  mother  ?  Such  a  monster  was 
Nero,  who  caused  his  mother  Agrij[)pina  to 
be  slain. 

5.  To  shed  the  blood  of  any  righteous 
person,  aggravates  the  sin.  (1.)  Hereby 
justice  is  perverted.  Such  a  person,  being 
innocent,  is  unworthy  of  death.  (2.)  A 
saint  being  a  public  blessing,  he  lies  in  the 
breach  to  turn  away  wrath  ;  so  that  to  des- 
troy him,  is  to  go  to  pull  down  the  pillars 
of  a  nation.  (3)  He  is  precious  to  God, 
Isa.  XV.  43,  44.  He  is  a  member  of  Christ's 
body;  therefore  what  injury  is  offered  to 
him  is  done  to  God  himself,  Acts  ix.  4. 

Caution  1st.  Though  this  commandnieut, 
"  Thou  shalt  not  kill,"  forbids  j)rivate  per- 
sons to  shed  the  blood  of  an<)ther,  (unless 
in  their  own  defence)  yet  such  as  are  in  of- 
fice must  punish  {)ublic  offenders,  yea,  with 
death,  else  they  sin.  To  kill  an  offender  is 
not  murder,  but  justice.  A  private  person 
sins,  if  he  draws  the  sword  ;  a  public  person 
sins,  if  he  puts  up  the  sword.  A  magis- 
trate ought  not  to  let  the  sword  of  justice 
rust  in  the  scabbaid.  As  the  magistrates 
should  not  let  the  sword  be  too  sharp  by 
severity,  so  neither  should  the  edge  of  it  be 
blunted  by  too  much  lenity. 

Caution  2d.  Neither  doth  this  command- 
ment, "  Thou  shalt  not  kill,"  prohibit  a  just 
war.  When  men's  sins  grow  r\\)o,  and  lotig 
plenty  hath  bred  surfeit,   then    (iod  saith, 


"  Sword,  go  througli  the  land,**  Ezek.  xiv. 
17.  God  did  abet  the  war  between  the 
tribes  of  Israel  and  Benjamin;  when  the 
initjuity  of  the  Amorites  was  full,  then  God 
sent  Israel  to  commence  a  war  against  them, 
Judges  xi.  21. 

Use  \st.  Lamentation,  That  this  land  is 
so  defiled  with  blood,  Numb.  xxxv.  33. 
How  common  is  this  sin  in  this  Hectoring 
age  !  England's  sins  are  written  in  letters 
of  blood.  Some  make  no  more  of  killing 
men  than  sheep,  Jer.  ii.  34.,  "  In  thy  skirts 
is  found  the  blood  of  the  souls  of  the  poor 
innocents,"  Junius  reads  it,  in  alis;  and 
so  in  Hebrew,  '  in  thy  wings'  is  found  the 
blood  of  innocents.  It  alludes  to  the  birds 
of  prey,  which  stain  their  wings  with  the 
blood  of  other  birds.  May  not  the  Lord 
justly  take  up  a  controversy  with  the  inha- 
bitants of  the  land,  because  "  blood  touch- 
etli  blood  ?"  Hos.  iv.  2.  There  is  a  conca- 
tenation,— a  plurality  of  murders.  And  that 
which  may  increase  our  lamentation  is,  that 
not  only  man's  blood  is  shed  among  us, 
but  Christ's  blood.  Such  as  are  ])rofane 
flagitious  sinners  are  said  to  "  crucify  to 
themselves  the  Son  of  God  afresh,"  Heb.  vi. 
6.  (1.)  They  swear  by  his  blood,  and  so 
do,  as  it  were,  make  his  wounds  bleed  a- 
fresh.  (2.)  Crucify  Christ  in  his  members. 
Acts  ix.  4.,  "  Why  persecutest  thou  me  ?'* 
The  foot  being  trodden  on,  the  head  crieth 
out.  (3.)  If  it  lay  in  their  power,  were 
Christ  alive  on  earth  they  would  nail  hira 
again  to  the  cross  ;  thus  men  crucify  Christ 
afresh  ;  and,  if  man's  blood  doth  so  cry, 
how  loud  will  Christ's  blood  cry  against 
sinners  ? 

Use  2d.  Beware  of  having  your  hands 
imbrued  in  the  blood  of  others. 

OiJj.  But  such  on  one  hath  wronged  me  by 
defamation,  or  otherwise;  and  if  I  spill  his 
Uood,  I  do  hut  revenge  my  own  quarrel. 

Ans.  If  he  hath  done  you  wrong,  the  law 
is  open  ;  but  take  heed  of  shedding  blood. 
Wliat !  because  he  hath  wronged  you,  will 
you  therefore  wrong  God  ?  Is  it  not  a  wrong 
to  (iod,  t()  take  his  work  out  of  his  hand? 
He  hath  said  "  Vengeance  is  mine,  and  I 
will  repay,"  Rcun.  xii.  19.  But  you  will 
tjike  u|)(»n  you  to  revenge  yourself;  you  will 
he  botii  plaintiff,  and  judge,  and  execution- 
er, yourself.     This  is  an  high  wrong  done 


310 


OF  THE  SIXTH  COMMANDMENT. 


to  God,  and  he  will  not  hold  him  guiltless. 
Now,  to  deter  all  from  having  their  hands 
defiled  with  blood,  consider  what  a  sin  mur- 
der is. 

1.  A  God-afFronting  sin  :  it  is  a  breach 
of  his  commandment,  trampling  upon  God's 
royal  edict.  It  is  a  wrong  offered  to  God's 
image,  Gen.  ix.  6.,  "  In  the  image  of  God 
made  he  man."  It  is  tearing  God's  picture, 
and  breaking  in  pieces  tlie  king  of  heaven's 
broad  seal.  Man  is  the  temple  of  God, 
1  Cor.  vi.  19.,  "  Know  ye  not  that  your 
body  is  the  temple  of  the  Holy  Ghost?" 
So  that  the  man-slayer  destroys  God's  tem- 
ple; and  wi.l  God  endure  to  be  thus  con- 
fronted by  proud  dust? 

2.  It  is  a  crvinjr  sin.  Clamitat  in  ccelum 
vox  sanguinis.  There  are  three  sins  in  scrip- 
ture said  to  cry.  (1.)  Oppression,  Ps.  xii. 
5.  (2.)  Sodomy,  Gen.  xviii.  24.  (3.) 
Blood-shed.  This  cries  so  loud,  that  it 
drowns  all  the  other  cries,  Gen.  iv.  10., 
"  The  voice  of  thy  brother's  blood  crieth 
unto  me  from  the  ground."  Abel's  blood 
had  as  many  tongues  as  drops,  to  cry  aloud 
for  vengeance.  This  sin  of  blood  lay  heavy 
on  David's  conscience ;  though  he  had  sin- 
ned bv  adultery,  yet  what  he  cried  out  of 
most,  was,  this  crimson  sin  of  blood,  Ps. 
li.  14.,  "  Deliver  me  from  blood-guiltiness, 
O  God  !"  Though  the  Lord  visits  for  every 
sin,  yet  he  will  in  a  special  manner  make 
"  inquisition  for  blood,"  Ps.  ix.  12.  If  a 
beast  did  kill  a  man,  the  beast  was  to  be 
stoned,  "  and  his  flesh  shall  not  be  eaten," 
Exod.  xxi.  28.  If  God  would  have  a  beast 
stoned  that  killed  a  man,  who  had  n»)t  the 
use  of  reason  to  restrain  him,  then  much 
more  will  Ik;  be  incensed  against  those  who 
go  both  against  reason  and  conscience  in 
spoiling  the  life  of  a  man. 

3.  Murder  is  a  diabolical  sin.  It  makes 
a  man  the  devil's  first  born  ;  he  was  a  mur- 
derer from  the  beginning,  John  viii.  44. 
By  saying  to  our  first  parents,  "  Ye  shall 
not  die,"  he  brought  in  death  to  the  world. 

4.  It  is  a  cursed  sin.  If  there  be  a  curse 
for  him  that  smites  his  neighbour  secretly, 
Deut.  xxvii.  24.,   then  he  is  doubly  cursed 


that  kills  him.  The  first  man  that  was 
born  was  a  murderer,  Gen.  iv.  11.,  "  And 
now  art  thou  cursed  from  the  earth."  He 
was  an  excommunicated  person, — banished 
from  the  place  of  God's  public  worship. 
God  set  a  mark  upon  bloody  Cain,  Gen.  iv. 
15.  Some  think  it  was  horror  of  mind, 
which  (above  all  sins)  doth  accompany  the 
sin  of  blood.  Others  think  this  mark  was 
a  continual  shaking  and  trembling  in  his 
flesh,  which  was  a  mark  of  infamy  God  set 
upon  him.  He  carried  a  curse  along  with 
him. 

5.  It  is  a  wrath-procuring  sin,  2  Kings 
xxiv.  4.  (1.)  It  procures  temporal  judg- 
ments. Phocas,  to  get  the  empire,  put  to 
death  all  the  sons  of  Mauritius  the  emperor, 
and  then  slew  him ;  but  this  Phocas  was 
pursued  by  his  son-in-law  Priscus,  who  cut 
off  his  ears  and  feet,  and  then  killed  him, 
Charles  IX.  who  caused  the  massacre  of  so 
many  Christians  at  Paris,  blood  issued  out 
at  several  parts  of  his  body,  of  which  he 
died.  Albonia  killed  a  man  and  then  made 
a  cup  of  his  skull  to  drink  in  :  afterwards 
his  own  wife  caused  hmv  to  be  murdered  in 
his  bed.  Vengeance  as  a  blood-hound  pur- 
sues the  murderer;  "  bloody  and  deceitful 
men  shall  not  live  out  half  their  days,"  Ps. 
Iv.  23. 

(2.)  It  brings  eternal  judgments.  It 
binds  men  over  to  hell.  The  papists  make 
nothing  of  massacres ;  theirs  is  a  bloody  re- 
ligion ;  they  dispense  with  men  for  murder, 
so  it  be  to  ])ropagate  the  catholic  cause.  If 
a  cardinal  jtut  his  red  hat  upon  the  head  of 
a  murderer  going  to  execution,  he  is  saved 
from  death.  But  let  all  impenitent  mur- 
derers read  their  doom,  Rev.  xxi.  8..  "  ^lur- 
derers  shall  have  their  part  in  the  lake  which 
burnetii  with  fire  and  brimstone  ;"  this  '  is 
the  second  death.'  We  read  of  "  fire 
mingled  with  blood,"  Rev.  viii.  7.  Such  as 
have  their  hands  full  of  blood  must  under- 
go the  wrath  of  GckI.  Here  is  fire  mingled 
with  blood,  and  this  fire  is  inextinguishable, 
Mark  ix.  44.  Time  will  not  finish  it,  tears 
will  not  quench  it. 


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311 


ExoD.  XX.  13    Thou  shall  not  hill. 


3.  WE  must  not  injure  anotlicr's  soul. 
This  is  the  greatest  murder  of  all,  because 
there  is  more  of  God's  image  in  the  soul 
than  in  the  body.  The  soul,  though  it  can- 
not be  annihilated,  is  said  to  be  murdered, 
because  it  misseth  of  happiness,  and  is  for 
ever  in  torment.  Now,  how  many  are 
soul-murderers  ? 

1.  Such  as  corrupt  others  by  bad  exam- 
ple. The  world  is  led  by  example ;  espe- 
cially the  examples  of  great  ones  are  very 
pernicious.  We  are  apt  to  do  as  we  see 
others  before  us,  especially  above  us.  Such 
as  are  j)laced  in  high  power  are  like  the 
pillar  of  cloud ;  when  that  went,  Israel 
went ;  when  great  ones  move  in  their  sphere, 
others  will  follow  them,  though  it  be  to 
hell.  Evil  magistrates,  like  the  tail  of  the 
dragon,  draw  the  "  third  part  of  the  stars 
after  them." 

2.  Such  as  entice  others  to  sin.  The  har- 
lot by  curling  her  hair,  rolling  her  eyes, 
laying  open  her  breasts,  doth  what  in  her 
lies  to  be  both  a  tempter  and  a  murderer ; 
such  an  one  was  Messalina,  wife  to  Clau- 
dius the  emperor  :  Prov.  vii.  7,  10,  13.,  "  I 
discerned  a  young  man,  and  there  met  him 
a  woman  with  tlie  attire  of  an  harlot;  so 
she  canglit  liim  and  kissed  him."  Better 
are  the  reproofs  of  a  friend,  than  the  kisses 
of  an  harlot. 

3.  Ministers  are  murderers,  who  either 
starve,  or  poison,  or  infect  souls. 

(1.)  That  starve  souls,  1  Pet.  v.  2.,  "Feed 
the  flock  of  God  which  is  among  you." 
These  feed  themselves,  and  starve  the  flock  ; 
either  through  non-residing,  they  do  not 
preach,  or  through  insufficiency  they  can- 
not. There  are  many  in  the  ministry  (a 
shame  to  speak  it)  so  ignorant,  that  they 
had  need  to  be  taught  the  "  first  principles 
of  the  oracles  of  God,"  Heb.  v.  12.  Was 
not  he  fit  to  be  a  preacher  in  Israel,  (think 
ye)  who  being  asked  something  concerning 
the  decalogue,  answered  he  never  saw  any 
such  book  ? 

(2.)  That  poison  souls.  Such  are  heter- 
odox ministers,  who  poison  people  with  er- 


ror; the  basilisk  poisons  herbs  and  flowers, 
by  breathing  on  them :  the  breath  of  here- 
tical ministers,  like  the  basilisk's  brcatli, 
poisons  souls.  The  Socinian,  that  would 
rob  Christ  of  his  Godhead, — the  Arminian, 
that  by  advancing  the  power  of  the  will, 
would  take  oflF  the  crown  from  the  head  of 
free-grace, — the  Antinomian,  who  denies 
the  use  of  the  moral  law  to  a  believer,  as  if 
it  were  antiquated  and  out  of  date, — tliese 
poison  men's  souls.  Error  is  as  damnald  j 
as  vice,  2  Pet.  ii.  1.,  "  There  shall  be  false 
teachers  among  you,  who  privily  shall  bring 
in  damnable  heresies,  even  denying  the  Lord 
that  bought  them." 

(3.)  That  infect  souls,  viz.  by  their  scan- 
dalous lives,  Exod.  xix.  22.,  "  Let  the  J)rie^l3 
which  come  near  to  the  Lord  sanctify  them- 
selves." IVIinistcrs,  who  by  their  places  are 
nearer  to  God,  should  be  holier  than  others. 
The  elements,  the  higher  they  are,  the  pu- 
rer; the  air  is  purer  than  the  water;  the 
fire  is  purer  than  the  air.  The  higher  men 
are  by  office,  the  holier  they  should  be  , 
Joim  Baptist  was  a  shining  lamp.  But  there 
are  many  who  infect  their  people  with  their 
bad  life;  they  preach  one  thing,  and  live 
another, — Qui  curios  sininlaitt  ct  bacchann- 
lia  vii'unt.  They,  like  Eli's  sons,  are  in 
white  linen,  but  they  have  scarlet  sins. 
Some  say,  that  Prester  John,  the  lord  of 
Africji,  caused  to  be  carried  before  him  a 
golden  cup  full  of  dirt, — a  fit  emblem  of 
such  ministers  as  have  a  golden  office,  but 
are  dirty  and  polluted  in  their  lives.  They 
are  murderers  and  the  blood  of  souls  will 
cry  against  them  at  the  hist  day. 

(4.)  Such  as  destroy  others,  by  getting 
them  into  bad  compaTiy,  and  so  making 
them  j)roselytes  to  the  devil.  J'itid  in  prox- 
inium  quemque  trajisiliinif,  Sen.  A  man 
cannot  live  in  the  Ethiopian  climate  but  he 
will  be  discoloured  with  the  sun ;  nor  he 
cannot  be  in  bad  company  but  he  will  par- 
take of  their  evil.  One  drunkard  makes 
another  ;  as  the  prophet  speaks  in  another 
sense,  Jer.  xxxv.  5.,  "  I  set  before  the  sons 
of  the  house  of  the  Rachabites  pots  full  of 


312 


OF  THE  SIXTH  COMMANDMENT. 


Avine  and  cups,  and  said  inito  tliom,  drink 
ve  wine ;"  so  the  wicked  ^ct  pots  of  wine 
before  others,  and  make  them  drink  till  rea- 
son be  stupified,  and  lust  inflamed.  These 
are  "-uiltv  of  the  breach  of  this  command- 
ment,  they  arc  murderers  of  souls.  How 
sad  will  it  be  with  these,  who  have  not  on- 
ly their  own  sins,  but  the  blood  of  others, 
to  answer  for?  So  much  for  the  first  thing 
forbidden  in  the  commandment,  the  injur- 
ing of  others. 

2d.  The  second  thing  forbidden  in  it  is, 
the  injuring  one's  self.  "  Thou  shalt  not 
kill :"  thou  slialt  do  no  hurt  to  thyself. 

1.  Thou  shalt  not  hurt  thy  own  body. 
One  may  be  guilty  of  self-murder,  either, 
\sf,  indirectly  and  occasionally;  or,  2d,  di- 
rectly and  absolutely. 

(1.)   Indirectly  and  occasionally ;  as, 

First,  When  a  man  thrusts  himself  into 
danger  which  he  might  prevent;  as  if  a 
company  of  archers  were  shooting,  and  one 
should  go  and  stand  in  the  place  where  the 
arrows  tly,  if  the  arrow  did  kill  him,  he  is 
accessary  to  his  own  death.  In  the  law, 
God  would  have  the  leper  shut  up,  to  keep 
otliers  from  being  infected.  Lev.  xiii.  4. 
Now,  if  any  would  be  so  presumptuous  as 
to  go  in  to  the  leper,  and  get  the  plague  of 
leprosy,  he  might  thank  himself,  he  occa- 
sioned his  own  death. 

Secondly,  A  person  may  be  in  some  sense 
guilty  of  his  own  death,  by  neglecting  the 
use  of  means.  If  sick,  and  use  no  physic, 
— if  he  hath  received  a  wound  and  will  not 
apply  balsam, — he  hastens  his  own  death. 
God  aj)pointed  Ilezekiah  to  lay  a  "  lump  of 
figs  upon  the  boil,"  Isa.  xxxviii.  21.  If  he 
had  not  used  the  lump  of  figs,  he  had  been 
the  cause  of  his  own  death. 

Thirdly,  By  immoderate  grief,  2  Cor. 
vii.  10.,  '  the  sorrow  of  the  world  worketh 
death  ;'  when  CJod  takes  away  a  dear  rela- 
tion, and  one  is  swallowed  up  with  sorrow. 
How  many  weep  themselves  into  their 
graves  !  Queen  Mary  grieved  so  exces- 
sively for  the  loss  of  Calais,  that  it  broke 
her  heart. 

Fourthly,  By  intemperance,  excess  in 
diet.     Surfeiting  shortens  life  ;  pli/res  pericre 


non.     Excessive  drinking  causeth  untimely 
death. 

(2.)   One  may  be  guilty  of  self-murder, 
directly  and  absolutely. 

First,  By  envy.  Envy  is  trlst'itia  de  bo- 
nis (dienis, — a  secret  repining  at  the  welfare 
of  another.  Invidus  allerius  rebus  macrescit 
ophnis.  An  envious  man  is  more  sorry  at 
another's  prosperity,  than  at  his  own  ad- 
versity ;  he  never  laughs,  but  when  another 
weeps.  Envy  is  a  self-murder,  a  fretting 
canker.  Cyprian  calls  it  vulnns  utcidlum, — 
'  a  secret  wound ;'  it  hurts  a  man's  self 
most.  Envy  corrodes  the  heart,  dries  up 
the  blood,  rots  the  bones,  Prov.  xiv.  30., 
"  Envy  is  the  rottenness  of  the  bones."  It 
is  to  the  body,  as  the  moth  to  the  cloth,  it 
eats  it,  and  makes  its  beauty  consume ;  en- 
vy drinks  its  own  venom.  The  viper- 
which  leaped  on  Paul's  hand,  thought  to 
have  hurt  Paul,  but  fell  herself  into  the 
fire.  Acts  xxviii.  3.  So,  while  the  envious 
man  thinks  to  hurt  another,  he  destroys 
himself. 

Second,  By  laying  violent  hands  on  him- 
self, and  thus  he  is  fclo  de  se  ;  as  Saul  fell 
upon  his  own  sword  and  killed  himself. 
And  because  I  see  so  many  in  the  bills  of 
mortality,  who  make  away  tliemselves,  let 
me  a  little  expatiate.  It  is  the  most  unna- 
tural and  barbarous  kind  of  murder  for  a 
man  to  butcher  himself  and  imbrue  his 
hands  in  his  own  blood.  A  man's  self  is 
most  near  to  him,  therefore  this  sin  of  self- 
murder  breaks  both  the  law  of  God,  and 
the  bonds  of  nature.  The  Lord  hath  plac- 
ed the  soul  in  the  body,  as  in  a  prison  ; 
now  it  is  a  great  sin  to  break  prison,  till 
God  by  death  open  the  door.  Self-murder- 
ers are  worse  than  the  brute-creatiu'es : 
they  will  tear  and  gore  one  another,  but  no 
beast  will  go  to  destroy  itself.  Self-murder 
is  occasioned  usually  from  discontent;  dis- 
content is  joined  with  a  sullen  melancholy. 
The  bird  that  beats  herself  in  the  cage,  and 
is  ready  to  kill  herself,  is  the  true  emblem 
of  a  discontented  spirit.  And  this  discon- 
tent ariseth,  1.  From  pride.  A  man  that 
is  swelled  with  an  high  opinion  of  himself, 
thinks  he  deserves  better  than  others;  and 


crn/in/d,  (/nam  <i/adit> ;  many  dig  their  grave  if  any  cross  befal  him,  lie  is  discontented, 
with  their  teeth  ;  t<»<)  much  oil  cliokes  the  and  now  in  a  sudden  passii)n  will  m:ike  a- 
liiinp  :   the  cup    kills   more   than    the   can-    way  himself.    Aliitiu>phel  had  high  th(night3 


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313 


of  himself,  his  words  were  esteemed  oracles ; 
and  to  liave  his  wise  counsel  rejected,  he 
was  not  ahle  to  bear  it,  2  Sam.  xvii.  23., 
"  He  ])ut  his  household  in  order,  and  hang- 
ed himself." — 2.  From  poverty.  Poverty 
is  a  sore  temptation,  Prov.  xxx.  8.,  "  Give 
me  not  poverty."  Many  by  their  sin  have 
brought  themselves  to  poverty  :  and  when 
u  groat  estate  is  boiled  away  to  nothing, 
then  they  are  discontented,  and  think  bet- 
ter to  die  quickly,  than  languish  in  misery : 
hereupon  the  devil  helps  them  to  dispatch 
themselves. — 3.  From  covetousness.  Ava- 
rice is  a  dry  drunkenness,  an  horse-leech 
that  is  never  satisfied.  The  covetous  man 
is  like  Behemoth,  Job  xl.  23.,  "  Behold  he 
drinketh  up  a  river,  and  hasteth  not."  The 
covetous  miser  hoards  up  corn ;  and  if  he 
hears  the  price  of  corn  begins  to  fall,  then  he 
is  troubled,  and  there  is  no  cure  for  his  dis- 
content but  an  halter. — 4.  From  horror  of 
mind.  A  man  hath  sinned  a  great  sin,  he 
hath  swallowed  down  some  pills  of  temp- 
tation the  devil  hath  given  him,  and  these 
pills  begin  to  work  in  his  conscience,  and 
the  horror  is  so  great,  that  he  chooseth 
strangling.  Judas  having  betrayed  inno- 
cent blood,  he  was  in  that  agony,  that  he 
hanged  himself  to  quiet  his  conscience  ;  as 
if  one  should,  to  avoid  the  stinging  of  a 
gnat,  endure  the  biting  of  a  serpent.  This 
self-murder,  is  an  high  breach  of  this  com- 
mandment ;  it  is  an  execrable  sin.  I  can 
see  no  ground  of  hope  for  such  as  make 
away  themselves  ;  for  they  die  in  the  very 
act  of  sin  and  cannot  have  time  to  repent. 

2.  Here  is  forbidden  hurting  one's  own 
soul,  "  thou  shalt  not  kill."  Many  who 
are  free  from  other  murders,  yet  are  guilty 
here ;  they  go  about  to  murder  their  own 
souls ;  they  are  wilfully  set  to  damn  them- 
selves, and  throw  themselves  into  hell. 

Quest.  JVho  are  they  that  go  about  des- 
perately w  murder  their  own  souls. 

Ans.  1.  Such  wilfully  go  about  to  mur- 
der their  souls,  who  have  no  sense  of  God, 
or  the  other  world  ;  they  are  "  past  feel- 
ing," Eph.  iv.  19.  Tell  them  of  God's  lio- 
liness  and  justice,  they  are  not  at  all  aflFect- 
ed,  Zech.  vii.  12.,  "  They  made  their  hearts 
like  an  adamant."  The  adamant  saith  Pli- 
ny is  insuperable,  the  hammer  cannot  con- 
quer it.     Sinners  have  adamantine  hearts. 


The  altar  of  stone,  when  the  prophet  spake 
to  it,  '  rent  asunder,'  1  Kings  xiii.  5. ;  but 
sinners'  hearts  are  so  hardened  in  sin,  that 
nothing  wUl  work  upon  them, — neither  or- 
dinances nor  judgments;  they  do  not  be- 
lieve a  Deity;  they  laugh  at  hell;  these 
go  about  to  murder  their  own  souls,  they 
are  throwing  themselves  as  fast  as  they  can 
into  hell. 

A.  2.  Such  as  are  set  wilfully  to  murder 
their  own  souls,  are  they  who  are  resolved 
upon  their  lusts,  let  what  will  come  of  it 
The  soul  may  cry  out,  "  I  am  killing  !  1 
am  murdering  !"  Eph.  iv.  19.,  "  They  have 
given  themselves  over  to  work  all  unclean- 
ness  with  greediness."  Let  ministers  speak 
to  them  about  their  sins, — let  conscience 
speak, — let  affliction  speak, — yet  they  will 
have  their  lusts,  though  they  go  to  hell  for 
them.  Are  not  these  resolved  to  murder 
their  souls  ?  As  Agrippina,  mother  to 
Nero  said,  occidat  modo  iwperet^ — '  let  my 
son  kill  mo,  so  he  may  reign  ;  so  many  say 
in  their  hearts,  let  our  sins  damn  us,  so 
they  may  but  please  us.  Herod  will  have 
his  incestuous  lust,  though  it  cost  him  his 
soul ;  men  will,  for  a  drop  of  ])leasure, 
drink  a  sea  of  wrath.  Are  not  these  about 
to  massacre  and  damn  their  own  souls. 

A.  3.  They  murder  their  souls,  who  a- 
void  all  means  of  saving  their  souls.  They 
will  go  to  plays,  to  drunken  meetings,  hut 
will  not  set  their  foot  witliin  God's  house, 
or  come  near  the  sound  of  the  gospel-trum- 
pet ;  as  if  one  that  is  diseased  should  shun 
the  bath,  for  foar  of  being  healed.  These 
do  wilfully  damn  their  souls,  and  are  as 
great  murderers  of  themsolves,  as  ho,  who 
having  means  of  cure  offered  him,  chooseth 
death  rather  than  physic. 

A.  4.  They  do  voluntarily  murder  their 
souls,  who  suck  in  false  prejudices  against 
religion  ;  as  if  religion  were  so  strict  and 
severe,  that  they  who  espouse  holiness, 
must  live  a  melancholy  life,  like  hermits 
and  anchorites,  and  drown  all  their  joy  in 
tears.  This  is  a  slander  wliich  the  devil 
hath  east  upon  religion  :  for  there  is  no 
true  joy  but  in  believing,  Rcjm.  xv.  13. 
No  honey  so  sweet  as  that  which  drops 
from  a  promise.  Some  men  have  foolishly 
taken  up  a  prejudice  against  roligion  ;  they 
are  resolved  rather  never  to  go  to  hejiven. 

2R 


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OF  THE  SIXTH  COMMANDMENT. 


than  to  go  thither  through  the  strait  gate. 
I  may  say  of  prejudice,  as  Paul  to  Ely  mas, 
Acts  xiii.  10.,  "  O  full  of  suhtilty  and  all 
mischief,  thou  child  of  the  devil,  thou  ene- 
my of  all  righteousness,"  how  many  souls 
hast  thou  damned  !   . 

A.  5.  They  are  wilfully  set  to  murder 
their  own  souls,  who  will  neither  be  good 
themselves,  nor  suffer  others  to  be  so.  Mat. 
xxiii.  13.,  "  Ye  neither  go  in  yourselves, 
neither  suffer  ye  them  that  are  entering,  to 


go  in."  Such  are  those  that  persecute  o- 
thers  for  their  religion.  Drunken  meet- 
ings shall  escape  punishments  ;  but,  if  men 
meet  to  serve  God,  then  let  all  severity  be 
used.  These  are  resolved  to  shipwreck  o- 
thers,  though  they  themselves  are  cast  a- 
way  in  the  storm.  Oh  !  take  heed  of  this, 
of  murdering  your  own  souls ;  no  creature 
but  man  doth  willingly  kill  itself.  So  I 
have  done  with  the  first,  the  sin  forbidden 
in  this  commandment,  '  thou  shalt  not  kill.' 


ExoD.  XX.  13.   Thou  shalt  not  kill. 


II.  THE  duty  implied  is,  that  we  should 
do  all  the  good  we  can  to  ourselves  and  o- 
thers. 

1*;.  In  reference  to  others :  we  should 
endeavour  to  preserve  the  lives  and  souls 
of  others.  2d.  In  reference  to  ourselves  : 
to  preserve  our  own  life  and  soul. 

\st.  In  reference  to  others.  1.  To  pre- 
serve the  life  of  others.  Comfort  them  in 
their  sorrows, — relieve  them  in  their  wants, 
— be  as  the  good  Samaritan,  pour  wine  and 
oil  into  their  wounds:  Job  xxix.  16.,  "I 
was  a  father  to  the  poor;  v.  13.  The  bless- 
ing of  him  that  was  ready  to  perish  came 
upon  me."  This  is  a  great  means  of  pre- 
serving the  life  of  another,  by  relieving 
him  when  he  is  ready  to  perish.  Pompey, 
when  there  was  a  great  dearth  in  Rome, 
provided  corn  for  their  relief;  and  when 
the  mariners  were  backward  to  sail  thither 
in  a  tempest,  said  he,  "  It  is  not  necessary 
that  we  should  live,  but  it  is  necessary 
that  Rome  be  relieved."  Grace  makes 
the  heart  tender, — it  causeth  sympatliy  and 
charity  ;  as  it  melts  the  heart,  in  contrition 
towards  God,  so  in  compassion  towards  o- 
thers,  Ps.  cxii.  9.,  "  He  hath  dispersed, — 
he  hath  given  to  the  poor."  This  the  com- 
mandment implies,  that  we  should  be  so 
far  from  ruining  others,  that  we  should  do 
all  we  can  to  preserve  the  lives  of  others 
When  we  see  the  picture  of  death  drawn 
in  their  faces,  administer  to  tlieir  necessi- 
ties,— be  temporal  saviours  to  tliem, — draw 
them  out  of  tlie  waters  of  affliction  with  a  sil- 
ver cord  of  charity.  That  I  may  persuade 
you  to  this,  let  me  lay  before  you  arguments : 


First.  Works  of  charity  evidence  grace. 

1.  Faith.  James  ii.  18.,  "  I  will  show 
thee  my  faith  by  my  works."  Works  are 
faith's  letters  of  credence  to  show.  We 
judge  of  the  health  of  the  body  by  the  pulse 
where  the  blood  stirs  and  operates  :  Chris- 
tian, judge  of  the  health  of  thy  faith  by  the 
pulse  of  charity :  the  word  of  God  is  the 
rule  of  faith,  and  good  works  are  the  wit- 
nesses of  faith. 

2.  Love.  Love  loves  mercy  :  it  is  a  no- 
ble bountiful  grace.  Mary  loved  Christ, 
and  how  liberal  was  her  love  !  She  be- 
stowed on  Christ  her  tears,  kisses,  costly 
ointments.  Love,  like  a  full  vessel,  will 
have  vent ;  it  vents  itself  in  acts  of  libe- 
rality. 

Secondly.  To  communicate  to  the  ne- 
cessities of  others,  is  not  arbitrary  (it  is 
not  left  to  our  choice  whether  we  will  or 
no)  but  it  is  a  duty  incumbent,  1  Tim.  \\. 
17,  18.,  "  Charge  them  that  arc  rich  in 
this  world  that  they  do  good,  tliat  they  be 
rich  in  good  works."  This  is  not  only  a 
counsel,  but  a  charge.  If  God  should  lay 
a  charge  upon  the  inanimate  creatures,  they 
would  obey ;  if  he  would  charge  the  rocks, 
they  would  send  forth  water  ;  if  he  should 
charge  the  clouds,  they  would  melt  info 
showers  ;  if  he  sliould  charge  the  stones, 
they  would  become  bread.  And  shall  we 
be  harder  than  the  stones  not  to  obey  God, 
when  he  chargeth  us  to  "  be  rich  in  good 
works?" 

Thirdly.  God  supplies  our  wants,  and 
shall  not  we  su])ply  the  wants  of  others  ? 
"  We  could  not  live  without  mercy."     God 


OF  THE  SIXTH  COMMANDMENT. 


Sl5 


makes  every  creature  lielpful  to  us ;  ths 
Run  doth  enricli  us  witli  its  golden  beams, 
— the  earth  yields  us  its  increase,  veins  of 
gold,  crops  of  corn,  store  of  flowers.  God 
opens  the  treasury  of  his  mercy  ;  he  feeds 
us  every  day  out  of  the  alms-basket  of  his 
providence  :  "  Tliou  openest  thy  hand,  and 
eatisflest  the  desire  of  every  living  thing," 
Ps.  cxlv.  16.  Now,  doth  God  supply  our 
wants,  and  shall  not  we  minister  to  the 
wants  of  others?  Shall  we  be  only  as  a 
spunge  to  suck  in  mercy,  and  not  as  breasts 
to  milk  it  out  to  others? 

Fourthly.  Herein  we  resemble  God,  to 
be  doing  good  to  others.  It  is  our  excel- 
lency to  be  like  God  :  '  godliness  is  God- 
likeness.'  And  wherein  are  we  more  like 
to  him,  than  in  acts  of  bounty  and  munifi- 
cence ?  Ps.  cxix.  68.,  "  Thou  art  good,  and 
doest  good."  "  Thou  art  good," — there  is 
God's  essential  goodness ;  and  "doest  good," 
— there  is  his  communicative  goodness. 
Tlie  more  helpful  we  are  to  others,  the 
more  like  we  are  to  God ;  we  cannot  be 
like  God  in  omnisciency  or  in  working  mi- 
racles, but  we  may  be  like  him  in  doing 
works  of  mercy. 

Fifthly.  God  remembers  all  our  deeds 
of  charity,  and  takes  them  kindly  at  our 
hands:  Ileb.  vi.  10.,  "  God  is  not  uni'igh- 
teous  to  forget  your  work  and  labour  of 
love  whicli  you  have  shewed  towards  his 
name,  in  that  you  have  ministered  unto  the 
saints."  The  chief  butler  may  forget  Jo- 
seph's kindness,  but  the  Lord  will  not  for- 
get any  kindness  we  shew  to  his  people  : 
Mat.  XXV.  35.,  "  I  was  an  hungered,  and 
ye  gave  me  meat ;  thirsty,  and  ye  gave  me 
drink."  Christ  takes  the  kindness  done  to 
his  saints,  as  done  to  himself.  God,  that 
hath  a  bottle  for  your  tears,  hath  a  book 
to  write  down  your  alms,  Mai.  iii.  16.,  "  A 
book  of  remembrance  was  written  before 
him."  Tamerlane  had  a  register  to  write 
down  all  the  names  and  good  services  of 
his  soldiers  :  so,  God  hath  a  book  of  re- 
membrance to  write  down  all  your  charita- 
ble works,  and  at  the  day  of  judgment 
tliere  shall  be  an  open  and  honourable  men- 
tion made  of  them  in  presence  of  the  angels. 

Sixthly.  Hard-heartedness  to  them  in 
misery  reproacheth  the  gospel.  \^'hen 
men's  hearts  are  like  pieces  of  rocks,  or  as 


the  scales  of  the  leviathan,  **  shut  up  to- 
gether as  with  a  close  seal,"  Job  xli.  15., 
you  may  as  well  extract  oil  of  flint,  as  the 
golden  oil  of  charity  out  of  their  hearts. 
These  unchristian  themselves.  Unmerci- 
fulness  is  the  sin  of  the  heathen,  Rom.  i. 
31.  Without  mercy.  It  eclipseth  the  glo- 
ry of  the  gospel.  Doth  the  gospel  teach 
uncharitableness  ?  Doth  it  not  bid  ua 
"  draw  out  thy  soul  to  the  hungry  ?"  Isa, 
Iviii.  10.  Tit.  iii.  8.,  "  These  things  I  will 
that  thou  affirm  constantly,  that  they  which 
have  believed  in  God,  might  be  careful  to 
maintain  good  works."  While  you  relieve 
not  such  as  are  in  want,  you  walk  antipodes 
to  the  gospel ;  you  cause  it  to  be  evil  spo- 
ken of,  and  lay  it  open  to  the  lash  and  cen- 
sure of  others. 

Seventhly.  There  is  nothing  lost  by  re- 
lieving the  necessitous.  The  Shunamite 
woman  was  kind  to  the  propliet,  she  wel- 
comed him  to  her  house,  and  she  received 
kindness  from  him  another  way  ;  he  restor- 
ed her  dead  child  to  life,  2  Kings  iv.  35. 
Such  as  are  helpful  to  others,  shall  "  find 
mercy  to  help  in  time  of  need."  Such  as 
pour  out  the  golden  oil  of  compassion  to  o- 
thers,  God  will  pour  out  the  golden  oil  of 
salvation  to  them ;  for  "  a  cup  of  cold  wa- 
ter" they  shall  have  "  rivers  of  pleasure." 
Nay,  God  will  make  it  up  some  way  or  o- 
ther  in  this  life,  Prov.  xi.  25.,  "  The  liberal 
soul  shall  be  made  fat ;"  as  the  loaves  in 
breaking  multiplied  ;  or,  as  the  widow's  oil 
increased  in  pouring  out,  1  Kings  xvii.  10. 
An  estate  may  be  imparted,  yet  not  impair- 
ed. 

Eighthly.  To  do  good  to  others  in  ne- 
cessity, keeps  up  the  credit  of  religion. 
Works  of  mercy  adorn  the  gospel,  as  the 
fruit  adorns  the  tree ;  when  '  our  light  so 
shines  that  others  see  our  good  works,'  this 
glorifies  God,  cr<)wns  religion,  silenc»'th  the 
lips  of  gainsayers.  Basil  saith,  nothing  ren- 
dered the  true  reli<non  more  famous  in  the 
primitive  times,  and  made  more  proselytes 
to  it,  than  the  bounty  and  charity  of  the 
Christians. 

Ninthly,  and  lastly.  The  evil  that  doth 
accrue  by  not  preserving  the  lives  of  others, 
and  helping  them  in  tiieir  necessities:  God 
sends  oft  a  secret  moth  into  their  estate, 
Prov.  xi.  24.,   "  Tliere  is  that  withholdctb 


316 


OF  THE  SIXTH  COMMANDMENT. 


mere  than  is  meet,  but  it  tendeth  to  pover- 
ty," Prov.  xxi.  13.,   "  Whoso  stoppeth  his 
ears  at  the  cry  of  the  poor,  he  also  sliall  cry 
Iiimself,  butshall  not  be  heard,"  James  ii.  13., 
"  He  shall  have  judgment  without  mercy, 
that  hath  shewed  no  mercy."     Dives  denied 
Lazarus  a  crumb  of  bread,  and  Dives  was 
denied  a  drop  of  water.  Mat.  xxv.  41,  42., 
"  Depart  from  me,  ye  cursed  ;  for  I  was  an 
hungered,  and  ye  gave  me  no  meat."    Christ 
saith  not  ye  took  away  my  meat ;  but  "  ye 
gave  me  no  meat;"    ye  did   not  feed  my 
members,    therefore,    "  depart   from    me." 
By  all  this,  be  ready  to  distribute  to  the  ne- 
cessities of  others.     This  is  included  in  the 
commandment,  '  Thou  shalt  not  kill.'     Not 
only  thou  shalt  not  destroy  his  life,  but  thou 
shalt  preserve  it  by  ministering  to  his  ne- 
cessities. 

2.  It  is  implied,  that  we  should  endeav- 
our to  preserve  the  souls  of  others  ;  counsel 
tliem  about  their  souls, — set  life  and  death 
before  them, — help  them  to  heaven.  In  the 
law,  if  one  met  his  neighbour's  ox  or  ass 
going  astray,  he  must  bring  him  back  again, 
Exod.  xxxiii.  4. :  much  more,  if  we  see  our 
neighbour's  soul  going  astray,  we  should 
use  all  means  to  bring  him  back  to  (lod  by 
repentance. 

2d.  In  reference  to  ourselves.  The  com- 
mandment, "  Thou  shalt  not  kill,"  requires 
tJiat  we  should  preserve  our  own  life  and 
soul. — 1.  It  is  engraven  upon  every  crea- 
ture, that  we  should  preserve  our  own  na- 
tural life.  We  must  be  so  far  from  self- 
minder,  that  we  must  do  all  we  can  to  pre- 
serve our  natural  life ;  we  must  use  all 
means  of  diet,  exercise  and  lawful  recrea- 
tion, which  is  like  oil  to  preserve  the  lamp 
of  life  from  going  out.  Some  have  been 
under  temptation  ;  Satan  has  suggested  they 
are  such  sinners  as  do  not  deserve  a  bit  or 
bread,  and  so  they  have  been  ready  to  starve 
themselves  :  this  is  contrary  to  this  sixth 
coHiinandment,  "thou  shalt  do  no  murder;" 
it  is  implied,  we  are  to  use  all  means  for 
the  preservation  of  our  own  life,  1  Tim.  v. 
23.,  "  Drink  no  longer  water,  but  use  a  lit- 
tle wine  for  thy  stomach's  sake."  Timothy 
was  not  by  drinking  too  much  water  to  o- 
vercool  his  stomach,  and  weaken  nature, 
but  we  must  use  means  for  self-preserva- 
tion, '  drink  a  little  wine,'  &c. 


2.  This  commandment  requires,  that  we 
should  endeavour  (as  to  preserve  our  own 
life,  so  especially)  to  preserve  our  own 
souls. — 

Omnia  perdas  onimam  senare  memento. 
It  is  engraven  upon  every  creature,  as  with 
the  point  of  a  diamond,  that  it  should  look 
to  its  own  preserA'ation.  If  the  life  of  the 
body  must  be  preserved,  then  much  more 
the  life  of  the  soul.  If  he  who  doth  not 
provide  for  his  own  house  is  worse  than  an 
infidel,  1  Tim.  v.  8.,  then  much  more  he 
who  doth  not  provide  for  his  own  souL 
This  is  a  main  thirjg  implied  in  the  com- 
mandment, a  special  care  for  the  preserv- 
ing our  souls ;  the  soul  is  the  jewel,  the 
soul  is  a  diamond  set  in  a  ring  of  clay; 
Christ  puts  the  soul  in  balance  with  the 
world,  and  it  outweighs,  Mat.  XA'i.  26.  The 
soul  is  a  glass,  in  which  some  rays  of  divine 
glory  shine  ;  it  hath  in  it  some  faint  idea 
and  resemblance  of  a  Deity  ;  it  is  a  celesti- 
al spark  lighted  by  the  breath  of  God.  The 
body  was  made  of  the  dust,  but  the  soul  is 
of  a  more  noble  extract  and  orij:iual,  Cen. 
ii.  7.,  "  God  breathed  into  liis  nostrils  the 
breath  of  life,  and  nianhccane  a  liviiigsoul." 

1.  The  soul  is  excellent  in  it^^  n;itm-e.  It 
is  a  spiritual  being, — '  if  i>  a  kind  of  ange- 
lical thing,' — the  niirnl  sparkles  with  know- 
ledge, the  will  is  crowned  with  liberty,  and 
all  the  affections  are  as  stars  shining  in  their 
orb.  The  soul  being  spiritual,  (1.)  It  is  of 
quick  operation.  I  low  quick  are  the  mo- 
tions of  a  spark  !  How  swift  the  wing  of  a 
cherubim  !  So  quick  and  agile  is  the  motion 
of  the  soul.  What  is  quicker  than  a  thought  ? 
How  many  miles  can  the  soul  travel  in  an 
instant !  (2.)  The  soul,  being  spiritual, 
moves  upward, — it  contemplates  God  and 
glory,  Ps.  Ixxiii.  25.,  "  Whom  have  I  in 
heaven  but  thee  ?"  The  motion  of  the  soul 
is  upward;  only  sin  hath  |)ut  a  wrong  bias 
upon  the  soul,  and  made  it  move  too  much 
downward.  (3  )  Tiic  soul  being  spiritual, 
hath  a  self-moving  ])<)wer;  it  can  subsist 
and  move  when  the  body  is  dead,  as  the 
mariner  can  subsist  when  the  ship  is  brok- 
en. (4.)  The  soul,  being  spiritual,  is  im- 
mortal, (Bternilatis  gemma, — '  a  bud  of  eter- 
nity.'     SCALIGER. 

2.  As  the  soul  is  excellent  in  its  nature, 
so  in  its  capacities.     It  is  capable  of  grace. 


OF  THE  SEVENTH  COMMANDMENT. 


817 


— ^it  is  fit  to  be  an  associate  and  companion  : 
of  angels.  It  is  capable  of  communion  with 
God, — of  being  Christ's  spouse,  2  Cor.  xii. 
15.,  That  I  might  espouse  your  virgin  souls 
to  Christ.  It  is  capable  of  being  crowned 
with  glory  for  ever.  O  then,  carrying  such 
precious  souls  about  you,  created  with  the 
breath  of  God,  redeemed  with  the  blood  of 
God,  what  endeavours  should  you  use  for 
the  saving  of  these  souls  !  Let  not  the  de- 
vil have  your  souls.  Heliogabalus  fed  his 
lions  with  pheasants  :  the  devil  is  called  a 
roaring  lion,  feed  him  not  with  your  souls. 
Besides  the  excellency  of  the  soul,  which 
may  make  you  labour  to  get  it  saved,  con- 
sider how  sad  it  will  be  not  to  have  the  soul 
saved  ;  it  is  such  a  loss  as  there  is  none  like 
it ;  because,  in  losing  the  soul  you  lose  a 
groat  many  things  with  it.  A  merchant  in 
lo^^ng  his  ship,  loseth  many  things  with  it; 
he  loseth  money,  jewels,  spices,  &c.  so,  he 
that  loseth  his  soul  loseth  Christ,  the  com- 
|>any  of  angels  in  heaven  ;  it  is  an  infinite 
loss,  and  it  is  an  irreparable  loss;  it  can 
never  be  made  up  again.  Two  eyes  but 
one  soul,  Chrys.  O  what  care  should  be 
taken  of  the  immortal  soul  !  I  would  re- 
quest but  this  of  you,  that  you  would  but 
take  as  much  care  for  the  saving  of  your 
souls,  {IS  you  do  for  the  getting  of  an  estate  : 
nav,  I  will  sav  this,  do  but  take  as  much 
care  for  the  saving  your  souls  as  the  devil 
doth  for  destroying  them.  O  how  indus- 
trious is  Satan  to  damn  souls  !  How  doth 
be  play  the  serpent  in  his  subtle  laying  of 
snares  to  catch  souls  !  How  doth  he  shoot 
fiery  darts;  the  devil  is  never  idle;  the 
devil  is  a  busy  bishop  in  his  diocese,  he 
*'  walketh  about  seeking  whom  he  may  de- 
vour," 1  Pet.  v.  8.     Now,  is  not  this  a  rea- 


sonable request,  to  take  but  as  much  care 
f()r  the  saving  of  your  souls,  as  the  devil 
doth  for  the  destroying  of  them  ? 

Quest.  How  shall  we  do  to  get  our  souli 
saved  ? 

Ans.  By  having  them  sanctified.  Only 
the  "  pure  in  heart  shall  see  God."  (iet 
your  souls  inlaid  and  enamelled  with  ho- 
liness, 1  Pet.  i.  16.  It  is  not  enough  that 
'  we  cease  to  do  evil,'  (which  is  all  tl»e  evi- 
dence some  have  to  shew)  this  is  to  lose 
heaven  by  short  shooting ;  but  we  must  be 
inwardly  sanctified  ;  not  only  the  '  unclean 
spirit'  must  go  out,  but  we  must  be  filled 
with  the  '  Holy  Ghost,'  Eph.  v.  18.  This 
holiness  must  needs  be,  if  you  consider  God 
is  to  dwell  with  you  here,  and  you  are  to 
dwell  with  him  hereafter. 

First.  God  is  to  dwell  with  you  here 
God  takes  up  the  soul  for  his  own  lodging, 
Eph.  iii.  17.,  "  That  Christ  may  dwell  in 
your  heart."  Therefore  the  soul  must  be 
consecrated.  A  king's  palace  must  be  kept 
clean,  especially  his  presence-chamber. 
"  The  body  is  the  temple  of  the  Holy  Ghost," 
1  Cor.  vi.  19.  then  the  soul  is  the  sanctum 
sanctorum  :  how  holy  ought  that  to  be  ? 

Secondly.  You  are  to  dwell  with  God. 
Heaven  is  an  holy  place,  1  Pet.  i.  4.,  "  An 
inheritajice  undefiled."  And  how  can  you 
dwell  with  God  till  you  are  sanctified? 
We  do  not  put  wine  into  a  musty  vessel : 
God  will  not  put  the  new  wine  of  glory 
into  a  sinful  heart.  O  then,  as  you  love 
your  souls,  and  would  have  them  saved  e- 
ternally,  endeavour  after  holiness  !  By  this 
means  you  will  have  an  idiMitity  and  fitness 
f«>r  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  and  your  souls 
will  be  saved  in  the  day  of  the  Lord  Jesus. 


OF  THE  SEVENTH  COMMANDMENT. 


ExoD.  XX.  14.   Thou  shall  not  commit  adultery. 


GOD  is  a  pure,  holy  spirit,  and  hath  an 
infinite  antipathy  against  all  uncleanness. 
In  this  commandment  he  hath  entered  his 
caution  against  it,  nan  mcEchaberis, — "  Thou 
Bhalt  not  commit  adultery."  The  sum  of 
this  commandment  is,   the  preservation  of  i 


corporal  purity.  We  must  take  heed  of 
running  on  the  rock  of  uncleanness,  and  so 
making  shij)wreck  of  our  chastity.  In  this 
commandment  there  is  something  tacitly 
implied,  and  something  expressly  forbidden. 
I.  Something  tacitly  implied,  viz.  That 


318 


OF  THE  SEVENTH  COMMANDMENT. 


the  ordinance  of  marriage  should  be  observ- 
ed. 

II.  Something  expressly  forbidden,  viz. 
The  infecting  ourselves  with  bodily  pollu- 
tions, *'  Thou  shalt  not  commit  adultery." 

I.  Something  implied, — that  the  ordi- 
nance of  marriage  should  be  observed,  1  Cor. 
vii.  2.,  "  Let  every  man  have  his  own  wife, 
and  let  every  woman  have  her  own  hus- 
band." "  Marriage  is  honourable  in  all, 
and  the  bed  undefiled,"  Heb.  xiii.  4.  God 
did  institute  marriage  in  paradise ;  he 
brought  the  woman  to  the  man,  Gen.  ii.  22. 
He  did  it  as  it  were  give  them  in  mar- 
riage. And  Jesus  Christ  did  honour  mar- 
riage with  his  presence,  John  ii.  2.  The 
first  miracle  he  wrought  was  at  a  marriage, 
when  he  turned  the  water  into  wine.  Mar- 
riage is  a  type  and  resemblance  of  the  mys- 
tical union  between  Christ  and  his  church, 
Eph.  V.  32.     Concerning  marriage, 

1st.  There  are  general  duties. — 1.  The 
general  duty  of  the  husband  is  to  rule,  Eph. 
V,  23.,  "  The  husband  is  the  head  of  the 
wife,"  The  head  is  the  seat  of  rule  and 
government;  but  he  must  rule  with  discre- 
tion. He  is  head,  therefore  must  not  rule 
without  reason. — 2.  The  general  duty  on 
the  wife's  part  is  submission.  Eph.  v.  22., 
"  Wives  submit  yourselves  unto  your  own 
husbands,  as  unto  the  Lord."  It  is  observa- 
ble the  Holy  Ghost  passed  by  Sarah's  fail- 
ings, he  doth  not  mention  her  unbelief,  but 
he  takes  notice  of  that  which  was  good  in 
her,  her  reverence  and  obedience  to  her 
husband,  1  Pet.  iii.  6.,  "  Sarah  obeyed  A- 
braham,  calling  him  lord." 

2d.  Special  duties  belonging  to  marriage 
are  love  and  fidelity. —  1.  Love,  Eph.  v.  25., 
Love  is  the  marriage  of  the  affections.  There 
is  as  it  were  but  one  heart  in  two  bodies ; 
love  lines  the  yoke  and  makes  it  easy ;  love 
perfumes  the  marriage  relation,  without 
which  it  is  not  conjvgium  but  conjurgium ; 
it  is  like  two  poisons  in  one  stomach,  one  is 
ever  sick  of  the  other. — 2.  Fidelity.  In 
marriage  there  is  mutual  promise  of  living 
together  faithfully  according  to  God's  holy 
ordinance.  Among  tho  Romans,  on  the 
day  of  marriage,  the  woman  presented  to 
her  husband  fire  and  water :  fire  refines 
metal,  water  cleanseth, — hereby  signifiying, 
that  she  would  live  with  her  husband   in 


chastity  and  sincerity.  This  is  the  first 
thing  in  the  commandment  iui]>lied,  that  the 
ordinance  of  marriage  should  be  purely  ob- 
served. 

II.  The  thing  forbidden  in  the  command- 
ment, i.  e.  infecting  ourselves  with  bodily 
pollution  and  uncleanness.  "  Thou  slialt 
not  commit  adultery."  The  fountain  of 
this  sin  is  lust.  Since  the  fall,  holy  love 
is  degenerated  to  lust.  Lust  is  the  fever 
of  the  soul.  There  is  a  two-fold  adul- 
tery :  L  Mental,  Mat.  v.  28.,  "  Whosoever 
looketh  on  a  woman  to  lust  after  her, 
hath  committed  adultery  with  her  already 
in  his  heart."  As  a  man  may  die  of  an 
inward  bleeding,  so  he  may  be  damned 
for  the  inward  boilings  of  lust,  if  they  be 
not  mortified. — 2.  Corporal  adultery,— when 
sin  hath  conceiAed,  and  brought  forth  in 
the  act.  This  is  expressly  forbidden  under 
a  sub  poena,  "  Thou  shalt  not  commit  adul- 
tery." This  commandment  is  set  as  an 
hedge  to  keep  out  uncleanness ;  and  thev 
that  break  this  hedge  a  serpent  shall  bite 
them.  Job  calls  adultery  an  heinous  crime, 
Job.  xxxi.  1 1.  Every  failing  is  not  a  crime  ; 
and  every  crime  is  not  an  heinous  crime ; 
but  adultery  isjlagitium, — an  heinous  crime. 
The  Lord  c^lls  it  villany,  Jer.  xxix.  23., 
"  They  have  committed  villany  in  Israel, 
and  have  committed  adultery  with  their 
neighbours'  wives." 

Quest.  Wherein  appears  the  heinousness 
of  this  sin  of  adultery  ? 

Ans.  1.  In  that  adultery  is  the  breach  of 
the  marriage-oath.  When  persons  come  to- 
gether in  a  matrimonial  way  they  bind 
themselves  by  covenant  each  to  other,  in 
the  presence  of  God,  to  be  true  and  faithful 
in  the  conjugal  relation.  Unehastity  is  a 
falsifying  this  solemn  oath  ;  and  herein  a- 
dultery  is  worse  than  fornication,  because 
it  is  a  breach  of  the  conjugal  bond. 

A.  2.  The  heinousness  of  adultery  lies  in 
this.  That  it  is  such  an  high  dishonour  done 
to  God.  God  saith,  "  Thou  shalt  not  com- 
mit adultery."  The  adulterer  sets  his  will 
above  God's  law,  tramples  upon  God's  com- 
mand, affronts  him  to  his  face ;  as  if  a  sub- 
ject shoidd  tear  his  prince's  proclamation. 
The  adulterer  is  highly  injurious  to  all  the 
persons  in  the  Trinity.  L  To  God  the 
Father.     Sinner,  God  hath  given  thee  thy 


OF  THE  SEVENTH  COMMANDMENT. 


319 


life,  and  thou  dost  waste  tlie  lamp  of  thy 
life,  the  flower  of  thy  age  in  lewdness ;  he 
hath  bestowed  on  thee  many  mercies,  health 
and  estate,  and  thou  spendest  all  on  harlots. 
Did  (jod  give  thee  wages  to  serve  the  devil  ? 
2.  Injuiious  to  God  the  Son,  two  ways. 
First,  As  he  hatli  purchased  thee  with  his 
blood,  1  Cor.  vi.  20.,  "  Ye  are  bought  with 
a  price."  Now,  he  who  is  bought  is  not  his 
own  ;  it  is  a  sin  for  him  to  go  to  another, 
without  consent  from  Christ,  who  hath 
*  bought  him  with  a  price.'  Secondly,  By 
virtue  of  baptism  thou  art  a  Christian,  and 
professest  that  Christ  is  thy  head,  and  thou 
art  a  meuiber  of  Christ ;  therefore,  what  an 
injury  is  it  to  Christ,  to  take  the  members 
of  Christ,  and  make  them  the  "  members  of 
a  harlot?"  1  Cor.  vi.  15.  3.  It  is  injurious 
to  God  the  Holy  Ghost ;  for  the  body  is  his 
temple,  1  Cor.  vi.  19.,  "  Know  ye  not  that 
your  body  is  the  temple  of  the  Holy  Ghost 
which  Is  in  you  ?"  And  what  a  sin  is  it  to 
defile  his  temple ! 

A.  3.  Tlic  heiuousness  of  adultery  lies  in 
this,  that  it  is  committed  with  mature  deli- 
beration. First,  there  is  the  contriving  the 
sin  in  the  mind,  then  consent  in  the  will, 
and  then  the  sin  is  put  forth  into  act.  To 
sin  against  the  light  of  nature,  and  to  sin 
deliberately,  is  like  the  dye  to  the  wool,  it 
gives  sin  a  tincture,  and  dyes  it  of  a  crim- 
son colour. 

A,  4.  That  which  makes  adultery  so  hei- 
nous, is,  that  it  is  a  sin  after  remedy.  God 
hath  provided  a  remedy  to  prevent  this  sin, 
1  Cor.  vii.  2.,  "  To  avoid  fornication,  let 
every  man  have  his  own  wife."  Therefore 
after  this  remedy  prescribed,  to  be  guilty  of 
fornicatitm  or  adultery,  is  inexcusable ;  it 
is  like  a  rich  thief,  that  steals  when  he  hath 
no  need.  This  doth  enhance  and  accent 
the  sin,  and  make  it  heinous. 

Use  l.s7.  It  condemns  the  church  of  Rome, 
who  allow  the  sin  of  fornication  and  adul- 
tery. Tliey  suffer  not  their  priests  to  mar- 
ry, but  they  may  have  their  courtezans. 
The  worst  kind  of  uncleanness,  incest  with 
the  nearest  of  kin,  is  dispensed  with  for 
money.  It  was  once  said  of  Rome,  Urbs 
est  Jam  toot  lupanar, — Rome  is  become  a 
common  stew.  And  no  wonder,, when  the 
pope  could  for  a  sum  of  money  give  them 
a  license  and  patent  to  commit  uncleanness; 


and,  if  the  patent  were  not  enough,  he 
would  give  them  a  pardon  !  Many  of  the 
pa])ists  judge  fornication  venial,  (iod  con- 
demns the  very  lusting,  Mat.  v.  28.  \\ 
God  condemns  the  thought,  how  dare  they 
allow  the  fact  of  fornication?  You  see  what 
a  cage  of  unclean  birds  the  church  of  Rome 
is;  they  call  themselves  the  Holy  Catholic 
Church,  but,  how  can  they  be  holy,  who  are 
so  steeped  and  parboiled  in  fornication,  in- 
cest, sodomy,  and  all  manner  of  unclean- 
ness ? 

Use  2d.  It  is  matter  of  lamentation  to  sec 
this  commandment  so  slighted  and  violated 
among  us.  Adultery  is  the  reigning  sin 
of  the  times,  Hos.  vii.  4.,  "  They  are  all 
adulterers,  as  an  oven  heated  by  the  baker." 
Tlie  time  of  K.  Henry  VIII.  was  called  the 
golden  age,  but  this  may  be  called  the  un- 
clean age,  wherein  whore-hunting  is  com- 
mon :  Ezek.  xxiv.  13.,  "  In  thy  filthiness  is 
lewdness."  Luther  tells  of  one  who  said, 
if  he  might  but  satisfy  his  lust,  and  be  car- 
ried from  one  whore-house  to  another,  he 
would  desire  no  other  heaven;  afterwards 
he  breathed  out  his  soul  betwixt  two  noto- 
rious strumj)ets.  This  is  to  be  the  right 
seed  of  Adam,  to  love  the  forbidden  fruit, 
to  love  to  drink  of  stolen  waters :  E/ek. 
viii.  8,  9.,  "  Son  of  man,  dig  now  in  the 
wall ;  and  when  I  had  digged,  behold  a 
door ;  and  he  said  unto  me,  Go  in  and  be- 
hold the  wicked  abominations  that  thev  do 
here."  Could  we,  as  the  prophet,  dig  in 
the  walls  of  many  houses,  what  vile  abomi- 
nations should  we  see  there  !  In  some  cham- 
bers we  niiglit  see  fornication  ;  dig  further, 
and  see  adultery  ;  dig  further,  and  we  may 
may  see  incest,  &c.  And  may  not  the  Lord 
go  from  his  sanctuary ;  as  Ezek.  viii.  G., 
"  Seest  thou  the  great  abominations  that 
the  house  of  Israel  committeth  here,  that  I 
should  go  far  off  from  my  sanctuary  ?"  C»od 
might  remove  his  gospel,  and  then  we  might 
write  I-chabod  on  this  nation,  '  The  glory  is 
departed.'  Let  us  mourn  for  what  we  can- 
not reform. 

Use  3(1.  It  exhorts  us  to  keep  ourselves 
from  this  sin  of  adulterv,  "  Let  everv  man 
have  his  own  wife,"  saith  Paul,  1  Cor.  vii. 
2.,  not  his  concubine,  nor  his  courtezan. 
Now,  that  I  may  deter  you  from  adultery, 
let  me  shew  you  the  great  evil  «if  it.. 


8-20 


OF  THE  SEVENTH  COMMANDMENT. 


First,  It  is  a  thievish  sin.  Adultery  is 
the  hio;hest  sort  of  theft ;  tlie  adulterer 
eteals  from  his  neighbour  that  which  is 
more  than  his  goods  and  estate, — he  steals 
au'av  his  wife  from  him,  '  who  is  flesh  of 
his  flfsli.' 

Secondly,  Adultery  debaseth  a  person  ;  it 
makes  him  resemble  the  beasts ;  therefore 
the  adulterer  is  described  like  an  horse 
neighing,  Jer.  v.  8.,  "  Every  one  neighed 
after  his  neiglibour's  wife."  Nay,  this  is 
worse  than  brutish ;  for  some  creatures 
that  are  void  of  reason,  yet,  by  tlie  instinct 
of  nature,  observe  a  kind  of  decorum  of 
chastity.  The  turtle-dove  is  a  chaste  crea- 
ture, and  keeps  to  its  mate ;  the  stork, 
wherever  he  flies,  comes  into  no  nest  but 
his  own.  Naturalists  write,  if  a  stork,  leav- 
ing his  own  mate,  joineth  with  any  other, 
all  the  rest  of  the  storks  fall  upon  him,  and 
pull  his  feathers  from  him.  Adultery  is 
worse  than  brutish,  it  degrades  a  person  of 
his  honour. 

Thirdly,  Adultery  doth  pollute  and  be- 
filtliy  a  person.  The  devil  is  called  an 
"  unclean  spirit,"  Luke  xi.  24.  The  adul- 
terer is  the  devil's  first-born  ;  he  is  unclean, 
— he  is  a  moving  quagmire, — he  is  all  over 
jilceiated  with  sin, — his  eyes  sparkle  with 
lust, — his  mouth  foams  out  filth, — his  heart 
burns  like  mount  Etna,  in  unclean  desires, 
— he  is  so  filtliy  that  if  he  die  ia  this  sin  all 
the  flames  of  hell  will  never  purge  away 
his  uncleanness.  And,  as  for  the  adulter- 
ess, who  can  paint  her  black  enough  ?  The 
scripture  calls  her  "  a  deep  ditch,"  Prov. 
xxiii.  27.  She  is  a  common  sewer ;  whereas 
a  believer,  his  body  is  a  living  temple,  and 
his  soul  a  little  heaven  bespangled  with  the 
graces  as  so  many  little  stars.  Tiie  body 
of  an  harlot  is  a  walking  dung-hill,  and  her 
soul  a  lesser  hell. 

Fourthly,  Adultery  is  destructive  to  the 
body,  Prov.  V.  11.,  "And  thon  mourn  at 
the  last,  when  thy  flesh  and  thy  body  are 
consumed."  It  brings  into  a  consumption. 
Unclranness  turns  the  body  into  an  hospi- 
tal,— it  wastes  the  radical  moisture,  rots  the 
skull,  eats  the  beauty  of  the  face.  As  the 
flame  wastes  the  candle,  so  the  fire  of  lust 
consumes  the  bones.  The  adulterer  has- 
tens his  own  death,  Prov.  vii.  23.,  "  Till  a 
dart   strike  through   his  liver."     The  Pn- 


mans  had  their  funerals  at  the  gate  of  Ve- 
nus's  temple,  to  signify  that  lust  brings 
death.     Venus  is  lust. 

Fifthly,  Adultery  is  is  a  purgatory  to  the 
purse :  as  it  wastes  the  body,  so  the  estate, 
Prov.  vi.  26.,  "  By  means  of  a  whorish 
woman,  a  man  is  brought  to  a  piece  of 
bread."  ^Hiores  are  the  devil's  horse- 
leeches,— spunges  that  will  soon  suck  in  all 
one's  money.  Tlie  prodigal  had  soon  spent 
his  portion  when  once  he  fell  among  har- 
lots, Luke  XV.  30.  King  Edward  III.  his 
concubine,  when  he  lay  a-dying,  got  all  she 
could  from  him,  and  plucked  the  rings  oflf 
his  fingers,  and  so  left  him.  He  that  lives 
in  luxury,  dies  in  beggary. 

Sixthly,  Adultery  blots  and  eclipseth  the 
name,  Prov.  vi.  32,  33.,  "  Whoso  commit- 
teth  adultery  with  a  woman,  a  wound  and 
dishonour  shall  he  get,  and  his  reproach 
shall  not  be  wiped  away."  Some  while 
they  get  wounds,  get  honour.  The  soldier's 
wounds  are  full  of  honour;  the  martyr's 
wounds  for  Clu'ist  are  full  of  honour;  these 
get  honour  while  they  get  wounds :  but  the 
adulterer  gets  wounds  in  his  name,  but  no 
honour :  "  His  reproach  shall  not  be  wiped 
away."  The  wounds  of  the  name  no  phy- 
sician can  heal.  The  adulterer,  when  he  is 
dead,  his  shame  lives.  When  his  body  rots 
under  ground,  his  name  rots  above  ground. 
His  base-born  children  will  be  the  living 
monuments  of  his  shame. 

Seventhly,  This  sin  doth  much  eclipse 
the  light  of  reason, — it  steals  away  the  un- 
derstanding,— it  stupifies  the  heart,  Hos. 
iv.  11.,  "  Whoredom  takes  away  the  heart." 
It  eats  out  all  heart  for  good.  Solomon  be- 
sotted himself  with  women,  and  they  en- 
ticed him  to  idolatry. 

Eighthly,  This  sin  of  adultery  ushers  in 
temporal  judgments.  The  Mosaical  law 
made  adultery  death.  Lev.  xx.  10.,  "  The 
adulterer  and  adulteress  shall  surely  be  put 
to  death  ;"  and  the  usual  death  was  ston- 
ing. Dent.  xxii.  24.  Tlie  Saxons  command- 
ed the  persons  taken  in  this  sin  to  be  burnt. 
The  Romans  caused  their  heads  to  be 
stricken  off.  This  sin  like  a  scorpion  car- 
ries a  sting  in  the  tail  of  it.  Tlie  adultery 
of  Paris  and  Helena,  a  beautiful  strumpet, 
ended  in  the  ruin  of  Troy,  and  was  the  death 
both  of  Paris  and  Helena.    "  Jealousv  is  the 


OF  THE  SEVENTH  COMMANDMENT. 


321 


rage  of  a  man ;"  and  the  adulterer  is  oft 
killed  in  the  act  of  his  sin.  Adultery  cost 
Otho  the  emperor,  and  pope  Sixtus  IV. 
their  lives.  '  Latus  venire  Venus  tristis 
ahire  solet.'  I  have  read  of  two  citizens  in 
London,  1583,  who  defiling  themselves  with 
adultery  on  the  Lord's  day,  were  immedi- 
ately struck  dcid  with  a  fire  from  lieavcn. 
If  all  that  were  now  guilty  of  this  sin  should 
be  punished  in  this  manner,  it  would  rain 
fire  again,  as  on  Sodom. 

Ninthly,  Adultery  (without  repentance) 
damns  the  soul,  1  Cor.  vi.  9.,   "  Neither  for- 
nicators, nor  adulterers,   nor  effeminate," 
shall  enter  into  tlie  kingdom  of  God.     The 
fire  of  lust  brings  to  tlic  fire  of  hell,  Heb. 
xiii.   4.,    "  Whoremongers    and  adulterers 
God  will  judge."     Though  men  may  ne- 
glect to  judge  them,  yet  God  will  judge 
them.     But  will  not  God  judge  all  other 
sinners  ?    Yes.    Why  then  doth  the  apostle 
saVj    '  Whoremongers  and  adulterers  God 
will  judge?'     The  meaning  is,    1.  He  will 
judge  them  assuredly ;    they  shall  not  es- 
cape the  hand  of  justice.     2.  He  will  punish 
them  severely,   2  Pet.  ii.  9.,   "  The  Lord 
knoweth  how  to  reserve  the  unjust  to  the 
day  of  judgment  to  be  punished,  but  chiefly 
them  that  walk  in  the  lust  of  uncleanness." 
The  harlot's  breast  keeps  from  Abraham's 
bosom,  Momentaneiim  est  quod  delectat,  ceter- 
num  quod  crucial.     Who  would,  for  a  cup 
of  pleasure,  drink  a  sea  of  wrath  ?  Prov.  ix. 
18.,  "  Her  guests  are  in  the  depths  of  hell." 
A  wise  traveller,  when  he  comes  to  his  inn, 
though  many  pleasant  dishes  are  set  before 
him,  yet  he  forbears  to  taste,  because  of  the 
reckoning  which   will  bo   brought  in :   we 
are  here  all  travellers  to  Jerusalem  above, 
and  though  many  baits  of  temptation  are 
set  before  us,  yet  we  should   forbear,  and 
think  of  the  reckoning  which  will  be  l)rought 
in   at  death.     With   what   stomach    could 
Dionysius  eat  his  dainties,  when  he  imagin- 
ed there  was  a  naked  sword  hung  over  Jiis 
head  as  he  sat  at  meat  ?     Wliile  the  adul- 
terer feeds  on  strange   flesh,   the  sword  of 
God's  justice  hangs  over  his  head.     Causi- 
nus  speaks  of  a  tree  that  grows  in  Spain, 
that  is  of  a  sweet  smell,  and  plciusant  to  the 
taste,  but  the  juice  of  it  is  poisonous :  the 
emblem  of  an  harlot, — she  is  perfumed  with 
powders,  and  fair  to  look  on,  but  poison- 


ous and  damnable  to  the  soul,  Prov.  vii.  26., 
"  She  hath  cast  down  many  wounded,  yea, 
many  strong  men  have  been  slain  by  her." 

Tenthly,  The  adulterer  doth  not  only 
wrong  his  own  soul,  but  doth  what  in  him 
lies  to  destroy  the  soul  of  another,  and  so 
kill  two  at  once.  And  thus  the  adulterer 
is  worse  than  the  thief;  for,  suppose  a  thief 
rob  a  man,  yea,  take  away  liis  life,  yet  that 
man's  soul  may  be  happy,  he  mav  go  to 
heaven  as  well  as  if  he  liad  died  in  his  bed. 
But  he  who  commits  adultery  endangers 
the  soul  of  another,  and  deprives  her  of  sal- 
vation so  far  as  in  him  lies.  Now,  what  a 
fearful  thing  is  it  to  be  an  instrument  to 
draw  another  to  hell ! 

Eleventhly,  The  adulterer  is  abhorred  of 
God,  Prov.  xxii.  14.,  "  The  mouth  of  strange 
women  is  a  deep  pit :  he  that  is  abhorred 
of  the  Lord  shall  fall  therein."  What  can 
be  worse  than  to  be  abhorred  of  God? 
God  may  be  angi'y  with  his  own  children; 
but  for  God  to  abhor  a  man,  is  the  highest 
degree  of  hatred. 

Quest.  But  lioiv  doth  the  Lord  show  his 
abhorrence  of  the  adulterer  ? 

Ans.  In  giving  him   up  to  a  reprobate 
mind,  and  a  seaied  conscience,  Rom.  i.  28. 
And  now  he  is  in  such  a  condition  that  he 
cannot  repent.     This  is  to  be  abhorred  of 
God  ;  such  a  person  stands  upon  the  thresh- 
hold  of  hell,  and  when  death  gives  him  a» 
jog,  he  tumbles  in.     All  which  may  sound- 
a  retreat  in  our  ears,  and  call  us  off  from> 
the  pursuit  of  so  damnable  a  sin  as  unclean- 
ness.     I  will  conclude  with  two  scriptures, 
Prov.  V.  8.,   "  Come  not  nigh  the  door  of 
her  house ;"  Prov.  \\\.  27.,  "  Her  house  is 
the  way  to  hell." 

Twelfthly,  Adultery  is  a  sower  of  dis- 
cord ;  it  destroys  peace  and  love,  the  two 
best  flowers  which  grow  in  a  family  A- 
dultcry  sets  husband  against  wife,  and  wife 
;igainst  husband;  and  so  it  causeth  the 
'  joints  of  the  same  body  to  smite  one  n- 
gainst  another.'  And  this  di^nsion  in  a 
family  works  confusion;  for  "  A  house  di- 
vided against  a  house  fallcth,"  Luke  xL  17.,. 
Omne  divisibile  est  corruptibile. 

Quest.  How  may  we  abstain  from  this  sin. 
of  adultery  J 

Ans.  I  shall  lay  domi  some  directions,  by 
way  of  antidote,  to  keep  you  from  being 

2S 


822 


OF  THE  SEVENTH  COMMANDMENT. 


infected  with  tliis  sin. — 1.  Come  not  into 
the  company  of  a  whorish  woman ;  avoid 
her  liouse,  as  a  seaman  doth  a  rock,  Prov. 
V.  8.,  "  Come  not  near  the  door  of  her 
house."  He  who  would  not  have  the 
plague,  must  not  come  near  houses  infected  ; 
eveiy  whore-house  hath  the  plague  in  it. 
Not  to  beware  of  the  occasion  of  sin,  and 
yet  pray,  "  Lead  us  not  into  temptation," 
is,  as  if  one  should  put  his  finger  into  the 
candle,  and  yet  pray  that  it  may  not  be 
burnt. — 2.  Look  to  your  eyes.  Much  sin 
comes  in  by  the  eye,  2  Pet.  ii.  14.,  "  Hav- 
ing eyes  full  of  adultery."  The  eye  tempts 
the  fancy,  and  the  fancy  works  upon  the 
Iieart.  A  wanton  amorous  eye  may  usher 
in  sin.  Eve  first  saw  the  tree  of  know- 
ledge, and  then  she  took,  Gen.  iii.  6.  First 
she  looked  and  then  she  loved.  The  eye 
oft  sets  the  heart  on  fire  ;  therefore  Job  laid 
a  law  upon  his  eyes.  Job  xxxi.  L,  "  I  made 
a.  covenant  with  my  eyes,  why  then  should 
I  think  upon  a  maid?"  Democritus  the 
philosopher  plucked  out  his  eyes  because  he 
woidd  not  be  tempted  with  vain  objects  : 
the  scripture  doth  not  bid  us  do  so,  but  set 
a  watch  before  our  eyes. — 3.  Look  to  your 
lips.  Take  heed  of  any  unseemly  word 
that  may  enkindle  unclean  thoughts  in 
yourselves  or  others,  1  Cor.  xv.  33.,  "  Evil 
communications  corrupt  good  manners." 
Lnpure  discourse  is  the  bellows  to  blow  up 
the  fire  of  lust.  Much  evil  is  conveyed  to 
the  heart  by  the  tongue,  Ps.  cxli.  3.,  "  Set 
a  watch,  O  Lord,  before  my  mouth." — 4. 
Look  in  a  special  manner  to  your  heart, 
Prov.  iv.  23.,  "  Keep  thy  heart  with  all 
diligence."  Every  one  hath  a  tempter  in 
his  own  bosom,  Mat.  xv.  19.,  "  Out  of  the 
heart  proceed  evil  thoughts."  And  think- 
ing of  sin  makes  way  for  the  act  of  sin. 
Suppress  the  first  risings  of  sin  in  your 
heart.  As  the  serpent,  when  danger  is 
wear,  keeps  his  head ;  so  keep  your  heart, 
which  is  the  spring  from  whence  all  lustful 
motions  do  proceed. — 5.  Look  to  your  at- 
tire. We  read  of  "  the  attire  of  a  harlot," 
Prov.  vii.  10.  A  wanton  dress  is  a  j)rovo- 
cation  to  lust.  Curlings  and  towerings  of 
the  Iiair,  a  painted  face,  naked  breasts,  are 
allurements  to  vanity.  Where  the  bush  is 
hung  out,  people  will  go  in  and  taste  of  the 
Uquon     Hierom  saith,  such  as  by  their  las- 


civious attire  endeavour  to  draw  others  to 
lust,  though  no  evil  follow,  yet  these  temp- 
ters shall  be  punished,  because  they  offered 
poison   to  others   though   they  would   not 
drink. — 6.   Take    heed    of    evil    company. 
Serpunt  vitia  et  en  proximian  quemque  transi- 
Hunt,  Sen.     Sin  is  a  disease  very  catching ; 
one  man  tempts  another  to  sin,  and  hardens 
him  in  sin.     There  are  three  cords  to  draw 
men    to    adultery :   the   inclination   of  the 
h6art, — the  persuasion  of  e^^l  company, — and 
the  embraces  of  the  harlot ;  and  this  three- 
fold cord  is  not  easily  broken,  Ps.  cvi,  18., 
"  A  fire  Avas  kindled  in  their  company."     I 
may  allude  to  it,  the  fire  of  lust  is  kindled 
in  bad  company. — 7.  Beware  of  going  to 
plays.     A  play-house  is  oft  a  preface  to  a 
whore-house. — Ludi  prcebent  semina  nequi- 
tice.     We  are  bid  to  avoid  all  appearance  of 
evil:  are  not  plays  the  appearance  of  evil? 
Such  sights  are  there  as  are  not  fit   to  be 
beheld  with  chaste  eyes.     Both  Fathers  and 
Councils  have  shewn  their  dislike  of  going 
to  plays.     A  learned  divine  observes,  that 
many  have  on  their  death-beds,  confessed 
with  tears,  that  the  pollution  of  their  bodies 
hath  been  occasioned  by  going  to  plays. — 8. 
Take  heed  of  mixed  dancing.     Instrumenta 
luxuria    in'pudia.      From    dancing,    people 
come  to  dalliance  one  with  another,  and 
from  dalliance  to  unclcanness.     There  is, 
saith  Cah  in,  for  the  most  part,   some  un- 
chaste behaviour  in  dancing.     Dances  draw 
the    heart   to    folly    by    wanton    gestures, 
by    unchaste    touches,    by    lustful    looks. 
St.  Chrysostom  did  inveigh  against  mixed 
dancing  in  his  time.       "  We   read   (saith 
he)  of  a  marriage-feast,  and  of  virgins  go- 
ing  before    with    lamps,"    Mat.    xxv.    10., 
'  but  of  dancing  there  we  read  not.'    Many 
have    been    ensnared  by  dancing ;    as  the 
duke    of    Normandy    and    others.      Salta- 
tio  ad  adulteras  non  pudicas  pertinet,  Amb. 
Chrysostom  saith,  where  dancing  is,  there 
the  devil  is  :  I  speak  chiefly  of  mixed  danc- 
ing.    And,  whereas  we  read  of  dances  ir» 
scripture,   Exod.  xv.,  those  were  sober  and 
modest.     They  were  not  mixed  dances,  but 
pious  and   religious,   being  usually  accom- 
])anied  with    singing    praises   to   God. — 9. 
Take  heed  of  lascivious  books,   and   those 
pictures  that  provoke  to  lust.     (1.)  Books. 
As  the  reading  of  the  scripture  doth  stir  up 


OF  THE  SEVENTH  COMMANDMENT. 


S€3 


love  to  God,  so  reading  of  bad  books  doth  stir 
up  the  mind  to  wickedness.     I  could  name 
one  who  published  a  book  to  the  world  full 
of  effeminate,  amorous,  and  wanton  expres- 
sions :  before  he  died,  he  was  much  troubled 
for  it,  and  did  burn  that  book,   which  did 
make  so  many  burn  in  lust.     (2.)  And  to  las- 
civious books,  I  may  add  lascivious  pictures, 
which  bewitch  the  eye,  and  are  the  incen- 
diaries of  lust.     They  secretly  convey  poi- 
son to  the  heart.     Qui  aspicit  innocens  as- 
pect u  Jit  Jiocms.     Popish   j)ictures  are   not 
more  prone  to  stir  up  idolatry,  than  unclean 
pictures  are  to  stir  up  to  concupiscence. — 
10.  Take   heed  of  excess  in   diet.     When 
gluttony  and    drunkenness   lead   the   van, 
chambering  and  wantonness  bring  up  the 
rear.      Vinuin  f omentum  libidhiis  :  any  wine 
inflames  lust;  and  fulness  of  bread  is  made 
the  cause   of  Sodom's   unclean ness,   Ezek. 
xvi.  49.     The  rankest  weeds  grow  out  of 
the  fattest  soil ;  uncleanness  proceeds  from 
excess,  Jer.  v.  8.,  Wlien  they  were  fed  to 
the    full,    "  every    one    neigjiod   after   his 
neighbour's  wife."     Get  the  'golden  bridle 
of  temperance.'     God  allows  recruits  of  na- 
ture, and  what  may  fit  us  the  better  for  his 
service ;  but  beware  of  surfeit.     Excess  in 
the  creature  clouds  the  mind,  chokes  good 
affections,  provokes  lust.     St.  Paul  did  keep 
under  his  body,   1  Cor.  ix.  27.     The  flesh 
pampered  is  apt   to  rebel, — Corpus  impin- 
guatam  recalcitrat. — 11.  Take  heed  of  idle- 
ness.    When  a  man  is  out  of  a  calling,  now 
he  is  fit  to  receive  any  temptation.     We  do 
not  use  to  sow  seed  in  fallow-ground  :  but 
the  devil  sows  most  seed  of  temptation  in 
such  as  lie  fallow.     Idleness  is  the  cause  of 
sodomy   and    uncleanness,   Ezek.  xvi.  49. 
Wiien  David  was  idle  on  the  top  of  his 
leads,  then  he  espied  Bathsheba,  and  took 
Jier  to  him,  2  Sam.  xi.  4.     Hierom  gave  his 
friend  this  counsel,  to  be  always  well-em- 
ployed in  God's  vineyard;    that  when  tlie 
devil  came,  he  might  have  no  leisure  to  lis- 
ten to  a  temptation. — 12.  To  avoid  fornica- 
tion  and  adultery,   let  every  man   have   a 
I'haste,  entire  love  to  his  own  wife.     Eze- 
kiel's  wife  was  the  desire  of  his  eyes,  chap. 
\xiv.   16.     When   Solomon  had   dissuaded 
from  strange  women,  he  prescribes  a  reme- 
dy against  it,  Prov.  v.  18.,  "  Rejoice  with 
the  wife  of  thy  youth."     It  is  not  the  hav- 


ing a  A^nfe,  but  the  loving  a  wife,  makes  a 
man  live  chastely.     He  who  loves  his  wife 
— whom  Solomon  calls  his  fountain — will 
not  go  abroad  to  drink  of  muddy,  poisoned 
waters.     Pure   ctmjngal  love   is  a  gift  of 
God,  and  comes  from  heaven  ;  this,  like  the 
'  vestal   fire,   must  be  cherished,  that  it  do 
not  go  out.     He  who  loves  not  his  wife,  is 
the  likeliest  person  to  embrace  the   bosom 
of  a  stranger. — 13.  Labour  to  get  the  fear 
of  God  into  yotn-  hearts,  Prov.  xvi.  6.,  "  By 
the  fear  of  the  Lord  men  dej)art  from  evil." 
As  the  banks  keep  out  the  water,   so   the 
fear  of   the   Lord  keeps  out   luicleanness. 
Such  as  want  the  fear  of  (iod,  want  the 
bridle   that  should   check   them   from   sin. 
How  did  Joseph  kec  p  from   his  mistress's 
temptation  ?    The  fear  of  God   pulled   him 
back,  Gen.  xxxix.  9.,  "  How  then  can  I  do 
this    great    wickedness,    and   sin    against 
God  ?"     St.  Bernard  calls  holy  fear,  janitor 
anima, — '  the  door-keeper  of  the  soul.'     As 
a  nobleman's  porter  stands  at  the  door,  and 
keeps  out  vagrants,  so  the  fear  of  God  stands 
and  keeps  out  all  sinful  temptations  from 
entering. — 14.  Get  a  delight  in  the  word  of 
God,  Ps.  cxix.  103.,  "  How  sweet  are  thy 
words  to  my  taste  !"     St.  Chrysostom  com- 
pares God's  word  to  a  garden.     If  we  walk 
in  this  garden,  and  suck  sweetness  from  the 
fiowers  of  the  promises,  we  shall  never  care 
to  pluck  the  '  forbidden  fruit.'     Sint  castce 
delicicB  me<B  scriptura^  Aug.     The   reason 
why  persons  seek    after    unchjiste,    sinful 
pleasures,  is,  because  they  have  no  better. 
Csesar  riding  through  a  city,  and  seeing  the 
women  j)lay  A\ith  dogs  and   parrots,   said, 
'  Sure  they  have  no  children :'  so  they  that 
sport  with  harlots,   it  is  because  they  have 
no  better    pleasures.     He  that  hath  once 
tasted  Christ  in  a  promise,  is  ravished  with 
delight :  and  how  would  he  scorn  a  motion 
to  sin  !  Job  said,  the  wor.d  was  his  "  neces- 
sary food,"  Job  xxiii.  12.     No  wonder  then 
he  made  '  a  covenant  with  his  eyes.' — 15. 
If  you  would  abstain   from  adultery,   use 
serious  consideration.     Consider, 

(1.)  God  sees  thee  in  the  act  of  sin.  Ho 
sees  all  thy  curtain  wickedness.  He  is  lo- 
tus ocu/us, — all  eye,  Aug.  The  clouds  are 
no  canopy,  the  night  is  no  curtain  to  hide 
thee  from  God's  eye.  Thou  canst  not  sin, 
but  thy  judge  looks  on,  Jer.  xiiL  27.,  "  I 


324 


OF  THE  SEVENTH  COMMANDMENT. 


have  seen  thy  adulteries  and  thy  neighings," 
Jer.  xxix.  23.,  "  They  have  committed  ad- 
ultery witlj  their  neighbours'  wives  ;"  even 
I  knf)\v,  and  am  a  witness,  saith  the  Lord. 
(2.)  Few  that  are  entangled  in  the  sin 
of  adultery  recover  out  of  the  snare,  Prov. 
ii.  19.,  "  None  that  go  to  her  return  again." 
That  made  some  of  the  ancients  conclude 
that  adultery  was  an  unpardonable  sin ; 
but  not  so.  David  repented,  and  Mary 
Magdalene  was  a  weeping  penitent ;  her  a- 
morous  eyes  that  had  sparkled  with  lust, 
she  seeks  to  be  revenged  of  them,  she  wash- 
ed Christ's  feet  with  her  teais :  so  that 
some  have  recovered  out  of  the  snare.  But 
"  none  that  go  to  her  return,"  that  is,  '  very 
few  ;'  it  is  rare  to  hear  of  any  who  are  en- 
chanted and  bewitched  with  this  sin  of  a- 
dultery,  that  recover  out  of  it,  Eccles.  ^^i. 
26.,  "  Her  heart  is  snares  and  nets,  and 
her  hands  as  bands."  "  Her  heart  is 
snares,"  that  is,  she  is  subtle  to  deceive 
those  who  come  to  her  ;  and,  "  her  hands 
as  bands,"  that  is,  her  embraces  are  power- 
ful to  hold  and  entangle  her  lovers.  Plu- 
tarch said  of  the  Persian  kings,  '  They  were 
captives  to  their  concubines  ;'  they  were  so 
inflamed,  that  they  had  no  power  to  leave 
their  company.  This  consideration  may 
make  all  fearl'ul  of  this  sin  ;  '  none  that  go 
to  her  return  again.'  Soft  pleasures  har- 
den the  heart. 

(3.)  Consider  what  the  scripture  saith, 
and  it  may  ponere  obicem, — lay  a  bar  in  the 
way  to  this  sin,  Mai.  iii.  .5.,  "  I  will  be  a 
swift  witness  against  adulterers."  It  is 
good  when  God  is  a  witness  '  for  us,'  when 
he  witnesseth  for  our  sincerity,  as  he  did 
for  Job  :  but  it  is  sad  to  have  God  a  '  wit- 
ness against  us.'  '  I  (saith  God)  will  be  a 
witness  against  the  adulterer.'  And  who 
shall  disprove  his  witness  ?  And  he  is  both 
witness  and  judge,  Heb.  xiii.  4.,  "  Whore- 
mongers and  adulterers  God  will  judge." 

(4.)  Consider  the  sad  farewell  this  sin  of 
adultery  leaves :  it  leaves  an  hell  in  the 
conscience,  Pi-ov.  v.  3,  4.,  "  The  lips  of  a 
strange  woman  drop  as  an  honey-comb, 
but  her  end  is  bitter  as  wormwood."  The 
goddess  Diana  was  so  artificially  drawn, 
that  she  seemed  to  smile  upon  those  that 
came  into  her  temple,  but  frown  on  those 
that  went  out.    So  the  harlot  smiles  on  her 


lovers  as  they  come  to  her,  but  at  last 
comes  the  frown  and  sting.  "  A  dart 
strikes  through  their  liver,"  Prov.  vii.  23. 
"  Her  end  is  bitter."  When  a  man  hath 
been  virtuous,  the  labour  is  gone,  but  the 
comfort  remains ;  but  when  he  hath  been 
vicious  and  unclean,  the  pleasure  is  gone, 
but  the  sting  remains.  Delectat  in  momen- 
tum, crvciat  in  aternum,  Jerom.  Wlien  the 
senses  have  been  feasted  with  unchaste 
pleasures,  the  soul  is  left  to  pay  the  reck- 
oning. Stolen  waters  are  s^veet ;  but,  as 
poison,  though  it  be  sweet  in  the  mouth, 
it  torments  the  bowels.  Sin  always  ends 
in  a  tragedy.  Memorable  is  that  which 
Fincelius  reports  of  a  priest  in  Flanders, 
who  enticed  a  maid  to  uncleanness.  She 
objected  how  vile  a  sin  it  was  ;  he  told  her, 
by  authority  from  the  pope  he  could  com- 
mit any  sin ;  so  at  last  he  drew  lier  to  his 
wicked  purpose.  But  when  they  had  been 
together  a  while,  in  came  the  devil,  and 
took  away  the  liarlot  from  the  priest's  side, 
and,  notwithstanding  all  her  crying  out, 
carried  her  away.  If  all  that  are  guilty  of 
bodily  uncleanness  in  this  nation,  should 
have  the  devil  come  and  carry  them  away, 
I  fear  more  would  be  carried  away  than 
would  be  left  behind. 

16.  Pray  against  this  sin.  Luther  gave 
a  lady  this  advice,  that  when  any  lust  be- 
gan to  rise  in  her  heart,  she  should  go  to 
prayer.  Prayer  is  the  best  armour  of  proof; 
prayer  quencheth  the  wild  fire  of  lust.  If 
prayer  will  "  cast  out  the  devil,"  why  may 
it  not  cast  out  those  lusts  that  come  from 
the  devil? 

Use  ult.  If  the  body  must  be  kept  pure 
from  defilement,  much  more  the  soul  of  a 
Christian  must  be  kept  pure.  This  is  the 
meaning  of  the  commandment,  not  only 
that  we  should  not  stain  our  bodies  with 
adultery,  but  that  we  should  keep  our  souls 
pure.  To  have  a  chaste  body  but  an  un- 
clean soul,  is  like  a  fair  face  with  bad  lungs ; 
or  a  gilt  chimney-piece,  that  is  all  soot 
within,  1  Pet.  i.  16.,  "  Be  ye  holy,  for  1 
am  holy."  The  soul  cannot  be  lovely  to 
God,  till  it  hath  Christ's  image  stamped  up- 
on it,  which  image  consists  in  righteous- 
ness and  true  holiness,  Eph.  iv.  14.  The 
soul  must  especially  be  kept  pure,  because 
it  is  the  chief  place  of  God's  residence,  Eph. 


OF  THE  EIGHTH  COMMANDMENT. 


325 


Hi.  17.  A  king's  palace  must  be  kept 
clean,  especially  his  presence-cliamber.  If 
the  body  is  the  temple,  the  soul  is  the  '  holy 
of  holies,'  this  must  be  consecrated.  We 
must  not  only  keep  our  bodies  from  carnal 
pollution,  but  our  souls  from  envy  and  ma- 
lice. 

Quest.  How  shall  ive  know  our  souls  are 
pure  ? 

Ans.  1.  If  our  souls  are  pure,  then  we 
flee  from  the  appearance  of  evil,  1  Thess. 
V.  22.  We  will  not  do  that  which  looks 
like  sin.  ^^Hien  Joseph's  mistress  did  court 
and  tempt  him,  he  "  left  his  garment  in 
her  hand,  and  fled,"  Gen.  xxxix.  12.  It 
was  suspicious  to  be  near  her.  Polycarp 
would  not  be  seen  in  company  with  Mar- 
cion  the  heretic,  because  it  would  not  be 
good  report. 

2.  If  our  souls  arc  pure,  this  light  of  pu- 
rity will  sliine  forth.  Aaron  had  '  Holiness 
to  the  Lord'  written  upon  his  golden  plate : 
wlure  there  is  sanctity  in  the  soul,  there 
'  Holiness  to  the  Lord'  is  engraven  upon 
our  life;  we  are  adorned  with  patience,  hu- 
mility,  good  works,  and  shine  as  "lights 


in  the  world,"  Phil.  ii.  15.     Carry  Christ's 
pictui-e  in  your  conversation,  1  John  ii.  6 

0  let  us  labour  for  this  soul  purity  !  With- 
out it  there  is  no  *  seeing  of  God,'  Heb.  xii. 
14 :  *  What  communion  hath  light  with 
darkness  ?'  And  that  we  may  keep  our 
souls  pure,  (1.)  Have  recourse  to  the  blood 
of  Chi'ist ;  this  is  the  "  fountain  set  open 
for  sin  and  uncleanness,"  Zech.  xiii.  1.  A 
soul  steeped  in  the  brinish  tears  of  repent- 
ance, and  bathed  in  the  blood  of  Christ,  is 
made  pure.  (2.)  Pray  much  for  pureness 
of  soul,  Ps.  Ii.  10.,  "  Create  in  me  a  clean 
heart,  O  God."  Some  pray  for  children, 
others  for  riches  ;  but  pray  for  soul-purity. 
Say,  "  Lord,  though  my  body  is  kept  pure, 
yet,  Lord,  my  soul  is  defiled,   I  pollute  all 

1  touch.  O  purge  me  with  hyssop,  let 
Christ's  blood  sprinkle  me,  let  the  Holy 
Ghost  come  upon  me  and  anoint  me  !  O 
make  me  evangelically  pure,  that  I  may  be 
translated  to  heaven,  and  placed  among  the 
cherubims,  where  I  shall  be  as  holy  as  thou 
wouldest  have  me  to  be,  and  as  happy  as  I 
can  desire  to  be  !" 


OF  THE  EIGHTH  COMMANDMENT. 


ExoD.  XX.  13.   Thou  shalt  not  steal. 


AS  the  holiness  of  God  sets  him  against 
uncleanness,  "  Thou  slialt  not  commit  adul- 
tery," so  the  justice  of  (iod  sets  him  against 
rapine  and  robbery,  "  Thou  shalt  not  steal." 
The  thing  forbidden  in  this  commandment 
is,  meddling  with  anotlier  man's  property, 
"Thou  shalt  not  steal."  The  civil  lawyers 
define /m;-^m//?,  stealth  or  theft,  to  be  "  the 
laying  hands  unjustly  on  that  which  is  an- 
other's,"— the  invading  another's  right. 

Quest.  1.    Whence  doth  theft  arise? 

Ans.  1st.  The  internal  causes  are :  I. 
Unbelief.  A  man  hath  an  high  distrust  of 
God's  providence  :  "  Can  God  furnish  a  ta- 
ble in  the  wilderness  ?"  Ps.  Ixxviii.  19.  So 
saith  the  unbeliever,  "  Can  God  spread  a 
table  for  me?  No,  l>e  cannot."  Therefore 
he  is  resolved  he  will  spread  a  table  for 
himself,  but  it  shall  be  at  other  men's  cost, 
and  both  first  and  second  course  shall  be 


served  in  with  stolen  goods. — 2.  Covetous- 
ness.  The  Greek  word  for  covetousness 
signifies  'an  immoderate  desire  of  getting,' 
— this  is  the  root  of  theft.  A  man  covets 
more  than  his  own,  and  this  itch  of  cove- 
tousness makes  him  scratch  what  he  can 
from  another.  Achan's  covetous  humour 
made  him  steal  the  wedge  of  gold,  which 
wedge  did  cleave  asunder  his  soul  from 
God,  Joshua  vii.  21. 

A.  2.  The  external  cause  of  theft  is,  Sa- 
tan's solicitation  :  Judas  was  a  thief,  John 
xii.  6.  How  came  he  to  be  a  thief?  "  Sa- 
tiin  entered  into  him,"  John  xiii.  27.  The 
devil  is  the  great  master-thief,  he  robbed 
us  of  our  coat  of  innocency,  and  he  per- 
suades men  to  take  up  his  trade;  he  tells 
men  how  bravely  they  shall  live  by  thiev- 
ing, and  how  they  may  catch  an  estate. 
And  as  Eve  listened  to  the  serpent's  voice, 


326 


OF  THE  EIGHTH  COMMANDMENT. 


so  do  they ;  and,  as  birds  of  prey,  live  upon 
spoil  and  rapine. 

Quest.   2.    Hoiu  many  sorts  of  thefts  are 

there  ? 

Ans.  1.  There  is  stealing  from  God;  and 
Bo  they  are  thieves,  who  rob  any  part  of 
God's  day  from  him.  "  Remember  to  keep 
holy  the  sabbath  day."  Not  a  part  of  the 
day  only,  but  the  whole  day  must  be  dedi- 
cated to  God.  And  lest  any  should  forget 
this,  the  Lord  hath  prefixed  a  memento, 
*'  remember."  Therefore  to  cut  God  short, 
and,  after  morning-sacrifice,  to  spend  the 
other  part  of  the  sabbath  in  vanity  and  plea- 
sure, this  is  spiritual  thievery, — 'tis  to  rob 
God  of  his  due, — and  the  very  heathens 
will  rise  up  in  judgment  against  such  Chris- 
tians ;  for  the  heathens  (as  Macrobius  notes) 
did  observe  a  whole  day  to  their  false  gods. 

A.  2.  There  is  a  stealing  from  others :  1st, 
A  stealing  away  their  souls;  and  so  here- 
tics are  thieves,  by  robbing  men  of  the 
truth,  they  rob  them  of  their  souls.  2dly, 
A  stealing  away  their  money  and  goods 
from  them  ;  and  under  this  head  of  stealing 
away  other's  money,  there  may  be  several 
arraigned  for  thieves. 

1.  Tlie  high  way -thief  who  takes  a  purse 
contrary  to  the  letter  of  this  commandment, 
L<!V.  xix.  13.,  "  Thou  shall  not  defi'aud  thy 
neiglibour."  Mark  x.  19.,  "Do  not  steal." 
This  is  not  the  violence  which  takes  the 
*'  kingdom  of  heaven,"  Mat.  xi.  12. 

2.  The  house-thief,  who  purloins  and 
filclieth  out  of  liis  master's  cash,  or  steals 
liis  wares  and  diugs.  The  apostle  saith, 
"  Some  have  entertained  angels  unawares," 
lleb.  xiii.  2.,  but  many  masters  have  en- 
tertained thieves  into  their  houses  una- 
\-/ares.  Tlie  house-thief  is  an  hypocrite,  as 
uell  as  a  tliief ;  lie  hath  demure  looks,  and 
pretends  he  is  helping  his  master,  when  he 
only  helps  to  rol)  him. 

3.  The  thief  that  shrouds  himself  under 
law,  as  the  unjust  attorney  or  lawyer,  who 
prevaricates  and  deals  falsely  with  his  cli- 
ent. This  is  to  steal  from  the  client.  By 
deceit  and  prevarication  the  lawyer  robs  the 
client  of  his  land,  and  may  be  the  means  to 
ruin  his  family ;  he  is  no  better  than  ji  thief 
in  God's  account. 

4.  The  church-thief  or  pluralist,  who 
holds  several  benefices,  but  seldom  or  never 


preacheth  to  the  people :  he  gets  the  gol- 
den fleece,  but  lets  his  flock  starve,  Ezek. 
xxxiv.  2.,  "  Wo  be  to  the  shepherds  of 
Israel  !"  v.  8.,  "  They  feed  themselves,  and 
feed  not  my  flock."  These  ministers  will 
be  indicted  for  thieves  at  God's  bar. 

5.  The  shop-thief,  he  steals  in  selling, 
1.  Who  useth  false  weights  and  measures, 
and  so  steals  from  others  what  is  their  due. 
Amos  viii.  5.,  "  Making  the  ephah  small." 
The  ephah  was  a  measure  the  Jews  used  in 
selling;  they  made  the  ephah  small,  gave 
scant  measure,  which  was  plain  stealing, 
Hos.  xii.  7.,  "  The  balances  of  deceit  are  in 
his  hand."  Men  by  making  their  weights 
lighter,  make  their  accounts  heavier.— 2. 
He  steals  in  selling  who  puts  excessive 
pnces  on  his  commodities.  He  takes  thrice 
as  much  for  a  commodity  as  it  cost  him,  or 
as  it  is  worth ;  to  over-reach  others  in  sel- 
ling, is  to  steal  men's  money  from  them, 
Lev.  xix.  13.,  "  Thou  shalt  not  defraud  thy 
neighbour,  neither  rob  him."  To  defraud 
him  is  to  rob  him;  this  over-reaching  o- 
thcrs  in  selling — which  is  a  cunning  way 
of  stealing — is  both  against  law  and  gospel. 
(1.)  It  is  against  the  law  of  God,  Lev.  xxv. 
14.,  "  If  thou  sell  ought  to  thy  neighbour, 
ye  shall  not  oppress  one  another."  And, 
(2.)  against  gospel,  1  Thess.  iv.  6.,  "  Let 
no  man  go  beyond,  and  defraud  his  brother." 
It  is  stealing, 

6.  The  usurer  who  takes  of  others  even 
to  extortion  ;  he  seems  to  help  another  by 
letting  him  have  money  in  his  necessity, 
but  gets  him  into  bonds,  and  sucks  out  h 
very  blood  and  marrow.  I  read  of  a  wo- 
man whom  Satan  had  bound,  Luke  xiii.  16. 
And  truly  he  is  almost  in  as  bad  a  con- 
dition whom  the  usurer  hath  bound :  the 
oppressing  usurer  is  a  robber.  An  usurer 
once  asked  a  profligal,  when  he  would  leave 
spending?  Saith  the  prodigal,  "  Tlion  I 
will  leave  spending  what  is  my  own,  when 
thou  leavest  off'  stealing  from  others."  Zac- 
cheus  was  an  extortioner,  and  after  his 
conversion  he  made  restitution,  Luke  xix. 
3.  He  thought  all  he  got  by  extortion  was 
theft. 

7.  The  feoffe  in  trust,  who  hath  the  or- 
phan's estate  committed  to  him ;  he  is  de-*' 
j)uted  to  be  his  guardian,  and  manage  his 
estate  for  him,  and  he  curtails  tlie  estate. 


OF  THE  EIGHTH  COMMANDMENT. 


srt 


and  gets  a  fleece  out  of  it  for  liimself,  and 
tiTongs  the  orplmn.  This  is  a  thief;  this 
is  worse  than  taking  a  purse,  because  lie 
betrays  his  trust,  wliich  is  the  higliest  piece 
of  treachery  and  injustice. 

8.  The  borrower,  wlio  borrows  money 
from  others,  with  an  intention  never  to  pay 
them  again,  Ps.  xxxvii.  21.,  "  The  wicked 
borroweth,  and  payeth  not  again."  What 
is  it  but  thievery  to  take  money  and  goods 
from  others,  and  not  restore  them  again  ? 
The  prophet  Elisha  bade  the  widow  sell  her 
oil,  and  pay  her  debts,  and  then  live  upon 
the  rest,  2  Kings  iv.  7. 

9.  The  last  sort  of  theft  is  the  receiver  of 
stolen  goods.  Tlie  receiver,  if  he  be  not 
the  principal,  yet  he  is  accessory  to  the 
theft,  and  the  law  makes  him  guilty.  The 
thief  steals  the  money,  and  the  receiver 
holds  the  sack  to  put  it  in.  The  root  would 
die  if  it  were  not  watered,  and  thievery 
would  cease  if  it  were  not  encouraged  by 
the  receiver.  I  am  apt  to  think  he  who 
doth  not  scruple  to  take  stolen  goods  into 
his  house  would  as  little  scruple  to  take  a 
purse. 

Quest.  What  are  the  aggratmtions  of  this 
sin  of  stealing  ? 

Ans.  1.  To  steal  when  one  has  no  need. 
To  be  a  rich  thief. 

A.  2.  To  steal  sacreligiously.  To  devour 
things  set  apart  to  holy  uses,  Prov.  xx.  25., 
"  It  is  a  snare  to  the  man  who  devoureth 
that  which  is  holy."  Such  an  one  was 
Dionysius,  who  robbed  the  temple,  and  took 
away  the  silver  vessels. 

A.  3.  To  commit  the  sin  of  theft  a- 
gainst  checks  of  conscience,  and  examples  of 
God's  justice;  this  is  like  the  dye  to  the 
wool,  it  doth  dye  the  sin  of  a  crimson  co- 
lour. 

A.  4.  To  rob  the  widow  and  orphan, 
Exod.  xxii.  22.,  "  Ye  shall  not  afflict  any 
widow  or  fatherless  child;"  peccatam  cla- 
tnoTis, — '  If  they  cry  unto  me,  I  will  surely 
hear  them.' 

A.  5.  To  rob  the  poor.  How  did  David 
disdain  that  the  rich  man  should  take  away 
the  poor  man's  lamb !  "  As  the  Lord  liv- 
eth,  the  man  who  hath  done  this  thing  shall 
surely  die,"  2  Sam.  xii.  5.  Wliat  is  the 
enclosing  of  commons,  but  robbing  of  the 
poor? 


3d.  There  is  a  stealing  from  a  man's  self. 
A  man  may  be  a  thief  to  himself. 

Quest.  How  so  ? 

Ans.  I.  By  niggardliness.  The  niggard 
is  a  thief;  he  steals  from  himself,  in  that 
he  dotli  not  allow  himself  what  is  fitting ; 
he  thinks  tiiat  lost  which  is  bestowed  upon 
himself;  he  robs  himself  of  necessaries, 
Eccl.  vi.  2.,  "  A  man  to  whom  God  hath 
given  riches,  yet  God  gives  him  not  power 
to  eat  thereof."  He  gluts  his  chest,  and 
starves  his  belly ;  he  is  like  the  ass  that  is 
loaded  with  gold,  but  feeds  upon  thistles ; 
he  robs  himself  of  that  which  God  allows 
him.  This  is  indeed  to  be  punished  with 
riches, — to  have  an  estate,  and  want  an 
heart  to  take  the  comfort  of  it, — this  man 
is  a  thief  to  himself. 

A.  2.  A  man  may  be  a  thief  to  himself, 
and  rob  himself  by  prodigality,  viz.  wast- 
ing his  estate.  The  prodigal  lavisheth  gold 
out  of  the  bag;  he  is  like  Crates  the  philo- 
sopher who  threw  his  gold  into  the  sea. 
The  prodigal  boils  a  great  estate  to  no- 
thing; this  is  to  be  a  thief  to  a  man's  self, 
to  spend  away  that  estate  from  himself 
which  might  conduce  to  the  comfort  of  life. 

A.  3.  He  is  a  thief  to  himself,  by  idle- 
ness, when  he  mispends  his  time.  To  spend 
one's  hours  in  pleasure  and  vanity,  this  is 
to  rob  himself  of  that  precious  time  which 
(iod  hath  given  him  t(>  work  out  salvation. 
Time  is  a  rich  commodity,  because  on  the 
well-spending  this  present  time  an  happy 
eternity  (iei)en(ls.  He  that  spends  his  time 
idlv  and  vainlv,  is  a  thief  to  himself;  he 
robs  himself  of  his  gol;!en  seasons,  and  by 
consequence,  of  salvation. 

A.  4.  A  man  may  be  a  thief  to  himself 
by  suretiship,  Prov.  xxii.  26.,  "  Be  thou 
not  one  of  them  that  are  sureties  for  debt." 
The  creditor  comes  upon  the  surety  for 
debt,  and  so  by  paying  another's  debt  he  is 
a  thief  to  himself,  he  undoes  himself.  Let 
not  any  man  say,  he  should  have  been 
counted  unkind  if  he  had  not  entered  into 
bonds  for  his  friend:  better  thy  friend 
count  thee  unkind,  than  all  men  count  thee 
unwise.  Lend  another  what  you  can  spare, 
nay,  give  him  if  he  needs,  but  never  he  a 
surety;  it  is  no  wisdom  for  a  man  so  to 
help  another  as  to  undo  himself  This  is 
to  rob  himself  and  his  family. 


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OF  THE  EIGHTH  COMMANDMENT. 


Use  \st.  It  confutes  the  doctrine  of  com- 
munity lliat  all  things  arc  common,  and  one 
man  hath  a  right  to  anotlier's  estate.  The 
scripture  confutes  it,  Deut.  xxiii.  25., 
"  When  thou  comest  into  tlic  standing  corn 
of  thy  neighbour's,  thou  shalt  not  move  a 
sickle  into  thy  neighbour's  corn."  Proper- 
ty must  be  observed.  God  hath  set  this 
eighth  commandment  as  a  liedge  about  a 
man's  estate,  and  this  liedge  cannot  be 
broken  without  sin.  If  all  things  be  com- 
mon, then  there  is  no  stealth,  and  so  this 
commandment  were  in  vain. 

Ut<e  2d.  It  reproves  such  as  live  upon 
stealing.  Instead  of  living  by  faith,  they 
live  by  their  shifts.  The  apostle  exhorteth, 
that  every  man  eat  his  own  bread,  2  Thess. 
iii.  12.  The  thief  doth  not  eat  of  his  own 
bread,  but  of  another's.  If  there  be  any 
who  are  guilty  of  this  sin,  let  them  labour 
to  recover  out  of  the  snare  of  the  devil  by 
repentance,  and  let  them  show  their  repen- 
tance by  restitution.  Non  remittitur  pecco- 
catum  7iisi  restituatar  ablatum,  Aug.  '  With- 
out restitution,  no  remission,'  Luke  xix.  8., 
"  If  I  have  taken  away  any  thing  from  any 
man  unjustly,  I  restore  him  fourfold."  It 
may  suffice  to  restore  ill-gotten  goods  by 
one's  own  hand,  or  by  proxy.  Better  a 
thousand  times  restore  goods  unlawfully 
gotten,  than  to  stuff  one's  pillow  with 
thorns,  and  have  guilt  trouble  one's  con- 
science upon  a  death-bed. 

Use  Sd,  Exhortation  to  all  to  take  heed 
of  this  sin  of  thieving ;  it  is  a  sin  against  the 
light  of  nature.  Some  may  go  to  excuse 
this  sin ;  hear  the  thief's  plea;  it  is  a  coarse 
wool  will  take  no  dye,  and  a  bad  sin  indeed 
tliat  hath  no  excuse.  "  I  am  (saith  one) 
grown  low  in  the  world,  and  trading  is 
bad,  and  I  have  no  other  way  to  a  liveli- 
hood." 

Jns.  1.  This  shews  a  great  distrust  of 
God,  as  if  he  could  not  provide  for  thee 
without  thy  sin. —  2.  This  shows  sin  is  got- 
ten to  a  great  height,  that,  because  a  man  is 
grown  low  in  the  world,  therefore  he  will 
Acheronta  wovere,  go  to  the  devil  for  a  live- 
lihood. Abraham  would  not  have  it  said, 
that  '  the  king  of  Sodom  had  made  him 
rich,'  Gen.  xiv.  22.  O  let  it  never  be  said 
tliat  the  devil  hath  made  thee  rich  ! — 3. 
Thou  oughtesht  not  to  undertake  any  action 


which  thou  canst  not  pray  fo:-  a  blessing 
upon ;  but,  if  thou  livest  on  thieving,  thoi' 
canst  not  pray  for  a  blessing  upon  stolen 
goods;  therefore  take  heed  of  this  sin,— - 
lucrum  in  arcu,  damnum  in  conscientia,  Aug. 
Take  heed  of  getting  the  world  with  the 
loss  of  heaven.  To  dissuade  all  from  this 
horrid  sin,  consider, 

(I.)  Thieves  are  the  caterpillars  of  the 
earth, — enemies  to  civil  society. 

(2.)  God  hates  them.  In  the  law,  the 
cormorant  was  unclean.  Lev.  xi.  17.,  be- 
cause a  thievish,  devouring  creature,  a  bird 
of  prey ;  by  which  God  showed  his  hatred  oi 
this  sin. 

(3.)  The  thief  is  a  terror  to  himself,  he 
is  always  in  fear,  Ps.  liii.  5.,  "  There  were 
they  in  great  fear ;"  true  of  the  thief.  Guilt 
breeds  fear,  if  he  hears  but  the  shaking  of 
a  tree,  his  heart  shakes.  It  is  said  of  Cata- 
line,  he  was  afraid  of  every  noise.  If  a 
briar  doth  but  take  hold  of  a  thief's  ear- 
ment,  he  is  afraid  it  is  the  officer  to  ap- 
prehend him;  and  "  fear  hath  torment," 
1  John  iv,  18. 

(4.)  The  judgments  that  follow  this  sin, 
'  Achan  the  thief  was  stoned  to  death,' 
Josh.  vii.  and  Zech.  v.  2.,  "  What  seest 
thou  ?  And  I  answered,  a  flying  roll ;"  v.  3., 
"  This  is  the  curse  that  goeth  forth  over  the 
face  of  the  whole  earth  ;  I  will  bring  it  forth, 
saith  the  Loi'd,  and  it  shall  enter  into  the 
house  of  the  thief."  Fabius,  a  Roman  cen- 
sor, condemned  his  own  son  to  die  for  theft. 
Thieves  die  with  ignominy,  the  ladder  is 
their  preferment ;  and  there  is  a  worse  thing 
than  death, — while  they  rob  others  of  mo- 
ney, they  rob  themselves  of  salvation. 

Quest.  What  is  to  be  done  to  avoid  steal- 
ing ? 

Alls.  1.  Live  in  a  calling,  Eph.  iv.  28., 
"  Let  him  that  stole  steal  no  more,  but  ra- 
ther let  him  labour,  working  with  his 
hands,"  &c.  Such  as  stand  idle,  the  devil 
hires  them,  and  puts  them  to  the  pilfering 
trade.  An  idle  person  tempts  the  devil  to 
temj)t  him. 

yl.  2.  Be  content  with  the  estate  God  hath 
given  you  :  Heb.  xiii.  5.,  "  Be  content  with 
such  things  as  ye  have."  Theft  is  the 
daughter  of  avarice;  study  contentment. 
Believe  that  condition  best  (jod  hath  carved 
out  to  you.     God  can  bless  that  little  meal 


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329 


in  tlie  barrel.  We  shall  not  need  these 
things  long;  we  shall  carry  nothing  out  of 
the  world  with  us  but  our  winding-sheet ; 


if  we  have  but  enough   to  bear  out   our 
charges  to  heaven,  it  is  sufficient. 


%  ^^<^V%  ^-^^^^  ^^V^^^^^^^^^^V^^'V*^^^^  >^.%%%%%^i%% 


•    OF  THE  NINTH  COMMANDMENT. 

ExoD.  XX.  16.   Thou  shalt  not  hear  false  witness  against  thy  neighbour. 


THE  tongue  which  at  first  was  made  to 
be  an  organ  of  God's  praise,  is  now  become 
an  instrument  of  unrighteousness.  This 
commandment  binds  the  tongue  to  its  good 
behaviour.  God  hath  set  two  fences  to  keep 
in  the  tongue, — the  teeth  and  lips  ;  and  this 
commandment  is  a  third  fence  set  about  it, 
that  it  should  not  break  forth  into  evil ; 
"  Thou  shalt  not  bear  false  witness  against 
thy  neighbour."  This  commandment  hath 
a  ])roliibitory,  and  a  mandatory  part ;  the 
first  is  set  down  in  plain  words,  the  other 
is  clearly  implied. 

1.  The  prohibitory  part  of  the  command- 
ment, or,  what  it  forbids  in  general.  It  for- 
bids any  thing  which  may  tend  to  the  dis- 
paragement or  prejudice  of  our  neighbour. 
More  particularly,  two  things  are  forbidden 
in  this  commandment,  \st.  Slandering.  2d. 
False  witness. 

l.<f/.  Slandering  our  neighbour.  Tliis  is 
a  sin  against  the- ninth  commandment.  The 
scorpion  carries  his  poison  in  his  tail ;  the 
slanderer  carries  his  poison  in  his  tongue. 
Slandering  is  to  report  things  of  others  un- 
justly. Ps.  XXXV.  11.,  "  They  laid  things 
to  my  charge  which  I  knew  not."  It  is 
usual  to  bring  in  a  Christian  beheaded  of 
his  good  name ;  they  raised  a  slander  of 
Paul,  that  he  should  preach,  men  might  do 
evil,  that  good  might  come  of  it,  Rom.  iii. 
8.,  "  We  be  slanderously  reported  ;  and  as 
some  affirm  that  we  say,  let  us  do  evil,  that 
good  may  come."  Eminency  is  commonly 
blasted  by  slander.  Holiness  itself  is  no 
shield  from  slander.  The  lamb's  innocency 
will  not  preserve  it  from  the  wolf.  Christ 
was  the  most  innocent  upon  earth,  yet  was 
reported  to  be  a  friend  of  sinners;  John 
Baptist  was  a  man  of  a  holy  austere  life, 
yet  they  said  of  him,  "  he  hath  a  devil," 
Mat.  xi.  18.  The  scripture  calls  slandering, 
gmiting    with    the   tongue,   Jer.   xviii.    18., 


"  Come,  and  let  us  smite  him  with  the 
tongue."  You  may  smite  another  and  never 
touch  him.  Majora  sunt  iinguce  vulnera 
quam  gladii,  Aug,  The  wounds  of  the 
tongue  no  physician  can  heal ;  and  to  pre- 
tend friendship  to  a  man,  yet  slander  him, 
is  most  odious.  St.  Hierom  speaks  thus : 
"  The  Arian  faction  made  a  show  of  kind- 
ness ;  they  kissed  my  hands,  but  slandered 
me,  and  sought  my  life."  And,  as  it  is  a 
sin  against  this  commandment,  to  raise  a 
false  report  of  another,  so  it  is  a  sin  to  re- 
ceive a  false  report  before  we  have  examin- 
ed it,  Ps.  XV.  1.,  "  Lord,  who  shall  dwell 
in  thy  holy  hill  ?"  (^iiis  ad  ccelum  ?  v.  3., 
"  He  that  backbiteth  not,  nor  taketh  up  a  re- 
proach against  his  neighbour."  We  must  not 
only  not  raise  a  false  I'eport,  but  not  take  it 
up.  He  that  raiseth  a  slander,  carries  the 
devil  in  his  tongue ;  and  lie  tliat  receives  it, 
carries  the  devil  in  his  ear. 

2d.  The  second  thing  forbidden  in  this 
commandment,  is  false  witness.  Here  three 
sins  are  condemned  :  1.  Speaking.  2.  Wit- 
nessing. 3.  Swearing  that  which  is  false 
contra  proximum. 

1.  Speaking  that  which  is  false,  Prov.  xii. 
22.,  "  Lying  lips  are  an  abomination  to  the 
Lord."  To  lie,  is  to  speak  that  which  one 
knows  to  be  an  untruth.  There  is  nothing 
more  contrary  to  God  than  a  lie.  The  Holy 
Ghost  is  called  the  "  Spirit  of  Truth." 
1  John  iv.  5,  6.  Lying  is  a  sin  that  doth  not 
go  alone  ;  it  ushers  in  other  sins ;  Absalom 
told  his  father  a  lie,  that  he  was  going  to 
pay  his  vow  at  Hebron,  2  Sam.  xv.  7.,  and 
this  lie  was  a  preface  to  his  treason.  Where 
there  is  a  lie  in  the  tongue,  it  shows  the 
devil  is  in  the  heart,  Acts  v.  3.,  "  Why  hath 
Satan  filled  thy  heart  to  lie?"  Lying  is 
such  a  sin  as  unfits  men  for  civil  society. 
How  can  you  converse  or  bargain  with  him 
that  you  cannot  trust  a  word  he  saith  ?  Tiiis 

2  T 


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is  a  sin  which  highly  provokes  God.  Ana- 
nias and  Sapphira  were  struck  dead  for  tel- 
ling a  lie,  Acts  v.  5.  The  furnace  of  hell 
is  heated  for  liars,  Rev.  xxii.  15.,  "  Without 
are  sorcerers,  and  whosoever  loveth  and 
maketh  a  lie."  O  abhor  this  sin  !  Quicqtdd 
dlxerisjustum  putes^  Hierom.  When  thou 
speakest,  let  thy  word  be  as  authentic  as 
thy  oath.  Imitate  God  who  is  the  pattern 
of  truth.  Pythagoras  '  being  asked  what 
made  men  like  God  ?  answered.  Cum  vere 
hquunter, — when  they  speak  truth.  It  is 
made  the  character  of  a  man  that  shall  go 
to  heaven,  Ps.  xv.  2.,  "  He  speaketh  the 
truth  in  his  heart." 

2.  That  which  is  condemned  in  the  com- 
mandment is,  witnessing  that  which  is 
false ;  "  thou  shalt  not  bear  false  witness." 
(1.)  There  is  a  bearing  of  false  witness  for 
another.  (2.)  A  bearing  false  witness  a- 
gainst  another. 

(1.)  A  bearing  false  witness  for  another. 
Wlicn  we  do  give  our  testimony  for  a  per- 
son that  is  criminal  and  guilty,  we  justify 
him  as  if  he  were  innocent,  Isa.  v.  23., 
"  Which  justify  the  wicked  for  a  reward." 
He  that  goes  to  make  a  wicked  man  just, 
makes  himself  unjust. 

(2.)  There  is  a  bearing  false  witness  a- 
gainst  another,  /.  e.  when  we  accuse  another 
in  open  court  falsely.  This  is  to  imitate 
the  devil  who  is  the  '  accuser  of  the  breth- 
ren.' Though  the  devil  is  no  adulterer,  yet 
he  is  a  false  witness.  Solomon  saith,  Prov. 
XXV.  18.,  "  A  man  that  beareth  false  wit- 
ness against  his  neighbour,  is  a  maul  and  a 
sword ;"  in  his  face  he  is  hardened  like  an 
hammer;  he  cannot  blush,  he  cares  not 
what  lie  he  witnesseth  to;  and  he  is  a 
sword, — his  tongue  is  a  sword  to  wound 
him  he  witnesseth  against  in  his  goods  or 
life :  thus,  1  Kings  xxi.  13.,  "  There  came 
in  two  men,  children  of  Belial,  and  witnes- 
♦  sed  against  Naboth,  saying,  Naboth  did 
blaspheme  God  and  the  king :"  and  their 
witness  took  away  his  life.  The  queen 
of  Persia  being  sick,  the  magicians  accused 
two  godly  virgins  that  they  had  by  charms 
procured  the  queen's  sickness  ;  whereupcm 
she  caused  these  virgins  to  be  sawn  asun- 
der. A  false  witness  doth  pervert  the  place 
of  judicature  ;  he  corrupts  the  judge  by 
making  him  pronounce  a  wrong  sentence, 


and  causes  the  innocent  to  suffer.  Ven- 
geance will  find  out  the  false  witness,  Prov. 
xix.  4.,  "  A  false  witness  shall  not  be  un- 
punished." Deut.  xix.  18,  19.,  "  If  the 
witness  be  a  false  witness,  and  hath  testi- 
fied falsely  against  his  brother,  then  shall 
ye  do  unto  him  as  he  had  thought  to  have 
done  unto  his  brother ;"  i.  e.  If  he  had 
thought  to  have  taken  away  his  life,  his 
own  life  shall  go  for  it. 

3.  That  which  is  condemned  in  the  com- 
mandment is,  swearing  that  which  is  false. 
When  men  take  a  false  oath,  and  by  that 
take  away  the  life  of  another.  Zcch.  viii. 
17.,  "  Love  no  false  oath."  Chap.  v.  2., 
"  What  seest  thou  ?"  I  answered,  a  flying 
roll."  V.  3,  4.,  '  This  is  the  curse  that  goelh 
forth,  and  it  shall  enter,  saith  the  Lord,  into 
the  house  of  him  that  swearcth  falsely  by 
my  name ;  and  it  shall  consume  his  house, 
with  the  timber  thereof  and  stones  thereof." 
The  Scythians  made  a  law,  when  a  man 
did  bind  two  sins  together,  a  lie  with  an 
oath,  he  was  to  lose  his  head,  because  this 
sin  did  take  away  all  truth  and  faith  from 
among  men.  The  devil  hath  taken  great 
possession  of  such  who  dare  swear  to  a  lie. 
This  is  a  manifest  breach  of  this  command- 
ment. 

Use  \st.  Branch  1.  It  reproves  the  church 
of  Rome,  who  will  dispense  with  a  lie,  or  a 
false  oath,  if  it  be  to  promote  the  Catholic 
cause.  They  approve  of  an  officious  lie; 
they  hold  some  sins  to  be  lawful ;  they  may 
as  well  hold  some  lies  to  be  lawful.  God 
hath  no  need  of  our  lie.  It  is  not  lawful 
to  tell  a  lie  propter  Dei  gloriam, — if  we  were 
sure  to  bring  glory  to  God  by  it, — as  Aus- 
tin speaks 

Branch  2.  It  reproves  those  who  make 
no  conscience  of  slandering  others ;  they 
come  under  the  breach  of  this  command- 
ment, Ps.  1.  20.,  "  Thou  sittest  and  sl.in- 
derest  thy  own  mother's  son."  Jcr.  xx.  10., 
"  Report,  say  they,  and  we  will  report." 
Ezra  iv.  15.,  "  This  city  (?'.  c.  Jerusalem) 
is  a  rebellious  city,  and  hurtful  to  kings 
and  provinces."  Paul  was  slandered  as  a 
mover  of  sedition,  and  the  head  of  a  faction, 
Acts  xxiv.  5.  The  same  word  signifies  both 
a  slanderer  and  a  devil,  1  Tim.  iii.  1 1.,  "  Not 
slanderers  :"  in  the  Greek,  "  Not  devils." 
Some  think  it  is  no  great  matter  to  misre- 


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331 


present  and  slander  others;  know  that  this 
is  to  act  the  part  of  a  devil.  Clipping  a 
man's  credit  to  make  it  weigh  lighter,  is 
worse  than  clipj)ing  of  coin.  The  slanderer 
wounds  three  at  once  ;  he  wounds  him  that 
he  slanders ;  and  he  wounds  him  to  whom 
he  reports  the  slander,  by  causing  unchari- 
table thoughts  to  arise  up  in  his  mind  a^ 
gainst  the  j)arty  slandered  ;  and  he  wounds 
liis  own  soul,  by  reporting  that  of  another 
which  is  false.  This  is  a  great  sin  ;  and  I 
would,  I  could  not  say,  it  is  common.  You 
may  kill  a  man  as  well  in  his  name  as  in 
his  person.  Some  are  loath  to  take  away 
their  neighbour's  goods;  conscience  would 
fly  in  their  face;  but  better  takeaway  their 
corn  out  of  their  field, — their  wares  out  of 
their  shop, — than  takeaway  their  good  name. 
This  is  a  sin  you  can  never  make  them  re- 
j)aration  for ;  a  blot  in  a  man's  name, 
being  like  a  blot  on  white  paper,  which 
will  never  be  got  out.  Surely  God  will  vi- 
sit for  this  sin.  If  idle  words  shall  be  ac- 
countod  for,  sliall  not  unjust  slanders  ?  The 
Lord  will  make  inquisition  one  day,  as  well 
for  names  as  for  blood.  O  therefore  take 
heed  of  this  sin  !  It  is  a  breach  of  the  ninth 
commandment.  Was  it  not  a  sin  under  the 
law  to  defame  a  virgin,  Deut.  xxii.  19.,  and, 
is  it  not  a  greater  sin  to  defame  a  saint, 
who  is  a  member  of  Christ !  The  heathens 
by  the  light  of  nature  abhorred  this  sin  of 
slandering.  Diogenes  used  to  say,  "  Of  all 
\\  ild  beasts,  a  slanderer  is  the  worst."  An- 
tonius  made  a  law,  that,  if  a  person  could 
not  prove  the  crime  he  reported  another  to 
be  guilty  of,  he  should  be  put  to  death. 

Branch  3.  It  reproves  them  who  are  so 
wicked  as  to  bear  false  witness  against 
others.  These  are  monsters  in  nature,  un- 
iit  to  live  in  a  civil  society.  Eusebius  re- 
lates of  one  Narcissus,  a  man  fam«>us  for 
j)icty,  who  was  accused  by  two  false  wit- 
nesses of  unchastity  ;  and,  to  prove  their 
accusation,  they  bound  it  with  oaths  and 
cinses  after  this  manner :  one  said,  •'  If  I 
speak  not  true,  I  pray  God  I  may  perish  by 
fire," — the  other  said,  "  If  I  speak  not  true, 
1  wish  I  may  be  deprived  of  my  sight ;"  it 
pleased  God  that  the  first  witness  who  fore- 
swore himself,  his  house  being  set  on  fire, 
lie  was  burned  in  the  flames  ;  the  other  wit- 


his  perjury,  and  continued  so  long  weep- 
ing, that  he  wept  himself  blind.  Jezebel, 
who  suborned  two  false  witnesses  against 
Naboth,  she  was  thrown  down  out  of  a 
window,  and  '  the  dogs  licked  her  blood,' 
2  Kings  ix.  33.  O  tremble  at  this  sin  I  A 
perjured  person  is  the  devil's  excrement 
He  is  cursed  in  his  name,  and  seared  in  hil 
conscience.  Hell  gapes  for  such  a  wind- 
fall. 

Use  r</.  Branch  1.  It  exhorts  all  to  take 
heed  of  the  breach  of  this  commandment, 
of  lying,  slandering,  and  bearing  false  wit- 
ness ;  and  to  avoid  these  sins, 

1.  Get  the  fear  of  God.  Why  doth  Da- 
vid say,  "  the  fear  of  the  Lord  is  clean  ?'* 
Ps.  xix.  9.,  Because  it  cleanseth  the  heart  of 
malice, — it  cleanseth  the  tongue  of  slander. 
"  The  fear  of  the  Lord  is  clean :"  it  is  to 
the  soul  as  lightning  to  the  air,  which 
cleanseth  it. 

2.  Get  love  to  your  neighbour.  Lev.  xxi. 
18.  If  we  love  a  friend,  we  will  not  speak 
or  attest  any  thing  to  his  prejudice.  Men's 
minds  are  cankered  with  envy  and  hatred ; 
hence  comes  slandering  and  false-witness- 
ing. Love  is  a  lovely  grace ;  "  love  think- 
eth  no  evil,"  1  Cor.  xiii.  5.  It  makes  the 
best  interpretation  of  another's  words.  Love 
is  a  well-wisher,  and  it  is  rare  to  speak  ill 
of  him  we  wish  well  to.  Love  is  that  which 
cements  Christians  together  :  it  is  the  healer 
of  division,  and  the  hinderer  of  slander. 

Branch  2.  To  such  whose  lot  it  is  to  meet 
with  slanderers  and  false  accusers,  1.  La- 
bour to  make  a  sanctified  use  of  it.  When 
Shimei  railed  on  David,  David  made  a  sanc- 
tified use  of  it,  2  Sam.  xvi.  10.,  "  The  Lord 
hath  said  to  him,  curse  David."  So,  if  you 
are  slandered,  or  falsely  accused,  make  a 
good  use  of  it.  See  if  you  have  no  sin  un- 
repented  of  for  which  G«)d  may  suffer  you 
to  be  calumniated  and  reproached.  See 
if  you  have  not  at  any  time  wnuiged  others 
in  their  name,  and  sai<l  that  of  them  which 
you  cannot  prove  ;  then  lay  your  hand  on 
your  mouth,  and  confess  the  Lord  is  righ- 
teous to  let  you  fall  under  the  scourge  of 
the  tongue.— 2.  If  you  are  slandered,  or 
falsely  accused,  but  know  your  own  inuo- 
cency,  be  not  too  much  troubled,  let  this  be 
your  rejoicing,   the   witness  of  your  con- 


ni'ss,  being  troubled  in  conscience,  confessed  \  science.     Murus  ahcneus  tsto  nil  conscire  sibi. 


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A  good  conscience  is  a  wall  of  brass,  that 
will  be  able  to  stand  against  a  false  witness. 
As  no  flattery  can  heal  a  bad  conscience,  so 
no  slander  can  hurt  a  good.  God  will  clear 
up  the  names  of  his  people,  Ps.  xxxvii.  6., 
"  He  shall  bring  forth  thy  righteousness  as 
the  light."  God,  as  he  will  wipe  away  tears 
from  the  eyes,  so  he  will  wipe  off  reproach- 
es from  the  name.  Believers  shall  come 
forth  out  of  all  their  slanders  and  reproaches, 
as  '  the  wings  of  a  dove,  covered  with  sil- 
ver, and  her  feathers  with  yellow  gold.' 

Branch  3.  It  should  exhort  such  to  be 
very  thankful  to  God,  whom  God  hath  pre- 
served from  slander  and  false  witness.  Job 
calls  it  •'  the  scourge  of  the  tongue,"  chap.  v. 
21.  As  a  rod  doth  scourge  the  back,  so  the 
slanderer's  tongue  doth  scourge  the  name. 
It  is  a  great  mercy  to  be  kept  from  the 
scourge  of  the  tongue ;  a  mercy,  that  God 
stops  malignant  mouths  from  bearing  false 
witness.  What  mischief  may  not  a  lying 
report  or  a  false  oath  do  ?  One  destroys  the 
name,  the  other  the  life.  It  is  the  Lord 
who  muzzles  the  mouths  of  the  wicked, 
and  keeps  those  dogs  that  snarl  at  us,  from 
flying  upon  us,  Ps.  xxxi.  20.,  "  Thou  slialt 
keep  them  secretly  in  a  pavilion,  from  the 
strife  of  tongues."  It  is,  I  suppose,  an  al- 
lusion to  kings,  who  being  resolved  to  pro- 
tect their  favourites  against  the  accusations 
of  men,  take  them  into  their  bed-chamber, 
or  bosom,  where  none  may  touch  them :  so 
God  hath  a  pavilion,  or  secret  hiduig  place 
for  his  favourites,  where  he  preserves  their 
credit  and  reputation  untouched, — he  keeps 


them  from  the  "  strife  of  tongues."     Thig 
is  a  mercy  we  ought  to  acknowledge  to  God. 
II.  The    mandatory    part    of  this    com- 
mandment implied  :  that  is,  "  that  we  stand 
up  for  others  and   vindicate  them,   when 
they  are  injured  by  lying  lips."     This  is 
the  sense  of  the  commandment,    not  only 
that  we  should  not  slander  or  falsely  accuse 
others,  but  that  we  should  witness  for  them, 
and   stand  up  in  their  defence,    when  we 
know  them  to  be  traduced.     A  man  may 
wrong  another   as  well  by  silence  as  by 
slander  when  he  knows  him  to  be  wrong- 
fully accused,  yet  doth  not  speak  in  his  be- 
half.    If  others  cast  false  aspersions  on  any, 
we  should    wipe    them    off".     The  apostles 
(who  were  filled  with  the  wine  of  the  Spi- 
rit) being  charged  with  drunkenness,  Peter 
was  their  compurgator,  and  openly  cleared 
their  innocency,  Acts  ii.  15.,   "  Tiiese  are 
not   drunken,   as    ye  suppose."     Jonathan 
knowing  David  to  be  a  worthy  man,  and 
all  those  things  Saul  said  of  him  to  be  slan- 
ders, vindicated  David,    1  Sam.  xix.  4,  5., 
David  hath  not  sinned  against  thee,  but  his 
works  to  thee-ward  have  been  very  good : 
"  Wlierefore  then  wilt  thou  sin  against  in 
nocent  blood,   and  slay  David  without  a 
cause?"     When    the    primitive    Christians 
were  falsely  accused  for  incest,  and  killing 
their   children,   Tertullian  made  a  famous 
apology  in  their  vindication.     This  is  to  act 
the  part  both  of  a  friend  and  of  a  Christian, 
to  be  an  advocate  for  another,  when  he  is 
wronged  in  his  good  name. 


OF  THE  TENTH  COMMANDMENT. 

ExoD.  XX.  17.  Thou  shall  not  covet  thy  Neighbour's  House,  thou  sluilt  not  covet  thy  Neigh- 
bour's Wife,  nor  his  Man-servant,  nor  his  Maid-servant,  nor  his  Ox,  nor  his  Jss,  nor  any 
thing  that  is  thy  Neighbours. 


THIS  commandment  forbids,  1st.  Covet- 
ousness  in  general,  "  Thou  shalt  not  covet." 
2d.  In  particular,  "  Thy  neighbour's  house, 
thy  neighbour's  wife,"  &c. 

I.  It  forbids  covetousness  in  general, 
"  Thou  shalt  not  covet."  It  is  lawful  to 
use  the  world,  yea,  and  to  desire  so  much 
of  it  as  may :   1.  Keep  us  from  the  temp- 


tation of  poverty,  Prov.  xxx.  8.  Give 
me  not  poverty,  lest  I  steal,  and  take  the 
name  of  my  God  in  vain. — 2.  As  may  ena- 
ble us  to  honour  God  with  works  of  mercy, 
Prov.  iii.  9.,  "  Honour  the  Lord  with  tliy 
substance."  But  all  the  danger  is,  when 
the  world  gets  into  the  heart.  The  water 
is  useful  for  the  sailing  of  the  ship ;  all  the 


OF  THE  TENTH  COMMANDMENT. 


333 


danger  is  when  the  water  gets  into  the 
ship;  so  the  fear  is,  when  the  world  gets 
into  the  heart,  *'  Thou  slialt  not  covet." 

Quest,  What  is  it  to  covet  ? 

Ans.  There  are  two  words  in  the  Greek, 
which  set  forth  the  nature  of  covetousness  : 
1.  PkoJiexia,  which  signifies  an  '  insatiable 
desire  of  getting  the  world.'  Covetousness 
is  a  dry  dropsy.  Austin  defines  covetous- 
ness, Plus  velle  quam  sat  est, — to  desire 
more  than  enough, — to  aim  at  a  great  es- 
tate,— to  be  like  the  daughters  of  the  horse- 
leech, crying,  "  Give,  give,"  Prov.  xxx.  15., 
— or  like  Behemoth,  Job  xl.  23.,  "  He  trust- 
eth  that  he  can  draw  up  Jordan  into  his 
mouth," — 2.  Phylarnyria,  which  signifies 
an  '  inordinate  love  of  the  world.'  The 
world  is  the  idol ;  it  is  so  loved,  that  a  man 
will  not  part  with  it  to  any  good  use ;  this 
Is  to  come  under  the  indictment  of  covetous- 
ness. He  may  be  said  to  be  covetous,  not 
only  who  gets  the  world  unrighteously,  but 
who  loves  the  world  inordinately. 

But,  for  a  more  full  answer  to  the  ques- 
tion, "  What  is  it  to  covet  ?"  I  shall  shew 
you  in  six  particulars,  when  a  man  may  be 
said  to  be  given  to  covetousness. 

1.  When  his  thoughts  are  wholly  taken 
up  about  the  world.  As  a  good  man's 
thoughts  are  still  in  heaven;  he  is  thinking 
of  Christ's  love  and  eternal  recompense,  Ps. 
cxxxix.  18.,  "  Wlien  I  awake,  I  am  still 
with  thee,"  that  is  divine  contemplation,  so 
a  covetous  man  is  still  with  the  world ;  his 
mind  is  wholly  taken  up  about  it;  he  can 
think  of  nothing  but  his  shop  or  farm. 
The  fancy  is  a  mint-house,  and  most  of  the 
thoughts  a  covetous  man  mints  are  world- 
ly; lie  is  always  plotting  and  projecting  a- 
bout  the  things  of  this  life  ;  like  a  virgin 
that  hath  all  her  thoughts  running  upon 
her  suitor. 

2.  A  man  may  be  said  to  be  given  to  co- 
vetousness when  he  takes  more  pains  for 
the  getting  of  earth,  than  for  the  getting  of 
heaven.  He  will  turn  every  stone,  break  his 
sleep,  take  many  a  weary  step  for  the 
world  ;  but  will  take  no  pains  for  Christ  or 
heaven.  The  Gauls,  who  were  an  ancient 
people  of  France,  after  they  had  tasted  of 
the  sweet  wine  of  the  Italian  grape,  they 
inquired  after  the  country,  and  never  rest- 
ed till  they  had  arrived  at  it ;  so  a  covetous 


man  having  had  a  relish  of  the  world,  pur- 
sues after  it,  and  never  leaves  till  he  hath 
got  it ;  but  he  neglects  the  things  of  eter- 
nity. He  could  be  content  if  salvation 
would  drop  into  his  mouth  as  a  rij)e  {x^ 
drops  into  the  mouth  of  the  eater,  Nahum 
iii.  12.  But  he  is  loath  to  put  himself  to 
too  much  sweat  or  trouble  to  obtain  Christ 
or  salvation.  He  hunts  for  the  world, — he 
wisheth  only  for  heaven. 

3.  A  man  may  be  said  to  be  given  to  co- 
vetousness, when  all  his  discourse  is  about 
the  world;  John  iii.  31.,  "He  that  is  of 
the  earth,  is  earthly  and  speaketh  of  the 
earth."  As  it  is  a  sign  of  godliness  to  be 
still  sj)eaking  of  heaven, — to  have  the 
tongue  turned  to  the  language  of  Canaan, 
Eccl.  X.  12.,  "  The  words  of  a  wise  man's 
mouth  are  gracious," — he  speaks  as  if  he  had 
been  already  in  heaven  ;  so,  a  sign  of  a  man 
given  to  covetousness,  he  is  speaking  of  se- 
cular things,  his  wares  and  drugs.  A  co- 
vetous man's  breath,  like  a  dying  man's, 
smells  strong  of  the  earth.  As  they  said 
to  Peter,  "  thy  speech  bewrayeth  thee," 
Mat.  xxvi.  73. :  so  a  covetous  man's  speech 
bewrayeth  him ;  he  is  like  the  fish  in  the 
gospel,  whicli  had  a  piece  of  money  in  the 
mouth.  Mat.  xvii.  27.  Verba  sunt  specu- 
lum vicnlis.  Bern.  '  Words  are  the  look- 
ing-glass of  the  heart,' — they  shew  what  is 
within.     Ex  abundautia  cordis. 

4.  A  man  is  given  to  covetousness  when 
he  doth  so  set  his  heart  upon  worldly  things, 
that  for  the  love  of  them,  he  vnW  part  with 
heavenly ;  for  the  "  wedge  of  gold,"  he 
will  part  with  the  "  pearl  of  great  price." 
The  young  man  in  the  gospel,  when  Christ 
said,  "  Sell  all  and  come  and  follow  me ;" 
abiit  tristis, — "  he  went  away  sorrowful," 
Mat.  xix.  21,  22.,  He  would  rather  part 
with  Christ  than  with  all  his  earthly  pos- 
sessions. Cardinal  Bourbon  said,  he  would 
forego  his  part  in  Paradise,  if  he  might 
keep  his  cardinalship  in  Paris.  AVhen  it 
comes  to  a  critical  point,  that  men  must 
either  relinquish  their  estate  or  Christ,  and 
they  will  rather  part  with  Christ,  and  a 
good  conscience,  than  with  their  estate, — 
it  is  a  clear  case  they  are  possessed  with 
the  devil  as  covetousness. 

5.  A  man  is  given  to  covetousness  when 
he  overloads  himself  with  worldly  business 


334 


OF  THE  TENTH  COMMANDMENT. 


He  hath  many  irons  in  the  fire ;  he  is  in 
this  sense  a  pluralist,  he  takes  so  much  bu- 
siness upon  him,  that  he  cannot  find  time 
to  serve  God  ;  he  hath  scarce  time  to  eat  his 
meat,  but  no  time  to  pray.  When  a  man 
doth  overcharge  himself  with  the  world, 
and  as  Martha,  cumber  himself  about  many 
things,  that  lie  cannot  have  time  for  his  soul, 
sure  he  is  under  the  power  of  covetousness. 

6.  He  is  given  to  covetousness  whose 
heart  is  so  set  upon  the  world,  that,  to  get 
it,  he  cares  not  what  unlawful  indirect 
means  he  useth, — he  will  have  the  Avorld 
per  fas  et  nefas^ — he  will  wrong  and  de- 
fraud, and  raise  his  estate  upon  the  ruins 
of  another,  Hos.  xii.  7,  8.,  "  The  balances 
of  deceit  are  in  his  hand,  he  loveth  to  op- 
press." And  Ephraim  said,  "  yet  I  am  be- 
come rich."  Pope  Sylvester  H.  did  sell  his 
soul  to  the  devil  for  a  popedom. 

Use.  '  Take  heed  and  beware  of  cove- 
tousness,' Luke  xii.  15.  It  is  a  direct 
breach  of  this  tenth  commandment.  Co- 
vetousness is  a  moral  vice,  it  infects  and 
pollutes  the  whole  soul.     The  sin. 

(1.)  It  is  a  subtle  sin,  a  sin  that  many 
do  not  so  well  discern  in  themselves :  as 
some  have  the  scurvy,  yet  do  not  know  it. 
This  sin  can  dress  itself  in  the  attire  of  vir- 
tue. It  is  called  the  '  cloak  of  covetous- 
ness,' 1  Thess.  ii.  5.  Covetousness  is  a  sin 
that  wears  a  cloak,  it  cloaks  itself  under 
the  name  of  frugality  and  good  husbandry. 
It  hath  many  pleas  and  excuses  for  itself, 
more  than  any  other  sin ;  as  the  providing 
for  one's  family.  The  more  subtle  the  sin 
is,  the  less  discernable. 

(2.)  Covetousness  is  a  dangerous  sin,  it 
checks  all  that  is  good.  It  is  an  enemy  to 
grace ;  it  damps  good  affections,  as  the 
earth  puts  out  the  fire.  The  hedge-hog,  in 
the  fable,  came  to  the  cony-burrows,  in 
stormy  weather,  and  desired  harbour ;  but 
ivhen  once  he  had  gotten  entertainment, 
he  set  up  his  prickles,  and  did  never  cease 
till  he  had  thrust  the  poor  conies  out  of 
their  burrows ;  so  covetousness,  by  fair 
pretences,  winds  itself  into  the  heart ;  but, 
as  soon  as  you  have  let  it  in,  it  will  never 
leave  till  it  hath  choked  all  good  begin- 
nings, and  thrust  all  religion  out  of  your 
hearts.  *  Covetousness  hinders  the  efficacy 
of  the  word  preached.'     In  the  parable,  the 


thorns  (which  Christ  expounded  to  be  the 
care  of  this  life)  choked  the  good  seed. 
Mat.  xiii.  7. :  many  sermons  He  dead,  buri- 
ed in  earthly  hearts.  We  preach  to  men, 
to  get  their  hearts  in  heaven ;  but  where 
covetousness  is  predominant,  it  chains  them 
to  the  earth,  and  makes  them  like  the  wo- 
man which  Satan  had  bowed  together,  that 
she  could  not  lift  up  hei'self,  Luke  xiii.  11. 
You  may  as  well  bid  an  elephant  fly  in  the 
air,  as  a  covetous  man  live  by  faith.  We 
preach  to  men  to  give  freely  to  Christ's 
poor  ;  but  covetousness  makes  them  to  be 
like  him  in  the  gospel  who  had  "  a  wither- 
ed hand,"  Mark  iii.  1.  They  have  a  wi- 
thered hand,  and  cannot  stretch  it  out  to 
the  poor.  It  is  impossible  to  be  earthly- 
minded  and  charitably-minded.  Thus  co- 
vetousness obstructs  the  efficacy  of  the 
word,  and  makes  it  prove  abortive.  Such 
whose  hearts  are  rooted  in  the  earth  will 
be  so  far  from  profiting  by  the  word,  that 
they  will  be  ready  rather  to  deride  it,  Luke 
xvi.  14.,  The  Pharisees,  who  were  covetous, 
"  derided  him," 

(3.)   Covetousness  is  a  mother-sin, — a  ra 
dical   vice,    1   Tim.  vi.  10.,    "The   love   of 
money  is  the  root  of  all  evil." 

—  Quid  7inn  mortalia  pectora.  co(/it  iinri  s'trr  i  J'niirs  ? — IIoii 

He  who  hath  an  earthly  itch,  a  greedy  de- 
sire of  getting  the  world,  hath  in  him  the 
root  of  all  sin.  Covetousness  is  a  mother  sin. 
I  shall  make  it  appear  that  covetousness  is 
a  breach  of  all  the  ten  commandments. — 
1.  It  breaks  the  first  commandment,  "Thou 
shalt  have  no  other  gods  but  me."  The  cove- 
tous man  hath  more  gods  than  one;  mammon 
is  his  god.  He  hath  a  god  of  gold,  therefore 
he  is  called  an  idolater.  Col.  iii.  5. — 2.  Cove- 
tousness breaks  the  second  commandment, 
"  Thou  shall  not  make  any  graven  image, 
thou  shalt  not  bow  doAvn  thyself  to  them." 
A  covetous  man  bows  down,  though  not  to 
the  graven  image  in  the  church,  yet  to  the 
graven  image  in  his  coin. — 3.  Covetousness 
is  a  breach  of  the  third  commandment, 
"  Thou  shalt  not  take  the  name  of  the  Lord 
thy  God  in  vain."  Absalom's  design  was 
to  get  his  father's  crown,  there  was  cove 
tousness  ;  but  he  talks  of  paj-ing  his  "  vow- 
to  God,"  there  he  took  God's  name  vain. — 
4.  Covetousness  is  a  breach  of  the  fourth 
commandment,   "  Remember  the  sabbath- 


OF  THE  TENTH  COMMANDMENT. 


335 


day  to   keep  it   lioly."     A  covetous  man 
doth  not   keep  the  sabbath   lioly ;  lie   will 
ride  to  fairs  on  a  sabbath  :  instead  of  read- 
ing in  the  Bible,   he  will  cast  up  his  ac- 
counts.— 5.  Covetousness  is  a  breach  of  the 
fifth    commandment,   "  Honour  thy  father 
and  thy  mother."     A  covetous  person  will 
not  honour  his  father,  if  he  doth  not  feed 
him  with  money;  nay,  he  will  get  his  fa- 
ther to  make  over  his  estate  to  him  in  his 
lifetime,  and  so  the  father  sliall  be  at  the 
M»n's  command. — 6.  Covetousness  is  a  breach 
of  the   sixth   commandment,  "  Thou   shalt 
not  kill."     Covetous  Ahab  killed  Naboth, 
to  get  his  vineyard,  1  Kings  xxi.  13.    How 
many  have  swimmed  to  the  crown  in  blood? 
— 7.   Covetousness  is  a  breach  of  the  se- 
venth   commandment,    "  Thou    shalt    not 
commit    adultery."     Covetousness    causeth 
uncleanness ;  }X)u  read  of  the  "  hire  of  a 
whore,"  Deut.  xxiii.  18.     An  adulteress  for 
money  sets  both  conscience  and  chastity  to 
sale. — 8.  Covetousness  is  a  breach  of  the 
eighth    commandment,    "  Thou    shalt    not 
steal."     Covetousness  is  the  root  of  theft ; 
covetous  Achan   stole  the  wedge  of  gold. 
Therefore  thieves  and  covetous  are  put  to- 
gether,   1   Cor.  vi.  10. — 9.  Covetousness  is 
a  breach  of  the  ninth  commandment,  "  Thou 
shalt  not  bear  false  witness."    What  makes 
the  perjurer  take  a  false  oath  but  covetous- 
ness ?  he  hopes  for  a  dividend. — And,  10. 
It  is  plainly  a  breach  of  the  last. command- 
ment, "  Thou  shalt  not  covet."     The  mam- 
monist   covets    his   neighbour's   house   and 
goods,  and  endeavours  to  get  them  into  his 
own  hands.     Thus  you  see  how  vile  a  sin 
covetousness  is, — it  is  a  mother-sin, — it  is 
a  plain  breach  of  every  one  of  the  ten  com- 
mandments. 

(4.)  Covetousness  is  a  sin  dishonourable 
to  religion.  For  such  as  say  their  Iiojk's 
are  above,  yet  their  hearts  are  below ;  for 
them  who  profess  to  be  above  tlie  stars,  to 
'  lick  the  dust'  of  the  serpent, — to  be  born 
of  God,  yet  buried  in  the  earth, — how  dis- 
honourable is  this  to  religion  !  The  lap- 
wing  wears  a  little  coronet  on  its  head,  yet 
reeds  on  dung  :  an  emblem  of  such  as  ^no- 
fess  to  be  crowned  kings  and  priests  unto 
God,  yet  feed  immoderately  on  these  ter- 
rene dunghill  comforts,  Jer.  xlv.  5.,  "  And 
eekest  thou  great  things  for  thyself?  seek 


them  not."  What,  thou  BarucTi,  who  art 
ennobled  by  the  new-birth,  and  art  illus- 
trious by  thy  office,  a  Levite,  dost  thou 
seek  earthly  things,  and  seek  th«m  now  ? 
When  the  ship  is  sinking,  art  thou  trim- 
ming  thy  ca])in  ?  O  do  not  so  degrade  thy- 
self, nor  blot  thy  scutcheon  !  "  Scekest 
thou  great  tilings  ?  seek  them  not."  The 
higher  grace  is,  the  less  earthly  should 
Christians  be;  the  higher  the  sun  is,  the 
shorter  always  is  the  shadow. 

1.  Covetousness  exposeth  us  to  God's  ab- 
horrency :  Ps.  x.  3.,  "  The  covetous,  whom 
the  Lord  abhorreth."  A  king  abhors  to  see 
his  statue  abused :  God  abhors  to  see  that 
man,  made  in  his  image,  should  have  the 
heart  of  a  beast  given  to  him.  Who  would 
live  in  such  a  sin  as  makes  him  abhorred  of 
God  ?  Whom  God  abhors  he  curseth,  and 
God's  curse  blasts  wherever  it  comes. 

2.  Covetousness  precipitates  men  to  ruin ; 
it  shuts   them  out  of  heaven,   Eph.  v.  5., 
"  This  ye  know,  that  no  covetous  man,  who 
is  an  idolater,  liath  any  inheritance  in  the 
kingdom   of  Christ  and  of  God."     What 
should  a  covetous  man  do  in  heaven  ?    God 
can   no  more  converse  with   him,   than  a 
king  can  converse  with  a  swine.      1  Tim. 
vi.  9.,   "  They  that  will  be  rich  fjJl  into  a 
snare,  and  many  hurtful  lusts,  which  drown 
men  in  perdition."     A  covetous  man  is  like 
a  bee,  that  gets  into  a  barrel  of  honey,  and 
there  drowns  itself;  he  is  like  a  ferryman, 
that  takes  in  so  many  passengers  to  increase 
his  fare,  that  he  sinks  his  boat :  so  a  cove- 
tous man  takes  in  so  much  gold  to  the  in- 
creasing of  his  estate,  that  he  drowns  him- 
self in  perdition.     I  have  read  of  some  in- 
habitants near  Athens,  wlio  lived  in  a  very 
dry,    barren   island,   and   they   took   much 
pains  to  draw  a  river  to  this  island  to  wa- 
ter it  and  make  it  fruitful ;  but  when  they 
had  opened  the  passages,  and  brought  the 
river  to  it,  the  water  broke  in  with  such  a 
force,  that  it  drowned  the  laiid,  and  all  the 
people  in  it :  an  emblem  of  a  covetous  man. 
he  labours  to  draw  riches  to  him,   and  at 
last  they  come  in    in  such  an  abundance, 
that  they  drown  him  in   hell  and  perdition. 
How  many,  to  build  up  an  estate,  pull  down 
their  souls?     Oh,  therefore,  flee  from  co- 
vetousness !     I  shall   next   prescribe  some 
remedies  against  covetousness. 


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OF  THE  TENTH  COMMANDMENT. 


ExoD.  XX.  17.  Thou  shall  not  covet  thy  Neighbour's  House,  thou  shalt  not  covet  thy  Neigh- 

hour's  Wife,  &^c. 


I  AM,  in  the  next  place,  to  resolve  a  ques- 
tion, How  we  may  do  to  cure  this  itch  of  co- 
vetousness  ? 

Ans.  For  ^nswer  to  this,  I  shall  pre- 
scribe some  remedies  and  antidotes  against 
this  sin  : 

\st.  Faith,  1  John  v.  4.,  "  This  is  the 
victory  that  overcometh  the  world,  oven 
our  faith."  The  root  of  covetousness  is  the 
distrust  of  God's  providence  ;  faith  believes 
God  will  provide, — God  who  feeds  the  birds, 
will  feed  his  children, — he  who  clothes  the 
lilies,  will  clothe  his  lambs, — and  so  faith 
overcomes  the  world.  Faith  is  the  cure  of 
care;  faith  not  only  purifies  the  heart  hut 
satisfies  the  heart ;  faith  makes  God  our  por- 
tion, and  so  in  him  we  have  enough,  Ps. 
xvi.  5,  6.,  "  The  Lord  is  the  portion  of  mine 
inheritance,  the  lines  are  fallen  unto  me  in 
pleasant  places  ;  yea,  I  have  a  goodly  heri- 
tage." Faith,  by  a  divine  chemistry,  ex- 
tracts its  chief  comfort  out  of  God.  A  lit- 
tle with  God  is  sweet.  Tlius  faith  is  a  re- 
medy against  covetousness;  faith  overcomes, 
not  only  the  fear  of  the  world,  but  the  love 
of  the  world. 

2(1,  The  second  remedy  is,  judicious  con- 
nideration. 

1.  What  poor  things  these  things  below 
are,  that  we  should  covet  them. —  1.  They 
are  below  the  worth  of  the  soul,  which  car- 
ries in  it  an  idea  and  resemblance  of  God. 
The  world  is  but  the  workmanship  of  God, 
the  soul  is  the  image  of  God. — 2.  You  co- 
vet that  which  will  not  satisfy  you,  Eccl. 
v.  10.5  "  He  that  loveth  silver,  shall  not 
be  satisfied  with  silver."  Solomon  had  put 
all  the  creatures  in  a  limbeck,  and  stilled 
out  the  quintessence,  and  behold,  "  All  was 
vanity,"  Eccl.  ii.  11.  Covetousness  is  a  dry 
dropsy ;  the  more  a  man  hatli,  the  more  he 
thirsts.  '  Qiio  plus  sunt  potcc,  plus  sitiun- 
tur  aqua' — 3.  Worldly  things  cannot  re- 
move trouble  of  mind.  King  Saul  being 
perplexed  in  conscience,  all  his  crown-jew- 
els could  not  administer  comfort  to  him, 
1  Sam.  xxviii.  15.  The  things  of  the  world 
will  no  more  case  a  troubled  snirit,  than  a 


gold  cap  will  cure  the  headach. — 4.  Tlie 
things  of  the  world,  if  you  had  more  of 
them,  cannot  continue  with  you.  The  crea- 
ture hath  a  little  honey  in  its  mouth,  but 
it  hath  wings  to  fly  away.  These  things 
either  go  from  us,  or  we  from  them :  what 
poor  things  are  these  to  covet? 

2.  Second  consideration :  the  frame  and 
contexture  of  the  body ;  God  hath  made 
the  face  to  look  upward  towards  heaven. 

Os  finmini  sublime  dedit,  cmlumque  tiieri 
Ji/ssit Ovin. 


Anatomists  observe,  that  whereas  other 
creatures  have  but  four  muscles  to  their 
eyes,  man  hath  a  fifth  muscle,  by  which  he 
is  able  to  look  up  to  heaven  ;  and  as  for  tlie 
heart,  it  is  made  like  a  glass  vial,  narrow  and 
contracted  downwards,  but  wide  and  broad 
upwards.  And  as  the  fiame  and  contex- 
ture of  the  body  teacheth  us  to  look  to 
things  above,  so  especially  the  soul  is  pl.inted 
in  the  body,  as  a  divine  sparkle  to  ascend 
upwards.  Can  it  be  imagined  that  God 
gave  us  intellectual,  immortal  souls,  to  co- 
vet only  earthly  things  ?  What  wise  man 
would  fish  for  gudgeons  with  golden  hooks? 
Did  God  give  us  glorious  souls,  only  to  fish 
for  the  world  ?  Sure  our  souls  are  made 
for  an  higher  end, —  to  .aspire  after  the  en- 
joyment of  God  in  glory. 

3.  Third  consideration  :  the  examples  of 
those  who  have  been  contemners  and  de- 
spisers  of  the  world.  The  ])rimitive  Chris- 
tians,— as  Clemens  Alexandrinus  observes, 
— were  sequestered  from  the  worhl,  and 
were  wholly  taken  up  in  converse  with 
God ;  they  lived  in  the  world  above  the 
world, — like  the  birds  of  paradise,  who  soar 
above  in  the  air,  and  seldom  or  never  touch 
with  their  feet  upon  the  earth.  Luther 
saith,  that  he  was  never  tempted  to  this  sin 
of  covetousness.  The  saints  of  old  though 
they  did  live  in  the  world,  they  did  trade 
in  heaven  ;  Phil.  iii.  20.,  "  Our  conversa- 
tion is  in  heaven  :"  the  Greek  word  signi- 
fies, our  commerce,  or  trafiic,  or  burgher- 
ship  is  in  heaven.  "  Enoch  walked  with 
God,"  Gen.  v.  24.     His  affections  were  sub- 


OF  THE  TENTH  COMMANDMENT 


337 


iimated,  he  did  take  a  turn  in  heaven  every 
day.  The  righteous  are  compared  to  a 
palm-tree,  Ps.  xcii.  12.  Philo  observes  that 
whereas  all  other  trees  have  their  sap  in 
their  root,  the  sap  of  the  palm-tree  is  to- 
wards the  top:  the  emblem  of  the  saints, 
whose  hearts  are  above  in  heaven,  where 
their  treasure  is. 

Sd.  The  third  remedy :  covet  spiritual 
things  more,  and  you  will  covet  earthly 
things' less.  Covet  grace  ;  grace  is  the  best 
blessing,  it  is  the  seed  of  God,  1  John  iii. 
9.,  the  angels'  glory.  Covet  heaven  ;  hea- 
ven is  the  region  of  happiness,  it  is  the  most 
pleas.int  climate.  Did  we  covet  heaven 
more,  we  should  covet  earth  less.  Tiicy 
that  stand  on  the  top  of  the  Alps,  the  great 
cities  of  Campania  seem  but  as  small  vil- 
lages in  their  eyes  :  if  we  could  have  our 
hearts  more  fixed  upon  the  Jerusalem  a- 
bove,  how  would  all  worldly  things  disap- 
pear, and  be  as  nothing  in  our  eyes  !  We 
read  of  an  angel  coming  down  from  hea- 
ven, who  did  tread  with  his  right  foot  on 
the  sea,  and  with  his  left  foot  on  the  earth, 
Rev.  X.  2.,  had  we  but  once  been  in  heaven, 
and  viewed  the  superlative  glory  of  it,  how 
might  we,  in  an  holy  scorn,  trample  with 
one  foot  upon  the  earth,  and  with  the  other 
foot  upon  the  sea  !  O  covet  after  heavenly 
things  !  There  is  the  tree  of  life, — the 
mountains  of  spices, — the  rivers  of  plea- 
sure,— the  honey-comb  of  God's  love  drop- 
ping,— the  delights  of  jingels, — the  flower 
of  joy  fully  ripe  and  blown.  There  is  the 
pure  air  to  breathe  in ;  no  fogs  nor  vapours 
of  sin  arise  to  infect  that  air,  but  the  Sun 
of  Righteousness  enlightens  that  horizon 
continually  with  his  glorious  beams.  O 
let  your  thoughts  and  delights  be  always 
taken  up  about  the  city  of  pearl,  the  |)ara- 
dise  of  God  !  Did  we  covet  heavenly  things 
more,  we  should  covet  earthly  things  less. 
Ii  is  reported  after  Lazarus  was  raised  from 
the  grave,  he  was  never  seen  to  smile  or  he 
deli^-iited  Avith  the  world  after:  were  our 
hearts  raised  by  the  power  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  u])  to  heaven,  we  should  not  be  much 
taken  with  earthly  things. 

■Wi.  The  fourth  remedy :  pray  for  an 
heavenly  mind.  «  Lord,  let  the  loadstone 
of    thy    Spirit    draw    my    heart    upward ! 

rd,  dig  the  ejirlh  out  of  mv  heart. — teach 


me  how  to  possess  the  world,  and  not  lovo 
it, — how  to  hold  it  in  my  hand,  and  not 
let  it  get  into  my  heart !  So  much  for  the 
commandment  in  general.  "  Thou  shalt 
not  covet." 

IL  I  shall  speak  of  it  more  particularlv  : 
"  Thou  shalt  not  covet  thy  neighbour's 
house,  thou  shalt  not  covet  thy  neighbour's 
wife,"  &c.  Observe  here  the  holiness  and 
perfection  of  God's  law ;  it  forbids  the  mn~ 
tus  prhno  primi, — the  first  motions  and  ris- 
ings of  sin  in  the  heart:  "  Thou  shalt  not 
covet."  The  laws  of  men  take  hold  of  the 
actions,  but  the  law  of  God  goes  further,  it 
forbids  not  only  the  actions,  but  the  affec- 
tions, "  Thou  shalt  not  covet  thy  nci£rh- 
hour's  house."  It  is  not  said,  thou  shalt 
not  take  away  his  house;  but  "  Thou  shalt 
not  covet  it."  These  lustings  and  desires 
after  the  forbidden  fruit  are  sinful,  Rom. 
vii.  7.,  "  The  law  had  said.  Thou  shalt 
not  covet."  Though  the  tree  bears  no  bad 
fruit,  it  may  be  faulty  at  the  root ;  though 
a  man  doth  not  commit  any  gross  sin,  yet 
who  can  say  his  heart  is  pure  ?  Tiiere  may 
be  a  faultiness  at  the  root,  there  may  be 
sinful  covetings  and  lustings  in  the  soul. 

Use.  Let  us  be  humbled  for  the  sin  of 
our  nature,  the  risings  of  evil  thoughts,  co- 
veting that  which  we  ought  not.  Our  na- 
ture is  a  seed-plot  of  iniquity;  it  is  like 
charcoal  that  is  ever  sparkling  ;  the  sparkles 
of  pride,  envy,  covetousness,  arise  in  the 
mind.  How  should  this  humble  us  ?  If 
there  be  not  sinful  actings,  there  are  sinful 
covetings.  Let  us  pray  for  mortifying 
grace  which  may  be  like  the  water  of  jea- 
lousy to  make  the  thigh  of  sin  to  rot.  But 
to  come  to  the  words  more  clearly,  "  Thou 
shalt  not  covet  thy  neighbour's  house,  nor 
thy  neighbour's  wife,"  &c. 

QuKST.  J17u/  is  the  house  put  before  the 
wife  ?  in  Deuteronomy  the  wife  is  put  first. 
Dent.  V.  21,  Neither  shalt  thou  desire  thy 
neighbour's  wife,  neither  shalt  thou  covet 
thy  neighbour's  house.  Here  the  house  is 
put  first  ? 

Ans.  In  Deuteronomy,  the  wife  is  set 
down  first,  in  respect  of  lier  value.  She  (if 
a  good  wife)  is  of  far  greater  value  and  es- 
timate than  the  house,  Frov.  xxxi.  10., 
"  Her  price  is  far  above  'ubies."  She  is 
the  furniture  of  the  hou^.l,  and  this  furni- 

2  U 


338 


OF  THE  TENTH  COMMANDMENT 


ture  is  more  worth  than  the  house.  When 
Alexander  had  overcome  king  Darius  in 
battle,  Darius  seemed  not  to  be  much  dis- 
mayed; but  when  he  heard  his  wife  was 
taken  prisoner,  now  his  eyes,  like  spouts, 
did  gush  forth  water,  as  valuing  his  wife 
dearer  than  his  life.  But  yet  in  this  place 
in  Exodus,  the  house  is  put  before  the 
wife ;  the  reason  is,  because  the  house  is 
first  in  order, — the  house  is  erected  before 
the  wife  can  live  in  it, — the  nest  is  built 
before  the  bird  is  in  it, — the  wife  is  first 
esteemed,  but  the  house  must  be  first  pro- 
vided. 

1.  Then,  "  Thou  shalt  not  covet  thy 
neighbour's  house."  How  depraved  is  man 
since  the  fall  !  man  knows  not  how  to  keep 
within  bounds,  but  is  coveting  more  than 
his  own.  Ahab,  one  would  think,  had  e- 
nough  ;  he  was  a  king,  and  one  would  sup- 
pose liis  crown-revenues  should  have  con- 
tented him  :  but  still  he  VA'as  coveting  more ; 
Nahoth's  vineyard  was  in  his  eye,  and  stood 
near  the  smoke  of  his  chimney,  and  he  could 
not  bo  quiet  till  he  had  it  in  possession. 
Were  there  not  so  much  coveting,  there 
would  not  be  so  much  bribing:  one  man 
j)ulls  away  another's  house  from  him.  It 
is  only  the  prisoner  lives  in  such  a  tene- 
ment as  he  may  be  sure  none  will  go  about 
to  take  from  him. 

2.  "  Thou  shalt  not  covet  thy  neigh- 
bour's wife."  This  commandment  is  a  bi'i  • 
die  to  check  the  inordinancy  of  brutish 
lusts  :  "  Thou  shalt  not  covet  thy  neigh- 
bour's wife."  It  was  the  devil  that  '  sowed 
another  man's  ground,'  Mat.  xiil.  25.  But 
how  is  the  hedge  of  this  commandment 
trodden  down  in  our  times  !  There  be  many 
wlio  do  more  than  covet  their  neighbour's 
wives,  they  take  them:  Deut.  xxvii.  20., 
"  Cursed  be  lie  that  lieth  with  his  father's 
\'ife;  and  all  the  people  shall  say,  Amen." 
If  it  were  to  be  proclaimed  "  Cursed  be  he 
lliat  lieth  with  his  neighbour's  Avife,"  and 
all  that  were  guilty  should  say.  Amen,  how 
many  vA'ould  curse  themselves  ! 

3.  "  Thou  shalt  not  covet  thy  neighbour's 
man-servant,  nor  his  maid-servant."  Ser- 
vants, when  faithful,  are  a  treasure.  What 
a  true  and  trusty  servant  had  Abraham  !  He 
was  his  right  hand  ;  how  prudent  and  faith- 
ful ,was  he  in  the  matter  he  was  intrusted 


with,  in  getting  a  wife  for  his  master's  son,!; 
Gen.  xxiv.  9.  And  surely  it  would  havc^i 
gone  near  to  Abraham,  to  have  had  any  one 
entice  away  his  servant  from  him.  But 
this  sin  of  coveting  servants  is  common  ;  if 
one  hath  a  better  servant,  othei's  will  be  in- 
veigling and  laying  baits  for  him,  and  en- 
deavour to  draw  him  away  from  his  master. 
This  is  a  sin  against  the  tenth  command- 
ment. To  steal  away  another's  servant  by 
enticement,  is  no  better  than  thievery.* 

4.  "  Nor  his  ox,  nor  his  ass,  nor  any 
thing  that  is  thy  neighbour's."  W^ere  there 
not  coveting  of  ox  and  ass,  there  would  not 
be  so  much  stealing;  first  men  break  the 
tenth  commandment  by  coveting,  and  tlien 
they  break  the  eighth  commandment  by 
stealing.  It  was  an  excellent  appeal  that 
Samuel  made  to  the  people,  1  Sam,  xii.  3., 
"  Witness  against  me  before  the  Lord, 
whose  ox  have  I  taken,  or  whose  ass,  or 
whom  have  I  defrauded."  And  it  was  a 
brave  speech  of  St.  Paul,  Acts  xx.  33.,  "  I 
have  coveted  no  man's  gold,  or  silver,  or 
apparel." 

Quest.  But  luhat  means  may  we  use,  to 
keep  us  from  coveting  that  which  is  our  neiyh- 
bour's  ? 

Ans.  The  best  remedy  is  contentment. 
If  we  are  content  with  our  own,  we  shall 
not  covet  that  which  is  another's.  St.  Paul 
could  say,  "  I  have  coveted  no  man's  gold 
or  silver :"  whence  was  this  ?  It  was  from 
contentment,  Phil.  iv.  1 1.,  "  I  have  learn- 
ed, in  whatever  state  I  am,  therewith  to  bf 
content."  Content  saith,  as  Esau,  Gen. 
xxxiii.  9.,  "  I  have  enough  ;"  I  have  a  pro- 
mise of  heaven,  and  have  suflicient  to  bear 
my  charges  thither  ;  I  have  enough.  And 
he  who  hath  enough,  will  not  covet  that 
which  is  another's.  Be  content  :  and  the 
best  way  to  be  contented,  is,  1.  Believe 
that  condition  best  which  God  carves  out 
to  you  by  his  providence.  If  God  had 
seen  it  fit  for  us  to  have  more,  we  should 
have  had  it ;  but  his  wisdom  sees  this  best 
for  us.  Perhaj)s  wo  could  not  manage  a 
great  estate;  it  is  hard  to  carry  a  full  cuj* 
without  spilling,  and  a  full  estate  without 
sinning.  Great  estates  may  be  snares :  a 
boat  may  be  overturned  by  having  too  great 
a  sail.  The  believing  that  estate  best  God 
carves  for  us,  makes  us  content ;  and  being 


MAN'S  INABILITY  TO  KEEP  THE  MORAL  LAW. 


339 


contented,  we  will  not  covet  that  which  is 
another's.  2.  The  way  to  be  content  with 
such  things  as  we  Imvc,  and  not  to  covet 
another's,  is  to  consider  the  less  estate  wc 
have,  the  less  account  we  shall  have  to  give 
at  the  last  day.  Every  person  is  a  stew- 
ard, and  must  be  accountable  to  God. 
They  who  have  great  estates  have  the  great- 
er reckoning;  God  will  say,  what  good 
have  you  done  with  your  estates?  Have 
you   honoured   me  with   your   substance? 


Where  are  the  poor  you  have  fed  and  cloth- 
ed ?  If  you  cannot  give  a  good  account,  it 
will  be  sad.  This  may  make  us  contented 
witii  a  less  portion,  to  consider, — the  less 
estate,  the  less  account  we  liave  to  give, — 
the  less  riches,  the  less  reckoning.  This  is 
the  way  to  have  contentment ;  and  no  bet- 
ter antidote  ag.-iinst  coveting  that  which  ia 
another's  than  being  content  with  that 
whicli  is  our  own. 

So  much  for  the  commandments. 


MAN'S  INABILITY  TO  KEEP  THE  MORAL  LAW. 


Quest.  LXXXII.  IS  any  man  able  per- 
fectly  to  keep  the  commandmejits  of  God  ? 

Aws.  No  mere  man,  since  the  fall,  is  able 
in  this  life  perfectly  to  keep  the  command- 
ments of  God,  but  doth  daily  break  them, 
in  thought,  word,  and  deed. 

James  iii.  2.,  "  In  many  things  we  of- 
fend ail."  Man  in  his  primitive  state  of 
innocency  "'hs  endowed  with  ability  to  keep 
the  wlioie  moral  law;  Adam  had  rectitude 
of  mind,  sanctity  of  will,  perfection  of 
power ;  Adam  had  the  copy  of  God's  law 
written  on  his  heart ;  no  sooner  did  God 
command,  but  he  did  obey  ;  as  the  key  is 
suited  to  all  the  wards  in  the  lock,  and  can 
open  them,  so  Adam  had  a  power  suited  to 
all  God's  commands,  and  could  obey  them. 
Adam's  obedience  did  exactly  run  parallel 
with  the  moral  law,  as  a  well-made  dial 
goes  exactly  with  the  sun.  Man  in  inno- 
ence  was  like  a  well-tuned  organ,  he  did 
sweetly  tune  to  the  will  of  God;  he  was 
adorned  with  holiness  as  the  angels,  but 
not  confirmed  in  holiness  as  the  angels ; 
Adam  was  holy  but  mutable ;  he  fell  from 
liis  purity,  and  we  with  him.  Sin  cut  the 
lock  of  original  righteousness  where  our 
strength  lay ;  sin  hath  brought  such  a  lan- 
guor and  faintness  into  our  souls,  and  hath 
so  weakened  us,  that  we  shall  never  recover 
our  full  strength  till  wc  put  on  immorta- 
lity. The  thing  I  am  now  to  demonstrate, 
is,  that  we  cannot  yield  perfect  obedience 
to  the  moral  law :  "  In  many  things  we  of- 
fend all." 

\st.  The  case  of  an  unregenerate  man  is 
such,  that  he  cannot  perfectly  obey  all  God's 


commands  ;  he  may  as  well  touch  the  stars, 
or  span  the  ocean,  as  yield  exact  obedience 
to  the  law.  A  person  unregenerate  cannot 
act  spiritually, — he  cannot  pray  in  the  Holy 
Ghost, — he  cannot  live  by  faith, — he  can- 
not do  duty  out  of  love  to  duty, — and  if  he 
cannot  do  duty  spiritually,  then  much  less 
perfectly.  Now,  that  a  natural  man  cannot 
yield  perlect  obedience  to  the  moral  law, 
is  evident :  I.  Because  he  is  spiritually 
dead,  Epii.  ii.  1.  And  being  so,  how  can 
he  keep  the  commandments  of  God  perfect- 
ly ?  A  dead  man  is  not  fit  for  action.  A 
sinner  hath  tlie  symptoms  of  death  upon 
him:  (I.)  He  liatli  no  sense;  a  dead  man 
hath  no  sense  ;  \u\  hath  no  sense  of  the  evil 
of  sin,  of  God's  holiness  and  veracity ; 
therefore  he  is  said  to  be  without  feeling, 
Eph.  iv.  19.  (2.)  He  hath  no  strength, 
Rom.  V.  6.  What  strength  hath  a  dead 
man  ?  A  natural  man  hath  no  strength  to 
deny  himself,  to  resist  temptation;  he  is 
dead,  and  can  a  dead  man  fulfil  the  moral 
law  ? — 2.  A  natural  man  cannot  perfectly 
keep  all  God's  commandments  because  he 
is  so  interlarded  with  sin  ;  he  is  born  in 
sin,  Ps.  li.  5.  Job  xv,  16.,  "  Which  drink- 
eth  iniquity  like  water."  All  the  imagi- 
nations of  his  thoughts  are  evil,  and  only 
evil.  Gen.  vi.  4.  Now  the  least  evil  thought 
is  a  breach  of  the  royal  law  ;  and,  if  there 
be  defection,  there  cannot  be  perfection. 
And,  as  a  natural  man  hath  no  power  to 
keep  the  moral  law,  so  he  hath  no  will. 
He  is  not  only  dead,  but  worse  than  dead ; 
a  dead  man  doth  no  hurt,  but  there  is  a 
life  of  resistance  against  God  goes  along 


S40 


MAN'S  INABILITY  TO  KEEP  THE  MORAL  LAW. 


with  tlic  dcatli  of  sin.  A  natural  man  not 
only  cannot  keep  tlie  law  tliroutrli  weak- 
ness, but  lie  breaks  it  throufrli  wilfulness, 
Jcr.  xliv.  17.,  "  We  will  do  wliatsoever  go- 
etb  forth  out  of  our  mouth,  to  burn  incense 
to  tlic  queen  of  heaveii." 

2d.  As  the  unrogencrate  cannot  keep  the 
moral  law  perfectly,  so  neither  the  regen- 
erate:   Eccl.  vii.  20.,   "  There  is  not  a  just 
man  upon  tlie  earth,  tliat  doeth  good  and 
sinneth  not;"  nay,  that  "  sins  not  in  doing 
good."     There  is  that  in  tlie  best  actions 
of  a   righteous   man   that   is    damnable,   if 
God  should  weigh   him   in   the  balance  of 
justice.       Alas,    how    are    his    duties    fly- 
blown !  He  cannot  pray  without  wandering, 
nor  believe  without  doubting :    Rom.  vii. 
18.,   "  To  will  is  present  with  me,  but  how 
to  perform  I  find  not."     In  the  Greek  it  is, 
"  How   to   do  it    thoroughly   I   find  not." 
Paul,  thotigh  a  saint  of  the  first  magnitude, 
was  better  at  willing  than  at  performing. 
Mary  asked  where   they  had  laid  Christ : 
she  had  a  mind  to  liave  carried  him  away, 
but  she  wanted  strength  :  so  the  regenerate 
have  a  will  to  obey  God's  law  perfectly,  but 
they  want  strength  ;  their  obedience  is  weak, 
and  sickly  ;  the  mark  they  are  to  shoot  at, 
is  perfection  of  holiness ;  but  though  they 
take  a  right  aim,  yet  do  what  they  can,  they 
shoot  short :  Rom.  vii.  19.,   "  The  good  that 
I  would,  I  do  not."     A  Christian,  while  he 
is  serving  God,  is  hiiidered ;  like  a  ferry- 
man, that  plies  the  oar,  and  rows  hard,  but 
a  gust  of  wind  carries  him  back  again  :  so 
saith  Paul,   "  The  good  that  I  would,   I  do 
not," — I  am   driven   back    by   temptation. 
Now,  if  there  be  any  failure  in  our  obedi- 
ence, we  cannot  make  a  perfect  commentary 
vipon   God's   law  ;    no  Christian   alive   can 
write  a  copy  of  holiness  without  blotting. 
The  Virgin  Mary's  obedience  was  not  per- 
fect, she  needed  Christ's  blood  to  v/ash  her 
tears.     Aaron  was  to  make  atonement  A)r 
the  altar,  Exod.  xxix.  37.,  to  shew  that  the 
most  lioly  offering  hath  defilement  in    it, 
and  needs  atonement  to  be  made  for  it. 

Quest.  1.  But  if  a  man  hath  no  power  fo 
keep  the  whole  moral  lair,  that  why  doth  God 
require  that  of  man  which  he  is  not  able  to 
perform  ?  How  .doth  this  stand  with  his 
justice  ? 

Ans,  Though  man  liath  lof;t  his  power  of 


obeying,  God  hath  not  lost  his  right  of  com- 
manding. If  a  master  intrusts  a  servant 
with  money  to  lay  out,  and  the  servant 
spends  it  dissolutely,  may  not  the  master 
justly  demand  this  money?  God  gave  us 
a  ])ower  to  keep  the  moral  law ;  we,  by 
tanijtering  with  sin,  lost  it :  but  may  not 
(lod  still  call  for  perfect  obedience .''  Or, 
in  case  of  default,  justly  punish  us? 

Quest.  2.  But  why  doth  God  suffer  such 
an  imjMjtency  to  lie  vpcm  man  that  he  cannot 
perfectly  keep  the  law  ? 

Ans.  The  Lord  doth  it,  1.  To  humble 
us.  Man  is  a  self-exalting  creature;  and, 
if  he  hath  but  any  thing  of  worth,  he  is 
ready  tt)  be  puffed  up;  but  when  he  comes 
to  see  his  deficiencies  and  failings,  and  how 
far  short  be  comes  of  the  holiness  and  per- 
fection God's  law  requires,  this  is  a  means 
to  pull  down  his  plumes  of  pride,  and  lay 
them  in  the  dust;  he  weeps  over  his  impo- 
tency, — he  blusheth  over  liis  leprous  spots, 
— he  saith,  as  Job,  "  I  abhor  myself  in  dust 
and  ashes." — 2.  God  lets  this  impotency  and 
infirmness  be  upon  us,  that  we  may  have 
recourse  to  Christ,  to  obtain  ])ardon  for  our 
defects,  and  to  sprinkle  our  best  duties  with 
his  blood.  AVhen  a  man  sees  himself  in- 
debted, he  owes  perfect  obedience  to  the 
law,  but  he  hath  nothing  to  pay  ;  this  mtdtes 
him  flee  to  Christ  to  be  his  friend,  and 
answer  all  the  demands  and  challenges  of 
the  law,  and  set  him  free  in  the  court  of 
j  ustice. 

Use  1>^.  Is  matter  of  humiliation  for  our 
fall  in  Adam.  In  the  state  of  innocency 
we  were  perfectly  holy ;  our  minds  were 
crowned  with  knowledge,  and  our  wills,  as 
a  queen,  did  sway  the  scejitrc  of  liberty ; 
but  now  we  may  say,  as  Lam.  v.  16.,  "  The 
crown  is  fallen  from  our  head."  We  liavc 
lost  that  power  which  was  inherent  in  us. 
"WHien  we  look  back  to  our  j)rin)itivc  glory 
when  we  shone  as  earthly  angels,  we  may 
take  up  Job's  words,  chap.  xxix.  2.,  "  O 
that  I  were  as  in  months  past  !''  O  that  it 
were  with  us  as  at  first,  when  there  was 
no  stain  upon  our  virgin  nature,  when  there 
was  a  perfect  harmony  between  God's  law 
and  man's  will !  But,  alas  !  how  the  scene 
is  altered;  our  strength  is  gone  from  us, — 
we  tread  awry  every  st(>j), — we  come  below 
every  precept,-    our  dwarfishncss  will  not 


MAN'S  INABILITY  TO  KEEP  THE  MORAL  LAW. 


341 


reacli  the  sublimitv  of  God's  law, — we  fail 
in  our  obedience, — and,  while  we  fail,  we 
forfeit.  This  may  put  us  in  close  mourn- 
injj^,  and  spring  a  leak  of  sorrow  in  all  our 
souls. 

Use  2(1.  Of  Confutation.  1.  It  confutes 
the  Anninians,  who  cry  up  the  power  of 
the  will ;  they  hold  they  have  a  will  to  save 
themselves,  but  by  nature,  we  not  only 
want  strength,  Rom.  \.  9.,  but  we  want 
will  to  that  which  is  good.  The  will  is  not 
only  full  of  impotency,  but  obstinacy,  Ps. 
Ixxxi.  11.,  "  Israel  would  none  of  me." 
The  will  hangs  forth  a  flag  of  defiance  a- 
gainst  God.  Such  as  speak  of  the  sove- 
reign power  of  the  will,  forget  Phil.  ii.  13., 
*'  It  is  God  that  workoth  in  you  both  to 
will  and  to  do."  If  the  jjower  be  in  the 
will  of  man,  then  what  netds  (Jod  work  in 
us  to  will  ?  If  the  air  can  enlighten  itself, 
what  needs  the  sun  to  shin<'  ?  Such  as  talk 
of  the  power  of  nature,  and  the  ability  they 
liHve  to  save  tliemselves,  liiey  disparage 
Christ's  merits.  I  may  say,  as  Gal.  v.  4., 
"  Christ  is  become  of  no  effect  to  them." 
This  I  affirm,  such  as  advance  the  power  of 
their  will  in  matters  of  salvation,  without 
the  medicinal  grace  of  Christ,  do  absolutely 
jmt  themselves  under  the  covenant  of  works. 
And  now  I  would  ask  them,  can  they  per- 
fectly keep  the  moral  law  ?  Malum  oritur 
ex  quulibet  defectu.  If  there  be  but  the  least 
defect  in  their  obedience,  they  are  gone; 
for  one  sinful  thought,  the  law  of  God  curs- 
eth  them,  and  the  justice  of  God  arraigns 
them.  Confounded  be  their  pride,  who 
cry  up  the  power  of  nature,  as  if,  by  their 
own  inherent  abilities,  they  could  rear  up  a 
building,  the  top  whereof  should  reach  to 
heaven  ! 

2.  It  confutes  a  sort  of  people  that  brag 
of  perfection,  and  according  to  that  prin- 
ciple, they  can  keep  all  God's  command- 
ments perfectly.  I  would  ask  these,  has 
there  at  no  time  a  vain  thoujiht  come  into 
their  minds?  If  there  has,  then  they  are 
are  not  perfect.  The  ^•irgin  Mary  was  not 
perfect ;  though  her  womb  was  pure,  (be- 
ing overshadowed  with  the  Holy  Ghost)  yet 
her  soul  was  not  perfect ;  Christ  doth  tacit- 
ly imply  a  failing  in  her,  Luke  ii.  49. 
And,  are  they  more  perfect  than  the  bless- 
ed Virgin  was?     Such  as  hold  perfection, 


need  not  confess  sin.  David  confessed  sin, 
Ps.  xxxii.  5.,  and  Paul  confessed  sin,  Rom. 
vii.  25. ;  but  they  are  got  beyond  David 
and  Paul  ;  they  are  perfect, — they  never 
transgress, — -"nnd  where  there  is  no  trans- 
gression, what  needs  confession  ? — 2c//y,  If 
they  are  perfect  they  need  not  ask  pardon  ; 
they  can  pay  God's  justice  what  they  owe; 
therefore  what  need  they  pray,  "  Forgive 
us  our  debts?"  Oh  that  the  devil  should 
rock  men  so  fast  asleep  as  to  make  them 
dream  of  perfection  !  And  whereas  they 
bring  that,  Phil.  iii.  15.,  "  Let  us  there- 
fore as  many  as  be  perfect  be  thus  minded." 
Answer,  perfection  there,  is  meant  of  sin- 
cerity. God  is  best  able  to  interpret  his 
own  word.  He  calls  sincerity,  perfection  ; 
Job  i.  8.,  "  A  perfect  and  an  upright  man." 
But  who  is  exactly  perfect?  A  man  full 
(»f  diseases  mav  as  well  say  he  is  healthful, 
as  a  man  full  of  sin  say  he  is  perfect  ! 

Use  Sd.  To  regenerate  persons.  Though 
you  fail  in  your  obedience,  and  cannot 
keep  the  moral  law  exactly,  yet  be  not  dis- 
couraged. 

Quest.  flTiat  comfort  may  be  given  to  a 
regenerate  person  under  the  failures  and  im- 
perfections of  his  obedience  ? 

Ans.  1.  That  a  believer  is  not  under  the 
covenant  of  works,  but  under  the  covenant 
of  grace.  The  covenant  of  works,  requires 
perfect,  personal,  perpetual  obedience ;  but 
in  the  covenant  of  grace,  God  will  make 
some  abatements,  he  will  accept  of  less  than 
he  required  in  the  covenant  of  works. 

(1.)  In  the  covenant  of  works  God  re- 
quired perfection  of  degrees, — in  the  cove- 
venant  of  grace,  he  accepts  perfection  of 
parts:  there  he  required  perfect  working, 
— here  he  accepts  sincere  believing;  in  the 
covenant  of  works,  God  required  us  to  live 
without  sin, — in  the  covenant  of  grace, 
God  accepts  of  our  combat  with  sin. 

(2.)  Though  a  Christian  cannot,  in  his 
own  person,  perform  all  God's  command- 
ments, vet  Christ,  as  his  surety,  and  in  his 
stead,  hath  fulfilled  the  law  for  him,  and 
God  accepts  of  Christ's  obedience,  which  is 
perfect,  to  satisfy  for  that  obedience  which 
is  imperfect.  Christ  being  made  a  curse 
for  believers,  all  the  curses  of  the  law  have 
their  sting  pulled  out. 

(3.)  Though  a  Christian  cannot  keep  the 


?42 


ALL  SINS  NOT  EQUALLY  HEINOUS. 


commands  of  God  to  satisfaction,   yet  he 
may  to  approbation. 

Quest.  Hoiv  is  that? 

Ans.  1.  He  gives  his  full  assent  and  con- 
sent  to  the    law   of  God  :   Rom.  vii.   12., 
"  The  law  is  holy  and  just ;''  there  was  as-  i 
gent  in   the  judgment;  Rom.  vii.  16.,   "I 
consent  to  the  law  ;"  there  was  consent  in  | 
the  Avill.  I 

A.  2.  A  Christian  mourns  that  he  can- 
not keep  the  commandments  fully  ;  when 
he  fails,  he  weeps  ;  he  is  not  angry  with 
the  law  because  it  is  so  strict,  but  he  is  an- 
gry with  himself  because  he  is  so  deficient. 

A.  3.  He  takes  a  sweet  complacential  de- 
light in  the  law  :  Rom.  vii.  22.,  "  I  delight 
in  tlie  law  of  God  after  the  inward  man." 
Or.  [Synedomai,']  '  I  take  pleasure  in  it.' 
Ps.  cxix.  9T.,  "  O  how  love  I  thy  law  !" 
Though  a  Christian  cannot  keep  God's  law, 
yet  he  loves  his  law ;  tliough  he  cannot 
serve  God  perfectly,  yet  he  serves  him  wil- 
lingly. 

A.  4.  It  is  his  cordial  desire  to  walk  in 
all  God's  commands,  Ps.  cxix.  5.,  "  O  that 
nay  ways  were  directed  to  keep  thy  sta- 
tutes !"  Though  his  strength  fails,  yet  his 
pulse  beats. 


A.  5.  He  doth  really  endeavour  to  obey 
God's  law  perfectly ;  and  wherein  he  comes 
short  he  runs  to  Christ's  blood  to  make 
supply  for  his  defects.  This  cordial  desire, 
and  real  endeavour,  God  esteems  as  perfect 
obedience,  2  Cor.  viii.  12.,  "  If  there  be 
first  a  willing  mind,  it  is  accepted."  "  Let 
me  hear  thy  voice,  for  sweet  is  thy  voice," 
Cant.  ii.  14.  Though  the  prayers  of  the 
righteous  are  mixed  with  sin,  yet  God 
sees  they  would  pray  better;  God  picks 
out  the  weeds  from  the  flowers  ;  he  sees 
the  faith  and  winks  at  the  failing.  The 
saint's  obedience,  though  he  falls  short  of 
legal  perfection,  yet  having  sincerity  in  it, 
and  Christ's  merits  mixed  with  it,  finds 
gracious  acceptance.  When  the  Lord  sees 
endeavours  after  perfect  obedience,  this  he 
takes  well  at  our  hands ;  as  a  father  that 
receives  a  letter  from  his  child,  though 
there  be  blots  in  the  letter,  and  false  spell- 
ings, yet  the  father  takes  all  in  good  part. 
O  what  blottings  are  there  in  our  holy 
things  !  but  God  is  pleased  to  take  all  in 
good  part.  Saith  God,  "  It  is  my  child,  and 
he  would  do  better  if  he  could ;  I  will  ac- 
cept it." 


ALL  SINS  NOT  EQUALLY  HEINOUS. 


Quest.  LXXXIIL  ARE  all  tramgres- 
siu7is  of  the  law  ((juallij  htinoiis? 

Ans.  Some  sins,  in  themselves,  and  by 
reason  of  several  aggravations,  are  more 
heinous  in  the  sifjht  of  God  than  others. 

John  xix.  11.,  "He  that  delivered  me 
unto  thee,  hath  the  greater  sin."  The  Stoic 
philosophers  held  that  all  sins  were  equal  : 
but  this  scripture  clearly  holds  forth  that 
there  is  a  gradual  difference  in  sin  ;  some 
are  greater  than  others ;  some  are  '  mighty 
gins,'  Amos.  v.  12.,  and  'crying  sins,'  Gen. 
xviii.  21.  Every  sin  hath  a  voice  to  speak, 
but  some  sins  cry.  As  some  diseases  are 
worse  than  others,  and  some  poisons  more 
venomous,  so  some  sins  are  more  heinous. 
E/ek.  xvi.  47.  Jer.  ^\\.  12.,  "You  have 
done  worse  than  your  fathers," — your  sins 
have  exceeded  tlieirs.  Some  sins  have  a 
blacker   aspect    than    others :    to    clip    the 


king's  coin  is  treason,  but  to  strike  his  per- 
son is  a  higher  degree  of  treason.  A  vain 
thought  is  a  sin,  but  a  blasphemous  word  is 
a  greater  sin.  That  some  sins  are  greater 
than  others,  appears,  1.  Because  there  was 
difference  in  tlie  offerings  under  the  law, — 
the  sin-offering  was  greater  than  the  tres- 
pass offering. — 2.  Because  some  sins  are 
not  capable  of  pardon  as  others  are,  there- 
fore they  must  needs  be  more  heinous,  as 
the  blasphemy  against  the  Holy  Ghost, 
Mat.  xii.  31. — 3.  Because  some  sins  have  a 
greater  degree  of  punishment  than  others, 
Mat.  xxiii.  14,  24.,  "  Ye  shall  receive  the 
greater  damnation."  Shall  not  the  Judge 
of  all  the  earth  do  right?  God  will  not 
punish  one  more  than  another,  but  that  his 
sin  is  greater.  It  is  true,  *  all  sins  are  e-f 
qually  heinous  in  respect  to  the  object, 
or  the  person  against  whom  sin  is  commit- 


ALL  SINS  NOT  EQUALLY  HEINOUS. 


343 


ted,  viz.  the  infinite  God ;  but,  in  another 
t>ense,  all  sins  are  not  alike  heinous  ;  some 
sins  have  more  bloody  circumstances  in 
them,  which  are  like  the  dye  to  the  wool, 
to  give  it  a  deeper  colour. 

Quest.  II hat  sins  may  be  said  io  be  more 
heinous  than  others  ? 

Ans.  1.  Such  sins  as  are  committed  with- 
out any  occasion  offered  ;  a  man  swears  or  is 
angry,  and  hath  no  provocation.  Tiie  less 
the  occasion  of  sin  is,  the  greater  is  the  sin. 

A.  2.  Such  sins  are  more  heinous,  that 
are  committed  presumptuously.  Under  the 
law  tlioro  wae  no  sacrilico  for  presumptu- 
ous sins.  Numb.  xv. 

Quest.  JVhat  is  it  to  sin  presumptnoiisly, 
tvhich  (loth  heighten  and  oggruvale  sin,  and 
make  it  more  heinous  ? 

Ans.  To  sin  presumptuously,  is  to  sin  a- 
gainst  convictions  and  illuminations,  or  an 
enlightened  conscience,  Job  xxiv.  13.,  "They 
are  of  those  that  rebel  against  the  light." 
Conscience,  like  the  cherubim,  stands  with 
a  flaming  sword  in  its  hand  to  deter  the 
sinner;  yet  he  will  sin.  Did  not  Pilate 
sin  against  conviction,  and  with  an  high 
hand  in  condemning  Christ  ?  lie  knew 
that  of  euAT  the  Jews  had  delivered  him, 
Mat.  xxvii.  18. ;  he  confessed  he  found  "  no 
fault  with  him,"  Luke  xxiii.  14.;  and  his 
wife  sent  to  him,  saying,  "  have  thou  no- 
thing to  do  with  that  just  man,"  Mat.  xxvii. 
19. ;  yet  for  all  this,  he  gave  the  sentence  of 
death  against  Christ.  Here  he  sinned  pre- 
sumptuously,— against  an  enlightened  con- 
science. To  sin  ignorantly  doth  something 
extenuate  and  pair  off  the  guilt,  John  xv. 
22.,  *'  If  I  had  not  come  and  spoken  unto 
them,  they  had  not  had  sin,"  that  is,  their 
sin  had  been  less  ;  but  to  sin  against  illumi- 
nations and  convictions,  doth  enhance  and 
accent  men's  sins.  These  sins  make  deep 
wounds  in  the  soul ;  other  sins  fetch  blood, 
these  are  a  stab  at  the  heart. 

Quest.  Hoto  many  ways  does  a  man  sin 
against  illuminations  and  convictions  ? 

Ans.  1.  When  he  lives  in  the  total  ne- 
glect of  duty.  He  is  not  ignorant  that  it 
is  a  duty  to  read  the  word,  yet  he  lets  the 
Bible  lie  by  as  rusty  armour,  that  he  sel- 
dom makes  use  of;  he  is  convinced  that  it 
is  a  duty  to  pray  in  his  family,  yet  he  can 
go  days  and  months,  and  God  never  hear 


of  him  ;  he  calls  God  father,  but  never  asks 
hisb  lessing.  Neglect  of  family-prayer  doth, 
as  it  were,  uncover  the  roof  of  men's  houses, 
and  make  way  for  a  curse  to  be  rained 
down  upon  their  table. 

A.  2.  ^^'lu'n  a  man  lives  in  the  same  sins 
he  condemns  in  others,  Rom.  ii.  1.,  "  Thou 
that  judgest,  doest  the  same  thing."  As 
Austin  saith  of  Seneca,  '  He  wrote  against 
superstition,  yet  he  worshipped  those  im- 
ages which  he  reproved.'  One  man  con- 
dennis  another  for  rash  censuring,  yet  lives, 
in  the  same  sin  himself;  a  master  reproves 
liii^  aj)prentice  for  swearing,  yet  he  himself 
swears.  The  snuffers  of  the  tabernacle 
were  of  pure  gold ;  they  who  reprove  and 
snuff  the  vices  of  others,  had  need  them- 
selves to  be  free  from  those  sins.  The 
snuffers  must  be  of  gold. 

A.  3.  Whto  a  man  sins  after  vows,  Ps. 
Ivi.  12.,  "Thy  vows,  O  God,  are  upon  me." 
A  vow  is  a  religious  promise  made  to  God, 
to  dedicate  ourselves  to  him.  A  vow  is 
not  only  a  purpose,  but  a  promise.  Every 
votary  makes  himself  a  debtor,  he  binds 
himself  to  God  in  a  solemn  manner.  Now 
to  sin  after  a  vow,  to  vow  himself  to  God, 
and  give  his  soul  to  the  devil,  must  needs 
be  against  the  highest  convictions. 

A.  4.  When  a  man  sins  after  counsels, 
admonitions,  warning,  he  cannot  plead  ig- 
norance; the  trumpet  of  the  gospel  hath 
been  blown  in  his  ears,  and  sounded  a  re- 
treat to  call  him  off  from  his  sins  ;  he  hath 
been  told  of  his  injustice,  living  in  malice, 
keeping  bad  company,  yet  he  would  ven- 
ture upon  sin  ;  this  is  to  sin  against  con- 
viction,— it  aggravates  the  sin,  and  is  like 
a  weight  put  into  the  scale,  to  make  his  sin 
weigh  the  heavier.  If  a  sea-mark  be  set 
up  to  give  warning  that  there  are  shelves 
and  rocks  in  that  place,  yet  if  the  mariner 
will  sail  there,  and  split  his  ship,  it  is  pre- 
sumption ;  and,  if  he  be  cast  away,  who 
will  pity  him  ? 

A.  5.  When  a  man  sins  agsiinst  express 
comminations  and  threatenings.  God  hath 
thundered  out  threatenings  against  such 
sins,  Ps.  Ixviii.  21.,  "  God  shall  wound  the 
hairy  scalp  of  such  an  one  sis  goes  on  still 
in  his  trespasses."  Vet,  though  God  set  the 
point  of  his  sword  to  the  breast  of  a  sinner, 
yet  he  will  conuuit  sin.     The  pleasure  of 


SI  4 


ALL  SINS  NOT  EQUALLY  HEINOUS. 


sin  clotli  more  delight  liim,  than  tlie  threa- 
tcning-s  afFiiglit  him:  lie,  like  the  leviathan, 
laughs  at  the  shaking  of  a  spear,  Job  xli. 
29.  Nay,  he  derides  God's  threatenings, 
Is.  V.  19.,  "Let  him  make  speed,  and  has- 
ten his  work,  that  we  may  see  it ;"  we  have 
iicard  much  what  God  intends  to  do,  and 
of  judgment  approaching,  we  would  fain 
see  it.  For  men  to  see  the  flaming  sword 
of  God's  threatenings  brandished,  yet  to 
strengthen  themselves  in  sin,  is  in  an  high 
manner  to  sin  against  illumination  and  con- 
viction. 

yL  6.  When  a  man  sins  under  affliction. 
God  doth  not  only  thunder  by  threatening, 
but  hath  let  his  thunderbolt  fall ;  he  hath 
inflicted  judgments  on  a  person;  he  may 
read  his  sin  in  his  punishment,  yet  he  sins. 
His  sin  was  un cleanness  ;  he  hath  wasted 
his  strength,  as  well  as  his  estate.  He  hath 
had  a  fit  of  apoplexy  ;  yet,  though  he  feels 
the  smart  of  sin,  he  retains  the  love  of  sin. 
This  is  to  sin  against  conviction,  2  Chron. 
xxviii.  22.,  "  In  his  distress  did  he  trespass 
yet  more  :  this  is  that  king  Ahaz."  This 
doth  enhance  and  make  the  sin  greater  than 
other  sins :  for  sinning  against  an  elighten- 
ed  conscience :  1.  Is  full  of  obstinacy  and 
pertinaciousness ;  men  give  no  reason,  make 
no  defence  for  their  sins,  yet  they  are  re- 
solved to  hold  fast  iniquity.  This  is  despe- 
rate wilfulness ;  and,  voluntas  est  regula  el 
mensura  actionis,  the  more  of  the  will  in  a 
sin,  the  greater  the  sin  :  Jer.  xviii.  12.,  "  We 
will  walk  after  our  own  devices."  Though 
there  be  death  and  hell  every  step,  we  will 
march  on  under  Satan's  colours.  This  made 
the  sin  of  the  apostatt^  angels  so  great,  be- 
cause it  was  wilful ;  they  had  no  ignorance 
in  their  mind, — no  passion  to  stir  them  up, 
— there  was  no  tempter  to  deceive  them, 
but  they  sinned  obstinately,  and  out  of 
choice. 

A.  7.  To  sin  against  convictions  and  il- 
luminations, is  joined  with  slighting  and 
contempt  of  God.  It  is  bad  for  a  sinner  to 
forget  (rod,  but  it  is  worse  to  contemn  him. 
Ps.  X.  13.,  "  Wherefore  do  the  wicked  con- 
temn God  ?"  An  enlightened  sinner  knows 
that  bv  his  sin  he  disobligeth  and  angers 
(lod  ;  but  he  cares  not  whether  God  be 
pleased  or  not,  he  will  have  his  sin  ;  there- 
fore such  an  one  is  said   to  reproach  (iod,  ' 


Numb.  XV.  30.,  "  Tlie  soul  that  doetli  ought 
presumptuously,  the  same  reproacheth  the 
Lord."  Every  sin  displeaseth  God,  but 
sins  against  an  enlightened  conscience  re- 
proach the  Lord.  To  contemn  the  autho 
rity  of  a  prince,  is  a  reproach  done  to  him. 
— 2.  It  is  accompanied  with  impudency. 
Fear  and  shame  are  banished,  the  veil  of 
modesty  is  laid  aside,  Zeph.  iii.  .5.,  "  The 
unjust  knoweth  no  shame."  Judas  knew 
Christ  was  the  Messiah  ;  he  was  convinced 
of  it  by  an  oracle  from  heaven,  and  by  the 
miracles  he  wrought,  and  yet  he  impudent- 
ly goes  on  in  his  treason  ;  nay,  when  Christ 
said,  "  He  that  dips  his  hand  with  me  in 
the  dish,  he  shall  betray  me,"  and  Judas 
knew  Christ  meant  him.  And  when  Judas 
was  going  about  his  treason,  Christ  pro- 
nounced a  woe  to  him,  Luke  xxii.  22., 
yet,  for  all  that,  he  proceeded  in  his  trea- 
son. Thus  to  sin  presumptuously,  against 
an  enlightened  conscience,  dyes  the  sin  of 
a  crimson  colour,  and  makes  it  greater  than 
other  sins. 

A.  8.  Such  sins  are  more  heinous  than 
others,  which  are  sins  of  continuance.  The 
continuing  of  sin  is  the  enhancing  of  sin. 
He  who  plots  treason,  makes  himself  a 
greater  offender.  Some  men's  heads  are  the 
devil's  mint-house,  they  are  minting  of  mis- 
chief, Rom.  i.  30.,  "  Inventors  of  evil 
things."  Some  invent  new  oaths,  others 
new  snares ;  such  were  those  presidents 
that  invented  a  decree  against  Daniel,  and 
got  the  king  to  sign  it,  Dan.  vi.  9. 

A,  9.  Those  sins  arc  greater  which  pro- 
ceed from  a  spirit  of  malignity.  To  malign 
holiness  is  diabolical.  'Tis  a  sin  to  want 
grace,  'tis  worse  to  hate  it.  In  nature  there 
are  antipathies,  as  between  the  vine  and 
laurel.  Some  have  an  antipathy  against 
God,  because  of  his  purity,  Isa.  xxx.  11., 
"  Cause  the  Holy  One  of  Israel  to  cease 
from  before  us."  Sinners,  if  it  lay  in  their 
power,  would  not  only  un-throne  God,  but 
un-be  God  ;  if  they  could  help  it,  God  should 
no  longer  be  God.  Thus  sin  is  boiled  up 
to  a  greater  height. 

A.  10.  Those  sins  are  of  a  greater  magni- 
tude, which  are  mixed  with  ingratitude. 
God  cannot  endure  of  all  things  to  have  hi.s 
kindness  slighted.  God's  mercy  is  seen  in 
reprieving  men  so  long, — in  wooing  them 


ALL  SINS  NOT  EQUALLY  HEINOUS. 


345 


by  Ins  Spirit  and  ministers  to  be  reconciled, 
— in  crowning  them  with  so  many  tempo- 
ral blessings :  now,  to  abuse  all  this  love, 
when  God  hath  been  filling  up  the  measure 
of  his  mercy,  that  men  sliould  fill  up  the 
measure  of  their  sins,  this  is  high  ingrati- 
tude, and  doth  make  their  sins  of  a  deeper 
crimson.  Some  are  \vorsc  for  mercy.  The 
vulture  (saith  Aelian)  draws  sickness  from 
perfumes:  so  the  sinner  contracts  evil  from 
the  sweet  perfumes  of  God's  mercy.  The 
English  Chronicle  reports  of  one  Parry, 
who  being  condemned  to  die,  queen  Eliza- 
beth sent  him  his  pardon  ;  and  after  he  was 
pai-doned,  he  conspired  and  plotted  the 
queen' tj  daatb  :  just,  so  some  deal  with  God  ; 
he  bestows  mercy,  and  tliey  plot  trPMson  a- 
gainst  him,  Tsa.  i.  2.,  "  I  have  nourished  and 
brought  up  children,  and  they  have  rebelled 
against  me."  The  Athenians,  in  lieu  of  the 
good  service  Themistocles  had  done  them, 
banished  him  their  city.  The  snake,  in 
the  lable,  being  frozen,  stung  him  that  gave 
it  warmth.  Certainly  sins  against  mercy 
are  far  more  heinous. 

A.  11.  Those  sins  are  more  heinous  than 
others,  which  are  committed  with  delecta- 
tion. A  child  of  God  may  sin  through  a 
surprisal,  or  agains.t  his  will,  Rom.  vii.  19., 
"  The  evil  which  I  would  not,  that  do  L" 
Like  one  that  is  carried  down  the  stream 
involuntarily  ;  but,  to  sin  with  delight,  doth 
l:eighten  and  greaten  the  sin ;  a  sign  the 
heart  is  in  the  sin,  Hos.  iv.  8.,  "  They  set 
their  heart  on  their  iniquity,"  as  a  man  fol- 
lows his  gain  with  delight :  Rev.  xxii.  15., 
"  Without  are  dogs,  and  whosoever  loveth 
and  maketh  a  lie."  To  tell  a  lie,  is  a  sin  ; 
but  to  love  to  tell  a  lie,  is  a  greater  sin. 

A.  12.  Those  sins  are  more  heinous  than 
others,  which  are  committed  under  a  pre- 
tence of  religion.  To  cozen  and  defraud  is 
a  sin  ,  but  to  do  it  with  a  Bible  in  one's 
hand,  is  a  double  sin.  To  be  unchaste,  is 
a  sin  ;  but  to  put  on  a  mask  of  religion  to 
play  the  whore,  makes  the  sin  greater :  Prov. 
vii.  14,  18.,  "  I  have  peace -oiferings  with 
me  ;  this  day  have  I  paid  my  aows  :  come 
let  us  take  our  fill  of  love."  She  speaks  as 
if  she  had  been  at  church,  and  had  been 
saying  her  prayers :  who  would  ever  have 
suspected  her  of  dishonesty  ?  But,  behold 
her  hypocrisy ;   she  makes  her  devotion  a 


preface  to  adultery,  Luke  xx.  47.,  "  Who 
devour  widows'  houses,  and  for  a  pretence 
make  long  prayers."  The  sin  was  not  in 
making  long  prayers,  (for  Christ  Avas  a 
whole  night  in  prayer),  but  to  make  long 
prayers,  that  they  might  do  unrighteous  ac- 
tions, did  make  their  sin  more  horrid. 

A.  13.  Sins  of  apostasy  are  more  heinous 
than  others.  Demas  forsook  the  truth, 
2  Tim.  iv.  10.,  and  afterwards  became  a 
priest  in  an  idol-temj)le,  saith  Dorotheus. 
To  fall,  is  a  sin;  but  to  fall  away,  is  a  greater 
sin.  Apostates  cast  a  disgrace  upon  reli- 
gion. Tne  apostate  (saith  Tertulian)  seems 
to  put  God  and  Satan  in  the  balance,  and 
having  weighed  both  their  sen'ices,  prefers 
the  devil's  service,  and  proclaims  him  to  be 
the  best  master.  In  which  respect  the  a- 
postate  is  said  to  put  Christ  to  "  open 
shame,"  Heb.  vi.  6.  This  dyes  a  sin  in  grain, 
and  makes  it  greater.  It  is  a  sin  not  to  pro- 
fess Christ,  but  it  is  a  greater  to  deny  him  ; 
not  to  wear  Christ's  colours  is  a  sin,  but  to 
run  from  his  colours  is  a  greater  sin.  A 
pagan  sins  less  than  a  baptized  renegado. 

A.  14.  To  persecute  religion,  makes  sin 
greater.  Acts  vii.  To  have  no  religion,  is  a 
sin ;  but  to  endeavour  to  destroy  religion  is 
a  greater.  Antiochus  Epiphanes  took  more 
tedious  journies,  and  ran  more  hazards,  to 
vex  and  oppose  the  Jews,  than  all  his  pre- 
decessors had  done  in  obtaining  ^nctories. 
'  Herod  added  yet  this  above  all,  that  he  put 
John  in  prison,"  Luke  iii.  20.  He  sinned  be- 
fore by  incest ;  but,  by  imprisoning  the  pro- 
phet, this  added  to  his  sin,  and  made  it  great- 
er. Persecution  fills  up  the  measure  of  sin. 
Mat.  xxiii.  32.,  "  Fill  ye  up  then  the  mea- 
sure of  your  fathers."  If  you  pour  in  a 
porringer  of  water  into  a  cistern,  that  adds 
something  to  it;  but  pour  in  a  bucketfuH  or 
two,  and  that  fills  up  the  measure  of  the 
cistern  ;  so  persecution  fills  up  the  measure 
of  sin,  and  makes  it  greater. 

A.  15.  To  sin  maliciously  makes  sin 
greater.  Aquinas  and  other  of  the  school- 
men place  the  sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost 
in  malice.  The  sinner  doth  all  he  can  to 
vex  God,  and  despite  the  Spirit  of  grace, 
Heb.  X.  29.  Thus  Julian,  who  threw  up 
his  dagger  in  the  air,  as  if  he  would  have 
been  revenged  upon  God.  This  swells  sin 
to  its   full   bigness,   it  cannot  be  greater 

2X 


34G 


WHAT  SIN  DESERVETH. 


When  a  man  is  trnce  come  to  this,  blas- 
phemously to  despite  the  Spirit,  there  is 
but  one  step  lower  he  can  fall,  and  that  is 
to  hell. 

A.  16.  et  ult.  It  aggi'avates  sin,  and  makes 
it  greater,  when  a  man  not  only  sins  him- 
self, but  endeavours  to  make  others  sin. 
1.  Such  as  teach  errors  to  the  people,  who 
decry  Christ's  deity,  or  deny  his  virtue, 
making  him  only  a  political  head,  not  an 
head  of  influence, — who  preach  against  the 
morality  of  the  sabbath,  or  the  immortality 
©f  the  soul, — these  men's  sins  are  greater 
than  others.  If  the  breakers  of  God's  law 
sin,  what  do  they  that  teach  men  to  break 
them?  Mat.  v.  19. — 2.  Such  as  destroy  o- 
thers  by  their  bad  example.     The  swearing 


father  hath  taught  his  son  to  swear,  and 
damned  him  by  his  example.  These  men's 
sins  are  greater  than  others,  and  they  shall 
have  an  hotter  place  in  hell. 

Use.  You  see  all  sins  are  not  equal ;  some 
are  more  grievous  than  others,  and  bring 
greater  wrath ;  therefore  especially  take 
heed  of  these  sins,  Ps.  xix.  13.,  "  Keep 
back  thy  servant  also  from  presumptuous 
sins."  The  least  sin  is  bad  enough  ;  you 
need  not  aggravate  your  sins,  and  make 
them  more  heinous.  lie  that  hath  a  little 
wound  will  not  make  it  deeper.  O  beware 
of  these  bloody  circumstances  wliich  greatcn 
your  sin,  and  make  it  more  heinous  !  The 
higher  a  man  is  in  sinning,  the  lower  he 
shall  lio  in  torment. 


WHAT  SIN  DESERVETH. 


Quest.  LXXXIV.  WHAT  doth  every 
sin  deserve  ? 

Ans.  God's  wrath  and  curse,  both  in  this 
life,  and  that  which  is  to  come.  Mat.  xxv. 
41.,  "  Depart  from  mo,  ye  cursed,  into 
everlasting  fire."  Man  having  sinned,  is 
like  a  favourite  turned  out  of  the  king's 
favour,  and  deserves  the  wrath  and  curse 
of  God. 

\st.  God's  curse.  Gal.  iii.  10.  As  when 
Christ  cursed  the  fig-tree,  it  withered,  Mat. 
xxi.  19.,  so,  when  God  curseth  any,  he  wi- 
thers in  his  soul.  God's  curse  blasts  wher- 
ever it  comes. 

2d.  God's  wrath,  which  is  nothing  else 
but  the  execution  of  God's  curse. 

I.  W^hat  this  wrath  is?  In  this  wrath 
there  is,  1.  Something  that  is  privative ; 
that  is,  the  being  deprived  of  the  smiles  of 
God's  face.  It  is  hell  enough  to  be  exclud- 
ed God's  presence ;  in  whose  presence  is 
fulness  of  joy,  Ps.  xvi.  11.  God's  smiling 
face  hath  that  splendour  and  oriency  of 
beauty  shining  in  it,  as  ravisheth  the  angels 
with  delight.  This  is  the  diamond  in  the 
ring  of  glory.  And,  if  it  were  sucli  a  mi- 
sery fi)r  Absalom  that  he  might  not  see  the 
king's  face,  2  Kings  xiv.  22.,  what  will  it 
be  lor  the  wicked  to  be  shut  out  from  be- 
holding God's  pleasant  face !  Frivatio  Di~ 
vince  visioyiis  omnium  suppliciorum  summum. 


— 2.  God's  wrath  hath  something  in  it  po- 
sitive. That  is,  his  frown  and  enraged  fu- 
ry ;  which  is  "  wrath  come  upon  them  to 
the  uttermost,"  1  Thess.  ii.  16.  Here  take 
three  positions  or  maxims ; 

1.  God's  wrath  is  irresistible,  Ps.  xc.  11., 
"  Who  knows  the  power  of  thine  anger  ?" 
Sinners  may  oppose  God's  ways,  but  not 
his  wrath.  Shall  the  briars  contend  with 
the  fire  ?  Shall  finite  contend  Avith  infi- 
nite ?  Job  xl.  9.,  "  Hast  thou  an  arm  like 
God?" 

2.  God's  wrath  is  terrible.  The  Spanish 
proverb  is,  '  The  lion  is  not  so  fierce  as  he  is 
painted.'  We  are  apt  to  have  slight  thoughts 
of  God's  wrath ;  but  it  is  very  tremendous 
and  dismal,  as  if  scalding  lead  should  be 
dropt  into  one's  eye.  The  Hebiew  word 
for  wrath,  signifies  heat.  To  show  that  the 
wrath  of  God  is  hot,  therefore  it  is  com- 
pared to  fire  in  the  text.  Fire,  when  it  is 
in  its  rage,  is  dreadful,  (as  we  saw  in  the 
flames  of  this  city) :  so  the  wrath  of  God 
is  like  fire,  it  is  the  terrible  of  terribles. 
Other  fire  is  but  painted  to  this.  If  when 
God's  wrath  is  kindled  but  a  little,  and  a 
spark  of  it  flies  into  a  wicked  man's  con- 
science in  this  life,  it  is  so  terrible,  wliat 
will  it  be  when  God  "  stirs  up  all  his  wrath  ?" 
Ps.  Ixxviii.  38.  How  sad  is  it  with  a  soul 
in  desertion  !      Now  God  dips  his  pen  in 


WHAT  SIN  DESERVETH. 


S47 


gall,  and  *  writes  bitter  things ;'  now  his 
poisoned  arrows  stick  fast  in  tlie  heart,  Ps. 
Ixxxviii.  15,  16.,  "  While  I  suffer  thy  ter- 
rors, I  am  distracted ;  thy  fierce  wrath  go- 
eth  over  me."  Lutlier,  in  desertion,  was 
in  such  horror  of  mind,  that  Nee  color,  nee 
sanguis  super  esset, — he  had  no  blood  seen 
in  his  face,  but  he  lay  as  one  dead.  Now, 
if  God's  wrath  be  such  towards  them  whom 
he  loves,  what  will  it  be  towards  them 
whom  he  hates  ?  If  they  who  sip  of  the 
cup  find  it  so  bitter,  what  will  they  do  wlio 
drink  the  dregs  of  the  cup?  Ps.  Ixxv.  8. 
Solomon  saith,  "  The  king's  wrath,  is  as 
the  roaring  of  a  lion,"  Prov.  xix.  12.  What 
then  is  God's  wrath  !  When  God  musters 
up  all  his  forces,  and  sets  himself  in  buttnHa 
against  a  sinner,  how  can  his  heart  endure  ? 
Ezek.  xxii.  14.  WTio  is  able  to  lie  under 
mountains  of  wrath  ?  God  is  the  sweetest 
friend,  but  the  sorest  cjiemy.  To  set  forth 
tJic  fc«i  fulness  of  this  wrath  : 

1.9^.  The  wrath  of  God  shall  seize  upon 
every  part  of  a  sinner:  1.  Upon  the  body. 
The  body,  which  was  so  tender  it  could  not 
liear  heat  or  cold,  shall  be  tormented  in  the 
winepress  of  God's  wrath  ;  those  eyes,  which 
before  could  behold  amorous  objects,  shall 
be  tormented  with  the  sight  of  devils;  the 
ear?;,  which  before  were  delighted  with  music, 
shall  be  tormented  with  the  hideous  shrieks  of 
the  damned.  2.  The  wrath  of  God  shall 
seize  upon  the  soul  of  a  rej)robate.  Ordi- 
nary fire  cannot  touch  the  soul ;  when  the 
martyrs'  bodies  were  consuming,  their  souls 
did  triumph  in  the  fiamcs  :  but  (iod's  wrath 
burns  the  soul.  (1.)  The  memory  shall 
be  tormented  to  remember  what  means  of 
grace  have  been  abused.  (2.)  The  con- 
science shall  be  tormented  \\  ith  self-accu- 
sations. The  sinner  shall  accuse  himself 
for  presumptuous  sins, — for  mis-spending 
his  precious  hours, — for  resisting  the  Holy 
Ghost. 

2d.  The  wrath  of  God  is  without  inter- 
mission. Hell  is  an  abiding-place,  but  no 
resting-place;  there's  not  a  minute's  rest. 
Outward  pain  hath  some  abatement ;  if  it 
be  the  stone  or  cholic,  the  patient  hath  some- 
times ease ;  but  the  torments  of  the  damn- 
ed have  no  intermission  ;  he  that  leels  God's 
wrath,  never  saith,  "  I  have  ease." 

2^.  The  wrath   of  God   is  eternal.     So  J 


saith  the  text,  "  Everlasting  lire."  No  teare 
can  quench  the  flame  of  God's  anger;  no, 
though  we  could  shed  rivers  of  tears.  In 
all  pains  of  this  life,  men  hope  for  a  cessa- 
tion, the  suffering  will  not  continue  long ; 
either  the  tormentor  dies,  or  the  tormented ; 
but  the  wrath  of  God  is  always  feeding  up- 
on a  sinner.  The  terror  of  natural  fire  is, 
that  it  consumes  what  it  burns;  but  this 
makes  the  fire  of  God's  wrath  terrible,  that 
it  doth  not  consume  what  it  burns.  Sic  mo- 
rieiitur  dumnali  ul  semper  vivant,  Bern.  The 
sinner  shall  ever  be  in  the  furnace ;  after 
innumerable  millions  of  years,  the  wrath  of 
God  is  as  far  from  ending,  as  it  was  at  the 
'  beginning.  If  all  the  eartli  and  sea  were 
sand,  and  <>vrry  tlwniKinid  ye;ivs  a  bird  should 
come  and  take  away  one  gniin  of  this  sand, 
it  would  be  a  long  while  ere  that  vast  heap 
of  sand  were  emptied;  but,  if  after  all  that 
time,  the  damned  might  come  out  of  hell, 
there  were  some  hope;  but  this  word  f.ver 
breaks  the  lieart. 

Quest.  But  how  doth  it  scan  to  consist 
with  God^s  justice  to  punish,  sin  {uhich  per- 
haps was  committed  in  a  moment)  with  eter- 
nal fire  ? 

Ans.  In  respect  of  the  heinous  nature  ot 
sin.  Consider  the  person  offonde<l ;  it  is 
Crimen  Lmsai  majestis  :  Sin  is  comniiit(<l  a- 
gainst  an  infinite  majesty  ;  therefore  the  sin 
is  infinite,  and  so  the  punishment  must  be 
infinite.  Now,  because  the  nature  of  man 
is  but  finite,  and  a  sinner  cannot  at  once 
bear  infinite  wrath,  therefore  he  must  in  e- 
ternity  of  time  be  satisfying  what  he  cannot 
satisfy  at  once. 

Ath.  While  the  wicked  lie  scorchinjr  in 
the  flames  of  wrath,  they  have  none  to  com- 
miserate  them.  It  is  some  ease  of  grief,  to 
have  some  condole  with  us;  but  the  wick- 
ed have  wrath  and  no  pity  shown  them. 
Who  should  j)ity  them?  God  will  not  pity 
them.  They  derided  liis  Spirit,  and  now 
he  will  laugli  at  their  calamity,  Prov.  i.  26. 
The  saints  will  not  ])ity  them.  They  per- 
secuted the  saints  upon  earth,  therefore 
tliey  will  rejoice  to  see  God's  justice  exe- 
cuted on  them,  Ps.  Iviii.  10.,  "  The  righ- 
teous shall  rejoice  when  he  seeth  the  ven- 
geance." 

bth.  The  sinner  under  wrath  hath  none 
to  speak  a  good  word  for  him.     An  elect 


348 


WHAT  SIN  DESERVETH. 


person,  when  lie  sins,  hath  one  to  intercede 
for  him,  1  Jolin  ii.  1.,  "  We  have  an  ad- 
vocate with  the  Father,  Jesus  Christ  the 
righteous."  Christ  will  say,  "  It  is  one  of 
my  friends,  one  for  whom  I  have  shed  my 
blood ;  Father,  pardon  him."  But  the  wick- 
ed (that  die  in  sin)  have  none  to  solicit  for 
them ;  they  have  an  accuser,  hut  no  advo- 
cate ;  Christ's  blood  will  not  plead  for  them ; 
they  slighted  Christ,  and  refused  to  come 
under  his  government,  therefore  Christ's 
blood  cries  against  them. 

3.  God's  wrath  is  just.  The  Greek  word 
for  vengeance  signifies  justice.  The  wicked 
shall  drink  a  sea  of  wrath,  hut  not  one  drop 
of  injustice.  'Tis  just  God's  honour  be  re- 
paired, and  how  can  that,  bo  but  by  pnnisb- 
ing  offenders  ?  Having  shewn  you  what 
this  wrath  of  God  is,  I  shall  show  you, 
2.  That  we  have  deserved  the  curse  and 
wrath  of  God;  he  who  infringeth  the  king's 
laws,  deserves  the  penalty.  Mercy  goes 
by  favour,  pnnishmpnt  by  dpsert,  Dan,  ix. 
8.,  "  To  us  belongeth  confusion  of  face." 
Wrath  is  that  which  belongeth  to  us  as  we 
are  sinners ;  it  is  as  due  to  us  as  any  wages 
that  are  paid. 

Use  1st.  Of  information.  1st.  It  justifies 
God  in  condemning  sinners  at  the  last  day. 
Sinners  deserve  wrath,  audit  is  no  injustice 
to  give  them  that  which  they  deserve.  If 
a  malefactor  deserves  death,  the  judge  doth 
him  no  wrong  in  condemning  him. 

2d.  See  what  a  great  evil  sin  is,  which 
cxposeth  a  person  to  God's  wrath  for  ever. 
You  may  know  the  lion  by  his  paw  ;  and 
you  may  know  what  an  evil  thing  sin  is,  by 
the  wrath  and  curse  it  brings.  When  you 
see  a  man  drawn  upon  a  hurdle  to  execu- 
tion, you  conclude  he  is  guilty  of  some  ca- 
pital crime  that  brings  such  a  punishment : 
when  a  man  lies  under  the  torrid  zone  of 
God's  wrath,  and  roars  out  in  flames,  then 
say,  "  How  horrid  an  evil  sin  is  !"  They 
who  now  see  no  evil  in  swearing,  or  sab- 
bath-breaking, they  will  see  it  look  black  in 
the  glass  of  hell-torments. 

Sd.  See  here  an  handwriting  upon  the 
wall ;  here  is  that  which  may  check  a  sin- 
ner's mirth.  He  is  now  brisk  and  frolic- 
Kome,  he  chants  "  to  the  sound  of  the  viol, 
and  invents  instruments  of  music,"  Amos 
vi.  5.     He  drinks  '  stolen  waters,'  and  saith. 


*  they  are  sweet.'  Oh  !  but  let  him  re- 
member, that  the  wrath  and  curse  of  God 
hangs  over  hi  r,  which  will  shortly  (with- 
out repentance)  be  executed  on  him.  Dio- 
nysius  thought,  as  he  sat  at  table,  he  saw  a 
naked  sword  hang  over  his  head:  the  sword 
of  God's  justice  hangs  over  a  sinner;  and 
when  the  slender  thread  of  life  is  cut  asun- 
der, the  sword  falls  upon  him.  "  Rejoice, 
O  young  man,  in  thy  youth,  and  let  thy 
heart  cheer  thee  in  the  days  of  thy  youth," 
Eccl.  xi.  9.,  "  But  know  that  for  all  these 
things,  God  will  bring  thee  into  judgment." 
For  a  drop  of  pleasure,  thou  must  drink  a 
sea  of  wrath.  Your  pleasure  cannot  be  so 
sweet  as  wrath  is  bitter  ;  the  delights  of  the 
flesh  cannot  countervail  the  horror  of  con- 
science ;  better  want  the  devil's  honey,  than 
be  so  stung  with  the  wrath  of  God.  The 
garden  of  Uden,  which  signifies  pleasure, 
had  a  flaming  sword  placed  at  the  east  end 
of  it.  Gen.  iii.  24. :  tlie  garden  of  curnal  and 
sinful  delight  is  surrounded  with  the  flam- 
ing sword  of  God's  wrath. 

Use  2d.  Reproof.  It  reproves  the  stupi- 
dity of  sinners,  who  are  no  more  affected 
with  the  curse  and  wrath  of  God  which  is 
due  to  them,  Isa.  xliv.  19.,  "  None  consider- 
cth  in  his  heart."  If  they  were  in  debt, 
and  were  ready  to  have  the  sergeant  arrest 
them,  they  would  bo  affected  with  that :  but 
though  the  fierce  wrath  of  God  is  ready  to 
arrest  them,  they  remember  not.  A  beast 
though  he  hath  no  shame,  yet  he  hath  fear  ; 
he  is  afraid  of  fire;  but  sinners  are  worse 
tlijin  brutish,  tlioy  fear  not  the  '  fire  of  hell,' 
till  they  are  in  it.  Most  have  their  con- 
science asleep,  or  seared  ;  but  when  they 
shall  see  the  vials  of  God's  wrath  dropping, 
then  they  will  cry  out  as  Dives,  "  I  am  tor- 
mented in  this  flame  !"  Luke  xvi.  24. 

Use  3d.  Exhortation.  l.<f/.  Let  us  adore 
God's  patience  who  hath  not  brought  this 
wrath  and  curse  ujton  us  all  this  while. 
We  have  deserved  wrath,  yet  God  hath  not 
given  us  our  desert.  We  may  all  subscribe 
to  that,  Ps.  ciii.  8,,  "  The  Lord  is  slow  to 
anger ;  and  v.  10.,  "  He  hath  not  rewarded 
us  according  to  our  iniquities."  God  hath 
deferred  his  wrath,  and  given  us  space  to 
repent,  Rev.  ii.  21.  God  is  not  like  an 
hasty  creditor,  that  requires  the  debt,  and 
gives  no  time  for  the  nayment ;   he  shoots 


WHAT  SIN  DESERVETH. 


349 


off  his  warning-piece,  tliat  lie  may  not  slioot 
ofF  his  murdeiing-picce,  2  Pot.  iii.  9.,  "  The 
Lord  is  Umg-suffering  to  us-ward,  not  will- 
ing that  any  should  perish."  God  adjourns 
the  assizes  to  see  if  sinners  would  turn  ;  he 
keeps  off  the  storm  of  his  wrath  ;  hut  if  men 
will  not  be  warned,  let  thein  know  tiiat 
long  forbearance  is  no  forgiveness. 

2d.  Let  us  labour  to  prevent  the  wrath 
we  have  deserved.  How  careful  are  men 
to  prevent  poverty  or  disgrace  !  O  labour 
to  prevent  God's  eternal  wrath,  that  it  may 
not  only  be  deferred,  but  removed  ! 

Quest.  JVhat  shall  tee  do  to  prevent  and 
escape  tk<'  wrath  to  come  ? 

Ana.  \.  By  getting  an  interest  in  Jesus 
Christ.  Christ  is  the  only  screen  to  stand 
betwixt  us  and  the  wrath  of  God ;  he  did 
feel  God's  wrath,  that  they  who  believe  in 
him  should  never  feel  it,  1  Tlicss.  i.  10., 
"  Jesus  wliich  delivered  us  from  the  wrath 
to  come."  Nebuchadnezzar's  fiery  furnace 
was  a  type  of  God's  wrath,  and  that  furnace 
did  not  singe  the  garments  of  the  three 
children,  "  nor  had  the  smell  of  fire  passed 
on  them,"  Dan.  iii.  27.  Jesus  Christ  went 
into  the  furnace  of  his  Fatlier's  wrath  ;  and 
those  that  believe  in  him,  the  smell  of  the 
fire  of  hell  shall  never  pass  upon  them. 

A.  2.  If  we  would  prevent  the  wrath  of 
God,  let  us  take  heed  of  those  sins  which 
will  bring  the  wrath  of  God.  Edmund, 
successor  of  Anselm,  had  a  saying,  "  I  had 
rather  leap  into  a  furnace  of  fire,  than  wil- 
lingly commit  a  sin  against  God."  There 
are  several  fiery  sins  we  must  take  heed  of, 
wliich  will  bring  the  fire  of  God's  wrath. 

(L)  The  fire  of  rash  anger.  Some  who 
profess  religion,  yet  cannot  bridle  their 
tongue ;  they  care  hot  what  they  say  in  their 
anger,  they  will  curse  their  passions.  St. 
James  saith,  "  The  tongue  is  set  on  fire  of 
Iiell,"  chap.  iii.  6.  O  take  heed  of  a  "  fiery 
tongue,"  lest  it  bring  thee  to  "  fiery  tor- 
ment ! "  Dives  begged  a  drop  of  water  to 
( ool  his  tongue  :  St.  Cyprian  saith,  he  had 
(.'Teiuicd  most  it)  his  tongue,  and  now  that 
v.-as  most  set  on  fire. 


(2.)  Take  heed  of  the  fire  of  malice. 
Malice  is  a  malignant  humour,  whereby  we 
wish  evil  to  one  another, — it  is  a  vermin 
lives  on  blood, — it  studies  revenge.  Cali- 
gula had  a  chest  where  he  kept  deadly  poi- 
sons for  them  he  had  malice  against.  The 
fire  of  malice  brings  men  to  the  fiery  '  fur- 
nace of  (iod's  wrath.' 

(3.)  Take  heed  of  the  sin  of  uncleanness, 
Ileb.  xiii.  4.,  "  Whoremongers  and  adulter- 
ers God  will  judge."  Such  as  burn  in  un- 
cleanness, are  in  great  danger  to  burn  one 
day  in  hell.  Let  one  fire  put  out  another ; 
let  the  fire  of  God's  wrath  put  out  the  fire 
of  lust. 

3c/.  To  you  who  have  a  well-grounded 
hope  that  you  shall  not  feel  this  wrath 
which  you  have  deserved,  let  me  exhort 
you,  1.  To  be  very  thankful  to  God,  who 
hath  given  his  Son  to  save  you  from  this 
tremendous  wrath.  "  Jesus  hath  delivered 
)ou  from  wrath  to  come."  The  Lamb  of 
God  was  scorched  in  the  fire  of  God's  wrath 
for  you.  Christ  did  feel  the  wrath  which 
he  did  not  deserve,  that  you  may  escape  the 
wrath  which  you  have  deserved.  Pliny 
observes  that  there  is  nothing  better  to 
quench  fire  than  blood :  Christ's  blood  hath 
quenched  the  fire  of  God's  wrath  for  you. 
"  Upon  me,  upon  me  be  thy  curse,"  said 
Rebekah  to  Jacob,  Gen.  xxvii.  13.  So  said 
Christ  to  God's  justice,  "  Upon  me  be  the 
curse,"  that  my  elect  may  inherit  the  bles- 
sing. 2.  Be  patient  under  all  the  afflictions 
which  you  endure.  Affliction  is  sharp, 
but  this  is  not  wrath,  this  is  not  hell.  AVho 
would  not  willingly  drink  in  the  cup  of 
affliction,  that  knows  he  shall  never  drink 
in  the  cup  of  damnation  ?  Who  would  not 
be  willing  to  hear  the  wrath  of  men,  that 
knows  he  shall  never  feel  the  wrath  of  (lod? 

Christian,  though  thou  mayest  feel  the 
rod,  thou  shalt  never  feel  the  bloody  axe. 
Austin  once  said,  "  Strike,  Lord,  where 
thou  wilt,  if  sin  be  pardoned."  So  say, 
"  Afflict  me.  Lord,  as  thou  wilt  in  this  life, 
seeing  I  shall  escape  the  wrath  to  come." 


350 


OF  FAITH. 


OF  FAITH. 


Quest.  LXXXV.  WHAT  doth  God  re- 
quire of  us,  that  we  may  escape  his  wrath  and 
curse  due  to  nsfor  sin  ? 

Jxs.  Faith  ill  Jesus  Clirist,  repentance 
unto  life,  with  the  diligent  use  of  all  the  out  - 
ward  means  whereby  Christ  communieateth 
to  us,  the  benefits  of  redemption. 

I.  I  begin  with  the  first,  "  Faith  in  Jesus 
Christ,"  Rom.  iii.  22,  25.,   "  Whom   God 
hath  sot  forth  to  be  a  propitiation  through 
faith  in  his  blood."     The  great  privilege  in 
the  text  is  to  have  Christ  for  a  propitiation  ; 
which  is  not  only  to   free   us  from    God's 
wrath,  but  to  ingratiate  us  into  God's  love 
and    favour.      And    the    means  of  having 
Clirist  to  be  our  propitiation  is,  '  Faith  in 
his  blood.'     There  is  a  twofold  faith.  Fides 
qucB  creditur,   i.  e.  '  the  doctrine  of  faith  ;' 
and  Fides  qua  creditur,  i.  e.  '  the  grace  of 
faith.'     Tlie  act  of  justifying  faith  lies  in 
recumbency ;   we  do  rest  on   Christ  alone 
for  salvation.     As  a  man  that  is  ready  to 
drown  catcheth  hold  on   the   bough   of  a 
tree:   so   a  poor  trembling   sinner,  seeing 
himself  ready  to  perish,  catcheth  hold  by 
faith  on  Christ  the  tree  of  life,  and  so  is 
saved.     The  work  of  faith  is  by  the  Holy 
Spirit ;  therefore  faith  is  called  the  "  fruit 
of  the  Spirit,"  Gal.  v.  22.     Faith  doth  not 
grow  in  nature,  it  is  an  outlandish  plant,  a 
fruit  of  the  Spirit.     This  grace  of  faith  is 
sanctissimum  humani  pectoris  boniim, — of  all 
others,  the  most  precious  rich  faith,   and 
most  holy  faith,  and  faith  of  God's  elect. 
Hence  it  is  called  "  precious  faith,"  2  Pet. 
L  1.     As  gold  is  the  most  precious  among 
the  metals,  so  is  faith  among   the   graces. 
Faith  is  the  queen  of  the  graces ;  faith  is  the 
condition  of  the  gospel ;    "  Thy  faith  hath 
saved  thee,"  Luke  vii.  50.,  not  thy  tears. 
Faith  is  the  "  vital  artery  of  the  soul,"  it  ani- 
mates it,  Hab.  ii.  4.,  "  The  just  shall  live 
by  faith."    Unbelievers,  though  they  breathe 
yet  want  life.     Faith  is  (as  Clemens  Alex- 
andrinus  calls  it)  a  mother-grace  ;  it  excites 
and  invigorates  all  the  graces  ;  not  a  grace 
stirs  till  faith  sets  it  awork.     Faith  sets  re- 
pentance awork ;  it  is  like  fire  to   the  still. 
Faith   sets  hope  awork, — first  we  believe 


the  promise, — then  we  hope  for  it.  Did  not 
faith  feed  the  lamp  of  hope  with  oil,  it  would 
soon  die.  Faith  sets  love  awork.  Gal.  v.  6., 
''  Faith  which  woiketh  by  love."  Who  can 
believe  in  the  infinite  merits  of  Christ,  and 
his  heart  not  ascend  in  a  fiery  chariot  of 
love?  Faith  is  a  catholicon,  or  remedv  a- 
gainst  all  troubles, — a  sheet-anchor  we  cast 
out  into  the  sea  of  God's  mercy,  and  are 
kept  from  sinking  in  despair.  Other  graces 
liave  done  worthily, — thou,  O  Faith,  ex- 
cellest  them  all  !  Indeed  in  heaven,  love 
will  be  the  chief  grace  ;  but,  while  we  are 
here  militant,  love  must  give  place  to  faith. 
Love  takes  possession  of  glory,  but  faith 
gives  a  title  to  it.  Love  is  tlie  crowning 
grace  in  heaven,  but  faith  is  the  conquering 
grace  upon  earth,  1  John  v.  4.,  "  This  is 
the  victory  that  overcometh  the  world,  even 
our  faith."  Faith  carries  away  the  garland 
from  all  the  other  graces  ;  other  graces  help 
to  sanctify  us,  but  it  is  faith  only  that  hath 
the  honour  to  justify;  Rom.  v.  L,  "  Being 
justified  by  faith." 

Quest.  Bid  how  comes  faith  to  be  so  pre- 
cious ? 

Ans.  Not  as  it  is  a  more  holy  quality,  or 
as  if  it  had  more  worthiness  than  other 
graces,  but  respectu  ohjecti, — "  as  it  lays 
hold  on  Christ  the  blessed  object,"  and 
fetcheth  in  his  fulness,  John  ix.  16.  Faith 
in  itself  considered,  is  but  mantis  mendica, 
— "  the  beggar's  hand ;"  but  as  this  hand 
receives  the  rich  alms  of  Christ's  merits,  so 
it  is  precious,  and  doth  challenge  a  superi- 
!  ority  over  the  rest  of  the  graces. 
i  Use  \st.  Of  all  sins  beware  of  the  rock 
of  unbelief,  Heb.  iii.  12.,  "  Take  heed  lest 
there  be  in  any  of  us  an  evil  heart  of  unbe- 
lief." Men  think,  as  long  as  they  are  not 
drunkards  or  swearers,  it  is  no  great  mat- 
ter to  be  unbelievers.  This  is  the  gospel- 
sin,  it  dyes  your  other  sins  in  grain. 

(1.)  Unbelief  is  a  Christ-reproaching  sin. 
Unbelief  disparageth  Christ's  infinite  merit, 
as  if  it  could  not  save  ;  unbelief  makes  the 
wound  of  sin  to  be  broader  than  the  plas- 
ter of  Christ's  blood.  This  is  an  high  con- 
tempt offered  to  Christ,    and  is  a   deeper 


OF  FAITH. 


351 


spear  than  that  which  the  Jews  thrust  into 
Ms  side. 

(2.)  Unbelief  is  an  ungrateful  sin.  In- 
grains vitnndus  est  xU  dinim  scelus,  tcllus  ipsa 
fcJi'iis  niliil  crcat.  Ingratitude  is  a  prodigy 
of  wick-edncss  ;  unbelief  is  ungrateful,  being 
ai;ain>t  the  richest  mercy.  Suppose  a  king 
sl.ouhi  redeem  a  captive,  and  to  redeem 
him  should  part  with  his  crown  of  gold 
from  his  head  ;  and  when  he  had  done  this, 
should  sav  to  the  man  redeemed,  "  All  I 
desire  of  thee  in  lieu  of  my  kindness,  is  to 
believe  that  I  love  thee."  Now,  if  he  should 
say  "  No,  I  do  not  believe  any  such  thing ; 
or  that  thou  carest  at  all  for  me  :"  I  appeal 
to  vou  were  not  this  odious  ingratitude?  So 
is  this  case  here  :  God  hath  sent  his  Son  to 
shed  his  blood.  God  requires  only  to  be- 
lieve in  him,  that  he  is  able  and  willing  to 
save  us.  "  No,"  saith  unbelief,  "  his  blood 
was  not  shed  for  me,  I  cannot  persuade  my- 
self that  Christ  hath  any  purpose  of  love  to 
me."  Is  not  this  horrid  ingratitude  ?  And 
this  enhanceth  a  sin,  and  makes  it  of  a 
crimson  colour. 

(3.)  Unbelief  is  a  leading  sin.  It  is  the 
breeder  of  sin.  Qualitas  malce  vitcB  inithnn 
sumit  ab  hijidelilate.  Unbelief  is  a  root-sin, 
and  the  dcA-il  labours  to  water  this  root, 
that  the  branches  may  be  fruitful.  (1.) 
Unbelief  breeds  haidness  of  heart ;  there- 
fore they  are  put  together,  Mark  xvi.  14., 
Christ  upbraideth  them  with  their  unbelief 
and  hardness  of  heart.  Unbelief  breeds  the 
stone  of  the  heart ;  he  who  believes  not  in 
Christ,  is  not  affected  with  his  sufferings, 
lie  melts  not  in  tears  of  love.  Unbelief 
freczeth  the  heart ;  first  it  defiles  and  har- 
dens. (2.)  Unbelief  breeds  profancness ; 
an  unbeliever  will  stick  at  no  sin, — neither 
at  false  weights,  nor  false  oaths.  lie  will 
swallow  down  treason  ;  Judas  was  first  an 
unbeliever,  and  then  a  traitor,  John  vi.  6k 
He  who  hath  no  faith  in  his  heart  will  have 
no  fear  of  God  before  his  eyes. 

(4.)  Unbelief  is  a  wrath-procuring  sin ; 
it  is  mimica  salutis,  Bern.  John  iii.  18. 
Jam  condemnatus  est,  dying  so,  he  is  as  sure 
to  be  condemned  as  if  he  were  so  already, 
John  iii.  36.,  "  He  that  believeth  not  the 
Son  shall  not  see  life,  but  the  wrath  of  God 
abideth  on  him."     He  who  believes  not  in 


the  blood  of  the  Lamb,  must  feel  the  wrath 
of  the  Lamb.  The  Gentiles  that  believe 
not  in  Christ  wil.  be  as  well  damned  as  the 
Jews  who  blaspheme  him.  And  if  unbelief 
be  so  fearful  and  damnable  a  sin,  shall  we 
not  be  afraid  to  live  in  it  ? 

2d.  Above  all  graces,  set  faith  a  work  on 
Christ:  John  iii.  1.3.,  "  Tliat  whosoever  be 
lieveth  in  him  should  not  perish."  Eph.  vi. 
16.,  "  Above  all,  taking  the  shield  of  faith." 
Say  as  queen  Esther,  "  I  will  go  in  unto 
the  king :  and  if  I  perish,  I  perish."  She 
had  nothing  to  encourage  her, — she  ven- 
tured against  law, — yet  the  golden  sceptre 
was  held  forth  to  her.  We  have  promises 
to  encourage  our  faith,  John  vi.  37.,  "  He 
that  cometh  unto  me,  I  will  in  no  wise  cast 
out."  Let  us  then  advance  faith  by  an 
holy  recumbency  on  Christ's  merits.  Christ's 
blood  will  not  justify  without  believing: 
they  are  both  put  together  in  the  text, 
"  Faith  in  his  blood."  The  blood  of  God, 
without  faith  in  Christ,  will  not  save.  Christ's 
sufferings  are  the  plaster  to  heal  a  sin-sick 
soul,  but  this  plaster  must  be  applied  by 
faith.  It  is  not  money  in  a  rich  man's  hand, 
thouffh  offered  to  us,  will  enrich  us,  unless 
we  receive  it :  so  it  is  not  Christ's  virtues 
or  benefits  will  do  us  good,  unless  we  re- 
ceive them  by  the  hand  of  faith.  Above 
all  CTaces,  set  faith  on  work;  remember 
this  grace  is  most  acceptable  to  God,  and 
that  upon  many  accounts. 

(1.)  Because  it  is  a  God-exalting  grace; 
it  glorifies  God,  Rom.  iv.  20.,  Abraham 
being  strong  in  faith,  gave  glory  to  God. 
To  believe  thiit  there  is  more  mercy  in  God, 
and  merit  in  Christ  than  sin  in  us, — and 
that  Christ  hath  answered  all  the  demands 
and  challenges  of  the  law, — and  that  his 
blood  hath  fully  satisfied  for  us, — this  is  in 
a  high  degree  to  honour  God.  Faith  in  the 
Mediator  brings  more  glory  to  God,  than 
martyrdom,  or  the  most  heroic  act  of  obedi- 
ence. 

(2.)  Faith  in  Christ  is  so  acceptable  to 
God,  because  it  is  such  a  self-denying  grace  i 
it  makes  a  man  go  out  of  himself,  renounce 
all  self-righteousness  and  wholly  rely  on 
Christ  for  justification.  Faith  is  very  hum- 
ble, it  confesseth  its  own  indigence,  and 
i  lives  wholly  upon  Christ.     As  the  bee  sucks 


352 


OF  FAITH. 


sweetness  from  the  flower,    so  faitli  sucks 
all  its  streiigtli  and  comfort  from  C'lirist. 

(3  )  Faith  is  a  grace  so  acceptable  to 
God,  because  by  faith  we  present  a  righ- 
teousness to  God,  which  doth  best  please 
him ;  we  bring  the  righteousness  of  Christ 
into  the  court,  which  is  called  the  righte- 
ousness of  God,  1  Cor.  V.  21.  To  bring 
Christ's  righteousness,  is  to  bring  Benja- 
min with  us.  A  believer  may  say,  "  Lord, 
it  is  not  the  righteousness  of  Adam,  or  of 
the  angels,  but  of  Christ  who  is  God-man, 
that  I  bring  before  thee."  The  Lord  can- 
not choose  but  smell  a  sweet  savour  in 
Christ's  righteousness. 

Use  2(1.  Trial.  Let  us  try  our  faith. 
There  is  something  that  looks  like  faith, 
and  is  not.  Pliny  saith,  there  is  a  Cyprian 
stone,  which  is  in  colour,  like  a  diamond, 
but  it  is  not  of  the  right  kind :  there  is 
a  false  spurious  faith  in  the  world.  Some 
plants  have  the  s:ame  leaf  with  others,  but  the 
herbalist  can  distinguish  them  by  the  root  and 
taste  ;  something  may  look  like  true  faith, 
but  it  may  be  distinguished  several  ways. 

(L)  True  faith  is  grounded  upon  know- 
ledge; knowledge  carries  the  torch  before 
faith.  There  is  a  knowledge  of  Christ's  o- 
rient  excellencies,  Phil.  iii.  7.  He  is  all 
made  up  of  love  and  beauty.  True  faith  is 
a  judicious  intelligent  grace,  it  knows  whom 
it  believes,  and  why  it  believes.  Faith  is 
seated  as  well  in  the  understanding  as  the 
will.  It  hath  an  eye  to  see  Christ,  as  well 
as  a  wing  to  fly  to  him.  Such  therefore  as 
are  in  vailed  with  ignorance,  or  have  only 
an  implicit  faith,  to  believe  as  the  Church 
believes,  have  no  true  genuine  faith. 

(2.)  Faith  lives  in  a  broken  heart,  Mark 
ix.  21.,  "  He  cried  out  with  tears,  Lord,  I 
believe."  True  faith  is  always  in  an  heart 
bruised  for  sin  :  such  therefore,  whose 
hearts  were  never  touched  for  sin,  have  no 
faith.  If  a  physician  should  tell  us,  there 
were  an  herb  would  help  us  against  all  in- 
fections, but  it  always  grows  in  a  watery 
place, — if  we  should  see  an  herb  like  it  in 
colour,  leaf,  smell,  blossom,  but  it  grows 
upon  a  rock,  we  would  conclude  this  were 
the  wrong  herb :  so  saving  faith  doth  al- 
ways grow  in  an  heart  humbled  for  sin ;  it 
grows  in  a  weeping  eye,  watery  conscience; 
therefore,  if  there  be  a  shew  of  faith,  but  it 


grows   upon   a  rock,    an   Ijard  impenitent 
heart,  this  is  not  the  true  faith. 

(3.)  True  faith  is  at  first  nothing  but 
an  embryo,  it  is  minute  and  small ;  it  is 
full  of  doubtings,  temptations,  fears  ;  it  be- 
gins in  weakness.  It  is  like  the  smoking- 
Hax,  Mat.  xii.  20.  It  smokes  with  desires, 
but  doth  not  flame  Avith  comfort ;  it  is  at 
first  so  small  that  it  is  scarce  discernible. 
Such  as,  at  the  first  dash,  have  a  strong 
persuasion  that  Christ  is  theirs,  who  leap 
out  of  sin  into  assurance,  their  faith  is  false 
and  spurious  :  that  faith,  which  is  come  to 
its  full  stature  on  its  birth-day,  is  a  mon- 
ster. The  seed  that  sprang  up  suddenly, 
withered.  Mat.  xiii.  5. 

(4.)  Faith  is  a  refining  grace,  it  conse- 
crates and  purifies.  Moral  virtue  may  wash 
the  outside,  faith  washeth  the  inside.  Acts 
XV.  9.  Having  purified  their  hearts  by 
faith,  faith  makes  the  heart  a  sacristy  or 
temple  with  this  inscription,  '  holiness  to 
the  Lord  ;'  such,  whose  hearts  have  legions 
of  lusts  in  them,  were  never  acquainted 
with  the  true  faith.  For  one  to  say,  he 
hath  faith,  yet  live  in  sin,  is  as  if  one  should 
say,  he  were  in  health,  yet  his  vitals  are 
perished.  Faith  is  a  virgin-gi'ace ;  it  is 
joined  with  sanctity,  1  Tim.  iii.  9.,  "  Hold- 
ing the  mystery  of  the  faith  in  a  pure  con- 
science." The  jewel  of  faith  is  always  put 
in  the  cabinet  of  a  pure  conscience.  The 
woman  that  touched  Christ  by  faith,  fetch- 
ed an  healing  and  cleansing  virtue  from 
him. 

(5.)  True  faith  is  obediential,  Rom.  xvi. 
26.,  "  The  obedience  of  faith."  Faith  melts 
our  will  into  the  will  of  God.  If  God  com- 
mands duty,  (though  cross  to  flesh  and 
blood)  faith  obeys;  Heb.  xi.  8.,  "By  faith 
Abraham  obeyed."  Faith  doth  not  only 
believe  the  promise,  but  obey  the  command. 
It  is  not  having  a  speculative  knowledge 
will  evidence  you  to  be  believers;  the  devil 
hath  knowledge,  but  that  which  makes  him 
a  de^^l  is,  he  wants  obedience. 

(6.)  True  faith  is  increasing,  Rom.  i.  17., 
"  From  faith  to  faith,"  ?.  e.  From  one  de- 
gree of  faith  to  another.  Faith  doth  not 
lie  in  the  heart,  as  a  stone  in  the  earth  ; 
but,  as  seed  in  the  earth  it  grows.  Joseph 
of  Arimathea  was  a  disciple  of  Christ,  but 
afraid  to  confess  him  ;  afterwards  he  wei.t 


OF  RETENTANCE. 


353 


li  >!dly  to  Pilate  ami  hog^od  tlic  body  of  Je- 
F-rS  Jdlin  \iv.  :^^'.  AimI  a  CliiiKtian's  in- 
crease  in  faitli  is  known  two  ways : 

1.  By  steadfastness.  He  is  a  pillar  in 
tlie  temple  of  God,  Col.  ii.  7.,  "  Rooted  and 
built  up  in  liiin  ;  and  stablisliod  in  tlie  faitli." 
Unbelievers  are  sceptics  in  religion,  tbcy 
are  unsettled  ;  tliey  question  every  truth, 
but,  when  faith  is  on  the  increasing  hand, 
it  doth  stahilire  animum,  it  doth  corroborate 
a  Christian  ;  he  is  able  to  prove  bis  princi- 
ples ;  he  holds  no  more  than  be  will  die 
for ;  as  that  martyr-woman  said,  '•  I  can- 
not dispute  for  Christ,  but  I  can  burn  for 
him."  An  increasing  faith  is  not  like  a 
ship  in  the  midst  of  the  sea,  that  fluctuates, 
and  is  tossed  up<m  the  waves,  but  like  a 
shij)  at  anchor  which  is  firm  and  steadfast. 

2.  A  Christian's  increase  in  faith  is  known 
by  his  strength  ;  he  can  do  that  now,  which 
he  could  not  do  before.  When  one  is  man- 
grown,  he  can  do  that  which  he  was  not  a- 
ble  to  do  when  he  was  a  child ;  he  can  car- 
ry an  heavier  burden  ;  so  a  Christian  can 
bear  crosses  with  more  patience. 

Obj.  Bat  I  fear  I  have  no  faith,  it  is  so 
weak  ? 

Ans.  If  you  have  faith,  though,  but  in  its 
infancy,  be  not  discouraged,  for,  1st.  a  litth" 
faith  is  faith,  as  a  spark  of  fire  is  fire  ;  2d. 
a  weak  faith  may  lay  hold  on  a  strong 
Christ.  A  weak  hand  can  tic  the  knot 
in  marriage,  as  well  as  a  strong.  She,  in 
the  gosj)el,  who  but  touched  Christ,  fetched 
virtue   from    him.     3d.    The   |)romiscs   are 


not  made  to  strong  faith,  but  to  true.    The  i  repentiince. 


promise  doth  not  say,  lie  who  hath  a  giant 
faith,  who  can  believe  God's  love  ihroujrh 
a  frown, — Avho  can  rejoice  in  aftliclion, — 
who  can  work  wonders,  remove  mountains, 
stop  the  mouth  of  lions, — shall  be  saved  ; 
but,  whosoever  believes,  be  his  faith  never 
so  small.  A  reed  is  but  weak,  especially 
when  it  is  bruised,  yet  the  promise  is  made 
to  it :  Mat.  xii.  20.,'  "  A  bruised  reed  will 
he  not  break."  4tli.  A  weak  faith  may 
be  fruitful.  Weakest  things  multiply  most. 
The  vine  is  a  weak  plant,  but  it  is  fruitful. 
The  thief  on  the  cross,  who  was  newly  con- 
verted, was  but  weak  in  grace;  but  bow 
many  precious  clusters  grew  upon  that  ten- 
der plant  !  Luke  xxiii.  40.,  he  chides  his 
fellow-thief,  "Dost  thou  not  fear  God?" 
Me  judgeth  himself,  "  We  indeed  suffer 
justly."  He  believes  in  Christ,  when  he 
said,  "  Lord."  He  makes  a  heavenly  prayer, 
"  Remember  me  when  thou  comest  into  thy 
kingdom."  Weak  Christians  may  have 
strong  affections.  How  strong  is  the  first 
love,  which  is  after  the  first  planting  of 
faith  !  5tli.  The  weakest  believer  is  a 
member  of  (Christ,  as  well  as  the  strongest; 
and  the  weakest  member  of  the  body  mys- 
tical shall  not  perish.  Christ  will  cut  off 
rotten  members,  but  not  weak  members. 
Therefore,  Christian,  be  not  discouraged. 
God,  who  would  have  us  receive  them  that 
are  weak  in  faith,  Rom.  xiv.  \.  will  not 
himself  refuse  them. 

H.  The  second  means  M'bereby  we  es-- 
cape  the  curse  and  wrath  due  to  sin,  is  by 


OF  REPKNTANCK. 


Acts  xi.  18.   7 '/.en  hath  God  also  to  the  Gentiles  granted  Repentance  unto  Life. 


REPENTANCE  seems  to  be  a  bitter 
pill  to  take,  but  it  is  to  purge  out  the  bad 
lium«mr  of  sin.  Repentance  is  by  some 
Antinomian  spirits  cried  down  as  a  legal 
doctrine  ;  but  Christ  himself  preached  it. 
Mat.  iv.  IT.,  "  From  that  time  Jesus  began 
to  preach,  and  say.  Repent,"  &c.  And,  in 
his  last  farewell,  when  he  was  ascending 
to  heaven,  be  commanded  that  "  Repent- 
ance shoijd  be  preached  in  bis  name,"  Luke 


xxiv.  47.,  Repentance  is  a  pure  gospel-grace. 
The  covenant  of  works  would  not  admit  of 
repentance ;  it  cursed  all  that  could  not 
perform  perfect  and  personal  obedience. 
Gal.  iii.  10.  Repentance  comes  in  by  the 
gospel ;  it  is  the  fruit  of  C  hrist's  purchase, 
that  repenting  sinners  shall  be  saved.  Re- 
jientance  is  wrought  by  the  ministry  of  the 
gospel,  while  it  sets  before  our  eyes  Christ 
crucified.    Rej)entance  is  not  arbitrary,  but 

2  Y 


331 


OF  REPENTANCE. 


necessary ;  there  is  no  being  saA'cd  without 
it ;  Luke  xiii.  3.,  "  Except  ye  repent,  ye 
sliall  all  likewise  perish."  And  we  may  he 
thankful  to  God,  that  he  liath  left  us  this 
plank  after  shipwreck. 

1st.  I  shall  show  the  counterfeits  of  re- 
pentance. 

1.  Natural  softness  and  tenderness  of 
spirit.  Some  have  a  tender  affection,  aris- 
ing- from  their  complexion,  whereby  they 
are  apt  to  weep  and  relent  when  they  see 
any  object  of  pity.  These  are  not  repent- 
ing tears  :  for  many  weep  to  see  another's 
misery,  who  cannot  weep  at  their  own  sin. 

2.  Counterfeit,  legal  affrightments.  A 
man  has  lived  in  a  course  of  sin  ;  at  last  he 
is  made  a  little  sensible ;  he  sees  hell  ready 
to  devour  him,  and  he  is  filled  with  anguish 
and  horror ;  but,  within  a  while  the  tem- 
])est  of  conscience  is  blown  over,  and  he  is 
quiet :  then  he  concludes  he  is  a  true  peni- 
tent, because  he  hath  felt  some  bitterness 
in  sin  :  this  is  not  repentance.  Judas  had 
some  trouble  of  mind.  If  anguish  and 
trouble  were  sufficient  to  repentance,  then 
the   damned  would  be  most  penitent,   for 


5.  Counterfeit,  vows  and  resolutions. 
What  A'ows  and  solemn  protestations  do 
some  make  in  their  sickness.  If  God  reco- 
ver them  they  will  be  new  men,  but  after- 
wards are  as  bad  as  ever :  Jer.  ii.  20., 
"  Thou  saidst,  I  will  not  transgress;"  here 
was  a  resolution  ;  but  for  all  this,  she  ran 
after  her  idols  ;  "  Under  every  green  tree 
thou  wandercst,  playing  the  harlot." 

6.  Counterfeit,  leaving  off  some  gross 
sin.  But  that  is  .a  mistake  :  for,  1.  A  man 
may  leave  some  sins,  and  keep  others.  He- 
rod did  reform  many  things  amiss,  but 
kept  his  Herodias.  2.  An  old  sin  may  be 
left,  to  entertain  a  new.  A  man  may  leave 
off  riot  and  prodigality,  and  turn  covetous; 
this  is  to  exchange  a  sin.  These  are  the 
counterfeits  of  repentance.  Now,  if  you 
find  that  yours  is  a  counterfeit  repentance, 
and  you  have  not  repented  aright,  mend 
what  you  have  done  amiss  ;  as  in  the  body, 
if  a  bone  be  set  wrong,  the  chirurgeon  hath 
no  way  but  to  break  it  again,  and  set  it  a- 
right  :  so  must  you  do  by  your  repentance ; 
if  you  have  not  repented  aright,  you  must 
have  your  heart  broken  again  in  a  godly 


they  are  most  in  anguish  of  mind.     There  ;  manner,  and  be   more  deeply  afflicted   for 


may  be  trouble  of  mind,  where  there  is  no 
grieving  for  the  offence  against  God. 

3.  Counterfeit,  a  slight  superficial  sor- 
row. When  God's  hand  lies  heavy  upon  a 
man,  (he  is  sick  or  lame)  he  may  A'ent  a 
sigh  or  tear,  and  say,  '  Lord,  have  mercy  ;' 
yet  this  is  no  true  repentance.  Ahab  did 
more  than  all  this,  I  Kings  xxi.  27.,  "  He 
rent  his  clothes,  and  fasted,  and  lay  in  sack- 
cloth, and  went  softly."  His  clothes  were 
rent,  but  not  his  heart.  The  eye  may  be 
watery,  and  the  heart  flinty.  An  apricot 
may  be  soft  without,  but  it  hath  an  hard 
stone  within. 

4.  Counterfeit,  good  motions  arising  in 
the  heart.  Every  good  motion  is  not  re- 
pentance. Some  think  if  they  have  motions 
in  their  hearts  to  break  off  their  sins,  and 
become  religious,  this  is  repentance.  As 
the  devil  may  stir  up  l)ad  motions  in  the 
godly,  so  the  Spirit  of  God  may  stir  up  good 
motions  in  the  wicked.  Herod  had  many 
good  thoughts  and  inclinations  stirred  up 

*  in  him  by  John  Baptist's  preaching,  yet  he 
did  not  truly  repent,  for  he  still  lived  in 
inciest. 


sin  than  ever. 

2d.  And  that  brings  me  to  the  second,  to 
show  wherein  true  repentance  consists :  it 
consists  in  two  things; 

1st,  Humiliation,  Lev.  xxvi.  41.,  "  If 
their  uncircumcised  hearts  be  humbled." 
There  is  (as  the  schoolmen)  a  twofold  hu- 
miliation, or  breaking  of  the  heart.  1.  At- 
trition :  as  when  a  rock  is  broken  in  pieces. 
This  is  done  by  the  law,  which  is  an  ham- 
mer to  break  the  heart.  2.  Contrition  ;  as 
when  ice  is  melted  into  watei".  This  is 
done  by  the  gospel,  Avliich  is  as  a  fire  to 
molt  the  heart,  Jer.  xxiii.  9.  It  is  the  sense 
of  abused  kindness  causeth  contrition. 

2d.  Transformation,  or  change,  Rom.  xii. 
2.,  "  Be  ye  transformed  by  the  renewing 
of  your  mind."  Repentance  works  a  change 
in  the  whole  man ;  as  wine  put  into  a  glass 
where  Avater  is,  the  wine  runs  into  every 
part  of  the  water,  and  changeth  its  colour 
and  tnste :  so  true  repentance  doth  not  rest 
in  one  part,  but  doth  diffuse  and  spread  it- 
self into  every  part. 

1.  RejM'iitunce  causeth  a  change  in  the 
mind.      Whereas,  liefore  a  man  did  like  well 


OF  REPENTANCE. 


355 


of  sin,  and  say  in  defence  of  it,  as  Jonali, 
"  I  do  well  to  bo  ang;ry,"  cliap.  iv.  9.  So, 
I  did  well  to  swear,  and  break  tlie  sabbatli. 
When  once  a  man  becomes  a  penitent,  bis 
judgment  is  changed,  he  now  looks  upon 
sin  as  the  greatest  evil.  The  Greek  word 
for  repentance^  signifies  after-tciadom  ;  when, 
having  seen  how  deformed  and  damnable 
a  thing  sin  is,  we  change  our  mind.  Paul, 
l»eforo  conversion,  verily  "  thought  within 
himself,  I  ought  to  do  many  things  contrary 
to  the  name  of  Jesus,"  Acts,  xx^^.  9. ;  but, 
when  he  became  a  penitent,  now  he  was  of 
another  mind,  Phil,  iii.  8.,  "  I  count  all 
things  but  loss  for  the  excellency  of  the 
knowledge  of  Christ  Jesus."  Repentance 
causeth  a  change  of  judgment. 

2.  Repentance  causeth  a  change  in  the 
affections  which  move  under  the  will  as  the 
commander  in  chief.  Repentance  doth  me- 
tamorphose the  affections.  It  turns  rejoic- 
ing in  sin  into  sorrow  for  sin  ;  it  turns  bold- 
ness in  sin  into  holy  shame ;  it  turns  the 
love  of  sin  into  hatred.  As  Amnon  hated 
Tainar  more  than  ever  he  loved  her,  2  Sam. 
xiii.  15.:  so  the  true  penitent  hateth  sin 
more  than  ever  he  loved  it,  Ps.  cxix.  104., 
"  I  hate  every  false  way." 

3.  Repentance  works  a  change  in  the  life. 
Though  repentance  begins  at  the  heart,  it 
doth  not  rest  there,  but  goes  into  the  life. 
I  say,  it  begins  at  the  heart,  Jer.  iv.  14., 
"  O  Jerusalem,  wash  thy  heart."  If  the 
spring  be  corrupt,  there  can  no  pure  stream 
run  from  it.  But  though  repentance  begins 
at  the  heart,  it  doth  not  rest  there,  but 
changeth  the  life.  What  a  change  did  re- 
pentance make  in  Paul !  It  changed  a 
persecutor  into  a  preacher.  Wliat  a  change 
did  it  make  in  the  jailor?  Acts  xvi.  33., 
He  took  the  apostles,  and  washed  their 
stripes,  and  set  meat  before  them.  What 
a  change  did  it  make  in  Mary  Magdalene  ? 
She  that  before  did  kiss  her  lovers  with 
wanton  embraces,  nowkisseth  Christ's  feet; 
she  that  did  use  to  curl  her  hair,  and  dress 
it  with  costly  jewels,  now  she  makes  it  a 
towel  to  wipe  Christ's  feet ;  her  eyes  that 
used  to  sparkle  with  lust,  and  with  impure 
glances  to  entice  her  lovers,  now  she  makes 
them  a  fountain  of  tears  to  wash  her  Sa- 
viour's feet ;  her  tongue  that  used  to  speak 
vainly  and  loosely,  now  it  is  an  instrument 


set  in  tune  to  praise  God.     And  this  cliange 
of  life  hath  two  things  in  it; 

(1.)  The  terminus  n  quo, — a  breaking  off 
sin,  Dan.  iv.  27.,  "  Break  oft'  thy  sins  by 
righteousness."  And  this  breaking  oft"  sin 
must  have  three  qualifications,  1.  It  must 
be  universal,  a  ])reaking  off  all  sin.  One 
disease  may  kill  as  well  as  more;  one  sin 
lived  in  may  damn  as  well  as  more.  The 
real  penitent  breaks  off  secret,  gainful,  com- 
plexion sins;  he  takes  the  sacrificing  knife 
of  mortification,  and  runs  it  through  the 
heart  of  his  dearest  lusts. — 2.  Breaking  off 
sin  must  be  sincere;  it  must  not  be  out  of 
fear  or  design,  but  upon  spiritual  grounds. 
As,  l.<;^,  From  antipathy  and  disgust. — 2dlij, 
From  a  principle  of  love  to  God.  If  sin 
had  not  such  evil  effects,  yet  a  true  penitent 
would  forsake  it  out  of  love  to  God.  The 
best  way  to  separate  things  that  are  frozen, 
is  by  fire:  when  sin  and  the  heart  are  fro- 
zen together,  the  best  way  to  separate  them 
is  by  the  fire  of  love.  Shall  I  sin  against 
a  gracious  Father,  and  abuse  that  love 
which  pardons  me  ? — 3.  The  breaking  off 
sin  must  be  perpetual,  so  as  never  to  have 
to  do  with  sin  any  more,  Hos  xiv.  8., 
"  What  have  I  to  do  any  more  with  idols  ?" 
Repentance  is  a  spiritual  divorce,  which 
must  be  till  death. 

(2.)  Change  of  life  hath  in  it,  terminus  ad 
quern, — a  returning  unto  the  Lord.  It  is 
called  "  repentance  towards  God,"  Acts 
XX.  21.  'Tis  not  enough,  when  we  repent, 
to  leave  old  sins;  but  we  must  engage 
in  God's  service ;  as  when  the  wind  leaves 
the  west,  it  turns  into  a  contrary  corner. 
The  repenting  prodigal  did  not  only  leave 
his  harlots,  but  did  arise  and  go  to  his  fa- 
ther, Luke  XV.  18.  In  true  repentance 
the  heart  points  directly  to  God,  as  the  nee- 
dle to  the  north  pole. 

Use.  Let  us  all  set  upon  this  great  work 
of  repentance ;  let  us  repent  sincerely  and 
speedily ;  let  us  repent  of  all  our  sins,  our 
])ride,  rash  anger,  unbelief.  "  AVithout  re- 
pentance no  remission;"  it  is  not  consistent 
with  the  holiness  of  God's  nature  to  pardon 
a  sinner  while  he  is  in  ihe  act  of  reliellion. 
O  meet  God,  not  with  weapons,  but  tears 
in  your  eyes  '  And,  to  stir  you  up  to  a 
melting,  j)enitent  frame, 

1.  ('onsider  what  is  there  in  sin  that  von 


356 


OF  REPENTANCE. 


sliould  rontimie  in  the  practice  of  it.     It  is 
tlio   "  uccnrscd  tliin<ji^,"  Josh.  vii.  11.      It  is 
the  spirits  of  miscliiof  distilled.      (1.)  It  de- 
files the  soul's  glory ;  it  is  like  a  stain  to 
beauty;    'tis    compartd    to    a   plague-sore, 
1    Kings    viii.    38.      Nothing    so    changeth 
one's  glory  into  shaine,  as  sin.     (2.)   With- 
out rc'pentance,  sin  tends  to  final  damnation. 
Peccotmn  transit,  acta  mavet  reatu.     Sin  at 
first  shews  its  co1(!ur  in  the  glass,  but  af- 
terwards it  bites  like  a  serpent.     Those  lo- 
custs, Rev.  ix.  7.,  were  an  emblem  of  sin  : 
"  On  their  licads  were   crowns  like  gold, 
and  tliey  had  hair  as  the  hair  of  women, 
and  their  teeth  were  as  the  teeth  of  lions, 
and  there  were  stings  in  their  tails."     Sin 
unrejjcnted  of  ends  in  a  tragedy.     Sin  hath 
th.e  devil  for  its  father,  shame  for  its  com- 
paiiion,  and  death  for  its  wages,    Rom.  vi. 
23.     What  is  there  in  sin  then,  that  men 
should  continue  in  it  ?     Say  not,  it  is  sweet. 
Wjio    would    desire    that    pleasure    which 
kills? 

2.  Repentance  is  very  pleasing  to  God. 
No  sacrifice  like  a  broken  heart,  Ps.  li.  17., 
"  A  contrite  and  a  broken  heart,  O  God, 
thou  wilt  not  despise."  St.  Austin  caused 
this  sentence  to  be  written  over  his  bed 
when  he  was  sick.  When  the  widow 
brought  empty  A-essels  to  Elisha,  the  oil 
was  poured  into  them,  2  Kings  iv.  6.  : 
bring  God  the  broken  vessel  of  a  contrite 
heart,  and  he  will  pour  in  the  oil  of  mercy. 
Repenting  tears  are  the  joy  of  God  and  an- 
gels, Luke  XV.  Doves  delight  to  be  about 
the  waters;  and  surely  God's  Spirit  (who 
once  descended  in  the  likeness  of  a  dove) 
takes  great  delight  in  the  waters  of  repen- 
tance. Mary  stood  at  Jesus'  feet  weeping, 
Luke  vii.  38.  She  brought  two  thinjrs  to 
Christ,  tears  and  ointment, — her  tears  were 
more  precious  to  Christ  than  her  oint- 
ment. 

3.  Repentance  ushers  in  pardon  ;  there- 
fore they  are  joined  togetlier,  Acts  v.  31., 
"  Repentance  to  Israel,  and  forgiveness  of 
fiins."  Pard<m  of  sin  is  the  richest  bless- 
ing; it  is  enough  to  make  a  sick  man  well, 
Isa.  xxxiii.  24.,  "The  inhabitant  shall  not 
say,  I  am  sick  ;  the  pcoj>le  that  dwell  there- 
in shall  be  forgiven  their  iniquity."  Par- 
don settles  upon  us  the  richer  charter  of 
the   promises.      Pardoning   mercy    is    the 


sauce  that  makes  all  other  mercies  relish 
the  sweeter  ;  it  sweetens  our  health,  riches, 
honour.  David  had  a  crown  of  pure  gold 
set  upon  his  head,  Ps.  xxi.  3.  But  that 
which  David  did  most  bless  God  for  was, 
not  that  God  had  set  a  crown  of  gold  upon 
his  head,  but  that  God  set  a  crown  of  mer- 
cy upon  his  head :  Ps.  ciii.  4.,  "  Who 
crowneth  thee  with  mercies."  But  what 
was  this  crown  of  mercy  ?  You  may  see, 
V.  3.,  "  Who  forgivetli  all  thine  iniquities." 
David  more  rejoiced  that  he  was  crowned 
\\\\\\  forgiveness,  than  tliat  he  wore  a 
crown  of  pure  gold.  Now,  what  is  it  makes 
way  for  pardon  of  sin,  but  repentance  ? 
When  David's  soul  was  humbled  and  bro- 
ken, then  the  prophet  Nathan  brought  him 
that  good  news,  2  Sam.  xii.  13.,  "  The  Lord 
hath  put  away  thy  sin." 

Ouj.  Bid  sure,  my  sins  are  so  great,  that 
if  I  should  repent,  God  uonld  not  pardon 
them. 

Ans.   God  will  not  go  from  bis  promise  : 
Jer.  iii.  12.,  "Return  thou  backsliding  Is- 
rael, saith  the  Lord,  and  I  will  not  cause 
mine  anger  to  fall  upon  you,  for  I  am  mer- 
ciful."    If  thy  sins  are  as  rocks,  yet  upon 
thy  repentance,  the  sea  of  God's  mercy  can 
drown  these  rocks,  Isa.  i.  16.,  "Wash  you, 
make  you  clean."     Wash   in  the   laver  of 
repentance,  v.  18,,  "Come  now,  and  let  us 
reason   together,    saith   the    Lord :   though 
your   sins  be  as  scarlet,    they  shall  be   as 
white  as  snow."     Manasseh  was  a  crimson 
sinner  ;    but    when    he    humbled    himself 
greatly,   the  golden  sceptre  of  mercy  was 
held  forth  ;  when  his  head  was  a  fountain 
to  weep  for  sin,  Christ's  side  was  a  foun 
tain  to  wash  away  sin.     'Tis  not  the  great- 
ness   of    sin,    but    impenitency,     destroys. 
The  Jews,  some  of  them  that  had  an  hand 
in  crucifying  Christ,  upon  their  repentance, 
the  blood  they  shed  was  a  sovereign  balm 
to   heal    them.      AVhen   the    prodigal    camo 
home  to  his  father,  he  had  the  robe  and  the 
ring  put  u])on  him,  and  his  "  father  kissed 
him,"  Luke  xv.    If  you  break  off  your  sins, 
(jiod  will  become  a  friend  to  you  ;  all  that 
is  in  (iod  shall  be  yours ;  his  power  shall 
be  yours,  to  help  you, — his  Avisdom  shall 
be  yours,  to  counsel  you, — his  Spirit  shall 
be   yours,    to  sanctify  you, — his   promises 
shall  be  yours,  to  comfort  you, — his  angels 


THE  WORD  READ  AND  PREACHED.  HOW  EFFECTUAL. 


357 


shall  be  yours,  to  guard  you, — his  mercy 
shall  be  yours,  to  save  you. 

4.  There's  mucli  sweetness  in  repenting 
tears.  The  soul  is  never  more  enlarged 
and  inwardly  delijrhted  than  when  it  can 
melt  kindly  for  sin.  Weeping  days  are 
festival  dnys.  Tlie  Hebrew  word  to  repent, 
7/ic/ifim,  signifies,  consolan,  '  to  take  com- 
fort,* John  xvi.  20.,  "  Your  sorrow  shall  be 
turned  into  joy."  Christ  turns  the  wjiter 
of  tears  into  wine.  David,  who  was  the 
great  mourner  in  Israel,  was  the  sweet 
singer ;  and  the  joy  a  true  penitent  finds, 
is  a  prelibaticm  and  foretaste  of  the  joy  of 
paradise.  The  wicked  man's  joy  turns  to 
sadness ;  the  penitent's  sadness  turns  to 
joy.  Though  repentance  seems  at  first  to 
be  thorny  and  bitter,  yet  of  this  thorn  a 
Christian  gathers  grapes.  All  which  con- 
siderations may  open  a  vein  of  godly  sor- 
row in  our  souls,  that  we  may  both  weep 
for  sin,  and  turn  from  sin.  If  ever  God 
restores  comfort,  it  is  to  his  mourners,  Isa. 
Ivii.  18.  And  when  we  have  wept,  let  us 
look  up  to  Christ's  blood  for  pardon.  Say, 
as  that  holy  man,  hwa  Domine  lachrynias 
mens, — "  Lord,  wash  my  tears,  in  thy 
blood  !"     W^e  drop  sin  with  our  tears,  and 


need  Christ's  blood  to  wash  them ;  and  this 
repentance  must  be  not  only  for  a  few  days, 
like  the  mourning  for  a  friend,  which  is 
soon  over  ;  but  it  must  be  the  work  of  our 
lives  ;  tlie  issue  of  godly  sorrow  must  not 
be  stopt  till  death.  After  sin  is  pardoned, 
we  must  repent.  We  run  afresh  upon  the 
score ;  "  we  sin  daily,  therefore  must  re- 
pent daily."  Some  shed  a  few  tears  for 
sin  ;  and  when  their  tears,  like  the  widow's 
oil,  have  run  a  while  they  cease.  Many, 
if  the  plaster  of  repentance  begin  to  smart 
a  little,  pluck  it  off;  whereas  this  plaster 
of  repentance  must  still  lie  on,  and  not  be 
plucked  off  till  death  ;  when,  as  all  other 
tears,  so  these  of  godly  sorrow,  shall  be 
wiped  away. 

Quest.  IVhat  shall  we  do  to  obtain  a  peni- 
tent iol  frame  oj"  heart? 

Ans.  Seek  to  God  for  it.  It  is  his  pro- 
mise to  give  an  '  heart  of  flesh,'  Ezek. 
XXX vi.,  and  to  pour  on  us  a  spirit  of  mourn- 
ing, Zeeh.  xii.  10.  Beg  God's  '  Holy  Spi- 
rit.' Ps.  cxlvii.  18.,  "  He  causeth  his  wind 
to  blow,  and  the  waters  flow."  When  the 
wind  of  God's  Spirit  blows  upon  us,  then 
tlie  waters  of  repentant  tears  will  flow  from 
us. 


THE  WORD  READ  AND  PREACHED,   HOW  EFFECTUAL. 


III.  THE  third  way  to  escape  the  wrath 
and  curse  of  God,  and  obtain  the  benefit  of 
redempti<m  by  Christ,  is,  "  The  diligent  use 
of  ordinances,"  in  particulai*,  "  the  word, 
Kacraments,  and  prayer." 

I  begin  \\  ith  the  first  of  these  ordinances. 

1.  The  "word,"  1  Thes.  ii.  13.,—"  which 
efl'octually  worketh  in  you  that  believe." 

Quest.  JVhat  is  meant  by  the  word's  work- 
ing effectually? 

Anx.  Tlic  word  of  God  is  said  to  work 
effectually,  when  it  hath  that  good  effect 
iij>on  us  for  which  it  was  aj)pointed  of  God; 
namely,  when  the  word  works  powerful 
illumination,  and  thorough  reformation  ; 
Acts  xxvi.  18.,  "To  open  their  eyes,  and 
turn  lliem  from  the  power  of  Satan  to  God." 
The  *  opening  their  eyes,'  denotes  illumina- 
tion ;  and,  '  turning  them  from  Satan  to 
God,'  denotes  reformation. 


Quest.  2.  ///>?/•  in  the  word  to  be  read  and 
heard  that  it  mai/  become  effectual  to  salva- 
tion  ? 

This  question  consists  of  two  branches. 

1.  Hoiv  wail  the  irord  be  read  effectually  f 

First,  I  shall  begin  with  the  first  branch 
of  the  question,  '  How  is  the  woid  to  be 
read  that  it  may  become  effectual  to  salva- 
tion ?' 

Ann.  That  we  may  so  read  the  Avord,  that 
it  may  conduce  effectually  to  our  salvation, 

1.  Let  us  have  a  reverent  esteem  of  e- 
very  part  of  canonical  scripture :  Ps.  xix. 
10.,  "More  to  be  desired  are  they  than 
gold."  Value  this  book  of  God  above  all 
other  books.  It  is  a  golden  ejnstle,  indited 
by  the  Holy  Ghost,  sent  us  from  heaven. 
More  particularly  to  raise  our  esteem,  (1.) 
The  scripture  is  a  spiritual  glass  to  dress 
our  souls  by  ;  it  shews  us  more  than  we 


358 


THE  WORD  READ  AND  PREACHED  HOW  EFFECTUAL. 


can  see  by  the  light  of  a  naturjil  conscience; 
that  may  discover  gross  sins,  but  the  ghiss 
of  the  Avord  sliews  us  heart-sins,  vain 
thoughts,  unbeliof,  &c.  And  it  not  only 
sliews  us  our  spots,  but  washcth  them  a- 
way.  (2.)  The  scripture  is  a  magazine  out 
of  which  we  may  fetch  our  spiritual  artil- 
lery to  fight  against  Satan.  When  the  de- 
vil tempted  our  Saviour,  he  fetched  armour 
and  weapons  from  scripture,  "  it  is  written," 
Mat.  iv.  4,  7.  (3.)  The  holy  scripture  is  a 
panacea,  or  universal  medicine  for  the  soul ; 
it  gives  a  recipe  to  cure  deadness  of  heart, 
Ps.  cxix.  50.  Pride,  1  Pet.  v.  5.  Infideli- 
ty, John  iii.  36.  It  is  a  physic  garden, 
where  we  may  gather  an  herb  or  antidote 
to  expel  the  poison  of  sin.  The  leaves  of 
scripture,  like  the  leaves  of  the  tree  of  life, 
are  for  the  "  healing  of  the  nations,"  Rev. 
xxii  2.  And  may  not  this  cause  a  reve- 
rent esteem  of  the  word  ? 

2.  If  we  would  have  the  word  written 
effectual  to  our  souls,  let  us  peruse  it  with 
'intcnsenessof  mind  :'  John  v.  39.,  "  Search 
the  scriptures."  The  Greek  word  [erynate] 
signifies  to  search  as  for  a  '  vein  of  silver.' 
The  Beroans,  Acts  xvii.  11.,  "searched  the 
scriptures  daily."  The  word  [anakrimovtcs'] 
signifies  to  make  a  curious  and  critical 
search.  And  Apollos  was  mighty  in  tiie 
scriptures,  Acts  xviii.  24.  Some  gallop  o- 
ver  a  chapter  in  haste  and  get  no  good  by 
it :  if  we  would  have  the  word  effectual 
and  saving,  we  must  mind  and  observe  eve- 
ry passage  of  scripture.  And  that  we  may 
be  diligent  in  the  perusal  of  scripture,  con- 
sider, 

First,  T!ie  word  written  is  norma  cidtiif;, 
— the  rule  and  platform  by  which  we  are 
to  s(juare  our  lives ;  it  contains  in  it  all 
things  needful  to  salvation,  Ps.  xix.  7., 
what  duties  we  are  to  do,  what  sins  we  are 
to  avoid,  (iod  gave  Moses  a  pattern  how 
he  would  have  the  tabernacle  made;  and 
he  was  to  go  exactly  according  to  the  pat- 
tern, Exod.  \xv.  9.  The  word  is  the  j)at- 
tern  (Jod  hath  given  us  in  writing  for  mo- 
delling our  lives;  therefore,  how  careful 
should  we  be  in  the  pursuing  and  looking 
over  this  pattern  ? 

Secondly,  The  written  word,  as  it  is  our 
pattern,  so  it  will  be  our  judge,  John  xii. 
4-8.,  "  The  word  that  I   have  spoken,   the 


same  shall  judge  him  in  the  last  day."  We 
read  of  the  opening  of  the  books.  Rev.  xx. 
12.  This  is  one  book  God  will  open,  the 
book  of  the  Scripture,  and  will  judge  men 
out  of  it.  He  will  say,  Have  you  lived  ac- 
cording to  the  rule  of  this  word  ?  The  word 
hath  a  double  work,  to  teach,  and  to  judge. 

3.  If  we  would  have  the  word  written 
effectual,  we  must  bring  faith  to  the  read- 
ing of  it, — believe  it  to  be  the  word  of  the 
eternal  Jehovah.  The  word  written  comes 
with  authority, — it  shews  its  commission 
from  heaven,  "  Thus  saith  the  Lord."  It  is 
of  divine  inspiration,  2  Tim.  iii.  16.  The 
oracles  of  scripture  must  be  surer  to  us  than 
a  voice  from  heaven,  1  Pet.  i.  18.  Unbe- 
lief enervates  the  virtue  of  scripture,  and 
renders  it  ineffectual.  First  men  question 
the  truth  of  the  scripture,  and  then  fall 
away  from  it. 

4.  If  we  would  have  the  word  written 
effectual  to  salvation,  we  must  delight  in  it 
as  our  spiritual  cordial,  Jer.  xv.  16.,  "  Thy 
words  were  found,  and  I  did  eat  them,  and 
the  word  was  unto  me  the  joy  and  rejoicing 
of  my  heart."  All  true  solid  comfort  is 
fetched  out  of  the  word.  The  word  (as 
Chrysostom  saith)  is  a  spiritual  garden  ;  and 
the  promises  arethefragrantflowersor  spices 
in  this  garden.  How  should  we  delight  to 
walk  among  these  beds  of  spices  ?  Is  it  not 
a  comfort  in  all  dubious  perplexed  cases,  to 
have  a  counsellor  to  advise  us?  Ps.  cxix.  24., 
"  Thy  testimonies  are  my  counsellors."  Is 
it  not  a  comfort  to  find  our  evidences  for 
heaven  ?  And  where  should  we  find  them 
but  in  the  word  ?  1  Thess.  i.  4,  5.  The 
word  written  is  a  sovereign  elixir,  or  com- 
fort in  an  hour  of  distress,  Ps.  cxix.  50., 
"  This  is  my  comfort  in  my  affliction,  for 
thy  word  hath  quickened  me."  It  can  turn 
all  our  "•  water  into  wine,"  How  should 
we  take  a  great  complacency  and  delight  in 
the  word  ?  They  only  who  come  to  the  word 
with  delight,  go  from  it  with  success. 

5.  If  we  would  have  the  scripture  effec- 
tual and  saving,  we  must  be  sure,  AAhen  we 
have  read  the  word,  to  hide  it  in  our  hearts, 
Ps.  cxix.  11.,  "  Thy  word  have  I  hid  in  my 
heart."  The  word,  locked  up  in  the  heart, 
is  a  preservative  against  sin.  Why  did 
Davi<l  hide  the  word  in  his  heart  ?  In  the 
next  words,  "  That  I  might  not  sin  against 


THE  WORD  READ  AND  PREACHED,  HOW  EFFECTUAL. 


3r»9 


thee."  As  one  would  carry  an  antidote  a- 
bout  him  when  lie  comes  near  a  ])Iace  in- 
fected, so  David  carried  tlie  word  in  his 
heart  as  a  sacred  antidote  to  preserve  him 
from  the  infection  of  sin.  When  the  sap 
is  hid  in  the  root,  it  makes  the  branches 
fruitful ;  when  the  seed  is  hid  in  the  ground, 
then  the  corn  springs  up ;  so,  when  the 
word  is  hid  in  the  heart,  then  it  brings  forth 
good  fruit. 

6.  If  we  would  have  the  word  written 
effectual,  let  us  labour  not  only  to  have  the 
light  of  the  word  in  our  heads,  but  the 
power  of  the  word  in  our  hearts.  Let  us 
endeavour  to  have  the  word  copied  out,  and 
written  a  second  time  in  our  hearts,  Ps. 
xxxvii.  31.,  "  The  law  of  God  is  in  his 
heart."  The  word  saith,  "  Be  clothed  with 
humility,"  1  Pet.  v.  5. :  let  us  be  low  and 
humble  in  our  own  eyes.  The  word  calls 
for  sanctity :  Let  us  labour  to  partake  of 
the  divine  nature,  and  to  have  something 
conceived  in  us  which  is  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
2  Pet.  i.  4.  When  the  word  is  thus  copied 
out  into  our  hearts,  and  we  are  changed 
into  the  similitude  of  it,  now  the  word  writ- 
ten is  made  effectual  to  us,  and  becomes  a 
savour  of  life. 

7.  et  ult.  When  we  read  tlie  holy  scrip- 
tures let  us  look  up  to  God  for  a  blessing  ; 
beg  the  Spirit  of  wisdom  and  revelation, 
that  we  may  see  the  "  deep  things  of  God," 

1  Cor.  ii.  10.  Pray  to  God,  that  the  same 
Spirit  that  wrote  the  scripture  would  ena- 
ble us  to  understand  it.  Pray  that  God 
would  give  us  that  "  savour  of  knowledge," 

2  Cor.  ii.  14.,  that  we  may  relish  a  sweet- 
ness in  the  word  we  read.  David  tasted  it 
"  sweeter  than  the  honey-comb,"  Ps.  xix. 
10.  Let  us  pray  that  God  would  not  only 
give  us  his  word  as  a  rule  of  holiness,  but 
his  grace  as  a  principle  of  holiness. 

2d  Branch  of  the  2d  Question.  How 
may  ive  so  hear  the  word^  that  it  may  be  ef- 
fictual  and  saving  to  our  souls  ? 

Alls.  1  Give  great  attention  to  the  word 
preached  ;  let  nothing  p.'iss  without  taking 
special  notice  of  it,  Luke  xix.  48.,  "  All  the 
people  were  very  attentive  to  hear  him," 
they  hung  upon  his  lips.  Acts  xvi.  14., 
"  Lydia  a  seller  of  purple,  which  worshi|)- 
ped  God,  heard  us,  whose  heart  the  Lord 
opened,    that  she  attended   to   the    things 


which  were  spoken  of  Paul."  Give  atten- 
tion to  the  word,  as  to  a  matter  of  life  and 
death.  And,  to  that  purjio^e  have  a  care, 
(1.)  To  banish  vain  impertinent  thoughts, 
which  will  distract  yon,  and  tak(;  you  off 
from  the  work  in  hand,  'flits-  fouls  will 
be  coming  to  the  saeiiliee,  (iti..  xv.  11., 
therefore  we  must  drive  tlieni  away.  An 
archer  may  take  a  right  aim;  but  if  one 
stand  at  his  elbow,  and  jog  him  when  he  is 
going  to  shoot,  he  will  not  hit  the  mark: 
Christians  may  have  good  aims  in  hearing; 
but  take  heed  of  imj)ertiuent  thoughts  which 
will  jog  and  hinder  you  in  (iod's  service. 
(2.)  Banish  dulness.  The  devil  gives  many 
hearers  a  sleepy  sop,  they  cannot  keep  their 
eyes  open  at  a  sermon  ;  they  eat  so  much  on 
a  Lord's  day,  that  tiiey  are  fitter  for  the 
pillow  and  couch,  than  the  temple.  Fre- 
quent and  customary  sleeping  at  a  sermon, 
shows  high  contempt  and  irreverence  of  the 
ordinance ;  it  gives  a  bad  example  to  others ; 
it  makes  your  sincerity  to  be  called  in  ques- 
tion ;  it  is  the  devil's  seed-time.  Mat.  xiii. 
25.,  "  While  men  slept,  his  enemy  came 
and  sowed  tares."  O  shake  off  drowsiness, 
as  Paul  shook  off  the  viper  !  Be  serious  and 
attentive  in  hearing  the  word,  Deut.  xxxii. 
47.,  "  For  it  is  not  a  vain  thing  for  you, 
because  it  is  your  life."  When  people  do 
not  mind  what  God  speaks  to  them  in  his 
wonl,  God  doth  as  little  mind  what  they  say 
to  him  ill  jirayer. 

/Y.  2.  If  you  would  have  the  word  preach- 
ed effectual,  come  with  an  holy  appetite  to 
the  word,  1  Pet.  ii.  2.  The  thirsting  soul  is 
the  thriving  soul.  In  nature,  one  may  have 
an  appetite  and  no  digestion  ;  but  it  is  not 
so  in  religion.  Where  there  is  a  groat  ap- 
petite to  the  word,  there  is  for  the  most  pari 
digestion  ;  the  word  doth  concoct  and  nour- 
ish. Come  with  hungerings  of  soul  after 
the  word ;  and  therefore  desire  the  word, 
that  it  may  not  only  please  you,  but  profit 
you.  Look  not  more  at  the  garnishing  of 
the  dish  than  at  the  meat, — at  eloquence  and 
rhetoric  more  than  solid  matter.  It  argues 
both  a  wanton  palate,  and  surfeited  stomach, 
to  feed  on  sallads  and  kickshaws  rather  than 
wholesome  food. 

A.  3.  If  you  would  have  the  preaching 
of  the  word  effectual,  come  to  it  with  a  ten- 
derness upon  your  heart,  2  Chron.  xiii.  7., 


360 


THE  WORD  READ  AND  PREACHED.  HOW  EFFECTUAL. 


Because  thy  licart  was  tender.  If  we  preach 
to  hard  hearts,  it  is  like  shooting  against  a 
bra/en  wall,  the  word  (h)tl!  not  enter ;  it  is 
like  setting  a  gold  seal  upon  marble,  which 
tiikes  no  impression.  O  come  to  the  word 
preached  with  a  melting  frame  of  heart ! 
It  is  the  melting  wax  receives  the  stamp  of 
the  seal.  When  the  heart  is  in  a  melting 
frame,  it  will  better  receive  the  stamp  of 
the  word  preached.  When  Paul's  heart 
was  melted  and  broken  for  sin,  then  he 
cries,  "  Lord,  what  wilt  thou  have  me  to 
do,"  Acts  ix.  6.  Come  not  hither  with  hard 
hearts ;  who  can  expect  a  crop  when  the 
seed  is  sown  upon  stony  ground  ? 

A.  4.  If  youAvould  have  the  word  effectual, 
receive  it  with  meekness,  James  i.  21.,  "  Re- 
ceive with  meekness  the  ingrafted  word." 
Meekness  is  a  submissive  frame  of  heart  to 
the  word, — a  willingness  to  hear  the  coun- 
sels and  reproofs  of  the  word.  Contrary  to 
this  meekness,  is  (1.)  Fierceness  of  spirit, 
Avhereby  men  are  ready  to  rise  iip  in  rage 
against  the  word.  Proud  men,  and  guilty, 
cannot  endure  to  hear  of  their  faults. 
Proud  Herod  put  John  in  prison,  Mark  vi. 
17.  The  guilty  Jews  being  told  of  their 
crucifying  Christ,  stoned  Stephen,  Acts  vii. 
69.  To  tell  men  of  sin,  is  to  hold  a  glass 
to  one  that  is  dcjformed,  who  cannot  endure 
to  see  his  own  face.  (2.)  Contrary  to  meek- 
ness is  stubbornness  of  heart,  whereby  men 
are  resolved  to  hold  fast  their  sins,  let  the 
word  say  what  it  will,  Jer.  xliv.  17.,  "  We 
will  burn  incense  to  the  queen  of  heaven." 
O  take  heed  of  this  !  If  you  would  have  the 
word  preached  work  effectually,  lay  aside 
fierceness  and  stubbornness,  receive  the  word 
with  meekness.  By  meekness  the  word 
preached  comes  to  be  ingrafted.  As  a  good 
scion  that  is  grafted,  in  a  bad  stock,  doth 
change  the  nature  of  the  fruit  and  make  it 
taste  sweet ;  so  when  the  word  comes  to  be 
ingrafted  into  the  soul,  it  sanctifies  it,  and 
makes  it  bring  forth  the  sweet  fruit  of 
righteousness. 

A.  5.  Mingle  the  word  preached  with 
fiilth,  lleb.  iv.  2.,  "  The  word  preached  did 
not  ])r()fit,  not  being  mixed  with  faith."  W 
you  leave  out  the  chief  ingredient  in  a  me- 
dicine, it  hinders  the  oi)erati<»u  :  do  not 
leave  out  this  ingredient  of  faith.  Believe 
the  word,  and  so  believe  it  as  to  apply  it. 


When  you  hear  Christ  preached,  apply  him 
to  yourselves  ;  this  is  to  put  on  the  Lord 
Jesus,  Rom.  xiii.  14.  When  you  hear  a 
promise  spoken  of,  apply  it ;  this  is  to  suck 
the  flower  of  the  promise,  and  turn  it  to 
honey. 

A.  6.  Be  not  only  attentive  in  hearing 
but  retentive  after  hearing:  Heb.  ii.  1.,  "We 
ought  to  give  the  more  earnest  heed  to  the 
things  we  have  heard,  lest  at  any  tin)e  Ave 
let  them  slip."  Lest  we  should  let  thenj 
run  out,  as  water  out  of  a  sieve  ;  if  the 
ground  doth  not  retain  the  seed  sown  into 
it,  there  can  be  no  good  crop.  Some  have 
memories  like  leaking  vessels,  the  sermons 
they  hear  are  presently  gone,  and  then  there 
is  no  good  done.  If  meat  doth  not  stay  and 
concoct  on  the  stomach,  it  will  not  nourish. 
Satan  labours  to  steal  the  word  out  of  our 
mind,  Mark  iv.  15.,  "  When  they  have 
heard,  Satan  cometh  immediately,  and  tak- 
eth  away  the  word  that  was  sown."  Our 
memories  should  be  like  the  chest  of  the 
ark  where  the  law  was  put. 

A.  7.  Reduce  your  hearing  to  practice  ; 
live  on  the  sermons  you  hear :  Ps.  cxix. 
166.,  "  I  have  done  thy  commandments." 
Rachel  was  not  content  that  slie  was  beau- 
tiful, but  her  desire  was  to  be  fruitful. 
What  is  a  knowing  head  without  a  fruitful 
heart?  Phil.  i.  11.,  "  Filled  with  the  fruits 
of  righteousness."  It  is  obedience  crowns 
hearing  ;  that  hearing  will  never  save  the 
soul,  which  doth  not  reform  the  life. 

A.  8.  Beg  of  God  that  he  will  accompa- 
ny his  word  with  his  ])resence  and  blessing. 
The  Spirit  must  make  all  effectual ;  minis- 
ters may  prescribe  physic,  but  it  is  God's 
Spirit  must  make  it  work.  "  He  hath  his 
])ulpit  in  heaven  that  conve'ts  souls,"  Aus- 
riN.  Acts  X.  44.,  "  While  Peter  yet  sj)ake, 
the  Holy  Ghost  fell  on  all  them  that  heard." 
It  is  said,  the  alcliymist  can  draw  oil  out 
of  iron  :  (lod's  Spirit  can  j)roduce  grace  in 
the  most  obdurate  heart. 

A.  9.  If  you  would  have  the  word  work 
effectually  to  your  salvation,  make  it  fami- 
liar to  vou  ;  discourse  of  the  word  you  have 
heard  when  you  come  home,  Ps.  cxix,  172., 
"Mv  tongue  shall  speak  of  thy  word." 
That  may  be  one  reason  why  some  people 
get  no  more  good  by  what  they  hear,  be- 
I  cause  they  never  speak  one  to  another  of 


OF  BAPTISM. 


3G1 


wTiat  tliey  have  heard  ;  as  if  sermons  were 
such  secrets,  that  tliey  must  not  be  spoken 
of  again  ;  or  as  if  it  were  a  shame  to  speak 
of  matters  of  salvation,  Mai.  iii.  16.,  "  Tliey 
that  feared  the  Lord  spake  often  one  to  a- 
nothcr,  and  a  book  of  remembrance  was 
written." 

Use.  Caution.  Take  heed,  as  you  love 
voiir  souls,  that  the  word  become  not  in- 
effectual to  you.  There  are  some  to  whom 
the  word  preached  is  ineffectual.  (1.)  Such 
as  censure  the  word  ;  instead  of  judging 
themselves  judge  the  word.  (2.)  Such  as 
live  in  contradiction  to  the  word:  Isa.  xxx. 
8.  (3.)  Such  as  are  more  hardened  by  the 
word,  Zech.  vii.  12.,  "  They  made  their 
hearts  as  an  adamant."  And  when  men 
harden  their  hearts  wilfully,  God  hardens 
them  judicially,  Isa.  vi.  10.,  "  Make  their 
ears  heavy."  The  word  to  these  is  ineffec- 
tual :  were  it  not  sad,  if  a  man's  meat 
should  not  nourish  ;  nay,  if  it  should  turn 
to  poison  ?  O  take  heed  that  the  word 
preached  be  not  ineffectual  and  to  no  pur- 
pose !     Consider  three  things. 

(1.)  If  the  word  preached  doth  us  no 
good,  there  is  no  other  way  by  which  we 
can  be  saved.  This  is  God's  institution, 
and  the  main  engine  he  useth  to  convert 
souls,  Luke  x^^.  31.,  "  If  they  hear  not  Mo- 
ses and  the  prophets,  neither  mil  they  be 
persuaded  though  one  rose  from  the  dead." 
If  an  angel  should  come  to  you  out  of  hea- 
ven, and  preach  of  the  excellency  of  the 
glorified  estate,  and  the  joys  of  heaven,  and 


that  in  the  most  patlietical  manner, — if  the 
word  preached  doth  not  ])ersuade,  neither 
would  you  be  wrought  upon  by  such  an  o- 
ration  from  heaven.  If  a  damned  spirit 
should  come  from  hell,  and  preach  to  you 
in  flames,  and  tell  you  what  a  ])lace  hell  is, 
and  roar  out  the  torments  of  the  damned, 
it  might  make  you  tremble,  but  it  woul  I 
not  convert,  if  the  preaciiing  of  the  word 
would  not  do  it. 

(2.)  To  come  to  the  word,  and  not  be 
savingly  wrought  upon,  is  that  which  the 
devil  is  pleased  with  ;  he  cares  not  though 
you  hear  frequently,  if  it  be  not  effectually ; 
he  is  not  an  enemy  to  hearing  but  profiting. 
Though  the  minister  holds  out  the  breasts 
of  the  ordinances  to  you,  he  cares  not  as 
long  as  you  do  not  suck  the  sincere  milk 
of  the  word.  The  devil  cares  not  how  ma- 
ny sermon-pills  you  take,  so  long  as  they 
do  not  work  upon  your  conscience. 

(3.)  If  the  word  preached  be  not  effec- 
tual to  men's  conversion,  it  will  be  effec- 
tual to  their  condemnation  ;  the  word  will 
be  effectual  one  way  or  other :  if  it  doth 
not  make  your  hearts  better,  it  will  make 
your  chains  heavier.  We  pit^  tnem  ^v•ho 
have  not  the  word  preached,  but.  it  will  be 
worse  with  them  who  are  not  sanctified  by 
it :  dreadful  is  their  case,  who  go  loaded 
with  sermons  to  hell.  But  I  \v\]\  conclude 
with  the  apostle,  Heb.  vi.  9.,  "  We  are  per-  » 
suaded  better  things  of  you,  and  things  that 
accompany  salvation." 


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OF  BAPTISM. 


Mat.  xxviii.  19,  20.  Go  ye  therefore^  and  teach  all  nations,  baptizing  them  in  the  name  of 
the  Father y  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost ;  teaching  them 


WE  are  still  upon  that  question  in  the 
catechism. 

What  are  the  outtvard  means  whereby  Christ 
communicateth  to  us  the  benefits  of  redemption  ? 

Ans.  Tliey  are  his  ordinances,  especially 
the  word,  sacraments,  and  prayer. 

I  have  spoken  to  the  first,  "  The  word 
read  and  preached."  I  now  proceed  to  the 
second, 

II.    'Fhe  wan  whereby  Christ  communicat- 


eth to  us  the  benefits  of  redemption,  is,  tn  the 
use  of  the  sacraments. 

Quest.  1.  fVhat  are  sacraments  in  ge- 
neral ? 

Ans.  They  are  visible  signs  of  invisible 
grace. 

Quest.  2.  7s  not  the  word  of  God  suffi- 
cient to  salvation  ?  What  need  then  is  thi  re  of 
sacraments  ? 

Ans,  We  must  not  he  wise  above  what 
2Z 


3U2 


OF  BAPTISM. 


is  written :  this  may  satisfy,  it  is  God's  will 
that  his  church  should  have  sacraments ; 
and  it  is  God's  goodness,  thus  by  sacraments 
to  condescend  to  weak  capacities,  John  iv. 
48.,  "  Except  ye  see  signs,  ye  will  not  be- 
lieve." God  to  strengthen  our  faith,  con- 
firms the  covenant  of  grace,  not  only  by 
promises  but  by  sacramental  signs. 

Quest.  3.  Jfhat  are  the  Sacraments  of  the 
New  Testament  ? 

Ans.  Two  :  baptism  and  the  Lord's  sup- 
per. 

Quest.  4.  But  are  there  no  more  ?  The 
papists  tell  of  Jive  more,  viz.  confirmation, 
penance,  matrimony,  orders,  and  the  extreme 
miction. 

Ans.  1.  There  were  but  two  sacraments 
under  the  law,  therefore  there  are  no  more 
now,  1  Cor.  X.  2,  3,  4. 

A.  2.  These  two  sacraments  are  suffi- 
cient :  the  one  signifying  our  entrance  into 
Christ,  and  the  other  our  growth  and  per- 
severance in  him. 

I  begin  with  the  first  sacrament,  Bap- 
tism. "  Go  ye  therefore,  and  teach  all  na- 
tions, baptizing  them  in  the  name  of  the 
Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy 
Ghost ;  teaching  them" — '  Go  teach  all  na- 
tions :'  the  Greek  word  is  '  Make  disciples  of 
all  nations.  If  it  be  asked,  how  should  we 
make  them  disciples  ?  It  follows,  '  Bap- 
tizing them  and  teaching  them."  In  a  hea- 
then nation,  first  teach  them,  and  then  bap- 
tize them  ;  but  in  a  Christian  church,  first 
baptize  them,  and  then  teach  them. 

Quest.  5.    What  is  baptism  ? 

Ans.  In  general,  it  is  a  matriculation,  or 
visible  admission  of  children  into  the  con- 
gregation of  Christ's  flock.  More  particu- 
larly, '  Baptism  is  a  sacrament,  wherein  the 
washing  or  sprinkling  with  water,  in  the 
name  of  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost, 
doth  signify  and  seal  our  ingraftnig  into 
Christ,  and  partaking  of  the  benefits  of  the 
covenant  of  grace,  and  our  engagement  to 
be  the  Lord's. 

Quest.  6.  JVhat  is  the  meaning  of  the  pa- 
rent, in  presenting  his  child  to  he  baptized  ? 

Ans.  The  parent,  in  presenting  his  child 
to  be  baptized,  doth,  1st.  Make  a  public  ac- 
knowledgment of  original  sin  ;  that  the 
soul  of  Ids  child  is  polluted,  therefore  needs 
washing  away  of  sin  by  Christ's  blood  and 


Spirit ;  both  which  washings  are  signified 
by  the  sprinkling  of  water  in  baptism.  2d. 
The  parent  by  bringing  his  child  to  be  bap- 
tized, doth  solemnly  devote  his  child  to  the 
Lord,  and  enrol  him  in  God's  familv  ;  and 
truly  this  may  be  a  great  satisfaction  to  a 
religious  parent,  that  he  hath  given  up  his 
child  to  the  Lord  in  baptism.  How  can  a 
parent  look  with  comfort  on  that  child  who 
was  never  yet  dedicated  to  God  ? 

Quest.  7.  What  then  is  the  benefit  of  bap- 
tism ? 

Ans.  The  party  baptized  hath,  \st.  An 
entrance  into  the  visible  body  of  the  church. 
2d.  The  j)arty  baptized  hath  a  right  sealed 
to  the  ordinances,  which  is  a  privilege  full 
of  glory,  Rom.  ix.  4.  3c?.  The  child  bap- 
tized is  under  a  more  special  providential 
care  of  Christ,  who  appoints  the  tutelage  of 
angels  to  be  the  infant's  life  guard. 

Quest.  8.  Is  this  cdl  the  benefit  ? 

Ans.  No.  To  such  as  belong. to  the  elec- 
tion, baptism  is  a  "  seal  of  the  riglitcous- 
ness  of  the  faith,"  Rom.  iv.  II., — a  laver  of 
regeneration,  and  a  badge  of  adoption. 

Quest.  9.  How  doth  it  appear  that  chil- 
dren have  a  right  of  baptism  ? 

Ans.  Children  are  paities  of  the  covenant 
of  grace.  The  covenant  was  made  with 
them.  Gen.  xvii  7,,  "  I  will  establish  my 
covenant  between  me  and  thee,  and  thy 
seed  after  thee,  for  an  everlasting  covenant, 
to  be  a  God  unto  thee,  and  thy  seed  after 
thee."  And  Acts  ii.  39.,  "  The  promise  is 
unto  you  and  to  your  children."  The  co- 
venant of  grace  may  be  considered  either, 
(1.)  More  strictly,  as  an  absolute  promise 
to  give  saving  grace ;  and  so  none  but  the 
elect  are  in  covenant  with  God.  Or,  (2.) 
More  largely,  as  a  covenant  containing  in 
it  many  outward  glorious  privileges,  in 
which  respects  the  children  of  believers  do 
belong  to  the  covenant  of  grace  :  the  pro- 
mise is  to  you  and  to  your  seed.  The  in- 
fant-seed of  believers  may  as  well  lay  a 
claim  to  the  covenant  of  grace  as  their  pa- 
rents ;  and  having  a  right  to  the  covenant, 
thev  cannot  justly  be  denied  bai)tism,  which 
is  the  seal.  I  would  ask  this  question  of 
them  who  deny  infant  baptism,  it  is  cer- 
tain the  children  of  1  elievers  were  once  vi- 
sibly in  covenant  with  (io<l,  and  did  receive 
the  seal  of  their  admission  into  the  church 


OF  BAPTISM. 


363 


now  wlierp  clo  we  fiiid  this  covenant-inte- 
rest, or  clmrcli  nieinhersliij)  of*  infants,  was 
ever  repealed  or  made  void  .''  Certainly  Je- 
sus Christ  did  not  come  to  put  believers 
and  their  children  into  a  woise  condition 
than  they  were  in  before.  If  the  children 
of  believers  should  not  be  baptized,  they  are 
in  a  worse  condition  now  than  they  were 
1!!  before  Christ's  cominfj.  Before  I  come 
to  prove  the  baptizing^  of  infants  I  shall  an- 
swer the  objections  made  against  it. 

Ob  J.  1.  IVie  scripture  is  silent  hereiv,  and 
doth  not  mention  in/'ant-haptism. 

Ans.  Thouffh  there  is  not  the  word  in- 
fnnt-hn}>fi>^in  in  scrij)t(ire,  yet  there  is  the 
thinti;'.  There  is  not  menti(»n  niad<'  in  scrip- 
ture td"  wiUTien's  receiviiig  the  sacrament, 
but  who  doubts  but  the  command,  "  Take, 
eat,  this  is  my  body,"  concerns  them  ?  J)oth 
7iot  their  faith  need  strengtlu'ninji^  as  well 
as  others  ?  So  the  word  Trinilti  is  not  to  b(; 
found  in  scripture,  but  there  is  that  which 
is  equivalent,  1  Jolin  v.  7.,  "  There  are 
Three  that  bear  record  in  heaven,  the  Fa- 
ther, the  Word,  and  the  Holy  Ghost;  and 
these  three  are  one."  So,  though  the  word 
infant-baptism  is  not  mentioned  in  scripture, 
yet  the  practice  of  baptizing  infants  may  be 
drawn  out  of  scripture  by  undeniable  con- 
eequence. 

Quest.  Hoiv  is  that  proved? 

Ans.  The  scripture  mentions  whole  fami- 
lies baptized  :  as  the  household  of  I.ydia, 
Crisj)us,  and  the  jailor.  Acts  xvi.  33.,  "  He 
was  bajjtized,  he  and  all  his  house." 
Wherein  we  must  rationally  imagine  that 
there  were  some  little  children.  If  it  be 
said,  tliere  is  no  mention  there  made  of 
children :  I  answer,  neither  are  servants 
named,  yet  it  cannot  be  supposed  but  that, 
in  so  great  a  family,  there  were  some  ser- 
vants. 

Obj.  2.  But  infants  are  not  capable  of  the 
end  of  baptism :  for  baptism,  siynijies  the 
washing  away  of  sin  by  the  l)lood  of  Christ. 
Now  infants  cannot  understand  this ;  there- 
fore, uhal  benefit  can  tiaptixm  be  to  them  ? 

An>.  Whereas  it  is  said,  infants  cannot 
understand  the  mystery  of  baptism,  neither 
could  the  child  that  was  to  be  circumcised 
understand  circumcision;  vet  the  ordinance 
of  circumcision  was  not  to  be  omitted  or 
deferred.     An  infant,  though  it  understand 


not  the  moaning  of  ba])tism,  yet  it  may  par- 
take of  the  blessing  of  baptism.  The  littlo 
children  that  Christ  took  in  his  arms,  un- 
derstood not  Christ's  meaning,  but  they  had 
Christ's  blessing,  Mark  x.  16.,  "  He  put  his 
hands  upon  them  and  l)lessed  them." 

Quest.  But  what  benefit  can  the  chihl  have 
of  baptism,  if  it  understand  not  the  nature  of 
baptism  ? 

Ans.  It  may  have  a  right  to  the  promise 
sealed  up,  which  it  shall  have  an  actiuil  in- 
terest in  when  it  comes  to  have  faith.  A 
legacy  may  be  of  use  to  the  child  in  the 
'  cradle,  though  it  now  understand  not  the 
legacy,  yet  when  it  is  grown  up  to  years, 
it  is  fidly  possessed  of  it.  But  it  may  be 
!  further  objected  : 

Ob.i.  1.  The  party  to  be  baptised  is  to  be 
enyaytd  to  God ;  but  how  can  the  child  en- 
gage i 

Ans.  The  parents  can  engage  for  it,  which 
(lod  is  ])leased  to  accept  as  equivalent  to 
the  child's  personal  engaging. 

Obj.  2.  If  baptism  comes  in  the  room,  of 
circumcision,  only  the  males  were  circumcised, 
Gen.  xvii.  27.  Then  what  warrant  is  there 
for  baptizing  females  ? 

Ans.  The  f(Mnales  were  included,  and 
were  virtually  circumcised  in  the  males. 
What  is  done  to  the  head  is  done  to  the  bo- 
dy;  the  man  thereAne  being  the  head  of 
the  woman,  1  Cor.  xi.  3.  What  was  done 
to  the  male  sex  was  interpretatively  done 
to  the  female.  Having  answered  these  ob- 
jections, I  come  now  to  pi*ove  by  argument, 
infant-ba])tism. 

\st  Argument.  If  children  during  their 
inlancy  are  caj)able  of  grace,  then  they  are 
capable  (d'  baptism  ;  but  children  in  their 
infancy  are  capable  of  grace,  therefore  they 
are  capable  of  baj)tism.  I  prove  the  minor, 
that  they  are  capable  of  grace,  thus :  if 
children  in  their  infancv  mav  be  saved,  then 
they  are  capable  of  grace  ;  but  children  in 
their  infancy  may  be  saved  ;  which  is  prov- 
ed thus:  if  the  kingdom  of  heaven  may  be- 
long to  them,  then  they  may  be  saved,  but 
the  kingdom  of  heaven  may  belong  to  them, 
as  it  is  clear  from  Mark  x.  14.,  "  Of  such 
is  the  kingdom  of  God."  Who  then  can 
forbid  that  the  seal  of  baptism  should  be  ap- 
plied to  them? 

2d  Arg.     If  infants  may  be  among  the 


S64 


OF  BAPTISM. 


number  of  God's  servants,  then  tljcrc  is  no 
reason  wliy  tlicy  should  he  shut  out  of"  (Jod's 
family;  but  infants  may  be  in  tlie  number 
of  God's  servants,  tliat  is  eviiknt  because 
God  calls  them  his  servants,  Lev.  xxv.  41, 
42.,  "  He  shall  depart  from  tlice  and  his 
children  with  him,  for  they  are  my  servants." 
Therefore  children  in  their  infancy  boinn;^ 
God's  servants,  wliy  should  they  not  have 
baptism,  which  is  the  tessera, — the  mark  or 
seal  wliich  God  sets  upon  his  servants? 

M  Arg.  Is  from  1  Cor.  vii.  14.,  "But 
now  are  your  children  holy."  Children  are 
not  called  holy,  as  if  they  were  free  from 
original  sin  ;  but  in  the  judgment  of  charity 
they  are  to  be  esteemed  holy,  and  true 
members  of  the  church  of  God,  because 
their  parents  are  believers.  Hence  tliat  ex- 
cellent divine  Mr.  Heldersam  saith,  "  that 
the  children  of  the  faithful  as  soon  as  they 
are  born,  have  a  covenant-holiness,  and  so 
a  right  and  title  to  baptism,  which  is  the 
token  of  the  covenant." 

Ath  Arg.  From  the  opinion  of  the  fathers 
and  the  practice  of  the  church.  (1.)  The 
ancient  fathers  were  strong  asserters  of  in- 
fant-baptism, Irenaeus,  Basil,  Lactantius, 
Cyprian  and  Austin.  (2.)  It  was  the  prac- 
tice of  the  Greek  church  to  baptize  her  in- 
fants. Erasmus  saith,  that  infant-baptism 
hath  been  used  in  the  church  of  God  for  a- 
bove  fourteen  hundred  years.  And  St.  Aus- 
tin, in  his  book  against  Pelagius,  affirms, 
that  it  hath  been  the  custom  of  the  church 
in  all  ages  to  baptize  infants.  Yea,  it  was 
an  apostolical  practice;  St.  Paul  affirms, 
that  lie  baptized  the  whole  house  of  Stepha- 


nus,  1  Cor.  i.  16. 


And  as  you  have  seen  scripture-argu- 
ments for  infant-baptism,  so  let  us  consider 
whether  the  practice  of  those  who  delay  tlie 
baptizing  of  children  till  riper  years,  be 
warrantable.  For  my  part,  I  cannot  gath- 
er it  from  scripture.  For  though  we  read 
of  persons  adult  and  grown  up  to  years  of 
discretion,  in  the  apostles'  times,  baptized, 
yet  those  were  such  as  were  converted  from 
lieathenish  idolatry  to  the  true  orthodox 
faith;  but  that  in  a  Christian  church  the 
children  of  believers  should  be  kept  unbap- 
tized  several  years,  I  know  neither  precept 
nor  example  for  it  in  scripture,  but  it  is 
wholly  apocryphal.     The  baptizing  of  per- 


sons grown  up  to  maturity,  we  may  argue 
against  nh  effecht, — from  the  ill  consequence 
of  it:  they  dip  the  persons  they  baptize 
over  head  and  ears  in  cold  water,  aiul  nak- 
ed, which  as  it  is  indecent,  so  it  is  danger- 
ous, and  hath  been  oftentimes  the  occasion 
of  chronical  diseases,  yea,  death  itself,  and 
so  it  is  a  plain  breach  of  the  sixth  com- 
mandment. And  how  far  (Jod  hath  given 
up  many  persons,  who  are  for  the  deferring 
of  baptism,  to  other  A'ile  opinions  and  vici- 
ous practices,  is  evident,  if  we  consult  with 
history,  especially  if  we  read  OA'er  the  act- 
ing of  the  anabaptists  in  Germany. 

Use  \st.  See  the  riches  of  God's  goodness, 
who  will  not  only  be  the  God  of  believers, 
but  takes  their  seed  into  covenant.  Gen. 
xvii.  7.,  "  I  will  establish  my  covenant  be- 
tween me  and  thee,  and  thy  seed  after  thee, 
to  be  a  God  unto  thee  and  thy  seed."  A 
father  counts  it  a  great  privilege,  not  only 
to  have  his  own  name,  but  his  child's  name 
put  in  a  will. 

Use  2d.  It  blames  those  parents  who  for- 
bid little  children  to  be  brouglit  to  Clnist  : 
they  withhold  the  ordinance.  Bv  deiiviiiir 
their  infants  baptism,  they  exclude  them 
from  having  a  membership  in  the  vi.vihh; 
church,  and  so  their  infants  are  sucking 
pagans.  Such  as  deny  their  children  baj)- 
tism,  make  God's  institutions  under  the  law 
more  full  of  kindness  and  grace  to  children, 
than  they  are  now  under  the  gospel ;  which 
how  strange  a  paradox  it  is,  I  leave  you  to 
judge. 

Use  3d.  Of  exhortation.  (1.)  We  that 
are  baptized,  let  us  labour  to  find  the  bless- 
ed fruits  of  baptism  in  our  own  souls :  let 
us  labour  not  only  to  have  the  signs  of  the 
covenant,  but  the  gi'ace  of  the  covenant- 
Many  glory  in  this,  that  they  are  baptized. 
The  Jews  gloried  in  their  circumcision,  be- 
cause of  their  royal  privileges;  to  them  be- 
longed the  adoption,  and  the  glory  and  the 
covenants,  Rom.  ix.  4. ;  but  many  of  them 
were  a  shame  and  rej)r()ach  to  their  circum- 
cision, Rom.  ii.  24.,  "  For  the  name  of  (Jod 
is  blasphemed  among  the  (ientiles  through 
you."  The  scandalous  Jews  (though  cir- 
cumcised) were,  in  (Jod's  account,  as  hea- 
thens ;  Amos  ix.  7.,  "  Are  ye  not  as  chil- 
dren of  the  Ethiopians  to  me  ?  saith  the 
Lord."     Alas  !  What  is  it  to  have  the  name 


OF  THE  LOHD'S  SUPPER. 


3G5 


of  Christ,  and  want  his  imaj^e?  What  is 
baptism  of  water,  without  the  baptism  of 
the  Spirit?  Many  baptized  Cliristians  are 
no  better  tlian  heathens.  O  labour  to  find 
tlie  fruits  of  baptism, — that  Christ  is  form- 
ed in  us,  Gal.  iv.  19.,  that  our  nature  is 
chaiigfed,  we  are  made  holy  and  heavenly  ! 
Tliis  is  to  be  baptized  into  Jesus,  Rom.  vi. 
3.  Such  as  live  unsuitable  to  their  baptism, 
may  go  with  baptismal-water  on  their  faces, 
and  sacramental  bread  in  their  mouths,  to 
hell. 

(2.)  Let  us  labour  to  make  a  right  use 
of  our  baptism. 

First  use  of  baptism.  Let  us  use  it  as  a 
shield  against  temptations.  "  Satan,  I  have 
given  up  myself  to  God  by  a  sacred  vow  in 
baptism ;  I  am  not  my  own,  I  am  Christ's ; 
therefore  I  cannot  yield  to  thy  temptations, 
but  I  break  my  oath  of  allegiance  which  I 
made  to  God  in  baptism."  Luther  tells  us 
of  a  pious  woman,  who  when  the  devil 
temptid  her  to  sin,  she  answed  Satan,  Bap- 
lizata  sum, — "  I  am  baptized ;"  and  so  beat 
back  the  tempter. 

Second  use  of  baptism.  Let  us  use  it  as  a 
spur  to  holiness.  By  remembering  our  bap- 
tism, lot  us  be  stirred  up  to  make  good  our 
ba|)tisui;il  engagements;  renouncing  the 
world,  llesli,  and  devil,  let  us  devote  our- 
selves to  God  and  his  service.  To  be  bap- 
tized into  the  name  of  the  Father,  Son,  and 
Holy  Ghost,  implies  a  solemn  dedication  of 
ourselves  to  the  service  of  all  tiie  three  per- 
sons in  the  Trinity.  It  is  not  enough  that 
our  j)arents  dedicate  us  to  God  in  baptism, 
but  we  must  dedicate  ourselves  to  him ; 
this  is  called  a  living  to  the  Lord,  Rom. 
xiv.  8.  Our  life  should  be  spent  in  wor- 
Rliip|)ing  God,  in  loving  God,  in  exalting 
God ;  we  should  walk  as  becomes  the  gos- 
pel, Piiil.  i.  27.  Sliine  as  stars  in  the  world, 
and  live  as  earthly  angels. 

7  liird  use  of  baptism.  Let  us  use  it  as  an 


argument  to  courage.  We  should  be  ready 
to  confess  that  holy  Trinity  into  whose 
name  we  were  baptized.  With  the  conver- 
sion of  the  heart,  must  go  the  confession  of 
the  tongue,  Luke  xii.  8.,  "  Whosoever  shall 
confess  me  before  men,  him  shall  the  Son 
of  man  also  confess  before  the  angels  of 
(Jod."  Peter  o])enly  confessed  Christ  cru- 
cified, Acts  iv.  10.  Cyi)rian,  a  n)an  of  a 
brave  si)irit,  was  like  a  rock  whom  no  waves 
could  shake,  like  an  adamant  whom  no 
sword  could  cut :  he  confessed  Christ  before 
the  proconsul,  and  suffered  himself  to  be 
proscribed,  yea,  chose  death,  rather  than  he 
would  betray  the  truths  of  Christ,  lie  that 
dare  not  confess  the  holy  Trinity,  shames 
his  baptism,  and  God  will  be  ashamed  to 
own  him  at  the  day  of  judgment. 

W.  use.  See  the  fearful ness  of  the  sin  of 
apostasy  !  'Tis  a  renouncing  of  our  bap- 
tisui.  Tis  damnable  perjury  to  go  away 
from  God,  after  a  soleuni  vow  :  2  Tim.  iv. 
10.,  "  Ucmas  hath  forsaken  me."  He  turn- 
ed renegado,  and  afterwards  became  a  priest 
in  an  idol-temple,  saith  Dorothcus.  Julian 
the  apostate  ((iregory  Nazianzen  observes) 
bathed  iiimself  in  the  blood  of  beasts  oiT'er- 
cd  in  sacrilicc  to  heathen-gods;  and  so,  as 
much  as  in  him  lay,  washed  olf  his  former 
baptism.  The  case  of  such  as  fiill  away  al- 
ter baptism,  is  dreadful :  Ileb.  x.  2^.,  "  U 
any  man  draic  bach" — the  (J reek  word,  lo 
draw  back,  alludes  to  a  sohlier  that  steals 
away  from  his  colours — so,  if  any  man  steal 
away  from  Chri.st,  and  run  over  to  the  de- 
vil's side,  "  my  soul  shall  have  no  pleasure 
in  him ;"  that  is,  I  will  be  severely  aveng- 
ed on  him  ;  I  will  make  my  arrows  diunk 
with  his  blood.  If  all  the  jdagues  in  the 
Bible  can  make  that  nian  miserable,  he 
shall  be  so. 

II.  Tiie  sccoiul  sacrament  wherein  Jesus 
Christ  communicates  to  us  the  benefits  of 
redemption,  is  the  Lord's  sui)per. 


OF  THE  LORD'S  SUPPLU. 
Mark  xiv.  22.  And  as  they  did  eat,  Jesus  took  bread,  §*c. 

HAVING   spoken   to   the   sacrament  of   the  Lord's  supper.     The  Lord's  supper  is 
baptism,  I  come  now  to  the  sacrament  of   the  most  spiritual  and  sweet  ordinance  that 


366 


OF  THE  LORD'S  SUPPER. 


ever  was  instituted  :  here  we  have  to  do 
more  immediately  with  the  person  of  Christ. 
In  ])ray<'r,  we  draw  nigli  to  God;  in  the  sa- 
crament we  become  one  with  him.  In 
prayer  we  look  up  to  Christ;  in  the  sacra- 
ment, by  faith,  we  touch  him.  In  the  word 
preached,  we  hear  Christ's  voice  ;  in  the  sa- 
crament we  feed  on  him. 

Quest.   1.    IVhat  Jiames  cmd  titles  in  scrip- 
ture are  given  to  the  sacrament  ? 

Ans.  1.  It  is  called,  1.  Mensa  Domini, — 
the  Lord's  table,  1  Cor.  x.  21.  The  Papists 
call  it  an  altar,  not  a  table.  The  reason  is, 
because  they  turn  the  sacrament  into  a  sa- 
crifice, and  pj'etend  to  offer  up  Christ  cor- 
porally in  the  mass.  It  being  the  Lord's 
table,  shews  whh  what  reverence  and  so- 
lemn devotion  we  should  approach  to  these 
holv  mysteries ;  the  Lord  takes  notice  of 
ihe  frame  of  our  hearts  when  we  come  to 
his  table ;  Mat.  xxii.  II.,  "  The  king  came 
in  to  sec  the  guests."  We  dress  our^selves 
when  we  come  to  the  table  of  some  great 
monarch ;  we  should  think  with  ourselves, 
we  are  going  to  the  table  of  the  Lord,  there- 
fore should  dress  ourselves  by  holy  medi- 
tation and  heart-consideration.  Many  think 
it  is  enough  to  confte  to  the  sacrament,  but 
mind  not  whether  they  come  in  "  due  or- 
der," 1  Chron.  XV.  13.  Perhaps  they  had 
scarce  a  serious  thouglit  before,  whither 
they  were  going :  all  their  dressing  was  by 
the  glass,  not  by  the  Bible.  Chiysostom 
calls  it,  "  The  dreadful  table  of  the  Lord :" 
so  it  is  to  such  as  come  unworthily. — 2. 
The  sacrament  is  called  Ccsna  Domini, — 
the  Lord's  supper,  1  Cor.  xi.  20.,  to  import, 
it  is  a  spiritual  feast.  It  is  indeed  a  royal 
feast;  God  is  in  this  cheer;  Christ,  in  both 
natures,  God  and  man,  is  the  matter  of  this 
supper.  3.  The  sacrament  is  called  a  com- 
munion, 1  Cor.  X.  16.,  "  The  bread  which 
we  break,  is  it  not  the  communion  of  the 
body  of  Christ?"  The  sacrament  being 
called  a  communion,  shews, 

l.s/,  That  this  ordinance  is  only  for  be- 
lievers, because  none  else  can  have  com- 
munion with  Christ  in  these  holy  mysteries. 
Commwiio  fundatur  in  nnione :  faith  only 
gives  us  union  with  Christ,  and  by  virtue 
of  this  we  have  communion  with  him  in 
his  body  and  blood.  None  but  the  spouse 
communicates  with  her  husband ;  a  stran- 


ger may  drink  of  his  cup,  but  she  only  hath 
his  heart,  and  communicates  with  him  in  a 
conjugal  manner :  so  strangers  may  have 
the  sign,  drink  of  the  cup,  but  only  l)eliev- 
ers  drink  of  Christ's  blood,  and  have  com 
munion  with  him  in  his  privileges. 

2d/i/,  The  sacrament  being  a  communion, 
shews,  that  it  is  symboliini  amoris; — a  ])ond 
of  that  unity  and  charity  whicii  should  be 
among  Christians ;   1  Cor.  x.  IT.,   "We  be- 
ing many  are  one  body."     As  many  grains 
make   one   bread,   so  many  Christians  are 
one    body.     A  sacrament    is  .a  love-feast. 
The  primitive  Christians  (as  Justin  Manyr 
notes)    had    their   holy   salutations    at  the 
blessed  supper,  in  token  of  that  dearnoss  of 
affection  whicli  they  did  bear  to  each  other. 
It  is  a  communion,  therefore  there  must  be 
love  and  union.     The  Israelites  did  eat  the 
passover  with  bitter  herbs ;  so  must  we  eat 
the  sacrament  with  bitter  herbs  of  repent- 
ance, but  not  with  bitter  hearts  of  wrath 
and  malice.     The  hearts  of  the  communi- 
cants should  be  knit  together  with  the  bond 
of  love.      "  Thou    braffffest    of   thy    faith 
(saith  Austin)  but  shew  me  thy  faith   by 
thy  love  to  the  saints."     For,  as  in  the  sun, 
light    and   heat  are    inseparable,    so    faith 
and  love  are  twisted  togetiier  insepaiably. 
Where  there  are  divisions,  the  Lord's  sup- 
per is  not  properly  a  communion,  but  a  dis- 
union. 

Quest.  2.   W/iat  is  the  Lord's  supper  f 

Ans.  It  is  a  visible  sermon,  wherein  Christ 
crucified  is  set  before  us.  Or,  it  is  a  sacra- 
ment of  the  New  Testament,  wherein  by 
receiving  the  holy  elements  of  bread  and 
wine,  our  communion  with  Christ  is  signi- 
fied and  sealed  up  to  us.  Or  thus,  it  is  a 
sacrament  divinely  instituted,  wherein  by 
giving  and  receiving  bread  and  ^\^ne, 
Christ's  death  is  shewed  forth,  and  the 
worthy  receivers  arc,  by  faith  made  partak- 
ers of  his  body  and  blood,  and  all  the  bene- 
fits flowing  from  tiience. 

For  the  further  exj)laining  of  the  nature 
of  the  Lord's  supper,  I  shall  look  back  to 
the  institution. 

1.    "  Jesus   took  bread."      Here  is  the 
Master  of  the  feast,  or  the  institutor  of  the 
sacrament.     The  Lord  Jesus  he  took  bread 
He  only  is  fit  to  institute  a  sacrament,  who 
is  able  to  give  virtue  and  blessing  to  it. 


OF  THE  LORDS  SUPPER. 


SG7 


2.  "  He  took  bread."  Clirist's  taking  of 
the  bread  was  one  part  of  his  consecration 
of  the  elements,  and  r.etting  tlieni  apart  for 
an  holy  use.  And  .'is  Christ  did  consecrate 
the  elements,  so  v/e  must  labour  to  have 
our   hearts   consecrated   before  we  receive 


these  holy  mysteries  in  the  Lord's  supper.    «o  feeding  on  Ciuist  by  a  lively  faith  is  de- 


IIow  unseemly  a  sight  is  it  to  see  any  come 
to  these  holy  elements,  having  hearts  leav- 
ened with  pride,  covetousness,  envy  !  These 
do,  with  Judas,  receive  the  devil  in  the  sop, 
and  are  no  better  than  crucifiers  of  the  Lord 
of  glory. 

3.  "  And  blessed  it."  This  is  another 
Tyart  of  the  consecration  of  the  element, 
Christ  blessed  it ;  he  blesseth,  audit  shall 
be  blessed,  viz.  he  looked  up  to  heaven  for 
a  benediction  upon  this  ordinance  newly 
founded. 

4.  "  And  brake  it."  The  bread  broken, 
and  the  wine  poured  out,  was  to  signify  to 
us  the  agony  and  ignoniinv  of  Christ's  suf- 
ferings, — the  rending  of  Christ's  bodv  on 
the  cross, — and  that  effusion  of  blood  which 
was  distilled  from  his  blessed  sides. 

5.  "  And  gave  it  to  them.''  Christ's  giv- 
ing the  bread,  denotes  Christ's  giving  of 
himself  and  all  his  benefits  to  us  freely. 
Though  Christ  was  sold,  yet  given  ;  Judas 
did  sell  Christ,  but  Christ  gave  himself  to 
us. 

6.  "  He  gave  it  to  them  ;"  viz.  The  disci- 
ples. This  is  children's  bread;  Christ  doth 
not  cast  these  pearls  before  swine.  Whe- 
ther Judas  was  present  at  the  supper,  is 
controverted  ;  I  rather  incline  to  think  he 
was  not ;  for  ('Inist  said  to  the  disciples, 
"  This  is  my  blood,  which  is  shed  for  you," 
Luke  xxii.  20.  Christ  knew  his  blood  was 
never  shed  effectually  and  intentionally  for 
Judas.  In  eating  the  passover,  Christ  gave 
Judas  a  sop,  which  was  a  bit  of  unleavened 
bread  dipt  in  a  sauce  made  with  bitter 
herbs  ;  Judas  having  received  the  soj),  went 
immediately  out,  John  xiii,  30.  But,  sup- 
pose Judas  was  there,  though  he  received 
the  elements,  yet  not  the  blessing. 

7.  "  Take,  eat."  This  expression,  of  eat- 
ing, denotes  four  things:  \.  The  near  mys- 
tical union  between  Christ  and  his  saints. 
As  the  meat  which  is  eaten  incorporates 
with  the  body,  and  becomes  one  with  it ; 
80,   by  eating  Christ's  flesh,  and  drinking 


his  blood  spiritually,  we  partake  of  his  me- 
rits and  graces,  and  are  mystically  "  one 
with  him,"  John  xvii.  23.,  "  I  in  them."— 2. 
"  Take,  cat.'  Eating  shews  tlu;  infinite  de- 
light the  believing  soul  hath  in  Christ.  Eat- 
ing is  grateful  antl  jdcasing  to  the   palate  : 


licious.  Nuf/us  animcc  suavior  cibu.%  Lac- 
TANTius.  No  such  swcct  feeding  as  on 
Christ  crucified.  This  is  "  a  feast  of  fat 
things,  and  wines  on  the  lees  well  refined." 
— 3.  "  Take,  eat."  Eating  denotes  nour- 
ishment." Meat,  as  it  is  delicious  to  the 
palate,  so  it  is  nourishing  to  the  body :  so 
eating  Christ's  fiesh  and  drinking  liis  blood, 
is  nutritive  to  the  soul.  The  new  creature 
is  nourished  at  the  table  of  the  Lord  to 
everlasting  life,  John  vi.  51.,  "  Whoso  eat- 
eth  my  flesh,  and  drlnUeth  my  blood,  hath 
eternal  life." — 1.  "  Take,  eat,"  shows  the 
wisdom  of  God,  who  restores  us  by  the 
same  means  by  which  we  fell.  We  fell  by 
taking  and  eating  the  forbidden  fruit,  ajid 
we  are  recovered  asjain  by  takinff  and  eatinir 
of  Christ's  flesh  ;  we  died  by  eating  the  tree 
of  knowledge,  and  we  live  by  eating  the 
tree  of  life. 

8.  "  This  is  my  body."  These  words, 
Hoc  est  corpus  meum,  have  been  much  con- 
troverted between  us  and  the  j)apists.  "  This 
is  my  body  :"  that  is,  by  a  metonymy  :  it  is 
a  sign  and  figure  of  my  body.  The  papists 
hold  transubstantiation,  that  the  bread  is, 
after  consecration,  turned  into  the  very  sub- 
stance of  Christ's  body.  We  say,  we  receive 
Christ's  body  spiritually ;  they  say,  they 
receive  Christ's  body  carnally :  which  is 
contrary  to  scripture.  The  scripture  af- 
firms, that  the  heavens  must  receive  Christ's 
body  "  until  the  times  of  the  restitution  of 
all  things,"  Acts  iii.  21.:  Christ's  body  can- 
not be  at  the  same  time  in  lieaven  and  in 
the  host.  Acpiinas  saith,  "  It  is  not  ])ossi- 
ble  by  any  miracle,  that  a  body  should  be 
locally  in  two  places  at  once."  Besides,  it 
is  absurd  to  in)a<>ine  that  the  bread  in  the 
sacrament  should  be  turned  into  Christ's 
flesh,  and  that  his  body  which  was  hung 
before,  should  be  made  again  of  bread.  So 
that,  "  This  is  my  body,"  i.>J,  as  if  Christ 
had  said,  "  This  is  a  sign  and  representa- 
tion of  my  body." 

9.  "  And  he  took  the  cup."     The  cup  \a 


368 


OF  THE  LORD'S  SUPPER. 


put,  by  a  metonymy  of  tlie  subject  for  tlie 
jidjuiiet,  for  tlie  wine  in  the  cup.  It  signi- 
fies tlic  blood  of  Christ  shed  for  our  sins. 
The  taking  of  the  cup  denotes  the  redun- 
dancy of  merit  in  Christ,  and  the  fulness 
of  our  rc«l('mi)tion  by  him.  He  not  only 
took  the  bread,  but  the  cup. 

10.  "  And  when  he  had  given  thanks." 
Christ  gave  thanks  that  God  had  given 
these  elements  of  bread  and  wine  to  be 
Bigns  and  seals  of  man's  redemption  by 
Christ.  Christ's  giving  of  thanks,  shews 
bis  philanthropy,  or  love  to  mankind,  who 
did  so  rejoice  and  bless  God,  that  lost  man 
was  lunv  in  a  way  of  recovery,  and  that  he 
should  be  raised  higher  in  Christ  than  ever 
he  was  in  innocency. 

11.  He  gave  the  cup  to  them.  Why 
then  dare  any  withhold  the  cup  ?  This  is 
to  jxdlute  and  curUiil  the  ordinance,  and 
alter  it  from  its  primitive  institution.  Christ 
and  his  ajjostles  administered  the  sacrament 
in.  both  kinds, — the  bread  and  the  cup, 
1  Cor.  xi.  24,  25.  And  the  cup  was  re- 
ceived ill  the  ancient  church  for  the  space 
of  1400  years,  as  is  confessed  by  two  popish 
councils.  Christ  saith  expressly,  "  Drink 
ye  all  of  this."  He  doth  not  say,  Eat  ye  all 
of  this ;  but  '  Drink  ye  all ;'  as  foreseeing 
the  sacrilegious  impiety  of  the  church  of 
Rome  in  keeping  back  the  cup  from  the 
peoj)le.  The  popish  council  of  Constance 
speaks  plainly  but  impudently,  "  That  al- 
though Christ  instituted  and  administered 
the  sacrament  in  both  kinds,  the  bread  and 
the  wiuc ;  yet  the  authority  of  the  holy 
canotjs,  and  the  custom  of  the  mother- 
church,  think  good  to  deny  the  cup  to  the 
laity."  Thus,  as  the  popish  priests  make 
Christ  but  half  a  Saviour,  so  tliey  adminis- 
ter to  the  people  but  half  a  sacrament.  The 
sacrament  is  Christ's  last  will  and  testa- 
ment :  in  the  text,  "  This  is  my  blood  of 
the  New  Testament."  Now,  to  alter  or 
take  away  any  thing  from  a  man's  will  and 
testament,  is  a  great  impiety  :  What  is  it 
to  alter  aiul  niangle  Christ's  last  will  and 
testament  ?  Sure  it  is  an  high  affront  to 
Christ. 

Quest.  3.  What  are  the  €7ids  of  the  IjordCt 
nupper  ? 

Ans.  It  is  an  ordinance  appointed  to  con- 
firm our  faith,  John  iv.  48.,  "  Except  ye  see 


signs  ye  will  not  believe."  Christ  sets  the 
elements  before  us,  that  by  these  sians  our 
faith  may  be  strengthened.  As  faith  Com- 
eth by  hearing,  so  it  is  confirme<l  by  seeing 
Christ  crucilied.  The  sacrament  is  not  only 
a  sign  to  represent  Christ,  but  a  seal  to  con- 
firm our  interest  in  him. 

Quest.  But  it  is  the  Spirit  confirms  faith- 
therefore  not  the  sacrament. 

Ans.  1.  This  is  not  good  logic.  The  Spirit 
confirms  faith,  therefore  not  the  sacrament, 
is,  as  if  one  should  say,  God  feeds  our  bo- 
dies, therefore  bread  doth  not  feed  us ; 
whereas  God  feeds  us  by  bread ;  so  the 
Spirit  confirms  our  faith  by  the  use  of  the 
sacrament. 

A.  2.  The  end  of  the  sacrament  is  to 
keep  up  the  memory  of  Christ's  death. 
1  Cor.  xi.  25.,  "  This  do  ye  in  remembrance 
of  me."  If  a  friend  give  us  a  ring  at  his 
death,  we  wear  it  to  keep  up  the  memory 
of  our  friend ;  much  more  then  ought  we  to 
keep  up  the  memorial  of  Christ's  death  in 
the  sacrament ;  Christ's  death  lays  a  foun- 
dation for  all  the  magnificent  blessings 
which  we  receive  from  Christ.  The  cove- 
nant of  grace  was  agreed  on  in  lieaven,  but 
sealed  upon  the  cross.  Christ  hath  sealed 
all  the  articles  of  peace  in  his  blood.  Re- 
mission of  sin  flows  from  Christ's  death, 
M;it.  xxvi.  28.,  "  This  is  my  blood  of  the 
New  Testament,  which  is  shed  for  many, 
for  the  remission  of  sins."  Consecration, 
or  making  us  holy,  is  the  fruit  ot  Christ's 
death,  Heb.  ix.  14.,  "  How  much  more 
shall  the  blood  of  Christ  purge  your  con- 
science ?"  Christ's  intercession  is  made 
available  to  us  by  virtue  of  his  death ; 
Christ  could  not  have  been  admitted  an 
advocate,  if  he  had  not  been  first  a  sacri- 
fice. Our  entering  into  heaven  is  the  fruit 
of  Christ's  blood,  Heb.  x.  19.  Christ  could 
not  have  prepared  mansions  for  us,  if  he  had 
not  first  purchased  them  by  his  death :  so 
that  we  have  a  great  deal  of  cause  to  com- 
memorate Christ's  death  in  the  sacrament. 

Quest.  In  irhat  manner  are  we  to  remem- 
ber the  Lord's  (hath  in  the  sacrament  ? 

Ans.   It  is  not  only  a  historical  remem 
brance  of  Christ's  death  and  passion;  tlms 
Judas  remembers  Christ's  death,  and  how 
he   betrayed   him ;    and  Pilate  remembers 
Christ's  death,  and  how  he  crucified  hira  ; 


OF  THE  LORD'S  SuTIER. 


but  our  rcmcmI>L'riiig  Christ's  de;ith  In  tlie 
sacrament  must  be, 

( I.)  A  mournful  renienibranco.  We  must 
not  be  able  to  look  on  Christ  crucified  witli 
dry  eyes,  Zech.  xii.  10.,  "  They  shall  look 
on  him  whom  they  have  j)ierced,  and  mourn 
over  him."  O  Christian,  when  thou  look- 
e&t  on  Christ  in  the  sacrament,  remember 


how  oft  thou  h;ist  crucified  him  !  The  Jews 
did  it  but  once,  thou  often.  Every  oath  is 
a  nail  with  which  thou  piercest  his  hands; 
every  unjust  sinful  action,  is  a  spear  with 
which  thou  woundest  his  heart.  O  re- 
mcnd)er  Christ  with  sorrow,  to  think  thou 
shouldest  make  his  wounds  bleed  afresh  ! 


Mark  xIv.  22,  23,  24.  Jesm  took  Bread,  8fc. 


\ 


(2.)   IT  must  be  a  joyful  remembrance, 
John  vlli.  5G.,   "  Abraham  rejoiced  to  see 
my  day."     When  a  Christian  sees  a  sacra- 
ment-day approach,  he  should  rej<iice.    This 
ordinance   of  the  supper  is  an   earnest   of 
heaven ;  'tis  the  glass  in  which  we  see  Iiim 
whom  our  souls  love;  It  is  the  chariot  by 
which  we  are  carried  up  to  Christ.    "  When 
Jacob   saw  the  waggons  and  the   chariots 
which  were  to  carry  him  to  his  son  Josojjh, 
his  spirit  revived,"  Gen.  xlv.  27.     Cod  hath 
appointed    the    sacrament,    on    purpose    to 
cheer  and  rtjvlve  a  sad  heart.     When  wc 
look  on  our  sins,  we  have  cause  to  mourn  ; 
but  when  we  see  Christ's  blood  shed  for  our 
sins,  this  may  make  us  rejoice.     In  the  sa- 
crament   our     wants    are    supplied, — oi'r 
strength  is  renewed, — here  we  meet  vit/i 
Christ,  and  doth  not  this  call  for  joy."    A 
woman  that  hath  been  long  debarr(*^t  jrom 
the  society  of  her  husband,  how  g^fi  Is  she 
of  his  presence  !     At  the  sacrau^nt  the  be- 
lieving spouse  meets  with  Ch)»!^t :  he  sailh 
to  her,   "All   I  have  Is  thl><-';  my  love  is 
thine,  to  j)ity  thee;  my  nvrcy  is  thine,   to 
save  thee."     IIow  can  \\»J  think  in  the  sa- 
crament on  Christ's  blcxl  shed,  and  not  re- 
joice?     Sanguis    Chn'^ti  clavis  paradisi, — 
Christ's  blood  Is  ijo  key  which  opens  hea- 
ven, else  we  had-'icen  all  shut  out. 

3.  End  of  tK'  sacrament  is,  to  work  in 
us  an  endcvicd  love  to  Christ.  When 
Christ  blec'ls  «ver  us,  well  may  we  say, 
Behold  how  he  loved  us  !  Who  can  see 
Christ  die,  nvd  not  be  "  sick  of  love?" 
That  is  an  heart  of  stone  whom  Christ's 
love  will  not  luelt. 

4.  End  of  the  sacrament,  the  mortifying 
of  corruption.  To  see  Christ  crucified  for 
MS,  Is  a  means  to  crucify  sin  in  us.     Christ's 


death  (like  the  water  of  je?»'ousy)  makes 
the  '  thigh  of  sin  to  rot,"  Numb.  v.  27. 
IIow  can  a  wife  endure  to  see  the  sjjcar 
which  killed  her  husb;»-id?  IIow  can  wc 
endure  those  sins  wl^ch  made  Christ  veil 
his  glory,  and  lose  "is  blood?  When  the 
peojde  of  Rome  *iiw  Caisar's  bloody  robe, 
they  were  incei^^c*!  against  them  that  slew 
him  :  sin  hath^'cnt  the  white  robe  of  Christ's 
flesh,  and  ([c*^  it  <>f  ii  crimson  colour:  the 
thoughts  '^'  this  will  make  us  seek  to  be 
avenged  on  our  sins. 

5.  rnd,   the  augmentation  and  increase 
ofaL' the  graces,  hope,  zeal,  j)atience.     'i'lie 
>v-(vd  preached  begets  grace,  the  Lord's  sup- 
I  i,cr  nourisheth  it;  the  body  by  feeding  in- 
creaseth  strength,  so  d(»th  the  soul  by  feed- 
ing on  Christ  sacramental ly.      Cum  dij]  crrit 
virtus  men  calicem  salularem  ocdpiam,  Beiix. 
"  When  my  spiritual  strength  begins  to  fail, 

1  know  a  remedy,  (saith  Bernard),  I  will 
go  to  the  table  of  the  Lord  ;  there  will  I 
drink  and  recover  my  decayed  strenirlh." 
There  is  difference  between  dead  stones 
and  living  plants.  The  wicked,  who  are 
stones,  receive  no  spiritual  increase ;  but 
the  godly,  who  are  plants  of  righteousness, 
being  watered  with  Christ's  blood,  grow 
more  fruitful  in  grace. 

QuKST.  4.    Why  are.  u-c  to  receive  lids  holy 
su})}>cr  ? 

Aii'i.  Because    it   Is   a   duly   Incumbent, 

* 

"  Take,  eat."  And  observe,  it  is  a  counnand 
of  love.  If  Christ  had  connnandcd  us  some 
gr<;at  matter,  would  not  we  have  done  it? 

2  Kings  V.    13.,    "  If  the   prophet   had   bid- 
thee  do  some  great   thing,   wouldest  thou; 
not  have  done  it?"     If  Christ  had  enjoined 
us  to  have  given  him  thousands  of  rams,  or 
to  have  parted  with  the  fruit  of  our  bodies,, 

3  A 


370 


OF  THE  LORDS  SUPPER. 


would  we  not  have  done  it?     Much  more  pearls  before  swine,"  Mat.  vu.  6.     The  sa- 

when  lie  only  saith,   "  Take,"  and  "  Eat :"  cramental  bread  is  children's  bread,  and  it 

Let  my  broken  body  feed  you,  let  my  blood  is  not  to  be  cast  to  the  profane.     As,  at  the 

poured  out,  save  you.    "  Take,"  and  "  Eat."  giving  of  the  law,    God  set  bounds  about 

This  is  a  command  of  love,  and  shall  we  not  the  mount  that  none  might  touch  it,  Exod. 


readily  obey  ? 

J.  2.  We  are  to  celebrate  the  Lord's  sup- 
per, because  it  is  a  provoking  of  Christ 
to  stay  away.  Prov.  ix.  ?.,  Wisdom  hath 
"  furnished  her  table."  So  Christ  hath  fur- 
nished h'ls  table,  set  bread  and  wine  (repre- 
senting hn  body  and  blood)  before  his 
guests,  and  vhen  they  wilfully  turn  their 
backs  upon  tht  ordinance,  Christ  looks  up- 
on it  as  a  sligh\ing  of  his  love,  and  that 
makes  the  fury  rV,e  up  in  his  face,  Luke 
xiv.  24.,  "  For  I  shv  unto  you,  tliat  none 
of  those  men  which  w^re  bidden  shall  taste 
of  my  supper."  I  will  shut  them  out  of 
my  kingdom,  I  will  proVir|e  them  a  black 
banquet,  where  weeping  sKU  be  the  first 
course,  and  gnashing  of  teeth  the  second. 

Quest.  5.   Whether  the  Lora<,  supper  be 
oft  to  be  administered  ? 

Ans.  Yes :   1  Cor.  xi.  26.,  "  As  (ft  as  ye 
eat  of  this  bread."     The  ordinance  ■«  not 
to  be  celebrated  once  in  a  year,  or  onte  in 
our  lives,   but   often.     A  Christian's   owt 
necessities  may  make  him  come  often  hi-'^ 
ther.     His   corruptions   are   strong,  there- 
fore he  had  need  come  often  hither  for  an 
antidote  to  expel  the  poison  of  sin ;  and  his 
graces  are  weak.      Grace   is   like  a  lamp, 
Rev.  iii.  2.,  if  it  be  not  often  fed  with  oil, 
it  is  apt  to  go  out.     How  therefore  do  they 
sin  against  God,  who  come  but  verv  seldom 
to  this  ordinance?     Can   they  thrive,  who 
for  a  long  time  forbear  their  food?     And 
others  there  are  who  do  wholly  forbear : 
this  is  a  great  contempt  offered  to  Christ's 
ordinance.     Men  do  as  it  were  tacitly  say, 
let  Christ  keep  his  feast  to  himself.     Wliat 
a  crosgrained  piece  is  man  ?     He  will  eat 
when  he  should  not,  and  he  will  not  eat 
when  he  should.     Wlien  God  said,   "  Eat 
not  of  this  forbidden  fruit," — then  he  will 
be  sure  to  eat ;  when  God  saith,  "  Eat  of 
this  bread,  and  drink  of  this  cup," — then 
he  refuseth  to  eat. 

Quest.  6.  Are  all  to  come  promii^cuously 
to  this  holy  ordinance  ? 

Ans.  No ;  that  were  to  make  the  Lord's 
table  an  ordinarv.     Christ  forbids  to  "  cast 


xix.  12. :  so  God's  table  should  be  guarded, 
that  the  profane  should  not  come  near.  In. 
the  primitive  times,  after  sermon  was  done, 
and  they  were  going  to  celebrate  the  Lord's 
supper,  an  officer  stood  up  and  cried, 
"  Holy  things  for  holy  men ;"  and  then  se- 
veral of  the  congregation  Avere  to  depart. 
"  I  would  have  my  hand  cut  off  (saith 
Chrysostom)  rather  than  I  would  give  Christ's 
body  and  blood  to  the  profane."  The  wick- 
ed do  not  eat  Christ's  flesh  but  tea"-  it, 
they  do  not  drink  his  blood  but  spill  it. 
These  holy  mysteries  in  the  sacraments  are 
tremenda  rnysteria, — mysteries  that  the  soul 
is  to  tremble  at.  Sinners  defile  the  holy 
things  of  God,  they  poison  the  sacramental 
We  read  that  the  wicked  are  to  be 


cup. 

set  at  Christ's  feet,  Ps.  ex.,  not  at  his  table. 
Quest.  7.  How  may  we  receive  the  sup- 
per of  the  Lord  worthily,  that  so  it  may  be- 
come effectual  to  us  ? 

Ans.  That  we  may  receive  it  Avorthily, 
and  it  may  become  efficacious, 

\st.  We  must  solemnly  prepare  ourselves 
before  we  come ;  we  must  not  rush  upon 
tKfc  ordinance  rudely  and  irreverently,  but 
cornt  in  due  order.  There  was  a  great  deal 
of  preparation  to  the  passovcr,  2  Chron.  xxx. 
18,  li>.,  andthe  sacrament  comes  in  the 
room  of  it. 

Quest,  h^herein  doth  this  solemn  prepar- 
ing for  the  ora'nance  consist  ? 

Ans.  1.  In  examining  ourselves. — 2.  In 
dressing  our  souk  before  we  come,  which 
is  by  washing  in  f^e  water  of  repentance. 
— 3.  By  exciting  the  babit  of  grace  into 
exercise. — 4.  In  beggii/r  a  blessing  upon 
the  ordinance. 

(1.)  Solemn  preparing  fc  the  sacrament 
consists  in  self-examining,  i  Cor.  xi.  28., 
"  But  let  a  man  examine  himself,  and  so 
let  him  eat."  It  is  not  only  a  counsel,  but 
a  charge :  "  Let  him  examine  Vimself." 
As  if  a  king  should  say,  "  Let  it  bo  enact- 
ed." Jesus  Christ  having  by  his  institu- 
tion consecrated  these  elements  in  the  sup- 
per to  an  high  mysteiy,  they  represent  his 
"  body  and   blood  :"  therefore  there  must 


OF  THE  LOllD'S   SUPPER. 


371 


be  preparation;  and  if  preparation,  then 
there  must  be  first  examining  ourselves, 
without  which  tliere  can  be  no  preparation. 
Let  us  be  serious  in  this  examining  our- 
selves, our  salvation  depends  upon  it.  We 
are  curious  in  examining  other  tilings ;  we 
will  not  take  gold,  till  we  examine  it  by 
the  touch-stone;  we  will  not  take  land, 
but  we  will  examine  the  title ;  and  shall 
not  we  be  as  exact  and  curious  in  examin- 
ing the  state  of  our  souls  ? 

Quest.  1.    What  is  required  to  this  self- 
examining  ? 

Ans.  There  must  be  a  soleinn  retiring  of 
the  soul.  We  must  set  ourselves  apart, 
and  retire  for  some  time  from  all  secular 
employment,  that  we  may  be  more  serious 
in  this  work.  There  is  no  casting  up  of 
accounts  in  a  crowd  ;  nor  can  we  examine 
ourselves  when  we  are  in  a  crowd  of  world- 
ly business.  We  read,  a  man  that  was  in 
a  journey  might  not  come  to  the  passover, 
Num.  ix.  13.,  because  his  mind  was  full  of 
secular  cares,  and  his  thoughts  were  taken 
up  about  his  journey.  When  we  are  upon 
self-examining  work,  we  had  not  need  to 
be  in  a  hurry,  or  have  any  distiacting 
thoughts,  but  to  retire  and  lock  ourselves 
up  in  our  closet,  that  we  may  be  more  in- 
tent in  the  work. 

Quest.  2.  What  is  self-examination  ? 
Ans.  It  is  a  setting  up  a  court  of  con- 
science and  keeping  a  register  there,  that 
by  a  strict  scrutiny  a  man  may  see  how 
matters  stand  between  God  and  his  soul. 
Self-examination  is  a  spiritual  inquisition, 
an  heart-anatomy,  Avhereby  a  man  takes  his 
heart,  as  a  watch,  all  in  jneces,  and  sees 
what  is  defective  there.  It  is  a  dialogue 
with  one's  self,  Ps.  Ixxvii.  6.,  "  I  commune 
with  my  own  heart."  David  called  him- 
self to  account,  and  put  interrogatories  to 
his  own  heart.  Self-examining  is  a  critical 
descant  or  search ;  as  the  woman  in  the 
parable  did  light  a  candle,  and  search  for 
iier  lost  groat,  Luke  xv.  8  ,  so  conscience  is 
the  candle  of  the  Lord  ;  search  with  this 
candle  what  thou  canst  find  wrought  by  the 
Spirit  in  thee. 

Quest.  3.   What  is  the  rule  by  which  we 
are  to  examine  ourselves  ? 

Ans.  The  rule  or  measure  we  must  exa- 
mine ourselves  by,   is  the  holy  scripture. 


We  uiust  not  make  fancy,  or  the  good  opi- 
nion which  others  have  of  us,  the  rule  by 
which  we  judge  of  ourselves.  But  as  the 
goldsmith  brings  his  gold  to  the  touch- 
stone, so  must  we  bring  our  hearts  to  a 
scripture  touch-stone, — "  To  the  law,  and 
to  the  testimonv,"  Isa.  viii.  20.  What  saith 
the  word  ?  Are  we  divorced  from  sin  ? 
Are  we  renewed  by  the  Spirit  ?  Let  the 
word  decide  whether  we  are  fit  communi- 
cants or  not.  We  judge  of  colours  by  the 
sun,  so  we  must  judge  of  the  state  of  our 
souls  by  the  sun -light  of  scripture. 

Quest.  4.  JVhat  are  the  cogent  reasons 
why  we  imist  examine  ourselves  before  we  ap- 
proach to  the  Lord's  supper  ? 

Ans.  \.  It  is  a  duty  imposed  ;  « let  him 
examine  himself.'  The  passover  was  not 
to  be  eaten  raw,  Exod.  xii.  19.  To  come 
to  such  an  ordinance  slightly,  without  exa- 
mination, is  to  come  in  an  undue  manner, 
and  is  like  eating  the  passover  raw. 

J.  2.  We  must  examine  ourselves  before 
ve  come,  because  it  is  not  only  a  duty  im- 
posed, but  opposed.  There  is  iu)thing  the 
heart  naturally  is  more  averse  from  than 
self-examination  ;  we  may  know  that  duty 
is  good  which  the  heart  opposeth.  But  why 
doth  the  heart  so  oppose  it  ?  Because  it 
doth  cross  the  tide  of  corrupt  nature  ;  'tis 
contrary  to  flesh  and  blood.  The  heart  is 
guilty  ;  and  doth  a  guilty  person  love  to  be 
examined  ?  The  heart  opposeth  it :  there- 
fore the  rather  set  upon  it;  that  duty  is 
good  which  the  heart  opposeth. 

A.  3.  Because  self-examining  is  so  need- 
ful a  work;  as  appears,  1.  Without  self- 
examination,  a  man  can  never  tell  how  it 
is  with  him,  whether  he  hath  grace  or  not ; 
and  this  must  needs  be  very  uncomfortable. 
He  knows  not  if  he  should  die  presently, 
\vhat  Avill  become  of  him,  or  to  what  coast 
he  shall  sail,  whether  to  hell  or  heaven  ;  as 
Socrates  said,  "  I  am  about  to  die,  and  the 
gods  know  whether  I  shall  be  happy  or  mi- 
serable." How  needful  thei-efore  is  self- 
examination,  that  a  man  by  searcli  may 
come  to  know  the  true  state  of  his  soul,  and 
may  guess  how  it  will  go  with  him  to  eter- 
nity ! 

2.  Self-examination  is  needful  in  respect 
of  the  excellency  of  the  sacrament.  Let 
him  eat  de  illo  pane,  "  of  that  bread,"  1  Cor. 


372 


OF  THE  LORD'S  SUPPER. 


xi.  28., — tliat  excellent  bvcad,  that  conse- 
crated bread,  tliat  Itread  uliicli  is  not  only 
tlie  bread  of  the  Lord,  but  the  bread  the 
Lord.  Let  him  drink  <Ic  Ulo  jiocvla^  "of 
that  Clip,"— that  precious  cn])  ^vhicll  is  per- 
fumed and  sj)iccd  with  Clirist's  love, — that 
cu|)  which  holds  the  blood  of  God  sacra- 
mentally.  Cleopatra  put  a  jewel  in  a  cup 
which  contained  the  ])rice  of  a  kingdom  : 
this  sacred  cup  we  are  to  drink  of,  enrich- 
ed witii  the  blood  of  God,  is  above  the  price 
of  a  kingdom  ;  it  is  more  worth  than  hea- 
ven. Therefore  coming  to  such  a  royal  feast, 
having  whole  Christ,  his  divine  and  human 
nature  to  feed  on,  how  should  we  examine 
ourselves  before-hand,  that  we  may  be  fit 
guests  for  such  a  magnificent  banquet  ! 

3.  Self-examining  is  needful,  because 
God  will  examine  us.  Tliat  was  a  sad  ques- 
tion, Mat.  xxii.  12.,  "  Frieiid,  how  camest 
thou  in  hither,  not  having  a  wedding  gar- 
ment ?"  Men  arc  loath  to  ask  themselves 
the  question,  "  O  my  soul  !  art  thou  a  fit 
guest  for  the  Lord's  table  ?  arc  there  not 
some  sins  thou  hast  to  bewail  ?  are  there 
not  some  evidences  for  heaven  that  thou 
liast  to  get  ?"  Now,  when  persons  will  not 
ask  themselves  the  question,  then  God  will 
bring  such  a  question  as  this  to  them,  How 
came  you  in  hither  to  my  table  not  prepar- 
ed,— how  came  yc  in  hither  with  an  unbe- 
lievinoj  or  profiine  heart  ?  It  shall  be  such 
a  question  as  will  cause  an  heart-trembling. 
God  will  examine  a  man,  as  the  chief  caji- 
tain  did  Paul,  with  scourging.  Acts  xxii. 
24.  'Tis  true,  the  best  saint,  if  God  should 
weigh  him  in  the  lialance,  would  be  found 
defective  ;  but,  when  a  Christian  hath  made 
an  impartial  search,  and  hath  laboured  to 
deal  u|)rightly  between  God  and  his  own 
soul,  Christ's  merits  will  cast  in  some  grains 
of  allowance  into  the  scales. 

4.  Self-examining  is  needful,  because  of 
that  secret  corru])tion  in  the  heart,  which 
will  not  be  fimnd  out  without  searching. 
There  are  in  the  heart  jihivgendcc  tenebrcB, 
Aug.,  hidden  pollutions.  It  is  with  a  Chris- 
tian, as  with  Josejih's  brethren  :  when  the 
steward  accused  them  of  having  tlio  cup, 
thev  were  veadv  to  swear  they  had   not  the 

•  •  • 

cup  in  their  sack,  but  upon  search  it  was 
found  there  :  little  doth  a  Christian  think 
what  pride,  atheism,   undeanness  is  in  his 


heart  till  he  scarclieth.  Therefore,  if  there 
be  such  hidden  wickedness,  like  a  spring 
that  runs  under  ground,  we  liad  need  exa- 
mine ourselves,  that  finding  out  our  secret 
sin,  MC  may  be  humbled  and  repent.  Hid- 
den sins,  il'  not  searched  out,  defile  the  souk 
If  corn  lie  long  in  the  chaff,  the  cliaflF  de- 
files the  corn  ;  hidden  sins  lain  long  in,  de- 
file our  duties.  Needful  therefore  it  is,  be- 
fore we  come  to  the  holy  supper,  to  search 
out  these  hidden  sins,  as  Israel  searched 
for  leaven  before  they  came  to  the  passover. 

5.     Self-examining    is    needful,    because 
without  it  we  may  easily  have  a  cheat  put 
upon  us,  Jer.  xvii.  9.,  "  The  heart  is  deceit- 
ful above  all  things."     Many  a  man's  heart 
will  tell  him,  he  is  fit  for  the  Lord's  table. 
As  when  Christ  asked  the  sons  of  Zebe<lee, 
Mat.  XX.  22.,  "  Are  ye  able  to  drink  of  the 
cup  I  shall  drink  of?'     Can  ye  drink  such 
a  bloody  cup  of  sufi'ering  ?     "  They  say  un- 
to him,   we  are  able."     So  the  lieart  will 
suggest  to  a  man,  he  is  fit  to  drink  of  the 
sacramental  cup,  he  halh  on  the  wedding- 
garment.    Grande  projvmhmi  est  homo,  Aug. 
"  Tl'.e  heart  is  a  grand   impostor."     It  is 
like  a  cheating  tradesman,  which  will  ])ut 
one  off  with   bad  wares:  the  heart  will  put 
a  man  off  with  seeming  grace,   instead  of 
saving.     A  toar  or  two  shed  is  repentance; 
a  few  lazy  desvres  is  faith  ;  blue  and   red 
flowers  that  grow  among  the  corn,  look  like 
good   flowers,   lint  they  are  but  beautiful 
weeds.     The  foolish  viigins'  lamps  looked 
as  if  they  lad  had  oil  in  them,  but  they  had 
none.    ,  Therefore,   to  ]trevent  a  cheat,   that 
we  may  not  take  false  graee  instead  of  true, 
we  had  need  make  a  thorough,  disquisition 
and  search  of  our  Isearts  bcl'ore  we  come  to 
the  Lord's  table. 

G.  Self-examining  is  needful,  because  of 
those  false  fears  the  o'odly  are  ant  to  nourish 
in  their  hearts,  which  make  them  go  sad 
to  the  sacrament.  As  they  who  have  no 
grace,  for  want  of  examining,  presunie  ;  so 
they  who  have  grace,  for  Avant  of  examin 
ing,  are  ready  to  despair.  Many  of  Gwl's 
eliihlren  look  upon  themselves  through  the 
black  spectacles  of  l"i  ar  ;  th(>y  fear  Christ  is 
not  formed  in  them,  they  fear  they  have  no 
right  to  the  promise ;  and  these  fears  in  the 
heart  cause  tears  in  the  eye  ;  whereas,  would 
they  but  search  and  examine,  they  might 


OF  THE  LOUD'S  SUPPER. 


373 


find  tliey  liad  grace.  Are  not  tlieir  liearts 
humbled  for  sin?  and  wliat  is  this  hut  the 
bruised  reed?  Do  not  they  weep  after  the 
Lord  ?  and  wliat  are  these  tears  but  seeds 
of  faith?  Do  tliey  not  thirst  after  Cln-ist  in 
an  ordinance  ?  what  is  this  but  the  new 
creature  crying  for  tlie  breast  ?  Hero  are, 


you  SCO,  seeds  of  grace ;  and,  would  Cliris- 
tians  examine  their  hearts,  tl»ey  might  see 
there  is  something  of  God  in  them,  and  so 
their  false  fears  would  he  prevented,  and 
they  might  approach  with  comfort  to  these 
iioly  mysteries  in  the  cucharist. 


%i«%^«,««^«^%^^-%%^«^«^<^%^«.«%^%'«^«%%^«.«^^««^%«%^^«%^^>^^«^^^^'«^'^%'«%«^««^«^«^«'%^%^%^^«^^  ^»%%V%%i»»i%%<%^<%%»%%<»%.%%% %»%%%%%%% 


Mark  xiv.  22.  Jesus  took  bread,  §*c. 


7.  SELF-EXAMINING  is  needful,  in 
respect  of  the  danger  in  coming  unworthi- 
ly without  examination,  1  Cor.  xi.  27.,  "  He 
shall  be  guilty  of  the  body  and  blood  of  the 
Lord."  Par  facit  quasi  C/iristian  trvcidaret, 
Grotius. — /.  e.  God  reckons  with  him  as 
with  a  crucifier  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  He  doth 
not  drink  Christ's  blood,  but  sheds  it ;  and 
so  brings  that  curse  upbn  him,  as  the  Jews, 
"  his  blood  be  upon  us  and  our  children." 
The  virtue  of  Christ's  blood,  nothing  more 
comfortable ;  the  guilt  of  it,  nothing  more 
formidable. 

A.  4.  We  must  examine  ourselves  before 
the  sacrament,  in  respect  of  the  difficulty 
of  self-examining  work.  Difficulty  raiseth 
a  noble  spirit.  Self-examining  is  difficult, 
\st.  Because  it  is  an  inward  work,  it  lies 
most  with  the  heart.  External  acts  of  de- 
votion are  easy  ;  to  lift  up  the  eye, — to  bow 
the  knee. — to  road  over  a  few  prayers, — 
this  is  JUS  easy  as  for  the  papists  to  tell  over 
a  few  beads  ;  but  to  examinj'  a  man's  self, — 
to  take  the  heart,  as  a  watch,  all  in  pieces, 
— to  make  a  scripture-tiial  of  our  fitness 
for  the  Lord's  supper, — this  is  not  easy. 
Reflexive  acts  are  hardest ;  the  eye  cannot 
see  itself  but  by  a  glass  ;  we  must  have  the 
glass  of  the  word  and  conscience  to  see  our 
own  hearts;  it  is  easy  to  spy  the  faults  of 
others,  but  it  is  hard  to  find  out  our  own. 
2d.  Self-examination  is  difficult,  in  regard 
of  self-love.  As  ignorance  blinds,  so  self- 
love  flatters  ;  what  Solom<»n  saith  of  love, 
Prov.  X.  12.,  "  Love  covereth  all  sins,"  is 
most  true  of  self-love  :  a  man  looking  upon 


the  best  of  himself;  and  he  Avho  hath  a  good 
opinion  of  himself  doth  not  suspect  himself; 
and  not  suspecting  himself,  he  is  not  for- 
ward to  examine  himself.  The  work  there- 
fore of  self-examination  being  so  difficult, 
it  requires  the  more  impartiality  and  indus- 
try ;  difficulty  should  be  a  spur  to  diligence. 

A.  5.  We  must  examine  ourselves  befoi'e 
we  come,  because  of  the  beneficial ness  of 
self-examination.  The  benefit  is  groat 
winch  way  soever  things  turn:  if,  upon  ex- 
amination, we  find  that  we  have  no  ijrace 
in  truth,  then  the  mistake  is  discovered, 
and  the  danger  prevetited  ;  if  we  find  that 
we  have  grace,  we  may  take  the  comfort  of 
it.  He,  who  upon  search,  finds  that  he 
hath  the  mininmm  girod  sit, — the  least  degree 
of  grace, — he  is  like  one  that  hath  found 
his  box  of  evidences,  he  is  an  happy  man, 
he  is  a  fit  guest  at  the  Lord's  table,  he  is 
heir  to  all  the  promises,  he  is  as  sure  to  go 
to  heaven  as  if  he  were  in  heaven  already. 
These  are  the  reasons  why  we  must  exa- 
mine ourselves  before  we  approach  to  the 
Lord's  table. 

Quest.  5.    JJ7iat  must  we  examine  ? 

Ans.  \.  Our  sins.     2.  Our  graces. 

First,  Our  sins.  Search  if  any  dead  fly 
might  spoil  this  sweet  ointment.  When 
we  come  to  the  sacrament,  we  slK)uld  do  as 
the  Jews  did  before  the  passover;  they 
searched  for  leaven,  and  having  found  it 
did  burn  it. —  1.  Let  us  search  for  the  leaven 
of  |)ride;  this  sours  our  holy  things  ;  we  are 
born  uith  a  s|)iritual  t}ni])any.  Will  an 
humble    Christ    be   received   into   a    proud 


himself  in  the  glass  of  self-love — that  flat-  heart?  Pride  keej)s  Chri^t  out.     Inlus  eais^ 

tering  glass — his  virtues  appear  greater  than  teus  prohibit  alieumn.    Piide  swells  the  heart, 

they  are,   and    his    sins    lesser.     Self-love  aiid  Christ  cannot  come  into  the  heart  if  it 

makes  a  man  rather  excuse  himself  than  be  ftill  already.     To  a  proud   man  Christ's 

examine  himself ;  self-love  makes  one  think  blood  hath   no  virtue;  'tis  like  dioscordium 


374 


OF  THE  LORD'S  SUPPER. 


put  into  a  dead  man's  mouth,  wliicli  losetli 
its  virtue.     Let  us  search  for  this  leaven  of 
pride,  and  cast  it  away. — 2.  Let  us  search 
for  the  leaven  of  avarice.     The  Lord's  sup- 
per  is   a   spiritual    mystery ;    it   represents 
Christ's  body  and  blood ;    what  should  an 
earthly  heart  do  here?     The  earth  puts  out 
the  fire ;  earthliness  quencheth  the  fire  of 
holy  love.     The  earth  is  elcmentum  gravissi- 
mum, — it  cannot  ascend.     A  soul  belimed 
with  earth  cannot  ascend  to  heavenly  coj^i- 
tations.     Col.  iii.  5.,  "  Covetousness  which 
is  idolatry."     Will   Christ  come   into   that 
heart  where  there  is  an  idol  ?    Search  for 
this  le.aven  before  you  come  to  this  ordi- 
nance.    How  can  an  earthly  heart  converse 
with  that  God  which  is  a  spirit  ?  Can  a  clod 
of  earth  kiss  the  sun  ? — 3.  Search  for  the 
leaven  of  hypocrisy,  Luke  xii.  L,  "  Beware 
of  the  leaven  of  the  Pharisees,  which  is  hy- 
pocrisy."     Aquinas   describes   it   shnulatio 
virlutis ; — hyj)ocrisy  is  a  counterfeiting  of 
virtue.     The  hypocrite  is  a  living  pageant, 
be  only  makes  a  shew  of  religion ;  lie  gives 
God  his  knee,  but  no  heart;  and  God  gives 
him  bread  and  wine  in  the  sacrament,  but 
no  Christ.     Oh  let  us  search  for  this  leaven 
of  hypocrisy  and  burn  it ! 

Secondly,  We  must  examine  our  graces. 
1  shall  instance  only  in  one,  our  knowledge. 

\.  Whether  we  have  knowledge. 

2.  Whether  it  be  rightly  qualified. 

First,  We  are  to  examine  whether  we 
have  knowledge,  else  we  cannot  give  God  a 
reasonable  service,  Rom.  xiii.  L  Know- 
ledge is  a  necessary  requisite  in  a  commu- 
nicant;  without  knowledge  there  can  be  no 
fitness  for  the  sacrament ;  a  pei'son  cannot 
be  fit  to  come  to  the  Lord's  table  who  hath 
no  goodness,  but  without  knowledge  the 
mind  is  not  good,  Prov.  xix.  2.  Some  say 
they  have  good  hearts  though  they  want 
knowledge  ;  as  if  one  should  say,  his  eye  is 
good,  but  it  wants  sight.  Under  the  law, 
when  the  j)lague  of  leprosy  was  in  a  man's 
head,  the  priest  was  to  pronounce  him  un- 
clean. The  ignorant  person  hath  the  i)lague 
in  his  head,  he  is  unclean  ;  ignorance  is  the 
womb  of  lust,  1  Pet.  14.  Therefore  it  is 
requisite,  befoi'e  we  come,  to  examine  our- 
belves  what  knowledge  we  have  in  tiie  main 
fundamentals  of  religion.  Let  it  not  be 
Baid  of  us,  that  "  to  this  day  the  vail  is  u])on 


their  hearts,"  2  Cor.  Iii.  15.  But  f<ure,  in 
this  intelligent  age,  we  cannot  but  liave 
some  insight  into  the  mysteries  of  the  gos- 
pel. I  rather  fear,  we  are  like  Rachel,  who 
was  fair  and  well-sighted,  but  barren  ;  there- 
fore, 

(2.)  Let  us  examine  whether  our  know- 
ledge be  rightly  qualified. — 1.  Is  it  influen- 
tial ;  doth  our  knowledge  warm  our  heart, 
ClarUas  intellecfu  parit  adoram  in  efftctu. 
Saving  knowledge  doth  not  only  direct,  but 
quickiri;  it  is  the  light  of  life,  John  viii.  12. 
— 2.  Ls  our  knowledge  practical  ?  We  hear 
much  ;  do  we  love  the  truths  we  know  ? 
That  is  the  right  knowledge  which  doth  not 
only  adorn  the  mind,  but  reform  the  life. 

Secondly,  This  solemn  preparing  for  the 
sacrament,  as  it  consists  in  examining  our- 
selves, so  in  dressing  our  souls  before  we 
come.  And  this  soul-dress  is  in  two  things  : 
L  Washing  in  the  laver  of  repenting 
tears ;  to  come  to  this  ordinance  with  the 
guilt  of  any  sin  unrepented  of,  makes  the 
way  for  the  further  hardening  of  our  heart, 
and  giving  Satan  fuller  possession  of  us, 
Zech.  xii.  10.,  "  They  shall  look  on  him 
whom  they  have  pierced,  and  shall  mourn 
lor  him."  The  cloud  of  sorrow  must  drop 
into  tears.  We  must  grieve  as  for  the  pol- 
lution, so  for  the  unkindness  in  eA'ery  sin. 
To  sin  against  Christ's  love  who  died  for  us. 
Wjien  Peter  thought  of  Christ's  love,  who 
called  him  out  of  his  unregeneracy,  made 
him  an  apostle,  and  carried  him  up  to  the 
mount  of  transfiguration,  where  he  saw  the 
glory  of  heaven  in  a  vision  :  and  then,  to 
think  of  his  denying  Christ,  it  broke  his 
heart,  "  he  went  out  and  wept  bitterly," 
Mat.  xxvi.  75.  To  think,  before  we  come 
to  a  sacrament,  of  the  sins  against  the 
bowel-mercies  of  God  the  Father, — the 
bleeding  wounds  of  (jl*>d  the  Son, — the 
blessed  inspirations  of  God  the  Holy  Ghost, 
— it  is  enough  to  broach  our  eyes  with 
tears,  and  ])ut  us  into  an  holy  agony  oi 
grief  and  coni])unction.  And  we  must  be 
so  distressed  for  sin,  as  to  be  divorced  from 
sin.  The  serpent  before  he  drinks,  casts  up 
iiis  poison  ;  in  this,  we  must  be  wise  as  ser- 
pents ;  before  we  drink  of  the  sacramental 
cup,  we  must  cast  up  the  poison  of  sin  by 
repentance.  Hie  irre  p/angit  coimiiissa,  qui 
mm  cuimniltU plangenda,  Aug.  He  doth  truly 


OF  THE  LORD'S  SUPPER. 


375 


bewail   the   sins    he  liath   committod   wlio   a  ri^^ht  partjiking  of  it ;  which  riglit  partici- 
doth  not  commit  the  sins  he  hath  bewailed.    i)ation  of  the  sacrament  is  in  three  thinirs. 


And  this  is  the  dres-siiifr  our  souls  before 
we  come,  washing  in  the  waters  of  true  re- 
pentance. 


1.  When  we  draw  nigh  to  God's  table  in 
an  humble  sense  of  our  unworthiness.  We 
do  not  deserve  one  crumb  of  the  bread  of 


2.  The  soul-dress  is  the  exciting  and;  life;  we  are  poor  indigent  creatures,  who 
stirring  up  tlie  habit  of  grace  into  a  lively  have  lost  our  glory,  and  are  like  a  vessel 
exercise,  2  Tim.  i.  C,   "  I  put  thee  in  re-    that   is    ship-wrecked ;    we    smite    on   our 


membrance,  that  thou  stir  up  the  gift  of 
God  which  is  in  thee,"  /.  e.  the  gifts  and 
graces  of  the  Spirit.  The  Greek  word  to 
stir  vp  signifies  to  bloiv  up  grace  into  a  flame. 
Grace  is  oft  like  fire  in  the  embers,  which 
needs  blowing  up  ;  it  is  possible  that  even 
a  good  man  may  not  come  so  well-disjiosed 
to  this  ordinance,  because  he  hath  not  be- 
fore taken  pains  with  his  heart  to  come  in 
due  order,  he  hath  not  stirred  up  grace  into 
its  vigorous  exercise ;  and  so,  though  he 
doth  not  eat  and  drink  damnation,  yet  he 
doth  not  receive  consolation  in  tlie  sacra- 
ment. Thus  you  see  what  this  dressing  of 
our  souls  is,  before  we  come. 

Tliirdly,  This  solemn  preparing  for  the 
sacrament  is  in  begging  a  blessing  upon  the 
ordinance.  Tlie  sacrament  is  not  like  phy- 
sic, uliieh  hath  an  inherent  ojtcrative  vir- 
tue :  no  :  but  the  efticacv  of  the  sacrament 
depends  upon  the  co-operation  of  the  Spirit, 
and  a  word  of  blessing.  In  the  institution, 
Christ  blessed  the  elements  :  "  Jesus  took 
biead  and  blessed  it,"  in  the  text.  The  sa- 
crament will  no  farther  do  us  good,  than  as 
it  is  blessed  to  us.  We  ought  then,  before 
we  come,  to  ])ray  for  a  blessing  on  tlie  or- 
dinance, that  the  sacrament  may  be  not 
only  a  sign  to  represent,  but  a  seal  to  con- 
form, and  an  instrument  to  convey  Christ 
and  all  his  benefits  to  us.  We  are  to  pray 
that  this  great  ordinance  may  be  poison  to 
our  sins,  and  food  to  our  gi'aces.  That,  as 
it  was  with  Jonathan,  when .  he  had  tasted 
the  honey-comb,  his  "  eyes  were  enlighten- 
ed," 1  Sam.  xiv.  27.,  so  that  by  our  receiv- 
ing this  holy  eucharist,  our  eyes  may  be  so 
enlightened,  as  to  'discern  the  Lord's  b«)dy.' 
Thus  should  we  implore  a  blessing  upon 
the  ordinance,  before  we  come.  The  sacra- 
ment is  like  a  tree  hung  full  of  fruit;  but 
none  of  this  fruit  will  fall,  unless,  shaken  by 
tlie  hand  of  prayer. 

2a,  'I  hat  the  sacrament  may  be  effectual  to 
us,  as  there  nmst  be  a  due  preparing  for  it,  so 


breasts,  as  the  publican,  God  be  merciful 
to  us  sinners.  This  is  a  right  partaking  of 
the  ordinance  ;  it  is  part  of  our  worthiness 
to  see  our  unworthiness. 

2,  We  rightly  partake  of  the  sacrament, 
when  at  the  Lord's  table  we  are  filled  with 
anhelations  of  soul  and  inflamed  desires 
after  Christ,  and  nothing  can  (quench  our 
thirst  but  his  blood,  IVLit.  v.  C,  "  Blessed 
are  they  that  thirst."  They  are  blessed  not 
only  wlien  they  are  filled,  but  while  they 


are  thirsting. 


3.  A  right  participation  of  the  supper  is, 
when  \v'e  receive  in  faith.  Without  faith 
we  get  no  good  ;  what  is  said  of  the  word 
preached,  It  profiteth  not,  "  not  being 
mixed  with  faith,"  Ileb.  iv.  2.,  is  as  true 
of  the  sacrament.  Christ  turned  stones  in- 
to bread;  unbelief  turns  the  bread  into 
stones,  that  it  doth  not  nourish.  Then  wo 
partake  aright  when  we  come  in  faith. 
Faith  hath  a  twofold  act,  an  adhering,  and 
an  applying :  by  the  first  act  we  go  over  to 
Christ,  by  the  second  act  we  bring  Christ 
over  to  us,  (ial.  ii.  20.  Tliis  is  the  great 
grace  we  must  set  a-work,  Acts  x.  Philo 
calls  it,  Jidrs  occulafa, — faith  is  the  eagle- 
eye  that  discerns  the  Lord's  body  ;  faith 
causeth  a  virtual  contact,  it  touched  Christ. 
Christ  said  to  Mary,  "  Touch  me  not,"  &c. 
John  XX.  17.  She  wiis  not  to  touch  hira 
with  the  hands  of  her  body;  but  he  saith 
to  us,  "  Touch  me,"  touch  me  with  the 
hand  of  your  faith.  Faith  makes  Christ 
present  to  the  soul ;  the  believer  hath  a 
real  presence  in  the  sacrament.  The  body 
of  the  sun  is  in  the  firmament,  but  the  liglit 
of  the  sun  is  in  the  eye  ;  Christ's  essence  is 
in  heaven,  but  he  is  in  a  believer's  heart  by 
his  light  and  influence,  Ej)h.  iii.  H.,  "  That 
Christ  may  dwell  in  your  heart  by  faith." 
Faith  is  the  palate  which  tastes  Christ,  1 
Pet.  ii.  3.  Faith  makes  a  concoction ;  it 
causeth  the  bread  of  life  to  nourish.  Crede 
et  manduccislOy  Alc;.     Faith  causeth  a  co*- 


sf«r. 


of  THE  LORD'S  SUPPER. 


lition,  it  makes  us  one  witli  Christ,  E|)li.  i. 
23.  Other  graces  make  us  like  Christ, 
faith  makes  us  members  of  Clirist. 

Fourthly,  Then  we  partake  aright  of  the 
Riicraincnt,  when  we  receive  in  love. 

1.  Love  to  Clirist.  Who  can  see  Clirist 
pierced  witli  a  crown  of  thorns, — sweating 
in  his  agony, — bleeding  on  tlie  cross, — but 
liis  heart  must  needs  be  endeared  in  h)vc  to 
liim  ?  "  How  can  we  but  love  him  who 
liath  given  his  life  a  ransom  for  us?"  Love 
is  the  spiced  wine  and  juice  of  the  pome- 
granate which  we  must  give  Christ,  Cant, 
viii.  2.  Our  love  to  this  superior  and 
blessed  Jesus  must  exceed  our  love  to  other 
things ;  as  the  oil  runs  above  the  water. 
Though  we  cannot  with  Mary  bring  our 
costly  ointment  to  anoint  Christ's  body, 
yet  we  do  more  than  this,  when  we  bring 
him  our  love,  which  is  sweeter  to  him  than 
all  ointments  and  perfumes. 

2.  Love  to  the  saints.  This  is  a  love- 
feast  :  though  we  must  eat  this  supper  with 
the  bitter  herbs  of  repentance,  yet  not  with 
the  bitter  herbs  of  malice.  Were  it  not 
sad,  if  all  the  meat  one  eats  should  turn  to 
bad  humours  ?  He  who  comes  in  malice  to 
the  Lord's  table,  all  he  eats  is  to  his  hurt : 
**  He  eats  and  drinks  damnation  to  himself," 
1  Cor.  xi.  29.  Come  in  love.  It  is  with 
love  as  it  is  with  fire;  you  keep  fire  all  the 
day  upon  the  hearth,  but  upon  special  occa- 
sions you  draw  out  the  fire  larger ;  so, 
though  we  must  have  love  to  all,  yet  to  the 
eaints,  who  are  our  fellow-mem^  ers,  here 
we  must  draw  out  the  fire  of  our  love  larff- 
er;  and  we  must  shew  the  largeness  of  our 
affections  to  them,  by  prizing  their  persons, 
by  choosing  their  company,  by  doing  all 
offices  of  love  to  them,  counselling  them  in 
their  doubts,  comforting  them  in  their  fears, 
supplying  them  in  their  wants.  Thus  one 
Christian  may  be  an  Ebcnezcr  to  another, 
and  as  an  angel  of  God  to  him ;  the  sacra- 
ment cannot  be  effectual  to  him  who  doth  not 
receive  in  love.  If  a  man  drinks  poison,  and 
then  takes  a  cordial,  the  cordial  will  do 
him  little  good;  he  who  hath  the  poison  of 
malice  in  his  soul,  the  cordial  of  Christ's 
Mood  will  do  him  no  good  ;  come  therefore 
in  h»ve  and  charity.  And  thus  we  see  how 
we  may  receive  the  supj)er  of  the  Lord,  that 
it  mav  be  elTectual  to  our  salvation. 


Use  \.<t(.  From  the  whole  doctrine  of  the 
sacrament  learn,  how  precious  should  a  sa- 
crament be  to  us.  It  is  a  sealed  deed  to 
make  over  the  blessings  of  the  new  cove- 
nant to  us, — justification,  sanctification, 
glory.  A  small  ])iece  of  wax  put  to  a 
parchment  is  made  the  instrument  to  con- 
firm a  rich  conveyance  or  lordship  to  ano- 
ther:  so  these  elements  in  the  sacrament  of 
bread  and  wine,  though  in  themselves  of  no 
great  value,  yet  being  consecrated  to  be 
seals  to  confirm  the  covenant  of  grace  to 
us,  so  they  are  of  more  value  than  all  the 
riches  of  the  Indies. 

Use  2d.  The  sacrament  being  such  an 
holy  mystery,  let  us  come  to  this  holy  mys- 
tery with  holy  hearts.  There  is  no  receiv- 
ing a  crucified  Christ,  but  into  a  consecra- 
ted heart ;  Christ  in  his  conception,  lay  in 
a  pure  virgin's  womb,  and,  at  his  death, 
his  body  was  wrapped  in  clean  linen,  and 
put  into  a  new  virgin-tomb,  never  yet  de- 
filed with  rottenness.  If  Christ  would  not 
lie  in  an  unclean  grave,  sure  he  will  not  be 
received  into  an  iniclean  heart,  Isa.  Hi.  11., 
"  Be  ye  clean  that  bear  the  vessels  of  the 
Lord."  If  they  who  did  carry  the  vessels  of 
the  Lord,  were  to  be  holy,  then  they  who  are 
to  be  the  vessels  of  the  Lord,  and  are  to  hold 
Christ's  body  and  blood,  ought  to  be  holy. 

Use  Sd.  Consolation.  Christ's  body  and 
blood  in  the  sacrament  is  a  most  sovereign 
elixir  or  comfort  to  a  distressed  soul. 
Christ  having  poured  out  his  blood,  now 
God's  justice  is  fully  satisfied.  There  is  in 
the  death  of  Christ  enough  to  answer  all 
doubts.  What  if  sin  is  the  poison,  here  is 
tlie  flesh  of  Christ  an  antidote  against  it ! 
What  if  sin  be  red  as  scarlet,  is  not  Christ's 
blood  of  a  deeper  colour,  and  can  wash  a- 
way  sin  !  If  Satan  strikes  us  with  his  darts 
of  temptation,  here  is  a  precious  balm  comes 
out  of  Christ's  wounds  to  heal  us  !  Isa.  liii. 
5.  What  though  we  feed  upon  the  bread 
of  affliction,  as  long  as  in  the  sacrament  we 
feed  upon  the  bread  of  life  !  So  that  Christ 
received  ari«:ht  sacramentallv,  is  an  univer- 
sal  medicine  for  the  healing,  and  an  univer- 
sal cordial  for  the  cheering  of  our  distres- 
sed souls. 

III.  The  benefits  of  our  redemption  are 
aj)plied  to  us  by  prayer. 


OF  PRAYER. 


S77 


OF  PRAYER. 


Psalm  cix.  4.  But  I  give  myself  unto  prayer* 


I  SHALL  not  expatiate  upon  prayer  at 
large,  being  to  speak  more  fully  to  it  in  the 
Lord's  prayer.  But  to  tlie  words,  "  I  give 
myself  unto  prayer."  It  is  one  thing  to 
pray,  and  another  thing  to  be  given  to 
prayer  ;  lie  who  prays  frequently,  is  said  to 
be  given  to  prayer,  as  he  who  often  distri- 
butes alms,  is  said  to  be  given  to  charity. 
Prayer  is  a  glorious  ordinance;  it  is  the 
soul's  trading  with  heaven;  God  comes  down 
to  us  by  his  Spirit,  and  we  go  up  to  him  by 
prayer. 

Quest.  L  What  is  prayer  ? 

Ans.  "  It  is  an  offering  up  of  our  desires 
"  to  God,  for  things  agreeable  to  his  will, 
"  in  the  name  of  Cln'ist." 

1a^.  ''  Prayer  is  an  offering  up  of  our  de- 
sires." Therefore  it  is  called  a  making 
known  of  our  requests,  Phil.  iv.  6.  In 
prayer  we  come  as  humble  petitioners,  beg- 
ging to  have  our  suit  granted. 

2(1.  'Tis  "  offering  up  our  desires  to 
God." — Prayer  is  not  to  be  made  to  any 
but  God.  The  papists  pray  to  saints  and 
angels,  but  they  know  not  our  grievances, 
Isa.  Ixiii.  16.,  "  Abraham  be  ignorant  of 
us."  And  all  angel- worship  is  forbidden. 
Col.  il.  18,  19.  We  must  not  pray  to  any 
but  whom  we  may  believe  in,  Rom.  x.  14., 
"  How  then  shall  they  call  on  him  in  whom 
they  have  not  believed?"  But  we  cannot 
believe  in  an  angel,  therefore  we  must  not 
pray  to  him. 

Quest.  IVIiy  must  prayer  be  made  only  to 
God? 

Ans.  1.  Because  he  only  hears  prayer, 
Ps.  Ixv.  2.,  "  O  thou  that  hearest  prayer  !" 
Hereby  God  is  known  to  be  the  true  God, 
in  that  he  hears  prayer,  I  Kings  xviii.  37., 
"  Hear  me,  O  Lord,  hear  me,  that  this 
people  may  know  that  thou  art  the  Lord 
God  !" 

A.  2.  Because  God  only  can  help.  We 
may  look  to  second  causes,  and  cry,  as  the 
woman  did,  2  Kings  vi.  20,  27.,  "  Help, 
my  Lord,  O  King  !  And  he  said,  if  the 
Lord   doth   not  help  tlice,   whence  shall   I 


help  thee  ?"  If  we  are  in  outward  distress, 
God  must  send  from  heaven  and  save;  if 
we  are  in  inward  agonies,  he  only  can  pour 
in  the  oil  of  joy  ;  therefore  prayer  is  to  be 
made  to  him  only. 

3^/.  "  For  things  agreeable  to  his  will." 
When  we  pray  for  outward  things, — for 
riches  or  children, — perhaps  God  sees  these 
things  are  not  good  for  us ;  our  prayers 
must  comport  with  God's  will.  We  may 
pray  absolutely  for  grace:  "  for  this  is  the 
will  of  God,  our  sanctification,"  1  Thess. 
iv.  3.  There  might  be  no  strange  incense 
offered,  Exod.  xxx.  9.  AVhen  we  pray  for 
things  which  are  not  agreeable  to  God's 
will,  it  is  offering  strange  incense. 

Atli.  "  In  the  name  of  Christ."  To  pray 
in  the  name  of  Christ,  is  not  only  to  men- 
tion Christ's  name  in  prayer,  but  to  pray 
in  the  hope  and  confidence  of  Christ's  me- 
rits, 1  Sam.  vii.  9.,  "  Sanmel  took  a  suck- 
ing lamb  and  offered  it,"  &c.  Wc  must 
carry  the  Iamb  Christ  in  the  arms  of  our 
faith,  and  so  we  prevail  in  prayer.  When 
Uzziah  would  offer  incense  without  a  priest, 
God  was  angry,  and  struck  him  with  lepro- 
sy, 2  Chron.  xxvi.  16.  When  we  do  not 
pray  in  Christ's  name,  in  the  hojie  of  his 
mediation,  we  offer  up  incense,  without  a 
priest ;  and  what  can  we  expect  but  to  meet 
with  rebukes,  and  to  have  God  answer  us 
by  terrible  things? 

Quest.  2.    What  are  the  parts  of  prayer  ? 

Ans.  \st.  There  is  tlie  confessory  part, 
which  is  the  acknowledgment  of  sin.  2d. 
The  supplicatory  part,  when  we  either  dep- 
recate and  pray  against  some  evil,  '"r  re- 
quest the  obtaining  of  some  good.  '3d.  The 
gratulatory  part,  when  we  give  thanks  for 
mercies  received,  which  is  the  most  excel- 
lent part  of  prayer.  In  petition,  we  act 
like  men  ;  in  giving  thanks,  we  act  like 
angels. 

Quest.  3.  W  hat  are  the  several  sorts  of 
prayer  ? 

Ans.  \st.  There  is  mental  prayer  in  the 
mind,  1  Sam.  i.  13.     2d.   Vocal,  Ps.  Ixxvii. 

3  B 


378 


OF  PRAYER 


1.  3</.  Ejaculatory,  which  is  a  sudden  and  cold  suitors,  never  speed.  Prayer,  without 
sliort  elevation  of  the  heart  to  God,  Neh.  ii.  fervency,  is  like  a  sacrifice  without  fire. 
4.,  "  So  I  prayed  to  the  God  of  heaven."  Prayer  is  called  a  pouring  out  of  the  soul, 
ith.  Conceived  prayer;  when  we  pray  for  1  San.  i.  15.,  to  signify  vehemency.  For- 
those  things  which  God  puts  into  our  heart,  mality  starves  prayer.  Prayer  is  compared 
Rom.  viii.  26.  The  Spirit  helps  us  with  '  to  incense,  Ps.  cxli.  2.,  "  Let  my  prayer 
sighs  and  groans.  Both  the  expressions  of  be  set  forth  before  thee  as  incense."  Hot 
the  tongue,  so  far  as  they  are  right,  and  the  '  coals  were  to  be  put  to  the  incense,  to  make 
impressions  of  the  heart,  are  from  the  Spi-  ,  it  odoriferous  and  fragrant ;  fervency  of  af- 


rit, bth.  Prescribed  prayer ;  our  Saviour 
hath  set  us  a  pattern  of  prayer.  God  pre- 
scribed a  set  form  of  blessing  for  the  pi'iests, 
Numb.  vi.  23.  Qth.  Public  prayer;  when 
we  pray  in  the  audience  of  others.  Prayer 
is  more  powerful,  when  many  join  and  u- 
nite  their  forces.  Vis  unita  forlior,  Mat. 
xviii.  19.  Ith.  Private  prayer;  when  we 
pray  by  ourselves.  Mat.  vi.  6.,  "  Enter  into 
thy  closet." 

Quest.  4.  JVhat  is  that  prayer  which  is 
most  like  to  prevail  with  God  ? 

Ans.  When  prayer  is  rightly  qualified. 
That  is  a  good  medicine  which  hath  the 
right  ingredients ;  that  prayer  is  good,  and 
is  most  like  to  prevail  with  God,  which  hath 
these  seven  ingredients  in  it : 

(1.)  Prayer  must  be  mixed  with  faith, 
James  i.  6.,  "  But  let  him  pray  in  faith." 
Believe  God  hears,  and  will  in  his  due  time 
grant;  believe  God's  love  and  truth;  be- 
lieve that  he  is  love,  therefore  will  not  deny 
you;  believe  that  he  is  truth,  therefore  will 
not  deny  himself.  Faith  sets  prayer  a-work. 
Faith  is  to  prayer,  as  the  feather  is  to  the 
arrow :  faith  feathers  the  arrow  of  prayer, 
and  makes  it  fly  swifter,  and  pierce  the 
throne  of  grace.  Prayer  that  is  faithless  is 
fruitless. 

(2.)  A  melting  prayer,  Ps.  li.  17.,  "The 
sacrifices  of  God  are  a  broken  spirit."  The 
ince:is('  was  to  be  beaten  to  typify  the  bi'cak- 
iiig  of  the  heart  in  prayer.  "  O  !"  saith  a 
C'hrislian,  "  I  cannot  pray  with  such  gifts 
and  elocution  as  others ;  as  Moses  said,  *  I 
am  not  eliXjuent.'  "  But  canst  thou  weep? 
Doth  thy  heart  melt  in  prayer?  Weeping 
pra}  cr  prevails.  Tears  drop  as  pearls  from 
the  eye.  "  Jacob  wei)t  and  made  suppli- 
cation ;  and  had  power  over  the  angel," 
Hosea  xii.  4. 

(3.)  Prayer  must  be  fired  with  zeal  and 
fervencv,  James  v.  16.,  "  Effectual  fervent 
prayer  pre\ails  much."     Cold  prayers,  like 


fection  is  like  coals  put  to  the  incense ;  it 
makes  prayer  ascend  as  a  sweet  perfume. 
Christ  prayed  with  strong  cries,  Heb.  v.  7. 
Clamor  iste  penetrat  nubes,  Luther.  Fer- 
vent prayer,  like  a  petard  set  against  hea- 
ven's gates,  makes  them  fly  open.  To  cause 
holy  fervour  and  ardour  of  soul  in  prayer, 
consider,  1.  Prayer  without  fervency,  is  no 
prayer  ;  it  is  speaking,  not  praying ;  lifeless 
prayer  is  no  more  prayer,  than  the  picture 
of  a  man  is  a  man.  One  may  say,  as  Pha- 
raoh, Gen.  xli.,  "  I  have  dreamed  a  dream  :" 
it  is  a  dreaming,  not  praying.  Life  and 
fervency  baptizeth  a  duty,  and  gives  it  a 
name.  2.  Consider  in  what  need  wc  stand 
of  those  things  which  we  ask  in  prayer. 
We  come  to  ask  the  favour  of  God ;  and  if 
we  have  not  his  love,  all  we  enjoy  is  cursed 
to  us.  W^e  pray  that  our  souls  may  be 
washed  in  Christ's  blood;  if  he  wash  us  not 
we  have  "  no  part  in  him,"  John  xiii.  8. 
When  will  we  be  in  earnest,  if  not  when 
we  are  praying  for  the  life  of  our  souls  ? 
3.  It  is  only  fervent  prayer  hath  the  pro- 
mise of  mercy  affixed  to  it,  Jer.  xxix.  13., 
"  Then  shall  ye  find  me,  when  ye  search 
for  me  with  all  your  heart."  It  is  dead 
praying  without  a  promise;  and  the  pro- 
mise  is  made  only  to  ardency.  The  Aediles 
among  the  Romans,  had  their  doors  al- 
ways standing  open,  that  all  who  had  peti- 
tions might  have  free  access  to  them  :  God's 
heart  is  ever  open  to  fervent  prayer. 

(4.)  Prayer  must  be  sincere;  sincerity 
is  the  silver  thread  which  must  run  through 
the  whole  duties  of  religion.  Sincerity  in 
prayer  is,  when  we  have  gracious  holy  ends 
in  prayer;  our  prayer  is  not  so  much  for 
temporal  mercies  as  spiritual.  We  send 
out  our  prayer,  as  a  merchant  sends  out 
his  ship,  that  we  may  have  large  returns  of 
spiritual  blessings;  our  aim  in  prayer  is, 
that  our  heart  may  be  more  holy,  that  wc 
may  have  more  communion  with  God ;  ou* 


OF  PRAYER. 


379 


design  is,  that  by  prayer  we  may  increase 
the  stock  of  grace.  Prayer  which  wants  a 
good  aim,  wants  a  good  issue. 

(5.)  Prayer  tliat  will  prevail  with  God, 
must  have  a  fixation  of  mind,  Ps.  Ivii.  7., 
"  O  God,  my  heart  is  fixed  '"  Since  the 
fall,  the  mind  is  like  quicksilver,  which  will 
not  fix  ;  it  hatli  principium  mollis,  but  7iun 
quietus;  the  thoughts  will  be  roving  and 
dancing  up  and  down  in  prayer,  just  as  if 
a  man  that  is  travelling  to  such  a  place 
should  run  out  of  the  road,  and  wander  he 
knows  not  whither.  In  prayer,  we  are 
travelling  to  the  throne  of  grace,  but  how 
often  do  we  by  vain  cogitations,  turn  out 
of  the  road !  Which  is  rather  wandering 
than  praying. 

Quest.  But  how  shall  we  cure  these  vain 
impertinent  thoughts,  which  do  so  distract  us 
in  prayer,  and  we  may  fear,  hinder  the  accep- 
tance ! 

Ans.  1.  Be  very  apprehensive  in  prayer 
of  the  infiniteness  of  God's  majesty  and 
purity.  God's  eye  is  upon  us  in  prayer,  and 
we  may  say,  as  David,  Ps.  Ivi.  8.,  "  Thou 
tellest  my  wanderings."  The  thoughts  of 
this  would  make  us  hoc  agere, — mind  the 
duty  we  are  about.  If  a  man  were  to  de- 
liver a  petition  to  an  earthly  prince,  would 
he  at  that  time  be  playing  with  a  feather  ? 
Set  yourselves,  when  you  pray,  as  in  God's 
presence;  could  you  but  look  through  the 
key-hole  of  heaven,  and  see  how  devout  and 
intent  the  angels  are  in  their  worshipping 
of  God,  sure  you  would  be  ready  to  blush 
at  your  vain  thoughts  and  vile  impertinen- 
ces in  prayer. 

A.  2.  If  you  would  keep  your  mind  fixed 
in  prayer,  keep  your  eye  fixed,  Ps.  cxxiii. 
1.,  "  Unto  thee  lift  I  up  mine  eyes,  O  thou 
that  dwellest  in  the  heavens  !"  Much  va- 
nity comes  in  at  the  eye.  When  the  eye 
wanders  in  prayer,  the  heart  wanders.  To 
think  to  keep  the  heart  fixed  in  prayer, 
and  yet  let  the  eye  gaze,  is  as  if  one  should 
think  to  keep  his  house  safe,  yet  let  the 
windows  be  open. 

A.  3.  If  you  would  have  your  thoughts 
fixed  in  prayer,  get  more  love  to  God.  Love 
is  a  great  fixer  of  the  thoughts.  He  who  is 
in  love,  cannot  keep  his  thoughts  off  the 
object.  lie  who  loves  the  world,  his 
thoughts  run  undisturbedly  upon  the  world. 


Did  we  love  God  more,  our  minds  would 
be  more  intent  upon  him  in  prayer.  Were 
there  more  delight  in  duty,  there  would  be 
less  distraction. 

A.  4.  Implore  the  help  of  God's  Spirit  to 
fix  our  minds,  and  make  them  intent  and 
serious  in  prayer.  The  ship  without  a  pilot 
rather  floats  than  sails ;  that  our  thoughts 
do  not  float  up  and  down  in  prayer,  we 
need  the  blessed  Spirit  to  be  our  pilot  to 
steer  us  ;  only  God's  Spirit  can  bound  the 
thoughts.  A  shaking  hand  may  as  well 
write  a  line  steadily,  as  we  can  keep  our 
hearts  fixed  in  prayer  without  the  Spirit  of 
God. 

A.  5.  Make  holy  thoughts  familiar  to  you 
in  your  ordinary  course  of  life.  David  was 
oft  musing  on  God,  Ps.  cxxxix.  18.,  "  When 
I  awake,  I  am  still  with  thee."  He  who 
gives  himself  liberty  to  have  vain  thoughts 
out  of  prayer,  will  scarce  have  other 
thoughts  in  prayer. 

A.  6.  If  you  would  keep  your  mind  fixed 
on  God,  watch  your  hearts  ;  not  only  watch 
them  after  prayer,  but  in  prayer.  The  heart 
will  be  apt  to  give  you  the  slip,  and  have  a 
thousand  vagaries  in  prayer.  We  read  of 
angels  ascending  and  descending  on  Jacob's 
ladder  :  so  in  prayer  you  shall  find  your 
hearts  ascending  to  heaven,  and  in  a  mo- 
ment descending  upon  earthly  objects.  O 
Christians,  watch  your  hearts  in  prayer  ! 
What  a  shame  is  it  to  think,  that  when  we 
are  speaking  to  God  in  prayer,  our  hearts 
should  be  in  the  fields,  or  in  our  counting- 
house,  or  one  way  or  other,  running  upon 
the  devil's  errand  ! 

A,  7.  Labour  for  more  degrees  of  grace. 
The  more  ballast  the  ship  hath,  the  better 
it  sails  :  so  the  more  the  heart  is  balhisted 
with  grace,  the  steadier  it  will  sail  to  hea- 
ven in  prayer. 

(6.)  Prayer  that  is  likely  to  prevail  with 
God  must  be  argumentative  :  God  loves  to 
have  us  plead  with  him,  and  use  arguments 
in  prayer.  See  how  many  arguments  Ja- 
cob used  in  prayer,  Gen.  xxxii.  1 1.,  "  De- 
liver me,  I  pray  thee,  from  the  hand  of  my 
brother."  The  arguments  he  used,  are, 
1.  From  God's  command,  v.  9.,  "  The  Lord 
which  saidst  to  me  return  to  thy  ct)untry ;" 
as  if  he  had  said,  I  did  not  take  this  journey 
of  my  own  head,   but  by  thy  direction 


580- 


OF  PRAYER. 


therefore  thou  canst  not  but  in  honour  pro- 
tect inc.  And  lie  usetli  another  arc^umont, 
V.  12.,  '*  Thou  saidst,  I  will  surely  do  thee 
good."  Lord,  wilt  thou  go  back  from  thy 
own  promise  ?  Thus  he  was  argumentative 
in  prayer ;  and  he  got  hot  only  a  new 
blessing  but  a  new  name,  v.  28.,  "  Thy 
name  shall  be  called  no  more  Jacob,  but 
Israel ;  for  as  a  prince  hast  thou  power  with 
God,  and  hast  prevailed."  God  loves  to  be 
overcome  with  strength  of  argument.  Thus, 
when  we  come  to  God  in  prayer  for  grace, 
be  argumentative ;  Lord,  thou  callest  thy- 
self the  God  of  all  grace;  and  whither  should 
we  go  with  our  vessel,  but  to  the  fountain  ? 
Lord,  thy  grace  may  be  imparted,  yet  not 
impaired  :  hath  not  Christ  purchased  grace 
for  poor  indigent  creatures  ?  Every  drachm 
of  grace  cost  a  drop  of  blood.  Shall  Christ 
die  to  purchase  grace  for  us,  and  shall  not 
we  have  the  fruit  of  his  purchase  ?  Lord,  it 
is  thy  delight  to  milk  out  the  breast  of  mer- 
cy and  grace,  and  wilt  thou  abridge  thyself 
of  tiiy  own  delight  ?  Thou  hast  promised  to 
give  thy  Spirit  to  implant  grace ;  can  truth 
lie  ?  can  faithfulness  deceive  ?  God  loves 
thus  to  be  overcome  with  arguments  in 
prayer. 

(T.)  Prayer  that  would  prevail  with  God, 
must  be  joined  with  reformation,  Job  xi.  13, 
14.,  "  If  thou  stretch  out  thy  hands  to- 
wards him  ;  if  iniquity  be  in  thy  hand,  put 
it  far  away."  Sin,  lived  in,  makes  the  heart 
hard,  and  God's  ear  deaf.  'Tis  foolish  to 
pi'ay  against  sin,  and  then  sin  against  pray- 
er, sin  fly-blows  our  prayers,  Ps.  IxAi.  18., 
"  If  I  regard  iniquity  in  my  heart,  the  Lord 
will  not  hear  me."  The  loadstone  loseth 
its  virtue  when  bespread  with  garlic ;  so 
doth  prayer  when  polluted  with  sin.  The 
incense  of  prayer  must  be  offered  upon  the 
altar  of  an  holy  lioart. 

Thus  you  see  what  is  that  prayer  which 
is  most  likely  to  prevail  with  God. 

Use  \sf.  It  reproves,  \sf.  Such  as  pray  not 
at  all  :  Tis  made  the  note  of  a  reprobate,  he 
calls  not  upon  God,  Ps.  cxliv.  Doth  he  think 
to  have  an  alms,  who  never  asks  it?  do  they 
think  to  have  mercy  from  God,  who  never 
seek  it?  Then  God  should  befriend  them 
more  tlian  he  did  his  own  Son,  Heb.  v.  7. 
Clirist  offered  up  prayers  with  strong  cries. 
None  of  God's  children   are    born   dumb. 


Gal.  iv.  6. — 2d.  It  reproves  such  aa  liav« 
left  off  prayer,  a  sign  they  never  felt  the 
fruit  and  comfort  of  it.  He  that  leaves  off 
prayer,  a  sign  he  leaves  off  to  fear  God, 
Job  XV.  4.,  "  Thou  castest  off  fear,  and  re- 
strainest  prayer  before  God."  A  man  that 
hath  left  off  prayer  is  fit  for  any  wicked 
ness.  When  Saul  had  given  over  inquiring 
after  God,  then  he  went  to  the  witch  of 
Endor. 

Use  2d.  Of  exhortation.  Be  persons 
given  to  prayer.  "  I  give  myself  (saith 
David)  to  prayer."  Pray  for  pardon  and 
purity  ;  prayer  is  the  golden  key  that  opens 
heaven.  The  tree  of  the  promise  will  not 
drop  its  fruit,  unless  shaken  by  the  hand  of 
prayer.  All  the  benefits  of  Christ's  re- 
demption are  handed  over  to  us  by  prayer. 

Obj.  But  I  have  prayed  a  lovy  time  for 
mercy,  and  have  no  answer,  Ps.  Ixix.  3.,  "  / 
am  weary  of  crying." 

Ans.  \st.  God  may  hear  us,  when  we  do 
not  hear  from  him  ;  as  soon  as  prayer  is 
made,  God  hears  it,  though  he  doth  not 
presently  answer.  A  friend  may  receive 
our  letter,  though  he  doth  not  presently 
send  us  an  answer  of  it.  'i.d.  God  may  de- 
lay prayer,  yet  not  deny. 

Quest.  Bid  tvliy  doth  God  delay  an  an- 
swer of  prayer. 

Ans.  1.  Because  he  loves  to  hear  the  voice 
of  prayer,  Prov.  xv.  8.,  "  The  prayer  of  the 
upright  is  his  delight."  You  let  the  musi- 
cian play  a  great  while  ere  you  throw  hina 
down  money,  because  you  love  to  hear  his 
music,  Cant.  ii.  14. 

A.  2.  God  may  delay  prayer,  when  he 
will  not  deny,  that  he  may  humble  us ; 
perhaps  God  hath  spoken  to  us  a  long  time 
in  his  word  to  leave  such  sins,  but  we  would 
not  hear  him  ;  therefore  he  lets  us  speak  to 
him  in  prayer  and  seems  not  to  hear  us. 

A.  3.  God  may  delay  pra}er  when  he  will 
not  deny,  because  he  sees  we  are  not  yet 
fit  for  the  mercy ;  perhaps  we  pray  for  de- 
liverance, we  are  not  fit  for  it;  our  scum  is 
not  yet  boiled  away,  we  would  have  God 
swift  to  deliver,  and  we  .ire  slow  to  repent. 

A.  4.  God  may  delay  prayer,  when  he  will 
not  deny,  that  the  mercy  we  pray  ft)r  may 
be  the  more  prized,  and  may  be  sweeter 
when  it  comes.  The  longer  the  merchant's 
ships   stay  abroad,   the   more  he  rejoiceth 


OF  THE  PREFACE  TO  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


3bl 


when  tljey  come  home  laden  with  spices  and 
jewels ;  therefore  be  not  discourajjed,  but 
follow  God  with  prayer:  thou<xh  (iod  may 
delay,  he  will  not  deny.  Prayer  vincit  iii- 
vi/icihi/rm, — it  overcomes  the  Omnipotent, 
Hos.  xii.  4.  The  Tyrians  tied  fast  their 
god  Hercules  with  a  golden  chain,  that  he 
should  not  remove  :  the  Lord  was  held  by 


Moses'  prayer,  as  with  a  golden  chain, 
Exod.  xxxii.  10.,  "Let  me  alone;"  why; 
what  di<l  Moses?  he  only  prayed.  Prayer 
ushers  in  mercy.  Be  thy  case  ever  so  sad,- 
if  thou  canst  but  ])r:iy,  thou  ncedest  not 
lear,  Ps.  x.  17.  Therefore  give  thyself  to 
l)rayer. 


OF  THE  PREFACE  TO  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


Our  FATHER  which  art  in  Heaven. 


HAVING  (throuj;^h  the  good  providence 
of  (lod)  gone  over  the  chief  grounds  and 
fundamentals  of  religion,  and  enlarged  nj)- 
on  the  decalogue  or  ten  commandments,  I 
shall  now,  at  the  close,  speak  somethiisg 
upon  the  Lord's  prayer. 

Mat.  vi.  9.,  "  After  this  manner  there- 
fore pray  ye.  Our  Father  which  art  in  hea- 
ven, hiillowed,"  Si.c. 

In  this  scri|)ture  are  two  things  observa- 
ble, 

1st.  The  intr(!di!ction  to  the  prayer. 

2d.  The  prayer  itself,  which  consists  of 
tiivee  parts.  1.  A  preface;  2.  Petitions; 
3.   The  conclusion. 

I.  The  introduction  to  the  Lord's  prayer, 
'*  After  this  manner  therefore  pray  ye." 
Our  Lord  Jesus,  in  these  words  ])rescribed 
to  his  disciples  and  us  a  directory  for  prayer. 
The  ten  commandments  are  the  rule  of  our 
life, — the  creed  is  the  sum  of  our  faith, — 
and  the  Lord's  prayer  is  the  pattern  of  our 
prayer.  As  God  did  prescribe  Moses  a 
pattern  of  the  tabernacle,  Exixl.  x\v.  9., 
so  Christ  hath  here  prescribed  us  a  j)attern 
of  prayer,  "After  this  manner  therefore 
p/ay  ye,"  &c.  The  meaning  is,  let  this  be 
the  rule  and  model  according  to  which  ye 
frame  your  prayers.  Ad  hauc  regulam  prr- 
cfs  nodrns  cxigere  necesse  esf^  Calvin.  Not 
tliat  we  are  tied  to  the  words  of  the  Lord's 
jM-ayer ;  Christ  saith  not,  "  After  these 
words,  pray  ye  ;"  but  "  After  this  manner ;" 
that  is,  let  all  your  petitions  agree  and  sym- 
bolize with  the  things  contained  in  the 
Lord's  prayer ;  and  indeed,  well  may  we 
make  all  our  prayers  consonant  and  agree- 
able to  this  prayer,  it  being  a  most  exact 


prayer.  TertuUian  calls  it,  Breviarivm  to- 
fius  cvatige/ii, — a  breviary  and  compendium 
of  the  gospel ;  it  is  like  an  heap  of  massy 
gold.  The  exactness  of  this  prayer  appears, 
1st.  In  the  dignity  of  the  Author;  a  j)iece 
of  work  hath  commendation  from  the  arti- 
ficer, «nd  tliis  prayer  hath  commendaticm 
from  the  Author;  it  is  the  Lord's  j)rayer. 
As  the  moral  law  was  written  with  the  fin- 
ger of  God,  so  this  prayer  was  droj)t  from 
the  lips  of  the  Son  of  (iod.  Non  vox  houii- 
ncm  sonat,  est  Deus.  2d.  The  exactness  of 
this  prayer  appears  in  the  excellency  of  the 
matter.  I  may  say  of  this  prayer,  it  "  is  as 
silver  tried  in  the  furnace,  purified  seven 
times,"  Ps.  xii.  6.  Never  was  there  ])rayer 
so  admirably  and  curiously  composed  jis 
tXis.  As  Solomon's  Song,  for  its  excellen- 
cy, is  called,  '  the  song  of  songs  ;'  so  may 
this  well  be  called,  '  the  prayer  of  prayers.' 
The  matter  of  it  is  admirable,  1.  For  its 
succinctness,  'tis  short  and  pithy,  nudtum  in 
jiarvo, — a  great  deal  said  in  a  icw  words. 
It  recpiires  most  art  to  draw  the  two  globes 
curiously  in  a  little  maj).  This  short  j)rayer 
is  a  system  or  body  of  divinity.  2.  Its 
clearness.  Tliis  ])rayer  is  plain  and  intelli- 
gible to  every  capacity.  Clearness  is  the 
grace  of  s])eech.  3.  Its  completeness.  Tliis 
prayer  contains  in  it  the  chief  things  that 
we  have  to  Jisk,  or  God  hath  to  bestow. 

Use.  Let  us  have  a  great  esteem  of  the 
Lord's  ]>i-ayer  ;  let  it  be  the  model  and  |»at- 
tern  of  all  our  j)rayers.  There  is  a  double 
benefit  ariseth  from  framing  our  petitions 
suitably  to  the  Lord's  prayer.  1st.  Hereby 
error  in  prayer  is  prevented  :  it  is  not  easy 
to  write  wrong  after  this  copy  ;  we  cannot 


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OF  THE  PREFACE  TO  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


easily  err,  having  our  pattem  before  us 
2d.  Hereby  mercies  requested  are  obtained, 
for  the  apostle  assures  us,  God  will  hear  us, 
when  we  j)ray  "  according  to  his  will," 
1  John  y.  14.  And  sure  we  pray  accord- 
ing to  his  will,  when  we  pray  according  to 
the  ])attern  he  hath  set  us.  So  nnuih  for 
the  introduction  to  the  Lord's  prayer,  "Af- 
ter this  manner  therefore  pray  ye." 

II.  The  prayer  itself,  which  consists  of 
three  parts:  1.  A  preface;  2.  Petitions;  3. 
The  conclusion. 

First,  The  preface  to  the  prayer:  1. 
"  Our  Father."  2.  "  Which  art  in  heaven." 
To  begin  with  the  first  words  of  the  preface. 

"  Our  Father."  Father  is  sometimes  ta- 
ken personally,  John  xiv.  28.,  "  My  Father 
is  greater  than  I :"  but  Father  in  the  text 
is  taken  essentially  for  the  whole  Deity. 
This  title,  Father,  teacheth  us  to  whom  we 
must  address  ourselves  in  prayer ;  to  God 
alone.  Here  is  no  such  thing  in  the  Lord's 
prayer,  as,  "  O  ye  saints  or  angels  that  are 
in  lieaven,  hear  us  !"  but,  "  Our  Father 
which  art  in  heaven." 

Quest.  In  ivhat  order  must  we  direct  our 
prayers  to  God?  Here  is  only  the  Father 
named :  may  not  ice  direct  our  prayers  to  the 
Son,  and  Holy  Ghost  ? 

/Ins.  Though  the  Father  only  be  named 
in  the  Lord's  prayer,  yet  the  other  two 
Persons  are  not  hereby  excluded  ;  the  Fa- 
ther is  mentioned  because  he  is  first  in  or- 
der ;  but  the  Son  and  Holy  Ghost  are  in- 
cluded, because  they  are  the  same  in  es- 
sence. As  all  the  three  Persons  subsist  in 
one  Godhead  :  so,  in  our  prayers,  though 
we  name  hut  one  Person,  we  must  pray  to 
all.  To  come  then  more  .closely  to  the 
first  words  of  the  preface,  "  Our  Father." 
Princes  on  earth  give  themselves  titles  cx- 


pressuig 


their  greatness,  as 


(( 


High 


an( 


Mighty  ;"  (lod  might  have  done  so,  and 
expressed  himself  thus,  "  Our  King  of  glo- 
ry, our  Judge:"  but  he  gives  himself  ano- 
ther title,  '  Our  Father,'  an  expression  of 
love  and  condescension.  God,  that  he  might 
encourage  us  to  pray  to  him,  represents 
himself  under  this  sweet  notion  of  a  Father, 
"  Our  Father,' — Dulce  nomen  Patris.  The 
name  Jehovah  carries  majesty  in  it,  the 
uame  of  Father  carries  mercy  in  it. 

Quest.  1.  In  vhat  sense  is  God  a  Father  ? 


Ans.  1.  By  creation  ;  it  is  he  that  hatli 
made  us,  Acts  xvii.  28.,  "  We  are  also  his 
offspring;"  Mai.  ii.  10.,  "Have  we  not  all 
one  Father  ?"  Hath  not  one  God  created 
us  ?  But  there  is  little  comfort  in  this  ;  foi 
so  God  is  Father  to  the  devils  by  creation  , 
but  he  that  made  them  will  not  save  them. 

A.  2.  God  is  a  Father  by  election,  hav- 
ing chosen  a  certain  number  to  be  his  chil- 
dren, whom  he  will  entail  heaven  upon, 
Eph.  i.  4.,  "  He  hath  chosen  us  in  liim." 

A.  3.  God  is  a  Father  by  special  grace ; 
he  consecrates  the  elect  by  his  Spirit,  and 
infuseth  a  supernatural  principle  of  holi- 
ness, therefore  they  are  said  to  be  born  of 
God,  1  John  iii.  9.  Such  onlv  as  are  sanc- 
tified can  say,  '  Our  Father  which  art  in 
heaven.' 

Quest.  1.  What  is  the  difference  between 
God  being  the  Father  of  Christ,  and  the  Fa- 
ther of  the  elect  ? 

Ans.  God  is  the  Father  of  Christ  in  a 
more  glorious  transcendent  manner.  Christ 
hath  the  primogeniture;  he  is  the  eldest 
Son,  a  Son  by  eternal  generation,  Prov 
viii.  23.,  "  I  was  set  up  from  everlasting, 
from  the  beginning,  or  ever  the  earth  was." 
Isa.  liii.  8.,  "  Who  shall  declare  his  genera- 
tion ?"  Christ  is  a  son  to  the  Father ;  yet 
so  as  he  is  of  the  same  nature  with  the  Fa- 
ther, having  all  the  incommunicable  pro- 
perties of  the  Godhead  belonging  to  him  : 
but  we  are  sons  of  God  by  adoption  and 
grace,  Gal.  iv.  5.,  "  That  we  might  receive 
the  adoption  of  sons." 

Quest.  2.  What  is  that  ivhich  makes  God 
our  Father  ? 

Ans.  Faitli :  Gal.  iii.  26.,  "  Ye  are  all 
the  children  of  God  by  faith  in  Christ  Je- 
sus." An  unbeliever  may  call  God  his 
Creator,  and  his  Judge,  but  not  his  Father. 
Faith  doth  legitimate  us,  and  make  us  o. 
the  blood-royal  of  heaven.  "  Ye  are  the 
children  of  God  by  faith."  Baptism  makes 
us  church-members,  but  faith  makes  us  chil- 
dren :  without  faith  the  devil  can  show  as 
good  a  coat  of  arms  as  we. 

Quest.  3.  How  doth  faith  make  God  to  be 
our  Father  ? 

Ans.  As  faith  is  an  uniting  grace ;  by 
faith  we  have  coalition  and  union  with 
Christ,  and  so  the  kindred  comes  in  ;  being 
united  to  Christ,  the  natural  Son,  we  b» 


OF  THE  PREFACE  TO  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


383 


come  adopted  sons.  God  is  the  Fatlier  of 
Christ ;  faith  makes  us  Christ's  hrctlncn, 
Heh.  ii.  11.,  and  so  God  comes  to  he  our 
Fatlier. 

Quest.  .5.  IVherein  doth  it  appear  that 
God  is  the  best  Father  ? 

Ans.  1.  In  that  he  is  most  ancient,  Dan. 
vii.  9.,  "  The  Ancient  of  days  did  sit." 
A  ficfurative  representation  of  God  wlio 
was  before  all  time,  this  may  cause  vene- 
ration. 

A.  2.  God  is  the  best  Father,  because  he 
is  perfect,  Mat.  v.  48.,  "Your  Father  which 
is  in  heaven  is  perfect;"  lie  is  perfectly 
^ood.  Earthly  fathers  are  subject  to  in- 
firmities: Elias  (though  a  prophet)  "was 
a  mail  subject  to  like  passions,"  James  v. 
17.,  but  God  is  perfectly  good.  All  the 
perfection  we  can  arrive  at  in  this  life  is 
sincerity :  we  may  a  little  resemble  God, 
but  not  equal  him ;  he  is  infinitely  perfect 

A.  3.  God  is  the  best  Father  in  respect 
of  wisdom,  1  Tim.  i.  17.,  "  The  otily  wise 
God."  He  hath  a  perfect  idea  of  wisdom 
in  himself;  he  knows  the  fittest  means  to 
bring  about  his  own  designs ;  the  angels 
light  at  his  lamp.  In  particular  this  is  one 
branch  of  his  wisdom,  that  he  knows  what 
is  best  for  us.  An  earthly  parent  knows 
not,  in  some  intricate  cases,  how  to  advise 
his  child,  or  what  may  be  best  for  him  to 
do :  but  God  is  a  most  wise  Father, — lie 
knows  what  is  best  for  us, — he  knows  what 
comfort  is  best  for  us, — he  keeps  his  cor- 
dials for  fainting,  2  Cor.  vii.  6.,  "  God  that 
comforteth  those  that  are  cast  down," — 
he  knows  when  affliction  is  best  for  us,  and 
when  it  is  fit  to  give  a  bitter  potion.  1  Pet. 
i.  6.,  "  If  need  be  ye  are  in  lieaviness." 
He  is  the  only  wise  (Jod ;  he  knows  how  to 
make  evil  things  work  for  good  to  his  chil- 
dren, Rom.  viii.  28.  He  can  make  a  sove- 
reign treacle  of  poison :  thus  lie  is  the  best 
Father  for  wisdom. 

A.  4.  He  is  the  best  Father,  because  the 
most  loving,  1  J(»hn  iv.  16.,  "  God  is  love." 
He  who  causeth  bowels  of  affection  in  o- 
thers,  must  needs  have  more  bowels  him- 
self; quod  efficit  tale.  The  affections  in  pa- 
rents are  but  marble  and  adamant  in  com- 
parison of  God's  love  to  his  children  ;  he 
gives  them  the  cream  of  his  love,  electing 
love,  saving  love,  Zeph.  iii.  17.,   "  He  will 


rejoice  over  thee  with  joy,  he  will  rest  in 
his  love,  he  will  joy  over  thee  with  sing- 
ing." No  father  like  God  for  love !  If 
thou  art  his  child,  thou  canst  not  love  thy 
own  soul  so  entirely  as  he  loves  thee. 

A.  5.  God  is  the  best  Father,  for  riches : 
God  hath  land  enough  to  give  to  all  his 
children,  he  hath  unseareha!)le  riches,  Epli. 
iii.  8.  He  gives  the  hidden  manna,  the  tree 
of  life,  rivers  of  joy,  (Jod  hath  treasures 
that  cannot  be  completed,  gates  of  pearl. 
Who  ever  saw  gates  of  pearl, — pleasures 
that  cannot  be  ended?  Earthly  fathers,  if 
they  should  be  ever  giving,  they  would 
have  nothing  left  to  give :  God  is  ever  giv- 
ing to  his  children,  yet  hath  not  the  less  ; 
his  riches  are  imparted  not  impaired;  like 
the  sun  that  still  shines,  yet  hath  not  the 
less  light.  He  cannot  be  poor  who  is  in- 
finite. Thus  God  is  the  best  Father;  he 
gives  more  to  liis  children,  than  any  father 
or  prince  can  bestow. 

A.  C.  God  is  the  best  Father,  because  he 
can  reform  his  children.  A  father,  when 
his  son  takes  bad  courses,  knows  not  how 
to  make  him  better;  but  God  knows  how 
to  make  the  children  of  the  election  better; 
he  can  change  their  hearts.  When  Paul 
was  breathing  out  persecution  against  the 
saints,  God  soon  altered  his  course,  and  set 
him  a-praying,  Acts  ix.  11,,  "  behold  he 
prayeth."  Ncme  of  those  who  belong  to  the 
election  are  so  rough-cast  and  unhewn,  but 
God  can  polish  them  with  his  grace,  and 
make  them  fit  for  the  inheritance. 

A.  7.  God  is  the  best  Father,  because  he 
never  dies,  1  Tim.  vi.  16.,  "  Who  only 
hath   immortalitv."      Earthlv   fathers   die, 

•  •'  ' 

and  their  children  are  exposed  to  many  in- 
juries, but  (iod  lives  for  ever,  Rev.  i.  8., 
"  I  am  Alpha  and  Omega,  the  beginning 
and  the  end."  God's  crown  hath  no  suc- 
cessors. 

Quest.  6.  Wherein  lies  the  dignity  of  such 
as  have  God  for  their  Father  ? 

Ans.  1.  They  have  greater  honour  than 
is  e()nferr(>d  on  the  princes  of  the  earth  ; 
they  are  precious  in  (iod's  esteem,  Isa.  xliii. 
4.,  "  Since  thou  wast  j)reeious  in  my  eyes, 
thou  hast  been  honourable ;"  the  wicked 
are  dross,  Ps.  cxix.  119.,  and  chaff,  Ps.  i. 
4.,  but  (tod  numbers  his  children  among 
his  jewels,  Mai.  iii.  17.     He  writes  all  his 


S9V 


OF  THE  FREFACE  TO  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


oliildren's  names  in  the  book  of  life,  Phil. 
iv.  3.,  '•  Whose  names  are  in  the  book  of 
life."  Amonji^  the  Romans  tlie  names  of 
their  senators  were  written  down  in  a  book, 

pntres  conscripti :    God  enrols  the  names 

of  his  children,  and  will  not  blot  their  names 
out  of  the  register.  Rev.  iii.  5.,  "  I  will  not 
blot  his  name  out  of  the  book  of  life."  God 
will  not  be  ashamed  of  his  children,  Heb. 
xi.  16.,  "  God  is  not  ashamed  to  be  called 
your  God."  One  might  think  it  were  some- 
thing below  God,  and  he  might  div;dain  to 
father  such  children  as  are  dust  and  sin 
minjrled:  but  he  is  not  ashamed  to  be  call- 
ed  our  God  ;  and  that  we  may  see  he  is  not 
ashamed  of  his  children,  he  writes  his  own 
name  upon  them.  Rev.  iii.  12.,  "  I  will 
write  upon  him  the  name  of  ray  (jod;" 
that  is,  I  will  openly  acknowledge  liim  be- 
fore all  tlie  angels  to  be  my  child  ;  I  will 
write  my  name  upon  him,  as  the  son  bears 
bis  father's  name:  what  an  honour  and 
dionitv  is  t'.iis  ! 

A.  2.  God  confers  honourable  titles  upon 
his  children :  he  calls  them  the  excellent  of 
the  earth,  Ps.  xvi.  3.,  or  the  mognificent,  as 
Junius  renders  it.  They  must  needs  be  ex- 
cellent, who  are  e  regio  savguiue  nail, — of 
the  blood  royal  of  heaven  ;  they  are  the  spi- 
ritual j)!iaMiixes  of  the  world,  the  glory  of 
the  creation.  God  calls  his  children  his 
glory,  Isa.  xlvi.  13.,  "  Israel  my  glory." 
God  honours  his  childrL-n  with  the  title  of 
kings.  Rev.  i.  6.,  "  And  hath  made  us 
kings."  All  God's  children  are  kings; 
though  they  have  not  earthly  kingdoms : 
yet,  l.f/.  They  carry  a  kingdom  about  them, 
Luke  xvii,  21.,  "  The  kingdom  of  God  is 
within  you,"  grace  is  a  kingdom  set  up  in 
the  hearts  of  (jod's  children  ;  they  are  kings 
to  ndi!  over  their  sins,  to  bind  those  kings 
in  chains,  Ps.  cxlix.  8.  2(1.  They  arc  like 
kings;  tiu'y  have  their  hisignid  regalia, — 
their  ensigns  of  royalty  and  majesty.  They 
have  their  crown  ;  in  this  life  they  are  kings 
in  a  disguise ;  they  arc  not  known,  there- 
fore they  are  exposed  to  jioverty  and  re- 
proaeii  ;  they  are  kings  in  a  disguise; 
1  John  iii.  2.,  "  Now  we  are  the  sons  of 
God,  and  it  doth  not  yet  appear  what  we 
shall  be."  Why,  what  shall  we  be?  Every 
son  of  God  shall  have  his  crown  of  glory, 
1  Pet.  V.  4.,  and  white  robes,  Rev.  vi.  11. 


Robes  signify  dignity,  and  white  signifies 
sanctity. 

A.  3.  This  is  their  honour  who  have  God 
for  their  Father,  they  are  all  heirs ;  the 
y<)ungest  son  is  an  heir.  1.  God's  children 
are  heirs  to  the  things  of  this  life ;  God  be- 
ing their  Father,  they  have  the  best  title  to 
earthly  things,  they  have  a  sanctified  right 
to  them ;  though  they  have  often  the  least 
share,  yet  they  have  the  best  right ;  and 
they  have  a  blessing  with  what  they  have, 
i.  e.  God's  love  and  fai'our.  Others  may 
have  more  of  the  venison,  but  God's  chil- 
dren have  more  of  the  blessing:  thus  they 
are  heirs  to  the  things  of  this  life.  2.  They 
are  heirs  to  the  other  world ;  "  heirs  of  sal- 
vation," Heb.  i.  14.;  "  Joint  heirs  witli 
Christ,"  Rom.  viii.  17.  They  are  co-sharers 
with  Christ  in  glory.  Among  men  com- 
monly tlie  eldest  son  carries  away  all,  but 
God's  children  are  all  joint  heirs  with  Christ, 
they  have  a  co-partnership  with  him  in  his 
riches.  Hath  Christ  a  place  in  the  celes- 
tial mansions?  so  have  the  saints,  John 
xiv.  2.,  "  In  my  Father's  house  are  many 
mansions,  I  go  to  prepare  a  place  for  you." 
Hath  he  his  Father's  love?  so  have  thcv, 
Ps.  cxlvi.  8.  John  xvii.  26.,  "  That  the  love 
wherewith  thou  hast  loved  me,  may  be  in 
them."  Doth  Christ  sit  upon  a  throne  ?  so 
do  God's  children.  Rev.  iii.  21.  What  an 
hiffh  honour  is  this  ! 

yj.  4.  God  makes  his  children  equal  in 
lu-nour  to  the  angels,  Luke  xx.  36.  They 
arc  equal  to  the  angels,  nay,  those  saints  who 
have  God  for  their  father,  are  in  some  sense 
superior  to  the  angels ;  for  Jesus  Christ 
having  taken  our  natuic,  vaturam  nostrum 
nohUitavit^  Aug.,  hath  ennobled  and  honour- 
ed it  above  the  angelical,  Heb.  ii.  16.  God 
hath  made  his  children,  by  adoption,  nearer 
to  himself  than  the  angels.  The  angels  are 
the  friends  of  Chnst,  believers  are  the 
members  of  Christ,  and  this  honour  have 
all  the  saints.  Thus  you  see  the  dignity 
of  such  as  have  God  for  their  Father.  AVhat 
a  comfort  is  this  to  God's  children  who  are 
here  despised,  and  loaded  with  calumnies 
and  invectives?  1  Cor.  iv.  13.,  "  We  are 
made  as  the  filth  of  the  world,"  &c.  But 
God  will  put  lionour  upon  his  children  at 
the  last  day,  and  crown  them  with  immor- 
tal  bliss,  to  tlie  envy  of  their  adversaries. 


OF  THE  rUEFACE  TO  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER 


385 


Quest.  7.  Hoiv  may  we  know  that  God  is 
our  lather  9  All  cannot  say,  '  Our  Father :' 
the  Jews  boasted  that  God  was  their  Father, 
John  viii.  4-1.,  "  Jl'e  have  one  Father,  even 
God.''  Christ  tells  them  their  pediyree,  ver. 
44'.,  '*  Ye  are  of  your  father  the  devil."  Fliey 
who  are  of  satanical  spirits,  and  make  use  of 
their  pouer  to  beat  duwti  the  power  of  godli- 
ness, cannot  say,  God  is  their  Father  ,•  they 
may  say,  *  Our  Father  which  art  in  hell.' 
Well  then  how  may  we  knoiv  that  God  is  our 
Father  ? 

Ans.  1.  By  having  a  filial  disposition  : 
this  is  seen  in  four  tilings,  1.  To  melt  in 
tears  foi*  sin :  a  cliild  weeps  for  offending 
his  father.  When  Christ  looked  on  Peter, 
and  he  remembered  his  sin  in  denying 
Clnist,  he  fell  a-weeping.  Clemens  Alcx- 
andrinns  reports  of  Peter  he  never  heard  a 
cock  crow,  but  he  wej)t.  This  is  a  sign 
that  God  is  our  Father,  when  the  heart  of 
stone  is  taken  awav,  and  there  is  a  gracious 
thaw  in  the  heart;  it  melts  into  tears  for 
sin;  and  he  who  hath  a  childlike  heart, 
mourns  for  sin  in  a  spiritual  manner,  as  it 
is  sin  ;  he  grievis  for  it,  (1.)  As  it  is  an  act 
of  pollution.  Sin  deflowers  the  virgin-soul: 
it  (h'facetli  God's  image;  it  turns  beauty 
into  def<M*mity  ;  'tis  called  the  "  plague  of 
the  hciirt,"  1  Kings  viii.  33.  It  is  tlie  spi- 
rits of  evil  distilled.  A  child  of  God  mourns 
for  the  defilement  of  sin  ;  sin  hath  a  black- 
er as{)ect  than  hell.  (2.)  He  who  hath  a 
childlike  heart,  grieves  for  sin,  as  it  is  an 
act  of  enmity.  SIu  is  diametrically  opj)o- 
sitc  to  (jod.  It  is  called  a  walking  contra- 
ry iA  God,  Lev.  xwi.  40.,  "  If  they  shall 
confess  their  inicjuity,  and  that  also  they 
liave  walked  contrary  to  me."  Sin  doth 
all  it  c:in  to  spite  (iod  ;  if  God  be  of  one 
mind,  sin  will  be  of  another  ;  sin  would  not 
onlv  nntbronc  God,  but  it  strikes  at  his 
very  being;  if  sin  could  help  it,  (jod  should 
be  no  longer  God.  A  childlike  heart  grieves 
ft.r  this;  "  O,"  saith  he,  "that  I  should 
have  so  much  enmity  in  me,  that  my  will 
should  be  no  more  subdued  to  the  will  of 
my  heavenly  Father  !'  This  sj)riugs  a  leak 
of  godly  sorrow.  (3.)  A  childlike  heart 
weeps  for  sin,  as  it  is  an  act  of  ingratitude ; 
sin  is  an  abuse  of  God's  love;  it  is  taking 
the  jewels  of  God's  mercies,  and  making 
use  of  them  to  sin.     God  hath  done  more 


for  his  children  than  others ;  he  hath  plant- 
ed his  grace  and  given  them  some  intima- 
tions of  his  favour;  and  to  sin  against  kind- 
ness, dyes  a  sin  in  grain,  and  makes  it  crim- 
son. Like  Absalom,  who,  as  soon  as  his 
Father  kissed  him,  and  took  him  into  fav- 
our, plotted  treason  against  him :  nothing 
so  melts  a  childlike  heart  in  tears,  as  sins 
of  unkinduess  :  "  O  that  I  should  sin  a<rainst 
the  blood  of  a  Saviour,  and  the  bowels  of  a 
Father  !  I  condemn  ingratitude  in  my  cliihi, 
yet  I  am  guilty  of  ingratitude  against  my 
heavenly  Father."  This  opens  a  vein  of 
godly  sorrow,  and  makes  the  heart  bleed 
afresh  :  certainly  this  evidenceth  God  to  be 
our  Father,  when  he  hath  given  us  thia 
childlike  frame  of  heart,  to  weep  fi)r  sin  jis 
it  is  sin,  an  act  of  pollution,  enmity,  ir.gra- 
titude  :  a  wicked  man  may  mourn  for  the 
bitter  fruit  of  sin,  but  only  a  child  of  God 
can  grieve  for  the  odious  nature  of  sin. 

2.  A  filial  (or  childlike)  di.-^p  )sition  is  to 
be  full  of  sympathy  ;  we  lay  to  heart  the 
dishonours  reflected  upon  our  heavenly  Fa- 
ther ;   when  we  sec  God's  worship  adulter- 
ated,  his  truth   mingled   with  the  poison  of 
error,  it  is  as  a  sword  in  our  bones,   to  sea 
God's  glory  suffer,   Ps.  cxix.    158,   "  I  hc- 
held   the   transgressors  and   was  grieved."' 
Homer  describing  Agamemnon's  grief  whifii- 
he  was  forced  to  sacritice  his  daughter  Iplii- 
genia,  brings  in  all  hb>  friends  weeping  and' 
condoling  with  him  ;   so,   wlieii  God  is  dis- 
honoured,  we  sympathize,  and  are  as  il  were 
clad  in  mourning.     A  child   that  hath  aiiv 
good  nature,   is  cut  to  the  heart  to  hear  his 
father  reproached  :   an  heir  of  heaven  takc-s 
a  dishonour  done  to  God  more  heinous  than. 
a  disgrace  done  to  himself. 

3.  A  filial  disposition,  is  to  love  our  hea- 
venly Father  ;    he  is    unnatural   that  doUi 
not  love  his  father.     God  who  is  crowned, 
with  excellency,  is  the  proj)er  object  of  de- 
light; and  every  true  child  of  God  saitli, 
as  Peter,   "  Lord,  tinm  knowest  that  I  lovo 
thee."     But  who  will  not  say  he  loves  (iod? 
If  <nu's  be  a  true  genuine  love  to  our  hea- 
venly Father,  it  may  be  known,   ]sf.  By  the 
effects:    1.   Then    we   have   an    holy   fear; 
there  is  a  fear  which  ariseth  from  love  tc 
(Jod,   that  is,  Avc  fear  the  loss  of  the  visible 
tokens  of  God's  presence,    1   Sam.   iv.    13., 

*  Eli's   heart   trembled  for  the   ark.'      It   is 

3C 


38G 


OF  THE  PREFACE  TO  THE  LORDS  PRAYER. 


not  said  liis  heart  trembled  for  liis  two  sons 
Hoplmi  and  Phinclias;  but  his  heart  trem- 
bled for  tlie  ark,   because  the  ark  was  the 
special  sign  of  God's  presence ;  and  if  that 
were  taken,   the  glory  was  departed.     He 
who  loves  his  heavenly  Father,    fears  lest 
the  tokens  of   his   presence   should  be  re- 
moved,   lest  profancness   should  break   in 
like  a  flood,  lest  popery  should  get  head, 
and  God  sliould  go  from  a  people  ;  the  pre- 
sen'^e  of  God  in  his  ordinances  is  the  glory 
and  strength  of  a  nation.     The  Trojans  had 
the  image  of  Pallas,  and  they  had  an  opi- 
nion that  as  long  as  that  image  was  preser- 
ved among  them,  they  should  never  bo  con- 
quered :  so  long  as  God's  presence  is  with 
a  people,  so  long  they  are  safe ;  every  true 
child  of  God  fears  lest  God  should  go,  and 
the  glory  depart.     Try  by  this,  whether  we 
have  a  filial  disposition  :  Do  we  love  God, 
and  doth  this  love  cause  fear  and  jealousy  ? 
Are  we  afraid   lest  we   should   lose  God's 
presence,  lest  the  Sun  of  Righteousness  re- 
move out  of  our  horizon?  Many  are  afraid 
lest  they  should  lose  some  of  their  worldly 
profits,  but  not  lest  they  lose  the  presence 
of  God ;  if  they  may  have  peace  and  trad- 
ing, they  care  not  what  become  of  the  ark 
of  God.     A  true  child  of  God  fears  nothing 
Ro  much  as  tlie  loss  of  his  Father's  presence, 
Hos.  ix.  12.,  "  Wo  also  to  them  when  I  de- 
part from  them." — 2.  Love  to  our  heaven- 
ly Father  is  seen  by  loving  his  day,  Isa.  Iviii. 
13.,  "  If  thou  call  the  sabbath  a  delight." 
The  ancients  called  this  regina  dierum, — '  the 
queen  of  days.'     If  we  love  our  Father  in 
lieaven,  we  spend  this  day  in  devotion,  in 
reading,  hearing,   meditating ;  on  this  day 
manna    falls    double.     God    sanctified    the 
sabbath  ;  he  made  all  tlie  other  days  in  the 
w(!tk,  but  he  hath  sanctified  this  day;  this 
day  he  hath  crowned  with  a  blessing. — 3. 
Love  to  our  heavenly  Father  is  seen  by  lo- 
ving his  children,    1  John  v.   L,   "  Every 
one  that  loveth  him  that  begat,  loveth  him 
also  that  is  begotten  of  him."     If  we  love 
God,  the  more  we  see  of  God  in  any,  the 
more  we  love  them  ;  we  love  them  tliough 
they  are  poor ;  a  child  loves  to  see  his  fa- 
ther's   picture,    though    hung    in    a    mean 
frame  ;  we  love  the  children  of  our  Father, 
tliough  they  arc  persecuted,  2  Tim.  i.  10., 
"   Oncsiphorus   was   not   ashamed   of  my 


chain."     Constantino  did  kiss  the  hole  ol 
Paphnusius's  eye,  because  he  suffered  the 
loss  of  his  eye  for  Christ ;  it  appears  they 
have  no  love  to  God,   who  have  no  love  to 
his  children  ;  they  care  not  for  their  com- 
pany ;  they  have  a  secret  disgust  and  anti- 
pathy  against    them ;     hypocrites    j)retend 
great  reverence  to  the  saints  departed,  they 
canonize  dead   saints    but   persecute  living 
saints :  I  may  say  of  these,  as  the  apostle, 
Heb.  xii.  8.,   "  Then  are  bastards  and  not 
sons." — Alh.  Effect  of  love :  If  we  love  our 
heavenly  Father,  then  we  will  be  advocates 
for  him,  and  stand  up  in  the  defence  of  his 
truth ;  he  who  loves  his  father  will  plead 
for  him  when  he  is  traduced  and  wronged  ; 
he  hath  no  childlike  heart,  no  love  to  God, 
who  can  hear  God's  name  dishonoured,  and 
be  silent.     Doth   Christ  appear  for   us  in 
heaven,   and  are  we  afraid   to  appear  for 
him  on  earth  ?  Such  as  dare  not  own  God 
and  religion  in  times  of  danger,   God  will 
be    ashamed    to    be    called    their   God ;    it 
would  be  a  reproach  to  him  to  have  such 
children  as  will  not  own  him.     2d.  A  child- 
like love  to  God  is  known,  as  by  the  effects, 
so  by   the   degree ;    it    is  a  superior  love. 
We  love  our  Father  in  heaven  above  all  o- 
ther  things ;   aboAe  estate,   or  relations,   .is 
oil   runs   above   the  \A'ater,    Ps.  Ixxiii.    25. 
A  child  of  God  seeing  a  supereminency  of 
goodness,  and  a  constellation  of  all  beauties 
in  God,   he  is  carried  out  in  love  to  him  in 
the  highest  measure ;  as  God  gives  his  chil- 
dren  such  a  love   as   he   doth  not  bestow 
upon   the   wicked,   electing  love,   so  God's 
children  give  such  a  love  as   they  bestow 
upon  none  else,   adoring  love;    they  givo 
him  the   flower  and  spirits  of  their  love  ; 
they  love  him  with  a  love  joined  with  wor- 
ship,  this  spiced  wine  they  keep  only  for 
their  Father  to  drink  of,  Cant.  viii.  2. 

4.  A  childlike  disposition  is  seen  in  hon- 
ouring our  heavenly  Father,  Mai.  i.  6.,  "  A 
son  honoureth  his  father." 

QuKsr.  Ilnw  do  vie  show  our  honour  to  our 
Fat  her.  in  heaven  ? 

Ans.  I.  By  having  a  reverential  awe  of 
God  upon  us.  Lev.  xxv.  17.,  "  Thou  shall 
fear  tliy  God."  Tliis  reverential  fear  of 
God,  is,  when  we  dare  do  nothing  that  he 
hath  f»)rbidden  in  his  word,  Gen.  xxxix.  9., 
"  How  can  I  do  this  great  wickedness,  and 


OF  THE  PREFACE  TO  THE  LORDS  PRAYER. 


387 


Kin  against  God  ?  It  is  the  part  of  tlic  lio- 
nour  a  son  gives  to  a  Father,  he  fears  to 
displease  him.  We  sliow  our  lionour  to 
our  hcaver.ly  Father,  by  doing  all  wc  carj 
to  exalt  God,  and  make  his  excellencies 
Khine  forth  :  though  we  cannot  lift  up  God 
higher  in  heaven,  yet  we  may  lift  him  high- 
er in  our  hearts,  and  in  the  esteem  of  otl)- 
ers,  AVIien  we  speak  well  of  God,  set  forth 
his  renown,  disj)lay  the  trophies  of  his  good- 
ness,— when  we  ascribe  the  glory  of  all  we 
do  to  God, — when  we  are  the  trumpeters 
of  God's  praise, — this  is  an  honouring  our 
Father  in  heaven,  and  a  certain  sign  of  a 
childlike  heart,  Ps.  1.  23.,  "  Whoso  offereth 
praise,  glorifieth  me." 

A.  2.  We  may  know  God  is  our  Father, 
by  our  resembling  of  him ;  the  child  is  his 
father's  picture,  Judg.  viii.  18.,  "  Each  one 
resembled  the  children  of  a  king :"  every 
chikl  of  God  resembles  the  king  of  heaven. 
Herein  God's  adopting  children  and  man's 
differ :  a  man  adopts  one  for  his  son   and 
heir,  that  doth  not  at  all  resemble  him,  but 
whosoever  God  adopts  for  his  child,  is  like 
him  ;  he  not  only  bears  his  heavenly  Fa- 
ther's name,  but  image,  Col  iii.  10.,  "And 
have  put  on  the  new  man,  which  is  renew- 
ed after  the  image  of  him  that  created  him." 
He  who  hath  God  for  his  Father,  resembles 
God  in  holiness  ;  holiness  is  the  glory  of  the 
Godhead,  Exod.  xv.   11.     The  holiness  of 
God   is  the  intrinsic  purity  of  his  essence. 
He  who  hath  God  for  his  father,  partakes  of 
the  divine  nature  ;  though  not  of  the  divine 
essence,  yet  of  the  divine  likeness ;   as  the 
seal  sets  its  print  and  likeness  upon   the 
wax,   so  he  who  hath  God  for  his  Father, 
liath  the  print  and  effigies  of  his  holiness 
stamped  upon  him,  Ps.  cvi.  16.,   "  Aaron 
the  saint  of  the  Lord."     AVicked  men  de- 
sire to  be  like  God  hereafter  in  glory,  but 
do  not  affect  to  be  like  him  heic  in  grace  ; 
Llicy  give  it  out  to  the  world  that  (Jod  is 
their  Father,  yet  have  nothing  of  God  to  be 
t;een  in  them  ;  they  are  unclean  ;  they  not 
only  want  his  image,  but  hate  it. 

A.  3.  We  may  know  God  is  our  Father, 
by  having  his  Spirit  in  us  :  1*^  By  having 
the  intercession  of  the  Spirit ;  it  is  a  spirit 
of  prayer.  Gal.  iv.  (>.,  "  Because  ye  are 
sons,  God  hath  sent  forth  the  Spirit  of  his 
Son  into  your  hearts,  crying,  Abba,  Father." 


Prayer  is  the  soul's  breathing  itself  into  tho 
bosom  of  its  heaveidy  Father  :  none  of  God's 
children  are  born  dumb.  Iwpitt  Spiritus 
Srmctus  organum  snum,  ei  lanqumn  pila  chor- 
darnm  tamjit  Spirirtus  Dei  rorda  sanc/orurn^ 
Prosper.  Acts  ix.  11.,  "  Behold,  he  pray- 
eth."  But  it  is  not  every  pniyer  evidenc- 
eth  God's  Spirit  in  us.  Such  as  have  no 
grace  ma"y  excel  in  gifts,  and  affect  the 
hearts  of  others  in  prayer,  when  their  own 
hearts  arc  not  affected  ;  as  the  lute  makes  a 
sweet  sound  in  the  cars  of  others,  hut  itself 
is  not  sensible.  How  therefore  shall  wc 
knoAV  our  prayers  arc  indited  by  God's  Spi- 
rit, and  so  he  is  our  Father  ? 

1.  When  they  are  not  only  vocal,  hut 
mental ;  when  there  are  not  only  gifts  hut 
groans,  Rom.  viii,  26.  The  best  music  is 
in  concert ;  the  best  prayer  is  when  the 
heart  and  tongue  join  together  in  concert. 

2.  Wlien  they  are  zealous  and  fervent, 
James  v.  16.,  "  The  effectual  fervent  prayer 
of  a  righteous  man  availeth  much."  The 
eyes  melt  in  prayer,  the  heart  burns.  Fer- 
vency is  to  prayer,  as  fire  to  the  incense  ;  it 
makes  it  ascend  to  heaven  as  a  sweet  per- 
fume. 

3.  When  prayer  hath  faith  sprinkled  iti 
it;  prayer  is  the  key  of  heaven,  and  faifli  i< 
the  hand  that  turns  it,  Rom.  viii.  1.5.,  "  We 
cry,  Abba,  Father  !"  '  We  cry,'  there  is  fer- 
vency in  prayer;  "  Abba,  Fatlier,"  there  is 
faith.  Those  prayers  suffer  sliijiwri  cl<, 
which  dash  upon  the  rock  of  u!:]>(!i(>f. 
Thus  we  may  know  God  is  our  Father  by 
having  his  Spirit  praying  in  us  ;  as  On  ist 
intercedes  above,  so  the  Spirit  intercedes 
within.  l.v^.  By  having  the  renewing  of 
the  Spirit,  which  is  nothing  else  but  rege- 
neration, which  is  called  a  being  born  of 
the  Spirit,  John  iii.  5.  This  regenerating 
work  of  the  Spirit  is  a  transformation,  or 
change  of  nature,  Rom.  xii.  2.,  "  Be  ye 
transformed  by  the  renewing  of  your  mind." 
He  who  is  born  of  God,  hath  a  new  heart, 
new,  not  for  substance,  but  for  qualities. 
The  strings  of  a  vi<d  may  be  the  same,  hut 
the  tune  is  altered.  ]3cfore  this  regenera- 
tion, there  are  spiritual  pangs,  much  heart- 
breaking for  sin.  Regeneration  is  called  a 
circumcision  of  the  heart,  Col.  ii.  1  L  In 
circumcision  there  was  a  i)ain  in  the  flesh 
so  in  this  spiritual  circumcision  there  is  h 


S8S 


OF  THE  PREFACE  TO  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


pain  in  tlic  heart,  there  is  much  soitow  u- 
risiiig  from  the  sense  of  guilt  and  wrath. 
Tlic  iraoler's  trenibliuo:,  Acts  xvi.  30.,  was  a 
pan""  in   the   new  birth.      God's  S|>irit  is  a 
spirit  of  bondage,  belorc  it  he  a  sjjirit  of  a- 
doption.     Tiiis  blessed  work  of  regeneration 
sj)reads  over  the  whole  soul  ;  it  irradiates 
tlie  mind  ;  it  consecrates  the  heart,  and  re- 
forms the  life  ;  though  regeneration  be  but 
in  part,  yet  it  is  in  every  part,    1  Thess.  v. 
23.,   regeneration  is  the  signature  and  en- 
graving of  t!ie  Holy  Ghost  upon  tlie  soul ; 
the  new  born  Christian  is  bespangled  with 
the  jewels  of  the  graces,  which  are  the  an- 
gels' glory.     Regeneration  is  the  spring  of 
all  true  joy ;   at  our  first  birth   we  come 
weeping  into   the  Avorld,  but  at  our   new 
birth  there  is  cause  (tf  rejoicing,  for  now, 
God  is  our  Father,  and  we  are  begotten  to 
a  lively  ho])e  of  glory,  1  Pet.  i.  3.     We  may 
try  bv  this  our  relation  to  God.     Hath  a  re- 
generating work  <)f  God's  Spirit  passul  upon 
our  souls  ?  Are  we  made  of  another  spirit, 
liunihle  and  heavenly  ?  this  is  a  good  sign 
of  sonshi]),  and  we  may  say,  "  Our  Father 
which  art  in   heaven."     3d.   By  havi?ig  the 
conduct  of  the  Spirit ;   we  are  led  by  tlie 
Spirit,  Rom.  viii.  M.,   "  As    many  as   are 
led  by  the  Spirit  of  (Jod,  they  are  the  sons 
of  God."     God's  Spirit  doth  not  only  quick- 
en us  in  our  regeneration  but  lea<ls  us  on 
till  we  come  to  the  end  of  our  faith,   sal- 
vation.    It  is  not   enough  the  child  have 
life,  but  he  must  be  led  every  step  by  the 
nurse,  Hos.  xi.  3.,  "  I  taught  Ephraim  also 
to  go,  taking  them  by  tlieir  arms."     Tlieir 
arms;   a*?  the  Israelites  had  the  cloud  and 
])iHar  of  fire  to  go  before  them,  and  be  a 
guid*!  to  them,  so  God's  Spirit  is  a  guide  to 
go  before  us,  and  lead  us  into  all  truth,  and 
courisel  us  in  all  our  doubts,  and  influence 
us  in  all  our  actions,  Ps.  Ixxiii.  24.,  '•  Thou 
dialt  guide   me  with    tliy  (-ounsel."     None 
can  call  Cod  Fatlier,  but  such  as  have  the 
conduct  of  the  Sj)irit.     Try  then  what  sj)i- 
rit  you  arc  led  by.     Such  as  are  led  by  a 
spirit  of  envy,  lust,  avarice,  these  are  not 
led  by  the  Spirit  t>f  (lod  ;  it  were  blasphemy 
for  them  to  call  (lod.  Father;   these  are  led 
by  the  spirit  of  Satan,  and  may  say,  "  Our 
Father  which  art  in  hell."     4t/i.  By  having 
the    witness   of  the  Spirit,    Rom.   viii.  Ki., 
"  The  Spirit  itself  beareth  witness  with  our 


spirit,  that  we  are  the  children  of  God." 
This  witness  of  the  Spirit,  suggesting  that 
(jiod  is  our  Father,  is  not  a  vocal  witness  or 
voice  from  heaven  ;  "  the  Spirit  in  the  word 
witnrsseth  :"  the  Spirit,  in  the  word  saith, 
he  who  is  qualified,  who  is  a  hater  of  sin, 
and  a  lover  of  holiness,  is  a  child  of  God, 
and  God  is  his  Father.  If  I  can  find  such 
<|ualifications  wrought,  here  is  the  Sj)irit 
witnessing  with  my  spirit,  that  I  am  a  child 
of  God.  Besides,  we  may  carry  it  higher  ; 
the  S|)irit  of  God  witness(!th  to  our  sjjirit, 
by  making  more  than  ordinary  iaij)ressions 
upcui  our  hearts,  and  giving  some  secret 
hints  and  whisj)ers  that  God  hath  ])urposes 
of  love  to  us,  here  is  a  concurrent  witness 
of  the  Sj)irit  with  conscience,  that  we  are 
heirs  of  heaven,  and  God  is  our  Fatlicr ; 
this  witness  is  better  felt  than  exj)ressed ; 
this  witness  scatters  doubts  and  fears,  silenc- 
etli  temj)tations.  But  what  shall  one  do 
that  hath  not  this  witness  of  the  Spirit?  If 
we  want  the  witness  of  the  Spirit,  let  us  la- 
boin-  to  find  the  work  of  the  Sj)irit;  if  wc 
I'.ave  not  the  Spirit  testifying,  labour  to 
have  it  sanctifying,  and  that  will  be  a  suj)- 
port  to  us. 

A.  4.  If  God  be  our  Father,  wc  are  of 
p,eaceable  spirits:  Mat.  v.  9.,  "  Bhssed  be 
the  peace-makers,  they  shall  bo  called  the 
children  of  God."  Grace  infusi  th  a  sweet, 
amicable  disposition  ;  it  files  off  the  rugged- 
ness  of  men's  spirits  ;  it  turns  the  lion-liko 
fierceness  into  a  hunb-Iike  gentleness,  Isa. 
\i.  7.  They  who  have  God  to  be  their  Fa- 
ther, follow  i)eace  as  well  as  holiness.  God 
ihe  Father  is  called  the  "  (iod  of  peace," 
Heh.  .\iii.  20.;  God  the  Son,  the  '  Prince  of 
peace,'  Isa.  x.  G. ;  God  the  Ibtly  Ghost  is  a 
Spirit  of  ])eace  ,-  it  is  called  "  the  unity  of 
the  Sj)irit  in  the  bond  of  peace,"  I'ph.  iv.  3. 
Tiie  more  ])eaceable,  the  more  like  God.  It 
is  a  sad  sign  God  is  not  their  Father,  l.sY. 
Who  are  fierce  and  ciuel,  as  if  \\ltii  Romu- 
lus, they  had  sucked  tlie  milk  of  an  wolf, 
Rom.  iii.  17.,  "  The  way  of  peace  have  they 
not  known,"  they  sport  in  mischief;  these 
are  they  who  are  of  a  persecuting  sjjiril,  as 
Maximinus,  Dioclesiaii,  Antiochus,  who  (as 
Eusebins)  l<udi  more  tedious  journies,  and 
ran  more  hazards  in  vexing  and  persecuting 
the  Jews,  than  any  of  his  predecessors  had 
done  in  getting  of  victoriiis.     These  furies 


01-  THE  PREFACE  TO  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


389 


cannot  c.nll  dod  FatluM- !  if  llicv  do,  tlirv 
will  liavft  as  little  comfort  in  Jiaviiifj  Fatlicr. 
as  Dives  liad  in  lu'll,  w  licfi  he  sai<l,  "  Fatlu  r 
Abraham,"  Liil<e  xvi.  24.  2f////.  Who  an' 
makers  of  division,  Rom.  xvi.  17.,  "  Mark 
them  which  cause  divisions,  and  avoid 
them.  Such  as  are  horn  of  (j'od,  are  ma- 
kers of  peace  ;  what  shall  we  think  of  such 
as  are  nuikei's  of  divisions  ?  \Vill  Ciod  father 
these?  The  de\il  made  the  fnst  dixision  in 
heaven;  thev  may  call  the  devil  father;  they 
may  jijivc  the  cloven  f<»ot  in  their  coat  of 
Hrms  ;  their  sweetest  music  is  in  discord  : 
they  unite  to  divide.  Samson's  fox  tails 
were  tied  to'i'ether,  only  to  set  the  Philis- 
tines'  corn  on  fire,  Judq^cs  xv.  4.  Pajiists 
unite,  only  to  set  the  church's  jieace  on  fire. 
Satan's  kingdom  grows  up  by  division.  St. 
Chrysostom  observes  of  the  church  of  Co- 
rinth, when  many  converts  were  bnuight 
in,  Satan  knew  no  belter  way  to  dam  uj> 
the  ciureut  of  rcli^Jon,  tlian  to  throw  in  an 
apj)le  of  strife,  and  divide  them  into  ])ar- 
ties;  one  was  for  Pau-1,  and  another  for  A- 
pollos,  but  few  fitr  Christ.  Would  Clirist 
not  have  his  coat  rent,  and  can  heendirre  to 
have  his  body  rent?  Sure  (lod  will  never 
father  them  who  are  not  sons  of  jjcace.  Of 
all  them  whom  Cod  hates,  he  is  named  for 
one,  who  is  a  sower  of  discord  among  bre- 
thren, Prov.  vi.  19. 

y}.  5.  If  Cod  be  our  Father ;  tben  we 
love  to  be  near  God,  and  have  converse 
with  him.  An  ingenuous  child  delights  to 
approach  near  to  his  father,  and  go  into  his 
presence.  David  envied  the  birds  that  they 
built  their  nests  so  near  Cod's  altars,  when 
he  was  debarred  his  Father's  house,  Ps. 
Ixxxiv.  3.  True  saints  love  to  get  as  near 
to  God  as  they  can  ;  in  the  word  they  draw 
near  to  liis  holy  oracle,  in  the  sacrament 
they  draw  near  to  his  table  ;  a  child  of  Cod 
delights  to  be  in  his  Father's  presence  ;  he 
cannot  stay  away  long  from  Cod  ;  he  seetli 
a  sabbath-day  apj)r<iaching,  and  rejoiceth  ; 
his  heart  hath  been  often  melted  and  (piick 


Use  \sf.  Of  instruction.  Sec  the  amaz- 
ing goodness  of  Cod,  that  is  pleased  to  en- 
ter into  this  sweet  relation  of  a  Father. 
Cod  lu'cded  not  to  adopt  us  ;  he  did  not 
want  a  Son,  but  we  wanted  a  Father.  Cod 
showed  power  in  being  our  Maker,  but 
mercy  in  being  our  Father;  when  we  were 
enemies,  and  oiu-  hearts  stood  out  as  garri- 
sons against  Cod,  that  he  should  conquer 
our  stubboriMiess,  and  of  enemies  make  us 
children,  and  write  his  name,  and  put  his 
image  upon  us,  and  liestow  a  kingdom  of 
gh  ry,  what  a  miracle  of  mercy  is  this! 
Every  adopted  child  may  say,  "  Even  so 
Father,  for  so  it  seemed  good  in  thy  sight," 
Mat.  xi.  26. 

2(/.  Branch,  or  Inference.  If  Cod  be  a  Fa- 
ther, then  hence  I  infer.  Whatever  he  doth 
to  his  children,  is  love. 

1.  If  he  smiles  upon  them  in  prosperity, 
it  is  love  ;  they  have  the  w(»rld  not  only 
with  Cod's  leave,  but  with  his  love.  Coel 
saith  to  every  child  of  his,  as  Naaman  to 
(Jeha/i,  2  Kings  v.  23.,  "  13e  content,  take 
two  talents."  So  saith  (iod  to  his  child, 
'  I  am  thy  Father,  take  two  talents.'  Take 
health,  and  take  my  love  with  it ;  take  an 
estate,  and  take  my  love  with  it  ;  take  two 
talents,  (iod's  love  is  a  sweetening  ingre 
dient  into  every  mercy. 

QuEsr.  Huw  r/o(h  it  appear  that  a  child 
of  God  hath  icorUIUi  things  in  /ore  ? 

Ans.  1.  Because  he  hath  a  good  title  to 
them.  Cod  is  his  Father,  therefore  he  hath 
a  good  title.  A  wicked  man  hath  a  civil 
title  to  the  creature,  but  no  more  ;  he  hath 
it  not  from  the  hand  of  a  father  ;  he  is  like 
<»ne  that  takes  uj)  cloth  at  the  drapei's, 
and  it  is  not  paid  for;  but  a  believer  halh 
a  good  title  to  every  foot  of  land  he  hath  ; 
his  Father  hath  settled  it  upon  him. 

A.  2.  A  child  of  Cod  hath  worldly  things 
ill  love,  because  they  are  sanctified  to  him  : 
I.  They  make  him  better,  and  are  loadstones 
to  draw  him  nearer  to  Cod.  2.  lie  hath 
his  Father's  blessing  with  them.  A  littlo 
enod  ill  an  ordinance  ;  he  liath  tasted  the  j  blest  is  sweet,  Exod.  xxiii.  2,).,  "  lie  shall 
Lord  is  good,  therefore  he  loves  to  be  iii  bless  thy  bread  and  thy  wafer."  Esau  had 
Lis  Father's  presence;  he  cannot  keep  a- j  the  venison,  but  Jacob  got  the  blessing, 
way  long  from  God.  Such  as  care  not  for  j  While  the  wicked  have  their  meat  sauced 
ordinances  cannot  say,  "  Our  Father  which  |  with  (u.d's  wrath,  Ps.  Ixxviii.  30,  31.,  he- 
art HI  heaven."     Is  (Jod  their  Father,   who  \  1  evers  have  their  comforts  seasoned  with  a 


cannot  endure  to  be  in  his  presence  ■ 


I  blessing.     It   was  a  sacred    blessing   from 


390 


OF  THE  PREFACE  TO  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


Gofl  made  Daiiiol's  pulse  nourish  liim  more, 
and  made  liim  look  fairer  than  they  that 
ale  of  the  kini^'s  meat,  Dan.  i.  15. 

A.  3.  A  child  of  (jod  haih  worldly  tilings 
in  love,  because  whatever  lie  hath  is  an  ear- 
nest of  more  ;  every  bit  of  bread  is  a  pledge 
and  earnest  of  glory. 

2.  God  being  a  Father,  if  he  frown,  if  he 
dip  his  pen  in  gall,  and  write  hitler  things; 
if  be  correct,  it  is  in  love  ;  a  fatlier  loves 
his  cliild  as  well  when  be  doth  chastise  and 
discipline  bini,  as  when  he  settles  his  land 
on  him.  Rev.  iii.  19.,  "  As  many  as  I  love, 
I  lebuke."  Afllictions  are  sharp  arrows 
(saith  Gregory  Nazianzen)  but  they  are 
shot  from  the  hand  of  a  loving  Father. 
Correcliu  est  virtutis  gymnasium.  God  afflicts 
with  the  same  love  be  gives  Cbrist ;  he 
doth  it  to  bumble  and  purify;  gentle  cor- 
rection is  as  necessary  as  daily  bread,  nay, 
as  needful  as  ordinances,  as  word  and  sa- 
craments. Tlierc  is  love  in  all ;  God  smites 
that  he  may  save. 

3.  God  being  a  Father,  if  he  desert  and 
hide  his  face  from  his  child,  it  is  in  love. 
Desertion  is  sad  in  itself,  a  short  hell.  Job 
vi.  9.  When  the  light  is  withdrawn,  the 
dew  falls.  Yet  we  may  see  a  rainbow  in 
the  cloud,  the  love  of  a  Father  in  all  this. 
l.s^,  God  hereby  quickens  grace.  Perhaps 
grace  lay  dormant.  Cant.  v.  2.  It  was  as 
fire  in  the  embers ;  and  God  withdraws 
comfort,  to  invigorate  and  exercise  grace  ; 
t'aith  is  a  star  sometimes  shines  brightest  in 
the  dark  nigbt  of  desertion,  Jonali  ii.  4. 
2fUy,  Wben  (iod  hides  bis  face  from  his 
child,  yet  still  he  is  a  Father,  and  bis  heart 
is  towards  his  child  ;  as  Joseph,  when  he 
spake  roughly  to  his  brethren,  and  made 
tbeui  believe  be  would  take  them  Un- 
spies,  still  bis  heart  was  full  of  love,  and 
he  was  fain  to  go  aside  and  weep:  so  God's 
bowels  yeain  to  bis  cbildren,  wlien  be  seems 
to  look  strange,  Isa.  liv.  8.,  "  In  a  little 
wrath  I  hid  my  lace  from  thee,  but  with  e- 
verlasting  kindness  will  I  have  mercy  on 
thee."  Though  (Jod  may  have  the  look  of 
an  enemy,  yet  still  he  iiatb  the  heart  of  a 
Fatlier. 

3^/.  Branch,  or  Inference.  Learn  hence 
the  sad  case  of  the  wicked  :  tbey  cannot 
say,  "  Our  Father  in  heaven  ;"  tliey  may 
say  'Our  Judge,'  but   not  'Our  Father:' 


they  fetch  their  pedigree  from  hell,  John 
viii.  44.,  "  Ye  are  of  vour  father  the  devil." 
i  Such  as  are  unclean  and  profane  are  the 
spurious  brood  of  the  old  serpent,  and  it 
were  blasphemy  for  them  to  call  (iod  Fa- 
ther. The  case  of  the  wicked  is  deplorable ; 
if  they  are  in  misery,  they  have  none  to 
make  their  moan  to  ;  (lod  is  not  their  Fa- 
ther, he  disclaims  all  kindred  with  them. 
Mat.  vii.  23.,  "  I  never  knew  you  :  depart 
from  me,  ye  tliat  work  iniquity  :"  the  wick- 
ed, dying  in  their  sins,  can  expect  no  mer- 
cy from  God  as  a  Father  ;  many  say,  He 
that  made  them  will  save  them  ;  but,  Isa. 
xxvii.  11.,  "  It  is  a  people  of  no  understand- 
ing, therefore  he  that  made  them,  will  not 
bave  mercy  on  them."  Though  God  was 
their  Father  by  creation,  yet  because  they 
were  not  his  children  by  adoption,  '  there- 
fore he  that  made  them  would  not  save 
them.' 

Use  2d.  Of  exhortation.  To  persuade  all 
who  are  yet  strangers  to  God,  to  labour  to 
come  into  this  heavenly  kindred ;  never 
leave  till  you  can  say,  *'  Our  Father  which 
art  in  heaven." 

Quest.  But  will  God  be  a  Father  to  me^ 
tclio  have  profaned  his  name,  and  been  a 
great  sinner  ? 

Ans.  If  thou  wilt  now  at  last  seek  to 
God  by  prayer,  and  bieak  off  thy  sins,  God 
hath  the  bowels  of  a  Father  for  thee,  and  will 
in  no  wise  cast  thee  out.  Wben  the  pro- 
digal did  arise  and  go  to  his  father,  "  his  fa- 
ther bad  compassion,  and  ran  and  fell  on 
bis  neck,  and  kissed  him,"  Luke  xv.  20. 
Tbough  thou  hast  been  a  prodigal,  and  al- 
most spent  all  upon  thy  lusts,  yet,  if  thou 
wilt  give  a  bill  of  divorce  to  thy  sins,  and 
flee  to  God  by  repentance,  know  tliat  he 
bath  the  bowels  of  a  fatlier  ;  he  will  em- 
brace thee  in  tlie  arms  of  bis  mercy,  and 
seal  thy  pardon  witli  a  kiss.  Wbat  tbough 
thy  sins  bave  I  een  heinous .''  tbe  wound  \i 
not  so  broad  as  tbe  j)laster  of  Christ's  blood. 
Tbe  sea  covers  great  rocks  ;  the  sea  of  (Jod's 
comj)assion  can  drown  tliy  great  sins  ;  there- 
fore be  not  disfourage<l,  — go  to  (iod,-  -re- 
solve to  cast  tbvself  upon  his  fatberlv  bow- 
elsj — (^,<)d  may  be  entreated  of  thee  as  he 
was  of  him  :  see  Manasseh's  case,  2  Chron. 
xxxiii.  13. 

Use  '3d.  Of  comfort,  to  such  as  can  upon 


OF  THE  PREFACE  TO  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


391 


good  gjounds  call  God,  Father.  There's 
more  sweetness  in  this  word  Father^  thati 
if  we  liad  ten  thousand  worlds.  David 
thought  it  a  great  matter  to  be  son-in-law 
to  a  king,  1  Sam.  xviii.  18.,  "  What  is  my 
father's  family,  that  I  sliould  be  son-in-law 
to  the  king?"  But  wliat  is  it  to  be  born 
of  God,  and  liave  God  for  our  Father  ? 

Quest.  Wherein  lies  (he  hajipiiicss  of  hav- 
ing Gixifor  our  Father  ? 

Ans.  1.  If  God  be  our  Father,  then  he 
will  teach  us.  AVhat  father  will  refuse  to 
counsel  his  son  ?  Doth  (iod  command  j)a- 
rents  to  instruct  their  children,  Deut.  iv. 
10.,  and  will  not  he  instruct  his?  Isa. 
xlviii.  17.,  "I  am  the  Lord  thy  (iod,  which 
tcacheth  thee  to  profit."  Ps.  Ixxi.  17.,  "  O 
(iod  thou  hast  taught  me  from  my  youth  !" 
If  God  be  our  Father,  he  will  give  us  the 
teachings  of  his  Spirit:  "  The  natural  man 
receivL'th  not  the  things  of  God,  neither  can 
lie  know  them,"  1  Cor.  ii.  14.  The  natiujil 
man  may  have  excellent  notions  in  divinity, 
but  God  must  teach  us  to  know  the  mys- 
teries of  the  gospel  after  a  sjnritual  manner. 
A  man  may  see  the  figures  upon  a  dial,  but 
he  cannot  tell  how  the  day  goes,  unless  the 
sun  shine;  we  may  read  many  trutlis  in 
the  Bible,  but  we  cannot  know  them  sa- 
vingly, till  God  by  his  Sjnrit  shine  upon 
our  soul.  God  teacheth  not  only  our  ear, 
but  our  heart;  he  not  only  informs  our 
mind,  but  inclines  our  will ;  we  never  learn 
till  God  teach  us.  If  God  be  our  Father, 
he  will  teach  us  how  to  order  our  affairs 
with  discretion,  Ps.  cxii.  5.  How  to  carry 
ourselves  wisely,  1  Sam.  xviii.  5.,  "  David 
behaved  himself  wisely."  He  will  teach 
us  what  to  answer  when  we  are  brought 
before  governors  ;  he  will  put  words  into 
our  mouths,  Mat.  x.  18,  19,  20.,  "  Ye  shall 
be  brought  before  governors  and  kings  for 
my  sake,  hut  take  no  thought  how  or  what 
ye  shall  speak  ;  for  it  is  m)t  ye  that  s|)eak, 
but  the  Spirit  of  your  Father  which  speak- 
ctli  in  you." 

2.  If  (iod  be  our  Father,  then  he  hath 
bowels  of  atfoction  towards  us.  If  it  be  so 
unnatiMal  for  a  father  but  to  h)ve  his  child, 
can  we  think  (i«»(l  can  be  defective  in  his 
love  /  Ail  the  affections  of  parents  come 
frouj  (Jod,  yt't  arc  hut  a  spark  from  his 
Hame.      He    is    the    "  Father   of  mercies," 


2  Cor.  i.  3.  He  begets  all  the  merciqa  and 
bowels  in  the  creature  ;  his  love  to  his  chil- 
dren, is  a  love  "  which  passeth  knowledge," 
Eph.  iii.  19.  It  exceeds  all  dimensions;  it 
is  higher  than  heaven,  it  is  broader  than 
the  sea.  That  you  may  see  (iod's  fatherly 
love  to  his  children  :  1.  Consider  (iod  makes 
a  precious  valuation  of  them,  Isa.  xliii.  4., 
"  Since  thou  wast  precious  in  my  sight." 
A  father  prizeth  his  child  above  his  jewels; 
their  names  are  precious,  for  they  have 
(iod's  own  name  written  upon  them,  Rev. 
iii.  12.,  "  I  will  write  upon  him  the  name 
of  my  (lod."  Their  prayers  are  a  precious 
perfume  ;  their  tears  (iod  bottles,  Ps.  K"i. 
8.  God  esteems  his  children  as  a  crown 
«}f  glory  in  his  hands,  Isa.  Ixv.  3. — 2.  God 
loves  the  places  they  were  born  in  the  bet- 
ter for  their  sakcs,  Ps.  Ixxxvii.  6.,  "  Of 
Zion  it  shall  be  said,  This  man  was  born  in 
her  ;"  this  and  that  believer  was  born  there; 
God  loves  the  ground  his  children  tread 
ujMtn  ;  hence  Judea,  the  seat  of  God's  chil- 
dren and  chosen,  (iod  cals  a  "  delightsome 
land,"  Mai.  iii.  12.  It  was  not  only  plea- 
sant for  situation  and  fruitfulness,  but  be- 
cause (iod's  children,  who  were  his  Ihphzi- 
hah,  or  delight,  lived  there. — 3.  He  charg- 
eth  the  great  ones  of  the  world  not  to  pre- 
judice his  childnn  ;  their  persons  are  sacred, 
Ps.  cv.  11,  15.,  "  He  suffered  no  man  to 
do  lilt  in  wi-ong;  yea,  he  reproved  kings  for 
their  sakes,  saying,  '  Touch  not  mine  a- 
nointed.'  "  By  anointed,  is  meant  the  chil- 
dren of  the  liitili  God.  who  have  the  unction 
of  the  Spirit,  and  are  set  apart  for  God. 
—  i.  (iod  delights  in  their  company  ;  he 
loves  to  see  their  countenance,  and  hear  their 
voice.  Cant.  ii.  13.  He  cannot  rclrain  long 
from  their  company  :  let  hut  two  or  three 
of  his  children  meet  and  pray  together,  he 
will  be  sure  to  be  among  them.  Mat.  xviii. 
20.,  "  Where  two  or  three  are  met  together 
in  my  name,  I  am  in  the  midst  of  them." — 
5.  God  bears  his  children  in  his  bosom,  a* 
a  nursing  father  doth  the  sucking  child, 
Numb.  xi.  12.,  Isa.  xlvi.  4.  To  be  carried 
in  God's  bosom,  shows  how  near  his  chil- 
dren lie  to  his  heart.— 6.  God  is  full  of  so- 
licitous care  for  them,  1  Pet.  v.  7.,  "  He 
careth  for  you."  His  eye  is  still  ui)on  them, 
they  are  never  out  of  his  thoughts.  A  fa- 
ther caimot  always  take  care  for  his  cliild, 


3<J2 


OF  THE  PREFACE  TO  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


he  sometimes  is  asleep  ;  but  God  is  a  Fa- 
ther that  never  sleeps.  Ps.  cxxi.  4.,  lie 
neither  sluinberelli  nor  sleej)elh. — 7.  He 
thinks  nothinc^  too  good  t()  part  witli  to  his 
chihlren:  he  gives  them  the  kidneys  of  the 
AN  heat,  and  honey  out  of"  the  rock,  and 
'*  Wine  on  the  lees  well-refined,"  Isa.  xxv. 
6.  He  gives  them  three  jewels  more  worth 
than  heaven,  the  blood  oi'  his  Son,  the  grace 
of  his  Spirit,  the  light  of  his  countenance. 
Never  was  there  such  an  iiidiil<:ent,  affec- 
tionate Father. — 8.  If  (iod  luith  one  love 
better  than  another,  he  bestows  it  upon 
them;  they  have  the  cream  and  quintessence 
of  his  love  :  "  he  will  rejoice  over  thee,  he 
will  rest  in  his  love,"  Zeph.  iii.  IT.  God 
loves  his  children  with  such  a  love  as  he 
loves  Christ,  John  xvii.  26.  It  is  the  same 
love,  for  the  unchangeableness  of  it ;  God 
will  no  more  cease  to  love  his  adopted  sons, 
than  he  will  to  love  his  natural  Son, 

3.  If  (iod  be  our  Father,  he  will  be  full 
of  sympathy,  Ps.  ciii.  13.,  "  As  a  father 
])itielh  his  children,  so  the  Lord  pitieth 
fiu-m  that  fear  him,"  Jer.  xxxi.  20.,  "  Is 
Fohraim  my  dear  son  ?  my  bowels  are  trou- 
V.lc'd  f<»r  him."  God  pities  his  children  in 
two  cases  ;  \st.  In  case  of  infirmities;  2d. 
Injuries. 

(I.)  In  case  of  infirmities.  If  the  child 
be  deformed,  or  hath  any  bodily  disteuiper, 
the  father  pities  it:  if  God  be  our  Father, 
be  pities  our  weaknesses,  and  he  so  ])ities 
them  as  to  heal  them,  Isa.  Ivii.  18.,  "  I 
have  seen  his  ways,  and  will  heal  him." 
As  God  hath  bowels  to  pity,  so  he  hath  bal- 
Bam  to  heal. 

(2.)  In  case  of  injuries.  Every  blow  of 
the  child  goes  to  the  father's  heart :  when 
the  saints  suffer,  God  doth  sympathize,  Isa. 
Ixiii.  9,,  "  In  all  their  afflictions  he  was  af- 
flicted." He  did,  as  it  were,  bleed  in  their 
wounds.  "  Saul,  Saul,  why  persecutest 
thou  me  ?"  When  the  foot  was  trod  on, 
the  head  cried  out,  Jjudges  x.  16. ;  God's 
6oid  w;is  grieved  for  the  children  of  Israel. 
As  when  one  string  in  a  lute  is  touched,  all 
the  r<!st  of  the  strings  sound  :  when  God's 
chihlren  are  stricken,  his  bowels  sound, 
Zoch.  ii.  8.,  "  He  that  toueheth  you,  touch- 
fcth  the  appleof  my  eye." 

4.  If  (iod  be  our  Father,  he  will  take  no- 
tice of  the  least  good  he  sees  in  us;  if  there 


be  but  a  sigh  for  sin,  God  bears  it,  Ps. 
xxxviii.  9.,  "  My  gnwining  is  not  hid  from 
thee."  If  there  be  but  a  penitential  tear 
comes  out  of  our  eye,  God  sees  it,  Isa. 
xxxviii.  5.,  "  I  have  J-een  thy  tears."  If 
there  be  but  a  good  intention,  (iod  takes 
notice,  1  Kii!gs  viii.  18.,  "  Whereas  it  was 
in  thy  heart  to  build  an  house  to  mv  name, 
thou  didst  well  that  it  was  in  thine  heart." 
God  punisheth  intentioTial  wickedness,  and 
crowns  intentional  ijoodness,  "  Thou  didst 
well  that  it  was  in  thine  heart."  d'od  takes 
notice  of  the  least  scinfil/n,  the  lejist  spark 
of  grace  in  his  children,  1  Pet.  iii.  6.,  "Sa- 
rah obeyed  Abraham,  calling  him  hrd ;" 
the  Holy  Ghost  doth  not  mention  Sarah's 
unbelief,  or  laughing  at  the  promise, — he 
puts  a  finger  upon  the  scar,  winks  at  her 
failing, — and  only  takes  Tn>tice  of  the  good 
that  was  in  her,  her  obedience  t<)  her  hus- 
band; she  "obeyed  Abraham,  calling  him 
lord."  Nay,  that  good  which  the  saints 
scarce  take  notice  of  in  themselves,  God  in 
a  special  manner  observes,  Mat.  xxv.  35, 
37.,  "  I  Avas  an  hungered  and  ye  gave  me 
meat,  I  was  thirsty  and  ye  gave  me  drink. 
Tlicn  shall  the  righteous  say,  Lord,  when 
saw  we  thee  an  hungered  and  fed  thee?" 
They  did  as  it  were  overlook  an<l  disclaim 
their  own  works  of  charity,  yet  Christ  doth 
take  notice,  "  I  was  an  hungered  and  ye 
fed  me."  What  c<»mfort  is  this  !  (iod  spies 
the  least  good  in  his  children ;  he  can  see 
a  grain  of  corn  hid  under  chaflf',  grace  hid 
under  corruption. 

5.  If  (lod  be  our  Father,  he  will  take  all 
we  do  in  good  ])art.  Those  duties  we  our- 
selves censme,  (iod  will  crown.  When  a 
child  of  (iod  looks  oAer  his  best  duties,  ho 
sees  so  much  sin  cleaving  to  them,  that  he 
is  even  confounded :  "  Lord,"  saith  he, 
"  there  is  more  sulphur  than  incense  in  ray 
prayers."  But  for  your  comfort,  if  Ciod  bo 
your  Father,  he  Avill  crown  those  duties 
Avliich  you  yourselves  censure;  God  sees 
there  is  sincerity  in  the  hearts  of  his  chil- 
dren and  this  gold — though  light — shall 
have  grains  of  allowance ;  though  there 
may  be  d«'fects  in  the  services  of  (iod's  chil- 
dren, yet  God  will  n«)t  cast  away  their  of- 
lering,  2  Chron.  xxx.  20.,  "  The  Lord  heal- 
ed tlie  peojile."  The  trilws  of  Israel  being 
straitened   in   time,  Avanted  some  legal  pu- 


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393 


riflcations ;  yet  because  tlieir  hearts  were 
right  Ciod  licaled  tliem,  lie  pardoned  them. 
God  accepts  of  tlie  good  will,  2  Cor.  viii. 
12.  A  father  takes  a  letter  from  his  son 
kindly,  though  there  arc  blots  or  bad  Eng- 
lish in  it.  What  blottings  are  there  in 
our  holy  things?  Yet  our  Father  in  hea- 
ven accepts;  saitli  God,  "  It  is  my  child, 
and  ho  will  do  better  ;  I  will  look  uj)on  him, 
through  Christ,  with  a  merciful  eye." 

C.  If  God  be  our  Father,  then  lie  will 
correct  us  in  measure,  Jer.  xxx.  11.,  "  I 
will  correct  thee  in  measure;"  and  that 
two  ways  :  Ist,  It  shall  be  in  measure,  for 
the  kind;  God  will  not  lay  upon  us  more 
than  we  are  able  to  bear,  1  Cor.  x.  13. 
lie  knows  our  frame,  Ps.  ciii.  11.  lie 
knows  we  are  not  steel  or  marble,  therefore 
will  deal  gently:  he  will  not  over-afllict; 
us  the  |)hysician  that  knows  the  temjRr  of 
the  body,  will  not  give  physic  too  strong 
for  the;  body  ;  nor  will  he  give  one  drachm 
or  scruple  too  much.  God  hath  not  only 
the  title  of  a  father,  but  the  bowels  of  a  fa- 
ther; he  will  not  lay  too  heavy  burdens  on 
his  children,  lest  their  spirits  fail  before 
him.  2(/li/,  He  will  correct  in  measure 
for  the  duration;  he  will  not  let  the  afllie- 
ti(tn  lie  on  too  long,  Ps.  cxxv.  3.,  "  The 
rod  of  the  wicked  shall  n<(t  rest  upon  the 
lot  of  the  righteous."  It  may  be  there,  and 
not  rest,  Isa.  Ivii.  16.,  "  I  will  not  contend 
for  ever."  Our  heavenly  Father  will  love 
for  ever,  but  he  will  not  contend  for  ever. 
The  torments  of  the  damned  are  for  ever. 
Rev.  xiv.  11.,  "The  smoke  of  their  tor- 
ment ascendeth  up  for  ever  and  ever." 
The  wicked  shall  drink  a  sea  of  wrath, 
but  God's  children  only  taste  of  the  cup  of 
affliction,  and  their  heavenly  Father  will 
say,  traiiseul  calix, — let  this  cup  pass  awa}' 
from  them,  Isa.  xxw.  10.    A  sting  a-wing. 

7.  If  God  be  our  Father,  he  will  intermix 
mercy  with  all  our  afflictions  ;  if  he  gives  us 
wormwood  to  drink,  he  will  mix  it  with 
honey.  In  the  ark  the  rod  was  laid  up,  and 
manna;  with  our  Father's  rod  there  is  al- 
ways some  manna.  "  Asher's  shoes  were  iron 
and  brass,  but  his  foot  was  di|)t  in  oil," 
Dent,  xxxiii.  24.  Afflicti<m  is  the  shoe  of 
brass  that  pinchetli ;  but  there  is  mercy  in 
tho  Hrtlirtion,  tliere  is  the  foot  dipt  in  oil. 
When  (iod  afflicts  the  body,  he  gives  peace 


of  conscience ;  there  is  mercy  in  the  afflic- 
tion. An  affliction  comes  to  prevent  falling 
into  sin  ;  there  is  mercy  in  an  affliction.  Ja- 
cob had  his  thigh  hurt  in  wrestling, — there 
was  the  affliction  ;  but  when  he  saw  God's 
face,  and  received  a  blessing  from  tie  an- 
gel, Gen.  xxxii.  30.,  there  was  mercy  in  the 
affliction.  In  eveiy  cloud  a  chihl  of  God 
may  see  a  rainbow  of  mercy  shining.  As 
the  limner  mixeth  dark  shadows  and  liright 
colours  together,  so  our  heavenly  Father 
mingles  the  dark  and  bright  together,  cros- 
ses and  blessings ;  and  is  not  this  a  great 
happiness,  for  God  thus  to  chequer  his  |)ro- 
vidences,  and  mingle  goodness  with  t^eve- 
rity? 

8.  If  God  be  our  Father,  the  evil  one 
shall  not  prevail  against  us.  Satan  is  call- 
ed '  the  evil  one,'  emphatically  ;  he  is  the 
grand  enemy  of  the  saints ;  and  that  Ixith 
in  a  military  sense,  as  he  fights  against  them 
with  his  tem})tations, — and  in  a  lorensical 
or  law  sense,  as  he  is  an  accuser,  and  pleads 
against  them  ;  yet  neither  way  shall  he  jire- 
vail  against  (iod's  children.  As  for  his 
shooting  his  fiery  darts,  God  will  bruise  Sa- 
tan shortly  under  the  saints'  feet,  Rom.  xvi. 
20.  As  for  his  accusing,  Christ  is  advocate 
for  the  saints,  and  answers  all  bills  of  in- 
dictment brouirht  in  aaainst  them,  (jod  will 
make  all  Satan's  temptations  promote  the 
good  of  his  children.  \sf,  As  they  set  them 
morea-praying,  2  Cor.  xii.  8.  Temptation  is 
a  medicine  for  security.  2(i/i/,  As  they  are  a 
means  to  humble  them,  2  Cor.  xii.  7.,  Lest  I 
should  be  exalted  above  measure,  there  was 
given  mc  a  thorn  in  the  flesh.  The  thtirn  in 
the  flesh  was  a  temj)tation  ;  this  thorn  was  to 
prick  the  bladder  of  pride.  3r//y,  As  they 
establish  them  more  in  grace  ;  a  tree  shaken 
by  the  w'nid  is  more  settled  and  rooted ;  the 
blow  ing  of  a  temptation  doth  but  settle  a 
child  of  God  more  in  grace.  Thus  the  <'vil 
one,  Satan,  shall  not  prevail  against  the 
children  of  God. 

9.  If  God  he  our  Father,  no  real  evil  shall 
befal  us,  Ps.  xei.  10.,."  There  shall  no  evil 
befal  thee."  It  is  not  said,  no  trouble  :  but, 
no  evil.  God's  children  are  privileged  per- 
sons;  they  are  jirivileged  from  the  liurt  «)f 
every  thing,  Luke  x.  19.,  "  Nothing  shall 
by  any  means  liurt  you."  The  hurt  and 
malignity  of  the  affliction   is  taken  away  : 

3D 


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OF  THE  PREFACE  TO  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


affliction  to  a  wicked  man  hath  evil  in  it ;  it 
makes  liim  worse,  Rev.  xvi.  9.,  "  Men  were 
scorched  with  j^reat  lieat  and  blasphemed 
the  name  of  God."  But  no  evil  befals  a 
-hild  of  God  ;  he  is  bettered  by  affliction, 
lleb.  xii.  10.,  "  That  ye  might  be  made  par- 
takers of  his  holiness."  What  hurt  doth 
the  furnace  to  the  gold  ?  It  only  makes  it 
])urer.  What  hurt  doth  afflictions  to  grace  ? 
Only  refine  and  purify  it.  What  a  great 
privilege  is  this,  to  be  freed,  though  not 
from  the  stroke  of  affliction,  yet  from  the 
sting  !  No  evil  shall  touch  a  saint ;  when 
the  dragon  hath  poisoned  the  water,  they 
say,  the  unicorn  with  his  horn  doth  draw 
out  the  poison  :  Christ  hath  drawn  out  tlie 
poison  of  every  affliction,  that  it  cannot  pre- 
judice a  child  of  God.  Again,  no  evil  be- 
fals a  child  of  God,  because  no  condemna- 
tion, Rom.  viii.  1.,  "  No  condemnation  to 
them  that  are  in  Christ  Jesus."  God  doth 
not  condemn  them,  nor  conscience  doth  not 
condemn  them.  Both  jury  and  judge  ac- 
quit tliem  ;  then  no  evil  befals  them,  for 
nothing  is  really  an  evil  but  that  which 
damns. 

10.  If  God  be  our  Father,  this  may  make 
us  go  with  cheerfulness  to  the  throne  of 
grace.  Were  a  man  to  petition  his  enemy, 
there  were  little  hope  ;  but  when  a  cliild  pe- 
titions his  father,  he  may  work  with  confi- 
dence to  speed.  The  word  father  works 
upon  God,  it  toucheth  his  very  bowels. 
What  can  a  father  deny  his  child  ?  "  If  a 
son  ask  bread  will  he  give  him  a  stone  ?" 
Mat.  vii.  9.  This  may  embolden  us  to  go 
to  God  for  pardon  of  sin,  and  further  de- 
grees of  sanctity.  We  pray  to  a  Father  of 
mercy  sitting  upon  a  throne  of  grace,  Luke 
xi.  13.,  "  If  ye  then,  being  evil,  know  how 
to  give  good  gifts  to  your  children,  how 
much  more  shall  your  heavenly  Father  give 
his  S[>irit  to  them  that  ask  him  ?"  This  did 
quicken  the  church,  and  add  wings  to 
prayer,  Isa.  Ixiii.  15.,  "  Look  down  from 
heaven  ;"  v  16.,  "  Doubtless  thou  art  our 
Father."  Who  doth  God  keep  his  mercies 
for,  but  Ids  children  ?  Three  things  may 
cause  boldness  in  prayer  :  we  have  a  Father 
to  pray  to,  and  the  Spirit  to  lu-lp  us  to  pray, 
and  an  Advocate  to  ])rcscnt  our  j)rayers. 
God's  chiMreu  sliould  in  all  their  troubles 
run  to  their  heavenly  Father,  as  tluit  sick 


child,  2  Kings  iv.  19.,  "  He  said  unto  his 
father,  my  head,  my  head."  So  pour  out 
thy  complaint  to  God  in  prayer,  "  Father, 
my  heart,  my  heart !  my  dead  heart '  quick- 
en it ;  my  hard  heart,  soften  it  in  Christ's 
blood  !  Father,  mv  heart !  my  heart !"  Sure, 
God,  that  hears  the  cry  of  the  ravens,  will 
liear  tlie  cry  of  his  children. 

11.  If  God  be  our  Father,  he  will  stand 
between  us  and  danger ;  a  father  will  keep 
off  danger  from  his  child.  God  calls  him- 
self Scutum,  a  shield ;  a  shield  defends  the 
head,  guards  the  vitals  :  God  shields  off  dan- 
ger from  his  children.  Acts  xviii.  10.,  "  I 
am  with  thee,  and  no  man  shall  set  on  thee 
to  hurt  thee."  God  is  an  hiding-place,  Ps. 
xxvii.  5.  God  preserved  Athanasius  strange- 
ly ;  he  put  it  into  his  mind  to  depart  out  of 
the  house  he  was  in,  the  night  before  the 
enemy  came  to  search  for  him.  As  God 
hath  a  breast  to  feed,  so  he  hath  wings  to 
cover  his  children,  Ps.  xci.  4.,  "  He  shall 
cover  thee  with  his  feathers,  and  under  his 
wings  shalt  thou  trust."  God  appoints  his 
holy  angels  to  be  a  lifeguard  about  his  chil- 
dren, Heb.  i.  14.  Never  was  any  prince  so 
well-guarded  as  a  believer.  The  angels, 
l.st.  are  a  numerous  guard,  2  Kings  vi.  17., 
"  The  mountain  was  full  of  horses  and  cha- 
riots of  fire  round  about  Elisha."  The 
horses  and  chariots  of  fire  were  the  angels 
of  God,  to  defend  the  prophet  Elisha,  2dlt/. 
A  strong  guard  ;  one  angel,  in  a  night,  slew 
an  hundred  and  fourscore,  and  five  thou- 
sand, 2  Kings  xix.  32.  If  one  angel  slew 
so  many,  what  would  an  army  of  angels 
have  done  ?  Sd/t/.  The  angels  are  a  swift 
guard ;  they  are  ready  in  an  instant  to  help 
God's  children  :  therefore  they  are  described 
with  wings,  to  shew  their  swiftness ;  they 
fly  to  our  help,  Dan.  ix.  21,  23.,  "  At  the 
beginning  of  thy  supplication  the  command- 
ment came  forth,  and  I  am  come  to  thee  ?" 
Here  was  a  swift  motion  for  the  angel  to 
come  from  heaven  to  earth  between  the  be- 
ginning and  ending  of  Daniel's  prayer. 
4/A///.  The  angels  are  a  watchful  guard; 
not  like  Saul's  guard,  asleep  when  their  lord 
was  in  danger,  1  Sam.  xxvi.  12.  The  an- 
gels are  a  vigilant  guard,  they  watch  over 
God's  children  to  defend  them,  Ps.  xxxiv. 
7.,  "  The  angel  (»f  tlie  Lcird  encniiijietli  round 
about  tlicni  that  fear  him."     There  is  an  in- 


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395 


visible  guardianship  of  angels  about  God's 
children. 

12.  If  God  be  our  Father,  we  shall  not 
want  any  thing  that  he  sees  is  good  for  us, 
Ps.  xxxiv.  10.,  "  They  that  seek  the  Lord 
shall  not  want  any  good  thing."  God  is 
pleased  sometimes  to  keep  his  children  to 
iiard  commons,  but  it  is  good  for  them  ; 
sheep  thrive  best  on  short  ])asture:  God  sees 
too  much  may  not  be  good:  plenty  breeds 
surfeit.  Luxuriant  animi  rebus  secundis. 
God  sees  it  good  sometimes  to  diet  his  chil- 
dren, and  keep  them  short,  that  they  may 
run  the  heavenly  race  the  better;  it  was 
good  for  Jacob  there  was  a  famine  in  the 
land,  it  was  a  means  to  bring  him  to  his 
son  Joseph :  so  it  is  that  God's  children 
sometimes  see  the  world's  emptiness,  that 
they  may  acquaint  themselves  more  with 
Christ's  fulness.  If  God  see  it  be  good  for 
them  to  have  more  of  the  world  they  shall 
have  it :  God  will  not  let  them  want  any 
good  thing. 

13.  If  God  be  our  Father,  all  the  pro- 
mises of  the  Bible  belong  to  us;  God's  chil- 
dren are  called  "  heirs  of  promise,"  Heb.  vi. 
17.  A  wicked  man  can  lay  claim  to  nothing 
in  the  Bible  but  the  curses  ;  he  hath  no  more 
to  do  absolutely  with  the  ])romises,  than  a 
ploughman  hath  to  do  with  the  city  charter ; 
the  promises  are  children's  bread  ;  the  pro- 
mises arc  muldralia  Evangelii^  the  breasts  of 
the  gospel  milking  out  consolations ;  and 
who  are  to  suck  of  these  breasts  but  God's 
children  ?  The  promise  of  pardon  is  for 
them,  Jer.  xxxiii.  8.,  "  I  will  cleanse  them 
from  all  their  iniquity,  whereby  they  have 
smned  against  me."  The  promise  of  heal- 
ing is  for  them,  Isa.  Ivii.  18.  The  promise 
of  salvation,  Jer.  xxiii.  6.  The  promises  are 
supports  of  faith  ;  they  are  God's  sealed 
deed  ;  they  are  a  Christian's  cordial.  O  the 
heavenly  comforts  which  are  distilled  from 
tiie  limbeck  of  the  promises  !  Saint  Chry- 
sostom  compares  the  scripture  to  a  garden, 
the  promises  are  tl>e  fruit-trees  that  grow 
in  tliis  garden  :  a  child  of  God  may  go  to 
any  promise  in  the  Bible,  and  ]>lucU  com- 
fort Ironi  it :   he  is  an  heir  of  tlie  promise. 

II.  God  makes  all  his  children  conquer- 
ors :  \st.  They  couiiuer  themselves;  Jortior 
est  qui  se,  quaiii  qui  forlissitini  vincint  mania. 
The  saints  conquer  tlieir  own   lusts  ;   they 


bind  these  princes  in  fetters  of  iron,  Ps. 
cxlix.  8.  Though  the  children  of  God  may 
sometimes  be  foiled,  and  lose  a  single  bat- 
tle, yet  not  the  victory.  2(1.  They  conquer 
the  world  ;  the  world  holds  forth  her  two 
breasts  of  profit  and  pleasure,  and  many 
are  overcome  by  it,  but  the  children  of  God 
have  a  world-conquering  faitli,  1  John  v. 
4.,  "  This  is  the  victory  that  overcometh 
the  world,  even  our  faith."  3^/.  They  con- 
quer their  enemies  :  how  can  that  be,  when 
they  oft  take  away  their  lives?  (1.)  They 
conquer,  by  not  complying  with  them  ;  the 
three  children  would  not  fall  down  to  the 
golden  image,  Dan.  iii.  18.  They  would 
rather  burn  than  bow  ;  here  they  were  con- 
querors. He  who  complies  with  another's 
lust,  is  a  captive;  he  who  refuseth  to  com- 
ply, is  a  conqueror.  (2.)  God's  children 
conquer  their  enemies  by  heroic  patience. 
A  patient  Christian,  like  the  anvil,  bears 
all  strokes  invincibly  ;  thus  the  martyrs  o- 
vercame  their  enemies  by  patience.  Nay, 
God's  children  "are  more  than  conquerors," 
Rom.  viii.  37.,  "  We  arc  more  than  con- 
querors." How  are  God's  children  more 
than  conquerors  ?  Because  they  conquer 
without  loss  ;  and  because  they  are  crowned 
after  death,  which  other  conquerors  are  not. 

15.  If  God  be  our  Father  he  will  now 
and  then  send  us  some  tokens  of  his  love, 
(iods  children  live  far  from  home,  and 
meet  sometimes  with  C()arse  usage  from  the 
unkind  world  ;  therefore  God,  to  encourage 
his  children,  sends  them  sometimes  tokens 
and  pledges  of  his  love.  What  are  these? 
He  gives  them  a  return  of  prayer, — there 
is  a  token  of  love  ;  he  quickens  and  enlarg- 
eth  their  hearts  in  duty, — there  is  a  token 
of  love  ;  he  gives  them  the  first  fruits  of  his 
Spirit  which  are  love-tokens,  R<)m.  viii.  23, 
Aw  God  gives  the  wicked  the  first  fruits  of 
hell,  horror  of  conscience  and  despair  :  so 
he  gives  his  children  the  first  fruits  of  his 
Spirit,  joy  and  peace,  which  are  foretJistes 
of  glory.  Some  of  God's  chiUlren  having 
received  those  tokens  of  love  from  their 
heavenly  Father,  liave  been  so  transported, 
that  they  have  died  for  joy,  as  the  glass  oft 
breaks  with  the  strength  of  the  wine  put 
into  it. 

IG.  If  God  be  our  Father,  lie  will  indidge 
and  spare  us,   jNlal.  iii.  17.,   "  I   will  spare 


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them,  as  a  man  sparcth  liis  own  son  tliat 
BCivetli  liim."  God's  sparing  liis  cliildron, 
imports  this,  liis  ck'inency  towards  tlieiii ; 
he  doth  not  punish  them  as  lie  mitjlit,  Ps  ciii. 
10.,  "  lie  liatli  not  dealt  with  ns  according 
to  our  sins."  We  oft  do  that  which  merits 
wrath,  grieve  God's  Spirit,  relapse  into  sin  ; 
God  passeth  by  much,  and  spares  ns  ;  God 
did  not  spare  his  natural  Son,  Rom.  viii. 
22.  Yet  he  will  spare  his  adoj)ted  sons  ; 
God  threatened  E])hraim,  to  make  him  as 
the  chaff  driven  with  the  whirlwind,  but 
he  soon  repented,  Hos.  xiii.  4.,  "  Yet  I  am 
the  Lord  thy  God  ;"'  v.  10.,  "  I  will  be  thy 
king."  Here  God  spared  him  as  a  father 
spares  his  son.  Israel  oft  provoked  God 
witii  their  complaints,  but  God  used  cle- 
mency toward  them,  he  oft  answered  their 
murmurings  with  mercies;  here  he  spared 
them  as  a  father  spares  his  son. 

17.  If  God  be  our  Father,  he  will  put 
honour  and  renown  npon  us  at  the  last  day. 
—  1.  He  will  clear  the  innocency  of  his 
children.  God's  children  in  this  life  are 
strangely  misrepresented  to  the  world.  They 
are  loaded  with  invectives,  they  are  called 
factious,  seditious  ;  Elijah,  the  troubler  of 
Israel  ;  liUther  was  called  the  trumpet  of 
rebellion  ;  Athanasius  was  accused  to  the 
emjH-ror  Constantine,  to  be  the  raiser  of  tu- 
mults ;  the  primitive  Christians  were  accus- 
ed to  be  hifaytiicidii,  incestus  rei,  '  killers  of 
their  children,"'  'guilty  of  incest;'  as  Ter- 
tullus  re])orted  St.  Paul  to  be  a  pestilent 
person,  Acts  xxiv.  4.  Famous  Wicklitf 
was  called  the  idol  of  the  heretics,  and  said 
to  have  died  drunk.  If  Satan  cannot  defile 
God's  children,  he  will  disgrace  them  ;  if 
he  cannot  strike  his  fiery  darts  into  their 
conscience,  he  will  put  a  dead  fly  into  their 
name ;  but  God  will  one  day  clear  his  chil- 
dren's innocency,  he  will  roll  away  their 
reproach.  As  God  will  make  a  resurroc- 
lion  of  bodies,  so  of  names,  Isa.  xxv.  8., 
"  The  Lord  God  shall  wipe  away  tears 
from  off  all  faces,  and  the  rebuke  of  his 
people  shall  he  take  away."  God  will  be 
the  saints'  comjiurgator,  Ps.  xxxvii.  6., 
•♦  He  shall  bring  forth  thy  righteousness  as 
tlu!  light"  The  night  casts  its  dark  man- 
tle upon  the  most  beautiful  flowers;  but  the 
light  comes  in  the  morning  and  dispels  the 
darkness,  and  every  flower  appears  in  its  o-  [ 


rient  brightness  :  so  the  wicVed  may  by 
misreports  darken  the  honour  and  repiUe 
of  the  saints  ;  but  God  will  dispel  this  dark- 
ness, and  cause  their  names  to  shine  forth  : 
*'  He  shall  bring  forth  thy  righteousness  as 
the  light."  As  (Jod  did  stand  up  for  the 
honour  of  Moses,  Avhcn  Aaron  and  Miriam 
went  about  to  ccli|)se  his  fame,  Numb.  xii. 
8  ,  "  Wherefore  then  were  ye  not  afraid  to 
speak  against  my  servant  Moses  r"'  So  will 
God  say  one  day  to  the  \A"irked,  wherefore 
were  ye  n(tt  afraid  to  defame  and  traduce 
my  children  ?  They  having  my  image  up- 
on them,  how  durst  ye  abuse  my  |)icture? 
At  last  God's  children  shall  come  forth  out 
of  all  their  calumnies,  as  a  "dove  covered 
with  silver,  and  her  feathers  with  yellow 
gold,"  Ps.  Ixviii.  13. — 2.  God  will  make 
an  open  and  honourable  recital  of  all  their 
good  deeds  :  as  the  sins  of  the  wicked  shall 
be  o])enly  mentioned,  to  their  eternal  iiifa- 
my  and  confusion  ;  so  all  the  good  deeds  of 
the  saints  shall  be  openly  mentioned,  "and 
then  shall  every  man  have  praise  of  God," 
1  Cor.  iv.  5.  Every  prayer  made  with 
melting  eyes,  every  good  service,  every 
work  of  charity,  shall  be  openly  declared 
before  men  and  angels  :  Mat.  xxv.  35,  36., 
"  I  was  an  hungered,  and  ye  gave  me  meat ; 
thirsty,  and  ye  gave  me  drink  ;  naked,  and 
ye  clothed  me."  Thus  (lod  will  set  a  tro- 
phy of  honour  upon  all  his  children  at  the 
last  day  ;  "  then  shall  the  righteous  shine 
forth  as  the  sun  in  the  kingdom  of  their 
Father,  Mat.  xiii.  43. 

18.  If  God  be  our  Father,  he  will  settle 
a  good  land  of  inheritance  upon  us,  1  Pet. 
i.  3,  4.,  "  Blessed  be  the  (lod  and  Father  of 
our  Lord  Jesus,  who  hath  begotten  us  a- 
gain  to  a  lively  hope,  to  an  inheritance  in- 
corruj)tible  and  undefiled."  A  father  may 
be  fallen  to  decay,  and  have  nothing  to 
leave  his  son  but  his  blessing;  but  (iod 
will  settle  Jin  inheritance  on  his  children, 
an:l  an  inheritance  no  less  than  a  kingdom, 
Luke  xii.  32.,  "  It  is  your  Father's  good 
j)leasure  to  give  you  the  kingdom."  TJiis 
kingdom  is  n  ore  glorious  and  magnifieent 
than  any  earthly  kingdom  ;  it  is  set  out  by 
pearls  and  precious  stones,  the  ri^rhest  jew- 
els, Rev.  xii.  19.  Wluit  are  all  the  rarities 
of  the  worhl  to  this  kingdom, — the  coasts 
of  pearl,  the  islands  of  spices,  the  rocks  o 


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397 


diamonds?  In  tliis  lieavenly  kiii^'^dom  i< 
thatwliicli  is  satisfying^, — inipaiallok'd  Ijcau- 
ty, — rivers  of  pleasure,  and  this  for  ever, 
Ps.  xvi.  11.,  "At  tliv  rijrlit  liand  are  plea- 
sures for  evermore."  Heaven's  eniineney 
is  its  permanency;  and  this  kin<;<I()m  Cod's 
chihhen  shall  enter  into  immediately  after 
deatli  :  there  is  a  sudden  transition  and 
passagce  from  death  to  glory,  2  Cor.  v.  8., 
"  Ahsfnt  from  the  body,  present  with  the 
Lord."  Ciod's  children  shall  not  wait  long- 
for  their  inheritance;  it  is  but  wiidxing,  and 
they  shall  see  (iod.  I  low  may  this  com- 
fort (lod's  children,  who  perhaps  are  low 
in  the  world!  Your  Father  in  heaven  will 
settle  a  kingdom  upon  yon  at  death,  such  a 
Idnjidom  as  eye  hath  not  seen  ;  he  will  <>ive 
you  a  crown  not  of  gold,  but  glory;  he  will 
give  yon  white  robi  s  lined  with  immortali- 
ty. "  It  is  your  Father's  good  pleasure  to 
give  you  a  kingdonj." 

19.  If  God  be  our  Father,  it  is  ccmifort, 
1st.  In  case  of  loss  of  relations.  Ilast  thou 
lost  a  father  ?  Yet,  if  thon  art  a  believer, 
thou  art  no  orj)han,  thou  bast  an  heavenly 
Father,  a  Father  that  never  dies,  1  Tim.  vi. 
1().,  ''Who  only  bath  immortalit v."  2d. 
It  is  comfort,  in  case  of  death  ;  (lod  is  thy 
Father,  and  at  death  thou  art  going  to  thy 
Fatiier ;  well  might  Paul  say,  death  is 
yours,  1  Cor.  iii.  22.  It  is  your  friend  that 
wiil  carry  you  home  to  your  Father.  IIow 
glad  are  children  when  they  are  going 
home  !  This  was  Christ's  comfort  at  death, 
be  was  going  to  his  Father,  John  xvi.  28., 
"  I  leave  the  world,  and  go  to  the  Father." 
And,  John  xx.  17.,  "  I  ascend  to  my  Fa- 
ther." If  (iod  be  our  Father,  we  may  with 
comfort  at  the  day  of  death,  resign  our 
ponls  into  his  hand  :  so  did  Christ,  Luke 
xxiii.  46.,  "  Father  into  thy  bands  I  com- 
mend my  Spirit."  If  a  child  hath  any  jew- 
el, be  will  in  time  of  danger,  put  it  into  his 
father's  bands,  where  be  thinks  it  will  be 
kept  most  safe  :  our  soul  is  our  richest  jew- 
el, we  may  at  death  resign  our  sou!s  into 
(iod's  bands,  where  they  will  be  safer  than 
in  om-  own  keeping :  "  F.ither,  into  tiiy 
bands  I  commend  my  spirit."  AVbat  a 
comfort  is  this,  death  carries  a  believer  to 
bis  I'.ither's  house,  "  where  are  delights  inr- 
Kpeakable  and  lull  of  glory  !"  How  glad 
was  old  Jacob  when  be  kuvv  the  waggmis 


and  chariots  to  carry  him  to  bis  son  Jo- 
seph !  The  text  saith,  His  spirit  revived, 
Tien.  xlv.  27.  Death  is  a  triumphant  cha- 
riot to  carry  every  child  of  Uod  to  bis  Fa- 
ther's mansion-house. 

20.  If  (iod  be  our  Father,  be  will  not 
disinherit  bis  children  :  (io<l  may  for  a  time 
desert  them,  but  not  disinherit  them.  The 
sons  of  kings  have,  been  sometimes  disin- 
herited by  the  cruelty  of  usurpers;  as,  Al- 
exander the  Great  bis  son  was  ])ut  by  bis 
just  right,  by  the  violence  and  ambiti(»n  of 
his  Father's  captains;  but  what  power  on 
earth,  shall  hinder  the  heirs  of  the  promise 
from  their  inheritance  ?  Men  cannot,  and 
God  will  not  cut  oil"  the  entail.  The  Armi- 
nians  bold  falling  away  from  grace,  and  so 
a  child  of  (Jiod  may  be  defeated  <tf  his  inhe- 
ritance :  but  I  shall  show  that  (iod's  chil- 
dren can  never  be  degraded  or  disiidierite<l, 
their  heavenly  Father  will  not  cast  them  off 
from  being  children. —  1.  It  is  evident  (iod's 
children  cannot  be  finally  disinherited  by 
virtue  of  the  eternal  decree  of  heaven, 
(iod's  decree  is  the  very  pillar  and  basis  on 
which  the  saints'  perseverance  depends ; 
(iod's  <lecree  ties  the  knot  of  adoption  so 
fast,  that  neither  sin,  death  nor  bell,  can 
break  it  asunder,  R(un.  viii.  30.,  "  Whom 
he  did  predestiiuite,  them  be  also  called," 
^^:c.  Predestination  is  nothing  else  but 
Cjod's  decreeing  a  certain  number  to  be  heirs 
ol' glory,  on  whom  be  will  settle  the  crown  ; 
w  bom  be  predestinates,  be  glorifies.  What 
shall  binder  (iod's  electing  love  or  make 
bis  decree  null  and  void? — 2.  Beside  God's 
decree,  lie  bath  engaged  himself  by  pro- 
mise, that  the  heirs  of  heaven  shall  never 
be  j)nt  by  tin  ir  inheritance.  God's  |>ro- 
niises  are  n(»t  like  blanks  in  a  lottery,  but 
as  a  scaled  deed  which  cannot  be  reverscil ; 
the  promises  arc  the  saints'  royal  charter; 
and  this  is  one  jn-omise  that  tlieir  heavenly 
leather  will  not  disinherit  them,  Jer.  xxxii. 
40.,  "  I  will  make  an  everlasting  co\enant 
with  them,  that  I  will  not  turn  away  fi«im 
them  ;  but  I  will  put  my  fear  in  llieii  hearts, 
that  they  shall  not  depart  from  me."'  (iod's 
fidelity,  which  is  (he  richest  pearl  of  his 
crown,  is  engaged  in  this  promise  for  bis 
children's  jtersevorance  ;  "  I  will  not  turn 
away  iVom  ibem."  A  child  of  (iod  cannot 
fall  away,  while   be    is  held   fast   in    these 


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two  arms  of  God, — liis  love,  and  his  faith- 
fulness.— 3.  Jesus  Christ  undertakes,  that 
all  God's  children  by  adoption  bhall  bo  pre- 
served in  a  state  of  grace  till  they  inherit 
glory.  As  the  heathens  feigned  of  Atlas 
that  he  did  bear  up  the  heavens  from  fall- 
ing :  Jesus  Christ  is  that  blessed  Atlas,  that 
bears  up  the  saints  from  falling  away. 

Quest.  How  doth  Christ  preserve  the  saints' 
graces,  till  they  come  to  heaven  ? 

Ans.  1.  Jnfluxu  Spiritns.  Christ  carries 
on  grace  in  the  souls  of  the  elect,  by  the  in- 
fluence and  co-operation  of  his  Spirit.  Christ 
doth,  Spiritu,  continually  excite  and  quicken 
grace  in  the  godly;  his  Spirit  doth  blow  up 
the  sparks  of  grace  into  a  holy  flame  ;  Spi- 
ritns est  vicorius  Christi,— the  Spirit  is  Christ's 
vicar  on  earth,  his  proxy,  his  executor,  to 
see  that  all  that  Christ  hath  purchased  for 
the  saints  be  made  good.  Christ  hath  ob- 
tained an  inheritance  incorruptible  for  them, 
1  Pet.  i.  5.,  and  the  Spirit  of  Christ  is  his 
executor,  to  see  that  this  inheritance  be  set- 
tled upon  them. 

A.  2.  Christ  carries  on  perseveringly  in 
the  souls  of  the  elect,  vi  orationis,  by  the 
prevalency  of  his  intercession  :  Heb.  vii. 
25.,  "  He  ever  lives  to  make  intercession 
for  them."  Christ  prays  that  every  saint 
may  hold  out  in  grace  till  he  comes  to  hea- 
ven :  can  the  children  of  such  prayers  per- 
ish ?  If  the  heirs  of  heaven  should  be  dis- 
inherited, and  fall  short  of  glory,  then 
God's  decree  must  be  reversed,  his  promise 
broken,  Christ's  prayer  frustrated,  which 
were  blasphemy  to  imagine. 

A.  3.  That  God's  children  cannot  be  dis- 
inherited or  put  by  their  right  to  the  crown 
of  heaven,  is  evident  from  their  mystical 
union  with  Christ.  Believers  are  incorpo- 
rated into  Christ;  they  are  knit  to  Christ, 
as  the  members  to  the  head,  by  the  nerves 
and  ligaments  of  faith,  so  that  they  cannot 
be  broken  off,  Eph.  i.  22,  23.,  "  The  church 
which  is  his  body."  What  was  once  said 
of  Christ's  natural  body,  is  as  true  of  his 
mystical,  '  A  bone  of  it  shall  not  be  bro- 
ken.' As  it  is  impossible  to  sever  the  lea- 
ven and  the  dough  when  they  are  once 
mingled  and  kneaded  together;  so  it  is  im- 
]»ossible,  when  Christ  and  believers  are  once 
united,  that  they  should  ever,  by  the  power 
of  death  or  hell,  be  separated.     Christ  and 


his  spiritual  members  make  one  Christ . 
now,  is  it  possible  that  any  part  of  Christ 
should  perish  ?  How  can  Christ  want  any 
member  of  his  body  mystical  and  be  per- 
fect ?  Every  member  is  an  ornament  to 
the  body,  and  adds  to  the  honour  of  it. 
How  can  Christ  part  with  any  mystical 
member,  and  not  part  with  some  of  his  glo- 
ry too?  So  that  by  all  this  it  is  evident 
that  God's  children  must  needs  persevere 
in  grace,  and  cannot  be  disinherited.  If 
they  could  be  disinherited  then  the  Scrip- 
ture could  not  be  fulfilled  which  tells  us 
of  glorious  rewards  for  the  heirs  of  promise, 
Ps.  Iviii.  11.,  "Verily  there  is  a  reward 
for  the  righteous."  Now,  if  God's  adopted 
children  should  fall  away  finally  from 
grace,  and  miss  of  heaven,  what  reward 
were  there  for  the  righteous  ?  And  Moses 
did  indiscreetly  to  look  for  the  recompense 
of  the  reward,  and  so  there  would  be  a  door 
opened  to  despair. 

Obj.  This  doctrine  of  Gocfs  children  per- 
severing, and  having  the  heavenly  inheritance 
settled  on  them,  may  cause  carnal  security, 
and  make  them  less  circumspect  in  their  tcalk- 
ing. 

Ans.  Corrupt  nature  may,  as  the  spider, 
suck  poison  from  this  flower  ;  but  a  sober 
Christian,  who  hath  felt  the  efficacy  of  grace 
upon  his  heart,  dares  not  abuse  this  doc- 
trine ;  he  knows  perseverance  is  attained 
in  the  use  of  means,  therefore  he  walks  ho- 
lily,  that  so  in  the  use  of  means  he  may  ar- 
rive at  perseverance.  St.  Paul  knew  that 
he  should  not  be  disinherited,  and  that  no- 
thing could  separate  him  from  the  love  of 
Christ :  but  who  more  holy  and  watchful 
than  he  ?  1  Cor.  ix.  27.,  "  I  keep  under  my 
body  ;"  and,  Phil.  iii.  11.,  "  I  press  towards 
the  mark."  God's  children  have  that  holy 
fear  in  them,  which  keeps  them  from  secu- 
rity and  wantonness  ;  they  believe  the  pro- 
mise, therefore  they  rejoice  in  hope  ;  they 
fear  their  hearts,  therefore  they  watch  and 
pray.  Thus  you  see  what  strong  conso- 
lation there  is  for  all  the  heirs  of  the  pro- 
mise. Such  as  have  God  for  their  Father 
are  the  happiest  persons  on  earth ;  they  are 
in  such  a  condition  that  nothing  can  hurl 
them;  they  have  their  Father's  blessing,  all 
things  conspire  for  their  good  ;  they  have  a 
kinjjdom  settled  on   them,   and  the  entail 


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399 


can  never  be  cut  off.  How  may  God's 
cliildren  be  comtortcd  in  all  cotiditions.  let 
tbe  times  ho  what  they  ^^'ill  !  Their  Father 
is  in  heaven,  he  rules  all ;  if  troul)les  arise, 
they  shall  but  carry  God's  children  so  much 
the  soonei"  to  tlieir  Father.  The  more  vio- 
lently the  wind  beats  ajjainst  tlie  sails  of  a 
ship,  tlie  sooner  the  shij)  is  brought  to  tlie 
haven  ;  and  the  more  fiercely  God's  chil- 
dren are  assaulted,  the  sooner  they  come 
to  tlieir  Father's  house,  1  Thess.  iv.  18., 
"  Wherefore  comfort  one  another  with  these 
words." 

U.se  \th.  Of  exhortation.  Let  us  beliave 
and  carry  ourselves  as  the  children  of  such 
a  Father,  in  several  particulars. 

1.  Let  us  depend  uj)on  our  heavenly  Fa- 
ther, in  all  our  straits  and  exigencies ;  let 
us  believe  that  he  will  ])rovide  for  us. 
Children  rely  upon  their  parents  for  the 
supply  of  wants :  if  we  trust  God  for  sal- 
vation, shall  wc  not  trust  him  for  a  liveli- 
hood ?  There  is  a  lawful  provident  care  to 
be  used,  but  beware  of  a  distrustful  care, 
Luke  xii.  24.,  "  Consider  the  ravens,  they 
neither  sow  nor  reap,  and  God  feedeth 
them."  Doth  God  feed  the  birds  of  the  air, 
and  will  he  not  feed  his  children  ?  v.  27., 
"  Consider  the  lilies  how  they  grow ;  they 
spin  not :  yet  Solomon  in  all  his  glory  was 
not  arrayed  like  one  of  these."  Dotb  God 
clothe  the  lilies,  and  will  he  not  clothe  his 
lambs?  Even  the  wicked  taste  of  God's 
bounty,  Ps.  Ixxiii.  7.,  "  Their  eyes  stand 
out  with  fatness."  Doth  God  feed  his 
slaves,  and  will  he  not  feed  his  family  ? 
God's  children  may  not  have  so  liberal  a 
share  in  the  things  of  this  life,  but  little 
meal  in  the  barrel ;  they  may  be  drawn  low, 
but  not  drawn  dry  ;  they  shall  have  so  much 
as  God  sees  is  good  for  them,  Ps.  xxxiv. 
10.,  "  They  that  seek  the  Lord  shall  not 
want  any  giuid  thing."  If  Go<l  gives  them 
n«»t  ad  voluiitateiii,  he  will  ad  sauitatein  ;  if 
lie  gives  them  not  always  what  they  crave, 
he  will  give  them  what  they  need ;  if  he 
gives  them  not  a  feast,  he  will  give  them  a 
vioiiciini,  a  bait  by  the  way;  let  Ciod's  chil- 
dren therefore  depend  upon  God's  fatherly 
providence, — giv(.  not  way  to  distrustful 
thoughts,  distracting  cares,  or  indirect 
means,—  God  can  provide  for  you  without 
your  sins,  1  Pet.  v.  7.,   "  Casting  all  your 


care  upon  him,  for  ho  carctb  for  you."  An 
earthly  parent  may  have  affection  for  his 
child,  and  would  jirovido  for  him,  but  some- 
times he  is  not  able,  but  God  can  create 
a  supply  for  his  children,  yea,  he  hath  pro- 
mised a  supply,  Ps.  xxxvii.  3.,  "  Verily 
thou  shalt  be  fed."  Will  God  give  bis 
children  heaven,  and  will  ho  not  give  them 
enough  to  bear  their  charges  thither  ?  Will 
he  give  them  a  kingdom,  and  deny  them 
daily  bread?  O  depend  upon  your  hea- 
venly Father  !  He  hath  said,  "  I  will  ne- 
ver  leave    thee    nor    forsake    thee,"    Hob. 


xui.  5. 


2.  If  God  be  our  Father,  let  us  imitate 
him.  The  child  doth  not  only  bear  his  Fa- 
ther's image,  but  doth  imitate  him  in  his 
speech,  gesture,  behaviour  :  if  God  be  our 
Father,  let  us  imitate  him,  Eph.  v,  1,,  "  Be 
ye  followers  of  (iod  as  dear  children." — 
1.  Imitate  God  in  forgiving  injuries,  Isa. 
Ixiv.  22.,  "  I  have  blotted  out  as  a  thick 
cloud  thy  transgressions."  As  the  sun 
scatters  notoidy  thin  mists,  but  thick  clouds, 
so  God  pardons  great  offences  ;  imitate  God 
in  this,  Eph.  iv.  32.,  "  Forgiving  one  ano- 
ther." Cranmer  was  a  man  (»f  a  forgiving 
spirit,  he  did  bury  injuries,  and  requite 
good  for  evil  :  he  who  hath  Ciod  for  his  Fa- 
ther, hath  God  for  his  pattern. — 2.  Imitate 
God  in  works  of  mercy;  "  He  looseth  the 
prisoners,"  Ps.  cxlvi.  7.  "  He  opens  his 
hand,  and  satisfieth  the  desire  of  every  liv- 
ing thing,"  Ps.  cxlv.  16.  He  drops  his 
sweet  dew  as  well  upon  the  thistle  fis  the 
rose  :  imitate  God  in  works  of  mercy, — re- 
lieve the  wants  of  others, — be  rich  in  good 
works, — Luke  vi.  36.,  "  Be  merciful  as 
y()ur  Father  also  is  merciful."  Be  not  so 
hardhearted,  as  to  shut  the  poor  out  of  the 
lines  of  communication.  Dives  denied  La- 
zarus a  crumb  of  bread,  and  Dives  was  de- 
nied a  drop  of  water. 

3.  If  God  be  our  Father,  let  us  submit 
patiently  to  his  will ;  if  he  lay  his  strokes 
on  us,  they  arc  the  corrections  of  a  Father, 
not  the  punishments  of  Ji  judge:  this  made 
Christ  so  ])atient,  John  xviii.  11.,  "Shall 
I  not  drink  the  cup  which  my  Father 
hath  given  me  ?"  He  sees  me  need  aflliction, 
1  Pet.  i.  6. ;  he  appoints  it  as  a  diet-drink,  to 
purge  and  sanctify  us,  Isa.  xxxii.  9.,  there- 
fore dispute  not,  but  submit:   Ileb.  xii.  9. 


400 


OF  THE  PREFACE  TO  THE  LOKD'S  PRAYER. 


"  We  liad  fatliors  of  our  flesh  wliich  correct- 
ed us,  and  we  ji^iive  tlieiu  reverence  ;"  they 
mifflit  correct  out  of  an  humour,  but  (iod 
doth  it  for  oin-  ])rofit,  Ileh.  xii.  10.;  iherc- 
fore  s:!y,  as  Eli,  1  Sum.  ill.  18.,  "  It  is  the 
Ltud,  let  him  do  wliat  seemeth  him  good." 
What  irets  the  chihl  by  struggling,  but 
more  blows?  What  got  Israel  ,by  their 
murmuriiig  and  rebelling,  but  a  longer  and 
more  tedious  march,  and  at  last  their  car- 
cases fell  in  tiie  wilderness? 

4.  If"  («o<l  be  our  Father,  let  this  cause 
in  us  a  childlike  reverence,  Mai  i.  6.,  "  If 
I  be  a  lather  where  is  my  honour  ?"  This 
is  a  part  of  the  honour  we  give  to  God, 
when  we  reverence  and  adore  him.  If  you 
have  not  always  a  cliihUike  confidence,  yet 
always  preserve  a  childlike  reverence.  And 
how  ready  are  we  to  run  into  extremes, 
either  to  despond  or  grow  wanton?  Bocause 
God  is  a  F.it!ier,  therefore  do  not  think  you 
may  be  secure  and  take  liberty  to  sin  ;  if 
Vou  do,  {lod  may  carry  it  so  as  if  he  were 
no  F.illier,  he  mav  throw  hell  into  your 
conscience.  When  David  presumed  upon 
God's  paternal  affection,  and  began  to  wax 
wanton  under  mercy,  God  made  him  pay 
dear  for  it, — he  withdrew  the  sense  of  his 
love, — and  though  he  had  the  heart  of  a 
Father,  yet  he  had  the  look  of  an  enemy. 
David  prayed.  Cause  me  to  hear  the  voice 
of  joy,  Ps.  li.  8.  lie  lay  several  months 
in  desertion,  and  it  is  thought  he  never  re- 
covered his  full  ioy  to  the  day  of  his  death. 
Oh  keep  alive  holy  fear  !  With  a  childlike 
confidence,  j)reserve  an  humble  reverence; 
the  Lord  i-;  a  Father,  therefore  love  to  serve 
him;  he  is  tho  mighty  God  therefore  fear 
to  offend  him. 

5.  If  God  be  our  Father,  let  us  walk  o- 
bcditntly,  1  Pet.  i.  II.,  "As  obedient  chil- 
dren." When  God  bids  you  be  humble 
and  self-denying,  deny  yourselves;  })art 
witli  your  bosom-sin  ;  be  sober  in  your  at- 
tire, savoury  in  your  speeches,  grave  in 
your  deportment,  obey  your  Father's  voice  ; 
i.pcn  to  God,  Jis  the  flower  opens  to  the  sun  ; 
!!S  you  exi)ect  your  Father's  blesslntr  obey 
him  in  whatever  he  commands,  lirst  and 
Kecond  table  duties.  A  lutanist,  that  he 
may  make  sweet  musie,  toucheth  upon  e- 
veiy  string  of  the  lute:  the  ten  connnand- 
uients  are  like  a  ten-stringed  instrument, 


touch  upon  every  string,  obey  every  com- 
mandment, or  you  caiMiot  make  sweet  me- 
lody in  religion.  Obey  your  heavenly  Fa- 
ther, though  he  comnnuids  things  contrary 
to  flesh  and  blood. —  1.  When  he  commands 
to  mortify  sin,  that  sin  which  hath  been 
dear  to  you;  pluck  f>ut  this  right  eye,  that 
you  may  see  the  better  to  go  to  heaven. — 
2.  When  he  commands  you  to  sufTer  for 
sin,  he  ready  to  obey,  Acts  xxi.  13.  Every 
g(M)d  Christian  hath  a  spirit  of  martyr(!(»m 
in  him,  and  is  ready  rather  to  suffer  for 
the  truth,  than  the  truth  should  suffer. 
Luther  said  he  had  rather  be  a  martyr 
than  a  monarch.  Peter  was  crucified  with 
his  hea<l  downwards,  as  Eusebius.  Ignati- 
us called  his  chains  his  spiritual  ])earls,  ai;d 
did  wear  nis  fetters  as  a  bracelet  of  dia- 
nn)nds.  This  is  to  carry  it  as  God's  chil- 
dren, when  we  obey  his  voice,  and  coui.t 
not  our  lives  dear,  so  that  we  may  show 
our  love  to  our  heaveidy  Father,  Rev.  xii. 
11.,  "  They  loved  not  their  lives  to  the 
death." 

6.  If  God  be  your  Father,  show  it  by  your 
cheerful  looks  that  you  are  the  children  <if 
such  a  Father.  Too  much  drooping  and 
despondency  disparageili  the  relation  you 
stand  in  to  God.  Wliat  though  you  meet 
with  hard  usage  in  the  world  ?  You  arc 
now  in  a  strange  land  far  from  home  ;  it 
will  be  shortly  better  with  you,  when  you 
are  in  your  own  country,  and  your  Father 
hath  you  in  his  arms.  Doth  not  the  heir 
rejoice  in  hope  ?  Shall  the  sons  of  a  king 
walk  dejected  ?  2  Sam  xiii.  4  ,  ''  Why  art 
thou,  being  the  king's  son  lean?"  Is  God 
an  unkind  Father?  Are  his  commands  grie- 
vous ?  Ilatli  he  no  land  to  give  his  heirs  ? 
Why  then  do  (lOcVs  children  walk  so  sad? 
Never  had  children  such  ])rivllegt.J  as  they 
who  are  ol"  the  seed -royal  of  heaven,  and 
have  (iod  for  their  Fatiier  :  they  should  re- 
joice, therefore,  who  are  within  a  i'cw  hours 
to  be  crowned  with  glory. 

7.  If  God  be  our  Father,  let  us  honour 
him  by  walking  very  holily,  1  Pet.  i.  16., 
"  Be  ye  holy,  for  I  am  holy."  A  young 
prince  asking  a  philosopher  how  he  should 
behave  himself,  the  philosopher  said,  Me- 
mento  lefilium  esse  rcyis, — '  Remember  thou 
art  a  kinir's  son  :'  do  nothinj;  but  what  be- 
comes  the  sou  of  a  king  :  so  remember  you 


OF  THE  PREFACE  TO  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


401 


are  the  adopted  sons  and  dauj^litevs  of  the 
high  God,  do  nothing  unwortliy  of  such  a 
relation.  A  dobaucliod  child  is  the  disgrace 
of  his  father.  "  Is  this  thy  son's  coat  ?"  said 
they  to  Jacob,  when  they  brought  it  home 
dipped  in  blood,  Gen.  xxxvii.  23. :  so  when 
we  see  a  person  defiled  with  malice,  passion, 
drunkenness,  we  may  say,  is  this  the  coat 
of  God's  ado|)ted  son  ?  Dotli  he  look  as  an 
heir  of  glory  ?  'Tis  a  blaspheming  the  name 
of  God,  to  call  him  Father,  yet  live  in  sin. 
Such  as  profess  God  is  their  Father,  yet 
live  unholily,  they  will  slander  and  defraud ; 
these  are  as  bad  to  God  as  heathens,  Amos 
ix.  7.,  "  Are  ye  not  as  children  of  the  Ethi- 
opians to  me,  O  children  of  Israel,  saith 
the  Lord  ?"  The  Ethiopians  were  uncir- 
cumcised,  a  base,  ill-bred  people ;  when  Is- 
rael grew  wicked,  tbey  were  no  better  to 
God  than  Ethiopians.  Loose,  scandalous 
livers  under  the  gospel,  are  no  better  in 
God's  esteem  than  Pagans  and  Americans  ; 
nay,  they  shall  have  an  hotter  place  in  hell. 

0  let  all  who  profess  God  to  be  their  Fa- 
ther, honour  him  by  their  unspotted  lives. 
Scipio  abhorred  the  embraces  of  an  harlot, 
because  he  was  the  general  of  an  army  : 
abstain  from  all  sin,  because  you  are  born 
of   God,   and  have  God  for  your  Father, 

1  Thess.  v.  22,  "  Abstain  from  all  appear- 
ance of  evil."  It  was  a  saying  of  Augustus, 
an  emperor  should  not  only  be  free  from 
crimes,  but  from  the  suspicion  of  them.  By 
an  holy  life  you  would  bring  glory  to  your 
heavenly  Father,  and  cause  others  to  be- 
come liis  children.  Causinus  in  his  hiero- 
glyphics, speaks  of  a  dove,  whose  wings 
being  perfumed  with  sweet  ointments,  did 
draw  the  other  doves  after  her :  the  holy 
lives  of  God's  children  is  a  sweet  perfume 
to  draw  others  to  religion,  and  make  them 
to  be  of  the  family  of  God.  Justin  Martyr 
Kiiith,  that  which  converted  him  to  Christi- 
anity, was  the  beholding  the  blameless  lives 
of  the  Christians. 

8.  If  God  be  our  Father,  let  us  love  all 
that  are  his  children,  Ps.  cxxxiii.  L,  "  How 
pleasant  is  it  for  brethren  to  dwell  together 
in  unity  ?'  'Tis  compared  to  ointment,  v. 
2.,  for  the  sweet  fragrancy  of  it ;  1  Pet.  ii. 
17.,  *'  Love  the  brotherliood."  Idem  est 
motus  aniincB  in  imaginem  et  rem.  The  saints 
*re  the  walking  pictures  of  God ;  if  God  be 


our  Father,  we  love  to  see  his  picture  of 
holiness  in  believers, — we  pity  them  for 
their  infirmities,  but  love  them  for  their 
graces, — we  prize  their  company  above  o- 
thers,  Ps.  cxix.  G3.  It  may  justly  be  sus- 
pected that  (iod  is  not  their  Father  who 
love  not  God's  children  ;  though  they  retain 
the  communion  of  saints  in  their  creed,  yet 
they  banish  the  communion  of  saints  out  of 
their  company. 

9.  If  God  be  our  Father,  let  us  shew  hea- 
venly-mindedness  ;  they  who  are  born  of 
God  do  set  their  "  affections  on  things  that 
are  above,"  Col.  iii.  2.  O  ye  children  of 
the  high  God,  do  not  disgrace  your  high 
birth  by  sordid  covetousness !  What,  a 
son  of  God,  and  a  slave  to  the  world  !  What, 
sprung  from  heaven,  and  buried  in  the 
earth  !  For  a  Christian,  who  pretends  to 
derive  his  pedigree  from  heaven,  yet  wholly 
to  mind  earthly  things,  is  to  debase  himself; 
as  if  a  king  should  leave  his  throne  to  follow 
the  plough,  Jer.  \\v.  5.,  "  Seekest  thou  great 
thiuiTS  fur  ihvself  ?"  As  if  the  Lord  had 
said,  "  Wljat  !  tliou  Barak, — thou  who  art 
born  oi  God, — akin  to  angels,  and  by  thy 
office  a  Levite, — dost  thou  debase  thyself, 
and  spot  the  silver  wings  of  thy  grace,  by 
beliming  them  with  earth  !  Seekest  thou 
great  things  ?  Seek  them  not."  The  earth 
chokes  the  fire  ;  earthliness  chokes  the  fire 
of  good  affections. 

10.  If  God  be  our  Father,  let  us  own  our 
heavenly  Father  in  the  worst  times, — stand 
up  in  his  cause,  defend  his  truths.  Atha- 
nasius  owned  God  when  most  of  the  world 
turned  Arians.  If  sufferings  come,  do  not 
deny  God  ;  he  is  a  bad  son,  who  denies  his 
father.  Such  as  are  ashamed  of  God  ia 
times  of  danger,  God  will  be  ashamed  to 
own  them  fur  his  children,  Mark  viii.  38., 
"  Whosoever  therefore  shall  be  ashamed  of 
me  and  my  words  in  this  adulterous  sinful 
generation,  of  him  also  shall  the  Son  of  man 
be  ashamed,  when  he  comes  in  the  glory  of 
his  Father,  with  the  holy  angels."  So  I 
have  done  with  the  first  part  of  the  preface,. 
"  Our  Father." 

11.  The  second  part  of  the  preface  (which 
I  shall  but  briefly  touch  on)  is,  "  Which 
art  in  heaven."  God  is  said  to  b«  in  hea- 
ven, not  that  he  is  so  included  there, — that 
he  is  no  where  else, — for  the  "  heavea  q£ 

3E 


402 


OF  TIIK  rUEFACE  TO  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


heavens  cannot  contHin  liim,"  1  KinG;-s  viii. 
27.  ;  but  tlic  meaning'  is,  (U)d  is  cliicily  re- 
sident in  llie  empyrean  heaven,  wliieli  tlie 
apostle  calls  "  the  third  heaven,"  2  Cor.  xii. 
2.;  there  God  doth  most  give  forth  glory  to 
his  saints  and  angels. 

Quest.  fV/iat  may  n:e  ham  from  this  that 
God  is  in  heaven  ? 

Ans.  ].  Hence  we  learn  that  we  arc  fo 
raise  our  minds  in  prayer  above  the  earth. 
God  is  no  where  to  be  spoken  with  bnt  in 
heaven ;  God  never  denied  that  soul  his 
suit  who  went  as  far  as  heaven  to  ask  it. 

A.  2.  We  learn  from  God's  being  in  hea- 
ven, his  sovereign  power.  Hoc  vocahii/o  in- 
telligitur  omnia  subesse  ejus  imperio,  Calvin. 
Ps.  cxv.  3.,  "  Our  God  is  in  the  heavens, 
he  hath  done  whatever  he  pleased."  God 
being  in  heaven  governs  the  ujiiversc,  and 
orders  all  oceunenees  here  below  for  the 
good  of  his  children  ;  when  the  saints  are  in 
straits  and  dangers,  and  see  no  way  of  re- 
lief, he  can  send  from  heaven  and  help  them, 
Ps.  Ivii.  3.,  "  He  shall  send  from  heaven, 
and  save  me." 

A.  3.  We  learn  God's  glory  and  majesty  ; 
he  is  in  heaven,  therefore  he  is  covered  with 
lijrht,  Ps.  civ.  2.. — "  clothed  with  honour," 
Ps.  civ.  1., — and  is  far  above  all  woriiHy 
princes  as  heaven  is  above  earth. 

A.  4.  We  learn,  from  God's  being  in  Iiea- 
ven,  his  omnisciency.  "  AH  things  ai-e 
naked,  and  opened  to  his  eye,"  Hel),  iv.  13. 
Men  plot  and  contrive  against  the  church  ; 
but  God  is  in  heaven,  and  they  do  nothing 
but  what  our  Father  sees.  If  a  man  were 
on  the  top  of  a  tower  or  theatre,  he  might 
thence  see  all  the  people  below :  God  is  in 
heaven,  as  in  an  high  tower  or  theatre,  and 
he  sees  all  the  transactions  of  men.  The 
wicked  make  wounds  in  the  backs  of  tlie 
righteous,  and  then  pour  in  vinegar ;  God 
writes  down  their  cruelty,  Exod.  iii.  7.,  "  1 
have  surely  seen  the  aftlictions  of  my  peo- 
ple." God  is  in  heaven,  and  he  can  thun- 
der out  of  heaven  upon  liis  enemies,  I's. 
xviii.13,  14.,  "The  Lord  also  thundered 
in  the  heavens;  yea,  he  sent  out  arrows, 
and  scattered  them,  and  he  shot  out  light- 
mngs,  and  discomfited  them." 

A.  5.  We  learn  from  God's  being  in  hea- 
ven, comfort  for  the  children  of  God  ;  when 
they  pray  to  their  Father,  the  way  to  hea- 


ve»i  cannot  be  blocked  up.  One  mav  have 
a  fatlier  living  in  foreign  parts-,  but  th<'  way, 
both  by  sea  and  by  land,  may  be  so  blocked 
up,  that  there  is  no  coming  to  him ;  but  thou, 
saint  of  (iod,  when  thou  prayest  to  thv  Fa- 
ther, he  is  in  heaven  ;  and  though  thou  art 
ever  so  conlined,  thou  mayest  have  access 
to  him.  A  prison  cannot  keep  thee  from 
thy  («(>d ;  the  way  to  heaven  can  never  be 
blocked  up. 

So  I  have  done  with  t1)e  word  '  Father  :' 
I  shall  next  speak  of  the  ])ronoun  "  Our, 
Father."  In  the  first  there  is  an  appella- 
tion, "  Father  f'  in  the  second,  an  ap])ropri- 
ation,  "  Our  Father."  Christ,  by  this  word 
Our,  would  teach  us  thus  much;  "  that  in 
all  our  ])rayers  to  God,  we  should  act  faith." 
Our  Father  :  '  Father,'  denotes  reverence  ; 
'  Our  Father,'  denotes  faith.  In  all  our 
prayers  to  God  we  should  exercise  faith, 
"  Our  Father."  Faith  is  that  which  bap- 
ti/eth  prayer,  and  gives  it  a  name  ;  it  is  cal- 
led '  the  prayer  of  faith,'  .Jam.  v.  15.  With- 
out faith,  it  is  speaking;,  not  praying-.  Faith 
is  the  breath  of  prayer ;  ])rayer  is  dead  un- 
less faith  breathe  in  it.  Faith  is  a  necessary 
!-o(juisite  in  ])rayer.  The  oil  of  the  sanctu- 
aiy  was  made  uj)  of  several  sweet  spices, 
pure  myrrh,  cassia,  cinnamon,  Exod.  xxx. 
23.  Faith  is  the  chief  spice,  or  ing-redient 
in  prayer,  wh".eh  makes  it  go  up  to  the 
Lord,  as  sweet  incense,  Jam.  i.  6.,  "  Let 
him  ask  in  faith,"  Mat.  xxi.  22.,  '•  Whatso- 
ever ye  shall  ask  in  prayer,  believing;,  yc 
shall  receive."    Inroeo  tc,  Domine,  qiumquom 

hmguida  el  imbeciliajide,  iamenjide, "  Lord, 

(ssiid  Cruciger)  I  pray,  though  with  a  weak 
faith,  yet  witli  faith."  Prayer  is  the  gun 
we  shoot  with,  fervency  is  the  fire  that  (\is- 
ehargeth  it,  and  faith  is  the  bullet  Avhich 
pierceth  the  throne  of  grace.  Prayer  i.s  the 
kev  of  heaven,  faith  is  the  hand  that  turns 
it ;  pray  in  fiiith,  '  Our  Father.'  Faith  must 
take  prayer  by  the  liand,  or  there  is  no  com- 
ing nigh  to  God  ;  prayer  without  fiiilh  is 
unsuccessful.  If  a  poor  handy-craftsman, 
that  lives  by  his  labour,  hath  spoiled  his 
tools  that  he  cannot  work,  how  shall  lie 
subsist  ?  Prayer  is  the  tool  we  work  Miih, 
which  procures  all  good  for  us  :  but  unbe- 
lief spoils  and  blunts  our  ])rayers,  and  then 
we  can  get  no  blessijig  from  God  ;  a  prayer 
that    is   faithless  is   fruitless.     As   Joseph 


OF  THE  PREFACE  TO  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


403 


said,  "  You  sliall  not  see  my  face,  unless 
\ou  brinjr  vour  brotlior  Bcinamin  with 
you,"  Gen.  xliii.  3.,  so  prayer  cannot  see 
God's  face,  unless  it  bring  its  brother  faith 
with  it.  Whift  is  said  of  Israel,  "  They 
could  not  enter  in  because  of  unbelief," 
Ileb.  iii.  19.,  is  as  true  of  j)rayer,  it  cannot 
enter  into  heaven,  because  of  unbelief.  This 
makes  prayer  often  suffer  shipwreck,  be- 
cause it  daslieth  upon  the  rock  of  unbelief. 
O  sprinkle  faith  iu  prayer  !  We  must  say, 
<  Our  Father.' 

Quest.  I.   JVhat  doth  praying  in  faith  i?n- 

pi.'/? 

Aii.<^.  Praying^  in  faith  implies  the  haviorr 

of  faitli ;  the  act  implies  the  habit.     To  walk 

implies  a  principle  of  life  ;  so  to  pray  in  faith 

implies  an  habit  of  grace.     None  can  pray 

in  faith  but  believers. 

Quest.  2.  JMutt  is  it  to  pray  itj  faith  ? 

Alls.  1.  To  ])ray  in  faith,  is  to  ])ray  for 
that  which  God  hath  promised;  where  there 
is  no  promise,  we  cannot  pray  in  faith. 

A.  2.  To  pray  in  faith,  is  to  pray  in  Christ's 
meritorious  name,  John  xiv.  13.,  "  What- 
soever ye  shall  ask  in  my  name,  that  will  I 
do."  To  pray  in  Christ's  name,  is  to  pray 
in  the  hope  of  confidence  iu  Christ's  merit. 
When  we  present  Christ  to  God  in  prayer, 
— when  we  carry  the  Lamb  slain  in  our 
arms, — when  we  say  "  Lord,  we  are  sin- 
ners, but  here  is  our  surety,  for  Christ's 
sake  be  propitious," — this  is  coming  to  God 
in  Christ's  name,  and  this  is  to  pray  in  faith. 

A.  3.  To  pray  in  faith,  is,  in  prayer  to 
fix  our  faith  on  God's  faithfulness,  believiug 
that  he  doth  hear,  and  will  help;  this  is  a 
taking  hold  of  God,  Isa.  Ixiv.  7.  By  prayer 
we  draw  nigh  to  God,  by  faith  we  take 
hold  of  him:  2  Chron.  xiii.  II.,  thechlhlren 
of  Judah  cried  luito  the  Lord  ;  and  this  was 
the  crying  of  iaith  ;  v.  18.,  they  "  j)revailed, 
because  they  relied  on  the  Lord  God  of 
their  fathers."  Making  supj)llcation  to  God, 
and  staying  the  soul  on  God,  is  praying  iu 
faith.  To  pray,  and  not  rely  ou  (lod  for 
the  granting  our  petitions,  irrisio  Dei  est, 
saith  Pelican ;  "  it  is  to  abuse  and  ])ut  a 
scorn  on  God."  By  praying,  we  seem  to 
honour  God;  by  not  believing  we  affront 
liim.  In  prayer  we  say,  '  Almighty,  mer- 
ciful Father ;'  by  not  believing,  we  blot  out 
(ill  his  titles  again. 


Quest.  3.  Hotv  may  %ce  hnow  thcrt  we  do 
trxdy  pray  in  faith  ?  We  may  say.  Our  Fa- 
ther, and  thinh  we  pray  in  faith,  when  it  is 
in  prcswiipt ion  :  how  therefore  may  we  know 
that  we  do  indeed  pray  in  faith  ? 

Ans.  1.  AV'hen  our  faith  in  prayer  is 
liumble.  A  presumptuous  person  liopes  to 
be  heard  in  ])rayer  for  some  iidierent  wor- 
thiness in  himself;  he  is  so  qualified,  and 
hath  done  God  good  service,  therefore  he 
is  confident  God  will  hear  his  prayer;  see 
an  instance,  Luke  xviii.  11,  12.,  "  The 
Pharisee  stood  and  prayed  thus,  God,  I 
thank  thee,  that  I  am  not  as  other  men  are, 
extortioners,  unjust:  I  fast  twice  in  the 
week  ;  I  give  tytlies  of  all  that  I  possess.'* 
This  was  a  ]>resumptuous  prayer ;  but  a 
sincere  heart  doth  as  well  act  lunnility  in 
prayer  as  faith  :  Luke  xviii.  13,  "  The  pub- 
lican standing  afar  off  would  not  lift  up  so 
much  as  his  eyes  to  heaven,  but  smote  up- 
on his  breast,  saying,  '  God  be  merciful  to 
me  a  sinner  !'  "  "  God  be  merciful !"  there 
was  faith  ;  "  to  me  a  sinner,"  there  was 
humility  and  a  sense  of  unworthiness. 

A.  2.  A^'e  may  know  we  pray  in  faith, 
when,    though   we    have    not    the    present 
tiling  wc  ])ray  for,  yet  we  believe  God  will 
grant  it,   therefore  we  will  stay  his  leisure. 
A  Christian  having  a  command  to  pray, 
and  a  promise,  he  is  resolved  to  follow  God 
with  prayer,  and  not  give  over ;  as  Peter, 
he  knocked,    yet  the  door  was  not  opened, 
but  he  contijuied  knocking,  and  at  last  it 
was  o})ened,   Acts  xii.  16.     So  a  Christian 
])rays,  aiul  j)rays,  but  hath  no  answer ;  but 
lie  will  continue  knocking  at  heaven's  door, 
knowing  an  answer  will  come,  Ps.  Ixxxvi. 
T.,  "  Thou  wilt  answer  me."     Here  is  one 
that  prays  in   fait/i.     Christ  saith,   "Pray 
and  faiut  not,"  Luke  xviii.  1.     A  believer, 
at  Christ's  word,  lets  down  the  net  of  prayer, 
and  though  lie  catch  nothing,  he  will  cast 
the  net  of  prayer  again,  believing  that  mer- 
cv  will  come.     Patience  in  prayer  is  no- 
thing hut  faith  spun  out. 

L'.sv  1st.  It  rej»roves  them  that  pray  ia 
formality,  not  in  faith  ;  they  question  whe- 
tlu-r  God  hears  or  will  grant,  Jam.  iv.  3., 
"  Ye  ask  and  receive  not,  because  ye  ask 
amiss."  lie  doth  not  say,  ye  ask  that 
which  is  unlawful ;  but  ye  ask  amiss,  and 
therefore   ye   receive   not.     Unbelief  clips 


404 


OF  THE  PREFACE  TO  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


the  wings  of  prayer,  that  it  will  not  fly  to 
the  throne  of  grace ;  the  ruhbish  of  unbe- 
lief stops  the  current  of  prayer. 

Use  2d.  Of  exhortation.  Let  us  set 
faith  a-work  in  prayer,  '  Our  Father.'  The 
husbandman  sows  in  hope  :  prayer  is  the 
seed  we  sow  ;  when  the  hand  of  faith  scat- 
ters this  seed,  it  brings  forth  a  fruitful  crop 
©f  blessing  ;  prayer  is  the  ship  Ave  send  out 
to  heaven  :  when  faith  makes  an  adventure 
in  this  ship,  it  brings  home  large  returns 
of  mercy.  O  pray  in  faith  !  Say,  '  Our 
Father.'  And  that  we  may  act  faith  in 
prayer,  consider, 

1.  God's  readiness  to  hear  prayer.     De- 
us  paratus  ad  vvta  exaudienda,  Calvin.    Did 
God  forbid  all  addresses  to  him,  it  would 
put  a  damp  upon  the  trade  of  prayer ;  but 
God's  ear  is  open  to  prayer.     It  is  one  of 
the  names  by  which  God  is  known,  Ps.  Ixv. 
2.,   "  O   thou   that    hearest  prayer."     The 
Aediles  among  the  Romans  had  their  doors 
always  standing  open,  that  all  who  had  pe- 
titions   might    have   free  access   to    them : 
God  is  both  ready  to  hear  and  grant  prayer  ; 
this  may  encourage  faith  in  prayer.     And, 
whereas  some  may  say,  they  have  prayed, 
but  have  had  no  answer:   1st.   God   may 
hear  prayer,  though  he  do  not  presently  an- 
swer.   We  write  a  letter  to  a  friend ;  he  may 
have  received  it,  though  we  have  yet  had  no 
answer  of  it.     Perhaps  thou  ])rayest  for  the 
light  of  God's  face ;  God  may  lend  thee  an 
ear,  though  he  doth  not  shew  thee  his  face. 
2d.   God  may  give  an   answer   to   pi*ayer, 
when  we  do  not  perceive  it.     His  giving 
an  heart  to  pray,  and  inflaming  the  afi'ec- 
tions  in  prayer  is  an  answer  of  prayer,  Ps. 
cxxxviii.   3.,    "  In   the  day  when   I  cried, 
thou   answeredst   me,    and  strengthenedst 
me   with   strength  in  my  soul."     David's 
inward  strength  was  an  answer  of  prayer, 
therefore  let  God's  readiness  to  hear  prayer 
encourage  faith  in  prayer. 

2.  That  we  may  act  faith  in  prayer,  con- 
sider we  do  not  pray  alone.  Christ  prays 
over  our  prayers  again  ;  Christ's  prayer  is 
the  ground  why  our  prayer  is  heard.  Christ 
takes  the  dross  out  of  our  prayer,  and  pre- 
sents nothing  to  his  Father  but  pure  gold. 
Christ  mingles  his  sweet  odours  with  the 


pray 


ers  of  the  saints.  Rev.  v.  8.     Think  of 


the  dignity  of  his  person,  he  is  God ;  and 


the  sweetness  of  his  relation,  he  is  a  Son. 
O  what  encouragement  is  here,  to  pray  in 
faith  !  Our  prayers  are  put  into  the  hand 
of  a  Mediator.  Christ's  prayer  is  mighty 
and  powerful. 

3.  We  pray  to  God  for  nothing  but  what 
is  pleasing  to  him,  and  he  hath  a  mind  to 
grant ;  if  a  son  ask  nothing  but  what  his 
father  is  willing  to  bestow,  this  may  make 
him  go  to  him  with  confidence.  When  we 
pray  to  God  for  holy  hearts,  there's  nothing 
more  pleasing  to  him,  1  Thess.  iv.  3.,  "  This 
is  the  will  of  God,  even  your  sanctification." 
We  pray  that  God  would  give  us  an  heart 
to  love  him,  and  there  is  nothing  he  more 
desires  than  our  love.  How  may  this  make 
us  pray  in  faith,  Avhen  we  pray  for  nothing 
but  what  is  acceptable  to  God,  and  M'hich 
he  delights  to  bestow  ! 

4.  To  encourage  faith  in  prayer,  consi- 
der the  many  sweet  promises  that  God  hath 
made  to  prayer.  The  cork  keeps  the  net 
from  sinking :  the  promises  are  the  cork  to 
keep  faith  from  sinking  in  prayer.  God 
hath  bound  himself  to  us  by  his  promises. 
The  Bible  is  bespangled  with  promises  made 
to  prayer  :  Isa.  xxx.  19.,  "  He  will  be  very 
jrracious  to  thee  at  the  voice  of  thy  crv." 
Rom.  X.  1 2  ,  "  The  Lord  is  rich  unto  all  that 
call  upon  him."  Jer.  xxix.  13.,  "Then 
shall  ye  find  me,  when  ye  search  for  me 
with  all  your  heart."  Ps.  cxlv.  19.,  "  He 
will  fulfil  the  desire  of  them  that  fear  him." 
The  Tyrians  tied  their  god  Hercules  with  a 
croldcn  chain  that  he  should  not  remove  : 
God  h  \lh  tied  himself  fast  to  us  by  his  pro- 
mises. How  should  these  animate  and  spi- 
rit faith  in  prayer  ?  Faith  gets  strength  iu 
prayer  by  sucking  from  the  breast  of  a  pro- 
mise. 

5.  That  we  may  act  faith  in  prayer,  con- 
sider, Jesus  Christ  hath  purchased  that 
which  we  pray  for;  we  may  think  the 
things  we  ask  for  in  prayer  too  great  for 
us  to  obtain,  but  they  are  not  too  great  for 
Christ  to  purchase.  We  pray  for  pardon, 
Christ  hath  purchased  it  with  his  blood  ; 
we  pray  for  the  Spirit  to  animate  and  in- 
spire us,  the  sending  down  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  into  our  hearts  is  the  fruit  of  Christ's 
death,  John  xvi.  This  may  put  life  into 
our  ])rayers,  and  make  us  pray  in  faith  ; 
because  the  things  we  ask  in  prayer,  though 


OF  THE  PREFACE  TO  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


405 


tliey  are  more  than  we  deserve,  yet  not 
more  than  Clirist  hath  purchased  for  us. 

6.  To  make  us  pray  in  faith,  consider 
there  is  such  a  bountifuhicss  in  God  that 
he  often  exceeds  the  prayers  of  his  people  ; 
!ie  ^ves  thetn  more  than  they  ask  ;  as  Han- 
nah asked  a  son,  and  God  not  only  gave 
her  a  son  but  a  prophet.  Solomon  asked 
wisdom,  and  God  gave  him  not  only  wis- 
dom, but  riches  and  honour  besides ;  Jacob 
prayed  that  God  would  but  give  him  food 
and  raiment,  and  the  Lord  increased  his 
pilgrim's  staff  into  two  bands.  Gen.  xxxli. 
10.  God  is  oft  better  to  us  than  our  pray- 
ers, as  when  Gehazi  asked  but  one  talent, 
Naaman  would  needs  force  two  upon  him, 
2  Kings  v.  23.  We  ask  one  talent  of  mer- 
cy, and  God  gives  two  talents.  The  wo- 
man of  Canaan  asked  but  a  crumb,  namely, 
to  have  the  life  of  her  child;  and  Christ 
gave  her  more,  he  sent  her  home  with  the 
life  of  her  soul. 

T.  The  great  success  the  prayer  of  faith 
hath  found  ;  like  Jonathan's  bow,  it  hath 
not  returned  einj)ty.  Vocula  ])ater  dicta  in 
cordo,  saitli  Luther, — this  little  word  Fa- 
tfter,  pronounced  in  faitii,  hath  overcome 
God,  Gen.  xxxii.  IL,  "Deliver  me,  I  pray 
thee."  And  this  was  mixed  with  faith  in 
the  promise,  v.  12.,  "Thou  saidst  I  will 
surely  do  thee  good  ;"  and  this  prayer  had 
power  with  God,  and  prevailed,  Hos.  xii. 
4.  The  prayer  of  faith  hath  opened  prison- 
doors, — stopt  the  chariot  of  the  sun, — lock- 
ed and  unlocked  heaven.  Jam.  v.  17.  The 
prayer  of  faith  hath  strangled  the  plots 
of  enemies  in  the  birth  ;  it  hath  routed 
tlieir  forces  ;  Moses'  prayer  against  Amalek 
did  more  than  Joshua's  sword ;  and  may 
not  this  hearten  and  corroborate  faith  in 
prayer  ? 

8.  If  all  this  will  not  prevail,  consider 
how  heartless  and  comfortless  it  is  to  pray, 
and  not  in  faith ;  the  heart  misgives  secret- 
ly, God  doth  not  hear,  nor  will  he  grant. 
Faithless  praying  must  needs  be  comfort- 
less ;  for  there  Is  no  promise  made  to  unbe- 


lieving prayer.  It  is  sad  sailing  where 
there  is  no  anchoring,  and  sad  praying 
where  there  is  no  promise  to  anchor  upon, 
Jam.  i.  1.  The  disciples  toiled  all  night 
and  caught  nothing :  the  unbeliever  toils 
in  prayer  and  catcheth  nothing, — he  re- 
ceives not  any  spiritual  blessings,  pardon 
of  sin,  or  grace ;  as  for  the  temporal  mer- 
cies the  unbeliever  hath,  he  cannot  look 
upon  them  as  the  fruit  of  prayer,  but  as  the 
overflowings  and  spillings  of  God's  bounty. 
Oh  therefore  labour  to  exert  and  put  forth 
faith  in  prayer  ! 

Obj.  lint  there  is  so  much  sin  cleaves  to 
my  prayer^  that  I  fear  it  is  not  the  prayer  of 
faith,  and  God  will  not  hear  it. 

A71S,  If  thou  mournest  for  this,  it  liinders 
not  but  that  thy  prayer  may  be  in  faith,  and 
God  may  hear  it.  Weakness  in  prayer 
shall  not  make  void  the  saint's  prayers,  Ps. 
xxxi.  22.,  "  I  said  in  my  haste,  I  am  cut 
off."  There  was  much  unbelief  in  this 
prayer :  "  I  said  in  my  haste :  in  the  He- 
brew, "  in  my  trembling."  David's  faith 
did  tremble  and  faint,  yet  God  heard  his 
prayer.  The  saint's  passions  do  not  hinder 
the  saint's  prayers,  Jam.  v.  17.  Therefore 
be  not  discouraged ;  though  sin  will  cleave 
to  thy  holy  offering,  yea  these  two  things 
may  comfort,  thou  mayest  pray  with  faith, 
though  with  weakness  ;  and  God  sees  the 
sincerity,  and  will  pass  by  the  infirmity. 

Quest.  IIow  shall  we  do  to  pray  in  faith  ? 

Ans.  Implore  the  Spirit  of  God.  We 
cannot  say,  '  Our  Father,'  but  by  the  Ho- 
ly Ghost.  God's  Spirit  helps  us,  not  only 
to  pray  with  sighs  and  groans,  but  with 
faith.  The  Spirit  carries  us  to  God,  not 
only  as  to  a  Creator,  but  a  Father,  Gal.  iv. 
6.,  "  He  hath  sent  forth  the  Spirit  of  his 
Son  into  your  hearts,  crying,  Abba,  Father." 
'  Crying,'  there  the  Spirit  causeth  us  to 
pray  with  fervency ;  *  Abba,  Father,'  there 
the  Spirit  helps  us  to  pray  with  faith. 
Prayer  is  the  key  of  heaven  ;  the  Spirit 
helps  faith  to  turn  this  key,  and  then  it  un- 
locks Iieavea. 


406 


OF  THE  FIRST  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


OF  THE  FIRST  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


Mat.  vi.  9.  Hallowed  he  thy  name. 


HAVING  spolcen  of  the  introduction  to 
the  Lord's  prayer,  "after  this  manner  pray 
ye," — and  the  preface,  "  Our  Fatlier  which 
art  in  heaven," — I  come  now,  thirdly,  to 
the  prayer  itself,  which  consists  of  seven 
petitions.  A  short  hody  of  divinity  is  con- 
tained in  them.  I  begin  with  the  first  pe- 
tition. 

I.  "  Hallowed  be   thy   name."      In   the 
Latin,  it  is,  sanctijicetur  nomen  tuuin, — sanc- 
tified be  thy  name.     In  this  petition,  "  hal- 
lowed be  tiiy  nain«,"  we  pray,  that  God's 
name  may  shine  forth  gloriously,  and  that 
it  may  be  honoured  and  sanctified  by  us, 
in  the  whole  course  and  tenor  of  our  lives. 
It  was  the  angels'  song,   "  glory  to  God  in 
the  highest ;"  that  is,   let  his  name  be  glo- 
rified and  hallowed.     This  petition,   "  Hal- 
lowed be  thy  name,"  is  set  in  the  forefront, 
to  shew,  that  the  hallowing  of  God's  name 
is   to  be   preferred  before  all   things.      Is/. 
It  is  to  be  preferred  before  life ;  we  pray, 
"  Hallowed  be  tliy  name,"  before  we  pray, 
"  Give  us  this  day  our  daily  bread."     It  is 
to  be  preferred  before  salvation,   Rom.  ix. 
1.     God's  glory  is  more  worth  than  the  sal- 
vation of  all    men's  souls.     As  Christ   said 
of  love,  Mat.  xxii.  3G.,   "  This  is  the  first 
and  great  comnKiiidiueut  ;"   so    I  may   say 
of  this  jx'tilion,    "•  Hallowed  be  thy  name," 
it  is  the  first  and  great  petition  ;  itcoiitains 
the  most  weighty   thing  in  religion,   (jiod's 
glory.     When  some  of  tlie  other  petitions 
sliall  be  useless  and  out  of  date,  we  shall 
not  need  to  pray  ia  heaven,   "  Give  us  our 
daily  bread,"    because    there    shall    be   no 
lumger ;  nor,   "  Forgive  us  our  trespasses," 

Lead 


because  there  sliall  be  no  sin  ;  nor, 
us  not  into  temptation,"  because  the  Old 
Serpent  is  not  there  to  temj)t ;  yet  the  hal- 
lowing of  God's  name  shall  be  of  great  use 
and  recpiest  in  heaven ;  we  shall  be  ever 
singing  hallelujahs,  which  is  nothing  else 
but  the  hallowing  of  God's  name.  Every  triumjdis  and  hallelujahs,  there  is  nothhig 
person  in  the  blessed  Trinity,  God  the  Fa-  added  to  his  essential  glory;  God  cannot 
ther,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  must  have  this  be  greater  than  he  is,  only  we  may  make 
honour,  to  be  hallowed  ;  their  glory  being  1  him  appear  greater  in  the  eyes  of  others. 


equal,  and  their  majesty  co-eternal.  "  H.il- 
lowed  be  thy  name."  To  admire  God's 
name  is  not  enough  ;  we  may  admire  a  con- 
queror, but  when  we  say,  "  Hallowed  be 
tliT/  name  ;"  we  set  God's  name  above  every 
name,  and  not  only  admire  him,  but  adore 
liim  ;  and  tliis  is  proper  only  to  the  Deity. 
For  the  further  explication,  I  shall  propound 
three  questions  : 

1.  What  is  meant  by  God's  name  ? 

2.  JVhat  is  meant  by  halloicing  God's 
name  ? 

3.  When  may  we  be  said  to  hallow  or  sanc- 
tify God's  name  ? 

Quest.   1.    What  is  meant  by  God's  najne  ? 

Ans.  1.  By  God's  name  is  meant  his  es- 
sence, Ps.  XX.  ].,  "  The  name  of  the  God 
of  Jacob  defend  thee  j"  that  is,  the  God  of 
Jacob  defend  thee. 

A.  2.  By  God's  name  is  meant  any  tiling 
by  which  God  may  be  known ;  as  a  man 
is  known  by  his  name  ;  God's  name  is  his 
atti-ibutes,  Avisdom,  power,  holiness,  good- 
ness; by  these  God  is  known  as  by  liis 
name. 

Quest.  2.  What  is  meant  by  halloicing 
God's  name  ? 

Ans.  To  hallow,  is  a  comnnmi  separate, — 
to  set  apart  a  tiling  from  the  common  use 
to  some  sacred  end.  As  the  vessels  of  the 
sanctuary  were  said  to  be  hallowed,  so  to 
hallow  God's  name,  is  to  set  it  apart  from 
all  abuses,  and  to  use  it  holily  and  reve- 
rently. In  particular,  hallowing  of  God's 
name  is  to  give  him  high  honour  and  vene- 
ration, and  render  his  name  sacred.  AVc 
can  add  nothing  to  God's  essential  glory ; 
but  we  are  said  to  honour  and  sanctify  his 
name,  when  we  lift  liim  up  in  tlie  world, 
and  make  him  appear  greater  in  the  eyes 
of  others.  When  a  prince  is  crowned,  there 
is  something  added  really  to  his  honour  ; 
but  when  we  go   to  crown  God  with  our 


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407 


Quest.  2.  JV/un  may  tee  he  said  to  hal- 
low and  sajiclify  God's  name  ? 

Ans.  1.  When  we  profess  liis  name.  Oui* 
meeting  in  liis  lioly  assembly  is  an  liononr 
done  to  God's  name ;  this  is  good,  but  it  is 
not  enougli.  Ail  that  wear  God's  livery 
by  profession,  are  not  true  servants ;  there 
are  some  professors  Christ  will  at  the  last 
tlay  profess  against,  Mat.  vii.  23.,  "  I  will 
profess  I  never  knew  you."  Tlierefore,  to 
go  a  little  further, 

A.  2.  We  hallow  and  sanctify  God's 
name,  when  we  have  an  high  appreciation 
and  esteem  of  God ;  we  set  him  highest  in 
om*  tlioughts.  Tiie  Hebrew  word  to  /io7iour, 
sigmiies  to  esteem  precious;  we  conceive  of 
God  in  our  minds  as  the  most  supercxcel- 
Icnt  and  infinite  good ;  we  apprehend  in 
God,  a  constellation  of  :dl  beauties  and  de- 
lights;  we  adore  God  in  his  glorious  attri- 
butes, which  are  the  several  beams  by  which 
his  divine  nature  shines  forth ;  we  adore 
God  in  his  works,  which  are  bound  up  in 
three  great  volumes,  creation,  redemption, 
providence;  we  hallow  and  sanctify  God's 
name,  when  we  lift  him  highest  in  our  souls ; 
we  esteem  him  a  supereminent  and  incom- 
prehensible God. 

A.  3.  We  liallow  and  sanctify  God's 
name,  when  we  trust  in  his  name,  Ps. 
xxxiii.  21.,  "  We  have  trusted  in  his  holy 
name ;"  no  way  can  we  bring  more  reve- 
nues of  honour  to  God,  or  make  his  crown 
shine  brighter,  than  by  confiding  in  him, 
Rom.  iv.  20.,  "  Abraham  was  strong  in 
faith,  giving  glory  to  God;"  there  was  an 
haUowing  of  God's  name,  as  unbelief  stains 
God's  honour,  and  eclipseth  his  name, 
1  John  v.  10  ,  "  He  that  believeth  not,  God 
hath  made  him  a  liar  :"  so  faith  doth  glori- 
fy and  hallow  God's  name.  The  believer 
trusts  his  best  jewels  in  God's  hands,  Ps, 
SLxxi.  5.,  "  Into  thy  hands  I  commit  my 
spirit;"  faith  in  a  Mediator  doth  more  ho- 
nour and  sanctify  God's  name,  than  mar- 
tyrdom, or  the  most  sublime  acts  of  obe- 
dience. 

A.  4.  We  hallow  and  sanctify  God's  name, 
when  we  never  make  mention  of  his  name 
but  witli  the  highest  reverence  ;  God's  name 
is  sacred,  and  it  must  not  be  spoken  of,  but 
with  veneration.  The  scripture,  when  it 
speaks  of  God,  gives  him  his  titles  of  ho- 


nour. Gen.  xiv.  20.,  "  Blessed  be  the  most 
high  God ;"  Neh.  ix.  5.,  "  Blessed  be  thy 
glorious  name,  which  is  exalted  above  all 
bh'ssing  and  praise."  To  speak  vainly  or 
slightly  of  (iod,  is  a  profaning  his  name, 
and  is  a  taking  his  name  in  vain;  let  his 
name  be  hallowed  ;  by  giving  God  his  ve- 
nerable titles,  we  do  as  it  were  hang  his 
jewels  on  his  crown. 

A.  5.  We  hallow  and  sanctify  God's  name, 
when  we  love  his  name,  Ps.  v.  11.,  "  Let 
them  that  love  thy  name  be  joyful ;"  and 
that  love  which  is  honouring  God's  name, 
must  be  a  special  discriminating  love,  the 
cream  and  flower  of  our  love, — such  a  love 
as  we  give  to  none  besides  ;  as  the  wife  ho- 
nours her  husband,  by  giving  him  such  a 
love  as  she  gives  to  none  else,  a  conjugal 
love,  so  we  hallow  God's  name,  by  giving 
liim  such  love  -xs  we  give  to  none  else,  a 
love  joined  with  worshiji,  Ps.  xlv.  11.,  "He 
is  thy  Lord,  and  worship  thou  him." 

yl.  6.  We  hallow  and  sanctify  God's  name, 
when  we  give  him  an  holy  and  spiritual 
worship :  \st.  When  we  give  him  the  same 
kind  of  worship  that  he  hath  appointed: 
Lev.  X.  3.,  "  I  will  be  sanctified  in  them 
that  come  nigh  to  me :"  that  is,  I  will  be 
sanctified  with  that  very  worship  I  have  ap- 
pointed. It  is  the  purity  of  worship  God 
loves  better  than  the  pomp.  It  is  a  disho- 
nouring of  God's  name,  to  bring  any  thing 
into  his  worship  which  he  hath  not  insti- 
tuted :  as  if  God  were  not  wise  enough  to 
appoint  the  manner  how  he  will  be  served. 
Men  will  go  to  jirescribe  him,  and  super- 
add their  inventions:  this  God  looks  upon 
as  offering  strange  fire,  and  it  is  an  high 
provocation.  2d.  When  we  give  God  the 
same  heart  devotion  in  worship  as  he  hath 
appointed,  Rom.  xii.  1 1.  "  Fervent  in  spi- 
rit, serving  the  Lord."  The  word  for  Jer- 
vciit,  is  a  metaphor  that  alludes  to  water 
that  seeths  and  bolls  over ;  so  our  afToctions 
should  boil  over  in  holy  duties.  To  give 
God  outside  worship,  and  not  tlie  devotion 
of  the  heart,  is,  instead  of  hallowing  and 
sanctifying  him  in  an  ordinance,  to  abuse 
him:  as  if  one  calls  for  wine,  and  you  give 
him  an  empty  glass  ;  it  is  to  deal  with  God, 
as  Prometheus  did  with  Jujuter,  who  did 
eat  the  flesh  and  present  Juj)iter  with  no- 
thini:  but  bones   covered  over  with  skin. 


403 


OF  THE  FIRST  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


Tlien  we  hallow  God's  name,  and  sanctify 
him  in  an  ordinance,  when  we  give  him  the 
vitals  of  religion,  and  an  heart  flaming  with 
zeal. 

A.  7.  We  hallow  and  sanctify  God's  name, 
when  we  hallow  his  day,  Jer.  xvii.  22., 
"  Hallow  ye  the  sahbath-clay."  Our  Chris- 
tian sabbath — which  comes  in  the  room  of 
the  Jews'  sabbath — is  called  the  Lord's  day, 
Rev.  i.  10.  This  was  anciently  called  dies 
lucis, — a  day  of  light,  wherein  Christ  the 
Sun  of  Righteousness  shines  in  an  extra- 
ordinary manner.  It  is  an  honour  done  to 
God,  to  hallow  his  sabbath.  \st.  We  must 
rest  on  this  day  from  all  secular  works, 
Jer.  xvii.  22.  Bear  no  burden  on  the  sab- 
bath-day. As  Joseph,  when  he  would  speak 
with  his  brethren,  thrust  out  the  Egyptians, 
so  when  we  would  have  couA-erse  with  God 
on  this  day,  we  must  thrust  out  all  earthly 
employments.  It  ife  observable,  Mary  Mag- 
dalene refused  to  anoint  Christ's  dead  body 
on  the  sabbath-day,  Luke  xxiii.  56. ;  she 
had  before  prepared  her  ointment  and  spices, 
hut  came  not  to  the  sepulchre  till  the  sab- 
bath was  past ;  she  rested  on  that  day  from 
civil  work,  though  it  were  a  commendable 
and  glorious  work,  the  anointing  of  Christ's 
dead  body.  2d.  We  must  in  a  solemn  man- 
ner devote  ourselves  to  God  on  this  day ; 
we  must  spend  this  whole  day  with  God. 
Some  will  hear  the  word,  but  leave  all  their 
religion  at  church ;  they  do  nothing  at 
home,  they  do  not  pray  or  repeat  the  word 
in  their  houses,  and  so  they  rob  God  of  a 
part  of  his  day.  It  is  bewailing  to  see  how 
God's  day  is  profaned  !  Let  no  man  think 
God's  name  is  hallowed  while  his  sabbath 
is  broken. 

A.  8.  We  hallow  and  sanctify  God's  name, 
when  we  ascribe  the  honour  of  all  we  do 
to  liim,  Ps.  xcvi.  8.,  "  Give  nnto  the  Lord 
the  glory  due  unto  his  name."  Herod,  in- 
stead of  hallowing  God's  name,  stained  the 
honour  of  his  name,  in  assuming  that  praise 
to  himself  which  was  due  to  (iod,  Acts  xii. 
23.  We  ought  to  take  the  honour  from 
ourselves  and  give  it  U\  (iod,  1  Cor.  xv. 
10.,  "  I  laboured  more  abnndantlv  lliau 
they  all."  One  would  think  this  had  sa- 
voured of  pride,  but  the  aj)(>sth'  pulls  the 
crown  from  his  o\\'n  head,  and  sets  it  upon 
the  liead  of  free  grace :  "  Yet  not   I,  but 


the  grace  of  God  which  was  with  me." 
If  a  Christian  hath  any  assistance  in  duty, 
or  victory  over  temptation,  he  rears  up  a 
pillar,  and  writes  upon  it,  Hucusqiie  adju- 
vavii  Deus, — hitherto  the  Lord  hath  helped 
me.  John  Baptist  transferred  all  the  ho- 
nour from  himself  to  Christ ;  he  was  con- 
tent to  be  eclipsed  that  Christ  might  shine 
the  more,  John  i.  15.,  "  He  that  cometh  af- 
ter me  is  preferred  before  me."  I  am  but 
the  herald, — the  A'oice  of  one  crying, — he 
is  the  prince;  I  am  but  a  lesser  star, — he 
is  the  sun  ;  I  baptize  only  with  water, — he 
with  the  Holy  Ghost.  This  is  an  hallow- 
ing God's  name  when  we  translate  all  the 
honour  from  oiu'selves  to  God,  Ps.  ex  v.  ]., 
"  Not  unto  ns,  O  Lord,  not  unto  us,  but 
unto  thy  name  give  glory  !'  Tlie  king  of 
Sweden  wrote  that  motto  on  the  battle  at 
Leipsic, — Isfa  a  J^om/no  focfa  sunf,  the 
Lord  hatli  wrought  tliis  victory  for  us. 

A.  9.  We  hallow  and  sanctify  God's  name 
by  obeying  him.  How  doth  a  son  more 
honour  his  father,  than  by  obedience?  Ps. 
xl.  8.,  "  I  delight  to  do'  thy  will,  O  my 
God  !"  The  wise  men  sliowed  honour  to 
Christ,  not  only  by  bowing  the  knee  to  him, 
but  by  presenting  him  with  gold  and  myrrh, 
Mat.  ii.  11.  We  hallow  God's  name,  not 
only  by  lifting  up  our  eyes  and  hands  to 
heaven,  and  bowing  the  knee  in  ])rayer, 
but  by  presenting  God  with  golden  obe- 
dience. As  the  factor  trades  for  the  mer- 
chant, so  we  trade  for  God,  and  lay  out  our 
strength  in  his  service.  It  was  a  saying  of 
reverend  Dr.  Jewel,  "  I  have  spent  and  ex- 
hausted myself  in  the  laboius  of  my  holy 
calling."  '  To  obey  is  better  than  sacri- 
fice.* The  cherubims  representing  the  an- 
gels, are  set  forth  with  their  wings  display- 
ed, to  show  liow  ready  they  are  to  do  ser- 
vice to  God.  To  obey  is  angelical.  To 
pretend  lionour  to  God's  name,  yet  not  to 
obey,  is  but  a  devout  compliment.  Abra- 
ham honoured  God  by  obedience  ;  he  was 
ready  to  sacrifice  his  son,  though  the  son 
of  his  old  age,  and  a  son  of  the  promise, 
Gen.  xxii.  16,  17.,  "  By  myself  have  I 
sw(»rn,  saith  the  L(»rd,  because  thou  hast 
done  this  thing,  and  hast  not  withheld  thy 
son,  thv  only  son  ;  that  in  blessing,  I  will 
bless  thee." 

A.  10.   We   hallow  and  amctify   God'n 


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409 


name  when  we  lift  up  God's  name  in  our 
praises.  God  is  said  to  sanctify,  and  man 
is  said  to  sanctify :  God  sanctifies  us,  by 
givinjT  us  grace, — and  we  sanctify  liim  by 
giving  liim  praise.  What  were  our  tongues 
given  us  for  but  to  be  organs  of  God's 
])raise  ?  Ps.  Ixxi.  8.,  "  Let  my  mouth  be 
filled  with  thy  praise,  and  with  thy  honour 
all  the  day,"  Rev.  v.  13.,  "  Blessing,  and 
honour,  and  glory,  and  power,  be  unto  him 
that  sitteth  upon  the  throne,  and  unto  the 
Lamb,  for  ever."  Thus  God's  name  is 
hallowed  and  sanctified  in  heaven  ;  the  an- 
gels and  glorified  sjiints  are  singings  halle- 
lujahs; let  us  begin  the  work  of  heaven 
here.  David  did  sing  forth  God's  praises 
and  doxolojjies  in  a  most  melodious  man- 
ner,  therefore  was  called  the  sweet  singer 
of  Israel,  2  Sam.  xxiii.  1.  Praising  God  is 
an  hallowing  of  God's  name, — it  spreads 
his  renown, — it  displays  the  trophies  of  his 
excellency, — it  exalts  him  in  the  eyes  of  o- 
thers,  Ps.  1.  23.,  "  Whoso  offereth  praise 
glorificth  me."  This  is  one  of  the  highest 
and  purest  acts  of  religion ;  in  prayer  we 
act  like  men, — in  praise  we  act  like  angels, 
this  is  the  music  of  heaven, — this  is  a  work 
fit  for  a  saint,  Ps.  cxlix.  5,  6.,  "  Let  the 
saints  be  joyful,  let  the  high  praises  of  God 
be  in  their  mouths  !"  None  but  saints  can 
in  a  riii;ht  manner  thus  hallow  God's  name 
by  praising  him.  As  every  one  hath  not 
skill  to  play  on  the  viol  and  organ,  so  every 
one  cannot  rightly  sound  forth  God's  har- 
monious praises ;  only  the  saints  can  do  it ; 
they  only  can  make  their  tongue  and  heart 
join  in  concert,  Ps,  ix.  1.,  "I  will  bless 
thee,  O  Lord,  with  my  whole  heart ;"  and 
Ps.  Ixvi.  17,,  "  He  was  extolled  with  my 
tongue."  There  was  joining  in  concert. 
This  hallowing  God's  name  by  praise  is  ve- 
ry becoming  a  Christian  ;  it  is  unbecoming 
to  murmur,  this  is  a  dishonouring  God's 
name,  but  it  becomes  the  saints  to  be  spi- 
nti\al  choristers  in  singing  forth  the  honour 
of  God's  name.  It  is  called  "  the  gar- 
ment of  praise,"  Isa.  Ixi.  3.  IIow  comely 
and  handsome  is  this  garment  of  praise  for 
a  saint  to  wear  !  Ps.  xxxiii.  1.,  "  Praise  is 
comely  for  the  upright."  Especially,  it  is 
an  high  degree  of  hallowing  God's  name, 
when  we  can  speak  well  of  God,  and  bless 
m  in  an  afflicted  state,  Job  L  21.,  "  The 


Lord  hath  taken  away,  blessed  be  the  name 
of  the  Lord  !"  Many  will  bless  God  when 
he  gives,  but  to  bless  him  when  he  takes 
away  is  in  an  high  degree  to  honour  God 
and  hallow  his  name.  Let  us  thus  magni- 
fy God's  name.  Hath  not  God  given  us 
abundant  matter  of  praising  him  ?  He  hath 
given  us  grace, — a  mercy  spun  and  woven 
out  of  his  bowels;  and  he  intends  to  crown 
grace  with  glory, — this  should  make  us  hal- 
low God's  name  by  being  trumpets  of  his 
praise. 

A.  11.  We  hallow  and  sanctify  God's 
name  when  we  sympathize  with  him  ;  we 
grieve  when  his  name  suffers.  \st.  We  lay 
to  heart  his  dishonour.  How  was  Moses 
affected  with  God's  dishonour  I  He  breaks 
the  tables,  Exod.  xxxii.  19.  We  grieve  to 
see  God's  sabbaths  profaned,  his  worship 
adulterated,  the  wine  of  truth  mingled  with 
error. — 2d.  We  grieve  when  God's  church 
is  brought  low,  because  now  God's  name 
suffers.  Nehemiah  lays  to  heart  the  mise- 
ries of  Sion  ;  his  complexion  begins  to  alter, 
and  he  looks  sad,  Neh.  ii.  2.,  "  Why  is  thy 
countenance  sad  ?'  What !  sad,  wlien  the 
king's  cup-bearer,  and  wine  is  so  near  !  O 
but  it  fared  ill  with  the  church  of  God,  and 
religion  seemed  to  lose  ground,  and  God's 
name  suffered  :  therefore  Nehemiah  grows 
weary  of  the  court, — he  leaves  his  wine  and 
mingles  his  drink  with  weeping  !  This  holy 
sympathy  and  grieving  when  God's  name 
suffers,  God  esteems  an  honouring  and  sanc- 
tifying his  name,  llezekiah  grieved  when 
the  king  of  Assyria  reproached  the  living 
God,  Isa.  xxxvii.  17.  "  lie  went  up  into 
the  house  of  the  Lord,  and  spread  the  letter 
of  blasphemy  before  the  Lord,"  2  Kings  xix. 
14.  And  no  doubt  watered  the  letter  with 
his  tears ;  he  seemed  not  to  be  so  much 
troubled  at  the  fear  of  losing  liis  own  life 
and  kingdom,  as  that  God  should  lose  his 
glory, 

A.  12.  We  hallow  and  sanctify  God's 
name  when  we  give  that  same  honour  to 
God  the  Son  as  we  give  to  God  the  Father, 
John  V.  23.,  "  That  all  men  should  honour 
the  Son,  even  as  they  honour  the  Father." 
The  Socinians  deny  Christ's  divinity,  saying 
that  he  is  a  mere  man  :  this  is  to  make  him 
below  the  angels,  Ps.  viii,  5.,  for  the  human 
nature,  considered  in  itself,  is  below  tho 

3F 


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OF  THE  FIRST  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


angelical ;  this  is  to  reflect  dislionour  upon 
the  Lord  of  glory.  We  must  give  equal 
lionour  to  the  Son  as  to  the  Father ;  we  must 
believe  Christ's  Deity ;  he  is  the  picture  of 
his  Father's  glory,  Heb.  i.  3.  If  the  God- 
Jiead  be  in  Christ,  he  must  needs  be  God  ; 
but  the  Godhead  shines  in  him.  Col.  ii.  9., 
*'  In  him  dwelleth  all  the  fulness  of  the 
Godhead  bodily ;"  therefore,  he  is  Gfod. 
How  could  these  divine  titles  be  given  to 
Christ,  Omnipotency,  Heb.  i.  3., — Uhic|ui- 
ty,  Mat.  xxviii.  20., — a  jjower  of  scaling 
pardons,  Mat.  ix.  6.,-  Co-equality  witli  Cod 
the  Father,  both  in  power  and  di<j;nity, 
John  V.  21,  23., — how,  I  say,  could  theise 
titles  of  honour  be  ascribed  to  Christ,  if  he 
were  not  crowned  with  the  Deity  ?  When 
we  believe  Christ's  Godhead,  and  build  our 
liope  of  salvation  on  the  corner-stone  of  his 
merit, — when  we  see  neither  the  righteous- 
ness of  the  law,  nor  of  angels,  can  justify, 
but  we  flee  to  Christ's  blood  as  to  the  altar 
of  refuge, — this  is  an  honouring  and  sanc- 
tifying God's  name.  God  never  thinks  his 
name  to  be  hallowed,  unless  his  Son  be  ho- 
noured. 

A.  13.  We  hallow  God's  name  by  stand- 
ing up  for  his  truths.  Much  of  God's  glory 
lies  in  his  truths  ;  God's  truths  are  his  ora- 
cles. God  intrusts  us  with  his  truths  as  a 
treasure ;  we  have  not  a  richer  jewel  to  in- 
trust God  with  than  our  souls,  nor  God 
hath  not  a  greater  jewel  to  intrust  us  with 
than  his  truths.  God's  truths  set  forth  his 
glory;  now  when  we  are  zealous  advocates 
for  God's  truths,  this  is  an  honour  done  to 
God's  name.  Athanasius  was  called  '  the 
bulwark  of  truth  ;'  he  stood  up  in  the  defence 
of  God's  truths  against  the  Arians,  and  so 
was  a  pillar  in  tiie  temple  of  God  ;  better 
have  truth  without  peace,  than  peace  with- 
out truth.  It  concerns  the  sons  of  Zion  to 
stand  up  for  the  great  doctrines  of  the  gos- 
pel :  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity, — the  Hy- 
postatical  union, — ^justification  by  faith, — 
the  saints'  perseverance.  We  are  bid  to 
contend  earnestly,  Jude  3.,  to  strive  as  in 
an  agony  for  the  faith,  that  is,  the  doctrine 
of  faith ;  this  contending  for  the  truth, 
brings  great  revenues  to  heaven's  exche- 
quer; this  is  an  hallowing  of  (lod's  name. 
Contend  for  the  truth  ;  some  can  contend 
for  ceremonies,  but  not  for  the  truth.     We 


should  count  him  unwise,  that  should  con- 
tend more  for  a  box  of  counters  than  for  his 
box  of  evidences. 

A.  14.  We  hallow  and  sanctify  God's 
name,  by  making  as  many  proselytes  as  we 
can  to  him ;  v.'hen,  by  all  holy  expedients, 
counsel,  prayer,  example,  we  endeavour  the 
salvation  of  others.  How  did  IVIonica,  St. 
Austin's  mother,  labour  for  his  conversion  ! 
She  had  sorer  pangs  in  travail  for  his  new 
birth,  than  for  his  natural  birth.  It  is  an 
liallowing  of  God's  name,  when  we  diffuse 
the  sweet  savour  of  godliness  and  propagate 
rclijfion  to  Others  ;  when  not  only  we  our- 
selves honour  God,  but  are  instruments  to 
make  others  honour  him  ;  certainly  when 
the  heart  is  seasoned  with  grace,  there  will 
be  an  endeavour  to  season  otliers.  God's 
glory  is  as  dear  to  a  saint  as  his  own  salva- 
tion ;  and  that  tliis  glory  may  be  promoted, 
he  endeavours  the  conversion  of  souls;  every 
convert  is  a  member  added  to  Christ.  Let 
us  thus  liaHow  God's  name  by  labouring  to 
advance  piety  in  others ;  especially,  let  us 
endeavour  that  those  who  are  nearly  relat- 
ed to  us,  or  are  under  our  roof,  shall  honour 
God,  Josh.  xxiv.  15.,  "  As  for  me  and  my 
house,  we  will  serve  tlie  Lord."  Let  us 
make  our  houses  Bethels,  places  where 
God's  name  is  called  upon,  Col.  iv.  15., 
"  Salute  Nymphas,  and  the  church  that  is 
in  his  house."  Let  the  parent  endeavour 
that  his  children  may  honour  God,  and  the 
master  that  his  servants  honour  him ;  read 
the  word,  drop  holy  instruction,  perfume 
your  houses  with  prayer ;  the  Jews  had  sa- 
crifices in  their  family  as  well  as  in  the  ta- 
bernacle, Exod.  xii.  3.  This  is  an  hallow- 
ing (iod's  name,  when  we  make  proselytes 
to  him,  and  endeavour  that  all  under  our 
charge  should  honour  and  sanctify  his  name. 

A.  15.  We  hallow  God's  name  when  we 
prefer  the  honour  of  God's  name  before  the 
dearest  things.  1*/.  We  prefer  the  honour 
of  God's  name  before  our  own  credit.  The 
saints  of  old  have,  for  the  honour  of  God, 
been  willing  to  endure  re])roach,  Ps.  Ixix. 
7.,  ''  For  thy  sake  I  lutve  borne  reproach." 
David  cared  not  what  reproach  he  suffered 
so  God's  name  might  not  suffer.  The  pro* 
phet  Elijah  was  called  in  derision,  '  the 
hairy  prophet ;'  and  the  prophet  Isaiah,  '  the 
bearer  of  burdens  ;'  and  the  prophet  Zepl\a- 


OF  THE  FIRST  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


411 


liiali,  '  the  bittei'  propliet ;'  but  they  did  bind 
these  reproaches  as  a  crown  about  tlieir 
head  ;  the  lionour  of  God's  name  was  dear- 
er to  them  than  their  own  lionour.  Moses 
esteemed  the  rej)roaches  of  Clnist  f^reater 
riches  than  tlie  treasures  of  Egypt,  Ileb.  xi. 
26.  TJie  aj)ostles  went  away  rejoicing  that 
they  were  counted  worthy  to  suffer  shame 
for  the  name  of  Christ,  Acts  v.  41., — that 
they  were  graced  so  far  as  to  be  disgraced 
for  the  name  of  Clirist.  This  is  an  haHow- 
ing  God's  name,  when  we  are  content  to 
have  our  name  eclipsed,  that  God's  name 
may  shine  the  more. — 2d.  We  prefer  the 
honour  of  God's  name  before  our  worldly 
profit  and  interest.  Mat.  xix.  27.,  "  We  have 
forsaken  all  and  followed  thee."  When 
tliese  two,  God  and  estate,  come  in  compe- 
tition, we  will  rather  let  estate  go  than 
God's  love  and  favour.  Thus  that  noble 
marquis  of  Vico  parted  with  a  fair  estate 
using  these  words,  '•  Let  their  money  perish 
Avith  them,  that  count  all  the  gold  and  silver 
in  the  world  worth  one  hour's  communion 
with  Jesus  Christ." — 3^.  We  prefer  the  ho- 
nour of  God's  name  before  our  life,  Rom. 
viii.  36.,  "  For  thy  sake  are  we  killed  all 
the  day  long."  The  honour  done  to  God's 
name,  is  not  by  bringing  that  outward  pomp 
and  glory  to  him  as  we  do  to  kings,  but 
God's  honour  comes  in  another  way,  and 
that  is  by  the  sufferings  of  his  people ;  when 
the  world  sees  liow  entirely  God's  people 
love  him,  that  they  will  die  in  his  service, 
this  exalts  and  honours  God's  name  ;  God's 
crown  doth  flourish  in  the  ashes  of  his  mai*- 
tyrs.  St.  Basil  speaks  of  a  virgin,  con- 
demned to  the  fire,  who  having  her  life  and 
estate  offered  her,  if  she  would  bow  to  the 
idol,  answered,  Valeat  vita,  pareat  pecunia, 
— Let  life  and  money  go,  welcome  Christ. 
When  God's  glory  weighs  heaviest  in  the 
balance,  and  we  are  willing  to  suffer  the 
loss  of  all  rather  than  God's  name  should 
Kuffer,  now  we  do  in  an  high  degree  hallow 
God's  name. 

A.  16.  We  do  hallow  and  sanctify  God's 
name,  by  an  holy  conversation,  1  Pet.  ii. 
9.,  "  \e  are  a  royal  priesth<»od,  a  peculiar 
jieople:  that  ye  should'shew  forth  tlie  jirais- 
es  of  him  who  hath  called  you."  As  an 
unholy  life  doth  dishoiiour  God's  name, 
Rom.  ii.  21.,  "  The  name  of  God  is  blas- 


jdiemed  among  the  Gentiles  througli  you," 
so  by  our  holy  and  Bible-conversation  we 
honour  God's  name.  A  holy  life  speaks 
louder  than  all  the  anthems  and  praises  in 
the  world  :  though  the  main  work  of  reli- 
gion lies  in  the  heart,  yet  when  our  light  so 
shines,  that  others  behold  it,  now  they  glo- 
rify God;  when  our  lives  shine,  now  God's 
name  shines.  The  Macedonians  used  one 
day  in  tlie  year  to  wear  the  picture  of  Alex- 
ander set  with  pearl  and  costly  jewels :  so 
when  we  carry  the  j)icture  of  Clirist  about 
us  in  our  holy  example,  now  we  bring  ho- 
nour to  God's  name. 

Use  1st.  See  the  true  note  and  character 
of  a  godly  person  ;  he  is  a  sanctifier  of 
God's  name,  "  Hallowed  be  thy  name." 
A  true  saint  doth  ambitiously  endeavour 
to  advance  God's  name.  This  is  the  ques- 
tion he  asks  himself  in  every  thing  he  is 
going  about :  "  Will  this  action  tend  to  the 
honour  of  God's  name  ?  Will  this  exalt 
God  ?"  This  was  St.  Paul's  chief  design, 
that  Christ  might  be  magnified,  Phil.  i.  20. 
viz.  that  the  crown  upon  his  head  might 
flourish.  A  godly  man  thinks  it  is  scarce 
worth  his  while  to  live  if  he  may  not  bring 
some  revenues  of  honour  to  God's  name. 

Use  2d.  I  may  here  take  uj)  a  sad  lamen- 
tation, and  speak,  as  the  apostle  Paul,  weep- 
ing, Phil.  iii.  18.,  to  consider  how  God's 
name,  instead  of  being  hallowed  and  sanc- 
tified, is  dishonoured.  God's  name — which 
is  more  worth  than  the  salvation  of  all  men's 
souls — suffers  deeply.  We  are  apt  to  speak 
of  our  sufferings, — alas  !  what  are  all  our 
sufferings  ?  God's  name  suffers  most.  God's 
name  is  the  dearest  thing  he  hath.  IIow 
do  men  stand  upon  their  name  and  honour  ? 
God's  name  is  this  day  dishonoured,  it  is 
like  the  sun  in  an  eclipse.  Theodosius 
took  it  heinously  when  they  threw  dirt  uj)- 
on  his  statue  ;  but  now — which  is  far  worse 
— disgrace  is  thrown  \ipon  the  glorious 
name  of  Jehovah.  God's  name  instead  of 
being  hallowed,  is  dishonoured  by  all  sorts, 
1.  By  heathens;  2.  Turks;  3.  Jews;  4, 
Papists  ;  5.  Protestants. 

1.  By  heathens.  Tliey  have  a  knowledge 
of  a  Godhead  by  tlu'  light  of  nature,  Rom. 
i.  19.,  but  they  di.shonour  God,  and  sin  a- 
gainst  the  light  of  nature.  The  Egv'jitians 
worship  an  ox  ;  the  Persians  worship  the 


4]2 


OF  THE  FIRST  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


sun  ;   tl)e  Grecians  and  Romans,  Jupiter ; 
and  the  Parthians  worsliip  the  devil. 

2.  God's  name  is  dishonoured  by  the 
Turks.  They  adore  Mahomet  their  great 
prophet,  as  one  divinely  inspired  ;  Maho- 
met was  of  an  impure,  vicious  life  ;  Maho- 
met plucks  the  crown  from  Christ's  head 
denying  his  Deity. 

3.  God's  name  is  dishonoured  by  the 
Jews  who  give  not  equal  honour  and  ado- 
ration to  God  the  Son,  as  to  God  the  Fa- 
ther. They  expect  a  Messiah  yet  to  come, 
— seculum  J'uturum ;  they  believe  not  in 
Christ,  they  blaspheme  him,  and  slight 
rigliteousness  imputed  ;  they  vilify  the 
Christian  sabbath. 

4.  God's  name  is  dishonoured  by  the  Pa- 
pists.    Popery  is  a  God-dishonouring  reli- 
gion ;  they  dishonour  God's  name,   1st.  by 
their  idolatry,  which  is  spiritual  adultery. 
Ezek.  \xiii.  37.     Idolatry  is  to  worship  a 
false  God,  or  the  true  God  in  a  false  man- 
ner;    this  they  are   guilty  of.     (1.)    They 
dishonour  God  by  their  idolatry,  in  making 
gi'aven  images,  and  giving  the  same  honour 
to  them  as  is  due  to  God  ;  images  are  teach- 
ers of  lies,  Hab.  ii.  18.,  they  represent  God 
in  a  bodily  shape.     (2.)  By  their  idolatry 
in  the  mass ;  worshipping  the  host,  and  of- 
fering it  up  as  a  sacrifice  for  sin.     The  a- 
postle  saith,  Heb.  x.  14.     "  By  one  offering 
he  hath  perfected  for  ever  them  that  are 
sanctified ;"  but  as  if  Christ's  offering  on 
the  cross  were  imperfect,  they  offer  him  up 
daily  in  the  mass,  which  is  a  dishonour  a- 
lone  to  Christ's  priestly  office. — 2d.   The 
papist,   instead  of  hallowing   God's  name, 
dishonour  God's  name,  by  locking  up  the 
scriptures  in  an  unknown  tongue ;  they  as 
the  Philistines  pluck  out  the  people's  eyes, 
and  then  make  sport  with  them  ;  the  Bible 
is  a  shining  light,  but  they  draw  a  curtain 
over  it ;  they  take  away  tlie  key  of  know- 
ledge, Luke  xi.  52.,  and  hinder  God's  glory 
by  hindering  men's  salvation. — 3d.  Instead 
of  hallowing  God's  name,  they  dishonour 
it  by  giving  men  indulgences.     They  say, 
the  pope,  as  Peter's  successor,  hath  power 
to   grant   indulgences,    by   virtue   whereof 
men  are  set  free  in  the  sight  of  God.     (1.) 
It  is  to  steal  a  flower  from  the  crown  of 
heaven.     The  pope  assumes  a  power  to  par- 
don, which  is  God's  prerogative  royal,  Mark 


ii.  7.,  "  Who  can  forgive  sin  but  God  on 
ly  ?"  (2.)  The  pope,  by  liis  indulgence, 
encourageth  men  to  sin.  What  need  the 
papists  care  what  sins  they  commit,  wlien 
they  have  a  license  and  patent  from  the 
pope  to  bear  tliem  harmless  ? — 4th.  Instead 
of  hallowing  God's  name,  they  dishonour 
God's  name,  by  their  invocation  to  saints. 
We  are  to  pray  only  to  God,  Mat.  vi.  6., 
"  Pray  to  thy  Father  ;"  not  pray  to  a  saint, 
or  the  Virgin  Mary,  but  pray  to  your  Fa- 
ther in  heaven  ;  we  may  pray  to  none,  but 
whom  we  may  believe  in,  Rom.  x.  14.  The 
saints  in  heaven  are  ignorant  of  our  griev- 
ances, Isa.  Ixiii.  16.,  "Abraham  be  ignorant 
of  us." — 5th.  Instead  of  hallowing  God's 
name,  they  dishonour  it  by  their  luxury 
and  uncleanness  ;  they  allow  of  stews.  At 
Rome,  fornication  keeps  open  shop,  and  is 
in  some  cases  preferred  before  honourable 
matrimony, — urbs  est  jam  tota  lupanur. — 
6th.  Instead  of  hallowing  God's  name,  they 
dishonour  it,  by  their  blasphemies.  They 
give  equal,  nay,  more  honour  to  the  Virgin 
Mary  than  to  Christ ;  they  ascribe  more  to 
l.er  milk,  than  to  his  blood  ;  they  call  her 
Scala  Coeli, — the  ladder  of  heaven  ;  Janua 
paradisi, — the  gate  of  Paradise.  In  their 
doxologies  they  say,  "  Praise  be  to  the  Vir- 
gin Mary,  and  also  to  Christ."  What  blas- 
phemy is  this,  to  set  the  creature  above  the 
Creator  !  They  say  to  her,  Ojelix  puci-pe- 
ro,  nostra  piaris  sceleru  !  O  happy  mother 
of  a  Son  that  purgest  away  our  crimes  ! — 
7th.  Instead  of  hallowing  God's  name,  they 
dishonour  it,  by  their  lies ;  their  golden  le- 
gend is  an  imposture,  and  is  full  of  lying 
wonders.  They  shew  John  Baptist's  fore- 
head for  a  relic  in  Spain,  yet  his  whole  head 
they  affirm  to  be  seen  in  St.  Sylvester's  in 
Rome ;  they  shew  St.  Peter's  shadow  at 
Rome  :  indeed  we  read  of  St.  Peter's  sha- 
dow. Acts  V.  15.,  but  it  is  strange  how  the 
papists  could  catch  his  shadow,  and  keep 
it  by  them  so  long. — 8th.  Instead  of  hal- 
lowing God's  name,  they  dishonour  it,  by 
baptizing  sin  with  tlie  name  of  virtue. 
Breach  of  oaths  is  with  the  papists  a  virtue. 
If  a  man  hath  bound  his  soul  to  God  by  an 
oath,  yet  to  violate  ttiis  oath  is  virtuous,  if 
it  may  propagate  the  Catholic  cause.  Kill- 
ing those  who  are  of  a  different  religion,  is 
not  only  venial,  but  a  virtue  among  catho- 


OF  THE  FIRST  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


413 


lies.     Destroying  two  liundrctl  thousand  of 
the  Alhigenscs  who  were  protestants,  was 
commended  as  a  gh>nous  action,  lionoured 
with  a  triimiph  at  Rome,  and  crowned  with 
liis  liolincss's  blessing.      Is  not  tliis  an  higli 
dishonour  to  God,  to  gild  over  the  ftuilest 
crimes  with  tlie  name  of  virtue  and  piety  ? 
— 9tl).   Instead  of  hallowing  God's  name, 
they  dishonour  it,  by  their  damnable  asser- 
tions ;   ( 1.)  The  papists  affirm,  that  the  poj)e 
is  above  scripture  ;  that  he  may  disj)ense 
with  it,  and  that  his  canons  bind  more  than 
the  word  of  God.      (2.)   They  teach  merit 
by  good  works  ;  but  if  a  debtor  cannot  ])ay 
liis  creditor,  how  can  he  merit  at  his  hands  ? 
(3.)   That  the  scrij)ture  is  not  a  perfect  rule 
of  faith  and  manners  ;  therefore  they  eik  it 
out  with  their  trjiditions,  which  they  hold  to 
be  of  equal   authority.      (1.)   They   teach, 
that  an  implicit  faith  is  saving  ;  though  one 
may  have  an  implicit  faith,  and  yet  be  ig- 
norant of  all  the  articles  of  religion.      (5.) 
They  say,  that  the  inward  act  of  the  mind 
is  not  required  in  God's  worship ;  diversion 
of  the  mind  in  duty,  though  one  prays  and 
never  thinks  of  God,  is  no  sin,  saith  Ange- 
lus  and  Sylvester,  and  other  papists.     (6.) 
The  papists  make  habitual  love  to  God  un- 
necessary ;  it  is  not  needful,  saith  Bellar- 
mine,  to  perform  any  acts  of  religion  out  of 
love  to  God.     Stapleton  and  Cajetan  affirm 
that  the  precept  of  loving  God  with  all  our 
lieart  is  not  binding ;  by  which  they  cut  a- 
sunder  the  sinews  and  soul  of  all  religion. 
Thus,   instead  of  honouring   God's   name, 
the  pajjists  dishonour  it.     Let  us  pray  hear- 
tily,  that  this  Romish  religion  may  never 
again  get  footing  in  this  nation.    God  grant 
that  this  poisonful  weed  of  popery  may  ne- 
ver be  watered  here;  but  that,  it  being  a 
plant  which  our  heavenly  Father  hath  not 
planted,  it  may  be  rooted  up  ! 

5.  God's  name  is  dishonoured  by  carnal 
protestants.  How  is  God's  name  this  day 
dishonoured  in  England  ?  His  name  is  like 
the  sun  in  an  eclipse.  Christians  instead 
of  hallowing  God's  name,  reproach  and  dis- 
lionour  it :  1st.  By  their  tongues.  2d.  By 
llieir  lives. 

1.  By  their  tongues.  (1.)  They  speak 
irreverently  of  God's  name.  God  s  name 
is  sacred.  Deut.  xxviii.  58.,  "  That  thou 
luayest  fear  this  glorious  and  fearful  name  : 


the  Lord  thy  God."     The  riames  of  kings 
are  not  mentioned  without  giving  them  their 
titles  of  lionour,  high  and  mighty  ;  but  men 
speak  irreverently  of  (»od,   as  if  he  were 
like  one  of  them,  Fs.  1.  21.,  this  is  a  taking 
(lod's  name  in  vain.      (2.)  They  swear  by 
his  name.     Many  seldom  name  (iod's  name 
but  in  oaths.     How  is  God  dishonoured, 
when  men  rend  and  tear  his  name  by  oaths 
and    im})recations  !     Jer.   xxiii.    10.,    "  Be- 
cause of  swearitig  the  land  mourns."     If 
God  will  reckon  with  men  for  idle  words, 
shall  not  idle  oaths  be  put  in  the  account- 
book  ?     "  O   but,"    saith    one,    "  I   cannot 
help  it, — it  is  a  custon^  of  swearing  I  have 
got,    and   I   hope   God  will   forgive   me  !" 
Ans.    Is    this  a   good   plea, — a  custom  of 
swearing  ?     This  is  no  excuse,  but  an  ag- 
gravation of  sin  ;  as  if  one  that  had  been 
accused  for  killing  a  man  should  plead  with 
the  judge  to  spare  him  because  it  was  his 
custom  to  murder ;  this  were  an  aggrava- 
tion of  the  offence  ;  will  not  the  judge  say, 
"  Thou  shalt  the  rather  die  ?"  so  it  is  here. 
2.    As    men    dishonour    God    by    their 
tongues,  so  by  their  lives.     What  is  it  to 
say,  "  Hallowed  be  thy  name,"   when  in 
their  lives  they  profane  his  name  ?    They 
dishonour  God  by  their  atheism,  sabbuth- 
breaking,    uncleanness,    perjury,    intempe- 
rance, injustice.     jMen  lumg  out  a  flag  of 
defiance  against  heaven  ;  as  the  Thracians, 
when  it  thunders,  shoot  their  arrows  against 
heaven,  so  men  shoot  their  sins  as  bearded 
arrows  against  heaven.     Sinnei*s  are  hard- 
ened  in  sin, — they  despise  counsel, — they 
laugh  at  reproof, — they  have  cast  oif  the 
veil   of  modesty, — Satan   hath    taken   such 
full  possession  of  them,  that  when  they  sin, 
they  glory   in    their  shame,    Phil.   iii.    19 
They  brag  how  many  new  oaths  they  have 
invented, — how  oft  they  have  been  drunk, 
— how  many  they  have  defiled  ;  they  declare 
their  sin  as  Sodom  ;  such  horrid  impieties 
are  counnitted  that  a  modest  heatiicn  would 
blush  at.     jNIen,  in  this  age,  sin  at  that  rate, 
as  if  either  they  did  not  believe  there  were 
an  hell,  or  as  if  they  feared  lull  w(mld  be 
full  ere  they  could  get  thither.     Was  (iod's 
name  ever  so  ojienly  dishonoured?  All  our 
!  preaching  will  not  make  them  leave  their 
j  sins.     What  a  black  veil  is  drawn  over  the 
I  face  of  religion  at  this  day  !   livimui  in  tejft' 


414 


OF  THE  FIRST  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


poritm  fcBcihus.  Sen.  "  We  live  in  the  sometimes  drunk  with  passion  ?  If  their  sir* 
dregs  of  time,"  wherein  the  common  shore  be  blaspheming,  is  not  your  sin  murmur- 
of  wickedness  runs.  Physicians  call  it  ing?  "  Are  there  not  with  you,  even  with 
[Gr.  kachexia]  when  there  is  no  part  of  the  yoti,  sins  against  the  Lord  ?"  The  sins  of 
body  free  from  distemper.  England  hath  j  God's  children  go  nearer  to  his  heart,  than 
a  kachexy;   it  is  all  over  disease;   "  Tlie    the  sins  of  others,  Deut.  xxxii.  19,,  "When 


whole  head  is  sick,  the  whole  heart  is  faint," 
Isa.  i.  5.     As  black  vapours  rising  out  of 
the  earth,  cloud  and  darken  the  sun,  so  the 
sins  of  people  in  our  age,  like  hellish  vap- 
ours, cast  a  cloud  upon  God's  glorious  name. 
O  that  our  eyes  were  like  limbecks,  drop- 
ping the  water  of  holy  tears,  to  consider 
how  God's  name,  instead  of  being  hallowed, 
is  polluted  and  profaned  !  And,  may  not  we 
justly  fear   some    heavy  judgments?    Can 
God  put  up  with  our  affronts  any  longer  ? 
Can  he  endure  to  have  his  name  reproach- 
ed ?  Will  a  king  suffer  his  crown-jewels  to 
be  ti'amplcd  in  the  dust  ?  Do  not  we  see  the 
symptoms  of  God's  anger  ?  Do  we  not  see 
his  judgments  hovering  over  us  ?  Sure  God 
is  whetting  his  sword,  he  hath  bent  his  bow, 
and  is  preparing  his  arrows  to  shoot !   Qiia~ 
lis  per  arva  ho  fulvam  mmacefronte  concuti- 
ens  jiiham.  Sen.     The  body  politic  is  in  a 
paroxysm,  or  burning  fit ;  and  may  not  the 
Lord  cause  a  sad  phlebotomy  ?  Seeing  we 
\\\\\  not  leave  our  sins,  he  may  make  us 
ose  our  blood.     May  we  not  fear  that  tlie 
ark  should  remove, — the  A'ision  cease, — the 
stars  in  God's  church  be  removed, — and  we 
should    follow    the    gospel    to    the    grave? 
Wiien  God's  name,   which  should  be  hal- 
owed,  is  profaned  among  a  people,  it  is  just 
with  (iod  to  write  that  dismal  epitaph  u])on 
a  nation's  tomb,   "  The  glory  is  departed." 
And,  tliat  I  may  speak  to  the  consciences 
of  all,  and  deal  impartially,  it  were  well  if 
only  the  profane  party  were  guilty;    but, 
may  not  many  professors  be  called  to  the 
bar,  and  indicted  of  this,  that  they  have  dis- 
honoured God's  name  ?  2  Chron.  xxviii.  10., 
"  Arc  there  not  with  you,  even  with  you, 
sins  against  the  Lord  your  God  ?"  Are  these 
the  spots  of  God's  children  ?  Deut.  xxxii.  5. 
If  you  arc  diamonds,  have  you  no  flaws? 
Have  not  you  your  vanities?  If  your  dis- 
course be  not  profane,  is  it  not  vain  ?  Have 
not  you  your  self-seekings,  rash  censures, 
indecent  dresses  ?  If  the  wicked  of  the  land 
swear,  do  not  you  sometimes  slander  ?  If 
they  are   drunk  with   wine,    are  not  you 


the  Lord  saw  it,  he  abhorred  them,  because 
of  the  provoking  of  his  sons  and  daughters." 
The  sins  of  the  wicked  anger  God ;  the  sins 
of  his  own  people  gi-ieve  him  ;  he  will  be 
sure  to  punish  them,  Amos  iii.  2.  "  You 
only  have  I  known  of  .-ill  the  families  of 
the  earth  ;  therefore  will  I  punish  you  for 
all  your  iniquities."  O  that  our  her^d  were 
waters,  that  we  could  make  this  place  a 
Bochim,  a  place  of  weepers,  that  God's  chil- 
dren might  mix  blushing  with  tears  that 
they  have  so  little  hallowed,  and  so  much 
eclipsed  God's  name  !  Truly  God's  own 
people  have  sinned  enough  to  justify  God 
in  all  his  severe  actings  against  them  ! 

Use  3d.  Of  exhortation.     Let  us  hallow 
and  sanctify  God's  name.     Did  we  but  see 
a  glim])se  of  God's  glory,  as  Moses  did  in 
the  rock,  the  sight  of  this  would  draw  ado- 
ration and  praise  from  us.     Could  we  see 
"  God  face  to  face,"  as  the  angels  in  heaven 
do, — could  we  behold    him  sitting  on   his 
throne  like  a  jasper-stone.  Rev.  iv.  10., — 
we  should  presently,  at  the  sight  of  his  glory, 
do  as  the  twenty-four  elders,  Rev.  iv.  10, 
11.,  "  They  worship  him  that  livcth  for  ever, 
and  cast  their  crowns  before  the  throne, 
saying,   '  Thou  art  worthy,  O  Lord,  to  re- 
ceive glorj^  honour  and  power  !'"  That  we 
may  be  stirred  up  to  this  great  duty,  the 
hallowing,    adoring  and   sanctifying  God's 
name,  consider, 

1.   It  is  the  very  end  of  our  being.     Why 
did  God  give  us  our  life,  but  that  our  living 
may  be  an  hallowing  of  his  name  ?  Why 
did   he  give  us  souls  but  to  admire  him; 
and  tongues,  but  to  praise  him  ?  The  excel- 
lency of  a  thing  is,  when  it  attains  the  end 
for  which  it  was  made ;  the  excellency  of  a 
star  is  to  give  light,  of  a  plant  to  be  fruit 
ful ;  the  excellency  of  a  Christian,  is  to  an- 
swer the  end  of  liis  creation,  which  is  to 
hallow  God's  name,  and  live  to  that  God  by 
whom   he  lives.     He  who  lives,   and  God 
hath  no  honour  by  him,   buries  himself  a- 
live,     and    cxj)oseth    himself    to    a    curse. 
Christ  cursed  the  barren  fig-tree. 


OF  THE  FIRST  PETITION  iN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


US 


2.  God's  name  is  so  excellent  that  it  fle- 
gervcs  to  he  hallowed,  Ps.  viii.  1).,  "  How 
excollcut  is  thy  name  in  all  the  earth  !" 
Ps.  <'\v.  1.,  "Tlion  art  clothed  with  honour 
and  niajesty."  As  the  siui  hath  its  l)ri;L]:ht- 
ness,  wlietlier  we  admire  it  or  not,  so  God's 
name  is  illustrious  and  plorious  wlietlier  we 
hallow  it  or  not.  In  God  arc  all  shininir 
peifV'ctions,  holiness,  wisdom,  mercy  ;  "  he 
is  v.-orthy  to  be  ])raised,"  2  Sam.  xxii.  4. 
God  is  (li;:^n>fs  lionorr, — worthy  of  honour, 
love,  adoration.  We  oft  bestow  titles  of 
honour  upon  them  that  do  not  deserve 
(hem;  but  God  is  worthy  to  be  praised; 
his  name  deserves  hallowincj ;  he  is  above 
all  the  honour  and  praise  which  the  angels 
in  heaven  give  him. 

3.  We  pray,  "  hallowed  be  thy  name  :" 
that  is,  let  thy  name  be  honoured  and  mag- 
nified by  us.  Now,  if  we  do  not  magnify 
his  name,  we  contradict  our  own  prayers  : 
to  say,  "  hallowed  be  thy  name,"  yet  not  to 
bring  honour  to  God's  name,  is  to  take  his 
name  in  vain. 

4.  Such  as  do  not  hallow  God's  name, 
and  bring  revenues  of  honour  to  him,  God 
will  get  his  honour  u])on  them,  Exod.  xiv. 
IT.,  "  I  will  get  me  honour  uj)on  Pharaoh." 
Pharaoh  would  not  hallow  God's  name ; 
"  AVho  is  the  Lord,  that  I  should  obey  him  ?" 
Well,  saith  God,  if  Pharaoh  will  not  honour 
me,  I  will  get  me  honour  nj)on  him.  When 
God  overthrew  him  and  his  chariots  in  the 
sea,  then  he  got  his  honour  upon  him  ;  God's 
]iower  and  justice  were  glorified  in  his  des- 
truction. There  are  some  whom  God  hath 
raised  to  great  power  and  dignity,  and  they 
will  not  honour  God's  name, — they  make 
use  of  their  power  to  dishonour  God, — they 
cast  reproach  upon  Cod's  name,  and  revile 
his  servants  :  well,  they  who  will  not  ho- 
nour God,  he  will  get  his  honour  upon  them 
in  their  final  ruin.  Herod  did  not  give 
glory  to  God,  and  God  did  get  his  glory  n- 
pon  Inm,  Acts  xii.  23.,  "  The  angel  of  the 
Lord  smote  him  because  he  gave  not  God 
the  glory,  and  he  was  eaten  of  worms." 

5.  It  will  be  no  small  comfort  to  us  wdien 
we  come  to  die  that  we  have  hallowed  and 
sanctified  God's  name  ;  it  was  Christ's  com- 
fort a  little  before  his  death,  John  xvii.  4., 
"  I  have  glorified  thee  on  the  earth." 
Chriiit's  redeeming  mankind  was  an  hallow- 


ing and  glorifying  of  God's  name;  neve? 
was  more  honour  brought  to  God's  namd 
than  by  this  great  undertaking  of  Christ 
now,  here  was  Christ's  comfort  before  his 
deatli,  that  he  had  hallowed  God's  name, 
and  brought  glory  to  him.  So,  what  a  cor- 
dial will  this  1)0  to  us  at  last,  when  our 
whole  life  hath  been  an  hallowing  of  God's 
name  !  We  have  loved  him  with  our  hearts, 
praised  him  with  our  lips,  lionoured  him 
with  our  lives ;  we  have  been  to  the  praise 
of  his  glory,  Eph.  i.  G.  At  the  hour  of 
death  all  your  earthly  comforts  will  vanish  ; 
to  think  how  rich  you  have  been,  or  what 
])leasures  you  have  enjoyed  upon  earth,  this 
will  not  give  one  drachm  of  comfin-t. 
What  is  one  the  better  for  an  estate  that  is 
s))ent?  But  now,  to  have  conscience  witnes- 
sing that  you  have  hallowed  God's  name, 
your  whole  life  hath  been  a  glorifying  or 
him,  what  sweet  peace  and  satisfiiction  will 
this  give  !  That  servant  who  hath  been  all 
day  working  in  the  Anneyard,  how  glad  is 
he  when  evening  comes,  that  he  shall  re- 
ceive his  pay  !  Such  as  have  spent  their 
lives  in  honouring  God,  how  sweet  wil. 
death  be  when  they  shall  receive  the  recom- 
pense of  reward  !  What  comfort  was  it  to 
Ilezekiah,  when  he  was  on  his  sick  bed, 
and  could  ajij)eal  to  God,  Isa.  xxxviii.  3., 
"  Remember,  Lord,  how  I  have  walked  be- 
fore theS  with  a  perfect  heart,  and  have 
done  that  which  is  good  in  thy  sight."  I 
have  hallowed  thy  name;  I  have  brought 
all  the  honoiu-  I  could  to  thee;  "  I  have 
done  that  which  is  good  in  thy  sight." 

G.  There  is  nothing  lost  by  Avhat  we  dc 
for  God  ;  if  we  bring  honour  to  his  name, 
he  will  honour  ns.  Honour  is  as  lialak 
said  to  Balaam,  Numb.  xxii.  37.,  "  Am  not 
I  able  indeed  to  promote  thee  to  honour  ?" 
So  if  we  hallow  and  sanctify  God's  name, 
is  he  not  able  to  promote  us  to  honour  ? 
1.  He  will  honour  us  in  our  life.  (1.)  He 
will  put  honour  upon  our  persons ;  he  will 
numl)er  us  among  his  jewels,  ]Mal.  iii.  17. 
he  will  maJ\e  us  a  royal  diadem  in  his  hand, 
Isa.  Ixii.  3. ;  he  will  lift  us  up  in  the  eyes  of 
others,  Zech.  ix.  IG.,  "  They  shall  be  as  the 
stones  of  a  crown  lifted  up,  as  an  ensign 
upon  this  land:"  he  will  esteem  ns  as  the 
cream  and  fiower  of  the  creation,  Isa.  xliii. 
4.,   "  Since  thou  wast  precious  in  ray  i>ight, 


416 


OF  THE  FIRST  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


thou   hast    been    honourable."      (2.)    God  I 
will  jMit  honour  upon  your  names,  Prov.  x. 
7.    "  The  memory  of  the  just  is  blessed." 
How  renowned  have  the  saints  been  in  all 
ages    who    have    hallowed    God's    name? 
How  renowned  was  Abraham  for  his  faith, 
Moses  for  his  meekness,  David  for  his  zeal, 
Paul  for  his  love  to  Christ?     Their  names 
as  a  precious  ointment,  send  forth  a  sweet 
perfume  in  God's  church  to  this  day. — 2. 
God  will  honour  us  at  our  death  ;  he  will 
send  his  angels  to  carry  us  up  with  triumph 
into  heaven,  Luke  xvi.  22.,  "  The  beggar 
died,  and  was   carried  by  the   angels   into 
Abraham's  bosom."    Amasis  king  of  Egypt, 
l>ad  his  chariot  drawn  by  four  kings  whicli 
he  had  conquered  in  war :  but  what  is  this 
to  the  glory  every  believer  shall  have  at  his 
death  ?     He  shall  be  carried  by  the  angels 
of  God. — 3.   God  will  put  honour  upon  us 
after  death:   (L)   He  will   put  glory  upon 
our  bodies ;  we  shall  be  as  the  angels,  not 
for  substance  but  quality ;  our  bodies  shall 
be  agile  and  nimble ;  now  our  bodies  are  as 
a  weight,   then   they  shall  be  as   a  wing, 
moAnng  swiftly  from  place  to  place ;  our 
bodies  shall  be  full  of  clarity  and  bright- 
/less,  like  Christ's  glorious  body,   Phil.  iii. 
21.'  The  bodies  of  the  saints  shall  be  as 
cloth  dyed  into  a  scarlet  colour,  made  more 
illustrious ;  they  shall  be  so  clear  and  trans- 
parent, that  the  soul  shall  sparkle'  through 
them  as  the  wine  through  the  glass.      (2.) 
God  will  put  glory  upon   our  souls  ;  if  the 
cabinet  of  the  body  shall  be  so  illustrious, 
of  what  orient   brightness  shall  the  jewel 
be?     Then   will  be   the  great  coronation 
day,  when  the  saints  shall  wear  the  robe  of 
immortality,   and  the  crown  of  righteous- 
ness which  fades  not  away.      O  how  glori- 
ous will  that  garland  be  which  is   made  of 
the  flowers  of  j)aradise  !      Who  then  would 
not  hallow  and  glorify  God's  name,  and 
spread  his  renown  in  the  world,  who  will 
put  such  immortal  honour    npon  his  peo- 
ple,  "  as  eye  hath  not  seen  nor  ear   heard, 
neither  bath  it  entered   into  the   heart  of 


uiun  to  conceive : 


V" 


7.  Such  as  do  not  hallow  God's  name, 
but  profane  and  dishonour  it,  God  wdll  pour 
contempt  upon  them ;  though  they  be  ever 
so  great,  and  though  clothed  in  purple  and 
scarlet,  yet  they  are  abhorred  of  God,  and 
their  name  shall  rot.     Though  the  name  of 
Judas  be  in  the  Bible,  and  the  name  of  Pon- 
tius Pilate  be  in  the  creed,  yet  their  names 
stand  there  for  infamy,  as  being  traitors  to 
the  crown  of  heaven,    Nahum  i.    14.,   "  I 
will  make  thy  gi'ave,  for  thou  art  vile."     It 
is  spoken  of  Antiochus  Epiphanes,  he  was 
a  king  and  his  name  signifies  illustrious, 
yet  God  esteemed   him  a  vile  person.     To 
shew  how  base  the  wicked  are  in  God's  es- 
teem,   he   compares   them   to   things  most 
vile ;  to  chaflF,   Ps.  i.  4. ;  to  dross,  Ps.  cxix. 
119.;  and  the  filth  that  foams  out   of  the 
sea,  Isa.  Ivii.  20.     And  as  God  doth  thus 
vilely  esteem  of  such  as  do  not  hallow  his 
name,  so  he  sends  them  to  a  vile  place  at 
last.      Vagrants  are  sent   to  the  house  of 
correction  :  hell  is  the  house  of  correction 
which  the  wicked  are  sent  to  when   they 
die.     Let  all  this  prevail  with  us  to  hallow 
and  sanctify  God's  name. 

Quest.  ff7iat  may  we  do  to  honour  and 
sanctify  God's  name  ? 

Ans.  Let  us  get,  1  st.  a  sound  knowledge 
of  God ;  2d.  a  sincere  love  to  God. 

1.  A  sound  knowledge  of  God;  take  a 
view  of  his  superlative  excellencies, — his 
holiness, — his  incomprehensible  goodness. 
The  angels  know  God  better  than  ^ve, 
therefore  they  sanctify  his  name,  and  sing 
hallelujahs  to  him.  And  let  us  labour  to 
know  him  to  be  our  God,  Ps.  xlviii.  14,, 
"  This  God  is  our  God."  We  may  dread 
God  as  a  judge,  but  we  cannot  honour  him 
as  a  father,  till  we  know  he  is  our  God. 

2.  Get  a  sincere  love  to  God, — a  love  of 
a])i)reciation,  and  a  love  of  complacency  to 
delight  in  him,  John  xxi.  15.,  "  Lord,  thou 
knowest  I  love  thee."  He  can  never  ho- 
nour his  master  who  doth  not  love  him. 
The  reason  God's  name  is  no  more  liallow- 
ed,  is  because  his  name  is  no  more  loved. 
So  much  for  the  fust  petition. 


OF  THE  SECOND  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PUAYEll. 


417 


OF  THE  SECOND  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


Mat.  vi.  10.   Thy  kingdom  come. 


A  SOUL  truly  devoted  to  God  joins  liear  • 
tily  in  tliis  petition,  adveniat  regnum  titum, — 
"thy  kinfjdom  come  ;"  in  wliicli  words  this 
great  truth  is  iiTij)lied,  tlmt  God  is  a  kinj^. 
He  who  hath  a  kingdom,  can  be  no  less 
than  a  king,  Ps.  xlvii.  7.,  "  God  is  the  king 
of  all  the  earth."  And  he  is  a  king  upon 
liis  throne,  Ps.  xlvii.  8.,  "  God  sitteth  upon 
the  throne  of  his  holiness."  1st.  He  hath 
a  regal  title,  high  and  mighty,  Isa.  Ivii.  15., 
"  Thus  saith  the  high  and  lofty  One."  2d. 
He  hath  the  ensigns  of  royalty  :  his  sword, 
Deut.  xxxii.  41.,  "  If  I  whet  my  glittering 
I  sword."  He  hath  his  sceptre,  Heb.  i.  8., 
"  A  sceptre  of  righteousness  is  the  sceptre 
of  thy  kingdom." — Sd.  He  hath  his  crown 
royal,  Rev.  xix.  12.,  "  On  his  head  were 
many  crowns."  He  hath  his  Jura  regalia, 
— his  kingly  prerogatives  ;  he  hath  power 
to  make  laws,  to  seal  pardons,  which  are 
the  flowers  and  jewels  belonging  to  his 
crown.     Thus  the  Lord  is  king. 

And,  2dly,  He  is  a  great  king,  Ps.  xcv. 
3.,  "  A  great  king  above  all  gods."  He  is 
great  in,  and  of  himself;  and  not  like  other 
kings,  who  are  made  great  by  their  sub- 
jects. That  he  is  so  great  a  king  appears, 
(1.)  By  the  immcnseness  of  his  being,  Jer. 
xxiii.  21.,  "Do  not  I  fill  heaven  and  earth? 
Kaith  the  Lord."  His  centre  is  every  where ; 
he  is  no  where  included,  yet  no  where  ex- 
cluded ;  he  is  so  immensely  great,  that 
"  the  heaven  of  heavens  cannot  contain 
thee,"  1  Kings  viii.  27.  (2.)  His  greatness 
appears  by  the  effects  of  his  power,  "  Who 
made  heaven  and  earth,"  Ps.  cxxiv.  8.,  and 
can  unmake  it.  God  can  with  Ji  breath 
crumble  us  to  dust;  with  a  word  he  can 
unpin  the  world,  and  break  the  axle-tree 
of  it  in  pieces ;  "  he  pours  contempt  upon 
princes,"  Job  xii.  21.,  "  He  shall  cut  off 
the  spirit  of  princes,"  Ps.  Ixxvi.  12.  He 
is  Lord  paramount,  who  doth  whatever  he 
will,  Ps.  cxv.  3.,  "  He  weigheth  the  moun- 
tains in  scales,  and  the  hills  in  a  balance," 
Isa-  xl.  12. 

?ri/?/    God  is  a  crlorious  Kinor    p^.  xxiv 


10.,  "  Who  is  this  King  of  glory?  Tho 
Lord  of  hosts,  he  is  the  King  of  glory." 
He  hath  internal  glory,  P«.  xciii.  1.,  "  The 
Lord  reigneth,  he  is  clothed  with  majesty." 
Other  kings  have  royal  and  suinj)tuous  aj>- 
parel  to  make  them  appear  g'orious  to  the 
beholders,  but  all  their  magnificence  is  bor- 
rowed ;  but  God  is  clothed  with  majesty, 
his  own  glorious  essence  is  instead  of  royal 
robes,  and  '  he  hath  girded  himself  with 
strength.'  Kings  have  their  guard  about 
them  to  defend  their  persons,  because  they 
are  not  able  to  defend  themselves;  but  God 
needs  no  guard  or  assistance  from  others  ; 
he  hath  girded  himself  with  strength.  His 
own  power  is  his  life-guard,  Ps.  Ixxxix.  6., 
"  Who  in  the  heaven  can  be  compared  unto 
the  Lord  ?  Who  among  the  sons  of  the 
mighty  can  be  likened  unto  the  Lord  ?" 
God  liath  a  pre-eminence  above  all  other 
kings  for  majesty.  Rev.  xix.  16.,  "  He 
hath  on  his  vesture  a  name  Avritten,  i^Rex 
licgwn,)  KING  OF  KINGS."  He  hath  the 
highest  throne,  the  richest  crown,  the  larg- 
est dominions,  and  the  longest  possession, 
Ps.  xxix.  10.,  "  The  Lord  sitteth  King  for 
ever."  Though  God  hath  many  heirs,  yet 
no  successors.  He  sets  up  his  throne  where 
no  other  king  doth;  he  rules  the  will  and 
affections;  his  power  binds  the  conscience; 
angels  serve  him  ;  all  the  kings  of  the  earth 
hold  their  crowns  and  diadems  by  imme- 
diate tenure  from  this  great  King,  Pro  v. 
viii.  15.,  "By  me  kings  reign;"  and  to 
this  Lord  Jehovah  all  kinjjs  must  jrive  ac- 
count,  and  from  God's  tribunal  there  is  no 
appeal. 

Use  \st.  Branch  1.  If  God  be  so  great  a' 
King,  and  sits  King  for  ever,  then  it  is  no 
disparagement  for  us  to  tserve  him.  Deo 
scrvirc  est  tcgiiare;  it  is  an  honour  to  serve 
a  king.  If  the  angels  fly  swillly  ujjon  tho 
King  tif  heaven's  message,  Dan.  ix.  21.,. 
then  well  we  may  look  upon  it  as  a  favour 
to  be  taken  into  his  royal  service.  Thco- 
dosius  thought  it  a  greater  honour  to  bo 
God's  servant,  than  to  br  an  em])eror.     It 

3  a 


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is  more  honour  to  serve  God  than  to  have    him  ;  he  can  make  the  dry  bones  live,  Ezek. 
kino-s  serve  us.     Every  subject  of  tliis  king    xxxvii.  10.     As  a  King  he  can  command, 


is  crowned  with  regal  honour,  Rev.  i.  6., 
"  And  hath  made  us  kings."  Therefore  as 
the  queen  of  Sheba,  having  seen  the  gloiy 
of  Solomon's  kingdom,  said,  "  Happy  are 
these  thy  servants  which  stand  continually 
before  thee,"  1  Kings  x.  8.,  so,  happy  are 
those  saints  who  stand  before  the  King  of 
heaven,  and  wait  on  his  throne. 

Branch  2.  If  God  be  such  a  glorious 
King,  crowned  with  wisdom,  armed  with 
power,  bespangled  with  riches,  then  it  shews 
us  what  prudence  it  is  to  have  tliis  King  to 
be  ours;  to  say,  as  Ps.  v.  2.,  "  My  King, 
and  my  God  !"  It  is  counted  great  policy 
to  be  on  the  strongest  side ;  if  we  belong  to 
the  King  of  heaven,  we  are  sure  to  be  on 
the  strongest  side  ;  the  King  of  glory  can 
■with  ease  destroy  his  adversaries  ;  he  can 
pull  down  their  pride,  befool  their  policy, 
restrain  their  malice.  That  stone  cut  out 
of  the  mountain  without  hands,  which  smote 
the  image,  Dan.  ii.  34.,  was  an  emblem 
(saith  Austin)  of  Christ's  monarchical  power, 
conquering  and  triumphing  over  his  ene- 
mies. If  we  are  on  God's  side,  we  are  on 
the  strongest  side;  he  can  with  a  word  de- 
stroy his  enemies,  Ps.  ii.  5.,  "  Then  shall 
he  speak  unto  them  in  his  wrath  ;"  nay,  he 
can  with  a  look  destroy  them,  Job  xl.  12., 
"  Look  upon  every  one  tiiat  is  proud  and 
bring  liim  low."  It  needs  cost  God  no  more 
to  confound  those  who  rise  up  against  him, 
than  a  look,  a  cast  of  his  eye,  Exod.  xiv. 
24,  25.,  "  In  the  morning  watch  the  Lord 
looked  to  the  host  of  the  Egyptians,  thi'ough 
the  pillar  of  fire,  and  troubled  their  host, 
and  took  off  their  chariot-wheels."  What 
wisdom  is  it  then  to  have  this  King  to  be 
ours  ?  Then  we  are  on  the  strongest  side. 
Use  2d.  Of  Exliortation. 

Branch  1.  If  God  he  so  glorious  a  King, 
full  of  power  ami  majesty,  let  us  trust  in 
nim,  Ps.  ix.  10.,  "  Tliey  that  know  thy 
name  will  put  their  trust  in  thee."  Trust 
him  with  your  soul  ;  you  cannot  put  this 
iewel  in  safer  hands.  And  trust  him  with 
church  and  state  affairs ;  he  is  King,  Exod. 
XV.  3.,  "  Tiie  Lord  is  a  man  of  war."  He 
can  make  bare  bis  holy  arm  in  the  eyes  of 
all  the  nations.     If  means  fail  he  is  never 


and  as  a  God  he  can  create  sah^ation,  Isa.  Ixv. 
18.,  "  I  create  Jerusalem  a  rejoicing."  Let 
us  trust  all  our  affairs  with  this  great  King. 
Either  God  can  remove  mountains  or  can 
leap  over  them,  Cant.  ii.  8. 

Branch  2.  If  God  be  so  great  a  King, 
let  us  fear  him,  Jer.  v.  22.,  "  Fear  ye  not 
me  ?  saith  the  Lord  :  will  ye  not  tremble  at 
my  presence  ?"  We  have  enough  of  fear  of 
men.  Fear  makes  danger  appear  greater, 
and  sin  lesser ;  but  let  us  fear  the  King  of 
kings,  who  hath  power  to  cast  body  and 
soul  into  hell,  Luke  xii.  5.  As  one  wedge 
drives  out  another,  so  the  fear  of  God  would 
drive  out  all  base  carnal  fear.  Let  us  fear 
that  God  whose  throne  is  set  aboA'e  all  kings ; 
they  may  be  mighty,  but  he  is  almighty. 
Kings  have  no  power,  but  what  God  hath 
given  them  ;  their  power  is  limited,  his  is 
infinite.  Let  us  fear  this  king,  Avhose  eyes, 
"  are  as  a  flame  of  fire."  Rev.  i.  14.,  "  The 
mountains  quake  .it  him  ;  and  the  rocks  are 
thrown  down  by  him,"  Nahum  i.  6.  If  he 
stamps  with  his  foot,  all  the  creatures  are 
presently  up  in  a  battalia  to  fight  for  him. 
O  tremble  and  fear  before  this  God  !  Fear 
is  Janitor  animcB,  it  is  the  door-keeper  of  the 
soul ;  it  keeps  sin  from  entering,  Gen.  xxxix. 
9.,  "  How  then  can  I  do  this  great  wicked- 
ness, and  sin  against  God  ^" 

Branch  3.  If  God  be  so  glorious  a  King, 
he  htiih  Jus  vitce  necisqne, — he  hath  the  power 
of  life  and  death  in  his  hand.  Let  all  the 
potentates  of  the  earth  take  heed  how  they 
employ  their  power  against  the  king  of  hea- 
ven ;  they  employ  their  power  against  God, 
who  with  their  sceptre  beat  down  his  truth, 
Avhich  is  the  most  orient  pearl  of  his  crown, 
who  crush  and  persecute  his  ])eople,  who 
are  the  apple  of  his  eye,  Zech.  ii.  8.  Who 
trample  upon  his  laws,  .ind  royal  edicts, 
whicli  he  hath  set  forth,  Ps.  ii.  3.  What  is 
a  king  without  his  laws  ?  Let  all  that  are 
invested  with  wordly  power  and  grandeur, 
take  heed  how  they  oj)pose  the  King  of  glo- 
rv ;  the  Lord  will  be  too  hard  for  all  that 
come  against  him.  Job  xl.  9.,  "  Hast  thou 
an  arm  like  God  ?"  Wilt  thou  measure  arms 
with  the  Almighty  ?  !Sha!l  a  little  child  go 
to  fight  with  jui  archangel  ?  Ezek.  xxii.  14., 


at  a  loss ;  there  are  no  impossibilities  with  J  "  Can  thy  heart  endure,  or  can  thy  hands 


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419 


be  strong  in  the  days  tliat  I  shall  deal  with 
thee?"  Christ  will  put  all  his  enemies  at 
last  under  his  feet,  Ps.  ex.  1.  All  the  mul- 
titude of  the  wicked  who  set  themselves  a- 
gainst  God  shall  be  but  as  so  many  clusters 
of  ripe  grapes,  to  be  cast  into  the  wine  press 
of  the  wrath  of  God,  and  to  be  trodden  by 
him  till  their  blood  come  forth.  The  King  of 
glory  will  come  off  victor  at  last ;  men  may 
set  up  their  standard,  but  God  always  sets 
up  his  trophies  of  victory.  The  Lord  hath 
a  golden  sceptre,  and  an  iron  rod,  Ps.  ii.  9. 
Those  who  will  not  bow  to  the  one,  shall  be 
broken  by  the  other. 

Branch  4.  Is  God  so  great  a  King  having 
all  power  in  heaven  and  earth  in  his  hand? 
Let  us  learn  subjection  to  him.  Such  as 
liavc  gone  on  in  sin,  and  by  their  impieties 
hung  out  a  flag  of  defiance  against  the  King 
of  heaven,  O  c<»me  in  quickly,  and  make 
your  peace,  submit  to  God,  Ps.  ii.  12., 
"  Kiss  the  Son,  lest  he  be  angry  !"  Kiss 
Christ  with  a  kiss  of  love,  and  a  kiss  of  o- 
bedience  ;  obey  the  king  of  heaven,  when 
he  speaks  to  you  by  his  ministers  and  am- 
bassadors, 2  Cor.  V.  20.  When  God  bids 
you  flee  from  sin,  and  espouse  holiness,  o- 
beyhini;  to  obey  is  better  than  sacrifice. 
"  To  obey  God  (saith  Luther)  is  better  than 
to  work  miracles."  Obey  God  willingly, 
Isa.  i.  19.  That  is  the  best  obedience  that 
is  cheerful,  as  that  is  the  sweetest  honey 
which  drops  out  ,of  the  comb  ;  obey  God 
swiftly,  Zech.  v.  9.,  "  I  lift  uj)  mine  eyes, 
and,  behold,  two  women,  and  the  wind  was 
in  their  wings."  Wings  are  swift,  but  wind 
in  the  wings  denotes  great  swiftness  ;  such 
should  our  obedience  to  God  be.  Obey  the 
King  of  glory. 

Use  3d.  Comfort  to  those  who  are  the 
subjects  of  the  King  of  heaven  ;  God  will 
put  forth  all  the  royal  power  for  their  suc- 
cour and  comfort. 

1.  The  King  of  heaven  will  plead  their 
cause,  Jer.  H.  36.,  "  I  will  plead  thy  cause, 
and  take  vengeance  for  thee." 

2.  He  will  protect  his  people ;  he  sets  an 
invisible  guard  about  them,  Zech.  ii.  5.,  "  I 
will  be  unto  her  a  wall  of  fire  round  about." 
A  wall,  that  is  defensive  ;  a  wall  of  fire,  that 
is  offensive. 

3.  Wlien  it  may  be  for  the  good  of  his 
people,  he  will  raise  up  deliverance  to  them, 


1  Chron.  xi.  14.,  "  The  Lord  saved  them  by 
a  great  deliverance."  God,  reigning  as  a 
king,  can  save  any  way ;  by  contemptible 
means, — the  blowing  of  trumpets, — and 
blazing  of  lamps.  Judges  vii.  20.;  by  con- 
trary means, — he  made  the  sea  a  wall  to 
Israel,  and  the  waters  were  a  means  to  keep 
them  from  drowning, —  the  fish's  belly  was 
a  ship  in  which  Jonah  sailed  safe  to  shore. 
God  will  never  want  ways  of  saving  his  peo- 
ple; rather  than  fail,  the  very  enemies  shall  do 
his  work,  2  Chron.  xx.  23.  He  set  Ammon 
.and  Mount  Seir  one  against  another.  And 
as  God  will  deliver  his  people  from  tempo- 
ral danger,  so  from  spiritual,  from  sin,  and 
from  hell ;  "  Jesus  which  delivered  us  from 
the  wrath  to  come,"  1  Thess.  i.  10. 

Use  4th.  Terror  to  the  enemies  of  the 
church.  If  God  be  king,  he  will  set  his  ut- 
most strength  against  them  Avho  are  the 
enemies  of  his  kingdom,  Ps.  xcvii.  3.,  "  A 
fire  goes  before  him  and  burnetii  up  his  ene- 
mies round  about." 

1.  He  will  set  himself  against  his  ene- 
mies ;  he  will  set  his  attributes  against 
them,  his  power  and  justice  ;  and,  "  who 
knowcth  the  power  of  thine  anger  ?"  Ps. 
xc.  II. 

2.  God  will  set  the  creatures  against 
them.  Judges  v.  20.  The  stars  in  their 
courses  fought  against  Sisera.  Tertulliaa 
observes  that  the  Persians  fighting  against 
the  Christians,  a  mighty  wind  arose,  which 
did  make  the  Persians'  arrows  to  fly  back 
in  their  own  faces.  Every  creature  hath  a 
quarrel  with  a  sinner  :  the  stone  out  of  the 
wall,  Ilab.  ii.  11., — the  hail  and  the  frost, 
Ps.  Ixxviii.  47.,  "  He  destroyed  their  vines 
with  hail,  and  their  sycamore-trees  with 
Irost. 

3.  God  will  set  men  against  themselves. 
(1.)  He  will  set  conscience  against  them. 
And  how  terrible  is  this  rod  when  turned 
into  a  serpent?  Mclancthon  calls  it  E- 
njnnis  cunscioilice, — a  hellish  fury ;  it  is 
called  vermis  cunscientice, — the  worm  of  con- 
science, Mark  ix.  44.  What  a  worm  did 
Spira  feel  in  his  conscience  ?  He  was  a 
terror  to  himself.  The  worst  civil  wars 
are  between  a  man  and  his  conscience. 
(2.)  God  will  set  the  diseases  of  men's  bo- 
dies against  them,  2  Chron.  xxi.  18.,  The 
Lord  smote  Jchoram  "  in  Ids  bowels  with 


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OF  THE  SECOND  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


an  incurable  disease."  God  can  raise  an  Acts  i.  6.,  "Wilt  tliou  at  this  time  rcstoie 
army  against  a  man,  out  of  his  own  bow-  again  the  kingdom  to  Israel  ?"  But  C  hrist 
els ;  he  can  set  one  humour  of  the  body  a-  said,  his  kingdom  was  not  of  this  world, 
gainst  another;  the  heat  to  dry  up  the  mois-  :  John  xviii.  36. ;  so  that,  when  Christ  taught 


turc,  and  the  moisture  to  drown  the  heat ; 
the  Lord  needs  not  go  far  for  instruments 
to  punish  the  sinner ;  he  can  make  the 
joints  of  the  same  body  to  smite  one  against 
another,  as  Dan.  v.  6.  (3.)  God  will  set 
men's  friends  against  them ;  where  they 
used  to  have  honey,  they  shall  have  nothing 
but  aloes  and  wormwood.  "  When  a  man's 
ways  please  the  Lord,  he  shall  make  even 
his  enemies  to  be  at  peace  with  him,"  Pro  v. 
xvi.  7. ;  but  when  he  opposeth  God,  he 
makcth  his  friends  to  be  his  enemies.  Com- 
modus  the  emperor,  his  own  wife  gave  him 
poison  in  ])erfumed  wine.  Sennacherib's 
two  sons  were  the  death  of  him,  2  Kings 
xix.  37.  (4.)  God  will  set  Satan  against 
them,  Ps.  cix.  6.,  "  Let  Satan  stand  at  his 
right  hand."  What  dotli  Satan  at  the  sin- 
ner's elbows?  1.  He  helps  him  to  contrive 
sin.  2.  He  tempts  him  to  commit  sin.  3. 
He  terrifies  him  for  sin.  He  that  hath  Sa- 
tan thus  standing  at  his  right  hand,  is  sure 
to  be  set  at  God's  left  baud.  Here  is  the 
misery  of  such  as  oppose  God's  royal  scep- 
tre, he  will  set  every  thing  in  t\\e  world  a- 
gainst  them;  if  there  be  either  justice  in 
heaven,  or  fire  in  hell,  sinners  shall  not  be 
unpunished. 

Use  last,  If  God  be  such  an  absolute  mo- 
narch, and  crowned  with  such  glory  and 
majesty,  let  us  all  engage  in  his  service, 
and  stand  up  for  his  truth  and  worship; 
dare  to  own  God  in  the  worst  time  ;  he  is 
King  of  kings,  and  is  able  to  reward  all  his 
servants;  we  may  be  losers  for  him, — wc 
shall  never  be  losers  by  him.  We  arc  ready 
to  say,  as  Amaziah,  2  Chron.  xxv.  9., 
"What  shall  we  do  for  the  hundred  talents  ?" 
If  I  appear  for  God,  I  may  lose  my  estate, 
my  life.  I  say  with  the  prophet,  God  is 
able  to  give  you  much  more  tliau  this ;  he 
can  give  you  for  the  present  inward  j)eace, 
and  for  the  future  a  crown  of  glory  which 
fadeth  not  away. 

Quest.  What  kingdom  doth  Christ  mean 
here  ? 

Jjis.  Ncgat.  1.  He  doth  not  mean  a  poli- 
tical or  earthly  kingdom.  The  apostles  in- 
deed did  desire,  \st.  Christ's  temporal  reign, 


his  discij)les  to  pray,  "thy  kingdom  come," 
he  did  not  mean  it  of  any  earthly  kingdom, 
that  he  should  reign  here  in  outward  pomp 
and  splendour.  2d.  It  is  not  meant  of  God's 
providential  kingdom,  Ps.  ciil.  19.,  "  His 
kingdom  ruleth  over  all ;"  that  is,  the  king- 
dom of  his  providence.  This  kingdom  we 
do  not  pray  for,  when  we  say,  "  thy  king- 
dom come;"  for  this  kingdom  is  already 
come  ;  God  exerciseth  the  kingdom  of  his 
providence  in  the  world,  Ps.  Ixxv.  7.,  "  He 
putteth  down  one  and  setteth  up  another." 
Nothing  stirs  in  the  world  but  God  hath  an 
hand  in  it;  he  sets  every  wheel  a-working; 
he  humbles  the  proud,  and  raiseth  the  poor 
out  of  the  dust,  to  set  them  among  princes, 
1  Sam.  ii.  8.  The  kingdom  of  God's  pro- 
vidence ruleth  over  all ;  kings  do  nothing 
but  what  his  providence  permits  and  orders. 
Acts  iv.  27.  This  kingdom  of  God's  pro- 
vidence we  do  not  pray  should  come,  for  it 
is  already  come.  What  kingdom  then  is 
meant  here  when  we  say,  "  Thy  kingdom 
come?"  Arts.  Positively.  There  is  a  two- 
fold kingdom  meant  here.  \st.  The  king- 
dom of  grace,  which  kingdom  God  exer- 
cises in  the  consciences  of  his  people:  this 
is  regjium  Dei  mikron, — God's  lesser  king- 
dom, Luke  V.  3.  When  we  pr.ay,  "  Thy 
kingdom  come:"  (1.)  Here  is  something 
tacitly  implied,  that  we  are  in  the  kingdom 
of  darkness.  1.  We  pray  that  we  may  be 
brought  out  of  the  kingdom  of  darkness. 
2.  That  the  devil's  kingdom  in  the  world 
may  be  demolished.  (2.)  Something  posi- 
tively intended, — ndvaiiat  ngnum  gratue 
et  gloria.  1.  Wc  pray,  that  the  kingdom 
of  grace  may  be  set  up  in  our  hearts  and 
increased.  2.  When  we  pray,  "Thy  king- 
dom come ;"  we  ])rayj  that  the  kingdom  of 
glory  may  hasten,  and  thivt  we  may  in 
God's  good  time  be  translated  into  it. 
These  two  kingdoms  of  grace  and  glory,  dif- 
fer not  specifically,  but  gradually  ;  they  dif- 
fer not  in  nature,  but  only  in  degree.  The 
kingdom  of  grace  is  nothing  but  the  incho- 
ation  or  beginning  of  the  kingdom  of  glory  ; 
the  kingdom  of  grace  is  glory  in  the  seed, 
and  the  kingdom  of  glory  is  grace  in   the 


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421 


flo«vr:  tlio  kiiifj^dom  of  grace  is  glory  in 
the  daybreak,  and  the  kingdom  of  glory  is 
grace  in  the  full  nuM-idiaii  ;  tlic  kingdom  of 
grace  is  glory  militant,  and  tlio  kingdom  of 
glory  is  grace  triumphant.  There  is  such 
an  inseparable  connexion  between  these 
two  kingdoms,  grace  and  glory,  that  there 
is  no  passing  into  the  one  kingdom  but  by 
the  other.  At  Athens  there  were  two  tem- 
ples, a  temple  of  virtue  and  a  temple  of 
honour,  and  tlierc  was  no  going  iuto  the 
temple  of  honour,  bnt  through  the  temple 
of  virtne  :  so  the  kingdoms  of  grace  and 
glory  are  so  close  joined  together,  that  we 
cannot  go  into  the  kingdom  of  glory,  but 
through  the  kingdom  of  grace.  Many  peo- 
ple aspire  after  the  kingdom  of  glory,  but 
never  look  after  grace :  but  these  two, 
which  God  hath  joined  together,  may  not  be 
put  asunder ;  the  kingdom  of  grace  leads 
to  the  kirifrdom  of  fflorv. 

I.  I  begin  \vith  the  first  thing  im])licd  in 
this  petition,  "  Thy  kingdom  come  ;"  it  is 
implied,  that  we  are  in  the  kingdom  of  dark- 
ness ;  and  we  pray  that  we  may  be  brought 
out  of  the  kingdom  of  darkness ;  the  state 
of  nature  is  a  kingdom  of  darkness;  'tis  a 
kingdom;  sin  is  said  to  reign,  Rom.  vi,  12. 
And  'tis  a  kingdom  of  darkness  ;  it  is  call- 
ed, "  the  power  of  darkness,"  Col.  i.  13. 
Man,  before  the  fall,  was  illuminated  with 
perfect  knowledge,  bnt  this  light  is  now 
eclipsed,  and  he  is  fallen  into  the  kingdom 
of  darkness. 

Quest.  IIoic  many  ways  is  a  natural  man 
in  tlie  k'nigdovi  cf  (Utrlmcss  f 

Alls.  1.  lie  is  under  the  darkness  of  ig- 
norance, Eph.  iv.  18.,  "  Having  the  under- 
standing darkened."  Ignorance  is  a  black 
veil  drawn  over  the  mind ;  men  by  nature 
may  have  a  deep  reach  in  the  things  of 
the  world,  but  ignorant  in  the  tilings  of 
God.  Nahash  the  Amnnmite  would  make 
a  covenant  willi  Israel  to  thrust  out  their 
right  eyes,  ]  Sam.  xi.  2.  Since  the  fall, 
our  left  eye  remains,  a  deep  insight  into 
worldly  matters;  but  our  i  ight  eye  is  thrust 
out,  we  have  no  sa\ing  knnwhdge  of  (iod; 
something  we  know  by  nature,  but  notliiug 
as  we  ought  to  know,  1  Cor.  viii.  2.  Igno- 
rance draws  the  curtains  round  about  the 
soul,  1  Cor.  ii.  \\. 

d.  2.  A  iiaturjil  man  is  under  the  dark- 


ness of  pollution  ;  hence  sinful  actions  aro 
called  "  works  of  darkness,"  Rom.  xiii.  12. 
Pride  and  lust  darken  the  glory  of  the  soul : 
a  sinner's  heart  is  a  dark  conclave,  it  looks 
blacker  than  bell. 

A.  3.  A  natural  man  is  under  the  dark- 
ness of  misery ;  he  is  exposed  to  divine  ven- 
geance; and  the  sadness  of  this  darkness, 
is,  that  men  are  not  sensible  of  it;  yet  they 
are  l)lind,  yet  they  think  they  see.  The 
darkness  of  Egypt  was  such  thick  darkness 
as  "  may  be  felt,"  Exod.  x.  21.:  men  are 
by  nature  in  thick  darkness,  but  here  is  the 
misery;  the  darkness  cannot  be  felt;  they 
will  not  believe  they  are  in  the  dark,  till 
thev  are  i)ast  recoverv- 

L'se  l.v/.  See  what  the  state  of  nature  is, 
it  is  a  "  kingdom  of  darkness,"  and  it  is  a 
bewitching  darkness,  John  iii.  19.,  "  Men 
loved  darkness  rather  than  light:"  as  the 
Athlantes  in  Ethiopia  curse  the  sun.  Such 
as  are  still  in  the  kingdom  of  darkness, 
tremble  to  think  of  this  condition;  this 
darkness  of  sin  leads  to  the  "chains  under 
darkness,"  Jade  6.  What  comfort  can 
such  take  in  earthly  things?  The  Egyp- 
tians might  have  food,  gold,  silver,  but  they 
could  t;d<e  but  little  comfort  in  them,  while 
thev  were  in  such  darkness  as  mifrht  be 
felt:  so  the  natural  man  mav  have  riches 
and  friends  to  delight  in,  yet  he  is  in  the 
kingdom  of  darkness,  and  how  dead  are  all 
these  comforts  ?  Thou  who  art  in  the 
kingdom  of  darkness,  knowest  not  whither 
thou  goest.  As  the  ox  is  driven  to  the  sham- 
bles, but  l;e  knows  not  whither  he  goes,  so 
the  devil  is  driving  thee  before  him  to  hell, 
but  thou  knonest  not  wliither  thou  goest. 
Shouldest  th<<u  die  in  thy  natural  estate, 
w  hile  thou  art  in  the  kingdom  of  darkness, 
blackness  of  darkness  is  reserved  for  thee, 
Jude  13.,  ''Tttwhom  is  reserved  the  black- 
ness of  darkness  for  ever." 

Use  2d.  Let  us  pray  that  God  will  bring 
us  nut  of  this  king(h»m  ol"  darkness.  God's 
kingdom  of  grace  cannot  come  into  our 
hearts  till  first  we  are  brought  out  of  the 
kingdom  of  darkness,  1  Col.  i.  13.  Why 
should  not  we  strive  to  get  out  of  this  king- 
dom of  darkness  ?  Wlio  would  desire  to 
stay  in  a  dark  dungeon  ?  O  fear  the  "  chains 
of  darkness,"  Jude  6.  These  chains  are 
God's  power  binding  men  as  in  chains  ua- 


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OF  THE  SECOND  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRA\ER. 


der  -wTatli  for  ever.  O  pray  that  God  will 
deliver  us  out  of  the  kingdom  of  darkness  ! 
1st.  Be  sensible  of  thy  dark  damned  estate, 
that  thou  hast  not  one  spark  of  fire  to  give 
thee  light.  2d.  Go  to  Christ  to  enlighten 
thee,  Eph.  v.  14.,  "  Christ  shall  give  thee 
light ;"  he  will  not  only  bring  thy  light  to 
thee,  but  open  thine  eyes  to  see  it.  That 
is  the  first  thing  implied,  "  thy  kingdom 
come  ;"  we  pray  that  we  may  be  brought 
out  of  the  kingdom  of  darkness. 

II.  The  second  thing  implied  in  "  thy 
kingdom  come,"  we  do  implicitly  pray  a- 
gainst  the  devil's  kingdom,  we  pray  that 
Satan's  kingdom  may  be  demolished  in  the 
world.  Satan's  kingdom  stands  in  opposi- 
tion to  Christ's  kingdom ;  and  when  we 
pray,  "  Thy  kingdom  come,"  we  pray  a- 
gainst  Satan's  kingdom.  Satan  hath  a 
kingdom ;  he  got  his  kingdom  by  conquest ; 
he  conquered  mankind  in  paradise.  He 
hath  his  throne.  Rev.  ii.  13.,  "  Thou  dwell- 
est  even  where  Satan's  seat  is."  And  his 
throne  is  set  up  in  the  hearts  of  men  ;  he 
doth  not  care  for  their  purses  but  their 
hearts,  Eph.  ii.  2.  Satan  is  served  upon 
the  knee.  Rev.  xiii.  4.,  "  They  worshipped 
the  dragon,"  that  is,  the  devil.  Satan's 
empire  is  very  large  ;  the  most  kingdoms 
in  the  world  pay  tribute  to  him.  Satan's 
kingdom  hath  two  qualifications  or  charac- 
ters : 

1st.  It  is  regnum  nequitice, — a  kingdom 
of  impiety. 

2d.  It  is  regnum  servitutis, — a  kingdom 
of  slavery. 

1.  The  kingdom  of  Satan  is  a  kingdom 
of  impiety  ;  nothing  but  sin  goes  on  in  his 
kingdom;  murder  and  heresy,  lust  and 
treachery,  oppression  and  division,  are  the 
constant  trade  driven  in  Satan's  kingdom  ; 
Satan  is  called  "  the  unclean  spirit,"  Luke 
xi.  24.  What  else  is  propagated  in  his 
kingdom  but  a  mystery  of  iniquity  ? 

2.  Satan's  kingdom  is  a  kingdom  of  sla- 
very. Satan  makes  all  his  subjects  slaves. 
Peccati  reus  dura  dccinonis  ti/ravnide  Icnetur 
Muis.  Satan  is  an  usurper  and  :i  tyrant ; 
he  is  a  worse  tyrant  than  any  other.  (].) 
Other  tyrants  do  but  rule  over  the  bodv, 
but  Satan's  kingdom  rules  over  the  soul ; 
Satan  rides  some  men  as  we  do  horses, 
(2.)  Other  tyrants  have  some  pity  on  their 


slaves  ;  though  they  make  them  work  in 
the  gallies,  yet  they  give  them  meat,  and 
let  them  have  their  hours  for  rest,  but  Sa- 
tan is  a  merciless  tyrant,  he  gives  his  slaves 
poison  instead  of  meat,  he  gives  them  "  hurt- 
ful lusts"  to  feed  on,  1  Tim.  vi.  9.,  nor  will 
he  let  his  slaA^es  have  any  rest,  he  hires 
them  out  in  doing  his  drudgery,  Jer.  ix.  5., 
"  They  weary  themselves  to  commit  iniqui- 
ty." When  the  devil  had  entered  into  Ju- 
das, he  sends  him  to  the  chief  priests,  and 
from  thence  to  the  garden,  and  never  let 
him  rest  till  he  had  betrayed  Christ,  and 
hanged  himself.  Thus  Satan  is  the  Avorst 
tyrant ;  when  men  have  served  him  to  their 
utmost  strength,  he  will  welcome  them  to 
hell  with  fire  and  brimstone. 

Use.  Let  us  prjiy  that  Satan's  kingdom, 
set  up  in  the  world,  may  be  thrown  down. 
It  is  sad  to  think  that  though  the  devil's 
kingdom  be  so  bad,  yet  that  it  should  have 
so  many  to  support  it.  Satan  hath  more 
to  stand  up  for  his  kingdom,  than  Christ 
hath  for  his.  What  a  large  harvest  of  souls 
hath  Satan  ;  and  God  only  a  iew  gleanings  ! 
The  Pope  and  the  Turk  give  their  power 
to  Satan.  If  in  God's  visible  church  the 
devil  hath  so  many  loyal  subjects  that  serve 
him  with  their  lives  and  souls,  then  how 
do  his  subjects  swarm  in  places  of  idolatry 
and  paganism  where  there  is  none  to  oppose 
him  but  all  vote  on  the  devil's  side  ?  Men 
are  willingly  slaves  to  Satan ;  they  will 
fight  and  die  for  him  ;  therefore  Satan  is 
not  only  called  "  the  prince  of  this  world," 
John  xii.  31.,  but  the  "god  of  this  world," 
2  Cor.  iv.  4.,  to  show  what  power  Satan 
hath  over  men's  souls.  O  let  us  pray  that 
God  will  break  the  sceptre  of  the  devil's 
kingdom,  that  INIichael  may  destroy  the 
dragon,  that  by  the  help  of  a  religious  ma- 
gistracy and  ministry  the  hellish  kingdom 
of  the  prince  of  darkness  may  be  beaten 
down  !  Satan's  kingdom  must  be  thrown 
down  before  Christ's  kingdom  can  flourish 
in  its  power  and  majesty. 

2.  AVhen  we  pray,  "  Thy  kingdom  come;" 
here  is  something  positively  intended  : 

\st.  We  pray  that  the  kingdom  of  grace 
may  be  set  up  in  our  hearts  and  increased. 

2d.  That  the  kingdom  of  glory  may  has- 
ten, and  that  we  may,  in  God's  due  time, 
be  translated  into  it. 


OF  THE  SECOND  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


423 


I  begin  with  the  first,  tlie  kingdom  of 
grace.  When  we  ])ray,  "  Thy  kingdom 
come,"  we  pray  \st.  Tliat  the  kingdom  of 
grace  may  come  into  our  hearts.  This  is 
regnum  Dei, — God's  lesser  kingdom,  Rom. 
xiv.  IT.,  "The  kingdom  of  (Jod  is  righ- 
teousness." Luke  xvii.  21.,  "  Tlie  king- 
dom of  God  is  within  you." 

Quest.  1.    JVInj  is  grace  called  a  langdom  ? 

Ans.  Because,  when  grace  comes,  there 
is  a  kingly  government  set  up  in  the  soul. 
Grace  rules  the  will  and  affections,  and 
brings  the  whole  man  in  subjection  to 
Christ ;  grace  doth  king  it  in  the  soul ;  it 
sways  the  sceptre,  it  subdues  mutinous 
lusts,  and  keeps  the  soul  in  a  spiritual  de- 
corum. 

Quest.  2.  Why  is  there  such  need  thai  we 
shoidd  pray  that  this  kingdom  of  grace  may 
come  into  our  hearts  ? 

Ans.  1.  Because,  till  the  kingdom  of 
grace  come,  we  have  no  right  to  the  cove- 
nant of  grace.  The  covenant  of  grace  is 
sweetened  with  love,  bespangled  with  pro- 
mises ;  the  covenant  of  grace  is  our  magna 
charta,  by  virtue  of  which  God  passeth  him- 
self over  to  us  to  be  our  God  ;  but  who  are 
heirs  of  the  covenant  of  grace  ?  Only  such 
as  have  the  kingdom  of  grace  in  their  hearts, 
Ezek.  xxxvi.  26.,  "  A  new  heart  will  I  give 
you,  and.  a  new  spirit  will  T  put,  witliin 
you  ;"  there  is  the  kingdom  of  grace  set  up 
in  the  soul ;  then  it  follows,  ver.  28.,  '  I 
will  be  your  God.'  The  covenant  of  grace 
is  to  an  ungracious  person  a  sealed  foun- 
tain ;  it  is  kept  as  a  paradise  with  a  flam- 
ing sword,  that  the  sinner  may  not  touch 
it ;  without  grace  you  have  no  more  right 
to  it  than  a  farmer  to  the  city-charter. 

A.  2.  Unless  the  kingdom  of  grace  be 
set  up  in  our  hearts,  our  purest  offerings 
are  defiled ;  they  may  be  good  as  to  the 
matter,  but  not  as  to  the  manner ;  they 
want  that  which  should  meliorate  and  sweet- 
en them.  Under  the  law,  if  a  man  who 
was  unclean  by  a  dead  body,  did  carry  a 
piece  of  holy  flesh  in  his  skirt,  the  holy 
flesli  could  not  cleanse  him,  but  he  polluted 
it,  Hag.  ii.  12.  Till  the  kingdom  of  grace 
be  in  our  hearts,  ordinances  do  not  purify 
us,  but  we  pollute  them  ;  the  prayer  of  an 
ungracious  person  becomes  sin,  Prov.  xv. 
8.     In  wliat  a  sad  condition  is  a  man  be- 


fore God's  kingdom  of  grace  be  set  up  in 
his  heart  !  A\'hethor  he  comes  or  comes 
not  to  the  ordinance,  he  sins  ;  if  he  doth 
not  come  to  the  ordinance,  he  is  a  contem- 
ner of  it ;  if  he  doth  come,  he  is  a  polluter 
of  it ;  a  sinner's  works  are  opera  mortua, 
dead  works,  Ilcb.  i.  6.,  and  those  works 
which  are  dead  cannot  please  God  :  a  dead 
flower  hath  no  sweetness. 

A.  3.  We  had  need  pray  that  the  king- 
dom of  grace  may  come,  because  till  this 
kingdom  come  into  our  hearts,  we  are  loath- 
some in  God's  eyes,  Zech.  xi.  8.,  "  My  soul 
loathed  them."  Quanta  est  faditas  vitioscB 
mentis,  Tullv.  An  heart  void  of  grace 
looks  blacker  than  hell ;  sin  transforms  one 
into  a  devil,  John  vi.  70.,  "  Have  not  I  cho- 
sen you  twelve,  and  one  of  you  is  a  devil  ?" 
Envy  is  the  devil's  eye,  hypocrisy  is  his  clo- 
ven foot ;  thus  it  is  before  the  kingdom  of 
grace  come.  So  deformed  is  a  graceless 
person,  that  when  once  he  sees  his  own 
filth  and  leprosy,  the  first  thing  he  doth  is 
to  loathe  himself,  Ezek.  xx.  43.,  "Ye  shall 
loathe  yourself  in  your  own  sight  for  all 
your  evils."  I  have  read  of  a  woman,  who 
always  used  flattering  glasses ;  by  chance 
seeing  her  face  in  a  true  glass,  in  insa?iiam 
de/apsa  est^  she  ran  mad  :  such  as  now  dress 
themselves  by  the  fluttering  glass  of  pre- 
sumption, when  once  God  gives  them  a 
siglit  of  their  filthiness,  they  will  abhor 
themselves  ;  "  Ye  shall  loathe  yourselves 
in  your  own  siyht  for  all  your  evils." 

/I.  I.  Before  the  kinfjdom  of  irrace  comes 
into  us,  we  are  spiritually  illegitimate,  of 
the  bastard-brood  of  the  old  serpent,  John 
viii.  44.  To  be  illegitimate  is  the  greatest 
infamy  :  Deut.  xxiii.,  2.,  "  A  bastard  shall 
not  enter  into  the  congregation  of  the  Lord 
even  to  his  tenth  generation."  He  was  to 
be  kept  out  of  the  holy  assemblies  of  Israel 
as  an  infamous  creature  ;  a  bastard,  l)y  the 
law,  cannot  inherit.  Before  the  kingdom 
of  grace  come  into  the  heart,  a  person  is  to 
God  as  one  illegitimate,  and  so  continuing 
he  cannot  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 

A.  5.  Before  the  kingdom  of  grace  be 
set  up  in  men's  hearts,  the  kingdom  of  Sa- 
tan is  set  up  in  them ;  they  are  said  to  be 
under  the  power  of  Satan,  Acts  xxvi.  18. 
Satan  commands  the  will ;  though  he  can- 
not force  the   will,   he  can  by  his  subtle 


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OF  THE  SECOND  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


temptations,  draw  it ;  the  devil  is  said  to 
"  take  men  ca])tive  at  liis  will,"  2  Tim.  ii. 
26.  Tlic  Greek  word  signities  to  take  them 
alive  as  the  fowler  dotli  the  hird  in  the  snare. 
The  sinner's  heart  is  the  devil's  mansion- 
house,  Mat.  xii.  44.,  "  I  will  return  unto 
my  hotise."  It  is  officinus  cliaholcB,  Satan's 
sliop,  where  he  works,  Ej)h.  ii.  2.,  "  The 
prince  of  the  power  of  the  air  now  worketh 
in  the  children  of  disobedience."  The  mem- 
bers of  the  body  are  the  tools  which  Satan 
works  with ;  Satan  possesseth  men.  In 
Christ's  time  many  had  their  bodies  posses- 
sed, but  it  is  far  worse  to  have  their  souls 
possessed  ;  one  is  possessed  with  an  unclean 
devil,  another  with  a  revengeful  devil.  No 
wonder  the  ship  goes  full  sail,  when  the 
wind  blows;  no  wonder  men  go  full  sail  in 
sin,  when  the  devil,  the  prince  of  the  air, 
blows  them ;  thus  it  is  till  the  kingdom  of 
grace  come,  men  are  under  the  power  of 
Satan,  who,  like  Draco,  writes  all  his  laws 
in  blood. 

A.  6.  Till  the  kingdom  of  grace  comes, 
a  man  lies  exposed  to  the  wrath  of  God  ; 
"  and  who  knoweth  the  power  of  his  anger?" 
Ps.  xc.  11.  If,  when  but  a  spark  of  God's 
wrath  flies  into  a  man's  conscience  in  this 
life,  it  is  so  terrible,  what  then  will  it  be, 
when  God  stirs  up  all  his  anger  ?  So  incon- 
ceivably torturing  is  God's  wrath,  that  the 
wicked  call  to  the  rocks  and  mountains  to 
fall  on  them,  and  hide  them  from  it.  Rev. 
vi.  1.  The  hellish  torments  are  compared 
to  a  fiery  lake,  Rev.  xx.  15.  Other  fire  is 
but  painted  in  comparison  of  this  ;  and  this 
lake  of  fire  burns  for  ever,  Mark  ix.  44. 
God's  breath  kindles  this  fire,  Isa.  xxx.  22. 
And,  where  shall  we  find  engines  or  buck- 
ets to  quench  it?  Time  Avill  not  finish  it; 
tears  will  not  quench  it.  To  this  fiery  lake 
are  men  exjwsed,  till  the  kingdom  of  grace 
be  set  up  in  them. 

A.  7.  Till  the  kingdom  of  grace  come, 
men  cannot  die  with  comfort;  only  he  who 
takes  Christ  in  the  arms  of  his  faith,  can 
look  death  in  the  face  with  joy.  But  it  is 
sad  to  have  the  king^of  terrors  in  the  body, 
and  not  the  kingdom  of  grace  in  the  soul. 
It  is  a  wonder  every  graceless  person  doth 
not  die  distracted.  M'hat  will  a  grare-de- 
spiser  do,  wlicn  death  conies  to  liini  with  a 
writ  of  habeas  corpus  ?  Hell  follows  death, 


Rev.  \\.  8.,  "  Behold,  a  pale  horse,  and  his 
name  that  sat  on  him  Avas  death,  and  hell 
followed  him."  Thus  you  see  wliat  need 
we  have  to  pray  tliat  the  kingdom  of  grace 
may  come.  He  tiiat  dies  without  Christ, 
I  may  say  as  Christ,  Mat.  xxvi.  24.,  "  It 
had  been  good  for  tliat  man  he  had  not  been 
born."  Few  do  believe  the  necessity  of  hav- 
ing the  kingdom  of  grace  set  up  in  their 
hearts,  as  appears  by  this,  because  they  are 
so  well-content  to  live  without  it.  Doth 
that  man  believe  the  necessity  of  a  pardon, 
that  is  content  to  be  without  it?  Most  peo- 
ple, if  they  may  have  trading,  and  may  sit 
quietly  under  their  vine  and  fig-trees,  they 
are  in  their  kingdom,  though  they  have  not 
the  kingdom  of  God  within  them  ;  if  the 
candle  of  prosperity  shine  upon  their  head, 
they  care  not  M'hether  the  grace  of  God 
shine  in  their  hearts ;  do  these  men  believe 
the  necessity  of  giace  ?  Were  they  convin- 
ced how  needful  it  were  to  have  the  king- 
dom of  God  within  them,  they  would  cry 
out  as  the  jailor.  Acts  xvi.  30.,  "  What 
must  I  do  to  be  saved  ?" 

Quest.  3.  How  may  tee  know  that  the 
kingdom  oj^ grace  is  set  up  in  our  hearts  9 

Ans.  It  concerns  us  to  examine  this, — 
our  salvation  depends  upon  it ;  and  we  had 
need  be  curious  in  the  search,  because  there 
is  something  looks  like  grace,  which  is  not, 
Gal.  vi.  3.,  "  If  a  man  thinks  himself  to  be 
something,  when  he  is  nothing,  he  deceives 
himself."  Many  think  tl;ey  have  the  king- 
dom of  grace  come  into  their  heart  and  it  is 
only  a  chimera, — a  golden  dream,  (^uam 
multi  ann  vana  spe  descendant  ad  inftra! 
Aug.  Zeuxis  did  paint  grapes  so  lively 
that  he  deceived  the  living  birds  :  there  are 
many  deceits  about  grace. 

Deceit  \st.  Men  think  they  have  the  king- 
dom of  grace  in  their  hearts  because  they 
have  the  means  of  grace ;  they  live  where 
the  silver  trumpet  of  the  gospel  sounds ; 
they  are  lift  up  to  heaven  with  ordinances. 
Judges  xvii.  13.,  "  I  have  a  Levite  to  my 
priest,"  sure  I  shall  go  to  heaven.  The 
Jews  cried,  Jer.  viii.  4.,  "  The  temple  of  the 
Lord,  the  temple  of  the  Lord ;"  we  aie  apt 
to  glory  in  this, — the  oracles  of  God  are 
committed  to  us, — we  have  word  and  sa- 
crament :  alas  !  this  is  a  fallacy  ;  we  may 
have  the  means  of  grace,  yet  the  kingdom 


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425 


of  grace  may  not  be  set  up  in  our  licarts  ; 
we  may  liave  the  kingdom  of  God  come 
nigh  us,  Luke  xi.  20.,  but  not  into  us ; 
the  sound  of  the  word  in  our  ears,  but  not 
the  savour  of  it  in  our  hearts.  Many  of 
the  Jews,  wlio  had  Christ  for  their  preacher, 
were  never  the  better ;  hot  clotlies  will 
not  put  warmth  into  a  dead  man.  Thou 
maycst  have  liot  clothes,  warm  and  lively 
preaching,  yet  be  spiritually  dead,  Mat.  viii. 
12.,  "  The  children  of  the  kingdom  shall  be 
cast  out." 

Deceit  2d.  INIen  think  they  have  the  king- 
dom of  grace  set  up  in  their  hearts,  because 
they  have  some  common  works  of  the  Spi- 
rit. 

(1.)  They  have  great  enlightenings  of 
mind,  profound  knowledge,  and  almost  speak 
like  angels  droj)ped  from  heaven  ;  but  the 
apostle  su[)posL'th  a  case,  that  after  men  have 
been  enlightened,  they  may  fall  away,  Heb. 
vi.  4,  5,  6. 

Quest.  But  ickcrdn  doth  this  illumination 
come  short  ? 

Ans.  The  illumination  of  hypocrites  is 
not  virtual ;  it  doth  not  leave  an  impression 
of  holiness  behind  ;  it  is  like  weak  physic 
that  will  not  work.  The  mind  is  enliijht- 
cned,  but  the  heart  is  not  renewed.  A 
Christian  that  is  all  head  but  no  feet,  he 
doth  not  walk  in  the  ways  of  God. 

(2.)  Men  have  bad  convictions  and  stir- 
rings of  conscience  for  sin,  they  have  seen 
the  evil  of  their  ways,  therefore  now  they 
hope'  the  kingdom  of  grace  is  come  ;  but, 
I  say,  convictions,  though  they  are  a  step 
towards  grace,  yet  they  are  not  grace. 
Had  not  Pharaoh  and  Judas  convictions? 
£xod.*x.  16. 

Quest.  What  makes  convictions  prove  ab- 
urlive  ?    Wherein  is  (he  defect  f 

AnJt.  1  They  are  not  deep  enough  ;  a 
Rinner  never  saw  himself  lost  without  Christ ; 
the  seed  that  wanted  depth  of  earth  wither- 
ed. Mat.  xiii.  5.  These  convictions  are  like 
blossoms  blown  off  before  they  come  to  ma- 
turity. 

A.  2.  These  convictions  are  involuntary; 
the  sinner  doth  what  he  can  to  stitle  these 
convictions ;  he  drowns  them  in  wine  and 
mirth  ;  he  labours  to  get  rid  of  them  ;  as 
the  deer,  when  it  is  shot,  runs  and  shakes 
out  the  arrow,  so  doth  he  the  arrow  of  con- 


viction ;  or  as  the  prisoner  that  files  off  his 
fetters,  and  breaks  loose,  so  a  man  breaks 
loose  from  his  convictions.  His  corrup- 
tions are  stronger  than  his  convictions. 

(3.)  Men  have  had  some  kind  of  humili- 
ation, and  have  shed  tears  for  their  sins, 
therefore  now  they  hope  the  kingdom  of 
grace  is  come  into  their  hearts.  But  this 
is  no  infallible  sign  of  grace  ;  Saul  wept, 
Ahab  humbled  himself. 

Quest.  JVhy  is  not  humiliation  grace  ? 
Wherein  doth  it  come  short  ? 

Ans.  1.  Tears  in  the  wicked  do  not  spring 
from  love  to  God,  but  are  forced  by  afflic- 
tion, Gen.  iv.  13.,  as  water  that  drops  from 
the  still  is  forced  by  the  fire.  The  tears  of 
sinners  are  forced  by  God's  fiery  judgments. 
2.  They  are  deceitful  tears, — lucrijmce  men- 
tiri  doc/ce.  Men  weep,  yet  go  on  in  sin  ; 
they  do  not  drown  their  sins  in  their  tears. 

(4.)  Men  have  begun  some  reformation, 
therefore  sure  now  the  kinrrdom  of  urace  is 
come.  But  there  may  be  deceit  in  this  : 
\st.  A  man  may  leave  his  oaths  and  drun- 
kenness, yet  still  be  in  love  with  sin ;  he 
may  leave  his  sin  out  of  fear  of  hell,  or  be- 
cause it  brings  shame  and  penury,  but  still 
his  heart  goes  after  it,  Hos.  iv.  8.,  "  They 
set  their  hearts  on  their  iniquity  ;"  as  Lot's 
wife  left  Sodom,  but  still  her  heart  was  in 
Sodom.  Hypocrites  are  like  the  snake 
which  casts  her  coat,  but  keeps  her  poison  ; 
they  keep  the  love  of  sin,  as  one  that  hath 
been  long  suitor  to  another,  though  his 
friends  break  off  the  match,  yet  still  he 
hath  a  hankering  love  to  her.  2d.  It  may 
be  a  partial  reformation  ;  he  mciy  leave  off 
one  sin,  and  live  in  another  ;  lie  may  re- 
frain drunkenness,  and  live  in  covetous- 
ness ;  he  may  refrain  swearing,  and  live  in 
the  sin  of  slandering;  one  devil  may  be 
cast  out,  and  another  as  bad  may  come  in 
his  room.  Sd.  A  man  may  forsake  gross 
sins,  but  have  no  reluctancy  against  heart- 
sins;  7notus  prima  primi, — proud,  lustful 
thoughts;  though  he  dams  up  the  stream, 
he  lets  alone  the  fountain.  O  therefore  if 
there  be  so  many  deceits,  and  men  may 
think  the  kingdom  of  grace  is  come  into 
their  hearts  when  it  is  not,  how  curious  and 
critical  had  we  need  be  in  our  search  whe- 
ther we  have  the  kingdom  of  grace  really 
come  into  our  hearts  !  If  a  man  be  deceived 

3  n 


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in  tlie  title  of  his  Jand,  it  is  but  the  loss  of 
his  estate  :  but  if  he  be  deceived  about  his 
grace,  it  is  the  loss  of  his  soul.  I  should 
now  come  to  answer  this  question,  how 
may  we  know  that  the  kingdom  of  grace  is 
set  up  in  our  hearts  ? 

Quest.  How  may  we  know  the  kingdom  of 
grace  is  set  up  in  us  ? 

Ans.  1.  In  general,  by  having  a  metamor- 
phosis or  change  wrought  in  the  soul ;  this 
is  called  '  the  new  creature,'  2  Cor.  v.  17. 
The  faculties  are  not  new,  but  there  is  a 
new  nature  ;  as  the  strings  of  a  lute  are  the 
same,  but  the  tune  is  altered.  When  the 
kingdom  of  grace  is  set  up,  there  is  light  in 
the  mind, — order  in  the  affections, — plia- 
bleness  of  the  will, — tenderness  in  the  con- 
science ;  such  as  can  find  no  change  of 
heart,  they  are  the  same  as  they  were,  as 
vain,  as  earthly,  as  unclean  as  ever;  there 
is  no  sign  of  God's  kingdom  of  grace  in 
them. 

A.  2.  More  particularly  we  may  know 
the  kingdom  of  grace  is  set  up  in  our  hearts: 
1st.  By  having  unfeigned  desires  after  God  ; 
this  is  the  smoking  flax  Christ  will  not 
quench.  A  true  de&ire  of  grace  is  grace;  by 
the  beating  of  this  pulse,  conclude  there  is 
life,  Neh.  i.  11.,  "  O  Lord  let  now  thy  ear 
be  attentive  to  the  prayers  of  thy  servants 
who  desire  to  fear  thy  name  !"  But  may 
not  an  hypocrite  have  good  desires  ?  Num. 
xxiii.  10.,  "  Let  me  die  the  death  of  the 
righteous."  Therefore,  I  say,  unfeigned 
desires  evidence  the  kingdom  of  God  u  ith- 
in  a  man. 

Quest.  But  how  mag  these  unfiigned  de- 
sires be  knoicn  ? 

Ans.  1.  An  unfeigned  desire  is  ingenu- 
ous ;  we  desire  God  propter  se, — for  him- 
self,— for  his  intrinsieal  excellencies,  and 
the  oriency  of  his  beauty  which  shines, — 
the  savour  of  Christ's  ointments,  that  is,  his 
graces,  draws  the  virgins'  desires  after  him. 
Cant.  i.  3.  A  true  saint  desires  Christ,  not 
only  for  what  he  hath,  but  for  what  he  is  ; 
not  only  for  his  rewards,  but  for  his  jioli- 
ness.  No  hypocrite  can  thus  desire  (iod; 
he  may  desire  him  for  his  jewels,  but  not 
for  his  beauty. 

A.  2.  An  unfeigned  desire  is  insatiable,  it 
cannot  be  satisfied  without  God  ;  let  iho 
world  heap  her  honours  and  riches,   they 


will  not  satisfy.  Not  flowers  or  music  will 
content  him  who  is  thirsty;  nothing  will 
quench  the  soul's  thirst  but  the  blood  of 
Christ ;  he  faints  away,  his  heart  breaks 
with  longing  for  God,  Ps.  Ixxxiv.  2.  and 
cxix.  20. 

A.  3.  An  unfeigned  desire  is  active,  it 
flourisheth  into  endeavour,  Isa.  xxvi.  9., 
"  With  my  soul  have  I  desired  thee  in  the 
night,  yea,  with  my  spirit  within  me  will  I 
seek  thee  early."  A  soul  that  desires  aright 
saith,  "  Christ  I  must  have,  grace  I  must 
have ;  I  will  have  heaven,  though  I  take  it 
by  storm."  He  who  desires  water,  will  let 
down  the  bucket  into  the  well  to  draw  it  up. 

A.  4.  An  unfeigned  desire  is  superlative  ; 
we  desire  Christ,  not  only  more  than  the 
world,  but  more  than  heaven,  Ps.  Ixxiii. 
25.,  "  Whom  have  I  in  heaven  but  thee?" 
Heaven  itself  would  not  satisfy  without 
Christ;  Christ  is  the  diamond  in  the  ring 
of  glory ;  if  God  should  say  to  the  soul,  "  I 
will  put  thee  into  heaven,  but  I  will  hide 
my  face  from  thee, — I  will  diaw  a  curtain 
between  that  thou  slialt  not  behold  my  glo- 
ry,"— the  soul  would  not  be  satisfied,  but 
say,  as  Absalom,  2  Sam.  xiv.  32.,  "  Now 
therefore  let  me  see  the  king's  face." 

A.  5.  An  unfeigned  desire  is  gradual ;  it 
increaseth  as  the  sun  in  the  horizon  ;  a  little 
of  God  will  not  satisfy,  but  the  ])ious  soul 
desireth  still  more ;  a  drop  of  water  is  not 
enough  for  the  thirsty  traveller.  Though  a 
Christian  is  thankful  for  tlie  least  degree  of 
grace,  yet  he  is  not  satisfied  with  the  great- 
est ;  still  he  thirsts  for  more  of  Chri>t,  and 
his  Spirit.  Desire  is  an  holy  dropsy ;  a  saint 
would  have  more  knowledge,  more  sanctity, 
more  of  Christ's  presence.  A  glimpse  of 
Christ  through  the  lattice  of  an  ordinance 
is  sweet ;  and  now  the  soul  will  never  leave 
longing  till  it  sees  him  face  to  face.  He 
desiies  to  have  grace  perfected  in  glory, 
Dulcissimo  Deo  totns  immergi  cupit  tt  invis- 
cerari, — we  would  be  swallowed  up  in  God, 
and  be  ever  bathing  ourselves  in  those  per- 
fumed waters  of  phasure,  which  run  at  his 
ri;^ht-hand  for  ever.  Sure  this  unfeigned 
desire  after  God  is  a  blessed  sign  that  the 
kingdom  of  grace  is  come  into  our  liearts, 
the  beating  of  this  pulse  shows  life  !  Est  a 
Deo  ut  bene  velimns,  Aug.  If  iron  move 
upwards  contrary  to  its  nature,  it  is  a  sign 


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427 


some  loadstone  luith  been  there  drawinc^  it : 
if  tlie  soul  move  towards  God  in  an  unfeign- 
ed desire,  it  is  a  sign  the  loadstone  of  the 
Spirit  hath  been  drawing  it.  We  may  know 
ihe  kinjjdom  of  jj-race  is  come  into  our  hearts 
by  having  the  princely  grace  of  faith.  Fides 
est  sanctissima  humani  pectoris^  Ge.aima. 
Faith  cuts  us  off  from  the  wild  olive  of  na- 
ture, and  ingrafts  us  into  Christ ;  faith  is  the 
vital  artery  of  the  soul,  Ileb.  x.38., "  The  just 
shall  live  by  faith."  Faith  makes  an  holy 
adventure  on  Christ's  merits ;  when  this 
faith,  as  a  princely  grace  reigns  in  the  soul, 
now  the  kingdom  of  God  is  come  unto  us. 
The  Hebrew  word  for  faith  comes  from  a 
radix  which  signifies  to  vourish  :  faith  nour- 
isheth  the  soul,  and  is  the  nurse  of  all  the 
gi'accs.  But,  who  will  not  say  he  is  a  be- 
liever? Simon  Magus  believed,  Acts  viii. 
13.,  yet  was  in  the  gall  of  bitterness.  The 
hypocrite  can  put  on  faith's  mantle,  as  the 
devil  did  Samuel's.  How  shall  we  know 
therefore  that  our  faith  is  sound, — that  it 
is  the  faith  of  the  operation  of  God,  Col.  ii. 
12., — and  so  that  the  kingdom  of  God  is 
within  us  ? 

Ans.  1.  True  faith  is  wrought  by  the  mi- 
nistry of  the  word,  Rom.  x.  IT.,  "  Faith 
comes  by  hearing."  Peter  let  down  the 
net  of  his  ministry,  and  at  one  draught 
catched  three  thousand  souls.  Let  us  ex- 
amine how  was  our  faith  wrought  ?  Did 
God  in  the  ministry  of  the  word  humble  us  ? 
Did  he  break  up  the  fallow-ground  of  our 
heart,  and  then  cast  in  the  seed  of  faith  ? 
A  good  sign  ;  but,  if  you  know  not  how  you 
came  by  your  faith,  suspect  yourselves;  as 
we  suspect  men  to  have  stolen  goods,  when 
they  know  not  how  they  came  by  them. 

A.  2.  True  faith  is  at  first  minute  and 
small,  like  a  grain  of  mustard-seed ;  it  is 
full  of  doubts  and  fears  ;  it  is  smoking  flax  ; 
it  smokes  with  desire,  but  doth  not  flame 
with  comfort ;  it  is  so  small  that  a  Christian 
can  hardly  discern  whether  he  hath  faith  or 
not. 

A,  3.  True  faith  is  long  in  working, — 
wow  sil  in  instanti, — it  costs  many  scarchings 
of  heart,  many  prayers  and  tears  ;  there  is 
a  s|)iritual  combat, — the  soul  suffers  many 
sore  pangs  of  humiliation  before  the  child 
of  faith  he  born.  They  whose  faith  is  p<r 
saltunt,  they  leap  out  of  sin  into  a  confidence 


that  Christ  is  theirs;  I  say,  as  Isaac  con- 
cerning his  son's  venison,  Gen.  xxvii.  20., 
"  How  is  it  that  thou  hast  found  it  so  quick 
ly  ?"  How  is  it  that  thou  camest  by  thy 
faith  so  soon  ?  The  seed  in  the  parable  which 
sprung  up  suddenly  withered,  Mark  iv.  5., 
Solent  prctcocta  synilo  flnccessere. 

A.  4.  True  faith  is  joined  with  sanctity  ; 
as  a  little  bczoar  is  strong  in  operation,  and 
a  little  musk  sweetens,  so  a  little  faith  pu- 
rifies, 1  Tim.  iii.  9.,  "  Holding  the  mystery 
of  the  faith  in  a  pure  conscience."  Faith, 
though  it  doth  but  touch  Christ,  fetcheth  an 
healing  virtue  from  him.  Justifying  faith 
doth  that  in  a  spiritual  sense,  which  mira- 
culous faith  doth  ;  it  removes  the  mountains 
of  sin,  and  casts  them  into  the  sea  of  Christ's 
blood. 

A.  5.  True  faith  will  trust  God  without 
a  pawn.  Though  a  Christian  be  cut  short 
in  provisions,  the  fig-tree  doth  not  blossom, 
yet  he  will  trust  in  God.  Tides  famem  non 
'formidat.  Faith  fears  not  famine.  God 
hath  given  us  his  promise  as  his  bond,  Ps. 
xxxvii.  3.,  "  Verily  thou  shalt  be  fed." 
Faith  puts  this  bond  in  suit ;  God  will  ra- 
ther work  a  miracle,  than  his  promise  shall 
fail.  He  hath  cause  to  suspect  his  faith, 
who  saith,  he  trusts  God  for  the  greater, 
but  dares  not  trust  him  for  the  lesser ;  he 
trusts  God  for  salv.ition,  but  dares  not  trust 
him  for  a  livelihood. 

A.  6.  True  faith  is  prolifical,  it  brings 
forth  fruit ;  faith  hath  Rachel's  beauty,  and 
Leah's  fruitfulness.  Fides  pinguescit  operi- 
bus,  LuTiiEii.  Faith  is  full  of  good  works. 
Faith  believes  as  if  it  did  not  work,  and  it 
works  as  if  it  did  not  believe;  faith  is  the 
spouse -like  grace  which  marries  Christ,  and 
good  works  are  thechildren  which  faith  hears. 
By  having  such  a  faith  we  may  know  the 
kingdom  of  God  is  ^nthin  us ;  grace  is  cer- 
tainly in  our  hearts. 

2d.  We  may  know  the  kingdom  of  grace 
is  come  into  our  hearts,  by  having  the  no- 
ble grace  of  love ;  faith  and  love  are  the 
two  poles  on  which  all  religion  turns.  Cant, 
i.  4.,  "  The  upright  love  thee."  True  love 
is  to  love  God  out  of  choice  ;  love  turns  the 
soul  into  a  seraphim  ;  it  makes  it  burn  in 
a  flame  of  affection  ;  love  is  the  truest  touch- 
stone of  sincerity;  love  is  the  queen  of  the 
graces,  it  commands  the  whole  soul,  2  Cor 


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V.  4.  If  our  love  to  God  be  genuine  and 
real,  we  let  liim  have  tlie  supremacy;  we 
set  liini  in  tlie  higlicst  room  of  our  soul  ; 
we  give  liim  the  purest  of  our  love,  Cant. 
A'iii.  2.,  "  I  would  cause  tliee  to  drink  of 
spiced  wine,  of  the  juice  of  my  pomegra- 
nate." If  the  spouse  had  any  thing  better 
tlian  another, — a  cup  more  juicy  and  spic- 
ed,— Christ  should  drink  of  tliat ;  we  give 
the  creature  the  milk  of  our  love,  but  God 
the  cream.  In  short,  if  we  love  God  aright, 
we  love  his  laws ;  we  love  his  picture  drawn 
in  the  saints  by  the  pencil  of  the  Holy 
Ghost ;  we  love  his  ])rcsence  in  his  ordi- 
nances. Sleidan  saith  that  the  protestants 
in  France  had  a  church  which  they  called 
paradise  ;  as  if  they  thought  themselves  in 
paradise  while  thoy  had  God's  presence  in 
his  sanctuary.  The  soul  that  loves  God, 
loves  his  appearing,  2  Tim.  iv.  8.  It  will 
be  a  glorious  appearing  to  the  saints,  when 
their  union  with  Christ  shall  be  complete, 
then  their  joy  shall  be  full.  The  bride  longs- 
for  the  marriage-day.  "  The  Spirit  and  the 
bride  say.  Come  :  even  so  come.  Lord  Je- 
sus," Rev.  xxii.  17.  By  this  sacred  love 
we  may  know  the  kingdom  of  God  is  with- 
in us. 

3a'.  We  may  know  the  kingdom  of  grace 
is  come  into  our  hearts  by  spiritualizing  the 
duties  of  religion,  1  Pet.  ii.  5.,  "  Ye  are  an 
holy  priesthood  to  offer  up  spiritual  sacri- 
fices." Spiritualizing  duty  consists  in  three 
things  : 

1.  Fixedness  of  mind. 

2.  Fervency  of  devotion. 

3.  Uprightness  of  aim. 

1.  Fixedness  of  mind  Then  we  spiri- 
tualize duty,  when  our  minds  are  fixed  on 
God,  1  Cor.  vii.  35.,  "  That  you  may  at- 
tend on  the  Lord  without  distraction." 
Though  impertinent  thoughts  sometimes 
come  into  the  heart  in  duty,  yet  they  are 
not  allowed,  Ps.  cxix.  13.;  they  come  as 
unwelcome  guests,  which  are  no  sooner 
6j)ied  l)ut  they  are  turned  out. 

2.  Fervency  of  devotion.  Rom.  xii.  11., 
'•  Fervent  in  sj>irit,  serving  the  Lord." 
*Tis  a  metaphor  alludes  to  water  that  seethes 
and  boils  over  ;  so  the  affections  boil  over, 
the  eyes  melt  in  tears,  the  heart  flows  in 
holy  ejaculations.  We  not  only  bring  our 
offering  to  God,  but  our  hearts. 


3.  Uprightness  of  aim.  An  heart  that 
is  upright  hath  three  ends  in  duty:  L  That 
he  may  grow  more  like  God.  As  Moses  on 
the  Mount  had  some  of  God's  glory  reflect- 
ed on  him,  "  his  face  sinned  "  2.  That  he 
may  have  more  communion  with  God, 
1  John  i.  3.,  "  Our  fellowship  is  with  the 
Father."  3.  That  he  may  bring  more  glo- 
ry to  God,  1  Pet.  iv.  il.  Phil.  i.  20., 
"  That  Christ  shall  be  magnified."  Since- 
rity aims  at  God  in  all ;  though  we  shoot 
short,  yet  we  take  a  right  aim  ;  this  is  a 
sure  evidence  of  grace,  the  spiritualizing 
duty.  The  s])irits  of  wine  are  best,  so  is 
the  spiritual  part  of  duty.  A  little  spiri- 
tual ness  in  duty  is  better  than  all  the  gild- 
ings of  the  temj)le,  or  outward  pompous 
worship,  which  doth  so  dazzle  carnal  eves. 

Ath.  We  may  know  the  kingdom  of  grace 
is  come  into  us,  by  antipathy  and  o])posi- 
tion  against  every  known  sin,  Ps.  cxix.  104. 
"  I  hate  every  false  way."  Hatred  is  a- 
gainst  the  whole  kind  ;  hatred  is  implaca- 
ble ;  anger  may  be  reconciled,  hatred  can- 
not. A  gracious  soul  not  only  forsakes  sin 
(as  a  man  forsakes  his  country  never  to  re- 
turn to  it  more)  but  hates  sin.  As  there 
is  an  antipathy  between  the  crocodile  and 
the  scorpion,  so  if  the  kingdom  of  God  be 
within  us,  we  not  only  hate  sin  for  hell, 
but  Ave  hate  it  as  hell,  as  being  contrary  to 
God's  holiness  and  our  happiness. 

bth.  AVe  may  know  the  kingdom  of  grace 
is  come  into  us,  Avhen  we  have  given  up 
ourselves  to  God  by  obedience ;  as  a  ser- 
vant gives  up  himself  to  his  master,  as  a 
wife  gives  up  herself  to  her  husband,  so  we 
give  up  ourselves  to  God  by  obedience. 
And  this  obedience  is,  \st.  Free ;  as  that 
is  the  sweetest  honey  which  dro])s  from  the 
comb.  2d.  Uniform  ;  we  obey  God  in  one 
thing  as  well  as  another,  Ps.  cxix.  6., 
"Then  shall  I  not  be  ashomat ;"  or,  as  it 
is  in  the  Hebrew,  "  I  shall  not  l)lusli  when 
I  have  respect  to  all  thy  commandments." 
A  good  Christian  is  like  a  ])air  of  comj)as- 
ses  :  one  foot  of  the  compass  stands  nj)ou 
the  centre,  and  the  other  foot  of  it  goes 
round  the  circle  ;  so  a  Christian  by  faith 
stands  on  God  the  centre,  and  by  obedience 
goes  round  the  circle  of  God's  command- 
ments ;  a  sign  the  kingdom  of  grace  is  not 
come  into  the  heart,  when  it  doth  not  reign 


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429 


tbcre  "by  universal  obedience.  Hypocrites 
would  liave  Christ  to  be  their  Saviour;  but 
they  plucic  the  government  from  his  shoul- 
ders, they  will  not  have  him  rule  ;  but  he 
who  liMlh  the  klnjjdom  ol'  (Jod  within  him, 
submits  cheerfully  to  every  command  of 
God, — he  will  do  what  God  will  have  him 
do  ;  he  will  be  what  God  will  have  him  be, 
• — he  puts  a  blank  paper  into  God's  hand, 
and  saith,  "  Lord,  write  what  thou  wilt,  I 
"will  subscribe. "  Blessed  is  he  that  can 
find  all  these  things  in  his  soul,  he  "  is  all 
glorious  within,"  Ps.  xlv.  13.  lie  carries 
a  kingdom  about  him ;  this  kingdom  of 
grace  will  certainly  bring  to  a  kingdom  of 
glory. 

I  shall  answer  some  doubts  and  objec- 
tions, that  a  Christian  may  make  against 
Iiimself. 

Ot'.T.  I  fear  the  kinrjdom  of  grace  is  not 
yet  come  into  nn/  heart. 

Alls.  When  a  Christian  is  under  tempta- 
tion, or  grace  lies  dormant,  lie  is  not  fit  to 
be  his  own  judge  ;  but  in  this  case  he  must 
take  the  witness  of  others  who  have  the 
spirit  of  discerning.  But  let  us  hear  a 
Christian's  objections  against  himself,  why 
lie  thinks  the  kingdom  of  grace  is  not  yet 
come  into  his  heart. 

Ob  J.  1.  I  cannot  discern  grace. 

Ana  A  child  of  (iod  may  have  the  king- 
dom of  m-ace  in  his  heart,  vet  not  know  it. 
The  cup  was  in  Benjamin's  sack,  though 
be  did  not  know  it  was  there  ;  thou  mayest 
have  faith  in  thy  heart,  the  cuj)  may  be  in 
thy  sack,  though  thou  knowest  it  not.  Old 
Jacob  wept  for  his  son  Joseph,  when  Jo- 
pe})h  was  alive  ;  thou  mayest  weep  for  want 
of  grace,  when  grace  may  be  alive  in  thy 
lieart.  The  seed  m;iy  be  in  the  ground, 
when  we  do  not  see  it  spring  up  ;  the  seed 
of  God  may  be  sown  in  thy  heart,  though 
thou  dost  not  ])crceive  the  sj)ringing  of  it 
np.  Think  not  grace  is  lost  because  it  is 
hid. 

Oiu.  2.  Before  the  Kingdom  of  grace  come 
into  the  heart,  there  nnist  be  some  preparation 
for  it ;  the  falloiu  ground  if  the  heart  must 
be.  brolen  np  ;  I  fear  the  plough  of  the  laiv 
hath  not  gone  deep  enough, — /  have  not  been 
humhhd  enough, — therefore  I  have  no  grace. 

Ans.  God  doth  not  prescribe  a  just  pro- 
portion   ol    sorrow   and   humiliation ;    the 


scripture  mentions  the  truth  of  sorrow,  but 
not  the  measure.  Some  are  more  flagitious 
sinners  than  others,  these  must  have  a 
greater  degree  of  humiliation.  A  knotty 
piece  of  tiniber  requires  more  wedges  to  be 
driven^  into  it.  Some  stomachs  are  fouler 
than  others,  therefore  need  strotiger  physic. 
But  wouhlest  thou  know  when  tliou  hast 
])een  hiinihlcd  enough  for  sin?  When 
thou  art  wiUiiig  to  let  go  thy  sins.  Then 
the  gold  hath  lain  long  enough  in  the  fur- 
nace when  the  dross  is  purged  out ;  so, 
when  the  love  of  sin  is  purged  out,  a  soul 
is  humbled  enough  to  divine  acceptation, 
though  not  to  divine  satisfaction.  Now,  if 
thou  art  humbled  enough,  (though  not  so 
much  as  others)  what  needs  more  ?  7W/5- 
tra  sit  per  pi  lira,  &c.  If  a  needle  will  let 
out  the  imj)ostbume,  what  needs  a  lance? 
Be  not  more  cruel  to  thyself  than  God 
would  have  thee. 

Ob  J.  3.  Jfthe  kingdom  of  God  were  icith- 
in  me.,  it  uvuhl  be  a  kingdom  of  poirer  ;  it 
uonld  enable  me  to  serve  God  with  vigour  of 
soul ;  but  I  have  a  spirit  of'  infrmifg  upon 
me,  I  am  weak  and  impotent^  and  untu7ied  to 
every  holi/  action. 

Ans.  There  is  a  great  difference  between 
the  weakness  of  grace,  and  the  want  of 
grace  :  a  man  may  have  life,  though  he  be 
sick  and  weak.  Weak  grace  is  not  to  be 
despised,  but  cherished ;  Christ  will  not 
break  the  bruised  reed.  Do  not  argue 
I'rom  the  weakness  of  grace  to  the  nullity. 

1.  M'eak  grace  will  give  us  a  title  to 
Christ,  as  well  as  strong.  A  weak  hand  of 
faith  will  receive  the  alms  of  Christ's  merits. 

2.  Weak  faith  is  capable  of  growth.  The 
seed  springs  up  by  degrees,  first  the  blade, 
and  then  the  ear,  and  then  the  full  corn  in 
the  ear ;  the  faith  that  is  strongest  was 
once  in  its  infancy.  (n"ace  is  like  the  wa- 
ters (»f  the  sanctuary,  which  did  rise  high- 
er and  higher  ;  be  not  discouniged  at  thy 
weak  faith,  though  it  be  but  blossoming, 
it  will  by  degrees  come  to  more  maturity. 

3.  The  weakest  grace  shall  persevere,  as 
well  as  the  strongest.  A  sucking  child 
was  as  safe  in  the  ark  as  Noah.  An  infant 
believer,  that  is  but  newly  laid  to  the  breast 
of  the  promise,  is  as  safe  in  Christ  as  the 
most  eminent  heroic  saint. 

Obj.  4.  I  fear  the  kingdom  of  grace  is  not 


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yet  come,  because  I  find  the  kingdom  of  sin  so 
strong  in  me.  Had  I  faith,  it  would  purify 
my  heart ;  but  I  find  much  pride,  worldliness, 
passion. 

Ans.  The  best  of  tlie  saints  have  remain- 
ders of  corruption,  Dan.  vii.  12.,  "  They 
had  their  dominion  taken  away,  yet  their 
lives  were  prolonged  for  a  season."  So  in 
the  regenerate,  tliough  tlie  dominion  of  sin 
be  taken  away,  yet  the  life  of  it  is  prolong- 
ed for  a  season.  What  pride  was  there  in 
Christ's  own  disciples,  when  they  strove 
which  should  be  greatest  !  The  issue  of 
sin  will  not  be  quite  stopped  till  death. 
The  Lord  is  pleased  to  let  the  in-being  of 
sin  continue,  to  humble  his  people,  and 
make  them  prize  Christ  the  more  ;  but  be- 
cause you  find  corruptions  stirring,  do  not 
therefore  presently  unsaint  yourselves,  and 
deny  the  kingdom  of  grace  to  be  come  into 
your  souls.  That  you  feel  sin  is  an  evi- 
dence of  spiritual  life ;  that  you  mourn  for 
sin, — what  are  these  tears  but  fruits  of  love 
to  God  ?  that  you  have  a  combat  with  sin, 
argues  antipathy  against  it.  Those  sins 
which  you  did  once  wear  as  a  crown  on 
your  head,  are  now  as  fetters  on  the  leg ; 
is  not  all  this  from  the  Spirit  of  grace  in 
you  ?  Sin  is  in  you,  as  poison  in  the  body, 
which  you  are  sick  of,  and  use  all  scripture 
antidotes  to  expel.  Should  we  condemn 
all  those  who  have  the  indwelling  of  sin, 
nay,  who  have  had  sin — at  sometimes — 
prevailing,  we  should  blot  some  of  the  best 
saints  out  of  the  Bible. 

Ouj.  5.  Where  the  kingdom  of  grace  comes, 
it  softens  the  heart ;  bid  I  find  my  heart  fro- 
zen and  congealed  into  hardness  ;  lean  hard- 
ly squeeze  out  one  tear.  Do  fiowers  grow  on 
a  rock  ?  Can  there  be  any  grace  in  such  a 
rocky  heart  ? 

Ans.  There  may  be  grief  where  there 
are  no  tears  ;  the  best  sorrow  is  rational. 
In  your  judgment  you  esteem  sin  tlie  most 
hyperbolical  evil, — you  have  a  disgust  and 
disj)lacency  against  sin, — this  is  a  rational 
sorrow,  and  such  as  God  will  accept.  A 
Christian  may  have  some  hardness  in  his 
heart,  yet  not  have  a  hard  heart ;  a  field 
may  have  tares  in  it,  yet  we  call  it  a  field 
of  wheat ;  in  the  best  heart  is  a  mixture  of 
hardness,  yet  because  there  is  some  softness 
and  melting,  God  looks  upon  it  as  a  soft 


heart ;  therefore.  Christian,  dispute  not  a- 
gainst  thyself,  if  thou  canst  find  lut  one 
thing,  that  the  frame  and  temper  of  thv 
soul  be  holy.  Art  thou  still  breathing  af- 
ter God,  delighting  in  him  ?  Is  the  com- 
plexion of  thy  soul  heavenly  ?  Canst  thou 
say,  as  David,  Ps.  cxxxix.  18.,  "  When  \ 
awake,  I  am  still  with  thee."  As  colours 
laid  in  oil,  or  a  statue  carved  in  gold,  abide, 
so  doth  an  holy  complexion  ;  the  soul  is 
still  pointing  towards  God.  If  it  be  thus 
with  thee,  assure  thyself  the  kingdom  of 
grace  is  come  into  the  soul ;  be  not  unkind 
to  God,  to  deny  any  work  of  his  Spirit 
which  he  hath  wrought  in  thee. 

Use  \st.  Of  exhortation.  Labour  to  find 
that  this  kingdom  of  grace  is  set  up  in  your 
hearts ;  while  others  aspire  after  earthly 
kingdoms,  labour  to  have  the  kingdom  of 
God  within  you,  Luke  xvii.  21.  The  king- 
dom of  grace  must  come  into  us,  before  we 
can  go  into  the  kingdom  of  glory.    Motives. 

Is^  Motive.  This  kingdom  of  God  within 
us  is  our  spiritual  beauty ;  the  kingdom  of 
grace  adorns  a  person,  and  sets  him  off  in 
the  eyes  of  God  and  angels.  This  makes 
the  king's  daughter  all  glorious  within,  Ps. 
xlv.  13.  Grace  sheds  a  glory  and  lustre 
upon  the  soul.  As  the  diamond  to  the 
ring,  so  is  grace  to  the  soul.  An  heart 
beautified  with  grace  hath  the  king  of  hea- 
ven's picture  hung  in  it. 

2d  Motive.  The  kingdom  of  grace  set 
up  in  the  heart  is  our  spiritual  defence. 
Grace  is  called  '  the  armour  of  light,'  Rom. 
xiii.  12.  It  is  light  for  beauty,  and  armour 
for  defence.  He  who  hath  the  kingdom  of 
grace  within  him,  is  "  strengthened  with 
all  might  according  to  God's  glorious 
power,"  Col.  i.  11.;  he  hath  the  shield  of 
faith,  the  helmet  of  hope,  the  breas-t-plate 
of  riofhteousness ;  this  armour  can  never  be 
shot  through ;  it  fortifies  a  Christian  a- 
gainst  the  assaults  of  temptation,  and  the 
terrors  of  hell. 

3f/  Motive.  The  kingdom  of  grace  set 
up  in  the  heart  brings  peace  with  it,  Rom. 
xiv.  17.,  "The  kingdom  of  God  is  not  meat 
and  drink,  but  righteousness  and  peace." 
There  is  a  secret  peace  breeds  out  of  holi 
ness.  Peace  is  the  best  blessing  of  a  king- 
dojn  :  Pax  una  triunipkis  innumeris  melior. 
Tlie  kingdom  of  grace  is  a   kingdom  of 


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431 


pence  ;  grace  is  tlic  root,  peace  is  tlic  flower 
grows  out  of  it ;  it  is  par  in  prucdla,  such 
peace  that  no  worltlly  aflliftioii  can  sliako. 
The  doors  of  SoU)mon's  tonij)le  were  made 
of  olive-tree  carved  with  open  flowers, 
1  Kiiiffs  vi.  32. :  in  a  gracious  heart  is  tlie 
olive  of  poafce,  and  the  open  flowers  of  joy. 

Alh  Motive.  The  kiniidoni  of  grace  en- 
richeth  the  soul  ;  a  kingdom  hath  its  riches, 
A  believer  is  said  to  be  rich  in  faith,  James 
ii.  5.  How  rich  is  he  who  hath  God  for 
his  God,  who  is  heir  to  all  the  promises  ! 
Ileb.  vi.  17.  A  man  may  be  rich  in  bills 
and  bonds  ;  a  believer,  thongh  he  may  say 
as  Peter,  "  Silver  and  gold  have  I  none," 
Acts  iii.  6.,  vet  he  is  rich  in  bills  and 
bonds,  lie  is  heir  to  all  God's  promises  ;  and 
to  be  lieir  to  the  promises,  is  better  than  to 
be  heir  to  the  crown. 

bth  Motive.  When  the  kingdom  of 
grace  comes,  it  doth  fix  and  establish  the 
heart,  Ps.  Ivii.  7.,  "  O  God  my  heart  is  fix- 
ed !"  Before  the  kingdom  of  grace  comes, 
the  heart  is  very  unfixed  and  unsettled, — 
like  a  ship  without  a  ballast, — like  quick- 
silver that  cannot  be  made  to  fix  :  but  when 
the  kingdom  of  grace  comes,  it  doth  stnhi- 
liri  avivuim,  it  fixeth  the  heart  upon  God, 
and  when  the  heart  is  fixed,  it  rests  quiet 
as  in  its  centre. 

Qth  Motive.  This  kingdom  of  grace  is 
distinguishing  ;  it  is  a  sure  pledge  of  God's 
love.  God  may  give  kingdoms  in  anger  ; 
but  wherever  the  kingdom  of  grace  is  set 
up,  it  is  in  love  ;  God  cannot  give  grace  in 
anger.  Tiie  crown  always  goes  with  this 
kingdom  ;  let  us  therefore  be  ambitious  of 
this  kingdom  of  grace. 

Quest.  How  should  we  do  to  obtain  this 
hii^gdom  ? 

Ans.  1.  In  general,  take  pains  for  it;  we 
cannot  have  the  world  without  labour,  and 
do  we  think  we  have  grace  ?  "  If  thou 
Kcekest  lier  as  silver,"  Prov.  ii.  4.  A  man 
may  as  well  expect  a  crop  without  sowing, 
as  grace  without  laboui'.  We  must  not 
think  to  have  grace  as  Israel  had  manna ; 
tliey  did  not  plough  nor  sow,  but  it  was 
rained  down  from  lieaven  upon  them  ;  no, 
we  must  operant  dare, — take  pains  for  grace. 
Our  salvation  cost  Christ  blood,  it  will  cost 
us  sweat. 

A  2.  Let  us  go  to  God  to  set  up  this 


kingdom  of  grace  in  our  hearts  ,  God  is 
called,  '  the  God  of  all  grace,'  1  Pet.  v.  10. 
Sav,  "  Lord,  I  want  this  kingdom  of  grace, 
— I  want  an  humble,  believing  heart, — O 
enrich  me  with  grace,  let  thy  kingdom 
come  !"  And  be  importunate  suitors.  As 
Achsah  said  to  her  father  Caleb,  Josh,  xv. 
10.,  "Thou  hast  given  me  a  south  land, 
give  me  also  springs  of  water  :"  so,  "  Lord, 
thou  hast  given  me  enough  of  the  W(»rld,^ 
here  is  a  south  land, — but  Lord,  give  me 
the  uj)pcr-sprlngs  of  grace,  let  '  thy  king- 
dom come.'  AVhat  is  the  venison  thou  hast 
given  me,  without  the  blessing?"  When 
we  are  importunate  with  God,  and  will 
take  no  denial,  then  he  will  set  up  his  king- 
dom within  us. 

A.  3.  Keep  close  to  the  word  preached  ; 
the  word  preached  is  virga  virtutis, — the 
rod  of  God's  strength  ;  it  is  the  great  en- 
gine God  useth  for  the  setting  up  the  king- 
dom of  grace  in  the  heart,  Rom.  x.  17., 
"  Faith  comes  by  hearing."  Though  God 
could  work  grace  immediately  by  his  Sjjirit, 
or  by  the  ministry  of  angels  from  heaven, 
yet  he  chooseth  to  work  by  the  word  preach- 
ed ;  this  is  the  usual  mean  by  which  he 
sets  up  the  kingdom  of  grace  in  the  heart ; 
and  the  reason  is,  because  he  liath  j)ut  his 
divine  sanction  upon  it,  he  hath  appointed 
it  for  the  means  of  working  grace,  and  lio 
will  honour  his  own  ordinance,  1  Cor.  L  21. 
AA'hat  reason  could  be  given  why  the  wa- 
ters of  Damascus  should  not  have  a  sove- 
reign virtue  to  heal  Naaman's  leprosy,  as 
the  waters  of  Jordan  ?  Only  this,  because 
God  did  a])point  and  sanctify  the  waters  of 
Jordan  to  heal,  and  not  the  others  ;  there- 
fore let  us  keep  the  word  preached,  because 
the  power  of  (Jod  goes  along  with  it. 

Use  2d.  Such  as  have  this  kingdom  of  God 
set  uj)  in  them,  it  calls  for  gratulation  and 
thanksgiving.  What  will  you  be  thankful 
for,  if  not  for  a  kingdom?  Grace  is  the 
best  blessing,  it  is  the  result  and  ])roduct 
of  God's  electing  love;  God  in  setting  up 
his  kingdom  of  grace,  hatli  done  more  for 
you,  than  if  he  had  made  you  kings  and 
queens  ;  for  now  you  are  born  of  God,  and 
of  the  blood-royal  of  heaven.  O  admire 
and  exalt  free  grace ;  "  make  his  praise 
glorious,"  Ps.  Ixvi.  2.  The  apostle  seldom 
mentions  the  work  of  grace,  but  he  joins 


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OF  THE  SECOND  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYEU. 


praise,  Col.  i.  12.,  "Giving  llianks  to  the  tlie  other."     It  requires  much  strenorth  to 

Father,  wlio  liatli  made  us  meet  to  be  par-  climb  up  this  rocky  way.     That  grace  which 

takers  of  the  inheritance  of  tlie  saints  in  ,  will  carry  us  through  prosperity,  will  not 

light."     If  God  hath  crowned  you  with  the  carry  us  tiirough  sufferings;  the  ship  needs 

king(h)ni  of  grace,  do  you  crown  him  with  stronger    tackling    to   carry  it   through    a 

your  ])raises.  storm  than  a  calm.     Now,  when  we  are  so 

II    The   second   thing  intended  by  our  strong  in  grace  that  we  can  bear  up  under 

Saviour  in  this  petition  is,  that  the  king-  affliction,  without  murmuring  or  fainting, 

doni   of  grace  may  increas-^,   that  it  may  here   is   the   kingdom   of  grace   increased. 


come  more  into  us.  And  this  may  answer 
a  question. 

Quest.  Why  do  we  pray,  thy  kingdom 
come,  when  the  kingdom  of  grace  is  already 
come  into  the  sold  ? 

Ans.  Though  the  kingdom  of  grace  be 
alrc.idy  come  into  us,  yet  still  we  must 
pray,  '  thy  kingdom  come,'  namely  that 
grace  may  be  increased,  and  that  this  king- 
dom may  flourish  still  more  in  our  souls. 
Till  we  come  to  live  among  the  angels,  we 
shall  need  to  pray  this  prayer,  "  thy  king- 
dom come ;"  Lord,  let  thy  kingdom  of  grace 
come  in  more  power  into  my  soul ;  let 
grace  be  more  augmented  and  increased. 

Quest.  IVhcn  doth  the  kingdom  oj' grace 
increase  in  the  soul  ?  When  is  it  a  Jlotcrish- 
ing  kingdom  ? 

Ans.  1.  Wlien  a  Christian  hath  further 
degrees  added  to  his  graces ;  there  is  more 
oil  in  the  himj),  his  knowledge  is  clearer, 
his  love  is  more  inflamed ;  grace  is  capable 
of  degrees,  and  may  rise  higher  as  the  sun 
in  the  horizon.  It  is  not  with  us  as  it  was 
with  Christ,  who  received  the  Spirit  with- 
out measure,  John  iii.  31.  Christ  could 
not  be  more»holy  than  he  was;  but  our 
grace  is  rece|)tive  of  further  degrees, — we 
may  have  more  sanctity, — we  may  add  more 
cubits  to  our  sj)iritual  stature. 

A.  2.  Then  the  kingdom  of  grace  increas- 
cth,  when  a  Christian  hatli  gotten  more 
Ktrength  than  he  had,  Job  xvii.  9.,  "  lie 
that  liath  clean  bands  shall  be  stronger  and 
stronger."  In  the  Hebrew  :  "  He  shall  add 
to  his  strength."  A  Christian  hath  strength 
to  resist  temptation, — to  forgive  his  ene- 
mies,— to  suffer  aflliction.  'Tis  not  easy 
to  suffer;  a  man  must  deny  himself  before 
he  take  up  the  cross.  Tiie  way  to  heaven 
is  like  the  way  which  Jonathan  and  his  ar- 
mour-bearer had  in  climbing  up  a  steep 
place,  1  Sam.  xiv.  'L,  "  There  was  a  sliarp 
rock  on  the  one  side,  and  a  shar])  rock  on 


What  mighty  strength  of  grace  had  he  who 
told  the  emperor  Valentinian,  you  may  take 
away  my  life,  but  you  cannot  take  away 
my  love  to  the  truth  ! 

A.  3.  Then  the  kingdom  of  grace  increas- 
eth,  when  a  Christian  hath  most  conflict 
with  spiritual  corruptions, — when  he  not 
only  abstains  from  gross  evils,  but  hath  a 
combat  with  inward,  hidden,  close  cor- 
ruptions, as  pride,  envy,  hypocrisy,  vain 
thoughts,  carnal  cohfidence, — these  arc  spi- 
ritual wickednesses,  and  do  both  defile  and 
disturb,  2  Cor.  vii.  L,  "Let  ns  cleanse  our- 
selves from  all  filtliiness  of  the  flesh  and 
spirit."  Which  shews  there  are  two  sorts 
of  corruptions,  one  of  the  flesh,  the  other 
of  the  s})irit.  When  we  grieve  for  and  com- 
bat with  spiritual  sin — as  being  the  root  of 
all  gross  sins — then  the  kingdom  of  grace 
increaseth,  and  spreads  its  territories  in  the 
soul. 

A.  4.  Then  tlie  kingdom  of  grace  flourisli- 
eth,  when  a  Christian  bath  learned  to  live 
by  faith.  Gal.  ii.  20.,  "  I  live  by  the  faith 
of  the  Son  of  God."  There  is  the  habit  of 
faith,  and  the  drawing  of  this  habit  into 
exercise.  For  a  Christian  to  graft  his  liope 
of  salvation,  only  upon  the  stock  of  Christ's 
righteousness,  and  make  Christ  all  in  jus- 
tilieation,-^to  live  on  the  j»romisos,  as  a  bee 
on  the  flower,  and  suck  out  the  sweetness 
of  them, — to  trust  God  where  we  cannot 
trace  him, — to  believe  his  love  through  a 
frown, — to  persuade  ourselves,  when  he  hath 
the  face  of  an  enemy,  vet  he  bath  the  heart 
of  a  Father, — when  we  are  arrived  at  this, 
here  is  the  kingdom  of  grace  flourishing  in 
our  souls. 

A.  5.  When  a  Christian  is  arrived  at  holy 
zeal.  Numb.  xxv.  13.  Phinchas  was  zeal- 
ous for  his  God.  Zeal  is  the  flame  of  the 
affections,  it  turns  a  saint  into  a  seraphim ; 
a  zealous  Christian  is  imj)aticnt  when  God 
is  dishonoured,   Rev.  ii.  2.;  he  will  wrestje 


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433 


mth  difficulties,  lie  will  swim  to  Christ 
through  a  sea  of  blood,  Acts  xxi.  13.  Zeal 
loves  truth  when  it  is  despised  and  0])poscd, 
Ps.  cxix.  12G,  127.,  "  They  have  made  void 
thy  law,  therefore  I  love  thv  command- 
ments."  Here  is  grace  increasing  like 
the  sun  in  the  horizon.  Zeal  resembles 
the  Holy  Ghost,  Acts  ii  3.,  "  There  ap- 
peared unto  them  cloven  tongues  like  as 
of  fire,  and  it  sat  upon  each  of  them." 
Tongues  of  fire  were  an  emblem  of  that 
fire  of  zeal,  which  the  Spirit  poured  on 
them. 

A.  6.  Then  the  kingdom  of  grace  increas- 
eth,  when  a  Christian  is  as  well  diligent  in 
his  particular  calling,  as  devout  in  his  ge- 
neral, lie  is  the  wise  Christian,  that  car- 
ries things  equally;  that  doth  so  live  by 
faith,  that  he  lives  in  a  calling.  Therefore 
it  is  worth  our  notice,  when  the  apostle  had 
exhorted  the  Thessalonians  to  increase  in 
grace,  1  Thess.  iv.  10.,  he  presently  adds, 
V.  11.,  "  And  that  you  do  your  own  busi- 
ness, and  work  with  your  hands."  This  is 
a  sign  grace  is  increasing,  when  Christians 
go  cheerfully  about  their  calling.  Indeed 
to  be  all  the  day  in  the  mount  with  God, 
and  to  have  the  mind  fixed  on  glory,  is 
more  sweet  to  a  man's  self,  and  is  an  hea- 
ven upon  earth  ;  but  to  be  conversant  in 
our  callings,  is  more  profitable  to  others. 
I  may  allude  to  that  of  St.  Paul,  To  be 
with  Christ  is  best  for  me;  yet  to  abide 
here  is  more  needful  for  you,  Phil.  i.  24. 
So,  to  converse  A\ith  God  in  prayer  and 
sweet  meditation  all  the  week  long,  is  more 
for  the  comfort  of  a  man's  own  person  ; 
but  to  be  sometimes  employed  in  the  busi- 
ness of  a  calling,  is  more  pi-ofitable  for  the 
family  to  which  he  beiongs.  It  is  not  good 
to  be  as  the  lilies,  which  toil  not,  neither 
do  they  spin.  It  shews  the  increase  of 
grace,  when  a  Christian  keeps  a  due  deco- 
rum ;  lie  joins  })!cty  and  industry,  when 
zeal  runs  foith  in  i-eligion,  and  diligence  is 
put  fortli  in  a  calling. 

//.  7.  Then  the  kingdom  of  grace  increas- 
eth,  when  a  Christian  is  established  in  the 
belief  and  love  of  the  truth.     The  heart  by 


dering  stars,  will  be  fidling  stars;  but  when 
a  soul  is  built  on  the  rock  Christ,  and  no 
winds  of  temptation  can  blow  it  away,  now 
the  kingdom  of  grace  flourishoth.  One 
calls  Athanasius  Adamas  EcclesUe, — an  in- 
vincible adamant,  in  respect  of  his  staliility 
in  the  truth.  Col.  ii.  7.,  "  Rooted  and  built 
up  in  him ;"  the  rooting  of  a  tree  evidenc- 
eth  the  growth. 

A.  8.  Then  the  kingdom  of  grace  increas- 
eth  in  a  man's  own  heart,  when  he  labours 
to  be  instrumental  to  set  up  this  kingdom, 
in  others.  Though  it  is  the  greatest  bene- 
fit to  have  grace  wrought  in  ourselves,  yet 
it  is  the  greatest  honour  to  be  instrumental 
to  work  it  in  others.  Gal.  iv.  19.,  '•  Of 
whom  I  travail  in  birth  again  till  Christ  be 
fi)rmed  in  you."  Such  as  are  masters  of  a 
family  should  endeavour  to  see  the  king- 
dom of  grace  set  up  in  their  servants;  such 
as  are  godly  parents,  let  not  God  alone  by 
prayer,  till  you  sec  grace  in  your  children ; 
what  a  comfort  would  it  be  to  vou,  to  be 
both  the  natural  and  s])iritual  fathers  of 
your  children  ?  Austin  saitli,  his  mother 
Monica  travailed  with  greater  care  and  ])ain 
for  his  new  birth,  than  his  natural.  This 
shews  the  increase  of  grace,  when  we  la- 
bour to  see  the  kingdom  of  grace  set  up  in 
others ;  then  the  water  abounds  in  the  river, 
when  it  overilows  and  runs  into  the  mea- 
dows ;  then  grace  increaseth  in  the  soul 
when  it  hath  inlluence  upon  others,  and  we 
endeavour  their  salvation. 

Quest.  iVherein  a]>pcars  the  needfulness- 
of  f/iis,  thciL  the  k'uujdom  of  grace  sUould  he 
increased  f 

Ans.  1.  This  is  God's  design  in  keeping 
up  a  standing  ministry  in   the  church,   to 
increase   the   kingdom   of  grace   in    men's 
hearts,  Eph.  iv.  8.,   "  He  gave  gifts  nntO' 
men;"  that  is   ministerial   gifts:  wliy  so? 
V.   12.,   "  For  the  edifying  of  the  body  of 
Christ."     IS»)t  only  for  conversion,  but  for 
augmentation  ;  therefore  the  word  preached' 
is  compared  not  only  to  seed,  but  to  milk  ; 
because  by  this   breast-milk,   God  designs 
our  growth  in  grace. 

A.  2.  W'e  had  need  have  the  kingdom  of 


nature  is  as  a  ship  without  ballast,  it  wa-  grace  increase,  in  respect  we  have  a  great 
vers  and  fiuctuatcs.  13e7.a  writes  of  one  deal  of  work  to  do,  and  a  little  grace  will 
Bolezius,  his  religion  changed  as  the  moon  ^  hardly  carry  us  through,  A  Christian's 
and   planet   Mercurv.     Such  as  are   wan-    life  is  laborious, — so  many  temptations  to- 

3  I 


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i-csist so  many  promises  to  believe, — so 

many  precepts  to  obey, — tbat  it  will  require 
a  great  deal  of  grace.  A  Cliristian  must 
not  only  pray,  but  "  be  zealous,  and  re- 
pent," Rev.  iii.  19. ;  not  only  love,  but  be 
sick  of  love.  Cant.  ii.  5.  How  bad  be  need 
tberefore  to  bave  the  kingdom  of  grace  en- 
larjred  in  bis  soul  ?  As  bis  work  increas- 
ctb  upon  bim,  so  bis  grace  bad  need  in- 
crease. 

A.  3.  If  tbe  kingdom  of  grace  dotb  not 
increase,  it  will  decay,  Rev.  ii.  4.,  "  Tbou 
bast  left  tby  first  love."  Grace,  for  want 
of  increasing,  is  sometimes  like  a  winter- 
plant,  all  tbe  sap  runs  to  tbe  root,  and 
it  looks  as  if  it  were  dead,  Rev.  iii.  2., 
"  Strengtben  tbe  things  that  remain,  which 
are  ready  to  die;"  though  grace  cannot  ex- 
pire, it  may  wither  ;  and  a  withering  C'bris- 
tian  loseth  much  of  his  beauty  and  fra- 
grancy.  What  great  need  then  bave  we  to 
pray  "  thy  kingdom  come,"  that  this  king- 
dom of  grace  may  be  increased  ?  If  grace 
be  not  im])roved,  it  will  soon  be  impaired. 
A  Cliristian,  for  want  of  increasing  bis 
grace,  loseth  his  strength  ;  he  is  like  a  sick 
raati,  that  cannot  either  walk  or  work  ;  his 
prayers  are  sick  and  weak, — be  is  as  if  he 
liad  no  life  in  bim, — his  faith  can  hardly 
fetch  breath,  and  you  can  scarce  feel  tbe 
pulse  of  bis  love  to  beat. 

A.  4.  To  have  grace  increasing  is  suitable 
to  Christianity.  Christians  are  "  called 
trees  of  righteousness,"  Isaiah  Ixi.  3.  The 
saints  are  not  only  jewels  for  sparkling  lus- 
tre, but  trees  for  growth ;  they  are  called 
tbe  lights  of  the  world,  Phil.  ii.  15.  Light 
is  still  increasing.  First  there  is  tbe  cre- 
pusciilum,  or  day-break,  and  so  it  shines 
brighter  to  the  meridian.  They  who  are  the 
lights  of  the  world  must  increase  till  tliev 
come  to  the  meridian  of  glory.  Not  to  grow 
is  suspicious  ;  painted  things  grow  not. 

A.  5.  As  tlie  kingdom  of  grace  increas- 
etb,  so  a  Christian's  comforts  increase. 
Comfort  belongs  to  the  be?ic  esse, — or  well- 
being  of  a  Christian  ;  it  is  like  sweetmeat, 
delicious  to  the  taste,  Ps.  cxix.  103.  Tlie 
more  grace,  tbe  more  joy.  As  the  more 
sap  in  the  root,  tbe  more  wine  in  the  grape. 
Who  did  more  increase  in  grace  than  Da- 
vid ?  And  who  more  in  consolation  ?  Ps. 
iv.  7.,   "  Tbou  bast  put  gladness  in    my 


heart."  Grace  turns  to  joy,  as  milk  to 
cream. 

Quest.  How  may  they  he  cowforted,  irho 
bewail  their  lonnt  of  growth^  anrl  weep  that  they 
cannot  Jind  the  hivydom  of  grace  increase  ? 

Ans.  1.  To  see  and  bewail  our  decay  in 
grace,  argues  not  only  the  life  of  grace,  but 
growth.  'Tis  a  sign  a  man  recovers  and 
gets  strength,  when  be  feels  bis  weakness; 
it  is  a  step  forward  in  grace  to  see  our  im- 
perfections. The  more  tbe  Spirit  shines  in 
the  heart,  the  more  evil  it  discovers;  a 
Christian  thinks  it  worse  with  him  than  it 
was,  w^hereas  his  grace  may  not  grow  les- 
ser, but  his  liofht  greater. 

A.  2.  If  a  Christian  doth  not  increase  in 
one  grace,  he  may  in  another ;  if  not  in 
knowledge,  he  may  in  humility.  If  a  tree 
doth  not  grow  so  much  in  tbe  branches,  it 
may  in  the  root ;  to  grow  downwards  in  the 
root,  is  a  good  growth. 

A.  3.  A  christian  may  grow  less  in  affec- 
tion, Avhen  ho  grows  more  in  judgment.  As 
a  musician  when  be  is  old,  bis  fingers  are 
stiff,  and  not  so  nimble  at  the  lute  as  they 
were,  but  he  plays  with  more  art  and  judg- 
ment than  before  ;  so  a  Christian  may  not 
have  so  much  affection  in  duty  as  at  the 
first  conversion,  but  be  is  more  solid  in  re- 
ligion, and  more  settled  in  bis  judgment 
than  he  was  before. 

A.  4.  A  Christian  may  think  be  dotb  not 
increase  in  grace,  because  be  doth  not  in- 
crease in  gifts ;  whereas  there  may  be  a  de- 
cay of  natural  parts,  the  memory  and  other 
faculties,  when  there  is  not  a  decay  of  grace. 
Parts  may  be  impaired,  when  grace  is  im- 
proved :  be  not  discouraged,  it  is  better  to 
decay  in  parts,  and  be  enlarged  in  grace, 
than  to  be  enlarged  in  parts,  and  to  decay 

in  grace. 

A.  5.  A  Christian  may  increase  in  grace, 
yet  not  be  sensible  of  it.  The  seed  may 
grow  in  the  earth,  when  we  do  not  perceive 
it  to  spring  up :  the  grace  may  grow  in  time 
of  desertion,  and  not  bo  perceived.  So  I 
have  done  with  the  first  thing  intoudod  in 
this  petition,  "  thy  kingdom  come  •"  we 
pray  that  tbe  kingdom  of  grace  may  come 
into  our  hearts,  and  that  it  may  increase 
and  flourish. 

I  should  come  to  tbe  second  thing  intend- 
ed in  this  petition,    '  that  the  kingdom  of 


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435 


glory  may  liaston,  and  tliat  we  may  in  due 
time  be  translated  into  it.' 

When  we  pray,  "  thy  kinj^dom  come," 
here  is  sometliing  positively  intended ;  we 
pray,  Isf.  that  the  kinrjdom  of  fjrace  may 
be  set  in  our  hearts;  2(1.  that  it  may  in- 
crease and  flonrish ;  3(/.  that  the  kingdom 
of  jjlory  may  Iiasten,  and  that  God  would 
in  Ids  due  time  translate  us  into  it. 

1.  What  this  kingdom  of  glory  is. 

2.  What  arc  the  properties  of  it. 

3.  Wherein  it  exceeds  all  other  kingdoms. 

4.  AVhen  this  kingdom  comes. 

5.  Wherein  ai)pears  the  certainty  of  it. 

G.  Why  we  should  pray  for  its  coming. 

First.  What  this  kingdom  of  glory  is. 

Ans.  By  this  kingdom  is  meant,  tliat  glo- 
rious estate  which  the  saints  shall  enjoy 
when  tliey  shall  reign  with  God  and  angels 
for  ever.  If  a  man  stand  ujxtn  the  sea- 
shore, he  cannot  see  all  the  dimensions  of 
the  sea,  the  length,  breadth,  and  dej)th  of 
it,  yet  he  may  see  it  is  of  a  vast  extension : 
so,  though  the  kingdom  of  heaven  be  of  that 
incomparable  excellency  that  neither  tongue 
of  man  or  angels  can  express,  yet  we  may 
conceive  of  it  to  be  an  exceeding  glorious 
thing,  such  as  the  eye  hath  not  seen. 

Concerning  the  kingdom  of  heaven  I  shall 
show,  1.  AVluit  it  implies  ;  2.  AVliat  it  im- 
ports. 

1.  AAHiat  it  implies. 

Ans.  It  implies  a  blessed  freedom  from  all 
evil. 

2.  What  it  imports. 

Ans.  It  imports  glorious  fruition  of  all 
good. 

1.  What  the  kingdom  of  heaven  implies, 

Ans.  I.  It  imjilies  a  freedom  from  all  evil. 

1.  A  freedom  from  the  necessities  of  na- 
ture. We  are  in  this  life  subject  to  many 
necessities ;  we  need  food  to  nourish  us, — 
clothes  to  cover  us, — armour  to  defend  us, 
— sleep  to  refresh  us;  but  in  the  kingdom 
of  heaven  there  is  no  need  of  these  things  ; 
and  it  is  better  not  to  need  them,  than  to 
have  them,  as  it  is  better  not  to  need  crutch- 
es, than  to  have  crutches.  What  need  will 
there  be  of  food  when  our  bodies  shall  be 
made  spiritual  ?  1  Cor.  xv.  4  !•.  Though  not 
f^piritual  for  substance,  yet  for  qualities. 
Wliat  need  will  there  be  of  clothing  when 
our  bodies  shall   be  like  Christ's  glorious 


body  ?  What  need  will  there  be  of  armour 
when  there  is  no  enemy  ?  What  need  will 
there  be  of  sleep,  when  there  is  no  night  ? 
Rev.  xxii.  5.  The  saints  shall  be  freed,  in 
the  heavenly  kingdom,  from  these  necessi- 
ties of  nature  to  which  they  now  lie  exposed. 

2.  In  the  kingdom  of  heaven  we  shall  be 
freed  from  the  imperfections  of  nature. 
Since  the  fall,  our  knowledge  hath  suffered 
an  eclipse. 

(1.)  Our  natural  knowledge  is  imperfect, 
it  is  chequered  with  ignorance.  Tliere  are 
many  hard  knots  in  nature,  which  we  can- 
not easily  untie  :  Why  the  sea  should  be 
higher  than  the  earth,  yet  not  drown  it? 
What  way  the  light  is  parted  ?  Job  xxxviii. 
24.  What  is  the  reason  of  all  the  occult 
qualities,  sympathies,  and  antipathies?  He 
who  sees  clearest,  hath  a  mist  before  his 
eyes.  Socrates  said  on  his  deathbed,  there 
were  many  things  he  had  yet  to  learn.  Our 
ignorance  is  more  than  our  knowledge. 

(2.)  Our  divine  knowledge  is  imperfect; 
"  we  know  but  in  part,"  saith  Paul,  1  Cor. 
xiii.  9.  Though  he  had  many  revelations, 
and  was  wrapt  up  into  the  third  heaven. 
We  have  but  dark  conceptions  of  the  Tri- 
nity, Job.  xi.  7.,  "  Canst  thou  by  searching 
find  out  God  ?"  Our  narrow  capacities  will 
no  more  contain  the  Trinity,  than  a  little 
glass  vial  will  hold  all  the  water  in  the  sea. 
We  cannot  unriddle  the  mystery  of  the  in- 
carnation,— the  human  nature  assumed  into 
the  person  of  the  Son  of  God, — the  human 
nature  not  God,  yet  united  with  God ;  we 
see  now  in  anigmate., — in  a  glass  darkly,  but 
in  the  kingdom  of  heaven  the  vail  shall  b 
taken  off,  all  imperfection  of  nature  shall 
be  done  away.  A\'hcn  the  sunlight  of  glory 
shall  begin  to  shine  in  the  heavenly  horizon, 
all  dark  shadows  of  ignorance  shall  fly  a- 
wjiy,  our  lamp  of  knowledge  shall  burn 
bright,  we  shall  have  a  full  knowledge  of 
God  though  not  know  him  fully. 

3.  In  the  kingdom  of  heaven  we  shall  he 
freed  from  the  toilsome  labours  of  this  life. 
God  enacted  a  law  in  paradise,  "  In  the 
sweat  of  thy  face  shalt  thou  eat  bread,'* 
Gen.  iii.  19.  There  is  the  labour  of  the 
hand  in  maiuifacture,  and  the  labour  of  the 
mind  in  study,  Eecl.  i.  8.,  "  All  things  are 
full  of  labour  ;"  but  in  the  kingdom  of  hea- 
ven we  shall  be  freed  from  our  labours. 


436 


Ot  THE  SECOND  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


(1.)  Tliere  needs  no  labour  when  a  man 
hatli  f^ot  to  the  liaven,  he  liath  no  more  need 
of  sailing.  In  lieaven  there  needs  no  la- 
bour, because  the  saints  shall  have  that  glo- 
ry which  they  laboured  for. 

(2.)  There  shall  be  no  labour,  Rev.  xiv. 
13.,  They  rest  from  their  labours.  As  (jod 
when  he  had  finished  the  work  of  creation, 
rested  from  his  labours,  Gen.  ii.  2.,  so, 
when  his  saints  have  finished  the  work  of 
sanetification,  they  rest  from  their  labours. 
WTiere  should  there  be  rest,  but  in  the  hea- 
venly centre?  Not  that  this  sweet  rest  in 
the  kingdom  of  heaven  excludes  all  motion, 
for  spirits  cannot  be  idle ;  but  the  saints 
glorified  shall  rest  from  all  wearisome  em- 
ployment ;  it  shall  be  a  labour  full  of  ease, 
a  motion  full  of  delight;  the  saints  in  hea- 
ven shall  love  God,  and  what  labour  is 
that?  Is  it  any  labour  to  love  beauty? 
They  shall  praise  God,  and  that  sure  is  de- 
lightful ;  when  the  bird  sings,  it  is  not  so 
much  a  labour  as  a  pleasure. 

4.  In  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  we  shall 
be  freed  from  original  corruption;  this  is 
causa  causati,  the  root  of  all  actual  sin. 
There  would  be  no  actual  sin,  if  there  were 
no  oriffinal ;  there  would  be  no  water  in  the 
stream,  if  there  were  none  in  the  fountain. 
Original  sin  is  incorporated  into  our  na- 
ture; it  is  as  if  the  whole  mass  of  blood 
were  corrupted.  This  makes  a  Christian 
weary  of  his  life ;  he  offends  that  God  whom 
he  loves.  What  would  a  Christian  give  to 
liave  his  chains  taken  oft",  to  be  rid  of  vain 
thoughts?  How  did  Paul  (that  bird  of 
paradise)  bemoan  himself  for  his  sins  ? 
Horn.  vii.  24.  We  cannot  act  either  our 
duties  or  our  graces  without  sin.  The  soul 
that  is  most  refined  and  clarified  by  grace, 
is  not  without  some  dregs  of  corruption  ; 
but  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven  the  fountain 
of  original  sin  shall  be  quite  dried  up. 
What  a  blessed  time  will  that  be,  never  to 
grieve  God's  Spirit  more  !  In  heaven  are 
virgin-souls;  there  is  beauty  which  is  not 
stained  with  lust ;  nothing  enters  there  that 
defiles.  Rev.  xxi.  27. 

5.  In  the  kingdom  of  heaven  we  shall  be 
freed  from  all  sorrows.  Rev.  xxi.  4.,  "  There 
shall  be  no  more  sorrow."  Our  life  here 
is  interlarded  with  trouble,  Ps.  xxxi.  10. 
Either  losses  grieve,  or  law-suits  vex,  or 


unkindness  breaks  the  heart.     We  may  a 
well  separate  moisture  from  air,  or  weigh 
from    lead,    as    troubles    from    man's    life 
Q///V7  est  (tin  vivire,  nisi  diu  torqucri  ?  Aug 
But,  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  sorrow  and 
sigliiiig  sjiall  fly  away.     Here  the  saints  sit 
by  the  rivers  weeping,  but  one  smile  from 
Christ's  face  will  make  them  forget  all  their 
sufteriiigs;  their  Avater  then  shall  be  turned 
into  wine,  tlieir  mourning  into  music. 

G.  A\'e  shall  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven 
be  freed  from  the  immodesty  of  temptation. 
Satan  is  not  yet  fully  cast  into  prison ;  but 
is  like  a  prisoner  that  goes  under  bail, — he 
walks  about  tempting, — he  labours  to  tre- 
j)an  us  into  sin, — he  is  either  laying  of 
snares,  or  shootiisg  of  darts.  Stat  in  pro- 
cinctu  cliabuliis.  He  laid  a  train  of  tempta- 
tion to  blow  up  the  castle  of  Job's  faith. 
This  is  as  great  a  grief  to  a  believer  to  be 
followed  with  temptations  to  sin,  as  it  is 
for  a  virgin  to  have  her  chastity  assaulted ; 
but  in  tlie  kingdom  of  heaven  the  saints 
shall  he  freed  from  the  red  dragon ;  he  is 
cast  out  of  ])m'adise,  and  shall  be  for  eyer 
locked  up  in  chains,  Jude  6. 

7.  In  the  kingdom  of  heaven  we  shall 
be  freed  from  all  vexing  cares.  The  Greek 
word  for  care,  comes  from  a  primiti\e  which 
signifies  to  cut  the  heart  in  j)ieces.  Care 
discruciates  the  mind,  it  wastes  tiie  sjiirits, 
it  eats  out  the  comfort  of  life.  Care  is  an 
evil  spirit  that  haunts  us :  care  to  prevent 
future  dangers,  and  preserve  present  com- 
forts. All  care  is  full  of  fear,  and  fear  is 
full  of  torment,  1  John  iv.  18.  God  threa- 
tens it  as  a  judgment,  Ezek.  xii.  19.,  "  They 
shall  eat  their  bread  with  carefulness.  E- 
very  comfort  hath  its  care,  as  every  rose 
hatli  its  prickle ;  but  in  the  kingdom  of 
heaven,  we  shall  shake  off"  this  viper  of 
care.  What  needs  a  saint  glorified  to  take 
any  care,  who  hath  all  things  provided  to 
his  hand  ?  There  is  the  tree  of  life  bear- 
ing all  sorts  of  fruit.  When  the  heart  shall 
be  freed  from  sin,  the  head  shall  be  freed 
from  care. 

8.  AVe  shall,  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven, 
be  freed  from  all  doubts  and  scruples.  In 
this  life  the  best  saint  hath  his  doublings, 
as  the  briHitest  star  liath  his  twinkling. 
If  there  were  no  doublings,  there  would 
be  DO  unbelief;   assurance  itself  doth  not 


OF  THE  SECOND  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


excliulo  all  douhtiiijr,  Ps.  xwi.  3.,  "  Thy  thouorh  lie  liath  the  heart  of  a  father,  he 

hnin^  kindness  is  before  mine  eyes :"  l)iit  may  have   the  look  of  an  enemy ;   this  U 

at   another  time,    Ps.  Ixxxi.v.   40.,    "  Lord  sad.      As  when   ihe  sun   is   p^one    the   dew 

where  are  thy  former  lovin<r  kindnesses?"  falls;   when  tlie  li<rht  of  God's  face  is  gone, 

A  Christian  is  like  a  ship  at  anehor,  which  tears  drop  from   tlie  saints'  eyes.     But  in 

thonoh  it  be  safe,  yet  it  may  sometimes  be  the  kinjjdom  of  heaven,  there  shall  be  no 


tossed  upon  the  water.  Sometimes  a  Chris- 
tian rpiestions  his  interest  in  Christ,  and  his 
title  to  the  promise ;  and  these  doubtings, 
as  they  eclipse  a  Christian's  comfort,  so 
they  are  a  bearing  false  witness  against  the 
Spirit.  13ut,  when  the  saints  shall  come 
into  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  there  shall  be 
no  more  d»»ubtings ;  then  a  Christian  shall 
sav,  as  Peter,  "  now  I  know  of  a  sin-etv 
that  the  Lord  hath  sent  his  angel,  and  de- 
li\ered  me,"  Actsxii,  11.  So,  now  1  know, 
that  I  am  passed  from  death  to  life,  and  I 
am  got  beyond  all  rocks,  I  have  shot  the 
gulf,  now  I  am  in  my  Saviour's  embraces 
^or  ever. 

9.  We  shall,  in  the  kingdom  of  lieaA'cn, 
be  freed  from  all  society  with  the  wicked. 
Here,  we  are  forced  sometimes  to  be  in 
their  company,  Ps.  cxx.  5.,  "  Wo  is  me 
that  I  sojourn  in  Mesech,  and  dwell  in  the 
tents  of  Kedar  !"  Kedar  was  Ishmael's  son, 
whose  children  dwelt  in  Arabia,  a  jirofane, 
barbarous  people.  Here  the  wicked  are 
still  raising  persecutions  against  the  godly, 
and  crucifyinff  their  ears  with  their  oaths 
and  curses;  Christ's  lily  is  among  thorns; 
but  in  the  heavenly  kingdom  there  shall  be 
no  more  any  pricking  briar,  JNIat.  xiii.  41., 
*'  The  Son  of  xnan  shall  send  forth  his  an- 
gels, and  they  shall  gather  out  of  Ms  king- 
dom all  things  that  offend."  As  INloses 
said,  Exod.  xiv.  13.,  "  Stand  still  and  see 
the  salvation  of  the  Lord:  for  the  Egyp- 
tians whom  ye  have  seen  to -day,  ye  shall 
see  them  .igain  no  more  for  ever:"  so  will 
God  say,  "stand  still  and  set'  the  salvation 
of(iod;  these  your  enemies,  that  vex  and 
molest  you,  you  shall  see  them  again  no 
more  for  ever."  At  that  day,  God  will  se- 
parate the  precious  from  the  vile ;  then 
Mirist  will  thoroughly  ])urge  his  floor,   he 


spiritual  eclipses, — there  shall  never  appear 
any  tokens  of  (Jod's  displeasure, — the  saints 
shall  have  a  constant  aspect  of  love  from 
(mxI,  they  shall  never  complain  any  more, 
as  Cant.  v.  6.,  "  My  beloved  hath  with- 
drawn himself." 

11.  We  shall,  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven, 
be  freed  from  all  divisions.  That,  which 
is  the  saddest  thing  in  the  world,  is  to  see 
divisions  among  them  that  are  good.  It  is 
sad,  that  such  as  have  one  faith,  yet  should 
not  be  of  one  heart ;  Ejdiraim  envies  Judah, 
and  Judah  vexeth  Ej)hraim ;  it  is  matter 
of  tears,  to  see  those  who  are  united  to 
Christ,  to  be  divided  one  fi-om  another. 
The  soldier's  spear  pierced  Christ's  side, 
but  the  divisions  of  saints  wound  his  heart. 
But,  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  there  shall 
be  no  vilifying  one  another,  or  censuring; 
those  who  before  could  hardly  pray  toge- 
ther, shall  praise  God  together  ;  there  shall 
not  be  one  jarring  string  in  the  saints* 
music. 

12.  We  shall,  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven, 
be    freed   from    vanity   and    dissatisfaction. 
\Vhat  Job  saith    of  wisdom,    chap,   xxviii. 
11.,    "  The  depth  saith.    It   is  not  in   nie ; 
and  the  sea  saith,    It  is  not  with  me,"   the 
same    may    I    say   concerning   satisfaction ; 
every  ci-eature  saith,    "   It  is  not  in   me." 
Tak<'   things  most   ])leasing,  and  which  we 
pnnnise  ourselves  most  content  from,  still 
out  the  spirits  and  pinx'st  fpiintessence  of 
them,  and  we  shall   say,    as   Solomon  did, 
I>cl.  ii.  11.,   "  And  behold  all  was  vanity  !" 
Cuh\  never  did,    nor  will,   jmt  a  satisfying 
virtue  into  any  creature.      In   the  sweetest 
music  the  world  makes,  either  there  is  some 
string  wanting,  or  out  of  tune.     Who  would 
have    thought   that   Haman,    who   was   so 
great  in  the  king's  favour,    "  he  set  his  seat 


■\nll  gather  the  wheat  into  the  garner,   and    above  all  the  ])rinces  that  were  with   him," 
the  wicked,  which  are  the   chaff,   shall  be    Est.  iii.  1.     Yet  for  the  want  of  the  bow- 


blown  into  hell. 

10.   We  shall,  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven, 


ing  of  a  knee  he  is  dissatisfied?  but  in  the 
kingdom  of  heaven,  we  sliall  be  freed  from 


be  freed  from  all  signs  of  God's  displeasure,    these  dissatisfactions.     The  world  is  like  a 
Here  God  may  be  angry  with  his  people :  j  landscape,  you  may  see  gardens  and  fruit- 


438 


OF  THE  SECOND  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


trees,  curiously  drawn  m  tlie  landscape, 
but  you  cannot  enter  into  them;  but  you 
may  enter  into  the  joys  of  heaven,  "  enter 
thou  into  the  joy  of  thy  Lord."  The  soul 
shall  be  satisfied  while  it  bathes  in  those 
rivers  of  pleasure  at  God's  right  hand ; 
"  I  shall  be  satisfied,  when  I  awake  with 
thy  likeness,"  Ps.  xvii.  15.  Thus  you  see 
what  the  kingdom  of  glory  implies;  name- 
ly, a  blessed  freedom  from  all  evil. 

13.  We  shall  in  the  kingdom  of  heaA'en, 
be  freed  from  the  torments  of  hell,  1  Thess. 
i.  10.,  "  Jesus  which  delivered  us  from  the 
wrath  to  come." 

(1.)  The  multiplicity  of  these  torments. 
In  this  life,  the  body  is  usually  exercised 
but  with  one  pain,  tha  stone  or  head-ach  : 
but  in  hell  there  is  a  diversity  of  torments, 
— there  is  darkness  to  affright, — fire  to  burn, 
— a  lake  of  sulphur  to  choke, — chains  to 
bind, — the  worm  to  gnaw. 

(2.)  The  torments  of  hell  will  seize  upon 
every  part  of  the  body  and  soul ;  the  eye 
shall  be  tortured  with  the  sight  of  devils ; 
the  tongue  that  hath  sworn  so  many  oaths 
shall  be  tortured,  Luke  xvi.  24.,  "  Send 
Lazarus,  that  he  may  dip  the  tip  of  his  fin- 
ger in  water,  and  cool  my  tongue."  The 
memory  shall  be  tormented  to  remember 
what  mercies  have  been  abused,  what  sea- 
sons of  grace  neglected ;  the  conscience  shall 
be  tormented  with  self-accusations. 

(3.)  In  the  pains  of  hell  there  is  no  mi- 
tigation, no  mixture  of  mercy.  In  this  life, 
God  in  anger  remembers  mercy.  Hab.  iii. 
2. ;  but  in  hell  there  is  no  alleviation,  or 
lessening  of  the  pains.  As  in  the  sacrifice 
of  jealousy.  Numb.  v.  15.,  God  would  have 
no  oil  or  frankincense  put  into  it :  so  in  hell 
there  is  no  oil  of  mercy  to  lenify  the  suffer- 
ings of  the  damned,  no  incense  of  prayer  to 
appease  God's  wrath. 

(4.)  In  the  pains  of  hell  there  is  no  in- 
termission. The  poets  feign  of  Endymion, 
that  he  got  leave  of  Jupiter  always  to  sleep. 
Wliat  would  the  damned  in  liell  give  for 
one  hour's  sleep?  Rev.  iv.  8.,  "  They  rest 
not  day  and  night."  They  are  perpetually 
on  the  rack. 

(5.)  In  the  pains  of  hell  there  is  no  expi- 
ration ;  they  must  always  lie  scorching  in 
flames  of  wrath,  Rev.  xiv.  11.,  "  The  smoke 
of  their  torment  ascended  up  for  ever  and 


ever :"  but,  in  the  heavenly  kingdom,  the 
elect  shall  be  freed  from  all  infernal  tor- 
ments :  "  Jesus  hath  delivered  us  from  the 
wrath  to  come."  A  prison  is  not  made  for 
the  king's  children.  Christ  drank  that  bit 
ter  cup  of  God's  wrath,  that  the  saints  might 
never  drink  it. 

A.  2.  In  the  kingdom  of  heaven  there  is 
a  glorious  fruition  of  all  good.  Had  I  as 
many  tongues  as  hairs  on  my  head,  I  could 
not  fully  describe  this.  I  may  say,  as  Judges 
xviii.  9,  10.  Heaven  is  called  "  the  excel- 
lent glory,"  2  Pet.  i.  17.  I  may  as  well 
span  the  firmament,  or  drain  the  ocean,  as 
set  forth  tlie  glory  of  this  kingdom.  Coilum 
non  habit  hyperholum  ;  the  kingdom  of  hea- 
ven is  above  all  hyperbole.  Were  the  sun 
ten  thousand  times  brighter  than  it  is,  it 
could  not  parallel  the  lustre  of  this  king- 
dom ;  Apelles'  pencil  would  blot,  angels 
tongues  would  lessen  it;  lean  but  give  you 
the  skiagraphia,  or  dark  shadow  of  it ;  ex- 
pect not  to  see  it  in  all  its  orient  colours, 
till  you  are  mounted  above  the  stars.  But 
let  us  not  stand  afar  off,  as  Moses,  to  be- 
hold this  Canaan,  but  enter  into  it,  and 
taste  the  honey.  Concerning  the  fruitions 
and  privileges  of  this  heavenly  kingdom, 

1.  We  shall  have  an  immediate  commu- 
nion with  God  himself,  who  is  the  inexhaust- 
ed  sea  of  all  ha])piness  ;  this  divines  call 
'  the  beatifical  vision.'  The  Psalmist  did 
triumph  in  that  enjoyment  he  had  of  God 
in  this  life,  Ps.  Ixxiii.  25.,  "  Whom  have  I 
in  heaven  but  thee?"  If  God,  enjoyed  by 
faith,  doth  give  so  much  comfort  to  the 
soul ;  how  much  more,  when  he  is  enjoyed 
by  inunediate  vision  !  Here  we  see  God  but 
darkly  through  the  glass  of  ordinances,  but, 
in  the  kingdom  of  heaven  wo  shall  see  him 
"  face  to  face,"  1  Cor.  xiii.  12.  We  shall 
have  an  intellectual  sight  of  God,  /.  e.  wo 
shall  see  him  with  the  eyes  of  our  mind  ; 
we  shall  know  God  as  much  as  the  angels 
in  heaven  do,  Mat.  xviii.  10.  and  1  Cor.  xiii. 
12.,  We  shall  know  as  we  are  known.  We 
shall  have  a  full  knowledge  of  God,  though 
not  know  him  fully;  as  a  vessel  in  the  sea, 
is  full  of  the  sea,  though  it  holds  not  all  the 
sea.  To  see  and  enjoy  (iod  will  be  most 
delicious  ;  in  God  are  beams  of  majesty,  and 
bowels  of  mercy,  (lod  hath  all  excellencies 
concentered  in  him,  ho/ium  in  quo  omnia  bona. 


OF  THE  SECOND  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


439 


If  one  flower  should  liave  the  sweetness  of 
all  llowers,  how  sweet  would  that  flower 
be  !  All  the  beauty  and  sweetness  which 
lies  scattered  in  the  creature,  is  infinitely  to 
be  found  in  God ;  therefore,  to  see  and  en- 
joy him,  will  ravish  the  soul  with  delifjht. 
We  shall  so  see  God  as  to  love  him,  and  be 
made  sensible  of  his  love;  and,  when  we 
shall  have  this  sweet  communion  with  God, 
then  God  shall  be  "  all  in  all,"  1  Cor.  xv. 
28.,  light  to  the  eye,  manna  to  the  taste, 
music  to  the  ear. 

2.  We  shall,  in  the  kingdom  of  licaven, 
with  these  eyes,  see  the  glorified  body  of 
Jesus  Christ.  This  our  Saviour  makes  a 
great  part  of  the  glory  of  heaven,  to  view 
the  glory  of  his  human  nature,  John  xvii. 
24.,  "  That  they  may  behold  my  glory." 
When  Christ  was  transfigured  upon  earth, 
it  is  said,  "  that  his  face  did  shine  as  the 
sun,  and  his  raiment  was  white  as  tiie  light," 
Mat.  xvii.  2.  If  the  glory  of  his  transfigu- 
ration was  so  great,  what  will  the  glory  of 
his  exaltation  be?  Much  of  the  glory  of 
God  shines  in  Christ,  by  virtue  of  the  hy- 
postatical  union.  Col.  ii.  9.,  "  In  him  dwell- 
cth  all  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead  bodilv." 
Through  Christ's  humanity,  as  through  a 
bright  mirror,  we  may  see  some  beams  of 
the  Divine  Majesty  shine  forth.  Put  a  back 
of  steel  to  a  glass,  and  you  may  see  a  face 
in  it :  Christ's  human  nature  is  as  a  back  of 
steel  put  to  the  divine  nature  ;  ihrough  this 
we  may  see  God  ;  and  then  our  capacities 
shall  be  enlarged  to  a  wonderful  degree,  to 
receive  this  glorious  object ;  and  we  shall 
uot  only  see  God's  glory,  but  some  of  his 
glory  shall  be  put  upon  us.  Non  tantum 
aderit  (jlorla,  sed  viherit,  Bern.  A  beggar 
may  behold  the  glory  of  a  king,  and  not  be 
the  happier ;  but  Christ's  glory  shall  be  ours, 
"  we  shall  be  like  him,"  1  John  iii.  2.  We 
shall  shine  by  his  beams. 

3.  We  shall  in  the  kingdom  of  he.iven, 
enjoy  the  society  of  '  an  innumerable  com- 
pany of  angels,'  Ileb.  xii.  22. 

Quest.  But  is  there  not  enough  in  God  to 
fill  the  soul  with  delight  ?  Can  the  sight  (if 
angels  add  to  the  soid's  happiness  ?  What 
need  IS  tliere  of  the  light  of  torches^  uhen  the 
nun  shines  ? 

Ans.  Because  the  divine  essence,  the  sight 


rious  workmansliip  sliines  in  the  angels ;  the 
angels  are  beautiful  glorious  creatures  :  and 
as  the  several  strings  in  a  lute  make  the 
harmony  sweeter,  and  the  several  stars 
make  the  firmament  brighter,  so  the  society 
with  angels  will  make  the  delight  of  heaven 
the  greater  ;  and  we  shall  not  only  see  the 
angels  with  the  glorified  eye  of  our  under- 
standing, but  converse  with  them. 

4.  We  shall,  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven, 
have  sweet  society  witli  glorified  saints ; 
then  the  communion  of  saints  will  be  illus- 
trious. O  what  a  blessed  time  will  it  be 
when  those  who  have  prayed,  wept,  suffer- 
ed together,  shall  rejoice  togetiier  !  We  shall 
see  the  saints  in  their  white  linen  of  j)urity, 
and  see  them  as  so  many  crowned  kings ; 
in  beholding  the  saints  glorified,  we  shall 
behold  an  heaven  full  of  suns.  Some  move 
the  question,  whether  we  shall  know  one 
another  in  heaven  ?  Surely  our  knowledge 
shall  not  be  diminished,  but  increased.  It 
is  the  judgment  of  Luther  and  Anselm,  and 
many  other  divines,  that  we  shall  know  one 
another, — yea,  the  saints  of  all  ages,  whose 
faces  we  never  saw ;  and,  when  we  shall  see 
the  saints  in  glory  without  their  spots,  viz. 
their  infirmities,  pride  and  passion,  this  will 
be  a  glorious  sight.  We  see  how  Peter  wa8 
transported  when  he  saw  but  two  proj)liet8 
in  the  trsnsfiguration,  Mat.  xvii.  3. ;  but, 
what  a  blessed  sight  will  it  be  when  we 
shall  see  sucli  a  glorious  company  of  pro- 
|)hets,  and  martyrs,  and  holy  men  of  God  ! 
Mow  sweet  will  the  music  bo,  when  they 
shall  all  sing  together  in  concert,  in  the 
heavenly  choir  !  And  though,  in  this  great 
assembly  of  saints  and  angels,  "  one  star 
may  differ  from  another  in  glory,"  yet  no 
sucii  weed  as  envy  shall  ever  grow  in  the 
paradise  of  God  ;  then  there  shall  be  perJ'ect 
love,  which,  as  it  casts  out  fear,  so  also  en- 
vy ;  though  one  vessel  of  glory  may  hold 
more  than  another,  yet  every  vessel  shall  bo 
full. 

5.  In  the  kingdom  of  heaven  there  shall 
be  incomprehensible  joy.  Aristotle  saith, 
"  j*'y  proceeds  from  union."  AVhen  the 
saints'  union  with  Christ  is  perfected  in 
heaven,  then  their  joy  shall  be  full ;  all  the 
birds  of  the  heavenly  paradise  sing  for  joy. 
What  joy  when  the  saints  shah  see  the  great 

of  angels  is  desirable ;  much  of  God's  cu-  \  gulf  shot,  and  know  that   they  are  passed 


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from  (leatli  to  life  !  What  joy,  when  they 
are  as  holy  Jis  they  would  he,  and  as  God 
would  have  them  to  be  !  What  joy  to  liear 
tlie  music  of  anj^els, — to  see  the  golden  ban- 
iiei'  of  Christ's  love  displayed  over  tiie  soul, 
— to  be  drinkinjij  that  water  of  life  which  is 
quintessential,  and  is  sweeter  than  all  nectar 
and  ambrosia !  What  joy  when  the  saints 
shall  see  Christ  clothed  in  their  flesh,  sittiiifj- 
in  glory  above  the  angels  !  Then  they  shall 
enter  into  the  joy  of  their  Lord,  Mat.  xxv. 
21.  Here  joy  enters  into  the  saints,  in 
heaven,  '  they  enter  into  joy.'  O  thou  saint 
of  God,  who  now  hangest  thy  harj)  upon 
the  willows,  and  minglest  thy  drink  with 
weeping,  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven  thy  wa- 
ter shall  be  turned  into  wine ;  you  shall  have 
so  much  felicity,  that  your  souls  cannot  wish 
for  more  !  The  sea  is  not  so  full  of  Avater, 
as  the  heart  of  a  glorified  saint  is  of  joy  ; 
there  can  be  no  more  sorrow  in  heaven  than 
there  is  joy  in  hell. 

6.  In  heaven  there  is  honour  and  digni- 
ty put  upon  the  saints.  A  kingdom  im- 
ports honour.  All  that  come  into  heaven 
are  kings  ;  they  have,  1.  A  crown.  Rev.  ii. 
10  Dabi  tibi  the  crown  of  life  ;  corona  est 
insigne  regies  potestatis.  This  crown  is  not 
lined  with  thorns,  but  hung  with  jewels ; 
it  is  a  never-fading  crown,  1  Pet.  v.  4. — 2. 
The  saints  in  heaven  have  their  robes ;  they 
exchange  their  sackcloth  for  white  robes. 
Rev.  vii.  9.,  "  I  beheld,  and  lo,  a  great  mul- 
titude, which  no  man  could  number,  cloth- 
ed in  white  robes  !"  Robes  signify  their 
glory,  white  their  sanctity. — And,  3.  Tliey 
sit  with  Christ  upon  the  throne.  Rev.  iii. 
21.  We  read,  1  Kings  vi.  32.,  the  doors  of 
the  holy  of  holies  were  made  of  palm-trees 
and  open  flowers  covered  with  gold  :  an 
emblem  of  that  victory  and  that  garland  of 
glory  which  the  saints  shall  wear  in  the 
kingdom  of  heaven.  Wlicn  all  the  titles 
and  ensigns  of  worldly  honour  shall  lie  in 
the  dust, — the  mace,  the  silver  star,  the 
garter, — then  sliall  the  saints'  honour  re- 
main. 

7.  We  shall,  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven, 
have  a  blessed  rest.  Rest  is  the  end  of  mo- 
tion ;  heaven  is  centrnm  (piictatiminn  miinice, 
the  blessed  centre  where  the  soul  doth  ac- 
quiesce and  rest.  In  this  life  we  are  sub- 
ject to  unquiet  motions   and   fluctuations. 


2  Cor.  vii.  5.,  "  We  were  troubled  on  every 
side:"  like  a  ship  on  the  sea  having  the 
waves  beating  on  both  sides :  but  in  the 
kingdom  of  heaven  there  is  rest,  Ileb.  iv.  9. 
IIow  welcome  is  rest  to  a  weary  traveller ! 
When  death  cuts  asunder  the  string  of  the 
body,  the  soul,  as  a  dove,  flies  aw.'iy,  and  is 
at  rest.  This  rest  is  when  the  saints  shall 
lie  on  Christ's  bosom,  that  hive  of  sweet- 
ness, that  bed  of  perfume. 

8.  The  saints  shall,  in  the  kingdom  of 
heaven,  have  their  bodies  richly  bespangled 
with  glory  ;  they  shall  be  full  of  clarity  and 
brightness.  As  IMoscs'  face  shined  that  Is- 
rael wei'c  not  able  to  behcdd  the  glory,  Ex- 
od.  xxxiv.  30.  The  bodies  of  the  saints 
shall  shine  seven  times  brighter  than  the 
sun,  saith  Clirysostom  ;  they  shall  have 
such  a  resplendency  of  beauty  on  them, 
that  the  angels  shall  fall  in  love  with  them ; 
and  no  wonder,  for  they  shall  be  made  like 
Christ's  glorious  body,  Phil.  iii.  21.  Tlie 
bodies  of  saints  glorified  need  no  jewels, 
when  they  shall  shine  like  Christ's  bodv. 

9.  In  the  lieavenly  kingdom  is  eternity; 
'tis  an  eternal  fruition,  they  shall  ne\'er  be 
put  out  of  the  throne,  Rev.  xxii.  5.,  "  They 
shall  reign  for  ever  and  ever."  It  is  called 
"  the  everlasting  kingdom,"  2  Pet.  i.  11.,  and 
"  an  eternal  weight  of  glory,"  2  Cor.  iv.  17. 
The  flowers  of  j)aradise,  of  wliich  the  saints* 
garland  is  made,  never  wither.  If  therft 
could  be  a  cessation  of  heaven's  glory,  or 
the  saints  had  but  the  least  fear  or  suspicion 
of  losing  their  felicity,  it  would  infinitely 
abate  and  cool  their  joy  ;  but  their  kingdom 
is  for  ever,  the  rivers  of  paradise  cannot  be 
dried  up,  Ps.  xvi,  11.,  "At  thy  right  hand 
there  are  ])leasures  for  ever  more."  The 
kin«rdom  of  heaven  was  tvt)ified  bv  the  tem- 
])le,  which  was  built  with  stone,  covered 
with  cedar  overlaid  witli  gold  :  to  shew  the 
fixed  permanent  state  of  glory,  that  king- 
dom abides  for  ever.  M'ell  may  we  pray, 
"  Thy  kingdom  come." 

Having  spoken  of  the  kingdom  of  grace, 
and  how  we  may  know  that  kingdom  is  set 
up  in  our  hearts,  I  am  next  to  speak  of  tlie 
kingdom  of  glory,  or  heaven. 

1.  What  is  meant  by  the  kingdom  of 
heaven. 

2.  What  are  the  properties  of  this  king- 
dom. 


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441 


3.  AVlicrein  tliis  heavenly  kingdom  ex-    faction  ariseth  from  Rome  defect,  but  (Jod 
eels  all  tlie  kingdoms  upon  earth.  :  is  an  inhnite  good,  and  there  can  be  no  de- 

4.  Wlien  this  kingdom  shall  he  bestowed,    feet  in  that  which  is  infiiiitc. 


5.   Wherein  appears  the  certainty  and  in- 
fallibility of  it. 


y}.  3.   The  <>l(»iv  of  heaven's  Kingdom  is 
pure  and  unmixed  ;   tlie  streams  of  paradise 


6.  Why  we  should  pray  for  tlie  coming    are  not  muddied, — oimiin  clira,  oitinia  jn- 


of  this  kingdom. 

Quest.  1.  What  is  meant  by  the  kii^gdom 
cf  heaven  ? 

A)is.  1,  It  imports  a  blessed  freedom 
from  all  c\'il. — 2.  It  implies  a  glorious  frui- 
tion of  all  good.  (1.)  Immediate  commu- 
nion with  (iod,  who  is  the  inexhausted  sea 
of  all  happiness.  (?.)  A  visible  beholding 
the  glorified  body  of  Jesus  Christ.  (3.)  A 
glorious  vision  of  saints  and  angels.  (4.) 
Dignity  and  honour,  the  crown,  and  white 
robes.      (5.)  A  blessed  rest. 

Quest.  2.  What  are  the  properties  or 
qualifications  of  the  hinf/dom  of  heaven  ? 

Alls.  1.  The  glory  of  this  kingdom  is  so- 
lid and  substantial  ;  the  Hebrew  word  for 
glory  signifies  a  weight,  to  shew  how  solid 
and  weijihtv  the  fflory  of  the  celestial  kinc- 
dom  is.  The  glory  of  the  worldly  kingdom 
is  airy  and  imaginary,  like  a  blazing  comet, 
or  fancy  ;  Acts  xxv.  23.,  Agrippa  and  Ber- 
nice  came  with  a  great  pomp,  with  a  great 
fancy  :  Job  xxvi.  7.,  The  earth  hangs  like 
a  ball  in  the  air,  without  any  thing  to  up- 
hold it.  The  glory  of  the  heavenly  king- 
dom is  substantial,  it  hath  twelve  founda- 
tions, Rev.  xxi.  14.  That  which  God  and 
angels  count  glory  is  true  glory. 

A.  2.  The  glory  of  this  kingdom  is  satis- 
fying, Ps.  xxxvi.  9.,  "  With  thee  is  the 
fountain  of  life."  How  can  they  cljoose 
but  be  full,  who  are  at  the  fountain-head  ? 
Ps.  xvii.  15.,  "  When  I  awake,  I  shall  be 
satisfied  with  thy  likeness,"  i.  e.  when  I  a- 
wake  in  the  morning  of  the  resiu'rection, 
having  some  of  the  beams  of  thy  glory  shin- 
ing in  me,  I  shall  be  satisfied,  Job  xxviii. 
14.,  The  creature  saith  coticerning  satis- 
faction, "  It  is  not  with  me."  If  we  go  for 
liappiness  to  the  creature,  we  go  to  the 
wrong  box ;  only  heaven's  glory  is  com- 
mensurate to  the  vast  desires  of  an  immor- 
tal soul.  A  Christian  bathing  himself  in 
these  rivers  of  pleasures,  cries  out  in  divine 
ccst^icy,  "  I  have  enough  !"  The  soul  is 
never  satisfied  till  it  hath  God  for  its  por- 
tion, and  heaven  for  its  haven.     Dissatis- 


cioida, — there,  that  gold  hath  no  alloy;  no 
bitter  ingredient  in  that  glory,  but  j)ure  as 
the  honey-drops  from  the  comb  ;  there  eiows 
a  rose  without  ])rieklcs,  the  rose  of  Sharon  ; 
there  is  ease  without  ])ain,  honour  without 
disgrace,  life  without  death. 

A.  4.  The  glory  of  this  kingdom  is  con- 
stantly exhilarating  and  refreshing ;  there 
is  fulness  but  no  surfeit.  W(»rldly  com- 
forts, though  sweet,  yet  in  time  grow  stale ; 
a  down-bed  pleaseth  a  while,  but  within  a 
while  we  are  weary,  and  would  i  ise.  Too 
much  ])leasure  is  a  pain  ;  but  the  glory  of 
heaven  doth  never  surfeit  or  nauseate  ;  the 
reason  is,  because,  as  there  are  all  rarities 
imaginable,  so  every  moment  fresh  dcdights 
spring  from  God  into  the  glorified  soul. 

A.  5.  The  glory  of  this  kingdom  is  dis- 
tributed to  every  individual  saint.  In  an 
earthly  kingdom  the  crown  goes  but  to  one, 
a  crown  will  fit  but  one  head  :  but  in  that 
kingdom  above,  the  crown  goes  to  all,  Rev, 
i.  6.  All  the  elect  are  kings.  The  land  is 
settled  chiefly  upon  the  heir,  and  the  rest 
are  ill  provided  for ;  but,  in  the  kingd<mi 
of  heaven,  all  the  saints  are  heirs,  Rom.  viii. 
17.,  "Heirs  of  God,  and  joint  heirs  with 
Christ."  God  hath  land  enough  to  give  to 
all  his  heirs. 

A.  6.  Lucid  and  transparent.  This  king- 
dom of  heaven  is  adorned  and  bespangled 
with  light,  1  Tim.  vi.  16.  Light  is  the  glo- 
ry of  the  creation,  Eccl.  xi.  7.,  "The  light 
is  sweet."  Hell  is  a  dark  dungeon,  Mat. 
xxii.  13.  Fire,  but  no  light.  The  king- 
dom of  heaven  is  a  diaphaman, — all  embroi- 
dered with  light,  clear  as  crystal.  How 
can  there  want  liffht  where  Christ  the  Sun 
of  Righteousness  displays  his  gcdden  beams  ? 
Rev.  xxi.  23.,  "  The  glory  of  (iod  did  light- 
en it,  and  the  Lamb  is  the  light  thereof." 

A.  7.  The  gh>ry  of  this  kingdom  is  ade- 
fpiate  and  proportionable  to  the  desire  of 
the  soul.  In  creature  fruitions,  that  which 
doth  commend  them,  and  set  them  off  to 
us,  is  suitableness  ;  the  content  of  marriage 
doth  not  lie  either  in  Ix'autv  or  })ortion,  but 

3  K  ' 


442 


OF  THE  SECOND   PETITION  IN  THE  LORDS  PRAYER. 


the  sui(a1)l(*ncss  of  disposition.  The  exc '1- 
lency  of  a  toast  is  when  the  meat  is  suited 
to  tlic  ])alate  :  this  is  one  ingredient  in  the 
glory  of  heaven,  it  exactly  suits  the  desires 
of  the  glorified  saints.  We  shall  not  say 
in  heaven,  here  is  a  dish  I  do  not  love  ! 
There  shall  be  music  suits  the  ear, — the  an- 
thems of  angels  ;  and  food  that  suits  with 
the  glorified  palate, — the  hidden  manna  of 
God's  love. 

A.  8.  The  giory  of  this  kingdom  will  be 
seasonable.  The  seasonableness  of  a  mercy 
adds  to  its  beauty  and  sweetness  ;  it  is  like 
apples  of  gohl  to  pictures  of  silver.  After 
an  hard  winter  in  this  cold  climate,  will  it 
not  be  seasonable  to  have  the  spring-flow- 
ers of  glory  appear,  and  the  singing  of  the 
birds  of  ])aradise  come  ?  When  we  have 
been  wearied,  and  even  tired  out  in  battle 
with  sin  and  Satan,  will  not  a  crown  be  sea- 
Konable  ? 

Quest.  3.  JV/ierein  the  kiugdom  of  heaven 
inJiiiUelij  excels  all  the  khigdoms  of  the  earth  ? 

Ans.  1.  It  excels  in  the  architect ;  other 
kingtloms  have  men  to  raise  their  structures, 
but  (iod  himself  laid  the  first  stone  in  this 
kingdom,  lleb.  xi.  10.  This  kingdom  is  of 
the  greatest  antiquity ;  God  was  the  first 
king  and  founder  of  it ;  no  angel  was  wor- 
thy to  lay  a  stone  in  this  building. 

A.  2.  This  heavenly  kingdom  excels  in 
altitude;  it  is  higher  situated  than  any 
kingdom  ;  the  higher  any  thing  is  the  more 
excellent;  the  fire  being  the  most  sublime 
element  is  most  noble.  Tiie  kingdom  of 
heaven  is  seated  above  all  the  visible  orbs. 
There  is,  l.s/.  The  airy  heaven,  which  is  the 
gpace  fiom  the  earth  to  the  sphere  of  the 
moon.  2fL  The  starry  heaven,  the  place 
where  are  tlie  planets  of  an  higher  elevation, 
Saturn,  Jupiter,  Mars.  3cl.  The  calmti  em- 
pyncuiti,  the  empyrean  heaven,  which  Paul 
rails  the  third  heaven ;  where  Christ  is, 
there  is  the  kingdom  of  glory  situated. 
This  kingdtun  is  so  high  that  no  scaling 
ladders  of  enemies  can  reach  it, — so  higli 
that  the  old  serpent  cannot  shoot  up  his 
fiery  darts  to  it.  If  wicked  men  could  build 
their  nests  among  the  stars,  yet  the  least 
believer  would  shortiv  be  above  them. 

A.  3.  TJie  kingdom  of  heaven  excels  all 
others  in  sph'n(h)ur  and  riches  ;  it  is  <le- 
scribed  by  precious   stones,   Rev.   xxi.   19. 


"\Miat  are  all  the  rarities  of  the  earth  to  this 
kingdom,  coasts  of  pearl,  rocks  of  diamonds, 
islands  of  spices  ?  What  are  the  wonders 
of  the  world  to  it,  the  Egyptian  pyramids, 
the  temple  of  Diana,  the  pillar  of  tlie  sun  of- 
fered to  Jupiter  ?  What  a  rich  kingdom  is 
that  where  God  will  lay  out  all  his  cost ! 
Those  who  are  poor  in  the  world,  yet,  as 
soon  as  they  come  into  this  kingdom,  grow 
rich,  as  rich  as  the  angels  ;  other  kingdoms 
are  enriched  with  gold,  this  is  enriched  with 
the  Deity. 

A.  4.  The  kingdom  of  heaven  excels  all 
other  kingdoms  in  holiness.  Kingdoms  on 
earth  are  for  the  most  part  unholy ;  there 
is  a  common  shore  of  luxury  and  undean- 
ness  running  in  them;  kingdoms  are  stages 
for  sin  to  be  acted  on,  Isa.  xxviii.  8.,  "  AH 
tables  are  full  of  vomit."  But  the  kinjrdora 
of  heaven  is  so  holy  that  it  will  not  mix 
with  any  corruption.  Rev.  xxi.  27.,  Tliere 
shall  enter  into  it  nothing  that  defileth. 
'Tis  so  pure  a  soil,  that  no  serpent  of  sin 
will  breed  there  ;  there  is  beauty  which  is 
not  stained  with  lust,  and  honour  which  is 
not  swelled  with  pride.  Holiness  is  the 
brightest  jewel  of  the  crown  of  heaven. 

A.  5.  The  kingdom  of  heaven  excels  all 
other  kingdoms  in  its  pacific  nature  ;    'tis 
regnum  pacts,  a  kingdom  of  peace.     Peace 
is  the  glory  of  a  kingdom ;  pax  una  trium- 
phis  innumeris  melior.     A  king's  crown  is 
more  adorned  with  the  white  lily  of  j)eace, 
than  when  it  is  beset  with  the  red  roses  of 
a  bloody  war.     But  where  shall  we  find  an 
uninterru])ted   peace    upon    earth  ?    Either 
home-bred  divisions,   or  foreign  invasions, 
2  Chron.  xv.  5.,  "  There  was  no  peace  to 
him  that  went  out,  nor  to  him  that  came 
in."     But  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  a  king- 
dom of  peace ;  there  are  no  enemies  to  con- 
flict with  ;  all  Christ's  enemies  shall  be  ini- 
der  his  feet,  Ps.  ex.  1.     The  gates  of  that 
kingdom  always  stands  open.  Rev.  xxi.  25., 
"  The  gates  shall  not  be  shut  at  all  :"  to 
shew,  that  there  is  no  fear  of  an  assault  of 
an  enemy.     The  saints,  when  they  die,  are 
sjiid  to  enter  into  peace,  Isa.  Ivii.  2.    There's 
no  beating  of  drums  or  roaring  of  cannons ; 
but  the  voice  of  harpers  harjniig,  in  token 
of  peace.   Rev.  xiv.  2.      In  heaven,   "  righ- 
teousness and  peace  kiss  each  other."     Ps. 
lx.\xv.  10. 


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443 


A.  6.  Tlie  kiii{i^(loin  of  heaven  excels  in 
magnitude ;  it  is  of  vast  dimensions, 
riiough  the  gate  of  tlie  kingdonv  be  strait, 
we  must  pass  into  it  tlirough  the  strait 
gate  of  mortiiication  ;  yet,  when  once  we 
are  in  it,  it  is  very  hirge  :  though  there  be 
an  innumerable  company  of  saints  and  an- 
gels, yet  there  is  room  enough  for  them. 
The  kingdom  of  heaven  may  be  called  by 
the  name  of  that  well,  (Jen.  xxvi.  22,  "Ja- 
cob called  the  nan)e  of  it  llehoboth  ;  for  he 
said,  now  the  Lord  hath  nuule  room  for  us." 
Thou,  who  art  now  confined  to  a  small  cot- 
tage, when  thou  comest  into  the  celestial 
kingdom,  thou  shall  not  be  straitened  for 
room.  As  every  star  hath  a  large  orb  to 
move  in,  so  it  shall  be  with  the  saints,  when 
they  shall  shine  as  stars  in  the  kingdom  of 
heaA'en. 

A.  7.  The  kingdom  of  heaven  excels  in 
unity ;  all  the  inhabitants  agree  together 
in  love ;  love  will  be  the  perfume  and  mu- 
sic of  heaven  ;  as  love  to  God  will  be  in- 
tense, so  to  the  saints.  Perfect  love,  as  it 
casts  out  fear,  so  it  casts  out  envy  and  dis- 
cord. Those  Christians  who  could  not  live 
quietly  together  on  earth — which  was  the 
blemi.>hof  their  profession — yet,  in  the  king- 
dom of  heaven,  tlie  fire  of  strife  shall  cease; 
there  shall  be  no  vilifying,  or  censuring  one 
another,  or  raking  into  one  another's  sores, 
but  all  shall  be  tied  together  with  the  heart- 
strings of  love  ;  there  Luther  and  Zuingli- 
us  are  agreed ;  Satan  cannot  put  in  his  clo- 
ven foot  there  to  make  divisions ;  there 
shall  be  perfect  harmony  and  concord,  and 
not  one  jarring  string  in  the  saints'  music. 
It  were  worth  dying  to  be  in  that  kingdom  ! 

A.  8.  This  kingdom  exceeds  all  earthly 
kingdoms  in  joy  and  pleasure  ;  therefore  it 
is  called  paradise,  2  Cor.  xii.  4.  For  delight, 
there  are  all  things  to  cause  pleasure  ;  there 
is  the  water  of  life  pure  as  crystal ;  there 
is  the  honey-comb  of  God's  love  drojtping  ; 
'tis  called  entering  into  the  joy  of  our  Lord, 
Mat.  XXV.  23.  There  are  two  things  which 
cause  joy, 

(L)  !Sej)aration  from  sin  shall  be  shaken 
off,  then  j(»y  follows.  There  can  be  no 
more  s«»rrow  in  heaven,  than  there  is  joy 
in  hell. 

(2.)  Perfect  union  with  Christ.  Joy,  as 
Aiistotle  saith,  flows  from  union  with  the 


object.  When  our  union  with  Christ  shall 
be' perfect,  then  our  joy  shall  be  full.  If 
the  joy  of  faith  be  so  great,  1  Pet.  i.  8  ,  then 
what  will  the  joy  of  sight  be?  Josej)h  gave 
his  brethren  provision  for  the  way,  but  the 
full  sacks  of  corn  were  kept  till  they  came 
to  their  father's  house  :  Clod  gives  the  saints 
a  taste  of  joy  here,  but  the  full  sacks  are 
kept  till  they  come  to  heaven.  Not  only 
the  organical  parts, — the  outward  senses, 
the  eye,  ear,  taste,  shall  be  Jilled  with  j<iy, 
— but  the  heart  of  a  glorified  saint  shall  be 
filled  with  joy.  The  understanding,  will, 
and  affections,  are  such  a  triangle,  as  none 
can  fill  but  the  Trinity  ;  there  must  needs 
be  infinite  joy,  where  nothing  is  seen  but 
beauty,  nothing  is  tasted  but  love. 

A.  9.  This  kingdom  of  heaven  excels  all 
earthly  kingdoms  in  self-perfection.  Other 
kingdoms  are  defective,  they  have  not  all 
provision  within  themselves,  but  are  fain 
to  traffic  abroad  to  sup|)ly  their  wants  at 
home  ;  king  Solomon  did  send  to  Ophir  for 
gold,  2  Chron.  viii.  18. ;  but  there  is  no  de- 
fect in  the  kingdom  of  heaven ;  it  hath  all 
commodities  of  its  own  growth,  Rev.  xxi.  7. 
There  is  the  ])earl  of  price,  the  morning-star, 
the  mountains  of  spices,  the  bed  of  love ; 
there  are  those  sacred  rarities,  wherewith 
God  and  angels  are  delighted. 

yl.  10.  This  kingdom  of  heaven  excels 
all  others  in  honour  and  nobility.  It  doth 
not  only  equal  them  in  the  ensigns  of  roy- 
alty,— the  throne  and  white  robes,  but  it 
doth  far  transcend  them  ;  other  kings  are 
of  the  blood-royal,  but  they  in  this  heaven- 
ly kingdom  are  born  of  God ;  other  kings 
converse  with  nobles,  the  saints  glorified  are 
fellow-commoners  with  angels;  they  have 
a  more  noble  crown  ;  'tis  made  of  the  flow- 
ers of  paradise,  and  is  a  crown  that  fadeth 
not  away,  1  Pet.  v.  4.  They  sit  on  a  better 
throne.  King  Solomon,  1  Kings,  x.  18.,  sat 
on  a  throne  of  ivory  overlaid  with  g<»ld,  but 
the  saints  are  in  heaven  higher  advanced, 
they  sit  with  Christ  upon  his  throne.  Rev. 
iii.  21.  They  shall  judge  the  princes  and 
great  ones  of  the  earth,  1  Cor.  xvi.  2.  This 
honour  have  all  the  saints  glorified. 

A.  11.  This  kingdom  of  heaven  excels 
all  others  in  healtlifulness.  Death  is  a 
worm  that  is  ever  feeding  at  the  root  of  our 
gourd ;   kingdoms  are  oft  hospitals  of  sick 


44  i 


OF  THE  SECOND  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


persons ;  but  tlic  king-dom  of  heaven  is  a 
most  licaltlif'ul  climate;  pliysicians  there 
are  out  of  date  ;  no  distemper  there,  no  j)as- 
BiujX  hell,  or  bill  of  mortality,  Luke  xx.  36., 
"  Neither  can  they  die  any  more."  In  the 
heavenly  climate  are  no  ill  vapours  to  breed 
diseases,  but  a  sweet  aromatical  smell  com- 
ing from  Christ ;  all  his  garments  smell  of 
myrrh,  aloes  and  cassia. 

A.  12.  This  kingdom  of  heaven  excels  in 
duration  ;  it  abides  for  ever.  Suppose  earth- 
ly kingdoms  to  be  more  glorious  than  they 
are, — their  foundations  of  gold,  their  walls 
of  pcai'l,  their  windows  of  sapphire, — yet 
they  are  corruptible  and  fading,  IIos.  i.  4., 

1  will  cause  the  kingdom  to  cease.  Troy 
and  Athens  now  lie  buried  in  their  ruins. 
Jain  seges  est  ubi  Troja  fuit.  Mortality  is 
the  disgrace  of  all  earthly  kingdoms  :  but 
the  kingdom  of  heaven  hath  eternity  writ- 
ten upon  it ;  it  is  an  everlasting  kingdom, 

2  Pet.  i.  11.  It  is  founded  upon  a  strong 
basis,  God's  omnipotency  :  this  kingdom  the 
saints  shall  never  be  turned  out  of,  or  be 
deposed  from  their  throne,  as  some  kings 
liave  been,  viz.  Henry  VI.  he.  but  shall 
reign  for  ever  and  ever,  Rev.  xxii.  5. 

How  should  all  this  affect  our  hearts  ! 
What  should  we  mind  but  this  kingdom  of 
heaven,  which  doth  more  outshine  all  the 
kingdoms  of  the  earth  than  the  sun  out- 
shines the  light  of  a  taper  ! 

Quest.  4.  When  shall  this  kingdom  he  he- 
stowed  ? 

Ans.  This  glory  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven 
shall  be  begun  at  death,  but  not  perfected 
till  the  resurrection. 

L  The  saints  shall  enter  upon  the  king- 
dom of  gh)ry  immediately  after  death  ;  be- 
fore their  bodies  are  buried,  their  souls  shall 
be  crowned,  Phil.  i.  23.,  "  Having  a  desire 
to  depart,  and  to  be  with  Christ."  From 
this  connexion,  departing,  and  being  with 
Christ,  we  see  clearly  that  there  is  'ASiihitiis 
transitus, — speedy  passage  from  death  to 
glory;  no  sooner  is  the  soul  of  a  believer 
divorced  from  the  body,  but  it  jn-esently 
goes  to  Christ,  2  Cor.  v.  8.,  "  Absent  from 
the  body,  present  with  the  Lord."  It  were 
better  for  believers  to  stay  here,  if  immedi- 
ately after  death  they  were  not  with  Christ 
in  glory  ;  for  here  the  saints  are  daily  in- 
creasing their  grace ;  here  they  may  have 


many  pralihamitia,  sweet  tastes  of  God's 
love ;  so  that  it  were  better  to  stay  here,  if 
their  soul  should  sleep  in  their  body,  and 
they  should  not  have  a  speedy  sight  of  God 
in  glory.  But  this  is  the  consolation  of  be- 
lievers, they  shall  not  stay  long  from  their 
kingdom  ;  it  is  but  winking  and  they  shall 
see  God.  It  will  be  a  blessed  cliange  to  a 
believer,  from  a  desert  to  a  paradise,  from 
a  bloody  battle  to  a  victorious  crown  ;  and 
a  sudden  change  :  no  sooner  did  Lazarus 
die,  but  he  had  a  convoy  of  angels  to  con- 
duct his  soul  to  the  kingdom  of  glory.  You 
who  now  are  full  of  bodily  diseases,  scarce 
a  day  well,  Ps.  xxxi.  10.,  "  My  life  is  spent 
with  grief;"  be  of  good  comfort,  you  may 
be  happy  before  you  are  aware ;  before  an 
other  week  or  month  be  over,  you  may  be 
in  the  kingdom  of  glory,  and  then  all  tears 
shall  be  wiped  away. 

2.  The  glory  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven 
will  be  fully  perfected  at  the  resurrection, 
and  general  day  of  judgment;  then  the  bo- 
dies and  souls  of  believers  will  be  reunited. 
What  joy  will  there  be  at  the  reunion  and 
meeting  together  of  the  soul  and  body  of  a 
saint  !  O  what  a  welcome  will  the  soul  give 
to  the  body  !  "  O  my  dear  body,  thou  didst 
often  join  with  me  in  ])rayer,  and  now  thou 
shalt  join  with  me  in  jn'aise  ;  thou  wert  wil- 
ling to  suffer  with  me,  and  now  thou  shalt 
reign  with  me  ;  thou  wert  sown  a  vile  body, 
but  now  thou  art  made  like  Christ's  glori- 
ous body ;  we  were  once  for  a  time  divorc- 
ed, but  now  we  are  married,  and  crowned 
together  in  a  kingdom,  and  shall  mutually 
congratulate  each  other's  felicity  !" 

Quest.  5.  Wherein  appears  the  certainty 
and  in/all ihility  of  this  kingdom  of  ghry  ? 

Ans.  That  this  blessed  kingdom  shall  be 
bestowed  on  the  saints,  is  beyond  all  dis- 
pute. 

1.  God  halh  promised  it,  Luke  xii.  32., 
"  It  is  your  Father's  good  pleasure  to  give 
you  the  kingdi>m  ;"  Luke  xxii.  29.,  '•  I  ap- 
j)oint  unto  you  a  kingdom."  [(ir.  dialitlie- 
jnui^  '  I  be((ueath  it  as  my  last  will  aiul  tes- 
tament.' Hath  God  j)roniised  a  kingdom, 
and  will  he  not  make  it  good  ?  God's  pro- 
mise is  better  than  any  bond.  Tit.  i.  2.,  "  In 
hope  of  eternal  life,  which  (Jod  that  cannot 
lie,  hath  promised  "  The  whole  earth  hangs 
upon  the  word  of  God's  powei  ;  and  cannot 


OF  THE  SECOND  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


445 


our  faitli  liang  upon  tlie  word  of  liis  pro- 
mise ? 

2.  There  is  a  price  laid  down  for  tliis 
kingdom.  Heaven  is  not  only  a  kingdom 
wliicli  Ciod  hath  promised,  but  which  Christ 
hath  ])uichased  ;  it  is  called  a  '  purchased 
possession,'  Eph.  i.  14.  Though  this  king- 
dom is  given  us  freely,  yet  Christ  bought  it 
with  the  price  of  his  blood  ;  Christ's  blood 
is  an  heaven  procuring  blood,  Ileb.  x.  19., 
"  Having  boldness  to  enter  into  the  lioliest 
(«.  e.  into  heaven)  by  the  blood  of  Jesus." 
Crux  Christi  clavis  paradisi, — Christ's  blood 
is  the  key  that  opens  the  gates  of  heaven. 
Should  not  the  saints  have  this  kingdom, 
then  Christ  should  lose  his  purchase.  Christ 
on  the  cross  was  in  hard  travail,  Isa.  liii.  11. 
He  travailed  to  bring  forth  salvation  to  the 
elect ;  should  not  they  possess  the  kingdom 
when  they  die,  Christ  should  lose  his  tra- 
vail, all  his  pangs  and  agonies  of  soul  upon 
the  cross  should  be  in  vain. 

3.  Christ  prays  that  the  saints  may  have 
this  kingdom  settled  upon  them,  John  xvii. 
2  k,  "  Father,  I  will,  that  they  also  whom 
thou  hast  given  me,  be  with  me  where  I  am," 
t.  e.  in  heaven.  This  is  Christ's  prayer  that  the 
saints  may  be  with  him  in  his  kingdom,  and 
be  bespangled  with  some  of  the  beams  of 
his  glory  :  now,  if  they  should  not  go  into 
this  heavenly  kingdom,  then  Christ's  prayer 
would  be  frustrated;  but  that  cannot  be, 
for  he  is  God's  favourite,  John  xi.  42., 
"  I  know  thou  hearest  me  always;"  and 
besides,  what  Christ  prays  for,  lie  hath 
power  to  give.  Observe  the  manner  of 
Christ's  prayer,  "  Father,  I  will ;"  Father, 
there  he  prays  as  man ;  "  /  ivil/f"  there  he 
gives  as  God. 

4.  The  saints  must  have  this  blessed  king- 
dom by  virtue  of  Christ's  ascension,  John 
xx.  17.,  "  I  ascend  unto  my  Father  and 
vour  Father,  to  my  God  and  your  God." 
Where  lies  the  comfort  of  this?  Here  it 
lies,  Jesus  Christ  ascended  to  take  posses- 
sion of  heaven  for  all  believers.  As  an  hus- 
l)and  takes  up  land  in  another  country  in 
the  belialr  of  his  wife,  so  Christ  went  to  take 
])osses>i()n  of  heaven,  in  the  behalf  of  all 
believers,  John  xiv.  2.,  "  I  go  to  prepare  a 
|)lace  lor  you."  INIy  ascension  is  to  make 
all  things  ready  against  your  coming  :  I  go 
to  prepare  the  heavenly  mansions  for  you. 


The  flesh  that  Christ  hath  taken  into  hea- 
ven is  a  sin-e  pledge  that  our  flesh  and  bo- 
dies shall  be  where  he  is  ere  long.  Christ 
did  not  ascend  to  heaven,  .is  a  private  per- 
son, but  as  a  public  ])ers«>n,  for  the  good  of 
all  believers  ;  his  ascension  was  a  certain 
forerunner  of  the  saints  ascending  into  hea- 
ven. 

5.  The  elect  must  have  this  blessed  king- 
dom, in  regard  of  the  previous  work  of  the 
Spirit  in  their  hearts.  They  have  the  be- 
ginning of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  in  them 
here ;  grace  is  heaven  begun  in  the  soul : 
besides,  God  given  them  pn'mitus  spiritns, — 
"  the  first-fruits  of  the  Spirit,"  Rom.  viii. 
23.  The  first-fruits  are  the  comforts  of  the 
Spirit.  These  first-fruits  under  the  law 
were  a  certain  sign  to  the  Jews  of  the  full 
crop  or  vintage  which  they  should  after  re- 
ceive :  the  first-fruits  of  the  Spirit,  consist- 
ing of  joy  and  peace,  do  assure  the  saints  of 
the  full  vintage  of  glory  they  shall  be  ever 
reaping  in  the  kingdom  of  God  :  and  the 
saints  in  this  life  are  said  to  have  the  ear- 
nest of  the  Spirit  in  their  hearts,  2  Cor.  v. 
5.  As  an  earnest  is  part  of  payment,  and 
an  assurance  of  payment  in  full  to  be  made 
in  due  time,  so  God's  Spirit  in  the  hearts  of 
believers,  giving  them  his  comforts,  bestows 
on  them  an  earnest,  or  taste  of  glory,  which 
doth  further  assure  them  of  that  full  reward, 
which  they  shall  have  in  the  kingdom  of 
heaven,  1  Pet.  i.  8.,  "  Believing  ye  rejoice," 
there  is  the  earnest  of  heaven  ;  v.  9.,  "  Re- 
ceiving the  end  of  your  faith,"  salvation, 
there  is  the  full  payment. 

G.  The  elect  must  have  this  blessed  king- 
dom by  virtue  of  their  coalition  and  unitm 
with  Jesus  Christ.  They  arc  members  of 
Christ,  therefore  they  must  be  where  their 
head  is.  Indeed  the  Arminians  hold,  that 
a  jtistified  })erson  may  fall  fr(un  grace,  aiid 
so  his  unioji  with  Christ  may  be  dissolved, 
and  the  kingdom  lost;  but!  will  demaii  I 
of  them,  can  Christ  lose  a  member  of  his 
body  ?  Then  he  is  not  perfect  ;  and  if  Christ 
may  lose  one  member  of  his  body,  why  not 
as  well  all,  by  the  same  reason  ?  And  so  he 
shall  be  an  head  without  a  body  :  but  be  as- 
sured a  believer's  union  u  ith  Christ  cannot 
be  broken,  and  so  long  he  cannot  be  hin- 
dered of  the  kingdom,  John  xvii.  12.  What 
was  said  of  Christ's  natural  body  is  as  true 


446 


OF  THE  SECOND  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


of  his  mystical,  John  xix.  36.,  "  A  bone  of 
him  shall  not  be  broken."  Look  how  every 
bone  and  limb  of  Christ's  natural  body  was 
raised  up  out  of  the  grave,  and  carried  into 
heaven  :  so  shall  every  member  of  his  mys- 
tical body  be  carried  up  into  glory. 

7.  We  read  of  some  who  have  been  trans- 
lated into  this  kingdom.  Paul  had  a  sight 
of  it,  for  he  was  caught  up  into  the  third 
heaven,  2  Cor.  xii.  And  the  converted 
thief  on  the  cross  was  translated  into  glory, 
Luke  xxiii.  43.,  "  To-day  shalt  thou  be  with 
me  in  paradise."  By  all  that  hath  been 
said,  it  is  most  evident  that  believers  have 
a  glorious  kingdom  laid  up  for  them  in  re- 
version, and  that  they  shall  go  to  this  king- 
dom when  they  die.  There  are  none  that 
doubt  of  the  certainty  of  the  heavenly  king- 
dom, but  such  as  doubt  of  the  verity  of 
scripture. 

Quest.  6.  Why  should  we  so  earnestly 
pray  Jor  this  heavenly  kingdom,  thy  kingdom 
come  ? 

Ans.  \.  Because  it  is  a  kingdom  worth 
the  praying  for ;  it  exceeds  the  glory  of  all 
the  earthly  kingdoms,  it  hath  "  gates  of 
j)ear],"  Rev.  xxi.  21.  We  have  heard  of  a 
cabinet  of  pearl,  but  when  did  we  hear  of 
gates  of  pearl  ?  In  that  kingdom  is  the  bed 
of  love,  the  mountains  of  spices  ;  there  are 
the  cherubims,  not  to  keep  us  out,  but  to 
welcome  us  into  the  kingdom.  Heaven  is 
a  kingdom  worth  the  praying  for;  there's 
nothing  wanting  in  that  kingdom,  which 
may  comi)lete  the  saints'  happiness,  for, 
wherein  does  happiness  consist  ?  Is  it  in 
knowledge  ?  We  "  shall  know  as  we  are 
known."  Is  it  in  dainty  fare  ?  We  shall 
be  at  the  "  marriisge  su])per  of  the  Lamb." 
Is  it  in  rich  apparel  ?  We  shall  be  "cloth- 
ed in  long  white  robes."  Is  it  in  delicious 
music  ?  We  shall  hoar  the  choir  of  angels 
singing.  Is  it  in  dominion?  We  shall 
reign  as  kings  and  judge  angels.  Is  it  in 
pleasure  ?  "  We  shall  enter  into  the  joy 
of  our  Lord."  Sure  then  this  kingdom  is 
worth  praying  for  !  "  Thy  kingdom  come  !" 
Would  God  give  us  a  vision  of  heaven  a 
while,  as  he  did  Stephen,  who  saw  heaven 
opened.  Acts  vii.  56.,  we  should  fall  into  a 
trance  ;  and  being  a  little  recovered  out  of 
it,  how  importunately  would  we  put  up  this 
petition,  "  Thy  kingdom  come." 


A.  2.  We  must  pray  for  this  kingdom  of 
glory,  because  God  will  not  bestow  this 
kingdom  on  any  without  prayer,  Rom.  ii, 
7.,  "  They  who  seek  for  glory  and  immor- 
tality." And  how  do  we  seek  but  by  pray- 
er ?  God  hath  promised  a  kingdom,  and 
we  must  by  prayer  put  the  bond  in  suit. 
God  is  not  so  lavish  as  to  throw  av/ay  a 
kingdom  on  them  who  do  not  ask  it.  And 
certainly,  if  Christ  himself,  who  had  merit- 
ed glory,  did  yet  pray  for  it,  Jolm  xvii.  5., 
"  Now,  O  Father,  glorify  me  with  thy  own 
self;"  how  much  more  ought  we  to  pray 
for  the  excellent  glory,  who  have  this  king- 
dom granted  as  a  charter  of  God's  mere 
grace  and  favour. 

A.  3.  We  must  pray  that  the  kingdom 
of  glory  may  come,  that  by  going  into  it, 
we  may  make  an  end  of  sinning.  I  tliink 
sometimes,  what  a  blessed  time  it  will  be, 
never  to  have  a  sinful  thought  more  ! 
Though  we  must  not  pray,  "  Thy  kingdom 
come,"  out  of  discontent,  because  we  would 
be  rid  of  the  troubles  and  crosses  of  this 
life.  This  was  Jonah's  fault ;  he  would 
die  in  a  pet,  because  God  took  away  his 
gourd ;  "  Lord  (saith  he)  take  I  beseech 
thee  my  life  from  me,"  Jonah  iv.  8.  But 
we  must  pray,  '  Thy  kingdom  come,'  out 
of  an  holy  design  that  the  fetters  of  corrup- 
tion may  be  pulled  off,  and  we  may  be  as 
the  angels,  those  virgin-spirits  who  never 
sin.  This  made  the  church  pray.  Rev. 
xxii.  20.     Feni  Doniine  Jesn. 

A.  4.  Because  that  all  Christ's  enemies 
shall  be  put  under  his  feet ;  the  devil  shall 
have  no  more  power  to  tempt,  nor  wicked 
men  to  persecute ;  the  antichristian  hier- 
archy shall  be  pulled  down,  and  Zion's  glo- 
ry shall  shine  as  a  lamp,  and  the  Turkish 
strength  shall  be  broken. 

A.  5.  We  must  j)ray  earnestly  that  the 
kingdom  of  glory  may  come,  that  we  may 
see  God  "  face  to  face,"  and  have  an  unin- 
terrupted and  eternal  communion  with  him 
in  the  empyrean  heaven.  Moses  desired 
but  a  glimpse  of  God's  glory,  Exod.  xxxiii. 
18.  How  then  should  we  pray  to  see  him 
in  all  his  embroidered  robes  of  glory,  when 
he  shall  shine  ten  thousand  times  brighter 
than  the  sun  in  its  meridian  splendour ! 
Here,  in  this  life,  we  do  rather  desire  God, 
than  enjoy  him ;  how  earnestly  therefore 


OF  THE  SECOND  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


447 


sliould  wo  pray,  '  Tliy  k'lno^dom  of  fi^lory 
come  !'  Tlic  bolioldiiig'  ami  enjoyinp;  («o(l 
will  bo  (lie  diamond  in  the  rinp:, — tlie  very 
qninti'ssonco  of  f^lory.  And  ninst  we  pray, 
"  Tliy  kinpfdom  come?''  IIow  tlicn  ar(» 
tlioy  ever  like  to  come  to  heaven,  who  ne- 
ver pray  for  it  ?  Thoujjli  God  pves  some 
profane  persons  "  daily  bread,"  who  never 
pray  for  it;  yet  he  will  not  jrive  them  a 
kinc^dom,  who  never  pray  for  it.  God  may 
feed  tl)em,  but  he  will  never  cro\vn  them. 
Use  \sL  Of  information. 

1.  Branch.  From  all  this  yon  see  then 
that  there  is  nothinj^  within  the  whole 
s])herc  of  relipon  imposed  upon  unreason- 
able terms.  W^lien  God  bids  us  serA'c  him, 
it  is  no  unreasonable  request ;  he  will  out 
of  free  g^race  enthrone  us  in  a  kinirdom. 
When  we  hear  of  repentance,  steeping  our 
souls  in  brinish  tears  for  sin, — or  of  morti- 
fication, beheading  our  kinjj-sin, — we  are 
ready  to  grumble,  and  think  this  is  hard 
and  unreasonable  :  '  but,  do  we  serve  God 
for  nought  ?'  Is  it  not  infinite  bounty  to 
reward  us  with  a  kingdom  ?  This  kingdom 
is  as  far  above  our  thoughts,  as  it  is  beyond 
our  deserts.  No  man  can  say,  without 
wrong  to  God,  that  he  is  an  hard  master  ; 
though  he  sets  us  about  hard  work,  yet  he 
is  no  hard  master.  God  gives  double  pay : 
lie  gives  great  vails  in  his  service, — sweet 
joy  and  peace, — and  a  great  reward  after, 
'an  eternal  weight  of  glory.'  (lod  gives 
the  spring-flowers,  and  a  crop ;  he  settles 
upon  us  such  a  kingdom  as  exceeds  our 
faith.  Prcpmhim  quod  fide  non  attivgitur, 
Aug.  Such  as  mortal  eye  hath  not  seen, 
nor  can  it  enter  into  the  heart  of  man  to 
conceive,  1  Cor.  ii.  9.  Alas,  what  an  infi- 
nite difference  is  there  between  duty  <»"- 
j()iT>cd,  and  the  kingdom  prepared  !  What 
is  the  shedding  of  a  tear  to  a  crown  !  So 
that  God's  "  commandments  are  not  grie- 
vous," 1  John  v,  3.  Our  service  cannot  be 
so  hard,  as  a  kingdom  is  sweet. 

2.  Branch.  See  hence  the  royal  bounty 
of  God  to  his  children,  that  he  hath  jnepar- 
ed  a  kingdom  for  them,  a  kingdom  bespan- 
gled witli  g'lory ;  it  is  infinitely  above  the 


vail  :  so,  when  we  speak  of  the  kingdom  of 
heaven,  we  must  draw  a  vail,  we  cannot 
set  it  fi)rth  in  all  its  orient  beauty  and  majr- 
nificence;  gold  and  pearl  do  but  faintly 
shadow  it  out,  Rev.  xxi.  The  glory  of  this 
kingdom  is  better  felt  than  expressed. 

1.  They  who  inherit  this  kingdom  are  a- 
mkti  sto'lia  albis, — «  clothed  with  white 
robes,"  Rev.  vii.  9.  White  robes  den<»te 
three  things:  (1.)  Their  dignity ;  the  Per- 
sians were  arrayed  in  white,  in  token  of 
honour.  (2.)  Their  purity;  the  magis- 
trates among  the  Romans  were  clothed  in 
white,  therefore  called  candidati,  to  shew 
their  integrity;  thus  the  queen,  tlie  Lamb's 
wife,  is  arrayed  in  fine  linen,  pure  and 
white,  which  is  the  "  righteousness  of  the 
saints,"  Rev,  xix.  8.  (3.)  Their  joy  :  white 
is  an  emblem  of  joy,  Eccl.  ix.  7,  8.,  "  Eat 
thy  bread  with  joy,  let  thy  garments  be  al- 
ways white." 

2.  The  dwellers  in  this  kingdom  have 
"  palms  in  their  hands,"  Rev.  vii.  9.  In 
token  of  victory.  They  are  conquerors 
over  the  world  :  and,  being  victors,  they 
liaA'e  now  pahn-branches. 

3.  They  sit  upon  the  throne  with  Christ, 
Rev.  iii.  21.  Allien  Csesar  returned  from 
conquering  his  enemies,  there  was  set  for 
him  a  chair  <»f  state  in  the  senate,  and  a 
throne  in  the  theatre.  Thus  the  saints  in 
glory,  after  their  heroic  victories,  shall  sit 
upon  a  throne  with  Christ.  Here  is  royal 
bounty  in  God,  to  bestow  such  an  illustri- 
ous kingdom  uj)on  the  saints.  It  is  a  mer- 
cy to  be  pardoTied,  but  what  is  it  to  be 
crowned  ?  It  is  a  mercy  to  be  delivered 
from  wrath  to  cf)me,  but  what  is  it  to  be 
invested  into  a  kingdom  ?  "  Behold,  what 
manner  of  loA-e  is  this?"  Earthly  jninces 
may  bestow  great  gifts  and  donations  uj)on 
their  subjects,  but  they  keej)  the  kingdom 
to  themselves.  Though  king  Pharoah  ad- 
vanced .Joseph  to  honour,  and  took  the 
ring  off  his  finger  and  gave  him,  yet  he 
would  keep  the  kingdom  to  himself.  Gen. 
xli.  40. ;  but  God  enthrones  the  saints  in  a 
kingdom  ;  God  thinks  nothing  too  good  for 
his  children  ;  we  are  ready  to  think  much 


model  we  can  draw  of  it  in  our  thoughts,    of  a  tear,  a  prayer,  or  to  sacrifice  a  sin  fi>r 


The  painter  going  to  draw  the  jticture  of 
Helena,  as  not  being  able  to  draw  her  beau- 
ty to  the  life,  drew  her  face  covered  with  a 


him,  but  he  doth  think  much  to  bestow  a 
kingdom  upon  us. 

3.  Branch.  See  hence  that  religion  is  no 


448 


OF  THE  SECOND  PETITION  IN  THE  LORDS  PRAYER. 


ifjnotninions  di^c^raccful  tiling.  Satan  la- 
h«)nrs  to  cast  all  the  odium  and  reproach 
upon  it  tiiat  he  can  ;  that  it  is  devout  fren- 
zy, folly  in-grain,  Acts  xxviii.  2.2.,  "  For,  as 
conceriiing  this  sect,  we  know  that  it  is  e- 
vcry  where  spoken  against."  But  Avise 
men  measure  things  by  the  end.  \^niat  is 
the  end  of  a  religious  life  ?  It  ends  in  a 
kingdom.  Would  a  ])rince  regard  the 
slightings  of  a  few  frantics,  when  he  is  go- 
ing to  be  crowned?  You  who  are  begin- 
ners, bind  their  reproaches  as  a  crown  a- 
bout  y(uir  head,  despise  their  censures  as 
much  as  their  praise  ;  a  kingdom  is  a-com- 


ing. 


4.  Branch.  See  wliat  contrary  ways  the 
godly  and  the  wicked  go  at  death ;  tiie  god- 
ly go  to  a  kingdom,  the  wicked  to  a  prison  ; 
tlie  devil  is  the  jailor,  and  they  arc  bound 
with  the  "  chains  of  darkness,"  Jude  6. 
But  what  are  these  chains  ?  Not  iron 
chains,  but  worse, — the  chain  of  God's  de- 
cree, decreeing  them  to  torment, — and  tlie 
chain  of  God's  power,  whereby  lie  binds 
them  fast  under  wrath ;  this  is  the  deplor- 
able condition  of  impenitent  sinners,  they 
do  not  go  to  a  kingdom  when  they  die,  but 
to  a  prison.  O  think  what  horror  and  des- 
pair will  possess  the  wicked,  when  they  see 
themselves  ingulphed  in  miseiy,  and  their 
condition  hopeless,  helpless,  endless ;  they 
are  in  a  fiery  prison,  and  no  possibility  of 
getting  out !  A  servant  under  the  law, 
who  had  an  hard  master,  yet  every  seventh 
year  was  a  year  of  I'elease  when  he  might 
go  free  :  but  in  hell  there  is  no  year  of  re- 
lease when  the  damned  shall  go  free, — the 
fire,  the  worm,  the  prison,  are  eternal.  If 
the  whole  world,  from  earth  to  heaven, 
were  filled  with  grains  of  sand,  and  once 
in  a  thousand  years  an  angel  should  come 
and  fetcli  away  one  grain  of  sand,  how  ma- 
ny millions  of  ages  would  ])ass  before  that 
vast  heap  of  sand  would  be  quite  spent  ? 
Yet,  if  after  all  this  time  the  sinner  miirht 
come  out  of  bell,  there  were  some  hope ; 
but  this  word  ever  breaks  the  heart  with 
despair. 

5.  Branch.  See  then  that  whicb  may 
make  us  in  love  with  holy  duties ;  every 
duty  spiritually  performed  brings  us  a  step 


riches,  counts  trading  pleasant,  because  it 
brings  in  riches  :  if  our  hearts  are  set  upon 
heaven,  we  shall  loA'^e  duty  because  it  brings 
us  by  degrees  to  the  kingdom, — we  are  go- 
ing to  heaven  in  the  way  of  duty.  Holy 
duties  increase  grace;  and  as  grace  ripens, 
so  glory  liistens;  the  duties  of  religion  are 
irksome  to  flesh  and  blood,  but  we  should 
look  upon  them  as  spiritual  chariots  to  car- 
ry us  apace  to  the  heavenly  kingdom.  The 
Protestants  in  France  called  their  church 
paradise ;  and  well  they  might,  because  the 
ordinances  did  lead  them  to  the  paradise  of 
God.  As  every  flower  hath  its  sweetness, 
so  would  every  duty,  if  we  would  look 
upon  it  as  giving  us  a  lift  nearer  heaven. 

6.  Branch.  It  shews  us  what  little  cause 
the  children  of  God  have  to  envy  the  pros- 
perity of  the  wicked.  Qnis  csrario  qnis  pie- 
nis  loculis  indiget,  Sen.  The  wicked  have 
the  "  waters  of  a  full  cup  wrung  out  to 
them,"  Ps.  Ixxiii.  10.  As  if  they  had  a  mo- 
no})oly  of  happiness,  they  have  all  they  can 
desire ;  nay,  they  have  "  more  than  heart 
could  wish,"  Ps.  Ixxiii.  7.  They  steep 
themselves  in  pleasure,  Jobxxi.  12.,  "They 
take  the  timbrel  and  harp,  and  rejoice  at 
the  sound  of  the  organ."  The  wicked 
are  high,  when  God's  people  are  low  in  the 
world ;  the  goats  clamber  up  the  mountains 
of  preferment,  when  Christ's  sheep  are  be- 
low in  the  valley  of  tears  ;  the  wicked  are 
clothed  in  purple,  while  the  godly  are  in 
sackcloth ;  the  prosperity  of  the  wicked  is 
a  great  stumbling-block :  this  made  Aver- 
roes  deny  a  providence,  and  made  Asaph 
say,  "  Verily  I  have  cleansed  my  heart  in 
vain,"  Ps.  Ixxiii.  13.  But  there  is  no  cause 
of  envy  at  their  prosperity,  if  we  consider 
two  things. 

1.  This  is  all  they  must  have,  Luke  xvi, 
25.,  "  Son,  remember  that  thou  in  thy  life- 
time receivcdht  thy  good  things," — thou 
hadst  all  thy  heaven  here.  Luther  calls 
the  Turkish  empire  a  bone  which  God  casts 
to  dogs. 

2.  That  God  hatli  laid  up  better  things 
for  his  children ;  he  hath  prepared  a  king- 
dom of  glory  for  them  ;  they  shall  have  the 
boatifical  vision, — they  shall  hear  the  angels 
sing   in   concert, — they   shall    be   crowned 


nearer  to  the  kingdom.     Finis  dat  amabili-    with  the  pleasiu'cs  of  ])ara<lise  for  ever.     O 
takm   nicdiis.     He   whose   heart  is  set   on  [  then  envy  not  the  flourishing  prosperity  of 


OF  THE  SECOND  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  rRAYER. 


449 


the  wicked;  they  go  tlirouj^li  fair  way  to 
execution,  and  the  godly  go  tlirougli  foul 
way  to  coronation  ! 

7.  Branch.   Is  there  a  kingdom  of  glory 
a-coming?     Then   see   how   haj)))y  all   the 
saints  are  at  death,  tl»ey  go  to  a  kingdom ; 
they  shall  see  God's  face,  which  shines  ten 
thousand  times  hrightcr  than  the  sun  in  its 
meridian  glory.     The  godly  at  death  shall 
be  installed  into  their  honour,  and  liave  the 
crown  royal   set   upon    their   head.     Tliey 
have,  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  the  quint- 
essence of  all  delights, — they  have  the  wa- 
ter of  life  clear  as  crystal, — they  haA'e  all 
aromatic  perfumes, — they  feed  not  on  the 
dew  of  Ilermon,  but  the  manna  of  angels, — 
they  lie    in   Christ's    bosom,    that    bed   of 
spices.     There   is  such  a  pleasant  variety 
in  the  happiness  of  heaven,  that  after  mil- 
lions of  years  it  will  be  as  fresh  and  desir- 
able  as   at   the  first  hour's   enjoying.     In 
the    kingdom    of    heaven,    the    saints    are 
crowned  with  all  those  perfections  which 
the  human  nature  is  capable  of.     The  de- 
sires of  the  gloritied  saints  are  infinitely  sa- 
tisfied ;  there  is  nothing  absent,  that  they 
could  wish  might  be  enjoyed,  there  is  no- 
thing present  that  they  could  wish  might 
be  removed.     They  who  are  got  into  this 
kingdom  would  be  loath  to  come  back  to 
the  earth  again,  it  would  be  much  to  their 
loss;  they  would  not  leave  the  fatness  and 
sweetness  of  the  olive,  to  court  the  bramble ; 
the  things  Avhich  tempt  us,  they  would  scorn. 
What  are  golden  bags  to  the  golden  beams 
of  the  Sun  of  Righteousness  ?     In  the  king- 
dom of  heaven  there  is  glory  in  its  highest 
elevation  ;    in  that  kingdom  is  knowledge 
without   ignorance,    holiness   without  sin, 
beauty  without  blemish,  strength  without 
weakness,    light   without  darkness,   riches 
without  poverty,  ease  without  p.iin,  liberty 
without  restraint,  rest  Avithout  labour,  joy 
without  sorrow,  love  without  hatred,  plenty 
without   surfeit,   honour  without  disgrace, 
health  without  sickness,  peace  without  war, 
contentation  without  cessation.     O  the  hap- 
piness of  those  that  die  in  the  Lord  !  they 
go  into  this  blessed  kingdom.     And  if  they 
are  so  happy  when  they  die,  then  let  me 
make  two  inferences. 

1.  What  little  cause  have  the  saints  to 


kingdom 


^^'hat    is    there   in    this  world 
should  make  us  desirous  to  stay  here?     Do 
we  not  see  (iod  dishonoured,  and  how  can 
we  bear  it?     Is  not  this  world   "a  valley 
of  tears,"  and  do  we  weej)  to  leave  it?     Are 
we   not   in  a  wilderness  among  fiery  ser- 
pents, and  are  we  afraid  to  go  from  these 
serpents?     Our   best   friends    live    above; 
God  is  ever  displaying   the   banner  of  his 
love  in   heaven,  and  is  there  any  Jove  like 
his  ?     Are  there  any  sweeter  smiles,  or  sof- 
ter  embraces   than   his?      What   news   so 
welcome  as  leaving  the  world,  and  going 
to  a  kingdom  ?     Christian,   thy  dying  day 
will   be   thy  wedding   day,  and  dost   thou 
fear  it  ?     Is  a  slave  afraid  to  be  redeemed  ? 
Is  a  virgin  afraid  to  be  matched  into  the 
crown  ?    Death  may  take  away  a  few  world- 
ly comforts,  but  it  gives  that  which  is  bet- 
ter ;  it  takes  away  a  flower,  and  gives  a  jew- 
el ;  it  takes  away  a  short  lease,  and  gives 
land  of  inheritance.     If  the  saints  possess 
a   kingdom   when   they  die,    they  have  no 
cause  to  fear  death.     A  prince  would  not 
be  afraid  to  cross  the  sea,  though  tempes- 
tuous, if  he  were  sure  to  be  crowned  as  sooa 
as  he  came  to  shore. 

2.  If  the  godly  are  so  happy  when  they 
die,  they  go  to  a  kingdom  ;  then,   what  lit- 
tle cause  have  we  to  mourn  immoderately 
for  the  death  of  godly  friends?     Shall  we 
mourn  for  their  preferment  ?     AV^hy  should] 
we  shed  tears  immoderately  for  them  who 
have  all  tears  wiped  from  their  eyes  ?    Wliy 
should  we  be  swallowed   up  of  grief,  for 
them  who  arc  s\vallowed  up  of  Joy?     They 
are  gone   to  their   kingdom;  they  are   not. 
lost,  but  gone  a  little  before ;  not  perished, 
but   translated,    Xo7i  amissi  sed  pramissi, 
Cyprian.     They  are  removed  for  their  ad- 
vantage; as  if  one  should  be  remoA'ed  out 
of  a  smoky  cottage  to  a  palace.     Elijah  wjis 
removed  in  a  fiery  chariot  to  lieaven :  shall 
Elisha  weep  inordinately  because  he  enjoys 
not  the  company  of  Elijah  ?     Shall  Jacob 
weep  M'hen  he  knows  his  son  Josej)h  is  pre- 
ferred and  made  chief  ruler  in  Egy])t  ?     We 
should  not  be  excessive  in  grief,   when  we 
know  our  godly  friends  are  advanced  io  a 
kingdom.     I  confess,  when  any  of  our  re- 
lations  die  in  their  imj)enitency,   there  is 
just  cause  of  mourning,  but  not  when  our 


fear  death  !     Are  any  afraid  of  going  to  a  ^  friends  take  their  flight  to  glory.     David 

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iost  two  sons;  Absalom  a  wicked  son, — he 
mourned  for  him  bitterly  ;  he  lost  the  child 
he  had  by  Bathsheba, — he  mourned  not 
when  the  child  was  departed.  St.  Ambrose 
gives  the  reason,  David  had  a  good  hope, 
nay,  assurance  that  the  child  was  translat- 
ed into  heaven,  but  he  doubted  of  Absa- 
lom ;  he  died  in  his  sins,  therefore  David 
wept  so  for  him,  "  O  Absalom,  my  son, 
my  son  !"  But  though  we  are  to  weep  to 
tliink  any  of  our  flesh  should  burn  in  hell, 
yet  let  us  not  be  cast  down  for  them  who 
arc  so  highly  preferred  at  death  as  to  a 
kingdom.  Our  godly  friends  who  die  in 
the  Lord,  are  in  that  blessed  estate,  and  are 
crowned  with  such  infinite  delights,  that  if 
we  could  hear  them  speak  to  us  out  of  hea- 
A'en,  they  would  say,  weep  not  for  us,  but 
weep  for  yourselves,  Luke  xxiii.  28.  We 
are  in  our  kingdom,  weep  not  at  our  pre- 
ferment, "  but  weep  for  yourselves,"  who 
are  in  a  sinful  sorrowful  world;  you  are 
tossing  on  the  troublesome  waves,  but  we 
are  got  to  the  haven  ;  you  are  fighting  with 
temptations,  while  we  are  wearing  a  victo- 
rious crown  ;  '  weep  not  for  us,  but  weep 
for  yourselves 

8.  Branch.  See  the  wisdom  of  the  god- 
ly, they  have  the  serpent's  eye  in  the  dove's 
head,  wise  virgins,  Mat.  xxv.  2.  Their 
wisdom  appears  in  their  choice,  they  choose 
that  which  will  bring  them  to  a  kingdom, 
they  choose  grace,  and  what  is  grace  but 
the  seed  of  glory  ?  They  choose  Christ  with 
his  cross,  but  this  cross  leads  to  a  crown. 
Moses  chose  "  rather  to  suffer  affliction  with 
the  people  of  God,"  Ileb.  xi.  25.  It  was  a 
wise  rational  choice,  he  knew  if  he  suff'ered 
he  should  reign.  At  the  day  of  judgment, 
those  whom  the  world  accounted  foolish 
will  appear  to  be  wise;  they  made  a  pru- 
dent choice,  they  chose  holiness,  and  what 
is  hapi)iness  but  the  quintessence  of  holiness? 
'  They  chose  affliction  with  the  people  of 
God  ;'  but  through  tliis  purgatory  of  afflic- 
tion, they  pass  to  paradise.  God  will  pro- 
claim the  saints'  wisdom  before  men  and 


angels. 


9.  Branch.  See  the  folly  of  those  who, 
for  vain  pleasures  and  profits,  will  lose  such 
a  glorious  kingdom  :  like  that  cardinal  of 
France,  who  said,  "  He  would  lose  his  ])art 
in  paradise,  if  he  might  keep  his  cardinal- 


ship  in  Paris."  1  may  say,  a«;  Eccl.  ix.  .^., 
"  Madness  is  in  their  heart."  Lysimachus, 
for  a  draught  of  water,  lost  his  empire  ;  so 
for  a  draught  of  sinful  pleasure  these  will 
lose  heaven.  We  too  much  resemble  our 
grandfather  Adam,  who  for  an  apple  lost 
paradise ;  many  for  trifles,  to  get  a  shilling 
more  in  the  shop  or  bushel,  will  venture 
the  loss  of  heaven.  This  will  be  an  aggra- 
vation of  the  sinner's  torment,  to  think  how 
foolishly  he  Avas  undone  :  for  a  flash  of  im- 
pure  joy  he  lost  an  eternal  weight  of  glory. 
Would  it  not  vex  one  who  is  the  lord  of  a 
manor,  to  think  he  should  part  with  his 
stately  inheritance  for  a  fit  of  music  ?  Such 
are  they  who  let  heaven  go  for  a  song. 
This  will  make  the  devil  insult  at  the  last 
day,  to  think  how  he  hath  gulled  men,  and 
made  them  lose  their  souls  and  their  happi- 
ness for  '  lying  vanities.'  If  Satan  could 
make  good  his  brag,  in  giAnng  all  the  glory 
and  kingdoms  of  the  world,  it  could  not 
countervail  the  loss  of  the  celestial  kincf- 
dom.  All  the  tears  in  hell  are  not  sufl'ici- 
ent  to  lament  the  loss  of  heaven. 

Use  2d.     Of  reproof. 

].  Branch.  It  reproves  such  as  do  not 
at  all  look  after  this  kingdom  of  glory ;  as 
if  all  we  say  about  heaven  were  but  a  ro- 
mance, they  do  not  mind  it.  That  they 
mind  it  not,  appears,  because  they  do  not 
labour  to  have  the  kingdom  of  grace  set  up 
in  their  hearts.  If  they  have  some  thoughts 
of  this  kingdom,  yet  it  is  in  a  dull  careless 
manner ;  they  serve  God,  as  if  they  served 
him  not ;  they  do  not  vires  ezercere,  ])ut  forth 
their  strengtli  for  the  heavenly  kinirdom. 
How  industrious  were  the  saints  of  old  for 
this  kingdom  !  Phil.  iii.  13.,  "  Reaching 
forth  unto  those  things  which  are  before  ;" 
the  Greek  word  is  epehteinomaies,  "  stretch- 
ing out  the  neck," — a  metaphor  from  racers, 
that  trains  every  limb,  and  reacli  forward 
to  lay  hold  on  the  prize.  Luther  spent 
three  hours  a-day  in  prayer.  "  Anna,  the 
prophetess,  departed  not  from  the  temple, 
but  served  God  with  fasting  and  prayers 
night  and  day,"  Luke  ii.  37.  How  zealous 
and  industrious  were  the  martyrs  to  jret  in- 
to  this  heavenly  kingdom  !  They  wore  their 
fetters  as  ornaments,  snatched  nj)  torments 
as  crowns,  and  em])raced  the  llames  as  cheer- 
fully as  Elijah  did  the  fiery  chariot,  which 


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451 


came  to  fotcli  liim  to  heaven  ;  and  do  we 
not  think  tliis  kinti^dom  wortli  our  labour? 
The  great  pains  tlie  lieathens  look  in  their 
Olympic  races,  wlicn  they  ran  but  for  a  crown 
made  of  olive  intermixed  with  gold,  will  rise 
up  in  judgment  against  such  as  take  little 
or  no  pains  in  seeking  after  the  kingdom  of 
glory.  The  dulness  of  many  in  seeking 
after  lieaven  is  such  as  if  they  did  not  be- 
lieve there  was  such  a  kingdom ;  or  as  if  it 
would  not  countervail  their  labour ;  or,  as 
if  they  thought  it  were  indifferent  whether 
they  obtained  this  kingdom  or  not,  which 
is  as  much  as  to  say,  whether  they  were  sav- 
ed or  not, — whether  they  were  crowned  in 
glory,  or  chained  as  galley-slaves  in  hell  for 
ever. 

2.  Branch.  It  reproves  them  who  spend 
their  sweat  more  in  getting  the  world  than 
the  kingdom  of  heaven,  Phil.  ii'i.  19.,  "  Who 
mind  earthly  things."  The  work!  is  the 
great  Diana  they  cry  up.  as  if  they  would 
fetch  happiness  out  of  the  earth  which  God 
liath  cursed;  they  labour  for  h.>nour  and 
riches.  Many  are  like  Korah  and  Dathan, 
"  the  earth  opened  her  mout)i  and  swallow- 
ed them  up,"  Numb.  xvi.  32.  So  the  earth 
swallows  up  tlicir  time  aiid  thoughts;  these, 
if  they  are  not  Pagans,  yet  they  are  infidels  ; 
they  do  not  believe  tJtere  is  sucli  a  kingdom  ; 
they  go  for  Christians,  yet  question  that 
great  article  in  (heir  faith,  life  everlasting; 
these,  like  the  serpent,  lick  the  dust.  O 
what  is  there  in  the  world,  that  we  should 
so  idolize  it,  when  Christ  and  heaven  are 
not  reg.irded  ?  AVhat  hath  Christ  done  for 
vou  ?  Died  for  your  sins  :  What  will  the 
world  do  for  you  ?  Can  It  pacify  an  angry 
conscience  ?  Can  it  procure  God's  favour  ? 
Can  it  fly  death  ?  Can  it  bribe  our  Judge  ? 
Can  it  purchase  for  you  a  place  in  the  king- 
dom of  heaven  ?  O  how  are  men  bewitched 
with  worldly  profits  and  honours,  that  for 
these  things  they  will  let  go  paradise  !  It 
was  a  good  prayer  of  St.  Bernard.  Sic  pos- 
aiticamua  mundana,  ut  71011  pcrdamns  cptenia. 
Lo,  let  us  so  possess  things  temporal,  that 
we  do  not  lose  things  eternal. 

3.  Branch.  It  reproves  such  who  de- 
lay and  put  off  seeking  this  kingdom  till  it 
be  too  late ;  like  the  foolish  virgins  who 
came  when  the  door  was  shut.  Mora  tra- 
hit  periculum.     People  let  the  lamp  of  life 


blaze  out ;  and  when  the  symptoms  of  death 
are  upon   them,  and  they  know  not  what 
else  to  do,  now  will  look  up  to  the  kingdom 
of  heaven.     Christ  bids  them  seek  God's 
kingdom  first,  and  tJ»ey  will  seek  it  last ; 
they  put  off  the  kingdom  of  heaven  to  a 
deathbed,  as  if  it  were  as  easy  to  make  their 
peace  as  to  make  their  will.      How  many 
liave  lost  the  heavenly  kingdom,    through 
delays  and  ;n-ocrastinations  !    Plutarch  re- 
ports of  ^rcliias  the  Lacedemonian,  being 
among  liis  cups,  one  delivered  him  a  letter, 
and  dt'sired  him  to  read  it  presently,  being 
of  .serious  business  :  saith  he,   "  seria  eras* 
-— t  will  mind  serious  things  to-morrow, — . 
and  that   night  he  was  slain.     Thou  that 
sayest,  thou  wilt  look  after  the  kingdom  of 
heaven  to-morrow,    knowest   not  but  that 
thou  mayest  be  in  hell  before  to-morrow. 
Sometimes  death  comes  suddenly,  it  strikes 
without  giving  warning.     What  folly  is  it 
putting  off  seeking  the  kingdom  of  heavea 
till  the  day  of  grace  expire,  till  the  radical 
moisture  be  spent !  As  if  a  man  should  be- 
gin to  run  a  race  when  a  fit  of  the  gout 
takes  him. 

4.  Branch.  It  reproves  such  as  were 
once  great  zealots  in  religion,  and  did  seem 
to  be  touched  with  a  coal  from  God's  altar,  but 
since  they  have  cooled  in  their  devotion,  and 
have  left  off  the  pursuing  the  celestial  king- 
dom, IIos.  viii.  3.,  "  Israel  hath  cast  off  the 
thing  that  is  good  ;"  there  is  no  face  of  re- 
ligion to  be  seen,  they  have  left  off  the  house 
of  prayer,  and  gone  to  play-houses  ;  they 
have  left  off  pursuing  the  heavenly  kingdom. 
Quest.  Whence  is  this  ? 
Alls.  I.  For  want  of  a  supernatural  prin- 
ciple of  grace.  That  branch  must  needs 
die  which  hath  no  root  to  grow  upon.  That 
which  moves  from  a  principle  of  life  lasts 
as  the  beating  of  the  pulse  ;  but  that  which 
moves  only  from  an  artificial  spring,  whcu 
the  spring  is  down,  the  motion  ceaseth. 
The  hypocrite's  religion  is  artificial,  not  vi- 
tal, he  acts  from  the  outward  spring  of  ap- 
plause or  gain,  and  if  that  spring  be  down, 
his  motion  toward  heaven  cejiseth. 

A.  2.  From  unbelief,  Ileb.  iii.  12.,  "  An 
evil  heart  of  unbelief,  departing  from  tho 
living  God,"  Ps.  Ixxviii.  22.,  "  They  believ- 
ed not  in  God,"  vcr  41.,  "  Tlrey  turned 
back."     Sinners  have  hard  thoughts  of  God, 


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OF  THE  SFX'OND  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


iliey  tliitik  tliey  may  pray  and  hear,  yet  ne- 
ver the  better.  Mat.  iii.  14.  They  question 
ivlietlier  God  will  give  them  the  kingdom 
at  last ;  then  tliey  turn  back,  and  throw  a- 
way  Christ's  colours ;  they  distrust  God's 
love,  no  wonder  then  they  desert  his  ser- 
vice :  infidelity  is  the  root,  of  apostacy. 

A.  3.  Men  leave  off  pursuing  the  hea- 
venly kingdom  ;  it  is  from  some  secret  lust 
novirished  in  the  soul,  perhaps  a  wanton  or 
a  covetous    lust.     Demas  for  love  of   the 
world  forsook  his  religion,  and  afterwards 
turned  priest  in  an  idol-temple.     One  of 
Christ's  own   apostles   was   caught  wUli  a 
Bilver  bait.     Covetousness  will  make  n.on 
betray  a  good  cause,  and  make  shipwreck 
of  a  good  conscience.     If  there  be  any  lust 
tinmortified  in  the  soul,  it  will  bring  forth 
the  bitter  fruit  either  of  scandal  or  apostacy. 
A.  4.  Men  leave  off  pursuing  the  king- 
dom of  heaven  out  of  timorousness ;  if  they 
persist  in  religion,  they  may  lose  their  plac- 
es of  profit,  perhaps  their  lives.     The  rea- 
son (saith  Aristotle)  why  the  camelion  turns 
into  so  many  colours,  is  through  excessive 
fear.     When  carnal  fear  prevails,  it  makes 
men  change  their  religion,  as  fast  as  tlie  ca- 
melion doth  its  colours.     Many  of  the  Jews 
who  were  great  followers  of  Christ,  when 


find  Christ  the  pearl  of  price  in  an  earthly 
heart.  Wojild  we  go  to  the  kingdom  of 
heaven?  Are  we  heavenly? 

1.  Are  we  heavenly  in   our  contempla- 
tions ?  Do  our  thoughts  run  upon  this  king- 
dom ?    Do  we  get  sometimes  upon  Mount 
Pisgah,    and    take    a    prospect    of    glory  ? 
Thoughts  are  as  travellers :    most   of  Da- 
vid's  tlwughts  travelled  heaven's  road,  Ps. 
cxxxix.  17.,  are  our  minds  heavenlized  ?  Ps. 
xlviii.  12.,  "  Walk  about  Zion,  tell  the  towers 
thereof,  mark  ye  well  her  bulwarks."     Do 
we  walk  into  the  heavenly  mount,  and  sec 
what  a  glorious  situation  it  is  ?  Do  we  tell 
the  towers  of  that  kingdom  ?  While  a  Chris- 
tian fixeth  his  thoughts  on  God  and  glory, 
ive  doth  as  it  were  tread  upon  the  borders 
of  the  heavenly  kingdom,  and  peep  Avithin 
the  vail :  as  Moses,  who  had  a  sight  of  Ca- 
naan, tliough  he  did  not  enter  into  it,  so  the 
heavenly  Christian  hath  a  sight  of  heaven, 
though  he  be  not  yet  entered  into  it. 

2.  Ave  we  heavenly  in  our  affections  ?  Do 
we  set  our  affections  on  the  kingdom  of 
heaven  ?  Col.  iii.  2.  If  we  are  heavenly,  we 
despise  all  things  below  in  comparison  of 
the  kingdom  of  God  ;  we  look  upon  the 
world  but  as  a  lieautiful  prison,  and  we 
cannot  be  much  in  love  witli  our  fetters. 


they  saw  the  swords  and  staves,   deserted    though  they  are  made  of  gold ;  our  heart  is 
lam.     Wliat  Solomon  saith  of  the  sluggard,    in  heaven.     A  stranger  may  l)e  in  a  forciffn 


is  as  true  of  the  coward,  he  saith,  '  there  is 
a  lion  without,'  Prov.  xxii.  13.  He  sees 
dangers  before  him  ;  he  would  go  on  in  the 
way  to  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  but  there  is 
a  lion  in  the  way.  This  is  dismal,  Ileb.  x. 
38.,  "  If  any  man  draw  back,  (in  the  Greek, 
if  he  steals  as  a  soldier  from  his  colours) 
my  soul  shall  have  no  pleasure  in  him." 

Use  Sd.  Of  trial.  Let  us  examine  whether 
we  shall  go  to  this  kingdom  when  we  die : 
heaven  is  called  '  a  kingdom  prepared, 
Mat.  xxv. 

Quest.  How  shall  we  know  this  kingdom 
is  prepared  for  us  ? 

Ans.  If  we  are  prepared  for  the  kingdom. 
Quest.  How  may  that  he  hnoivn  ? 
Ans.  By  being  heavenly  persons;  an 
earthly  heart  is  no  more  fit  for  heaven, 
than  a  clod  of  dust  is  fit  to  be  a  star  ;  there 
is  nothing  of  Christ  or  grace  in  such  an 
heart.  It  were  a  miracle  to  find  a  pearl  in 
a  gold  mine,  and  it  as  great  a  miracle   to 


land,  to  gather  up  his  debts  owina  him  but 
he  desires  to  be  in  his  own  kingdom  and 
nation ;  so  we  are  here  a  wKile  as  in  a 
strange  land,  but  our  desire  is  chiefly  after 
the  kingdom  of  heaven,  whei'e  we  shall  be 
for  ever.  The  world  is  the  place  of  a  saint's 
abode,  not  his  delight :  is  it  thus  with  us  ? 
Do  we,  like  the  patriarchs  of  old,  "  desire 
a  better  country?"  Heb.  xi.  16.  This  is 
the  temper  of  a  true  saint;  his  affections  are 
set  on  the  kingdom  of  God,  his  anchor  is 
cast  in  heaAcn,  and  he  is  carried  thither 
with  the  sails  of  desire. 

3.  Are  Ave  heavenly  in  our  speeches  ^ 
Christ  after  his  resurrection  did  speak  of 
the  things  pertaining  to  the  kingdom  of 
God,  Acts.  i.  3.  Are  your  tongues  tuned 
to  the  language  of  the  heavenly  Canaan  ? 
Mai.  iii.  16.,  "  Then  they  that  feared  the 
Lord,  spake  often  one  to  another."  Do 
you,  in  your  visits,  sejison  your  discourses 
with  lieavcn  ?    There  are  many  say,  they 


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453 


hope  they  shall  he  saved,  but  you  shall  never 
hoar  them  speak  of  the  kinfjdom  of  heaven  ; 
perhaps  of  their  wares  and  druj^s,  or  of  some 
rich  purchase  they  have  got,  but  nothiuj"^  of 
the  kingdom.  Can  men  travel  together  in 
a  jouruey,  and  not  speak  a  word  of  the 
place  they  are  travelling  to  ?  Are  you  tra- 
vellers for  heaven,  and  never  speak  a  word 
of  the  kingdom  you  are  travelling  to? 
Herein  many  discover  they  do  not  belong 
to  heaven,  for  you  shall  never  hear  a  good 
word  come  from  them.  J^erha  sunt  specu/a 
tnetitis,  Berx.  The  words  are  the  looking- 
glass  of  the  mind,  they  shew  what  the  heart 
is. 

4.  Are  we  heavenly  in  our  trading?  Is 
our  traffic  and  merchandize  in  heaven  ?  Do 
we  trade  in  the  heavenly  kingdom  by  faith  ? 
A  man  may  live  in  one  place,  and  trade  in 
another,  he  may  live  in  Ireland,  and  trade 
in  the  West  Indies,  so,  do  we  trade  in  the 
heavenly  kingdom  ?  They  shall  never  go  to 
heaven  when  they  die,  who  do  not  trade  in 
heaven  while  they  live.  Do  we  send  up  to 
heaven  voUies  of  sighs  and  groans  ?  Do  we 
send  forth  the  ship  of  prayer  thither,  which 
fetcheth  in  returns  of  mercy  ?  Is  our  com- 
munion "  with  the  Father  and  with  his  Son 
Jesus  ?"  1  John  i.  3.  Phil.  iii.  20. 

5.  Are  our  lives  heavenly  ?  Do  we  live 
as  if  we  had  seen  the  Lord  with  bodily  eyes  ? 
Do  we  emulate  and  imitate  the  angels  in 
sanctity  ?  Do  we  labour  to  copy  out  Christ's 
life  in  ours  ?  1  John  ii.  6.  It  was  a  custom 
among  the  Macedonians,  on  Alexander's 
birth-day,  to  wear  his  picture  about  their 
necks  set  with  pearl  and  diamond :  do  we 
carry  Christ's  picture  about  us,  and  resem- 
ble him  in  the  heavenliness  of  our  conversa- 
tion ?  If  we  are  thus  heavenly,  then  we 
shall  go  to  the  kingdom  of  heaven  when  we 
die ;  and  truly  there  is  a  great  deal  of  rea- 
son why  we  should  be  thus  heavenly  in  our 
thoughts,  affections,  conversation,  if  we  con- 
sider, 

(1.)  The  main  end  why  God  hath  given 
us  our  souls,  is,  that  we  may  mind  the  king- 
dom of  heaven  ;  our  souls  are  of  a  noble  ex- 
traction, they  are  akin  to  the  angels,  a  glass 
of  the  Trinity,  as  Plato  speaks.  Now,  is  it 
rational  to  imagine,  that  God  would  have 
breathed  into  us  such  noble  souls  only  to 
look    after   sensual   objects?     Were   such 


bright  stars  made  only  to  shoot  into  the 
earth  ?  Were  these  immortal  souls  made 
only  to  seek  after  dying  comforts  ?  Had  this 
been  only  the  end  of  our  creation,  to  eat  and 
drink,  and  converse  with  earthly  objects, 
worse  souls  would  have  served  us;  sensitive 
souls  had  been  good  enough  for  us ;  what 
need  our  souls  be  rational  and  divine,  to  do 
only  that  work  which  a  beast  may  do? 

(2.)  Great  reason  we  should  be  heavenly 
in  our  thoughts,  affections,  conversation,  if 
we  consider  what  a  blessed  kingdom  heaven 
is;  it  is  beyond  all  hyperbole  ;  earthly  king- 
doms do  scarce  deserve  the  names  of  cottasfea 
compared  with  it.  We  read  of  an  angel 
coming  down  from  heaven,  who  did  tread 
with  his  right-foot  ujk)Ji  the  sea,  and  with, 
his  left-foot  on  the  earth,  Rev.  x.  2.  Had 
we  but  once  been  in  the  heavenly  kingdom, 
and  viewed  the  superlative  glory  of  it,  how 
might  we,  in  an  holy  scorn,  trample  with 
one  foot  on  the  earth,  and  with  the  other 
foot  upon  the  sea  ?  There  are  rivers  of  plea- 
sure, gates  of  pearl,  sparkling  crowns,  white 
robes, — may  not  this  make  our  hearts  hea- 
venly ?  It  is  an  heavenly  kingdom,  and  only 
such  go  into  it  as  are  heaAcnly. 

Use  4th.  Of  exhortation.  To  all  in  general. 

1.  Branch.  If  there  be  such  a  glorious 
kingdom  to  come,  believe  this  great  truth. 
Socinians  deny  it.  The  Rabbins  say,  the 
great  dispute  between  Cain  and  Abel,  was 
about  the  world  to  come  ;  Abel  affirmed  it, 
Cain  denied  it.  This  should  be  engraven 
upon  our  hearts  as  with  the  point  of  a  dia- 
mond, there  is  a  blessed  kingdom  in  rever- 
sion, Ps.  Iviii.  11.,  "Doubtless  there  is  a 
reward  for  the  righteous."  Let  us  not  he- 
sitate through  unbelief.  Doubting  of  prin- 
ciples is  the  next  way  to  denying  them. 
Unbelief,  as  Samson,  would  pull  down  the 
pillars  of  religion.  Be  confirmed  in  this, 
there  is  a  kingdom  of  glory  to  come.  ^Mio- 
ever  denies  this,  cuts  asunder  the  main  ar- 
ticle of  the  creed,  "  life  everlasting." 

2.  Branch.  If  there  be  such  a  blessed 
kingdom  of  glory  to  come,  let  us  take  heed 
lest  we  miss  of  this  kingdom,  let  us  fear 
lest  we  lose  heaven  by  short  shooting. 
Trembling,  in  the  body  is  a  malady,  in  the 
soul  a  grace.  This  fear  is  not  a  fear  of 
diffidence  or  distrust,  such  a  fear  as  dis- 
courageth  the  soul,   for  such  a  fear  frights 


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from  religion,  it  cuts  the  sinews  of  endea- 
vour ;  but  tliis  holy  fear,  lest  we  miss  of  the 
kingdom  of  heaven,  is  a  fear  of  diligence  ; 
it  quickens  us  in  the  use  of  means,  and  puts 
us  forward  that  we  may  not  fail  of  our 
hope,  Heb.  xi.  7.,  "  Noah,  being  moved 
with  fear,  prepared  an  ark."  Fear  is  a 
watch-bell  to  awaken  sleepy  Christians  ;  it 
guards  against  security ;  it  is  a  spur  to  a 
sluggish  heart ;  he  who  fears  he  shall  come 
short  of  his  journey,  rides  the  faster.  And 
indeed  this  exhortation  to  fear,  lest  we  miss 
of  this  kingdom,  is  most  necessary,  if  we 
we  consider  two  things  ; 

First,  There  are  many  who  have  gone 
many  steps  in  the  way  to  heaven,  yet  have 
fallen  short  of  it,  INIark  xii.  34.,  "  Thou  art 
not  far  from  the  kingdom  of  God  ;"  yet  he 
was  not  near  enough. 

.  Quest.  How  many  steps  may  a  man  take 
in  the  way  to  the  kingdom  of  God,  yet  miss  of 
It? 

Ans.  1.  He  maybe  adorned  with  civility, 
Le  may  be  morally  righteous,  he  may  be 
prudent,  just,  temperate,  he  may  be  free 
from  penal  statutes ;  this  is  good,  but  not 
enough  to  bring  a  man  to  heaven. 

A.  2.  He  may   hang  out  the   flag  of  a 
glorious  profession,  yet   fall   short   of   the 
kingdom.     The  scribes  and  pharisces  went 
far;   they  sat  in   Moses'  chair, —  were  ex- 
pounders of  the  law, — they  prayed,  gave 
alms,  were  strict  in  the  observation  of  the 
sabbath, — if  one  had  got  a  thorn  into  his 
foot,  they  would  not  pull  it  out  on  the  sab- 
bath-day, for  fear  of  breaking  the  sabbath, 
— they  were  so  externally  devout  in  God's 
worship,  that  the  Jews  thought,  that  if  but 
two  in  all  the  world  went  to  heaven,  the 
one   should  be  a  scribe,   and   the  other  a 
pharisee, — but  the  mantle  of  their  profes- 
sion was  not  lined  with  sincerity  :  they  did 
all  for  the  applause  of  men,  therefore  they 
missed  of  heaven,   Mat.  v.   20.,    "  Excej)t 
your  righteousness  exceed  the  righteousness 
of  the  scribes  and  pharisees,  ye  shall  in  no 
case  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God." 

A.  3.  A  man  may  be  a  frequenter  of  or- 
dinances, and  yet  miss  of  the  kingdom.  It 
is  a  good  sight  to  see  people  flock  as  doves 
to  the  windows  of  God's  house ;  it  is  good 
to  lie  in  the  way  where  Christ  })asseth  by ; 
yet,  be  not  offended,  if  I  say,  one  may  be 


an  hearer  of  the  word,  and  fall  short  of  glo- 
ry. Herod  heard  John  the  Baptist  gladly, 
yet  beheaded  John  instead  of  beheading  his 
sin  ;  the  prophet  Ezekiel's  hearers  did  come 
with  as  much  delight  to  his  preaching,  as 
one  would  do  to  a  lit  of  music,  Ezek.  xxxiii. 
32.,  "  Thou  art  to  them  as  a  lovely  song  oi 
one  that  hath  a  pleasant  A'oice,  and  can  play 
well  on  an  instrument ;  for  they  hear  thy 
words,  but  they  do  them  not."  What  is  it 
to  hear  one's  duty,  and  not  do  it?  As  if  a 
physician  prescribe  a  good  recipe,  but  the 
patient  dpth  not  take  it. 

A.  4.  A  man  may  have  some  trouble  for 
sin,  and  weep  for  it,  yet  miss  of  the  hea- 
venly kingdom. 

Quest.   Whence  is  this  ? 

Ans.  1.  A  sinner's  tears  are  forced  by 
God's  judgments ;  as  water  which  comes 
out  of  a  still  is  forced  by  the  fire. — 2.  Trou- 
ble for  sin  is  transient,  it  is  quickly  over 
again.  As  some  that  go  to  sea  are  sea- 
sick, but  when  they  come  to  land  they  are 
well  again  ;  so  hypocrites  may  be  sermon- 
sick,  but  this  trouble  doth  not  last,  the 
sick-fit  is  soon  over. — 3.  A  sinner  weeps, 
but  goes  on  in  sin  ;  his  sins  are  not  drown- 
ed in  his  tears. 

A.  5.  A  man  may  liave  good  desires,  yet 
miss  of  the  kingdom.  Numb,  xxiii.  10.,  "  Let 
me  die  the  death  of  the  righteous  !" 

Quest.  JVhereindo  these  desires  come  short? 

Ans.  1.  They  are  sluggish.  A  man 
would  have  heaven,  but  will  take  no  pains. 
As  if  one  should  say,  he  desires  water,  but 
will  not  let  down  the  bucket  into  the  well, 
Piov.  xxi.  25.,  "  The  desire  of  the  slothful 
killeth  him,  for  his  hands  refuse  to  labour." 
— 2.  The  sinner  desires  mercy,  but  not 
grace ;  he  desires  Christ  as  a  Saviour,  but 
not  as  he  is  the  Holy  One ;  he  desires 
Christ  only  as  a  bridge  to  lead  him  over  to 
heaven.  Such  desires  as  these  may  be 
found  among  the  damned. 

A.  G,  A  man  may  forsake  his  sins,  oaths, 
drunkenness,  uncleanness,  yet  come  short 
of  the  kingdom. 

Quest.    Whence  is  this  ? 

Ans.  1.  He  may  fi>rsake  gross  sins,  yet 
he  hath  no  reluctancy  against  heart-sins, 
pride,  unbelief,  and  the  first  risings  of  ma- 
lice and  concupiscence.  Though  he  dams 
up  the  stream,  yet  he  lets  alone  the  foun- 


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4:55 


a 


tain  ;  though  lie  lop  and  pvunc  the  branches, 
yet  he  doth  not  strike  at  the  root  of  it. — 2. 
Though  he  leaves  sin — for  fear  of  hell,  or 
because  it  brings  shame  and  penury — yet 
he  still  loves  sin, — as  if  a  snake  sliould  cast 
her  coat,  yet  keep  her  poison,   IIos.  iv.  8., 

They  set  their  hcirt  on  their  iniquity," — 
3.  It  is  but  a  partial  forsaking  of  sin ; 
thono-h  he  leaves  one  sin,  he  lives  in  some 
other.  Herod  reformed  very  much,  Mark 
vi.  20.,  "  He  did  many  things  ;"  but  he  lived 
in  incest.  Some  leave  drunkenness,  and 
live  in  covetousness ;  they  forl'-ear  swear- 
ing, and  live  in  slandering.  It  is  but  a 
partial  reformation,  and  so  they  miss  of  the 
kingdom  of  gl<jiy.  Thus  you  see  there  are 
some  who  have  gone  many  steps  in  the  way 
to  heaven,  yet  have  come  short.  Some 
have  gone  so  far  in  ])rofession,  that  they 
liave  been  confident  their  estate  hath  been 
good,  and  they  should  go  to  the  kingdom 
of  heaven,  yet  have  missed  it,  Luke  xiii.  25. 
"  When  once  the  master  of  the  house  is  ri- 
sen up,  and  hath  shut  the  door,  and  ye  be- 
gin to  stand  without,  and  to  knock,  saying, 
Lord,  Lord,  open  to  ns."  How  confident 
were  these  of  salvation  !  They  did  not  be- 
seech, but  knock,  as  if  they  did  not  doubt 
but  to  be  let  into  heaven  ;  yet  to  these 
Christ  saith,  '  I  know  you  not  whence  you 
are  ;  depart  from  me,  ye  workers  of  iniqui- 
ty." Tiierefore  fear  and  tremble,  lest  any 
of  us  miss  of  this  kingdom  of  heaven. 

Secondly,  This  fear  is  necessary,  if  we  con- 
sider what  a  loss  it  is  to  lose  the  heavenly 
kingdom.  All  the  tears  in  hell  are  not 
sufficient  to  lament  the  loss  of  heaven.  They 
who  lose  the  heavenly  kingdom,  lose  God's 
sweet  presence,  the  ravishing  views  and 
smiles  of  God's  glorious  face.  God's  pre- 
sence is  the  diamond  in  the  ring  of  glory, 
Ps.  xvi.  11.,  "  In  thy  presence  is  fulness  of 
joy."  If  God  be  the  fountain  of  all  bliss, 
then,  to  be  separated  from  him,  is  the  foun- 
tain of  all  misery.  Tiiey  who  lose  the  hea- 
venly kingdom,  lose  the  society  of  angels ; 
and,  what  sweeter  music,  than  to  hear  them 
praise  God  in  concert  ?  They  lose  all  their 
treasure,  their  white  robes,  their  sparkling 
crowns  ;  they  lose  their  hopes,  Job  viii.  11,, 
"Whose  hope  shall  be  cut  off."  Their 
hope  is  not  ati  anchor,  but  a  spider's  web. 
If  hope  deferred  makes  the  heart  sick,  Prov. 


xiii.  12.,  what  then  is  hope  disappointed  ? 
They  lose  the  end  of  their  being.  Why 
were  they  created,  but  to  be  enthroned  in 
glory  ?  Now,  to  lose  this,  is  to  lose  the 
end  of  their  being,  as  if  an  angel  should  be 
turned  to  a  worm.  There  are  many  ag- 
gravations of  the  loss  of  this  heavenly  king- 
dom. 

1.  The  eyes  of  the  wicked  shall  be  open- 
ed to  see  their  loss  :  now  they  care  not  for 
the  loss  of  God's  favour,  because  they  know 
not  the  worth  of  it.  A  man  that  loseth  a 
rich  diamond,  and  took  it  but  for  an  ordi- 
nary stone,  is  not  much  troubled  at  the 
loss  of  it ;  but  when  he  comes  to  know 
what  a  jewel  he  lost,  then  he  laments. 
He,  whose  heart  would  never  break  at  the 
sight  of  his  sins,  shall  now  break  at  the 
sight  of  his  loss.  Phinehas  his  wife,  when 
she  heard  the  ark  was  lost,  cried  out,  "  The 
glory  is  departed,"  1  Sam.  iv.  21.  Wlieu 
the  sinner  sees  what  he  hath  lost,  that  he 
hath  lost  the  beatifical  vision,  he  hath  lost 
the  kingdom  of  heaven  ;  then  he  will  cry 
out  in  horror  and  despair,  "  The  glory,  the 
everlasting  glory  is  departed." 

2.  A  second  aggravation  of  the  loss  of 
this  kingdom  will  be,  that  sinners  shall  be 
upbraided  by  their  own  conscience ;  this  is 
the  worm  that  never  dies,  Mark  ix.  44., 
vi/.  a  self-accusing  mind.  When  sinners 
shall  consider  they  were  in  a  fair  way  to 
the  kingdom, — they  had  a  possibility  of  sal- 
vation, though  the  door  of  heaven  was 
strait,  yet  it  was  open, — they  had  the  means 
of  grace, — the  jul)ilec  of  the  gospel  was 
proclaimed  in  their  ears, — God  called,  but 
they  refused, — Jesus  Christ  offered  them  a 
plaster  of  his  own  blood  to  heal  them,  but 
they  trampled  it  under  foot, — the  Holy  Spi- 
rit stood  at  the  door  of  their  heart,  knock- 
ing and  crying  to  them  to  receive  Christ 
and  heaven,  but  they  repulsed  the  Sj)irit, 
and  sent  away  this  dove, — and  now  they 
have,  through  their  own  folly  and  wilful- 
ness, lost  the  kingdom  of  heaven, — this 
self-accusing  conscience  will  be  terrible, 
like  a  venomous  worm  gnawing  at  the 
heart. 

3.  A  third  aggravation  of  the  loss  of  hea- 
ven will  be  to  look  upon  others  that  have 
gained  the  kingdom  ;  the  happiness  of  the 
blessed  will  be  an  eye-sore,  Luke  xiii.  28., 


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"  Tliere  shall  be  weeping  aiul  gnasliing;  of 
teotli,  wlicn  ye  sliall  see  Abraham,  and  I- 
saac,  and  Jacob,  and  all  the  prophets  in  the 
kingdom  of  God,  and  you  yourselves  thrust 
out."  When  the  wicked  shall  see  those 
whom  they  hated  and  scorned,  to  be  exalt- 
ed to  a  kingdom,  and  shine  with  robes  of 
glory,  and  they  themselves  miss  of  the  king-- 
(h)m,  this  will  be  a  dagger  at  the  heart,  and 
make  them  gnash  their  teeth  for  envy. 

4.  A  fourth  aggravation  is,  this  loss  of 
the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  accompanied  with 
the  punishment  of  sense.  He  who  leaps 
short  of  the  bank,  falls  into  the  river  ;  such 
as  come  short  of  heaven,  fall  into  the  river 
of  fire  and  brimstone,  Ps.  ix.  17.,  "  The 
wicked  shall  be  turned  into  hell."  And 
how  dreadful  is  that  !  If,  when  but  a  spark 
of  God's  anger  lights  into  the  conscience 
liere,  it  is  so  torturing,  what  will  it  be  to 
have  mountains  of  God's  wrath  thrown  up- 
on the  soul?  Ps.  xc.  11.,  "Who  knoweth 
the  power  of  thine  anger  ?"  The  angel 
never  poured  out  his  vial,  but  some  wo  fol- 
lowed, Rev.  xvi.  3.  When  the  bitter  vials 
of  God's  wrath  are  poured  out,  damnation 
follows.  Dives  cries  out,  "  I  am  torment- 
ed in  this  flame  !"  Luke  xvi.  24.  In  hell 
there  is  not  a  drop  of  mercy.  There  was 
no  oil  nor  frankincense  used  in  the  sacri- 
fice of  jealousy,  Numb.  v.  15.  In  hell  no 
oil  of  mercy  to  lenify  the  sufferings  of  the 
damned,  nor  incense  of  prayer  to  appease 
God's  wrath. 

5.  A  fifth  aggravation  of  the  loss  of  this 
kingdom  will  be,  to  consider  on  what  easy 
and  reasonable  terms  men  might  have  had 
this  kingdom.  If  indeed  God  had  com- 
manded impossil)ilities,  to  have  satisfied  jus- 
tice in  their  own  persons,  it  had  been  ano- 
ther matter:  but  what  God  did  demand 
was  reasonable,  only  to  do  that  which  was 
for  their  good,  to  accept  of  Christ  for  their 
Lord  and  Husband,  not  only  to  part  with 
that  which  would  damn  them,  if  they  kept 
their  sins.  These  were  the  fair  terms  on 
which  they  might  have  enjt)yed  the  hea- 
venly kingdom  :  now,  to  lose  heaven,  which 
might  have  been  had  upon  such  easy  terms, 
will  be  a  cutting  aggravation ;  it  will  rend 
a  sinner's  heart  with  rage  and  grief,  to 
think  how  easily  he  might  have  prevented 
the  loss  of  the  heavenly  kingdom. 


6.  It  will  be  an  aggravation  of  the  loss 
of  heaven  for  sinners  to  think  how  active 
they  were  in  doing  that  which  lost  them 
the  kingdom ;  they  were  felo  dc  se.  What 
pains  did  they  take  to  resist  the  Spirit,  to 
stifle  conscience?  They  sinned  while  they 
were  out  of  breath,  Jer.  ix.  5.,  "They  wea- 
ry themselves  to  commit  inicjuity."  WTiat 
difficulties  did  men  go  through  ?  what  did 
they  endure  for  their  sins  ?  How  much 
shame  and  pain  ?  How  sick  was  the  drunk- 
ard with  his  cups  ?  How  sore  in  his  body 
was  the  adulterer?  And  what  marks  of 
sin  did  he  carry  about  him  ?  What  dan- 
gers did  men  adventure  upon  for  their  lusts  ? 
They  adventured  God's  wraMi,  and  adven- 
tured the  laws  of  the  land.  O  how  will 
this  aggravate  the  loss  of  heaven  !  How 
will  this  make  men  curse  themselves,  to 
think  how  much  pains  they  were  at  to  lose 
happiness  ?  How  will  this  sting  men's 
consciences,  to  think,  had  they  but  taken  as 
mucli  pains  for  heaven,  as  they  did  for  hell, 
they  had  not  lost  it. 

7.  Aggravation  of  the  loss  of  this  king- 
dom, it  will  be  an  eternal  irreparable  loss; 
heaven,  once  lost,  can  never  be  recovered. 
Worldly  losses  may  be  made  up  again  ;  if 
a  man  lose  his  health,  he  may  have  it  re- 
paired by  physic;  if  a  man  be  driven  out 
of  his  kingdom,  he  may  be  restored  to  it  a- 
gain,  as  king  Nebuchadnezzar  was,  Dan. 
iv.  36.,  "  My  honour  returned  to  me,  and 
I  was  established  in  my  kingdom."  King 
Henry  VI.  was  deposed  from  his  thi'one, 
yet  restored  again  to  it.  But  they  who 
once  lose  heaven,  can  never  be  restored  to 
it  again :  after  millions  of  years,  they  are 
as  far  from  obtaining  glory  as  at  first.  Thus 
you  see  how  needful  this  exhortation  is, 
that  we  should  fear  lest  we  fall  short  of  this 
kingdom  of  heaven. 

Quest.  JVhat  shall  we  do,  that  we  may  not 
7niss  of  this  kingdom  of  glory. 

Ans.  1.  Take  heed  of  those  things  which 
will  make  you  miss  of  heaven.  1.  Take 
heed  of  spiritual  sloth.  Many  Christians 
are  settled  upon  their  lees,  they  are  loath 
to  put  themselves  to  too  much  ])ains.  It  is 
said  of  Israel,  "  They  despised  the  pleasant 
land,"  Ps.  cvi.  21.  Canaan  was  a  para- 
dise of  delights,  a  type  of  heaven  :  ay,  but 
some  of  the  Jews   thought  it  would  cos 


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them  a  great  deal  of  trouble  and  lia/ard  in 
the  getting,  and  they  would  rather  go  with- 
out it;  "  They  despised  the  pleasant  land." 
I  have  read  of  certain  Spaniards  that  live 
where  there  is  great  store  of  fish,  yet  are  so 
lazy,  that  they  will  not  be  at  the  pains  to 
catch  them,  but  buy  of  their  neighbours  ; 
such  a  sinful  sloth  is  upon  the  most,  that 
though  the  kingdom  of  heaven  be  offered 
to  them,  yet  they  will  not  put  themselves 
to  any  labour  for  it.  They  have  some  faint 
velleities  and  desires,  O  that  I  had  this 
kingdom  !  Like  a  man  that  wisheth  for 
venison,  but  will  not  hunt  for  it,  Prov.  xiii. 
4.,  "  The  soul  of  the  sluggard  desireth,  and 
hath  nothing."  Men  could  be  content  to 
have  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  if  it  would 
drop  as  a  ripe  fig  into  their  mouth,  but 
they  are  loath  to  fight  for  it.  O  take  heed 
of  spiritual  sloth ;  God  never  made  heaven 
to  be  a  hive  for  drones  !  We  cannot  have 
the  world  without  laboui*,  and  do  we  think 
to  have  the  kingdom  of  heaven  ?  Heathens 
will  rise  up  in  judgment  against  many 
Christians;  what  pains  did  they  take  in 
their  Olympic  races,  when  they  ran  but 
for  a  crown  of  olive  or  myrtle  intermixed 
with  gold;  and  do  we  stand  still  when  we 
are  running  for  a  kingdom?  Prov.  xLx. 
15.,  "  Slothfulness  casteth  into  a  deep  sleep." 
Sloth  is  the  soul's  sleep.  Adam  lost  his  rib 
when  he  was  asleep.  Many  a  man  loseth 
the  kingdom  of  heaven  when  he  is  in  this 
deep  sleep  of  sloth. 

A.  2.  Take  heed  of  unbelief.  Unbelief 
kept  Israel  out  of  Canaan,  Heb.  iii.  19.  Sq 
we  see  "  they  could  not  enter  in  because 
of  unbelief."  And  it  keeps  many  out  of 
heaven.  Unbelief  is  an  enemy  to  salvation, 
it  is  a  damning  sin  ;  it  whispers  thus,  "  To 
what  purpose  is  all  this  pains  for  the  hea- 
venly kingdom  ?  I  had  as  good  sit  still ;  I 
may  come  near  to  heaven,  yet  come  short 
of  heaven:"  Jer.  xviii.  12.,  "  And  they 
said,  there  is  no  hope."  Unbelief  destroys 
hope;  and  if  you  once  cut  this  sinew,  a 
Christian  goes  but  lamely  in  religion,  if  he 
goes  at  all.  Unbelief  raiseth  jealous  tliouglits 
of  God,  it  represents  him  as  a  severe  judge ; 
this  discourageth  many  a  soul,  and  takes  it 
off  from  duty.  Beware  of  unbelief;  be- 
lieve the  promises.  Lam.  iii.  25.,  "  God  is 
p-ood  to  the  soul  that  geek«i  him  "  seek  him 


earnestly  and  he  will  open  both  heart 
heaven  to  you.  Detis  volentibiis  non  deest. 
Do  what  you  are  able,  and  God  will  help 
you.  While  you  spread  the  sails  of  your 
endeavour,  God's  Spirit  will  blow  upon 
these  sails,  and  carry  you  swiftly  to  the 
kingdom  of  glory. 

A.  3.  If  you  would  not  miss  of  the  hea- 
venly kingdom,  take  heed  of  mistake,  ima- 
gining the  way  to  the  kingdom  of  heaven 
to  be  easier  than  it  is ;  it  is  but  a  sigh,  or, 
'  Lord  have  mercy  !'  There's  no  going  to 
heaven  per  saltum;  one  cannot  leap  out  of 
Delilah's  lap  into  Abraham's  bosom.  The 
sinner  is  "  dead  in  trespasses,"  Eph.  ii.  1. 
Is  it  easy  for  a  dead  man  to  restore  himself 
to  life  ?  Is  regeneration  easy  ?  Are  there 
no  pangs  in  the  new  birth  ?  Doth  not  the 
scripture  call  Christianity  a  warfare  and  a 
race  ?  And,  do  you  fancy  this  easy  ?  The 
way  to  the  kingdom  is  not  easy,  but  the 
mistake  about  the  way  is  easy. 

A.  4.  If  you  would  not  miss  of  the  hea- 
venly kingdom  take  heed  of  delays  and  pro- 
crastinations. Mora  trahit  pericidum.  It 
is  an  usual  delusion,  I  will  mind  the  king- 
dom of  heaven,  but  not  yet ;  when  I  have 
gotten  an  estate  and  grown  old,  then  I  will 
look  after  heaven ;  and,  on  a  sudden,  death 
surpriseth  men,  and  they  fall  short  of  hea- 
ven. Delay  strengthens  sin,  hardens  the 
heart,  and  gives  the  devil  fuller  possession 
of  a  man.  Take  heed  of  adjourning  and 
putting  off  seeking  the  kingdom  of  heaven, 
till  it  be  too  late.  Caesar,  deferring  to 
rejid  a  letter  put  into  his  hand,  was  killed 
in  the  senate-house.  Consider  how  short 
your  life  is;  it  is  a  taper  soon  blown  out. 
Animautis  aijusque  vita  in  ftiga  est.  The 
body  is  like  a  vessel  tuned  with  breath, 
sickness  broacheth  it,  death  draws  it  out. 
Delay  not  the  business  of  salvation  a  day 
h)nger ;  sometimes  death  strikes,  and  gives 
no  warning. 

A.  5.  If  you  would  not  come  short  of  the 
kingdom  of  heaven,  take  heed  of  prejudice. 
Many  take  a  prejudice  at  religion,  and  on 
this  rock  dash  their  souls.  They  are  pre- 
judiced at  Christ's  person,  his  truths,  his 
foUowers,  his  ways. 

(1.)  They  are  prejudiced  at  his  person. 
Mat.  xiii.  ;i7.,  "  And  tbey  were  offended 
In   him"     What  is  there    in   Christ    that 

3M 


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OF  THE  SECOND  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


men  should  be  offended  at  Inm  ?  lie  is  the 
•'  pearl  of  price,"  Mat.  xiii.  46.  Are  men 
offended  at  pearls  and  diamonds  ?  Christ 
is  the  wonder  of  beauty,  Ps.  xlv.  2.,  "  Fairer 
than  the  children  of  men."  Is  there  any 
thing  in  beauty  to  offend?  Christ  is  the 
mirror  of  mercy,  Heb.  ii.  IT.  Why  should 
mercy  offend  any?  Christ  is  a  Redeemer; 
why  should  a  captive  slave  be  offended  at 
him  who  comes  with  a  sum  of  money  to 
ransom  him?  The  prejudice  men  take  at 
Christ  is  from  the  inbred  pravity  of  their 
hearts.  The  eye  that  is  sore  cannot  endure 
the  lig-ht  of  the  sun ;  the  fault  is  not  in  the 
sun,  but  in  the  sore  eye.  There  are  two 
things  in  Christ  men  are  prejudiced  at :  1^^. 
His  meanness.  The  Jews  expected  a  mo- 
narch for  their  Messiah ;  but  Christ  came 
not  with  outward  pomp  and  splendour: 
*  his  kingdom  was  not  of  this  world.'  The 
stars  which  are  seated  in  the  brightest  orbs, 
are  least  seen;  Christ,  who  is  the  bright 
morning-star,  was  not  much  seen ;  his  di- 
vinity was  hid  in  the  dark  lanthorn  of  his 
humanity ;  all  who  saw  the  man  did  not 
see  the  Messiah;  this  the  Jews  stumbled 
at,  the  meanness  of  his  person.  2d.  Men 
are  prejudiced  at  Christ's  strictness;  they 
look  upon  Christ  as  austere,  and  his  laws 
too  severe,  Ps.  ii.  3.,  "  Let  us  break  their 
bands,  and  cast  away  their  cords  from  us." 
Though  to  a  saint,  Christ's  laws  are  no 
more  burdensome  than  wings  are  to  a  bird  ; 
yet,  to  the  wicked,  Christ's  laws  are  a  yoke, 
and  they  love  not  to  come  under  restraint : 
hence  it  is  they  hate  Christ.  Though  they 
pretend  to  love  him  as  a  Saviour,  yet  they 
hate  him  as  he  is  the  holy  One. 

(2.)  Men  are  prejudiced  at  the  truths  of 
Christ.  Is^.  Self-denial.  A  man  must  deny 
his  righteousness,  Phil.  iii.  9.  His  duties 
and  moralities :  he  will  graft  the  hope  of 
salvation  upon  the  stock  of  his  own  righte- 
ousness. 2d.  He  must  deny  his  unrighte- 
ousness. The  scripture  seals  no  patents  to 
sin ;  it  teacheth  us  to  "  de#y  all  ungodli- 
ness and  worldly  lusts,"  Tit.  ii.  11.  We 
must  divorce  those  sins  which  bring  in 
pleasures  and  profit.  3d.  Forgiving  of  in- 
juries, Mark  xi.  25.  These  truths  men  are 
prejudiced  at;  they  can  rather  want  for- 
giveness from  God,  than  they  can  forgive 
others. 


(3.)  Men  are  prejudiced  at  the  followers 
of  Christ.  \st.  Their  paucity ;  there  are 
but  few  (in  comparison)  that  embrace 
Christ :  but  why  should  this  offend  ?  Men 
are  not  offended  at  pearls  and  precious 
stones,  because  they  are  but  few.  2d.  Their 
poverty ;  many  that  wear  Christ's  livery 
are  low  in  the  world  :  but  why  should  this 
give  offence?  (1.)  Christ  hath  better  things 
than  these  to  bestow  upon  his  followers  ; 
the  holy  anointing,  the  white  stone,  the 
hidden  manna,  the  crown  of  glory.  (2.) 
All  Christ's  followers  are  not  humbled  with 
poverty.  Abraham  was  rich  with  gold  and 
silver,  as  well  as  rich  in  faith.  Though  not 
many  noble  are  called,  yet  some  noble.  Acts 
xvii.  12.,  "  Honourable  women  which  were 
Greeks  believed."  Constantino  and  Theo- 
dosius  were  godly  emperors.  So  that  this 
stumbling-block  is  removed.  3d.  Their 
scandals  ;  some  of  Christ's  followers,  under 
a  mask  of  piety,  commit  sin  ;  this  begets  a 
prejudice  against  religion  ;  but  doth  Christ 
or  his  gospel  teach  any  such  thing?  The 
rules  he  prescribes  are  holy ;  why  should 
the  master  be  thought  the  worse  of,  because 
some  of  his  servants  prove  bad  ? 

(4.)  Men  ai'e  prejudiced  at  the  ways  of 
Christ.  They  expose  them  to  sufferings, 
Mat.  xvi.  24.,  "  Let  him  take  up  his  cross 
and  follow  me."  Many  stumble  at  the 
cross.  There  are,  as  Tertullian,  delicatuliy 
silken  Christians,  who  love  their  ease  ;  they 
will  follow  Christ  to  mount  Tabor,  to  see 
him  transfigured,  but  not  to  mount  Golgo- 
tjia,  to  suffer  with  him.  But,  alas,  what  is 
affliction  to  the  glory  that  follows  !  The 
weight  of  glory  makes  affliction  light.  Ad- 
imant  caput  non  coronam.  O  take  heed  of 
prejudice  ;  this  hath  been  a  stumbling-stone 
in  men's  way  to  heaven,  and  hath  made 
them  fall  short  of  the  kingdom  ! 

A.  6.  If  you  would  not  miss  of  the  king- 
dom of  heaven,  take  heed  of  presumption. 
Men  presume  all  is  well,  and  take  it  as  a 
principle  not  to  be  disputed  that  they  shall 
go  to  heaven.  The  devil  hath  given  them 
opium  to  cast  them  into  a  deep  sleep  of  se- 
curity. The  presumptuous  sinner  is  like 
the  Leviathan,  made  "  without  fear ;"  he 
lives  as  bad  as  the  worst,  yet  hopes  he  shall 
be  saved  as  well  as  the  best;  he  blesseth 
himself  and    saith,    he    shall   have   peace, 


OF  THE  SECOND  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


459 


tliouf^h  lie  goes  on  in  sin,  Deut.  xxix.  19. 
As  if  a  man  should  drink  poison  yet  not 
fear  but  lie  should  have  his  health.  But 
whence  doth  this  presumptuous  hope  arise? 
Surely  from  a  conceit  that  God  is  made  up 
all  of  mercy.  'Tis  true  God  is  merciful, 
but  withal  he  is  just  too,  Exod.  xxxiv.  7., 
"  Keeping  mercy  for  thousands,  and  that 
will  by  no  means  clear  the  guilty."  If  a 
king  did  proclaim  that  only  those  should 
be  pardoned,  who  came  in  and  submitted, 
ought  any  still  persisting  in  rebellion,  to 
claim  the  benefit  of  that  pardon  ?  Dost  thou 
hope  for  mercy,  who  wilt  not  lay  do\vn  thy 
weapons,  but  stand  out  in  rebellion  against 
heaven  ?  None  might  touch  the  ark  but  the 
priests ;  none  may  touch  this  ark  of  God's 
mercy,  but  holy,  consecrated  persons. 
Presumption  is  heluo  animarum, — the  great 
devourer  of  souls.  A  thousand  have  mis- 
sed of  heaven,  by  putting  on  the  broad 
spectacles  of  presumption. 

A.  7.  If  you  would  not  miss  of  the  hea- 
venly kingdom,  take  heed  of  the  delights 
and  pleasures  of  the  flesh.  Soft  pleasures 
harden  the  heart ;  many  people  cannot  en- 
dure a  serious  thought,  but  are  for  come- 
dies and  romances ;  they  play  away  their 
salvation.  Homines  capiunter  volvptate,  ut 
pisces  hamo,  Cicero.  Pleasure  is  the  su- 
gared bait  men  bite  at,  but  there  is  an  hook 
under.  Job  xxi.  12.,  "  They  take  the  tim- 
brel and  harp ;  and  rejoice  at  the  sound  of 
the  organ."  And  a  parallel  scripture,  A- 
mos  vi.  4,  5,  6.,  "  That  lie  upon  beds  of  iv- 
ory, that  chant  to  the  sound  of  the  aioI, 
that  drink  wine  in  bowls,  and  anoint 
themselves  with  the  chief  ointments."  The 
-pleasures  of  the  world  do  keep  many  from 
the  pleasures  of  paradise.  What  a  shame 
is  it,  that  the  soul,  that  princely  thing, 
which  sways  the  sceptre  of  reason,  and  is 
akin  to  angels,  should  be  enslaved  by  sinful 
pleasure  !  Beard,  in  his  theatre,  speaks  of 
one  who  had  a  room  richly  hung  with  fair 
pictures, — he  had  most  delicious  music, — 
he  had  the  rarest  beauties, — he  had  all  the 
candies,  and  curious  preserves  of  the  con- 
fectioner,— thus  did  he  gratify  his  senses 
with  pleasure,  and  swore  he  would  live  one 
week  as  a  god,  though  he  were  sure  to  be 
damned  in  hell  the  next  day.  Diodorus  Si- 
culus  observes,  that  the  dogs  of  Sicily  while 


they  are  hunting  among  the  sweet  flowers, 
lose  the  scent  of  the  hare :  so,  many  while 
they  are  hunting  after  the  sweet  pleasures 
of  the  world  lose  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 
'Tis  (saitli  Tlicophylact)  one  of  the  worst 
siglits,  to  see  a  sinner  go  laughing  to  hell. 

J.  8.  If  you  would  not  fall  short  of  the 
kingdom  of  heaven,  take  heed  of  worldly 
miiidedness ;  a  covetous  sjiirit  is  a  dunghill 
spirit,  it  chokes  good  affections,  as  the  earth 
puts  out  the  fire.  The  world  hindered  the 
young  man  from  following  Christ, — ahiit 
tristis,  he  went  away  sorrowful,  Luke  xviii. 
23.,  which  extorted  these  words  from  our 
Saviour,  ver.  24.,  "  How  hardly  shall  they 
that  have  riches  enter  into  the  kingdom  of 
God  !"  DiviticB  sceculi  sunt  laquei  diaboH, 
Bern.  Riches  are  golden  snares.  If  a 
man  were  to  climb  up  a  steep  rock,  and 
had  weights  tied  to  his  legs,  it  would  hin- 
der him  from  his  ascent;  too  many  golden 
weights  will  hinder  him  from  climbing  up 
that  steep  rock  which  leads  to  heaven,  Ex- 
od. xiv.  3.,  "  They  are  entangled  in  the 
land,  the  wilderness  hath  shut  them  in." 
So  it  may  be  said  of  many,  they  are  entanir- 
led  in  earthly  affairs,  the  world  hath  shut 
them  in ;  the  world  is  no  friend  to  grace ; 
the  more  the  chiM  sucks  the  weaker  the 
nurse  is  ;  and  the  more  the  world  sucks 
and  draws  from  us,  the  weaker  our  grace 
is,  I  John  ii.  15.,  '*  Love  not  the  world." 
Had  a  man  a  monopoly  of  all  the  wealth  of 
the  world, — were  he  able  to  empty  the  wes- 
tern parts  of  gold  and  the  eastern  of  spices, 
— could  he  heap  up  riches  to  the  starry  hea- 
ven, yet  his  heart  would  not  be  filled  :  co- 
vetousness  is  a  dry  dropsy.  Joshua,  who 
could  stop  the  course  of  the  sun,  could  not 
stop  Achan  in  his  covetous  pursuit  of  the 
wedge  of  gold ;  he  whose  heart  is  locked 
up  in  his  chest,  will  be  locked  out  of  hea- 
ven. Some  ships,  that  have  escaped  the 
rocks,  have  been  cast  away  upon  the  sands : 
many,  who  have  escaped  gross  sins,  have 
been  cast  away  upon  the  world's  golden 
sands. 

A.  9.  If  you  would  not  come  short  of 
the  kingdom  of  heaven,  take  heed  of  indul- 
ging any  sin ;  one  millstone  will  drown,  as 
well  as  more ;  and  one  sin  lived  in  will 
damn,  as  well  as  more.  Ubi  regnat  pecca- 
turn,  non potest  regnare  Dei  regnuiUy  HiLRoai. 


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If  any  one  sin  reign,  it  will  keep  you  from 
reigning  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  Espe- 
cially keep  from  sins  of  presumption,  which 
waste  conscience.  Vastare  conscientiam, 
Tertul.  And  the  sin  of  your  natural  con- 
stitution,— the  peccatuni  in  dilitiL%  Aug. 
Thy  darling  sin,  Ps.  xviii.  23.,  "  I  have 
kept  myself  from  mine  iniquity,"  that  sin 
which  my  heart  would  soonest  decoy  and 
flatter  me  into.  As  in  the  hive  there  is  one 
master -hee,  so  in  the  heart  one  master-sin  : 
O  take  heed  of  this  ! 

Quest.  How  may  this  sin  he  known  ? 
Ans.  (1.)  That  sin  which  a  man  cannot 
endure  the  arrow  of  a  reproof  should  shoot 
at,  that  is  the  bosom-sin.  Herod  could  not 
brook  to  have  his  incest  meddled  with, — 
that  was  a  noli  me  tingere  ;  men  can  be  con- 
tent to  have  other  sins  declaimed  against, 
but  if  a  minister  put  his  finger  upon  the 
sore,  and  toucheth  upon  one  special  sin, 
then  igne  micant  ocidi,  they  are  enraged, 
and  spit  the  venom  of  malice. 

A.  (2.)  That  sin  which  a  man's  heart 
runs  out  most  to,  and  he  is  most  easily  cap- 
tivated by,  that  is  the  Delilah  in  the  bosom. 
One  man  is  overcome  with  wantonness,  a- 
nother  by  worldliness.  It  is  a  sad  thing  a 
man  should  be  so  bewitched  by  a  beloved 
sin,  that  if  it  ask  him  to  part  with  not  only 
one  half  the  kingdom,  but  the  whole  king- 
dom of  heaven,  he  must  part  with  it  to  gra- 
tify that  lust. 

A.  (3.)  That  sin  which  doth  most  trou- 
ble a  man  and  fly  in  his  face  in  an  hour  of 
sickness  and  distress,  that  is  the  sin  he  hath 
allowed  himself  in,  and  is  his  complexion- 
sin.  When  Joseph's  brethren  were  distres- 
sed, their  sin  in  selling  their  brother  came 
into  their  remembrance.  Gen.  xlii.  21., 
"  We  are  verily  guilty  concerning  our  bro- 
ther," &c.  So,  when  a  man  is  upon  his  sick- 
bed, and  conscience  shall  say,  thou  hast 
been  guilty  of  such  a  sin,  the  sin  of  slan- 
derino-  or  uncleanness,  conscience  reads  a 
man  a  sad  lecture ;  it  aff"rights  him  most 
for  one  sin,  that  is  the  complexion-sin. 

A.  (4.)  That  sin  which  a  man  is  loathest 
to  part  with,  that  is  the  endeared  sin.  Ja- 
cob could  of  all  his  sons  most  hardly  part 
with  Benjamin,  Gen.  xlii.  35.,  "  Ye  will 
take  Benjamin  away."  So  saith  the  sinner, 
this  and  that  sin  I  have  left,  but  must  Beu- 


jamm  go  too  ?  Must  I  part  with  this  de- 
lightful sin  ?  That  goes  to  the  heart.  As 
it  is  with  a  castle  that  hath  several  forts  a- 
bout  it ;  the  first  and  second  forts  are  yield- 
ed, but  when  it  comes  to  the  main  castle, 
the  governor  will  rather  fight  and  die  than 
yield  that ;  so  a  man  may  suff"er  many  ot 
his  sins  to  be  demolished,  but  when  it  comes 
to  one,  that  is  like  the  taking  of  the  castle, 
he  will  never  yield  to  part  with  that ;  surely 
that  is  the  master-sin.  Take  heed  especial- 
ly of  this  sin  ;  the  strength  of  sin  lies  in  the 
beloved  sin  ;  that  is  like  an  humour  striking 
to  the  heart,  which  brings  death.  I  have 
read  of  a  monarch,  that  being  pursued  by 
the  enemy,  he  threw  away  the  crown  of 
gold  on  his  head,  that  he  might  run  the 
faster ;  so  that  sin,  which  thou  didst  wear 
as  a  crown  of  gold,  throw  it  away,  that  thou 
mayest  run  the  faster  to  the  kingdom  of 
heaven.  O,  if  you  would  not  lose  glory, 
mortify  the  beloved  sin  ;  set  it,  as  Uriah,  in 
the  forefront  of  the  battle  to  be  slain  ;  by 
plucking  out  this  right-eye  you  shall  see  the 
better  to  go  to  heaven  ! 

A.  10.  If  you  would  not  fall  short  of  the 
kingdom  of  heaven,  take  heed  of  inordinate 
passion ;  many  a  ship  hath  been  lost  in  a 
storm,  and  many  a  soul  hath  been  lost  in  a 
storm  of  unruly  passions.  Every  member 
of  the  body  is  infected  with  sin,  as  every 
branch  of  wormwood  is  bitter ;  but  '  the 
tongue  is  full  of  deadly  poison,'  James  iii. 
8.  Some  care  not  what  they  say  in  their 
passion  ;  they  will  censure,  slander,  wish 
evil  to  others ;  how  can  Christ  be  in  the 
heart,  when  the  devil  hath  taken  possession 
of  the  tongue  ?  Passion  disturbs  reason,  it 
is  brevis  insania,  a  short  frenzy.  Jonah  in 
a  passion  flies  out  against  God,  Jon.  iv.  9., 
"  I  do  well  to  be  angry  even  unto  death." 
What !  to  be  angry  with  God,  and  to  justi- 
fy it?  "I  do  well  to  be  angry;"  the  man 
was  not  well  in  his  wits.  Passion  unfits 
for  prayer,  1  Tim.  ii.  8.,  "  I  will,  therefore, 
that  men  pray,  lifting  up  holy  hands,  with- 
out wrath."  He  that  jnays  in  wrath  may 
lift  up  his  hands  in  prayer,  but  he  doth  not 
lift  up  holy  hands.  Water,  when  it  is  hot, 
soon  boils  over;  so,  when  the  heart  is  heat- 
ed with  anger,  it  soon  VK)ils  over  in  fiery 
passionate  speeches.  Some  curse  others  in 
their  passion ;  they  whose  tongues  are  set 


OF  THE  SECOND  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


461 


on  fire,  let  them  take  heed  that  they  do  not 
one  day  in  hell  desire  a  drop  of  water  to 
cool  their  tongue.  O,  if  you  would  not 
miss  of  the  heavenly  kingdom,  beware  of 
giving  way  to  your  unbridled  passions  ! 
Some  say,  words  are  but  wind ;  but  thoy 
are  such  a  wind  as  may  blow  them  to  hell. 
^.11.  If  you  would  not  fall  short  of  the 
heavenly  kingdom,  beware  of  too  much  in- 
dulging the  sensual  appetite,  Rom,  xiii.  14., 
"  Make  no  provision  for  the  flesh."  The 
Greek  word,  pronoian  poicin,  '  to  make  pro  - 
vision,'  signifies  to  be  caterers  for  the  flesh, 
Phil.  iii.  19.,  «  Whose  god  is  their  belly." 
The  throat  is  a  slippery  place ;  Judas  re- 
ceived the  devil  in  the  sop ;  and  often  the 
devil  slides  down  in  the  liquor ;  excess  in 
meat  and  drink  clouds  the  mind,  chokes 
good  affections,  provokes  lust;  many  a  man 
digs  his  own  grave  with  his  teeth  ;  the  hea- 
thens could  say,  magnus  sum  et  mojora  natus 
</uam  id  Sim  corporis  niei  mimcipium.  Sen. 
He  was  higher  born  than  to  be  a  slave  to 
his  body.  To  pamper  the  body,  and  neglect 
the  soul,  is  to  feed  the  slave  and  to  starve 
the  wife.  Take  such  a  proportion  of  food 
as  may  recruit  nature,  not  surfeit  it ;  excess 
in  things  lawful  hath  lost  many  the  king- 
dom of  heaven.  A  bee  may  suck  a  little 
honey  from  the  leaf,  but  put  it  in  a  barrel 
of  honey,  and  it  is  drowned  :  to  suck  tem- 
perately from  the  creature,  God  allows,  but 
excess  ingulphs  men  in  perdition. 

A.  12.  If  you  would  not  fall  short  of  the 
kingdom  of  heaven,  take  heed  of  injustice 
in  your  dealings ;   defrauding  lies  in  two 
things,  \st.  Mixing  commodities:  as  if  one 
mix  bad  wheat  with  good,  and  sell  it  for 
pure  wheat,  this  is  to  defraud,   Isa.  i.  22., 
*'  Thy   wine  is    mixed  with   water."     2d. 
Giving  scant  measure,  Amos  viii.  5.,  "  Mak- 
ing the  ephah  small."     The  ephah  was  a 
measure  wliich  the  Jews  used  in  selling ; 
they  made  the   ephah  small,   they  scarce 
gave  measure.     I  wish  this  be  not  the  sin 
of  many,  Hos.  xii.  7.,  "  lie  is  a  merchant, 
the  balances  of  deceit  are  in  his   hand." 
Can  they  be  holy,  which  are  not  just?  INli- 
cah  vi.  1 1.,  "  Shall  I  count  them  pure  with 
the  Avicked  balances  ?"  Is  his  heart  sincere, 
who  hath  false  weights  ?    This  hath  made 
many  they  could  not  reach  heaven,  because 
of  their  over-reaching. 


A.  13.  If  you  would  not  miss  of  the  king- 
dom of  heaven,  take  heed  of  evil  company ; 
there  is  a  necessary  commerse  with  men  in 
buying  and  selling,  else,  as  the  apostle  saith. 
We  must  go  out  of  the  world,  1  Cor.  v.  10., 
but  do  not  voluntarily  choose  the  com])any 
of  the  wicked,  1  Cor.  v.  11.,  "  I  have  writ- 
ten to  you  not  to  keep  company."  Do  not 
incorporate  into  the  society  of  the  wicked, 
or  be  too  much  familiar  with  them  :  the 
wicked  are  God  haters  ;  and  2  Chron.  xix. 
2.,  Shouldest  thou  join  with  them  that  hate 
the  Lord  ?  A  Christian  is  bound  by  virtue 
of  his  oath  of  allegiance  to  God  in  baptism, 
not  to  have  intimate  converse  with  such  as 
are  God's  sworn  enemies ;  it  is  a  thing  ot 
bad  report.  Wliat  doth  Christ's  doves  a- 
mong  birds  of  prey  ?  What  do  virgins  a- 
mong  harlots  ?  The  company  of  the  wicked 
is  very  defiling,  it  is  like  going  among  them 
that  have  the  plague ;  "  He  that  toucheth 
pitch  shall  be  defiled."  Ps.  cvi.  35.,  "  They 
were  mingled  among  the  heathen,  and  learn- 
ed their  works."  If  you  mingle  bright  ar- 
mour with  rusty,  the  bright  armour  will  not 
brighten  the  rusty,  but  the  rusty  armour 
will  spoil  the  bright.  Such  as  have  had  re- 
ligious education,  and  have  some  inclina- 
tions to  good,  yet  by  mixing  among  the 
wicked,  they  will  be  apt  to  receive  hurt : 
the  bad  will  sooner  corrupt  the  good,  than 
the  good  will  convert  the  bad.  Pharaoh 
learned  Joseph  to  swear,  but  Joseph  did  not 
learn  Pharaoh  to  pray.  There  is  a  strange 
attractive  power  in  ill  company  to  corrupt 
and  poison  the  best  dispositions ;  they  damp 
good  aff'ections.  Throw  a  fire-ball  into  the 
snow,  and  it  is  soon  quenched.  Among  the 
wicked  you  lose  your  heat  of  zealous  affec- 
tions :  by  holding  familiar  corres})on<lence 
with  the  wicked,  one  shall  hear  them  dis- 
suading him  from  strict  godliness,  that  it 
will  debar  him  of  his  liberty  and  pleasure. 
Acts  xxviii.  22.,  "  This  sect  is  every  Avhere 
spoken  against."  Hereupon  he,  who  befi)re 
did  look  towards  heaven,  begins  to  be  dis- 
couraged, and  gradually  declines  from  good- 
ness. 

(1.)  There  steals  upon  him  a  dislike  of 
his  former  religious  course  of  life  ;  that  he 
was  righteous  over-much,  stricter  than  need- 
ed. 
.    (2.)  There  is  instilled  into  his  heart  a  se« 


4G2 


OF  THE  SFXOND  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


cret  delifrlit  of  evil ;  he  begins  to  like  fool- 
ish scurrilous  discourse  ;  lie  can  hear  reli- 
gion spoken  against,  and  be  silent,  nay,  well 
pleased;  he  loves  vanity,  and  makes  sport 
of  sin. 

(3.)  He  is  by  degrees  so  metamorphosed, 
and  made  like  the  company  he  converseth 
Avith,  that  he  now  grows  into  a  disgust,  and 
hatred  of  his  former  sober  ways  ;  he  is  ill- 
aftected  towards  good  men,  he  is  transform- 
ed into  scoffing  Ishmael,  a  breathing  devil ; 
and  becomes  at  last  as  much  the  child  of 
hell,  as  any  of  that  graceless  damned  crew 
he  conversed  with.  And  what  is  the  end 
of  all  ?  A  blot  in  the  name, — a  motii  in  the 
estate, — a  worm  in  the  conscience.  O,  if 
you  would  not  miss  of  the  kingdom  of  hea- 
ven, beware  of  evil  company  !  Bad  compa- 
ny is  the  bane  and  poison  of  the  youth  of 
this  age  ;  such  as  were  once  soberly  inclin- 
ed, vet  by  coming  among  the  ])rofane,  they 
'grow  familiar,  till  at  last  they  keep  one  an- 
other company  in  hell. 

A.  11'.  If  you  would  not  miss  of  the  king- 
dom of  heaven,  take  heed  of  parlying  with 
the  fleshly  part ;  the  flesh  is  a  bosom-traitor. 
When  an  enemy  is  gotten  within  the  walls 
of  a  castle,  it  is  in  great  danger  to  be  taken. 
Th(^  flesh  is  an  enemy  witliin  ;  the  flesli  is  a 
bad  counsellor  ;  the  flesh  saith,  "  There  is  a 
lion  in  the  way."  It  discourageth  from  a 
religious  strictness,  the  flesh  saith,  as  Peter 
did  to  Christ, '  spare  thyself;'  the  flesh  saith, 
as  Judas,  '  what  needs  all  this  Avaste  ?' 
What  needs  this  praying?  Why  do  you 
waste  your  strength  and  spirits  in  religion  ? 
What  needs  all  this  waste  ?  The  flesh  cries 
out  for  ease  and  pleasure.  How  many,  by 
consulting  with  the  flesh,  have  lost  the  king- 
dom of  heaven  ! 

yl.  15.  If  you  would  not  fall  short  of  hea- 
ven, take  heed  of  carnal  relations ;  our  car- 
nal iViends  are  often  bars  and  locks  in  our 
way  to  heaven  ;  they  will  say,  religion  is 
preciseness  and  singularity.  A  wife  in  the 
bosom  maybe  a  tempter;  Job's  wife  was 
so.  Job  ii.  9.,  "  Dost  tiiou  still  retain  thy 
integrity  ?  Curse  God,  and  die."  What  ! 
still  i)ray?  What  dost  thou  get  by  serving 
God  ?  Job,  where  are  thy  earnings  ?  What 
canst  thou  show  thou  hast  had  in  God's  ser- 
vice, but  boils  and  ulcers  ?  And  dost  thou 
Btill  retain  thy  integrity  ?  Throw  off  God's 


livery,  renounce  religion.  Here  was  a  ten- 
tation  handed  over  to  him  by  his  wife ;  the 
woman  was  made  of  the  rib,  the  devil  turn- 
ed this  rib  into  an  arrow,  and  would  have 
shot  Job  to  the  heart,  but  his  faith  quench- 
ed this  fiery  dart.  Beware  of  carnal  rela- 
tions :  we  read  that  some  of  Christ's  kindred 
laid  hold  on  him,  and  would  have  hindered 
him  when  he  was  going  to  preach,  Mark 
iii.  21.,  "  They  said,  he  is  beside  himself." 
Our  kindred  sometimes  would  stand  in  our 
way  to  heaven,  and,  judging  all  zeal  rash- 
ness, would  hinder  us  from  being  saved. 
Such  carnal  relations  Spira  had  ;  for,  advis- 
ing with  them  whether  he  should  remain 
constant  in  his  orthodox  opinion,  they  per- 
suaded him  to  recant ;  and  so,  abjuring  his 
former  faith,  he  fell  into  horror  and  despon- 
dency of  mind.  Galeacius,  marquis  of  Vi- 
co,  found  his  c.irnal  relations  a  great  block 
in  his  way  ;  and  what  ado  had  he  to  break 
through  their  tentations  ?  Take  heed  of  a 
snare  in  your  bosom.  It  is  a  braA'e  saying 
of  Jerom,  Si  mater  mihi  libera  ostcndat,  ^c. 
"  If  my  parent  should  persuade  me  to  deny 
Christ, — if  my  mother  should  shew  me  her 
breast  that  gave  me  suck, —  if  my  wife 
should  go  to  charm  me  with  her  embraces, 
— I  would  forsake  all,  and  fly  to  Clu-ist." 

A.   16.     If  you  would  not  fall  short  of 
the  kingdom  of  heaven,  take  heed  of  falling 
off;  beware  of  apostacy  ;  he  misseth  of  the 
prize,  who  doth  not  hold  out  in  the  race; 
he  who  makes  shipwreck  of  the  faith,  can- 
not come  to  the  haven  of  glory.     We  live 
in  the  fall  of  the  leaf;  men  fall  from  that 
goodness  they  seemed  to  have, — some  are 
turned  to  error,   others  to  vice, — some  to 
drinking  and  dicing,  and  others  to  whoring, 
— the  very  mantle  of  their  profession  is  fal- 
len off:   It  is  dreadful   for  men  to  fall  off 
from    hopeful    beginnings !     The    apostate 
(saith   Tertullian)    seems  to   put  God  and 
Satan  in  the  balance,  and  having  weighed 
both  their  services,  prefers  the  devil's  ser- 
vice, and  proclaims  him  to  be  the  best  mas- 
ter ;  in  which  respect,  the  apostate  is  said 
to  put  Christ  to  open  shame,   Heb.  vi.  6. 
This  is  sad  at  last,   Heb.   x.  38.     If  you 
would  not  miss  of  the  glory,  take  heed  of 
a])ostacy;  those  who  fall  away,  must  needs 
fall  short  of  the  kingdom. 

I.  If  we  would  not  come  short  of  this 


OF  THE  SECOND  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


463 


heavenly  kin<T:(lom,  let  us  be  much  in  the  palace  above  is  bospanfrlcd  with  ligbt,  Col. 
exercise  of  self-denial,  Mat.  xvi.  21.,  "If  i.  12.  Such  illustrious  bcuins  of  glory  sbinc 
any  man  will  come  after  me,  let  bim  deny  from  God,  as  shed  a  brightness  and  splen- 
himself."  He  who  would  go  to  beaven  \  dour  upon  tbe  empyrean  beaven.  (3.)  Tbis 
must    deny   self-rigbteousness.      Caremlum    palace  of  tbe  kingdom  is  well  situated  for  a 


€fit  a  propria  jualitia  :  Pliil.  3.  9,,  "  Tbat  I 
may  be  found  in  bim,  not  baring  my  own 
righteousness."  Tbe  spider  weaves  a  web 
out  of  her  own  bowels  ;  an  hypocrite  would 
6])in  a  ^v'eb  of  salvation  out  of  his  own  righ- 
teousness, we  must  deny  our  civility  in 
point  of  justification.  Civility  is  a  good 
staff  to  walk  with  among  men,  but  it  is  a 
bad  ladder  to  climb  up  to  beaven.  We 
must  deny  our  holy  things  in  point  of  jus- 
tification. Alas,  how  arc  our  duties  che- 
quered with  sin  !  Put  gold  in  the  fire,  and 
there  comes  out  dross ;  our  most  golden 
serAnccs  are  mixed  with  unbelief.  Deny 
self-righteousness ;  use  duty,  but  trust  to 
Christ ;  Noah's  dove  made  use  of  her  wings 
to  fly,  but  trusted  to  tbe  ark  for  safety  ! 
Let  duties  have  your  diligence,  but  not  your 
confidence.  Self-denial  is  via  ad  rennum  : 
there  is  no  getting  into  beaven,  but  through 
tbis  strait  gate  of  self-denial. 

2.  The  second  means  for  the  obtaining  of 
the  kingdom,  is  serious  consideration  ;  most 
men  fall  short  of  beaven,  for  want  of  con- 
sideration. 

1st.  Consideration.  We  should  often 
consider  what  a  kingdom  heaven  is  ;  it  is 
called  regmim  paratum, — a  "  kingdom  pre- 
pared," Mat.  XXV.  31,,  which  implies  some- 
thing tbat  is  rare  and  excellent.  God  hath 
prepared  in  his  kingdom  "  such  things  as 
eye  hath  not  seen  nor  ear  beard,"  1  Cor.  ii. 
9.  Heaven  is  beyond  all  hyperbole.  In 
particular,  in  tbis  celestial  kingdom  are  two 
tilings.    1.  A  stately  palace.   2.  A  royal  feast. 

1.  A  stately  palace.  (1.)  It  is  large,  and 
hath  several  stories;  for  the  dimensions  of 
it,  it  is  twelve  thousand  furlongs.  Rev.  xxi. 
15.  Or,  as  it  is  in  some  Greek  copies:, 
twelve  times  twelve  thousand  furlongs,  a  fi- 
nite number  put  for  an  infinite;  no  arith- 
metician can  immber  these  furlongs;  though 
there  be  an  innumerable  company  of  saints 
and  angels  in  heaven,  yet  there  is  infinitely 
enough  of  room  to  receive  them.  (2.)  Tbe 
palace  of  this  kingdom  is  lucid  and  trans- 
parent; it  5s  adorned  with  light,   the  light 


good  air,  and  a  pleasant  prospect ;  there  is 
the  best  air,  which  is  perfumed  with  the  o- 
dours  of  Christ's  ointments ;  and  a  most 
pleasant  prospect  of  the  bright  morning-star. 
(4.)  The  j)alace  is  rich  and  sumptuous;  it 
bath  gates  of  ])earl,  Rev.  xxi.  21.  It  is  en- 
riched witli  white  robes  and  crowns  of  glo- 
ry ;  and  this  palace  never  falls  to  decay, 
and  the  dwellers  in  it  never  die,  Rev.  xxii. 
5.,  "  They  shall  reign  for  ever  and  ever." 

2.  A  royal  feast.     It  is  called,  "  the  mar- 
riage-supper of   the  Lamb,"    Rev.  xix.  9., 
which  Bullinger  and  Gregory  the  Great,  un- 
derstand of  tbe  magnificent  supper  prepared 
in  the  kingdom  of  heaven.     A  glorious  feast 
it  will  be,  in  respect  of  tbe  founder,  God, — 
the  glorified    saints    shall   feast  their   eyes 
with  God's  beauty,    and  their  hearts  with 
bis  love;  a  delicious  feast  it  will  be,  in  res- 
pect of  the  festivity  and  holy  mirth, — what 
joy  when  there  sliall  be  tbe  anthems  and 
triumphs  of  glorified  spirits  ?  When  saints 
and  angels  shall  twist  together  in  an  insepa- 
rable union  of  love,  and  lie  in  each  others 
sweet  embraces  ;    a  royal  banquet  it  shall 
be,  where  there  is  no  surfeit,  because  con- 
tinually a  fresh  course  is  served  in.     The 
serious  consideration  what  a  kingdom  hea- 
ven is,  would  be  a  means  to  quicken  our 
endeavours  in  the  pursuit  after  it.     What 
causeth  men  to  make  voyages  to  the  Indies, 
but  the  consideration  of  tbe  gold  and  spices 
which  are  to  be  had  there  ?  Did  we  survey 
and  contemj)late  the  glory  of  heaven,    wo 
would  soon  take  a  voyage,  and  never  leave 
till  we  bad  arrived  at  the  celestial  kingdom. 
2d.  Consideration.     How  it  will  trouble 
you,  if  you  should  perish,  to  think  you  came 
short  of  beaven  for  want  of  a  little  more 
pains  !   The  prophet  Elisha  bid   the  king  of 
Israel  smite  the  ground  six  times,  and  he 
smote  but  thrice,  and  stayed,   2  Kings  xiii. 
19.;  and  he  lost  many  victories  by  it;  so, 
when  a  man  shall  think  thus,  "  I  did  some- 
thing in  religion,  but  did  not  do  enough  ;  I 
prayed   but   it    was  coldly ;    I  did  not  ])ut 
coals  to  the  incense ;   I  heard  tbe  word,  but 


is  sweet.     Hell  is  a  dark  dungeon,  but  tbe  \  did  not  meditate  on  it;   I  did  not  chew  the 


464 


OF  THE  SECOND  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


cud  ;  I  smote  but  thrice,  and  I  should  liave 
smitten  six  times  ;  had  I  taken  a  little  more 
pains,  I  had  been  Imppy,  but  I  have  lost 
the  kingdom  of  lieaven  by  short-shooting," 
- — the  consideration,  how  terrible  the 
thoughts  of  this  will  be,  that  we  should 
lose  ncavcn  for  want  of  a  little  more  pains, 
will  be  a  means  to  spur  on  our  sluggish 
hearts,  and  make  us  more  diligent  to  get 
the  kingdom. 

3.  The  third  means  for  obtaining  this 
kingdom,  is  to  keep  up  daily  prayer,  Ps.  cix. 
4.,  "  I  give  myself  to  prayer."  Prayer  in- 
flames the  affections,  and  oils  the  wheels  of 
endeavour  ;  prayer  prevails  with  God,  it  un- 
locks his  bowels,  and  then  he  unlocks  heaven; 
all  that  have  got  to  heaven,  have  crept  thi- 
ther upon  their  knees  ;  the  saints  now  in 
heaven,  have  been  men  of  prayer;  Daniel 
prayed  three  times  a  day,  Jacob  wrestled 
with  God  in  prayer,  and  as  a  prince  prevail- 
ed ;  this  prayer  must  be  fervent,  else  it  is 
thurlbulum  sine  prunis,  as  Luther,  a  golden 
censer  A\ithout  fire.  O  follow  God  with 
prayers  and  tears  !  Say  as  Jacob  to  the  an- 
gel, Gen.  xxxii.  26.,  "  I  will  not  let  thee  go 
except  thou  bless  me."  Prayer  vincit  in- 
vincibikm,  Luther  ;  it  conquers  the  Omni- 
potent. Elijah  by  prayer,  opened  heaven ; 
by  ardent  and  constant  prayer,  heaven  is 
at  last  opened  to  us. 

4.  If  you  would  obtain  the  heavenly  king- 
dom, get  a  love  to  heaven.  Love  puts  a 
man  upon  the  usp  of  all  means  to  enjoy  the 
thing  loved.  He  that  loves  the  world,  how 
active  is  lie  ?  He  will  break  his  sleep  and 
peace  for  it.  He  that  loves  honour,  what 
ha/ards  will  he  run?  He  will  swim  to  the 
throne  in  blood.  Jacob  loved  Rachel,  and 
what  would  not  he  do,  though  it  were  serv- 
ing a  two  seven-years  a]»prenticeship  for  ob- 
taining her  ?  Love  carries  a  man  out  vio 
lently  to  the  object  loved.  Love  is  like 
wings  to  the  bird,  like  sails  to  the  shij) ;  it 
cai'ries  a  Christian  full  sail  to  heaven ;  hea- 
ven is  a  place  of  rest  and  joy,  it  is  paradise, 
and  will  you  not  love  it .''  Love  heaven,  and 
you  cannot  miss  it ;  love  breaks  through  all 
opposition,  it  takes  heaven  by  storm ;  love, 
though  it  labour,  is  never  weary;  it  is  like 
the  rod  of  myrtle  in  the  travellei's  hand, 
which  makes  him  fresh  and  lively  in  his 
travel,  and  keeps  him  from  being  weary. 


5.  If  you  would  obtain  the  kingdom  of 
heaven,  make  religion  your  business.  What 
a  man  looks  upon  as  a  parergon, — a  thing  by 
the  by, — he  doth  not  much  mind.  If  ever 
we  would  have  heaven,  we  must  look  upon 
it  as  our  main  concern  ;  other  things  do  but 
concern  our  livelihood,  this  concerns  our 
salvation ;  then  we  make  religion  our  busi- 
ness, when  we  wholly  devote  ourselves  to 
God's  service,  Ps.  cxxxix.  18.  We  count 
those  the  best  hours  which  are  spent  vvitli 
God  ;  we  give  God  the  cream  of  our  affec- 
tions, the  flower  of  our  time  and  strength  ; 
we  traffic  in  heaven  every  day,  we  are  mer- 
chants for  the  "  pearl  of  price."  He  will 
not  get  an  estate  who  doth  not  mind  hia 
trade ;  he  will  never  get  heaven,  who  doth 
not  make  religion  his  main  business. 

6.  If  you  would  obtain  the  kingdom  of 
heaven,  bind  your  hearts  to  God  by  sacred 
vows.  Vow  to  the  Lord,  (that  by  his  grace) 
you  will  be  more  intent  upon  heaven  than 
ever,  Ps.  Ivi.  12.,  "  Thy  vows  are  upon 
me,  O  God  !"  A  vow  binds  the  votary  to 
duty;  he  looks  upon  himself  as  obliged  by 
his  vow  to  cleave  to  God.  Bees,  when  they 
fly  in  a  great  wind,  ballast  themselves  with 
little  stones,  that  they  may  not  be  carried 
away  with  the  wind ;  so  we  must  fortify 
ourselves  with  strong  vows,  that  we  may 
not  be  carried  away  from  God  with  the 
violent  wind  of  temptation.  No  question, 
a  Christian  may  make  such  a  vow,  because 
the  ground  of  it  is  morally  good  ;  he  vows 
nothing  but  what  he  is  bound  to  do  by  vir- 
tue of  his  baptismal  vow,  namely  to  walk 
with  God  more  closely,  and  to  pursue  hea- 
ven more  vigorously. 

7.  If  you  would  obtain  the  kingdom, 
embrace  all  seasons  and  opportunities  for 
your  souls,  Eph.  v.  IG.,  "  Redeeming  the 
time."  Opportunity  is  the  cream  of  time ; 
the  improving  seasons  of  grace  is  as  much 
as  our  salvation  is  worth.  The  mariner, 
by  taking  the  present  season,  while  the 
wind  blows,  gets  to  the  haven ;  by  taking 
the  season,  while  we  have  the  means  of 
grace,  and  the  wind  of  the  Spirit  blows, 
we  may  arrive  at  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 
We  know  not  how  long  we  shall  enjoy  the 
gospel ;  the  seasons  of  grace,  like  Noah's 
dove,  come  with  an  olive-branch  in  their 
mouth,  but  they  soon  tako  wings  and  fly. 


OF  THE  SECOND  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


465 


Thougli  they  are  sweet,  yet  swift.  God 
may  remove  tlie  golden  candlestick  from 
us  as  he  did  from  the  cluirches  of  Asia. 
We  have  many  sad  symptoms,  "  Grey  hairs 
are  here  and  there"  upon  us,  IIos.  vii.  9. 
Therefore  let  us  lay  hold  upon  the  present 
seasons ;  they  that  sleep  in  seed-time,  will 
beg  in  harvest. 

8.  If  you  would  go  to  the  kingdom  of 
heaven,  you  must  txcubias  ogere,  keep  a 
daily  watch,  Mark  xiii.  37.,  "  I  say  unto 
all,  watch."  Many  have  lost  heaven  for 
want  of  watchfulness.  Our  hearts  are 
ready  to  decoy  us  into  sin,  and  the  devil 
lies  in  ambush  by  his  temptations ;  we  must 
every  day  set  a  spy,  and  keep  sentinel  in 
our  souls,  Hab.  ii.  1.,  "I  will  stand  upon 
my  watch." 

(1.)  We  must  watch  our  eyes,  Job  xxxi. 
1.,  "I  made  a  covenant  with  my  eyes." 
Much  sin  comes  in  by  the  eye.  When  Eve 
saw  the  tree  was  good  for  food,  and  plea- 
sant to  the  eyes,  then  she  took.  Gen.  iii.  6. 
First  slie  looked,  and  then  she  lusted  ;  the 
eye  by  beholding  an  impure  object,  sets 
the  heart  on  fire ;  the  devil  oft  creeps  in 
at  the  window  of  the  eye.  Watch  your 
eyes. 

(2.)  Watch  your  ear.  Much  poison  is 
coveyed  through  the  ear.  Let  your  ear  be 
open  to  God,  and  shut  to  sin. 

(3.)  Watch  your  hearts :  we  watch  sus- 
picious persons,  "  The  heart  is  deceitful," 
Jer.  xvii.  9.  Watch  your  heart,  1.  When 
you  are  about  holy  things,  it  will  be  steal- 
ing out  to  vanity.  When  I  am  at  prayer, 
saith  St.  Ilierom,  aut  per  porticum  deainbu- 
lOy  aut  de  fcenore  computo ;  either  I  am 
walking  through  galleries,  or  casting  up 
accounts. — 2.  Watch  your  hearts  when  you 
are  in  company.  The  basilisk  poisons  the 
herbs  he  breathes  on ;  the  breath  of  the 
wicked  is  infectious.  Nay,  watch  your 
hearts  when  you  are  in  good  company  ; 
such  as  have  some  good  in  them,  yet  may 
be  some  grains  too  light ;  they  may  have 
much  levity  of  discourse,  and,  if  no  scum 
boils  up,  yet  too  much  froth.  The  devil  is 
subtle,  and  lie  can  as  well  creep  into  the 
dove  as  he  did  once  into  the  serpent.  Sa- 
tan tempted  Christ  by  an  apostle. — 3.  Watch 
your  hearts  in  piosperity;  now  you  are  in 
danger  of  pride      Th    hio-her  the  water  of 


the  Thames  risetli,  the  Iiigher  the  boat  is 
lifted  up ;  the  liiglier  that  men's  estates 
rise,  tlie  higher  their  hearts  are  lifted  up  in 
pride.  In  prosperity,  you  are  in  danger 
not  only  to  forget  (iod,  but  to  lift  up  the 
heel  Hgainst  him,  Deut.  xxxii.  15.,  "  Je- 
shurun  waxed  fat,  and  kicked."  It  is  nard 
to  carry  a  full  cuj»  without  spilling,  and  to 
carry  a  full  prosperous  estate  without  sin- 
ning. Turpi  fregerunt  ?  secula  luxn  dm- 
ticB  moUes,  Sen.  Samson  fell  asleep  in  De- 
lilah's lap  :  many  have  fallen  so  fast  asleep 
in  the  lap  of  prosperity,  that  they  have  ne- 
ver awaked  till  they  have  been  in  hell. 

4.  Watch  your  hearts  after  holy  duties. 
AVlien  Christ  had  been  praying  and  fastinc, 
then  the  devil  tempted  him,  Mat.  iv.  a. 
After  our  combating  with  Satan  in  prayer, 
we  are  apt  to  grow  secure,  and  ])ut  our 
spiritual  armour  off,  and  then  the  devil  falls 
on  and  wounds  us.  O  if  you  would  get  to 
heaven,  be  always  upon  your  watch-tower, 
set  a  spy,  keep  close  sentinel  in  your  souls  ! 
Who  would  not  watch  when  it  is  for  a 
kingdom  ? 

9.  If  you  would  arrive  at  the  heavenly 
kingdom  get  these  three  graces,  which  will* 
undoubtedly  bring  you  thither : 

(1.)  Divine  knowledge.  There  is  no  go- 
ing to  heaven  blindfold.  In  the  creation, 
light  was  the  first  thing  that  was  made;  so 
it  is  in  the  new  creation  :  knowledge  is  the 
pillar  of  fire  that  goes  before  us,  and  lights 
us  into  the  heavenly  kingdom.  It  is  light 
that  must  bring  us  to  the  "  inheritance  of 
tlie  saints  in  light,"  Col.  i.  12. 

(2.)  Faith.  Faith  ends  in  salvation^ 
1  Pet.  i.  9.,  "  Receiving  the  end  of  your 
faith,  salvation."  He  who  believes,  is  as 
sure  to  go  to  heaven,  as  if  he  were  in  hea- 
ven already.  Acts  xvi.  31.  Faith  toucheth 
Christ;  and  can  he  miss  of  heaven,  who 
toucheth  Christ?  Faith  unites  to  Christ; 
and,  shall  not  the  members  be  wl»ero  the 
head  is?  All  have  not  the  same  deerive  of 
faith ;  we  must  distinguish  between  the  di- 
rect act  of  faith,  and  the  reflex  act,  affiance 
and  assurance  ;  yet  the  least  seed  and  sj)ark 
of  faith  gives  an  un(l(»nl)to(l  title  to  the  hea-- 
vcnly  kingdouK  I  am  jiistilied  because  L 
believe,  not  because  1  know  L  believe. 

(3.)   Love  to  God.     Heaven  is  prepared 
for  those  that  love  God.  I  C<n-.  ii.  9.     Love 

3  N 


4GG 


OF  THE  SECOND  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


is  the  soul  of  obedience,  the  touch-stone  of 
Bincerity,  by  our  loving^  God,  we  may  know 
he  loves  us,  1  John  iv.  19.  And  those 
wliom  God  loves,  he  will  lay  in  liis  bosom. 
Ambrose,  in  his  funeral  oration  for  Theo- 
dosiiis,  brings  in  the  angels  hovering  about 
his  departing  soul,  and  being  ready  to  car- 
ry it  to  heaven,  asked  him,  "  what  that 
grace  was  he  had  practised  most  upon 
earth  ?"  Tlieodosius  replied,  "  Dilexi  ! 
Dilexi  /"  "  I  have  loved  !  I  have  loved  !" 
and  straightway  he  was,  by  a  convoy  of 
angels,  translated  to  glory.  Love  is  a  sa- 
cred fire  kindled  in  the  breast ;  in  the 
flames  of  this  fire,  the  devout  soul  ascends 
to  heaven. 

10.  If  we  would  obtain  tliis  heavenly 
kingdom,  let  us  labour  for  sincerity,  IVov. 
xxviii.  18.,  "  Whosoever  walkelh  upright- 
ly, shall  be  saved."  The  sincere  Christian 
may  fall  short  of  some  degrees  of  grace, 
but  he  never  falls  short  of  the  kingdom. 
God  will  pass  by  many  failings,  where  the 
heart  is  right,  Numb,  xxiii.  21.  True  gold, 
thougli  it  be  light,  hath  grains  of  allow- 
ance, Ps.  li.  6.,  "  Thou  desirest  truth  in  the 
inward  parts."  Sincerity  is  the  sauce  which 
seasons  all  our  actions,  and  makes  them  sa- 
voury ;  it  is  the  ingredient  into  every  grace ; 
it  is  called  "  faith  unfeigned,"  2  Tim.  i.  5., 
and  "  love  in  sincerity,"  Epli.  vi.  24.  Coin 
will  not  go  current  that  wants  the  king's 
stamp ;  grace  is  not  current  if  it  be  not 
stamped  with  sincerity.  Glorious  duties 
soured  with  hypocrisy  are  rej(  ctcd,  when 
gi'cat  infirmities  sweetened  with  sincerity  are 
accepted.  If  any  thing  in  the  world  bring 
us  to  heaven,  it  is  sincerity.  Sincerity  siij- 
nifies  plainness  of  heart,  Ps.  xxxii.  2.,  "  In 
Avhose  sj)irit  there  is  no  guile."  The  plain- 
er the  diamond  is,  the  richer. 

(1.)  Sincerity  is  when  we  serve  God  with 
our  heart;  we  do  not  only  worship  him,  but 
love  him.  Cain  brought  his  sacrifice,  but 
not  his  heart:  this  is  (iod's  delight,  a  sacri- 
fice flaming  upon  the  altar  of  the  heart.  A 
sincere  Christian,  though  he  hath  a  double 
principle  in  liim,  flesh  and  sj>irit,  yet  he 
hath  not  a  double  heart,  his  heart  is  for  God. 
'  (2.)  Sincerity  is  when  we  aim  ])urely  at 
God  in  all  we  do.  The  glory  of  God  is 
more  worth  than  the  salvation  of  all  men's 
souls.      A    sincere    Christian,    though    he 


comes  short  in  duty,  yet  he  takes  a  right 
aim.  As  the  herb  heliotropium  turns  about 
according  to  the  motion  of  the  sun,  so  a 
godly  man's  actions  do  all  move  towards 
the  glory  of  God. 

11.  If  we  would  obtain  the  hea^'enly  king- 
dom let  us  keep  up  fervency  in  duty.  What 
is  a  dead  form  without  the  power?  Rev. 
m.  16.,  "  Because  thou  art  luke-warm, 
neither  hot  nor  cold,  I  will  spue  thee  out 
of  my  mouth."  Fervency  puts  life  into 
duty,  Roni.  xii.  11.,  "  Fervent  in  sj)irit 
serving  the  Lord,"  (Gr.)  Ze&ntes,  '  boiling 
over.'  Christ  prayed  "  yet  more  earnest- 
ly," Luke  xxii.  44.  When  the  fire  on  the 
golden  censer  was  ready  to  go  out,  Aaron 
was  to  put  more  coals  to  the  incense;  pray  i  no- 
with  devotion,  is  putting  more  coals  to  the 
incense.  It  is  not  formjility,  but  fervcncv,  will 
bring  us  to  heaven  ;  the  formalist  is  likeEph- 
raim,  a  cake  not  turned,  hot  on  one  side,  and 
dough  on  the  other.  In  tlie  external  part  of 
God's  worship,  he  seems  to  be  hot ;  but  as  for 
the  spiritual  part  of  God's  worship,  he  is  cold. 
Oh,  if  you  would  have  the  kingdom  of  liea- 
A'en,  keep  up  heat  and  fervour  in  duty  ! 
Elijah  was  carried  up  to  heaven  in  a  fiery 
chariot ;  if  you  would  go  to  heaven,  you 
must  be  carried  thither  in  the  fiery  chariot 
of  zeal ;  it  is  violence  that  takes  the  king- 
dom of  heaven. 

12.  If  we  would  arrive  at  the  l)cavenly 
kingdom,  let  us  cherish  the  motions  of  God's 
Spirit  in  our  liearts.  The  mariner  ma> 
spread  his  sails,  but  the  ship  cannot  get  to 
the  haven  without  a  gale  of  wind  ;  so  we 
may  spread  the  sails  of  our  endeavour,  but 
we  cannot  get  to  the  haven  of  glory,  witlj- 
out  the  north  and  south  wind  of  God's  Spi- 
rit blow;  how  nearly  therefore  doth  it  con- 
cern  us  to  make  much  of  the  motions  of 
God's  Sj)irit,  motions  to  prayer,  motions  to 
repentance?  2  Sam.  v.  24.,  "  When  thou 
hearest  the  sound  of  a  going  in  the  tops  of 
the  mulberry  trees,  that  then  shoushalt  be- 
stir thyself,  for  then  shall  the  Lord  go  out 
before  thee:"  so,  when  we  hear,  as  it  were 
a  voice  within  us,  a  secret  inspiration  stir- 
ring us  up  to  good  duties,  we  should  then 
bestir  ourselves  :  while  the  Spirit  works  in 
us,  we  should  work  with  the  Spirit.  INIany 
men  have  God's  Spirit  striving  willi  them, 
he  puts  good  motions  in  their  hearts  and 


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467 


holy  purposes ;  but  they,  neglecting  to  pro- 
Becule  these  good  motions,  the  Spirit  is 
tliereby  grieved  ;  and,  being  grieved,  with- 
draws his  assistance;  and,*  that  assistance 
being  gone,  there  is  no  getting  to  heaven. 
Oh  make  much  of  the  motion  of  the  Spirit, 
it  is  as  much  as  your  salvation  is  worth  ! 
The  Sjjirit  of  God  is  compared  to  fire.  Acts 
ii.  3. :  if  we  are  careful  to  blow  this  spark, 
we  may  have  fire  to  inflame  our  affections, 
and  to  light  our  feet  into  the  way  of  peace. 
If  we  quench  the  Spirit  by  our  neglecting 
and  resisting  its  motions,  we  cut  ourselves 
off  from  salvation.  The  Spirit  of  God  hath 
a  drawing  power,  Cant.  i.  4.  The  blessed 
Spirit  draws  by  attraction,  as  the  loadstone 
the  iron.  In  the  preaching  of  the  word,  the 
Spirit  draws  the  heart  up  to  heaven  in  holy 
longings  and  ejaculations.  Now  when  the 
Spirit  is  about  thus  to  draw  us,  let  us  take 
heed  of  drawing  back,  lest  it  be  to  perdi- 
tion, Hob.  X.  We  should  do  as  Noah,  when 
the  dove  came  flying  to  the  ark,  he  put  forth 
his  hand,  and  took  it  into  the  ark ;  bo  when 
this  sweet  dove  of  God's  Sj)irit  comes  flying 
to  our  hearts,  and  brings  a  gracious  Imj)ulse 
as  an  ollve-bi-anch  of  peace  in  its  mouth, 
O  take  this  dove  into  the  ark  ;  entertain  the 
Spiiit  in  your  hearts,  and  it  will  bring  you 
to  heaven  ! 

Quest.  But  how  shall  we  know  the  motions 
of  the  Spirit  from  a  delusion  ? 

Ans.  The  motions  of  the  Spirit  are  always 
agreeable  to  the  word.  If  the  word  be  for 
holiness,  so  is  the  Spirit;  the  Spirit  per- 
suades to  nothing  but  what  the  word  di- 
rects ;  which  way  the  tide  of  the  word  runs 
that  way  the  wind  of  the  Spirit  blows. 

13.  We  obtain  the  kingdom  of  licaAen  by 
uniform  and  cheerful  obedience.  Obedience 
is  the  road  through  which  we  travel  to  hea- 
ven. INIany  say  they  love  God,  but  refuse 
to  obey  him ;  doth  he  love  the  prince's  per- 
son who  slights  his  commands? 

(1.)  Obedience  must  be  uniform,  Ps.  c\\\. 
C,  "  Then  shall  I  not  be  ashamed,"  [Heb.] 
"  I  shall  not  blush,  when  I  have  respect  to 
all  thy  commandments."  As  the  sun  goes 
through  all  the  signs  of  the  Zodiac,  so  we 
must  go  through  all  the  duties  of  religion. 
If  a  man  be  to  go  an  hundred  miles,  and  he 
goes  ninety-nine  miles,  and  there  stops,  he 
comes  short  of  the  placehe  is  to  travel  to  j 


if,  with  Herod,  we  do  many  things  that 
God  commands,  yet,  if  we  die  in  the  total 
neglect  of  any  duty,  we  come  short  of  the 
kingdom  of  heaven  ;  for  instance,  if  a  man 
seem  to  make  conscience  of  duties  of  the 
first  table,  and  not  the  duties  of  the  second, 
— If  he  seem  to  be  religious,  but  Is  not  just, 
— he  is  a  transgressor,  and  is  in  danger  to 
lose  heaven.  A  good  heart  is  like  the  nee- 
dle which  points  that  way  which  the  load- 
stone draws,  so  he  moves  that  way  which 
the  word  draws. 

(2.)  Obedience  must  be  cheerful ;  "  I  de- 
light to  do  thy  will,  O  my  God,  yea,  thy 
law  is  within  my  heart !"  Ps.  xl.  8.  That 
is  the  sweetest  obedience  which  is  cheerful, 
as  that  is  the  sweetest  honey  which  drops 
from  the  comb  freely.  God  doth  sometimes 
accept  of  willingness  without  the  work,  but 
never  of  the  work  without  willingness, 
Zech.  V.  9.,  "  There  came  out  two  women, 
and  the  wind  was  in  their  wings."  Wings 
are  swift,  but  wind  in  the  wings  denotes 
great  swiftness  :  an  emblem  of  the  swiftness 
and  cheerfulness  which  should  be  In  obedi- 
ence. AVe  go  to  heaven  In  the  way  of  obe- 
dience. 

II.  If  we  would  obtain  this  kingdom,  be 
much  in  the  communion  of  saints;  one  coal 
of  juniper  will  warm  and  Inflame  another; 
when  the  heart  is  dead  and  frozen,  the  com- 
munion of  saints  will  help  to  warm  It,  Mai. 
ili.  16.,  "  They  that  feared  the  Lord,  spake 
often  one  to  another."     Christians  should 
never  meet  (saith  ]Mr.  Bolton)  but  speak  of 
their    meeting  togetlier  in    heaAcn.      One 
Christian  may  be  very  helj)ful  by  prayer  and 
conference  to  another,  and  give  hira  a  lift 
toward  heaven.     Old  Latimer   was   much 
strengthened  and  comforted  by  hearing  Mr 
Bilny's  confession  of  faith.     We  read  that 
M-Iicn  "  Moses  his  hands  were  heavy,  and 
he  was  ready  to  let  them  fall,  Aaron  and 
Hur  stayed  up  his  hands,"  Exod.  xvii.  12. 
A  Christian  who  is  ready   to  faint   under 
tentation,  and  lets  down  the   hands  of  his 
faith,  by  conversing  with  other  Christians, 
he  is  strengthened,  and  his  hands  are  held 
up.     A  great  benefit  of  holy  conference  is 
counsel  and  advice.     If  a  man  (saith  Chry- 
sostom)  who  hath  but  one  head  to  advLso 
him,  could  make  that  head  a  hundred  heads 
to  advise  him,   he  would  be  very  wise ;   a 


468 


OF  THE  SECOND  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


single  Christian  liath  tliis  benefit  by  tlie 
communion  of  saints,  tlicy  are  as  so  many 
heads  to  advise  him  vvh.at  to  do  in  sucIj  a 
case  or  exigency.  By  Cliristian  conference 
the  saints  can  say,  "  Did  not  our  liearts 
burn  within  us?"  Communion  of  saints 
we  have  in  our  creed,  but  it  is  too  little  in 
our  practice ;  men  usually  travel  fastest  in 
company :  we  travel  fastest  to  heaven  in  the 
communion  of  saints. 

15.  If  we  would  attain  to  this  kingdom 
of  heaven,  let  us  be  willing  to  come  uj)  to 
Christ's  terms.  Many  will  be  cheapening, 
and  bid  something  for  the  kingdom  of  hea- 
ven ;  they  will  avoid  gross  sin,  and  will 
come  to  church,  and  say  their  prayers  ;  and 
yet  all  this  while  they  are  not  willing  to 
come  up  to  God's  price,  that  is,  they  will 
not  resist  the  idol  of  self-righteousness,  fly- 
ing only  to  Christ  as  the  horns  of  the  altar, 
— they  will  not  sacrifice  their  bosom-sin, — 
they  will  not  give  God  spirit-worship,  serv- 
ing him  with  zeal  and  intenseness  of  soul, 
John  iv.  24., — they  will  not  forgive  their 
enemies, — they  will  not  part  with  their  car- 
nal profits  for  Christ, — they  would  have  tiie 
kingdom  of  heaven,  but  they  will  not  come 
up  to  the  price:  if  you  would  ha^e  this 
kingdom,  do  not  article  and  indent  with 
Christ,  but  accept  of  his  terms ;  say,  "  Lord, 
I  am  willing  to  have  the  kingdom  of  hea- 
ven whatever  it  cost  me ;  I  am  willing  to 
pluck  out  my  right  eye,  to  part  with  all  for 
the  kingdom  ;  here  is  a  blank  paper  I  put 
into  thy  hand,  Lord,  write  thy  own  articles, 
I  will  subscribe  to  them." 

16.  If  we  would  obtain  the  heavenly 
kingdom,  let  us  attend  to  the  holy  ordi- 
nances ;  thus  God  brings  souls  to  heaven. 
Acts  xxvii.  31.,  "  Except  these  abide  in  the 
ship  ye  cannot  be  saved."  Some  people 
would  leap  out  of  the  ship  of  ordinances, 
and  then  God  knows  whither  they  leap; 
but  except  ye  abide  in  the  ship  of  ordinan- 
ces, ye  cannot  be  saved.  Especially,  if  you 
would  get  to  heaven,  attend  to  the  word 
preached ;  it  was  by  the  car,  by  our  first 
parents  listening  to  the  serpent,  that  we  lost 
paradise ;  and  it  is  by  the  ear,  by  the  hear- 
ing of  the  word,  that  we  get  to  heaven,  Isa. 
Iv.  3.,  "  Hear,  and  your  soul  shall  live." 
God,  sometimes  in  the  preaching  of  the 
word,  diops  in  that  holy  oil  into  the  ear 


which  softens  and  sanctifies  the  heart ;  tlie 
word  preached  is  called  the  '  ministry  of 
the  Spirit,'  2  Cor.  iii.  8.,  because  the  Spirit 
of  God  makes  use  of  this  engine  to  convert 
souls.  If  the  word  preached  doth  not  work 
upon  men,  nothing  will ;  not  judgments, 
nor  miracles ;  no,  nor  though  one  should 
arise  from  the  dead,  Luke  xvi.  31.  If  a 
glorified  saint  should  come  out  of  heaven, 
and  assume  a  body,  and  tell  you  of  all  the 
glory  of  heaven,  and  the  joys  of  the  blessed, 
and  j>crsu.ide  you  to  believe, — if  the  preach- 
ing of  the  word  will  not  bring  you  to  hea- 
ven, neither  would  his  rhetoric  do  it  who 
rose  from  the  dead.  In  heaven  there  will 
be  no  need  of  ordinances,  but  there  is  while 
we  live  here ;  the  lamp  needs  oil,  but  the 
star  needs  none.  While  the  saints  have 
their  lamp  of  grace  burning  here,  they  need 
the  oil  of  ordinances  to  be  continually  drop- 
ping upon  them ;  but  there  will  be  no  need 
of  this  oil  when  they  are  stars  in  heaven. 
If  you  intend  to  get  to  heaven,  be  swift  to 
hear  ;  for  faith  comes  by  hearing,  Rom.  x. 
14.  17.  Peter  let  down  the  net  of  his  mi- 
nistry, and  at  one  draught  catched  three 
thousand  souls.  If  you  would  have  hea- 
ven's door  opened  to  you,  wait  at  the  posts 
of  wisdom's  door. 

17.  If  you  would  arrive  at  heaven,  have 
this  kingdom  ever  in  your  eye.  Our  bless- 
ed Lord  looked  at  the  joy  that  was  set  be- 
fore him  ;  and  Moses  "  had  respect  to  the 
recompense  of  reward,"  Heb.  xi.  26.  Let 
the  kingdom  be  much  in  our  thoughts  ;  me- 
ditation is  the  means  to  help  us  to  heaven. 

Quest.  IIow  doth  it  help  ? 

Ans.  1.  As  it  is  a  means  to  prevent  sin. 
No  sword  like  this  to  cut  asunder  the  sinews 
of  temptation  ;  it  is  almost  impossible  to  sin 
presumptuously  with  the  lively  t]»<tiights 
and  hopes  of  heaven  ;  it  was  when  Moses 
was  out  of  sight  that  Israel  set  uj)  a  calf, 
and  worshipped  it :  so  it  is  when  the  king- 
dom of  heaven  is  out  of  sight,  I  mean,  out 
of  meu's  thoughts,  that  they  set  up  their 
lusts,  and  idolize  them.  The  meditation  of 
heaven  banisheth  sin  ;  he  who  thinks  of  the 
weight  of  glory,throws  away  the  weight  of  sin. 

A.  2.  To  meditate  on  the  kingdc»m  of  hea- 
ven, would  excite  and  quicken  obedience. 
We  should  think  we  could  never  pray  e- 
nough,  never  love  God  enough,  who  hath 


OF  THE  SECOND  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


469 


prpparcd  such  a  kingdom  for  us.     Immema  I  gon  is  meant  the  lieathenish  empire  ;  now 
(jhria  calcar  habet     St.  Paul  had  lieaven  in  |  when  liis  tail  cast  so  many  to  the  earth,  it 
his  eye,  he  was  once  caught  up  thither;  and 
how  active  was  he  for  (iod  !  1  Cor.  xvi.  10. 
This  would  oil  the  wheels  of  ohedienco. 

A.  3.  It  would  make  us  strive  after  holi- 
ness, hecausc  none  but  such  are  admitted 
into  this  kingdom,  only  the  pure  in  heart 
shall  see  God,  Mat.  v.  8.  Holiness  is  the 
language  of  heaven  ;  it  is  the  only  coin  will 
p;!ss  current  in  heaven ;  this  considered, 
would  make  us  "  cleanse  ourselves  from  all 
filthiness  of  the  flesh  and  spirit,  perfecting 
liohiiess  in  the  fear  of  God,"  2  Cor.  vii.  1. — 
Thus  you  see  how  the  meditation  of  heaven 
would  1)0  a  means  to  bring  us  thither. 

18.  The  last  means  for  obtaining  the  hea- 
venly kingdom  is  ])orseverauce  in  holiness. 
Rev.  ii.  10.,  "  Be  thou  faithful  unto  death," 
and  thou  shalt  receive  the  crown  of  life. 
In  Christians,  nun  iuitia  scd  Jines  laudantur. 

illEROM. 

l.s/.  Is  there  such  a  thing  as  persevering? 

2d.  How  doth  a  Christian  come  to  perse- 
vere ? 

3f/.  What  Jirc  the  encouragements? 

4//<.  What  the  helps  ? 

\st.  Is  there  such  a  thing  as  persevering 
till  we  come  to  heaven  ?  The  Arniinians 
deny  it ;  and  truly  that  Jiny  one  holds  out 
to  the  kingdom,  is  a  wonder,  if  you  consider, 

1.  Wiiat  a  world  of  corruption  is  mingled 
with  grace  ;  grace  is  apt  to  be  stifled,  as  the 
coal  to  be  choked  with  its  own  ashes  ;  grace 
is  oft  like  a  spark  in  the  sea,  it  is  a  wonder 
it  is  not  quenched ;  it  is  a  wonder  sin  doth 
not  do  to  grace,  as  sometimes  the  nurse  to 
the  child,  overlay  it  that  it  die,  so  that  this 
infant  of  grace  is  smothered. 

2.  The  implacable  malice  of  Satan  ;  he 
envies  that  we  should  have  a  kingdom,  when 
he  himself  is  cast  out ;  it  cuts  him  to  the 
heart  to  see  a  piece  of  dust  and  clay  be  made 
a  bright  star  in  glory,  and  he  himself  an 
angel  of  darkness ;  lie  will  Acheronta  mo- 
vere, — move  all  the  powers  of  hell, — to  hin- 
der us  from  the  kingdom  ;  he  spits  his  ve- 
nom, shoots  his  fiery  darts,  raiseth  a  storm 
of  persecution,  yesi,  and  ])revails  against 
some.  Rev.  xii.  3,  4.,  "  Tliere  aj)peared  a 
great  red  dragon,  and  his  tail  drew  the 
third  part  of  the  stars  of  heaven,  and  did 
cast  them  to  the  earth."     By  the  red  dra- 


is  a  wonder  that  any  of  the  stars  keep  fixed 
in  their  orb. 

3.  The  blandishments  of  riches.  The 
young  man  in  the  gospel  went  very  far, 
"  thou  art  not  far  from  the  kingdom  of 
God;"  but  he  had  rich  possessions,  and 
these  golden  weights  hindered  him  from  the 
kingdom,  Luke  xviii.  23.  Jonathan  pur- 
sued the  battle  till  he  came  at  the  honey- 
comb, and  then  he  stood  still,  1  Sam.  xiv. 
27.  Many  are  forward  for  heaven,  till  they 
taste  the  sweetness  of  the  world  ;  but  when 
they  come  at  the  honey-comb,  then  they 
stand  still,  and  go  no  further.  Fctms  /;e- 
cwiice,  funus  animce.  Those  who  have  es- 
caped the  rocks  of  gross  sins,  yet  have  been 
cast  away  upon  the  golden  sands :  what  a 
wonder  therefore  that  any  doth  hold  on  till 
he  come  to  the  kingdom  ! 

4.  A  wonder  any  holds  out  in  grace,  and 
doth  not  tire  in  his  march  to  heaven,  if  you 
consider  the  difficulty  of  a  Christian's  work ; 
he  hath  no  time  to  lie  fallow,  he  is  either 
watching  or  fighting  ;  nay,  a  Christian  is  to 
do  those  duties  which  to  the  eye  of  sense 
and  reason  seem  inconsistent :  while  a  Chris- 
tian doth  one  duty,  he  seems  to  cross  ano- 
ther, €.  g.  He  must  come  with  holy  bold- 
ness to  God  in  prayer,  yet  must  serve  him 
with  fear  ;  he  must  mourn  for  sin,  yet  re- 
joice ;  he  must  be  contented,  yet  "  covet :" 

1  Cor.  xii.  31.  Contemn  men's  impieties, 
vet  reverence  their  authority  :  what  difficult 
work  is  this  !  A  wonder  any  saint  arrives 
at  the  heavenlv  kingdom.  To  this  I  might 
add,  the  evil  examj)les  abroad  which  are  so 
attractive  ;  we  may  say,  the  devils  are  como 
among  us  in  the  likeness  of  men.  What  a 
wonder  is  it  that  any  soul  perseveres  till  he 
come  to  the  kingdom  of  heaven  ?  But  as 
great  a  wonder  as  it  is,  there  is  such  a  thing 
as  perseverance.  A  saint's  perseverance  is 
built  upon  two  immutable  pillars. 

(I.)  God's  eternal  love.  We  are  incon- 
stant in  our  love  to  God  ;  but  he  is  not  so 
in  his  love  to  us,  Jer.  xxxi.  3.,  "  I  have 
loved  them  with  an  everlasting  love  ;"  with 
a  love  of  eternity.  God's  love  to  the  elect 
is  not  like  a  king's  love  to  his  favourite, 
when  it  is  at  the  highest  spring-tide,  it  soon- 
est ebbs;  but  God's  love  is  eternized;  God 


470 


OF  THE  SECOND  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


TOny  desert,  not  disinherit ;  lie  may  change 
Lis  love  into  a  frown,  not  into  hatred  ;  he 
may  alter  his  proA-idence,  not  his  decree ; 
when  once  the  sunshine  of  God's  electing 
love  is  risen  upon  the  soul,  it  never  sets 
finally. 

(2.)  A  saint's  perseverance  is  built  upon 
the  covenant  of  grace;  it  is  a  firm,  impreg- 
nable covenant.  This  you  have  in  the  words 
of  the  sweet  singer  of  Israel,  2  Sam.  xxiii. 
5.,  "  God  hath  made  with  me  an  everlast- 
ing covenant,  ordered  in  all  things  and  sure." 
It  is  a  sweet  covenant,  that  God  will  be  our 
God, — the  marrow  and  quintessence  of  all 
blessing ;  and  it  is  a  sure  covenant,  that  he 
will  put  his  fear  in  our  heart,  and  we  shall 
never  depart  from  him,  Jer.  xxxii.  40.  This 
covenant  is  inviolable,  it  cannot  be  broken  ; 
indeed  sin  may  break  the  peace  of  the  co- 
venant, but  it  cannot  break  the  bond  of  the 
covenant. 

(3.)  The  third  pillar  perseverance  is  built 
upon,  is  the  mystical  union.  Believers  are 
incorporated  into  Christ,  they  are  knit  to 
him  as  members  to  the  head,  by  the  nerve 
and  ligament  of  faith,  that  they  cannot  be 
broken  off,  Eph.  v.  23.  What  was  once 
said  of  Christ's  natural  body,  is  as  true  of 
his  mystical  body,  John  xix.  30.,  "  A  bone 
of  it  shall  not  be  broken."  As  it  is  impos- 
sible to  sever  the  leaven  and  the  dough  when 
they  are  once  mingled,  so  it  is  impossible 
when  Christ  and  believers  are  once  united, 
ever  by  the  power  of  death  or  hell  to  be  se- 
parated. How  can  Christ  lose  any  member 
of  his  body  and  be  perfect  ?  You  see  upon 
what  strong  pillars  the  saints'  perseverance 
is  built. 

Quest.  How  doth  a  Christian  hold  on  till 
he  comes  to  the  kingdom  .?  How  doth  he  perse- 
vere ? 

Ans.  1.  Awcilio  spiritus.  God  carries  on 
a  Christian  to  ])erseverance  by  the  energy 
and  vigorous  working  of  his  Spirit.  The 
Spirit  maintains  the  essence  and  seed  of 
grace;  it  doth  blow  up  the  sparks  of  gi-ace 
into  an  holy  flame.  Spiritus  est  vicarius 
Christiy  Tertul.  It  is  Christ's  deputy  and 
proxy ;  it  is  every  day  at  work  in  a  believ- 
er's heart,  exei'ting  grace  into  exercise,  and 
ripening  it  into  perseverance;  the  Spirit 
doth  carve  and  polish  the  vessels  of  mercy, 
and  make  them  fit  for  glory. 


A.  2.  Clnist  causeth  perseverance  and 
carries  on  a  saint  till  he  come  to  the  hea- 
venly kingdom,  vi  orationis,  by  his  interces- 
sion. Christ  is  an  advocate  as  well  as  a 
surety;  he  prays  that  the  saints  may  arrive 
safe  at  the  kingdom,  Heb.  v'i.  25.,  "  Where- 
fore he  is  able  also  to  save  them  to  the  ut- 
termost, (i.  e.  perfectly,)  seeing  he  ever  liv- 
eth  to  make  intercession  for  them."  That 
prayer  he  made  for  Peter  on  earth,  he  prays 
now  in  heaven  for  the  saints,  "  that  thy 
faith  fail  not,"  Luke  xxii.  32.,  that  they  may 
be  Avith  him  Avhere  he  is,  John  xvii.  24. 
And  sure,  if  he  pray  that  they  may  be  Avith 
him  in  his  kingdom,  they  cannot  perish 
by  the  Avay.  Christ's  prayer  is  efficacious. 
If  the  saints'  prayers  have  so  much  force 
and  prcA'alency  in  them.  Jacob  had  poAver 
with  God,  and  as  a  prince  prcA-ailed,  Hos. 
xii.  4. ;  by  prayer  Elijah  unlocked  heaven ; 
if  the  prayers  of  the  saints  haA'e  so  much 
poAver  Avith  God,  then,  Avhat  hath  Christ's 
prayer  ?  How  can  the  children  of  such 
prayers  miscarry  ?  Hoav  can  they  fall  short 
of  the  kingdom,  Avho  have  him  praying  for 
them,  Avho  is  not  only  a  Priest,  but  a  Son  ? 
And  besides,  Avhat  he  prays  for  as  he  is 
man,  that  he  hath  poAver  to  gi\'e  as  he  is 
God.  Thus  you  see  hoAv  a  Christian  comes 
to  persevere  till  he  comes  to  the  kingdom. 

Ob  J.  But  mcthinks  I  hear  some  Christian 
say,  if  only  perseverance  obtains  the  kingdom, 
they  fear  they  shall  not  come  thither  ,-  they  fear 
they  shall  faint  by  the  way,  and  the  iceak  legs 
of  their  grace  will  never  carry  them  to  the 
kingdom  of  heaven. 

Ans.  Wert  thou  indeed  to  stand  in  thy 
OAvn  strength,  thou  niightcst  fall  away:  that 
branch  Avithers  and  dies  that  hath  no  root 
to  groAV  upon.  Thou  groAvest  upon  the 
root  Christ,  Avho  Avill  be  daily  sending  forth 
vital  influence  to  strengthen  thee ;  thou  art 
imbecile  and  Avcak  in  grace,  yet  fear  not 
falling  short  of  heaven  :   For, 

1.  God  hath  made  a  promise  to  Aveak  be- 
licA-ers.  What  is  a  bruised  reed,  but  an 
emblem  of  a  Aveak  faith  ?  yet  it  hath  a  pro- 
mise made  to  it.  Mat.  xii.  20.,  "  A  bruised 
reed  sh.ill  he  not  break." — God  hath  pro- 
mised to  supply  the  Aveak  Christian  Avitli  so 
much  grace  as  he  shall  need,  till  he  comes 
to  heaven.  Beside  the  tAvo-pence  Avhich  the  s 
good  Samaritan  left  to  pay  for  the  cure  of 


OF  TIIR  SECOND  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


471 


tlie  poor  wounded  man,  lie  passed  his  word 
for  all  that  he  should  need  beside,  Luke  x. 
35. :  so,  Christ  doth  not  only  give  a  little 
grace  in  hand,  but  his  bond  for  more,  that 
he  will  give  as  much  grace  as  a  saint  should 
need  till  he  comes  to  heaven,  Ps.  Ixxxiv. 
11.,  "  The  Lord  will  give  grace  and  glory  ;" 
that  is,  a  fresh  supply  of  grace,  till  he  be 
perfected  in  glory. 

2.  God  hath  most  care  of  his  weak  saints, 
who  fear  they  shall  never  hold  out  till  they 
come  to  the  kingdom.  Doth  not  the  mother 
tend  the  weak  child  most  ?  Isa.  xl.  1 1.,  "  He 
will  gather  the  lambs  in  his  arms,  and  car- 
ry them  in  his  bosom."  If  thou  thinkest 
that  thou  art  so  weak  that  thou  shalt  never 
hold  out  till  thou  comest  to  heaven,  thou 
shalt  be  carried  in  the  arms  of  the  Almigh- 
ty ;  he  gathers  the  lambs  in  his  arms ;  Christ, 
the  Lion  of  the  tribe  of  Judah,  marcheth 
before  his  people,  and  his  power  is  their 
rereward,  so  that  none  of  them  faint  or  die 
in  their  march  to  heaven. 

Quest.  JVhat  are  t'le  encouragements  to 
make  Christians  hold  on  till  they  come  to  the 
kingdom  of  heaven  ? 

Ans.  1.  It  is  a  great  credit  to  a  Christian, 
not  only  to  hold  forth  the  truth,  but  to  hold 
fast  the  truth  till  he  comes  to  heaven  ;  when 
grace  doth  flourish  into  perseverance,  and 
with  the  church  of  Thyatira,  our  last  works 
are  more  than  our  first,  Jiex.  ii.  19.,  this  is 
insiyni  honoris, — a  star  of  honour.  It  is 
matter  of  renown  to  see  grey  hairs  shine 
with  golden  virtues :  the  excellency  of  a 
thing  lies  in  the  finishing  of  it.  What  is 
the  excc'llency  of  a  building  ?  not  when  the 
first  stone  is  laid,  but  when  it  is  finished  : 
so  the  beauty  and  excellency  of  a  Christian 
is,  when  he  hath  finished  his  faith,  having 
done  his  work,  is  landed  safe  in  heaven. 

A.  2.  You  that  have  made  a  progress  in 
religion,  have  not  many  miles  to  go  I  efore 
you  come  at  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  Rom. 
xiii.  11.,  "  Now  is  our  salvation  nearer  than 
when  we  believed."  You  who  have  hoary 
liairs,  your  green  tree  is  turned  into  an  al- 
mond-tree; you  are  near  to  heaven,  it  is 
but  going  a  little  further  and  you  will  set 
your  feet  within  heaven's  gates  ;  O  therefore 
now  be  encouraged  to  hold  out,  your  salva- 
tion is  nearer  than  when  you  fi^'st  began  to 
believe  !    Our  diligence  should  be  greater 


when  our  salvation  is  nearer.  When  a  man 
is  almost  at  the  end  of  the  race,  will  he  now 
tire  and  faint  ?  AVill  he  not  put  forth  all 
his  strength,  and  strain  every  limb,  that  he 
may  lay  hold  upon  the  ])rize?  Our  salva- 
tion is  now  nearer;  the  kingdom  is  as  it 
were  within  sight ;  how  should  we  now  put 
forth  all  our  strength,  that  we  may  lay  hold 
upon  the  garland  of  glory  ?  Doctor  Taylor, 
when  he  was  going  to  his  martyrdom  said, 
"  I  have  but  two  stiles  to  go  over,  and  I 
shall  be  at  my  Father's  houso."  Though 
the  way  to  heaven  be  up-hill,  you  must 
climb  the  steep  rock  of  mortificatioti ;  and 
though  there  be  thorns  in  the  way,  viz.  suf- 
ferings, yet  you  have  gone  the  greatest  part 
of  your  way,  you  are  within  a  few  days 
march  of  the  kingdom  ;  and  will  not  you 
persevere?  Christian,  pluck  up  thy  courage, 
fight  the  good  fight  of  faith,  pursue  holiness ; 
it  is  but  a  while  and  you  shall  put  off  your 
armour,  and  end  all  your  weary  marches, 
and  receive  a  victorious  crown  ;  your  salva- 
tion is  nearer,  you  are  within  a  little  of  the 
kirigdom,  therefore  now  persever(?,  you  are 
ready  to  commence  and  take  your  degree  of 
glory  ! 

A.  3.  The  blessed  promise  annexed  to 
perseverance  ;  the  promise  is  "  a  ciown  of 
life,"  Rev.  ii.  10.  Death  is  a  worm  that 
feeds  in  the  crowns  of  princes,  but  behold 
here  a  living  crown,  and  a  never-lading 
crown,  1  Pet.  v.  4.,  and  Rev.  ii.  28.  He 
that  overcometh,  and  keepeth  my  words  to 
to  the  end,  "  I  will  give  him  stellam  matuti- 
nam, — the  morning-star  :"  the  morning-star 
is  brighter  than  the  rest.  This  morning- 
star  is  meant  of  Christ;  as  if  Christ  had 
said,  I  will  give  to  him  that  perseveres  some 
of  my  beauty  ;  I  will  put  some  of  my  illus- 
trious rays  upon  him  ;  he  shall  have  the 
next  degree  of  glory  to  me,  as  the  morning- 
star  is  next  the  sun  ;  will  not  this  animate 
and  make  us  hold  out  ?  We  shall  have  a 
kingdom,  and  that  which  is  better  than  the 
kingdom,  a  bright  morning-star. 

Quest.  JVhat  are  the  means  conduciiig  to 
perseverance,  or,  what  shall  we  do  that  we  may 
hold  out  to  the  kingdom  ? 

Ans.  1.  Take  up  religion  upon  good 
grounds,  not  in  a  fit  or  humour,  or  out  of 
worldly  design ;  but  be  deliberate,  weigh 
things  well  iu  the  balance,  Luke  xiv  28., 


472 


OF  THE  SECOND  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


*'  Wliicli  of  you  intending^  to  build  a  tower, 
Kittctli  not  down  first  and  counteth  the 
cost  ?"  Think  with  yourselves  Avhat  reli- 
gion must  cost  you,  it  must  cost  you  the 
parting  with  your  sins  ;  and  what  it  may 
cost  you,  it  may  cost  you  the  parting  with 
your  lives ;  consider  if  a  kingdom  will  not 
countervail  your  sufferings ;  weigh  things 
well,  and  then  make  your  choice,  Ps.  cxix. 
30.,  "  I  have  chosen  the  way  of  truth." 
Why  do  many  apostatize  and  fall  away,  but 
because  they  did  never  sit  down  and  count 
the  cost. 

A.  2.  If  Ave  would  hold  out  to  the  king- 
dom, let  us  cherish  the  grace  of  faith,  2  Cor. 
i.  24.,  "  By  faith  ye  stand."  Faith,  like 
Herculus's  club,  beats  down  all  opposition 
before  it ;  it  is  a  conquering  grace. 

Quest.  How  comes  faith  to  be  so  strong  ? 

Ans.  Faith  fetcheth  Christ's  strength  into 
the  soul,  Phil.  iv.  13.  A  captain  may  give 
his  soldier  armour,  but  not  strength  :  faith 
partakes  of  Christ's  strength,  and  faith  gets 
strength  from  the  promise;  as  the  child 
by  sucking  the  breast  gets  strength,  so 
doth  faith  by  sucking  the  breast  of  the 
promise ;  hence  faith  is  such  a  wonder- 
worl^ing  grace,  and  enables  a  Christian  to 
persevere. 

A.  3.  If  you  would  hold  out  to  the  king- 
dom, set  before  your  eyes  the  examples  of 
those  noble  heroic  saints,  who  have  perse- 
vered to  the  kingdom.  Vivitur  exempUs, 
examples  have  more  influence  upon  us  than 
precepts.  Job  xxiii.  11,  12.,  "  My  foot  hath 
held  his  steps."  Though  the  way  of  reli- 
gion hath  flints  and  thorns  in  it,  yet  my 
foot  hath  held  his  steps ;  I  have  not  fainted 
in  the  way,  nor  turned  out  of  the  way. 
Daniel  held  on  his  religion,  and  would  not 
intermit  prayer,  though  he  knew  the  writ- 
ing was  signed  against  him,  and  a  prayer 
might  cost  him  his  life,  Dan.  vi.  10.  The 
blessed  martyrs  persevered  to  the  kingdom 
through  sufferings.  Saunders,  that  holy 
man,  said,  "  Welcome  the  cross  of  Christ ; 
my  Saviour  began  to  me  in  a  bitter  cup, 
and  shall  I  not  pledge  him  ?"  Another  mar- 
tyr kissing  the  stake,  said,  "  I  shall  not  lose 
my  life  but  cliange  it  for  a  better;  instead 
of  coals  I  shall  have  ])earls."  What  a  spirit 
of  gallantry  was  in  these  saints  !  Let  us 
.  earn  constancy  from  their  courage.     A  sol- 


dier, seeing  his  general  fight  valiantly,  is 
animated  by  his  example,  and  hath  new 
spirits  put  into  him. 

4.  Let  us  add  fervent  prayer  to  God,  that 
he  would  enable  us  to  hold  out  to  the  hea- 
venly kingdom,  Ps.  cxix.  117.,  "  Hold  thou 
me  up,  and  I  shall  be  safe."  Let  us  not 
presume  on  our  own  strength.  When  Pe- 
ter cried  to  Christ  on  the  water,  '  Lord  save 
me  !'  then  Christ  took  him  by  the  hand. 
Mat.  xiv.  30. ;  but  when  he  grew  confident 
of  his  own  strength,  then  Christ  let  him  fall. 

0  pray  to  God  for  auxiliary  grace  !  The 
child  is  safe  when  held  in  the  nurse's  arms : 
so  are  we  in  Christ's  arms.  Let  us  pray 
that  God  will  put  his  fear  in  our  hearts, 
that  we  do  not  depart  from  him ;  and  that 
prayer  of  Cyprian,  Domine,  quod  caepisti 
perfice^  ne  in  portu  navfragiam  accidat, — 
'  Lord  perfect  that  which  thou  hast  begun 
in  me,  that  I  may  not  suffer  shipwreck  when 

1  am  almost  at  the  haven  !' 

3d.  Branch.  Let  us  press  forward  with 
the  greatest  diligence  to  this  kingdom.  And 
here  let  me  lay  down  some  powerful  per- 
suasives, or  divine  arguments,  to  make  you 
put  to  all  your  strength  for  the  obtaining 
this  blessed  kingdom. 

1.  This  is  the  great  errand  for  wliicli  God 
hath  sent  us  into  the  world,  to  prepare  for 
this  heavenly  kingdom.  Mat.  vi.  33.,  "  Seek 
ye  first  the  kingdom  of  God."  First  in 
time  before  all  things  ;  and  first  in  aflcction, 
above  all  things.  Great  care  is  taken  for 
the  achieving  worldly  things.  Mat.  vi.  25. 
To  see  people  labouring  for  the  earth,  as 
ants  about  a  molehill,  would  make  one  think 
this  were  the  only  errand  they  came  about : 
but  alas  !  What  is  all  tliis  to  the  kingdom 
of  heaven  ?  I  have  read  of  a  devout  ])ilgrim 
travelling  to  Jerusalem,  who  passing  through 
several  cities,  where  he  saw  many  stately 
edifices,  wares  and  monuments,  he  would 
say,  "  I  must  not  stay  here,  this  is  not  Je- 
rusalem :"  so  when  we  enjoy  worldly  things, 
peace  and  plenty,  and  have  our  presses 
burst  out  with  new  wine,  we  should  say  to 
ourselves,  this  is  not  the  kingdom  we  are 
to  look  after,  this  is  not  heaven.  It  is  wis- 
dom to  remember  our  errand.  It  will  be  ^ 
but  sad  upon  a  death-bed  for  a  man  to 
think  he  was  busying  himself  only  about 
trifles,  playing  with  a  feather,  and  neglect* 


OF  THE  SECOND  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


473 


ing  tlie  main  thing  he  came  into  the  world 
abont. 

2.  The  seeking  after  the  lieavenly  king- 
dom will  Iw  judged  most  prudent  by  all  men 
at  last.  Those  who  are  most  regardless  of 
their  souls  now,  will,  before  they  die,  wish 
they  had  minded  eternity  more.  When 
conscience  is  awakened,  and  men  begin  to 
come  to  themselves,  now,  what  would  they 
give  for  the  kingdom  of  heaven  ?  How  hap- 
py were  it,  if  men  were  of  the  same  niiind 
now,  as  they  will  be  at  death  !  Death  will 
alter  men's  opinions ;  then  those  who  did 
most  slight  and  disparage  the  ways  of  re- 
ligion, will  wish  their  time  and  thoughts 
had  been  taken  up  about  the  excellent  glory. 
At  death  men's  eyes  will  be  opened,  and 
they  will  see  their  folly  when  it  is  too  late. 
If  all  men,  even  the  worst,  will  wish  at  last 
that  they  had  minded  the  kingdom  of  hea- 
ven, why  should  not  we  do  that  now,  which 
all  will  wish  they  had  done  when  they  come 
to  die  ? 

3.  This  kingdom  of  heaven  deserves  our 
utmost  pains  and  diligence ;  it  is  glorious, 
beyond  hyperbole.  Suppose  earthly  king- 
doms more  magnificent  than  they  are, — 
their  foundations  of  gold, — their  walls  of 
pearl, — their  windows  of  sapphire, — yet  they 
are  not  comparable  to  the  heavenly  king- 
dom. If  the  pavement  of  it  be  bespangled 
with  so  many  bright  shining  lights,  glorious 
stars,  what  is  the  kingdom  itself?  1  John 
iii.  2.,  "  It  doth  not  yet  appear  what  we 
shall  be.  This  kingdom  exceeds  our  faith. 
How  sublime  and  wonderful  is  that  place 
where  the  blessed  Deitj''  shines  forth  in  his 
immense  glory,  infinitely  beyond  the  com- 
prehension of  angels  ! 

(1.)  The  kingdom  of  heaven  is  a  place  of 
honour ;  there  are  the  glorious  triumphs  and 
sparkling  crowns.  In  other  kingdoms,  there 
is  but  one  king,  but  in  heaven  all  are  kings, 
Rev.  i.  6.  Every  saint  glorified  partakes 
of  the  same  glory  as  Christ  doth,  John  xvii. 
22.,  "  The  glory  thou  gavest  me,  I  have 
given  thcni." 

(2.)  This  kingdom  is  a  place  of  joy,  INIat. 
XXV.  21.,  "  Enter  thou  into  the  joy  of  thy 
Lord."  To  have  a  continual  asj)ect  of  love 
from  God's  face, — to  be  crowned  with  im- 
mortality,— to  be  as  the  angels  of  God, — to 
drink  of  the  rivers  of  pleasure  for  ever, — 


this  will  cause  raptures  of  joy.  Sure  it  de- 
serves our  utmost  pains  in  pursuing  and  se- 
curing this  kingdom  !  Julius  Cajsar  coming 
towards  Rome  with  his  army,  and  hearing 
the  senate  and  people  had  fled  from  it,  said, 
"  they  that  will  not  fight  for  this  city,  what 
city  will  they  fight  for  ?"  If  we  will  not  take 
pains  for  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  what  king- 
dom will  we  take  pains  for  ?  It  was  tlie 
speech  of  the  spies  to  their  brethren,  Judg. 
xviii.  9.,  "  We  have  seen  the  land,  and  be- 
hold it  is  very  good ;  and  are  ye  still  ?  Be 
not  slothful  to  go,  and  to  enter  to  possess 
the  land."  We  have  had  a  lively  descrip- 
tion of  the  glory  of  heaven  ;  we  find  the 
kingdom  is  very  good ;  why  then  do  we  sit 
still  ?  Why  do  we  not  operum  7iavare, — put 
forth  our  utmost  zeal  and  industry  for  this 
kingdom  ?  The  diligence  of  others  in  seek- 
ing after  earthly  kingdoms,  shames  our  cold- 
ness and  indifferency  in  pursuing  after  the 
kingdom  of  heaven, 

4.  The  time  we  have  to  make  sure  of  the 
heavenly  kingdom  is  very  short  and  uncer- 
tain ;  take  heed  it  doth  not  slip  away  before 
you  have  prepared  for  the  kingdom.     Time 
passeth  on  apace, — cito  pede  prderita  vita  : 
it  will  not  be  long  before  "  the  silver  cord 
be   loosed,    and  the  golden  bowl  broken,'* 
Eccl.  xii.     The  skull  wherein  the  brains  are 
enclosed  as  in  a  bowl,  this  golden  bowl  will 
soon  be  broken.     Our  soul  is  in  our  body, 
as  the  bird  is  in  the  shell,  which  soon  breaks, 
and  the  bird  flies  out ;  the  shell  of  the  body 
broken,  the  soul   flies  into  eternity.     We 
know  not  whether  we  shall  live  to  another 
sabbath  ;  before  we  hear  another  sermon- 
bell  go,  our  passing-bell  may  go.     Our  life 
runs  as  a  swift  stream  into  the  ocean  of  e- 
ternity.     Brethren,   if  our  time  be  so  mi- 
nute and  transient, — if  the  taper  of  life  be 
so  soon  waited,  or  perhaps  blown  out  by 
violent  death, — how  should  we   put  to  all 
our  strength,  and  call  in  help  from  heaven 
that  we  may  obtain  the  kingdom  of  glory  ^ 
If  time  be  so  short,  why  do  we  waste  it 
about  things  of  less  moment,   and  neglect 
'  the  one  thing  needful,'  which  is  the  kingdom 
of  heaven  ?  A  man  that  hath  a  great  work 
to  be  done,   and  but  one  day  for  the  doing 
of  it,  hath  need  to  work  hard  :  we  have  a 
great  work  to  do,  we  are  striving  for  a  king- 
dom, and  alas  !  we  are  not  certain  of  one 

30 


474. 


OF  THE  SECOND  PETITION  IN  THE  LORDS  PRAYER. 


day  to  work  in  ;  therefore  wliat  need  liave 
we  to  bestir  ourselves,  and  wliat  we  do  for 
heaven,  to  do  it  with  all  our  might  ! 

5.  To  excite  our  diligence,  let  us  consider 
liow  inexcusable  we  shall  be,  if  we  miss  of 
the   kingdom  of  lieaven.     Who  have  had 
Kueh  helps  for  heaven  as  we  have  had  ?  In- 
dians who  have  mines  of  gold,   have   not 
such  advantages  for  glory  as  we  ;  they  have 
the  light  of  the  sun,  moon  and  stars,  and 
the  light  of  reason,  but  this  is  not  enough 
to  light  them  to  heaven  :  but  we  have  had 
the  light  of  the  gospel  shining  in  our  hori- 
zon ;  we  have  been  lifted  up  to  heaven  with 
ordinances ;  we  have  had  the  word  in  sea- 
son and  out  of  season.     The  ordinances  are 
the  pipes  of  the  sanctuary,  which  empty  the 
golden  oil  of  grace  into  the  soul  ;  they  are 
scala  paradisi, — the  ladder  by  which  we  as- 
cend to  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  Dcut.  iv.  7., 
"  What  nation  is  tliere  so  great  who  hath 
God  so  nigh  unto  tliem,  as   the  Lord  our 
God  is  in  all  things  that  we  call  upon  him 
for  ?"     We   have  had  heaven  and  hell  set 
before  us, — we  have  had  counsels  of  friends, 
warnings,  examples,  the  motions  and  inspi- 
rations of  the  Holy  Ghost, — how  should  all 
these  spurs  quicken  us  in  our  pace  to  hea- 
ven ?  Should  not  that  ship  sail  apace  to  the 
haven,  which  had  wind  and  tide  to  carry 
it  ?  The  tide  of  ordinances,  and  the  wind  of 
the  Spirit.     Surely  if  we,   through   negli- 
gence, miss  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  we 
shall  have  nothing  to  say  for  ourselves;  we 
shall  be  as  far  from  excuse  as  from  happi- 
ness. 

6.  You  cannot  do  too  much  for  the  king- 
dom of  heaven  :  you  cannot  pray  too  much, 
sanctify  the  sabbath  too  much,  love  God  too 
much  ;  you  cannot  overdo.  In  secular  things 
a  man  may  labour  too  hard,  he  may  kill 
himself  with  working ;  but  there  is  no  fear 
of  working  too  hard  for  heaven.  In  virtute 
non  est  verendum  ne  quid  nimium  sit,  Seneca. 
The  world  is  apt  to  censure  the  godly,  as  if 
they  were  too  zealous,  and  did  overstrain 
tliemselves  in  religion.  Indeed  a  man  may 
follow  the  world  too  much,  he  may  make 
too  much  haste  to  be  rich  ;  the  ferry-man 
may  take  in  too  many  passengers  into  his 
lx)at,  to  the  sinking  of  his  boat :  so  a  man 
may  heap  up  so  much  gold  and  silver,  as  to 
«ink  himself  in  perdition,  1  Tim.  vi.  9.    But 


one  cannot  be  too  earnest  and  zealous  for 
the  kingdom  of  heaven  ;  tliere  is  no  fear  of 
excess  here,  when  we  do  all  we  can  for  hea- 
ven, we  come  short  of  the  golden  rule  set 
us,  and  of  Christ's  golden  pattern ;  when 
our  faith  is  highest,  like  the  sun  in  the  me- 
ridian, yet  still  there  is  something  lacking  in 
our  fiiitli,  1  Thess.  iii.  1.,  so  that  all  our  la- 
bour for  the  kingdom  is  little  enough.  W^hen 
a  christian  hath  done  his  best,  yet  still  he 
hath  sins,  and  wants  to  bewail. 

7.  By  this  you  may  judge  of  the  state  of 
your  souls,  whether  you  have  grace  or  not, 
by  your  earnest  pursuit  after  the  heavenly 
kingdom.     Grace  infuseth  a  spirit  of  activi- 
ty into  a  person  ;  grace  doth  not  lie  dormant 
in  the  soul ;  it  is  not  a  sleepy  habit,  but  it 
makes  a  Christian  like  a   seraphim,   swift 
and  winged  in  his  heavenly  motion  ;  grace 
is  like  a  fire,   it  makes  one  burn  in  love  to 
God  ;  and,  the  more  he  loves  him,  the  more 
he  presseth  forward  to  heaven,  where  he 
may  fully  enjoy  him.     Hope  is  an  active 
grace,  it  is  called  "  a  lively  hope,"   1  Pet. 
i.  3.     Hope  is  like  the  spring  in  the  watch, 
it  sets  all  the  wheels  of  the  soul  a  running ; 
hope  of  a  crop  makes  the  husbandman  sow 
his  seed  ;  hope  of  victory  makes  the  soldier 
fight ;   and  a  true  hope   of  glory  makes   a 
Christian   vigorously  pursue  glorv.     Here 
is  a  spiritual  touch-stone  to  try  our  grace 
by  :  if  we  have  the  anointing  of  the  Spirit, 
it  will  oil  the  wheels  of  our  endeavour,  and 
make  us  lively  in  our  pursuit  after  the  hea- 
venly kingdom.     No  sooner  had  Paul  grace 
infused,  but  presently,  "  Behold,  he  })rays," 
Acts  ix.  11.     The  affections  are  by  divines 
called  "  the  feet  of  the  soul :"  if  these  feet 
move  not  towards  heaven,    it  is  because 
there  is  no  life. 

8.  Your  labour  for  heaAen  is  not  lost ; 
perhaps  you  may  think  it  is  Aain  that  you 
have  served  God  ;  but  know  that  your  pains 
are  not  lost.  The  seed  is  cast  into  the  earth, 
and  it  dies,  yet  at  last  it  brings  forth  a  plen- 
tiful cro]) :  so  your  labours  seem  to  be  fruit- 
less, but  at  last  they  bring  you  to  a  king- 
dom. Who  would  not  work  hard  for  one 
hour,  when,  for  that  hour's  work,  he  should, 
be  a  king  as  long  as  he  lived  ?  And  let  me 
tell  yon,  the  more  labour  you  have  put  forth 
for  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  the  more  degrees 
of  glory  }'ou  shall  have.     As  there  are  de^ 


OF  THE  SECOND  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


47j 


grces  of  torment  in  hell,  Mat.  xxili.  14.,  so 
of  glory  in  heaven.  "  As  one  star  differs 
from  aiiotfier  in  ji^lory,"  so  shall  one  saint, 
1  Cor.  XV.  41.  Though  every  vessel  of  mer- 
cy shall  be  full,  yet  one  vessel  may  liold 
more  than  another.  Sueh  as  have  done 
more  work  for  (j«>(i,  sliall  have  more  glory 
in  the  heavenly  kingdom.  Could  we  hear 
the  saints  departed  speaking  to  us  from  hea- 
ven, sure  they  would  speak  after  this  man- 
ner; were  we  to  leave  heaven  a  while  and 
live  on  the  earth  again,  we  would  do  God 
a  thousand  times  more  service  than  ever  we 
did  ;  we  would  pray  with  more  life,  act  with 
more  zeal ;  for  now  we  see,  the  more  hath 
been  our  labour,  the  greater  is  our  reward 
in  heaven. 

9.  While  we  are  labouring  for  the  king-' 
dom,  God  will  help  us,  Ezck.  xxxvi.  27., 
"  I  will  put  '  my  Spirit  within  you,  and 
cause  you  to  walk  in  my  statutes.'  "  Tlie 
promise  encourageth  us,  and  God's  Spirit 
enableth  us.  A  master  gives  his  servant 
work  to  do,  but  he  cannot  give  him  strength 
to  work  ;  but  God,  as  he  cuts  us  out  work, 
60  he  gives  us  strength,  Ps.  Ixxxvi.  16., 
*'  Give  thy  strength  unto  thy  servant."  God 
not  only  gives  us  a  crown  when  we  have 
done  running,  but  gives  us  legs  to'  run ;  he 
gives  exciting,  assisting  grace, — lex  juhet, 
gratia  juvat^ — the  Spirit  helping  us  in  our 
work  for  heaven,  makes  it  easy.  If  the  load- 
stone draw  the  iron,  it  is  not  hard  for  the 
iron  to  move :  if  God's  Spirit  draw  the  heart, 
now  it  moves  towards  heaven  with  facility 
and  alacrity. 

10.  The  more  pains  we  have  taken  for 
heaven,  the  sweeter  heaven  will  be  when 
we  come  there.  As  when  an  husbandman 
hath  been  grafting  trees,  or  setting  flowers 
in  his  garden,  it  is  pleasant  to  review  and 
look  over  his  labours,  so,  when  in  heaven 
we  shall  remember  our  former  zeal  and  ear- 
nestness for  the  kingdom,  it  will  sweeten 
heaven,  and  add  to  the  joy  of  it.  For  a 
Christian  to  think,  such  a  day  I  spent  in 
examining  my  heart, — such  a  day  I  was 
weeping  for  sin, — when  others  were  at 
their  sport,  I  was  at  prayer,  and  now,  have 
1  lost  any  thing  by  my  devotion  ?  My 
tears  are  wiped  away,  and  the  Avine  of  j)a- 
radise  clieers  my  heart ;  I  now  enjoy  him 
whom  my  soul  loves ;  I  am  possessed  of  a 


kingdom  ;   my  labour  is  over,  but  my  joy 
remains. 

11.  If  you  do  not  take  pains  for  the  king- 
dom of  heaven  now,  there  will  be  nothing 
to  be  done  for  your  souls  after  death  ;  this 
is  the  only  fit  season  for  working,  and  if 
this  season  be  lost,  the  kingdom  is  forfeited, 
Eccles.  ix.  10.,  "  Whatsoever  thy  hand 
findeth  to  do,  do  it  with  thy  might,  for 
there  is  no  work,  nor  device,  nor  wisdom 
in  the  grave  whither  thou  goest."  It  was  a 
saying  of  Charles  V.,  "  I  have  spent  my  trea- 
sure, but  that  I  may  recover  again  ;  I  have 
lost  my  health,  but  that  I  may  have  again  ; 
but  I  have  lost  a  great  many  brave  soldiers, 
but  them  I  can  never  have  again."  So  other 
temporal  blessings  may  be  lost  and  recover- 
ed again  ;  but  if  the  term  of  life,  wherein 
you  should  work  for  heaven,  be  once  lost, 
it  is  past  all  recovery,  you  can  never  have 
another  season  again  for  your  souls. 

12.  There  is  nothing  else  but  this  king- 
dom of  heaven  we  can  make  sure  of;   we 
cannot  make  sure  of  life.     Quis  scit  an  adjici- 
ant  hodicrnce  crastina  vifce  tenipora  dii  svperi  ? 
Hon.     When  our  breath  goes  out,  we  know 
not  whether  we   shall   draw  it   in   again  I 
How  many  are  taken  away  suddenly  ?   We 
cannot   make  riches   sure,   it  is  uncertain 
whether  we  shall  get  them ;   the  world  is 
like  a  lottery,  every  one  is  not  sure  to  draw 
a  prize  ;  or,  if  we  get  riches,   we  are  not 
sure  to  keep  them,  Prov.  xxiii.  5.,  "  Riches 
certainly  make   themselves  wings  and   lly 
away.'     Experience  seals  to  the  truth  of 
this.     Many  who  have  had  plentiful  estates, 
yet,  by  fire,  or  losses  at  sea,  they  have  been 
squeezed  as  spunges,  and  all  their  estates 
exhausted  :  but  if  men  should  keep   their 
estates  a  while,  yet  death  strips  them  of  all 
When  death's  gun  goes  off,  away  flies  thfr 
estate,    1  Tim.  vi.  7.,  "  It  is  certain  we  can 
carry  nothing"  out  of  the  world :  so  that 
there  is  no  making  sure  of  any  thing  here 
below,  but  we  may  make  sure  of  the  king- 
dom of  heaven,  Prov.  xi.  1 8.,  "  To  him  that 
soweth  righteousness  shall   be  a  sure  re- 
ward."    He  who  hath  grace  is  sure  of  Iiea- 
ven,  for  he  hath  heaven  begun  in  him.     A 
believer  hath  an  evidence  of  heaven.   Hob. 
xi.  1.,  "  Faith  is  the  evidence  of  things  not 
seen."      He  hath  an  earnist  of  glory,  2  (or. 
i.  22.,  "  Who  hath  ait>o  given  the  earnest  of 


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OF  THE  SECOND  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


the  Spirit."  An  oanicst  is  part  of  tlie  wliolc 
sum.  He  liatli  a  sure  hope,  llel).  vi.  IJ)., 
"  Which  hope  we  have  as  an  anchor."  This 
anchor  is  cast  upon  God's  ju'oniise,  Tit.  i. 
2.,  "  In  hope  of  eternal  life,  whicli  (jod  that 
cannot  lie  promised."  So  that  here  is  great 
encouragement  to  take  pains  for  heaven,  we 
may  make  sure  of  this  kingdom. 

13.  Tiie  kingdom  of  heaven  cannot  he 
ohtained  without  labour.  Nun  est  ad  asfra 
niolis,  e  tern's  via.  A  boat  may  as  well  get 
to  land  without  oars,  as  we  to  heaven  with- 
out labour.  We  cannot  have  the  world 
without  labour,  and  do  we  think  to  have 
heaven  ?  If  a  man  digs  for  gravel,  much 
more  for  gold,  Phil.  iii.  14.,  "  I  press  to- 
ward the  mark."  Heaven's  gate  is  not  like 
that  iron  gate  which  opened  to  Peter  of  its 
own  accord,  Acts.  xii.  10.  Heaven  is  not 
like  those  ripe  figs  which  "  fall  into  the 
mouth  of  the  eater,"  Nab.  iii.  12.  No,  there 
must  be  taking  pains.  Two  things  are  re- 
quisite for  a  Christian, — a  watchful  eye,  and 
a  working  hand.  We  must,  as  Hannibal, 
force  a  way  to  the  heavenly  kingdom  through 
difficulties.  We  must  win  the  garland  of 
glory  by  labour,  before  we  wear  it  with  tri- 
umph. God  hath  enacted  this  law,  that  no 
man  shall  eat  of  the  trte  of  paradise,  but  in 
the  sweat  of  his  brow :  how  then  dare  any 
censure  Chi'istian  diligence  ?  how  dare  they 
say  you  take  more  pains  for  heaven  than 
needs  ?  God  saith,  '  Strive  as  in  an  agony, 
— fight  the  good  '  fight  of  faith  ;'  and  they 
say,  "  you  arc  too  strict :"  but  who  shall  we 
believe?  An  holy  God  that  bids  us  strive, 
or  a  profane  atiieist  that  saith  we  strive  too 
much  ? 

14.  Much  of  our  time  being  already 
misspent,  we  IijkI  need  work  the  harder  for 
the  kingdom  of  heaven  ;  he  who  hath  lost 
his  time  at  school,  and  often  played  truant, 
had  need  ply  it  the  harder,  that  he  may 
gain  a  stock  of  learning;  he  who  hath  slept 
and  loitered  in  the  beginning  of  his  journey, 
had  need  ride  the  faster  in  the  evening,  hst 
he  fall  short  of  the  place  he  is  travelling  to. 
Some  here  present  are  in  their  youth,  others 
in  the  flower  of  their  age,  others  liavc  grey 
hairs,  the  almond-tree  blossoms,  and  ])er- 
haps  they  have  been  very  regardless  of  their 
Bouls  and  heaven.  Time  spent  unprofita- 
bly  is  not  time  lived,  but  time  lost ;  if  there 


be  any  such  here,  Avho  liave  misspent  their 
golden  hours,  they  have  not  only  been  sloth- 
ful, but  wasteful  servants;  how  had  you  need 
now  to  redeem  the  time,  and  press  forward 
with  might  and  main  to  the  heavenly  king- 
dom ?  1  Pet.  iv.  3.,  "  The  time  past  of  our 
life  may  suflice  us  to  havewrouirht  the  will 
of  the  Gentiles."  It  may  suffice  us  that  we 
have  lost  so  much  time  already,  let  us  now 
work  the  harder ;  such  as  have  crept  as 
snails,  had  need  now  fly  as  eagles  to  the 
paradise  of  God ;  if,  in  the  former  part  of 
your  life,  you  have  been  as  willows,  barren 
in  goodness,  in  the  latter  part  be  as  "  an 
orcliard  of  pomegranates,  with  jileasant 
fruits,"  Cant.  iv.  13.  Recompense  former 
remissness  with  future  diliffence. 
'  15.  How  uncomely  and  sordid  a  slothful 
temper  of  soul  is,  Zeph.  i.  12.,  "  I  will  pu- 
nish the  men  that  are  settled  on  their  lees  :" 
(Heb.)  «  Crudled  on  their  lees."  Settling 
on  the  lees,  is  an  emblem  of  a  dull  inactive 
soul.  The  snail,  by  reason  of  its  slow  mo- 
tion, was  reckoned  among  the  unclean. 
Lev.  xi.  30.,  "  A  slothful  man  hideth  his 
hand  in  his  bosom,"  Prov.  xix.  24.,  he  is 
loath  to  pull  it  out,  though  it  be  to  lay  hold 
on  a  crown,  No?i  cap  it  porta  ilia  calestis  tor- 
pore  langiddos,  Brugens.  The  devil  him- 
self cannot  be  charged  with  idleness,  1  Pet. 
V.  8.,  He  "  walketh  about."  An  idle  soul 
stands  in  the  world  for  a  cypher,  and  God 
writes  down  no  cyphers  in  the  book  of  life ; 
heaven  is  no  hive  for  drones ;  an  idle  person 
is  fit  for  a  temptation.  When  the  bird  sits 
still  upon  the  bough,  then  it  is  in  danger  of 
the  gun  ;  when  one  sits  still  in  sloth,  then 
the  devil  shoots  him  with  a  temptation  ; 
standing  water  putrifies.  Heathens  Avill 
rise  up  in  judgment  against  supine  Chris- 
tians ;  what  ])ains  did  they  take  in  the  O- 
lympic  games?  they  ran  but  for  a  garland 
of  flowers,  or  olive  ;  and  do  we  sit  still  who 
run  for  a  kingdom  ?  How  can  he  expect  a 
reward  that  never  works,  or  a  crown  that 
never  fights?  hiertia  aniw(£  soir.nus.  Sloth 
is  the  soul's  sleep.  Adam  wlien  he  was 
asleep  lost  his  rib  ;  and  when  a  person  is  ia 
the  deep  sleep  of  sloth,  he  loseth  salvation. 
16.  Holy  activity  and  industry  doth  en- 
noble  a  Christian.  Labor  splendore  decoratiiry 
Cicero.  The  more  excellent  any  thing  is, 
the  more  active.     The   sun   is  a  glorious 


OF  THE  SECOND  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


47^ 


creature,  it  is  ever  in  motion,  going  its  cir- 
cuit; fire  is  the  purest  element,  and  the 
most  active,  it  is  ever  sparkling  and  flam- 
ing ;  the  angels  are  the  most  noble  crea- 
tures, they  are  represented  by  the  cheru- 
bims,  with  wings  displayed  ;  the  more  active 
for  heaven,  the  more  illustrious,  and  the 
more  do  we  resemble  the  angels.  Tlie 
phoenix  flies  with  a  coronet  on  its  head  ;  the 
industrious  soul  hath  his  coronet,  his  labour 
is  his  ensign  of  honour. 

17.  It  is  a  mercy  that  there  is  a  possibi- 
lity of  happiness,  and  that  upon  our  pains 
taking  we  may  have  a  kingdom  ;  by  our  fall 
in  Adam  we  forfeited  heaven  :  why  might 
not  God  have  dealt  with  us  as  with  the 
lapsed  angels  ?  They  had  no  sooner  sinned, 
but  they  were  expelled  heaven,  never  to 
come  thither  more ;  we  may  say,  as  the  a- 
postle,  Rom.  xi.  22.,  "  Behold  therefore  the 
goodness,  and  severity  of  God."  To  the  a- 
postate  angels,  behold  the  severity  of  God, 
that  he  should  throw  them  down  to  hell  for 
ever;  to  us,  behold  the  goodness  of  Gocl, 
that  he  hath  put  us  into  a  possibility  of  mer- 
cy;  and,  if  we  do  but  take  pains,  there  is  a 
kingdom  stands  ready  for  us  ;  how  may  this 
whet  and  sharpen  our  industry,  that  we  are 
in  a  capacity  of  salvation  ?  and,  if  we  do  but 
what  we  are  able,  we  shall  receive  an  eter- 
nal weight  of  glory. 

18.  Our  labour  for  the  kingdom  of  hea- 
ven is  minute  and  transient,  it  is  not  to  en- 
dure long,  our  labour  expires  with  our  life ; 
'tis  but  a  while  and  we  shall  leave  off  work- 
ing ;  for  a  little  labour  an  eternal  rest.  Who 
would  think  much  to  wade  through  a  little 
water,  that  were  sure  to  be  crowned  as  soon 
as  he  came  on  shore  ?  Christians,  let  this 
encourage  you,  you  have  but  a  little  more 
pains  to  take,  a  ftiw  tears  more  to  shed,  a 
few  more  sabbaths  to  keep,  and,  behold,  an 
eternal  recompense  of  reward  ;  what  are  a 
few  tears  to  a  crown  ?  a  few  minutes  of  time 
to  an  eternity  of  glory  ? 

19.  Wiiat  striving  is  there  for  earthly 
kingdoms,  which  are  corruptible,  and  sub- 
ject to  change  ?  AVith  what  vigour  and  ala- 
crity did  Hannibal's  soldiers  continue  their 
march  over  the  Alj)s,  and  craggy  rocks,  and 
Ca?sar's  soldiers  fight  with  hunger  and 
cold?  Men  will  break  throutih  laws  and 
oaths,  they  will  swim  to  the  crown  in  blood ; 


will  they  venture  thus  for  earthly  promo- 
tions, and  shall  not  we  strive  more  for  an 
heavenly  kingdom  ?  This  is  "  a  kingdom 
which  cannot  be  moved,"  Heb.  xii.  28.,  a 
kingdom  where  there  is  unparalleled  beauty, 
unstained  honour,  unmixed  joy  ;  a  kingdom 
where  there  shall  be  nothing  present  which 
we  could  wish  were  removed,  nor  nothing 
absent  which  we  could  wish  were  cnjoycfL 
Sure  if  there  be  any  spark  of  grace,  or  true 
generosity  in  our  breasts,  we  will  not  suffer 
ourselves  to  be  out-striven  by  others  ;  we 
will  not  let  them  take  more  pains  for  earth- 
ly honours,  than  we  do  for  that  excellent 
glory  which  will  crown  all  our  desires  ! 

20.  How  much  pains  do  some  men  take 
to  go  to  hell,   and  shall  not  we  take  more 
pains  to  go  to  heaven  ?  Jer.  ix.  5.,  "  They 
weary  themselves  to  commit  inicjuity."    Sin- 
ners hackney  themselves  out  in  the  devil's 
service  :  what  pains  do  some  men  take  to 
satisfy  their  unclean   lusts  !    They   waste 
their  estates, — wear  the  shameful  marks  of 
their  sin  about   them, — they  will  visit  the 
harlot's  house,   though  it  stands   the  next 
door  to  hell,  Prov.  vii.  27.,  "  Her  house  is 
the  way  to  hell."     What   pains  do  others 
take  in  persecuting !  Holiness  is  the  white 
they  shoot  at.     It  is  said  of  Antiochus  Epi- 
phanes,   he   undertook  more  tedious  jour- 
neys, and  went  upon   greater   hazards,  to 
vex  and  oppose  the  Jews,  than  any  of  his 
predecessors  had  done  in  getting  of  victo- 
ries.    The  devil  blows  the  horn,  and  meu 
ride  post  to  hell,  as  if  they  feared  hell  would 
be  full  ere  they  would  get  thither.     When 
Satan  had  entered  into  Judas,  how  active 
was  Judas  !   He  goes  to  the  high   priests, 
from  them  to  the  band  of  soldiers,  and  with 
them  back  again  to  the  garden,  and  never 
left  till  he  had  betrayed  Christ.     How  in- 
dustrious  were    the   idolatrous   Jews !    So 
fiercely  were  they  bent  upon  their  sin,  that 
tiiey  would  sacrifice  their  sons  and  daugh- 
ters to  their  idol-gods,  Jer.  xxxii.  .35.     Do 
men  take  all  this  pains  for  hell,  and  shall 
not  we  take  pains  for  the  kingdom  of  hea- 
ven ?    The  wicked  have  nothing  to  encou- 
rage them  in  their  sins,  they  have  all  the 
threatenings  of  God  as  a  flaming  sword  a- 
gainst  them.     O  let  it  never  be  said,  that 
the  devil's  servants  are  more  active   than 
Christ's;  that  they  serve  him  better  who 


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OF  THE  SECOND  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


rewards  them  only  with  fire  and  brimstone, 
than  we  do  God,  who  rewards  us  with  a 
kingdom  ! 

21.  The  labour  we  take  for  heaven,  is  a 
labour  full  of  pleasure,   Prov.  iii.  17.     A 
man  sweats  at  his  recreation,  tires  himself 
witli  hunting,  but  there  is  a  delight  he  takes 
in  it,  which  sweetens  it,  Rom.  vii.  22.,  "  I 
delight  in  the  law  of  God  after  the  inward 
man,"  (Gr.)  I  take  pleasure.     Not  only  is 
the  kingdom  of  heaven  delightful,  but  the 
way  thither  ;  what  a  delight  hath  a  gracious 
soul  in  prayer  !   Isa.  Ivi.  7.,  "  I  will  make 
them  joyful  in  my  house  of  prayer."     While 
a  Christian  weeps,  there  is  joy  drops  with 
tears  ;  while  he  is  musing  on  God,  he  hath 
such  illapses  of  the  Spirit,  and,  as  it  were, 
such  transfigurations  of  soul,  that  he  thinks 
himself  half  in  heaven,  Ps.  Ixiii.  5,  6.,  "  My 
soul  shall  be  satisfied  as  with  marrow  and 
fatness,  and  my  mouth  shall  praise  thee  with 
joyful  lips,  when  I  remember  thee  upon  my 
bed,"  &c.     A  Christian's  work  for  heaven 
is  like  a  bridegroom's  work  on  the  morning 
of  the  marriage-day,  he  puts  on  his  vesture 
and  wedding-robes,  in  which  he  shall  be 
married  to  his  bride  ;  so,  in  all  the  duties  of 
religion,  we  are  putting  on  those  wedding 
robes,  in  which  we  shall  be  married  to  Christ 
in  glory.     O  what  solace  and  inward  peace 
is   there  in  close   walking  with  God  !  Isa. 
xxxii.  17.,  "  The  work  of  righteousness  shall 
be  pnace."     Serving  of  God  is  like  gather- 
ing of  spices  or  flowers,   wherein  there  is 
some  labour,  but  the  labour  is  recompensed 
Avith  delight.     Working  for  heaven  is  like 
digging  in  a  gold  mine ;  the  digging  is  la- 
bour, but  getting  the  gold  is  pleasure.     O 
then  let  us  bestir  ourselves  for  the  kingdom 
of  heaven ;  it  is  a  labour  full  of  pleasure  ! 
A  Christian  would  not  part  with  his  joy  for 
the  most  delicious  music ;  he  would  not  ex- 
change his  anchor  of  hope  for  a  crown  of 
gold.     Well  might  David  say,  In  kcej)ing 
(liy  precepts  "  there  is  great  reward,"  Ps. 
xix.  1  ].,  not  only  after  keeping  thy  i)recepts, 
but  in  keeping  them  ;  a  Christian  liuth  both 
the  spring-flowers  and  the  crop  ;  inward  de- 
light in  serving  God,   there  is  the  spring- 
flowers  ;   in  the  kingdom  of  glory  at  last, 
there  is  the  full  crop. 

22.  How  industrious  have  the  saints  in 
former  a^jes  been  !  They  thought  they  could 


never  do  enough  for  heaven  ;  they  could 
never  serve  God  enough,  love  him  enough 
Minus  te  amavl  Domine,  Aug.  Lord,  I  have 
loved  thee  too  little.  What  pains  did  St. 
Paul  take  for  the  heavenly  kingdom  ?  Phil, 
iii.  13.,  "  Reaching  forth  unto  those  things 
which  are  before."  The  Greek  Avord  to 
reach  forth,  signifies  to  stretch  out  the  neck, — - 
a  metaphor  from  racers,  who  strain  every 
limb,  and  reach  forward  to  lay  hold  on  the 
prize.  Anna  the  prophetess,  Luke  ii.  37., 
"  departed  not  from  the  temple,  but  served 
God  with  fastings  and  prayers  night  and 
day."  Basil  the  great,  by  much  labour 
and  watching,  exhausted  his  bodily  strength. 
"  Let  racks,  pullies,  and  all  torments  come 
upon  me  (said  Ignatius)  so  I  may  win 
Christ !"  The  industry  and  courage  of  for- 
mer saints,  who  are  now  crowned  with  £flo- 
ry,  should  provoke  our  diligence,  that  so  at 
last  we  may  sit  down  with  them  in  the 
kingdom  of  heaven. 

23.  The  more  pains  we  take  for  heaven, 
the  more  welcome  will  death  be  to  us  ;  what 
is  it  makes  men  so  loath  to  die  ?  They  are 
like  a  tenant  that  will  not  go  out   of  the 
house  till  the  sergeant  pull  him  out ;  they 
love  not  to  hear  of  death  ;  why  so  ?  Because 
their  conscience   accuseth   them  that  they 
have  taken  little  or  no  pains  for  heaven , 
they  have  been  sleeping  when  they  should 
have  been  working,  and  now  they  are  afraid 
lest  death  should  carry  them  prisoners  to 
hell ;  whereas  he  who  hath  spent  his  time  in 
serving  of  God,   he  can  look  death  in  the 
face  with  comfort;  he  was  wholly  taken  up 
about  heaven,  and  now  he  shall  be  taken 
up  to  heaven ;  he  traded  before  in  heaven, 
and  now  he  shall  go  to  live  there,  Phil.  i. 
23.,    Cupio  dissolvi, — "  I  desire  to   depart, 
and  to  be  with  Christ."     Paul  had  wholly 
laid  out  himself  for  God,   1  Cor.  xv.  10., 
and  now  he  knew,  there  was  a  crown  laid 
up  for  him,  .and  he  longed  to  take  posses- 
sion.    Thus  I  have  given  you  twenty-three 
persuasives  or  arguments  to  exert  and  put 
forth  your  utmost  diligence  to  the  obtaining 
the  kingdom  of  heaven.     O  that  these  ar- 
guments were  written  in  all  your  hearts,  as 
with  the  point  of  a  diamond  !  And,  because 
delays  in  these  cases  are  dangerous,  let  me 
desire  you  to  set  upon  this  work  for  heavei) 
])resently,  Ps.  cxLx.  CO.,  "  I  made  haste,  and 


OF  THE  SECOND  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


479 


delayed  not  to  keep  tliy  commandments." 
Many  people  are  convinced  of  the  necessity 
of  looking  after  the  kingdom  of  glory,  but 
they  say  as  those,  Hag.  i.  2.,  "  The  time  is 
not  yet  come."  They  adjourn  and  put  oflF 
till  their  time  is  slipped  away,  and  so  they 
lose  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  Beware  of 
this  fallacy;  delay  strengthens  sin.  hardens 
the  heart,  and  gives  the  devil  fuller  posses- 
sion of  a  man  ;  1  Sam.  xxi.  8.,  "  The  king's 
business  requires  haste  :  so  the  business  of 
salvation  requires  haste ;  do  not  put  off  an 
hour  longer  ;  volat  nmbiguis  mobilis  alls  liora. 
What  assurance  have  you  that  you  shall 
live  another  day  ?  Have  you  any  lease  of 
life  granted  ?  Why  then  do  you  not  pre- 
sently arise  out  of  the  bed  of  sloth,  and  put 
forth  all  your  strength  and  spirits,  that  you 
may  be  possessed  of  the  kingdom  of  glory  ? 
Should  not  things  of  the  highest  importance 
be  done  first  ?  Settling  a  man's  estate,  and 
clearing  the  title  to  his  land,  is  not  delayed, 
but  done  in  the  first  place :  what  is  there  of 
such  grand  importance  as  this,  the  saving 
of  your  souls,  and  the  gaining  of  a  king- 
dom ?  Therefore  to-day  hear  God's  voice, — 
now  mind  eternity, — now  get  your  title  to 
heaven  cleared  before  the  decree  of  death 
bring  forth.  What  imprudence  is  it  to  lay 
the  heaviest  load  upon  the  weakest  horse  ? 
So  to  lay  tlie  heavy  load  of  rej)entance  on 
thyself,  when  tliou  art  cnfcobled  by  sick- 
ness, tl)c  hands  sliake,  tlie  lips  quiver,  the 
heart  faints.  O  be  wise  in  time ;  now  pre- 
pare for  the  kingdom  !  He  who  never  be- 
gins his  voyage  to  heaven  but  in  the  storm 
of  deatli,  it  is  a  thousand  to  one  if  he  doth 
not  suffer  an  eternal  shipwreck. 

Use  6th.  Of  Exhortation. 

If  there  be  such  a  glorious  kingdom  a- 
coming,  then  you  who  have  any  good  hope 
through  grace,  you  that  are  the  heirs  of 
this  kingdom,  let  me  exhort  you  to  six 
things  : 

I.  Often  take  a  prospect  of  this  licavcniv 
kingdom;  climb  up  the  celestial  mount; 
take  a  turn,  as  it  were,  in  heaven  every 
day,  by  holy  meditation,  Ps.  xlviii.  12,  13., 
''  A\'alk  about  Zion,  tell  the  towers  thereof, 
mark  ye  well  her  bulwarks."  See  wliat  a 
glorious  kingdom  heaven  is;  go  tell  the 
towers,  view  the  palaces  of  the  heavenly 
Jerusalem ;  Christian,  show  thy  heart  the 


gates  of  pearl,  the  beds  of  spices,  the  clus- 
ters of  gra])e8  Avhich  grow  in  the  paradise 
of  God.  Say,  *  O  my  soul,  all  this  glory  is 
thine,  it  is  thy  Father's  good  pleasure  to 
give  thee  this  kingdom  !'  The  thoughts  of 
heaven  are  very  delightful  and  ravishing; 
can  men  of  the  world  so  deli<rlit  in  viewinir 
tlieu-  bags  of  gold,  and  fields  of  corn,  and 
shall  not  the  heirs  of  promise  take  more  de- 
light  in  contemplating  the  celestial  king- 
dom ?  The  serious  meditation  of  the  kiiur- 
dom  of  glory  would  work  these  three  effects. 

(1.)  It  would  put  a  damp  and  slur  upon 
all  worldly  glory.  To  those  who  stand 
upon  the  top  of  the  Alps,  the  great  cities  of 
Campania  seem  but  small  in  their  eye  :  could 
we  look  through  the  perspective  glass  of 
faith,  and  take  a  view  of  heaven's  glory, 
how  small  and  minute  would  all  other 
things  appear  ?  INIoses  slighted  the  honours 
of  Pharaoh's  court,  having  an  eye  to  the 
recompense  of  reward,  Heb.  xi.  26.  St. 
Paul,  who  had  a  vision  of  glory,  and  St. 
John,  who  was  carried  away  in  the  Spirit, 
and  saw  the  holy  Jerusalem  descending  out 
of  heaven,  having  the  glory  of  God  in  it. 
Rev.  xxi.  11.,  how  did  the  world  after  ap- 
pear in  an  eclipse  to  them  ? 

(2.)  The  meditation  of  the  heavenly  king- 
dom would  much  promote  holiness  iu  us. 
Heaven  is  a  holy  ])laco,  1  Pet.  i.  4.,  "  an 
inheritance  undcfilcd  ;"  it  is  described  by 
transparent  glass,  to  denote  its  purilv,  Rev. 
xxi.  21.  The  contemplating  heaven  would 
put  us  upon  the  study  of  holiness,  because 
none  but  such  are  admitted  into  that  king- 
dom ;  heaven  is  not  like  Noah's  aik,  into 
which  came  clean  beasts  and  unclean  :  only 
'•  the  pure  iu  heart  shall  see  God,"  ^lat. 
V.  8. 

(3.)  The  meditation  of  the  heavenly  king- 
dom would  be  a  spur  to  diligence,  Jmvicn- 
sum  glaria  calcar  habet,  1  Cor.  xv.  53.,  "  Al- 
ways abounding  in  the  work  of  the  Lord, 
for  as  much  as  ye  know  that  your  labour 
shall  not  be  in  vain  in  the  Lord."  ^\  lien 
the  mariner  sees  the  haven,  he  plies  it  harder 
with  his  oars  ;  when  we  have  a  sight  and 
prospect  of  glory,  it  should  make  us  be 
much  in  prayer,  alms,  watching, — it  should 
add  wings  to  duty,  and  make  the  lamp  of 
our  devotion  burn  brighter. 

2.  If  you  have  hopes  of  this  kingdom,  be 


480 


OF  THE  SECOND  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


content  tliougli  you  have  but  a  little  of  the 
world  ;  contentment  is  a  rare  thing,  it  is  a 
jewel  that  but  few  Christians  wear  :  but  if 
vou  have  a  grounded  hope  of  heaven,  it  may 
work   your   heart   to   contentation.     What 
though  you  have  but  little  in  possession  ? 
You  have  a  kingdom  in  reversion.     Were 
you  to  take  an  estimate  of  a  man's  estate, 
how  would  you  value  it?  by  what  he  hath 
in  his  house,  or  by  his  land  ?  Perhaps,  he 
hath  little  money  or  jewels  in  his   house, 
but  he  is  a  landed  man,  there  lies  liis  estate. 
A  believer  hath  but  little  oil  in  the  cruse, 
and  meal  in  the  barrel,  but  he  is  a  landed 
man,  he  hath  a  title  to  a  kingdom,  and  may 
not  this  satisfy  him  ?   If  a  man  who  lived 
here  in  England,  had  a  great  estate  befallen 
him  beyond  the  seas,  and  perhaps  had  no 
more  money  at  present  but  just  to  pay  for 
his  voyage,  he  is  content ;  he  knows  when 
he  comes  to  his  estate,  he  shall  have  money 
enough  ;  thou  who  art  a  believer,   hast  a 
kingdom  befallen  thee  ;   though  thou  hast 
but  little  in  thy  purse,  yet,  if  thou  hast  e- 
nough  to  pay  for  thy  voyage,   enough   to 
bear  thy  charges  to  heaven,  it  is  sufficient. 
God  hath  given  thee  grace,  which  is  the 
fore-crop,  and  will  give  thee  glory,  which 
is  the  after-crop ;  and  may  not  this  make 
thee  content? 

3.  If  you  have  hope  of  this  blessed  king- 
dom, pray  often  for  the  coming  of  this  glo- 
rious kingdom.  "  Thy  kingdom  come  :" 
only  believers  can  pray  heartily  for  the 
liastening  of  the  kingdom  of  glory. 

(1.)  Tiiey  cannot  pray  that  Christ's  king- 
dom of  glory  may  come  who  never  had  the 
kingdom  of  grace  set  up  in  their  hearts. 
Can  the  guilty  prisoners  pray  that  the  as- 
sizes may  come  ? 

(2.)  They  cannot  pray  heartily  that 
Christ's  kingdom  of  glory  may  come,  who 
are  lovers  of  the  world  ;  tliey  have  found 
j)aradise,  (hey  are  in  their  kingdom  already, 
this  is  their  heaven,  and  they  desire  to  hear 
of  no  other ;  they  are  of  his  mind,  who 
said,  if  he  might  keej)  his  cardinal.sliip  in 
Paris,  he  would  lose  his  part  in  paradise. 

(3.)  They  cannot  ])ray  heartily  that 
Christ's  kingdom  of  glory  may  come,  wlio 
oppose  Christ's  kingdom  of  grace, — who 
break  his  laws,  wliich  are  the  sceptre  of 
his   kingdom, — who    shoot    at    those    who 


bear  Christ's  name,  and  carry  his  colours, 
sure  these  cannot  pray  that  Christ's  king- 
dom of  glory  nuiy  come,  for  then  Christ 
will  judge  thcni,  and,  if  they  say  this  pray- 
er, they  are  hypocrites,   they  mean  not  as 
they  Rpeak.     But  you  who  have  the  king- 
I  dom  of  grace  set  up  in  your   hearts,  pray 
I  much  that  the  kingdom  of  glory  may  has- 
I  ten  :   "  Thy  kingdom  come."     When   this 
kingdom  comes,  then  you  shall  behold  Christ 
in  all  his  embroidered  robes  of  glory,  shin- 
ing ten  thousand  times  brighter  than  the 
sun  in  all  its  meridian   splendour.     When 
Christ's  kingdom  comes,  the  bodies  of  the 
saints  that  sleep  in  the  dust  shall  be  raised 
in  honour,   and  made  like  Christ's  glorious 
body ;  then  shall  your  souls  like  diamonds, 
sparkle  with  holiness  ;  you  shall  never  have 
a  sinful  thought  more,  you  shall  be  as  holy 
as  the  angels,  you  shall  be  as  holy  as  you 
would  be,  and  as  holy  as  God  would  have 
you  to  be  ;   then  you  shall  be  in  a  better 
state  than  in  innocency.     Adam  was  creat- 
ed a   glorious    creature,    but    mutable, — a 
bright  star,   but  a  falling  star :   but   in  the 
kingdom  of  heaven  is  u  fixation  of  happi- 
ness ;  when  Christ's  kingdom  of  glory  conies, 
you  shall  be  rid  of  all   your   enemies;  as 
Moses   said,   Exod.  xiv.  13.,  "  The  Egyp- 
tians, whom  you  have  seen  to-day,  you  shall 
see  them  again  no  more  for  ever.''     So  those 
enemies  who  have  plowed  on  the  backs  ol 
God's  people,  and  made  deep  their  furrows, 
when  Christ  shall  come  in  his  glory,  you 
shall  see  these  enemies  no  more.  All  Christ's 
enemies  shall  be  "  put  u)ider  his  feet,"  I  Cor. 
XV.  27.,  and  before  the  wicked  be  destroyed, 
the  saints  shall  judge  them,   I  Cor.  vi.  2.» 
"  Do  ye  not  know  that  the  saints  shall  judge 
the  world?"     This  will  cut  the  wicked  to 
the  heart,  that  those  whom  they  have  for- 
merly scorned  and   scourged,   shall   sit  as 
judges  upon  them,  and  vote  with  Christ  in 
his  judicial  proceedings.      O  then  well  may 
you  pray  for  the  hastening  of  the  kingdom 
of  glory,  "  Thy  kingdom  come  !" 

4.  If  you  have  any  good  hope  of  this 
blessed  kingdom,  let  this  make  the  colour 
come  in  your  faces,  be  of  a  sanguine  cheer- 
ful temper.  Have  you  a  title  to  a  kingdom, 
and  sad  ?  Rom.  v.  2.,  "  We  rejoice  in  the 
hope  of  the  glory  of  God."  Christians,  the 
trumpet  is  ready  to  sound, —  an  eternal  ju- 


OF  THE   SECOND  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


bilee  is  at  liand,  when  a  freedom  from  sin 
shall  be  proclaimed, — your  coronation-day 
is  a  coming, — it   is  but   ])uttin<^  off  your 
clothes,  and  laying  your  head  upon  a  pillow 
of  dust,   and   you  shall   be  enthroned  in  a 
kingdom,  and  invested  with  the  embroider- 
ed robes  of  glory, — doth  not  all  this  call  for 
a  cheerful  spirit  ?    Cheerfulness  adorns  re- 
ligion ;  it  is  a  temper  of  soul  Christ  loves, 
John  xiv.  28.,  "  If  ye  loved  me,  ye  would 
rejoice."     It  makes  many  suspect  heaven  is 
not  so  pleasant,   when  they  see  those  that 
walk  thither  so  sad.     How  doth  the  heir 
rejoice  in  hope  of  the  inhentance  ?    Who 
should  rejoice  if  not  a  believer,  who  is  heir 
of  the  kingdom,  and  such  a  kingdom  as  eye 
hath  not  seen  ?    When   the  flesh  begins  to 
droop,  let  faith  lift  up  its  head,  and  cause 
an  holy  jubilation  and  rejoicing  in  the  soul. 
5.  Let  the  saints  long  to  be  in  this  bless- 
ed kingdom.     A  prince  that  travels  in   fo- 
reign parts  doth  he  not  long  to  be   in   his 
own  nation,  that  he  may  be  crowned?  The 
bride  desires  the  marriage-day.  Rev.  xxii. 
17,  20.,  "  The  Spirit  and  the  bride  say  come: 
ven  so,  come,  Lord  Jesus."     Sure  our  un- 
willingness to  go  hence,  shews  either   the 
weakness  of  our  faith  in  the  belief  of  the 
heavenly  kingdom,  or  the  strength  of  our 
doubtiiigs,  whether  we  have  an  interest  in 
it.     Were  our  title  to  heaven  more  cleared, 
we  should  need  patience  to  be  content  to 
stay  here  any  longer.     Again,   our  unwil- 
lingness to  go  hence  declares,  we  love  the 
world  too  much,  and  Christ  too  little.     Love 
(as  Aristotle  saith)  desires  union;  did  we 
love  Christ  as  we  should,   we  would  desire 
to  be  united   to   him   in   glory,    when   we 
might  take  our  fill  of  love.     Be  humbled 
that  ye  are  so  unwilling  to  go  lience;   let 
us  labour  to  arrive  at  that  divine  tem])er  of 
soul  as  Paul  had,  ciijno  c/issulvi, — "  I  desire 
to  depart  and  be  with  Christ,"  Phil.  i.  23. 
We   are    compassed   with   a  body   of  sin  ; 
should  not  we  long  to  shake  otf  this  viper  ? 
We  are  in  Mesech,  and  the  tents  of  Kedar, 
in  a  place  where  we  see  God  dishonoured  ; 
siiould  not  we  desire  to  have  our  pass  to  be 
gone?  We  are  in  a  valley  of  tears  ;  is  it  not 
better  being  in  a  kingdom?    Here  we  are 
combating  with  Satan  ;  should  not  we  desire 


may  receive  a  victorious  crown  ?  O  ye 
saints,  breathe  after  the  heavenly  kingdom  ! 
Tliough  we  should  be  Milling  to  stay  to  do 
service,  yet  we  should  ambitiously  desire  to 
be  always  sunning  oursehes  in  tlie  light  of 
(«od's  countenance.  Think  what  it  will  be  to 
be  ever  with  the  Lord.  Are  there  any  sweet- 
er smiles  or  embraces  than  his?  Is  there  any 
bed  so  soft  as  Christ's  bosom  ?  Is  there  any 
such  joy  jis  to  have  the  golden  banner  of 
Christ's  love  displayed  over  us?  Is  there 
any  such  honour  as  to  sit  upon  the  throne 
with  Christ  ?  Rev.  iii.  21.  O  then  long  for 
the  celestial  kingdom  ! 

6.  Wait  for  this  kingdom  of  glory.  It  is 
not  incongruous  or  improper  to  long  for 
heaven,  yet  wait  for  it;  long  for  it,  because 
it  is  a  kingdom,  yet  wait  your  Father's  good 
pleasure.  God  could  presently  bestow  tliis 
kingdom,  but  he  sees  it  good  that  we  should 
wait  a  while. 

(1.)  Had  we  the  kingdom  of  heaven  pre- 
sently as  soon  as  ever  grace  is  infused,  then 
(lod  would  lose  much  of  his  glory. — 1. 
Where  would  be  our  living  by  faith,  which 
is  the  grace  that  brings  in  the  chief  reve- 
nues of  glory  to  God?  Rom.  v.  20. — 2. 
Wliere  would  be  our  suffering  for  God, 
which  is  a  way  of  honouring  him,  which 
the  angels  in  heaven  are  not  capable  of. — 3. 
Where  would  be  the  active  service  we  are 
to  do  for  God?  Would  we  have  God  give 
us  a  kingdom,  and  we  do  nothing  for  him 
before  we  come  there  ?  Would  we  have  rest 
befijre  labour,  a  crown  before  victory  ?  This 
were  disingenuous.  Paul  was  content  to 
stay  out  of  heaven  a  while,  that  he  might 
be  a  means  to  bring  others  thither,  Phil 
i.  23. 

(2.)  While  we  wait  for  the  kingdom,  our 
grace  is  increasing.  Every  duty  religiously 
performed  adds  a  jewel  to  our  crown.  Do 
we  desire  to  have  our  robes  of  glory  shine 
brighter  ?  Let  us  wait  and  work  ;  the  longer 
we  stay  for  the  principal,  the  greater  will 
the  interest  be.  The  husbandman  waits  till 
the  seed  spring  up :  wait  for  the  harvest  of 
glory.  Some  hare  their  waiting  weeks  at 
court, — this  is  yijur  waiting  time.  Christ, 
saith,  "  prav,  and  faint  not,"  Luke  xviii.  1., 
— so,  wait.   an<!  ("aiiit  not.      Be  not  weary 


to  be  called  out  ol  the  bloody  field,  where  the  kingdom  of  heaven  will  make  amends 
the  bullets  of  temptation  fly  so  fast,  that  we  for  your  waiting:    "  I  havewaited  for  thy 

o    L 


4S2 


OF  THE  THIRD  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


an 
"A 


salvation,  O  Lord,"  said  that  dying  patri- 
arch, Gen.  xlix.  18. 

Use  nth.  Comfort  to  the  people  of  God. 

L  In  all  their  sufferings.  The  true  saint 
is,  as  Luther  saith,  hceres  crucis, — heir  to 
the  cross.  Affliction  is  his  diet-drink,  but 
here  is  that  may  be  as  bezar  stone  to 
keep  him  from  fainting,  these  sufferings 
bring  a  kingdom.  The  hope  of  the  king- 
dom of  heaven,  saith  Basil,  should  ind  ul- 
cerate and  sweeten  all  our  troubles,  2  Tim. 
ii.  12.,  "  If  we  suffer,  we  shall  reign  with 
him :"  'tis  but  a  short  fight,  but  an  eternal 
triumph:  this  light  suffering produceth  " 
eternal  weight  of  glory,"  2  Cor.  iv.  17. 
weight  of  glory."  Things  Avhich  are  pre- 
cious, the  more  weighty  the  more  they  are 
worth  ;  the  more  weiglit  is  in  a  crown  of 
gold,  the  more  it  is  worth.  'Tis  a  weight 
of  glory. — 2.  "  An  eternal  weight  of  glory." 
Did  tills  glory  last  for  a  while,  it  would 
much  abate  and  embitter  the  joys  of  heaven  ; 
but  the  glory  of  that  kingdom  runs  parallel 
with  eternity ;  God  will  be  as  a  deep  sea  of 
blessedness,  and  the  glorified  saints  shall  for 
ever  bathe  themselves  in  that  ocean.  One 
day's  wearing  the  crown,  will  abundantly 
pay  for  all  the  saints'  sufferings  ;  how  much 
more  then,  when  "  they  shall  reign  for  ever 
and  ever  ?"  Rev.  xxii.  5.  O  let  this  support 
under  all  the  calamities  and  sufferings  in 
this  life  ;  what  a  vast  difference  is  there  be- 
tween a  believer's  sufferings  and  his  reward, 
Hom.  A^ii.  18.,  "  The  sufferings  of  this  pre- 
sent time  are  not  worthy  to  be  compared 
with  the  glory  which  shall  be  revealed  in 
us."  For  a  few  tears,  rivers  of  pleasure ; 
for  mourning,  white  robes.  This  made  the 
primitive  Christians  laugh  at  imprisonments, 
and  snatch  up  torments  as  so  many  crowns. 
Though  now  we  drink  in  a  wormwood-cup, 
Jiere  is  sugar  in  the  bottom  to  sweeten  it, 


"  It  is  your  Father's  good  pleasure  to  give 
you  a  kingdom." 

2.  Comfort  in  death.  Here  is  that  which 
may  take  away  from  God's  children  the  ter- 
ror of  death,  they  are  now  entering  into  the 
kingdom.  Indeed  no  wonder,  if  Avicked 
men  be  appalled  and  terrified  at  the  ap- 
proach of  death,  they  die  unpardoned.  Death 
carries  them  to  the  gaol,  where  they  must 
lie  for  ever  without  bail  or  mainprize  ;  but 
why  sliould  any  of  God's  children  be  so 
scared  and  half-dead  with  the  thou£:hts  of 
death  ?  What  hurt  doth  death  do  to  them, 
but  lead  them  to  a  glorious  kingdom  ?  Faith 
gives  a  title  to  heaven,  death  a  possession ; 
let  this  be  a  gospel  antidote  to  expel  the 
fear  of  death. — Hilarian,  that  blessed  man, 
cried  out,  TLgredere,  anima  !  egredere  !  quid 
times  ?  '  Go  forth,  my  soul !  go  forth  !  what 
fearest  thou  ?'  Let  them  fear  death  who  do 
not  fear  sin ;  but  let  not  God's  children  be 
over  much  troubled  at  the  grim  face  of  that 
messenger,  Avhich  brings  them  to  the  end  of 
their  sorrow,  and  the  beginning  of  their  joy. 
Death  is  yours,  1  Cor.  iii.  22.,  it  is  a  part  of 
the  believer's  inventory.  Is  a  prince  afraid 
to  cross  a  narrow  sea,  who  shall  be  crown- 
ed when  he  comes  to  shore?  Death  to  the 
saints  shall  be  an  usher  to  bring  them  into 
the  presence  of  the  King  of  glory.  This 
puts  lilies  and  roses  into  the  ghastly  face  of 
death,  and  makes  it  look  amiable.  Death 
brings  us  to  a  crown  of  glory  which  fades 
not  away ;  the  day  of  death  is  better  to  a 
believer  than  the  dav  of  his  birth :  death  is 
additus  ad  gloriam, — an  entrance  into  a 
blessed  eternity.  Fear  not  death,  but  ra- 
ther let  your  hearts  revive  when  you  think 
these  rattling  wheels  of  death's  chariot  are 
but  to  carry  you  home  to  an  everlasting 
kingdom. 


OF  THE  THIRD  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER, 

Mat.  vi.  10.   Thy  will  be  done  on  Earthy  as  it  is  in  Heaven. 


WE  come  next  to  the  third  petition,  "Thy 
wiill  be  done  oii  earth,  as  it  is  in  heaven." 
This  petition  consists  of  two  ])arts. 

L  The  matter,  "  Doing  of  God's  will." 


II.  The  manner,  "  As  it  Is  in  heaven." 
I.  The  matter  of  this  petition   is,  "  The 
doing  of  God's  will."     "  Thy  will  be  done." 
Quest.  What  is  meant  by  the  iviil  of  God  ? 


OF  THE  THIRD  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


483 


^ns.  Tliere  is  a  twofold  will.  1.  Volun- 
tas decreti,  God's  ssecret  will,  or  the  will  of 
liis  decree ;  we  pray  not  tliat  God's  secret 
will  may  be  done  by  us.  This  secret  will 
cannot  be  known,  it  is  locked  up  in  God's 
own  breast,  and  neither  man  nor  anjj^el  hath 
key  to  open  it.  2.  J^uluhtas  rcvc/ata,  God's 
revealed  will.  This  revealed  will  is  writ- 
ten in  the  book  of  scripture;  the  scripture 
is  a  declaration  of  God's  will,  it  discovers 
what  he  would  have  us  do  in  order  to  our 
salvation. 

Quest.  JVhat  do  we  pray  for  in  these 
words,  "  Thy  will  be  done  ?" 

Ans.  We  pray  for  two  things  :  1st.  For 
active  obedience ;  that  we  may  do  God's  will 
actively  in  what  he  commands.  2d.  For 
passive;  that  we  may  submit  to  God's  will 
patiently  in  what  he  inflicts.  We  pray, 
that  we  may  do  God's  will  actively,  sub- 
scribe to  all  his  commands,  believe  in  Je- 
sus, the  cardinal  grace,  lead  holy  lives.  So 
Austin  upon  the  petition,  Nobis  a  Deo  pre- 
camnr  obedientiam, — we  pray  that  we  may 
actively  obey  God's  will.  This  is  the 
sum  of  all  religion,  the  two  tables  epitomiz- 
ed, the  doing  of  God's  will :  "  Thy  will  be 
done."  We  must  know  God's  will  before 
Ave  can  do  it;  knowledge  is  the  eye  which 
must  direct  the  foot  of  obedience.  At  A- 
thcns  there  was  an  altar  set  up,  "  To  the 
unknown  God,"  Acts  xvii.  23.  It  is  as  bad 
to  offer  the  blind  to  God  as  the  dead.  Know- 
ledge is  the  pillar  of  fire  to  give  light  to 
practice;  but  though  knowledge  is  requi- 
site, yet  the  the  knowledge  of  God's  will  is 
not  enough  without  doing  his  will  :  "  Thy 
will  be  done."  If  one  had  a  system  of  divi- 
nity in  his  head  ;  if  he  had  '  all  knowledge,' 
1  Cor.  xiii.  2.,  yet,  if  obedience  were  want- 
ing, his  knowledge  were  lame,  and  would 
not  carry  him  to  heaven.  Knowing  God's 
will  may  make  a  man  admired,  but  it  is  do- 
ing God's  will  makes  him  blessed ;  knowing 
God's  will  without  doing  it,  will  not  crown 
us  with  happiness. 

1.  The  bare  knowledge  of  God's  will  is 
inefficacious,  it  doth  not  better  the  heart. 
Knowledge  alone  is  like  a  winter-sun,  which 
hath  no  heat  or  influence  ;  it  doth  not  warm 
the  aff'ections,  or  purify  the  conscience.  Ju- 
das was  a  great  luminary,  he  knew  God's 
will,  but  he  was  a  traitor. 


2.  Knowing  without  doing  God's  will, 
will  make  one's  case  worse;  'twill  heat  hell 
the  hotter,  Luke  xii.  47.,  "  The  servant 
which  knew  his  Lord's  will,  and  did  not  ac- 
cording to  his  will,  shall  be  beaten  with 
many  stripes."  IMany  a  man's  knowledge 
is  a  torch  to  light  him  to  hell.  Thou  who 
hast  knowledge  of  God's  will  but  does  not 
do  it,  wherein  dost  thou  excel  an  hypocrite  ? 
nay,  wherein  dost  thou  excel  the  devil, '  who 
transforms  himself  into  an  angel  of  light?' 
'Tis  improper  to  call  such  Christians,  who 
are  knowers  of  God's  will  but  not  doers  of 
it.  'Tis  improj)er  to  call  him  a  tradesman 
who  never  wrought  in  his  trade ;  so  to  call 
him  a  Christian,  who  never  wrought  in  the 
trade  of  religion.  Let  us  not  rest  in  the 
knowing  of  God's  will.  Let  it  not  be  said 
of  us,  as  Plutarch  speaks  (»f  the  Grecians, 
"  They  knew  what  was  just,  but  did  it  not." 
Let  us  set  upon  this,  the  doing  of  God's 
will,  "  Thy  will  be  done." 

Quest.  3.  Why  is  the  doing  of  God's  will 
so  requisite  ? 

Ans.  1.  Out  of  equity.  God  may  justly 
claim  a  rijiht  to  our  obedience ;  he  is  our 
founder,  and  we  have  our  being  from  him ; 
and  'tis  but  equal  that  we  should  do  his 
will,  at  whose  word  we  were  created.  God 
is  our  benefactor,  'tis  but  just  that,  if  God 
give  us  our  allowance,  we  should  give  him 
our  allegiance. 

2.  The  great  design  of  God  in  the  word 
is,  to  make  us  doers  of  his  will.  \.  All  God's 
royal  edicts  and  precepts  are  to  bring  us  to 
this,  to  be  doers  of  his  will ;  what  needed 
God  been  at  the  pains  to  give  us  the  copy 
oi  his  law,  and  write  it  out  with  his  own  fin 
ger  else  ?  The  word  of  God  is  not  only  a 
rule  of  knowledge,  but  of  duty.  Dent.  xiii. 
4.,  and  xxvi.  16.,  "  This  day  the  Lord  thy 
God  hath  commanded  thee  to  do  these  sta- 
tutes ;  thou  shalt  therefore  keep  and  do 
them."  If  you  tell  your  children  what  is 
your  mind,  it  is  not  only  that  they  may 
know  your  will,  but  do  it.  God  gives  us 
his  word,  as  a  master  gives  his  scholar  a 
copy,  to  write  after  it ;  he  gives  it  as  hia 
will  and  testament,  that  we  should  be  the 
executors  to  see  it  performed. — 2.  This  is 
the  end  of  all  God's  promises,  to  draw  us  to 
God's  will ;  the  promises  are  loadstones  to 
obedience,  Deut.  xi.  27.,  "  A  blessing  if  yo 


OF  THE  THIRD  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


484 

obey  ;"  as  a  father  ^ves  his  son  money  to 
bribe  him  to  obedience,  Deut.  xxviii.  1,  3. 
*'  If  tliou  shalt  hearken  to  the  voice  of  tlie 
Lord  thy  God,  and  do  all  his  command- 
ments, the  Lord  thy  God  will  set  thee  on 
liio^li  above  all  the  nations  of  the  earth ; 
blessed  shalt  thou  be  in  the  city  and  in  the 
field."  The  promises  are  a  royal  charter 
settled  upon  obedience. — 3.  The  minatory 
part  of  the  word,  the  threatenings  of  God, 
stand  as  the  angel  with  a  flaming  sword  to 
deter  us  from  sin,  and  make  us  doers  of 
God's  will,  Deut.  xi.  28.,  "  A  curse  if  ye 
will  not  obey."  Ps.  Ixviii.  21.,  "  God  shall 
wound  the  hairy  scalp  of  such  a  one  as  go- 
eth  on  still  in  his  trespasses."  These  threat- 
enings do  often  take  hold  of  men  in  this 
life :  they  are  made  examples,  and  hung  up 
in  chains  to  scare  others  from  disobedience. 

4.  All  God's  providences  are  to  make  us 

doers  of  his  will.  As  God  makes  use  of  all 
the  seasons  of  the  year  for  harvest,  so  all 
Ills  various  providences  are  to  bring  on  the 
harvest  of  obedience. 

(1.)  Afflictions  are  to  make  us  do  God's 
will,  2  Chi'on.  xxxiii.  12.,  When  Manasseh 
was  in  affliction,  he  besought  the  Lord,  and 
humbled  himself  gieatly.  The  rod  hath 
this  voice,  '  be  doers  of  God's  will.'  Afflic- 
tion is  called  a  furnace,  Isa.  xxxvii.  19. 
Tlie  furnace  melts  the  metal,  and  then  it  is 
cast  into  a  new  mould.  God's  furnace  is  to 
melt  us  and  mould  us  into  obedience. 

(2.)  God's  mercies  are  to  make  us  do  his 
will,  Rom.  xii.  1.,  "I  beseech  you  by  the 
mercies  of  God,  that  ye  present  your  bodies 
a  living  sacrifice."  Body  is,  by  synecdoche, 
put  for  the  whole  man  ;  if  the  soul  should 
not  be  presented  to  God  as  well  as  the  bo- 
dy, it  could  not  be  reasonable  service  ;  now, 
saith  the  apostle,  "  I  beseech  you  by  the 
mercies  of  God,  present  yourselves  a  living 
sacrifice."  Mercies  are  the  strongest  obli- 
gations to  duty,  IIos.  xi.  4.,  "  I  drew  them 
with  the  cords  of  a  man;"  that  is,  with 
golden  cords  of  my  mercy.  In  a  word,  all 
that  is  written  in  the  law  or  gospel  tends  to 
this  that  we  shall  be  doers  of  God's  will, 
**  Thy  will  be  done." 

3.  By  doing  the  will  of  God,  we  evidence 
sincerity.  As  Christ  said  in  another  sense, 
John  X.  25.,  "  The  works  whicli  I  do  in  my 
father's  name,  they  bear  witness  of  me :"  so, 


it  is  not  all  our  golden  words,  if  we  could 
speak  like  angels,  but  our  works,  our  doing 
of  God's  will  which  bears  witness  of  our 
sincerity.  We  judge  not  of  the  health  of  a 
man's  body  by  his  high  colour,  but  by  the 
pulse  of  the  arm,  where  the  blood  chiefly 
stirs  ;  so  a  Christian's  soundness  is  not  to  be 
judged  by  his  profession  ;  what  is  this  high 
colour,  but  the  estimate  of  a  Christian  is 
to  be  taken  by  his  obediential  acting,  his 
doing  the  will  of  God;  this  is  the  best  cer- 
tificate, and  letters  testimonial  to  shew  for 
heaven. 

4.  Doing  God's  will  much  propagates  the 
gospel  ;  this  is  the  diamond  that  sparkles  in 
reljofion.  Others  cannot  see  what  faith  is 
in  the  heart ;  but  when  they  see  we  do  God's 
will  on  earth,  this  makes  thein  have  a  ve- 
nerable opinion  of  religion,  and  become 
proselytes  to  it.  Julian,  in  one  of  his  e- 
pistles,  writing  to  Arsatius,  saith,  "  that 
the  Christian  religion  did  much  flourish, 
by  the  sanctity  and  obedience  of  them  that 
professed  it." 

5.  By  doing  God's  will,  we  shew  our  love 
to  Christ,  John  xiv.  21.,  "  He  that  hath  my 
commandments,  and  kcepeth  them,  he  it  is 
that  loveth  me."  What  greater  love  to 
Christ,  than  to  do  his  will,  though  it  cross 
our  own?  Every  one  would  be  thongl)t  to 
love  Christ ;  but,  how  shall  that  be  known 
but  by  this  ?  Do  you  do  his  will  on  earth  ? 
Neque  principem  veneramur,  si  odio  ejus  hges 
hahemus,  IsiD.  It  is  a  vain  thing  for  a  man 
to  say  he  loves  Christ's  ])orson,  when  he 
slio-hts  his  commands.  jSot  to  do  God's 
will  on  earth,  is  a  great  evil.  It  is  (1.) 
Sinful.     (2.)  Foolish.      (3.)  Dangerous. 

(1.)  It  is  sinful.  1.  We  go  against  our 
prayers ;  we  pray,  fiat  volvntas  lua,  '  thy 
will  be  done,'  and  yet  we  do  not  obey  his 
will ;  we  confute  our  own  prayer.  2.  We 
go  against  our  vow  in  baptism ;  wc  have 
vowed  to  fight  under  the  Lord's  banner,  to 
obey  his  sceptre,  and  this  vow  we  have  of- 
ten renewed  in  the  Lord's  supper:  if  we  do 
not  God's  will  on  earth,  we  are  forsworn, 
and  God  will  indict  us  of  perjury. 

(2.)  Not  to  do  God's  will  on  earth,  is 
foolish :  1.  Because  there  is  no  standing  it 
out  against  God.  If  we  do  not  obey  him, 
we  cannot  resist  him,  1  Cor.  x.  22.,  "  Are 
we  stronger  than  he  ?"  Job  xl.  9.,  "  Ilast 


OF  THE  THIRD  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


485  ,,. 


thou  an  arm  like  God  ?"  Canst  tliou  mea- 
sure arms  with  him  ?  To  oppose  God,  is, 
as  if  a  child  sliould  fi^ht  with  an  archan- 
gel ;  as  if  an  heap  of  hriars  sliould  put  them- 
selves into  a  hattalia  a<j^ainst  the  flame.  2. 
Not  to  do  God's  will  is  foolish  ;  because, 
if  we  do  not  God's  will,  we  do  the  devil's 
will.  Is  it  not  folly  to  gratify  an  enemy  ? 
To  do  his  will  that  seeks  our  ruin  ? 

Quest.  But  are  any  so  zvicked  as  to  do  the 
devifs  will  ? 

Ans.  Yes  ;  John  viii.  41.,  "  Ye  are  of  your 
father  the  devil,  and  the  lusts  of  your  father 
ve  will  do."  M^ien  a  man  tells  a  lie,  doth 
he  not  do  the  devil's  will  ?  Acts  .v.  3.,  "  A- 
nanias,  why  hath  Satan  filled  thy  heart  to 
lie  to  the  Holy  Ghost  ?" 

(3.)  Not  to  do  God's  will  is  dangerous;  it 
brings  a  spiritual  premimire.  If  God's  will 
be  not  done  by  us  ;  he  will  have  his  will 
upon  us  ;  if  we  obey  not  God's  will  in  com- 
manding, we  shall  obey  his  will  in  punish- 
ing, 2  Thess.  i.  7,  8.,  "  The  Lord  Jesus  shall 
be  revealed  with  his  mighty  angels  in  flames 
of  fire,  taking  vengeance  on  them  that  obey 
not  his  gospel."  Either  we  must  do  God's 
will,  or  suffer  it. 

6.  Whatever  God  wills  us  to  do,  is  for 
our  benefit ;  behold  here  self-intei'cst.  As 
if  a  king  commands  his  subject  to  dig  in  a 
mine  of  gold,  and  then  gives  him  all  the  gold 
he  had  digged :  God  bids  us  do  his  will,  and 
this  is  for  our  good,  Deut.  x.  12,  13.,  "  And 
no'w,  O  Israel,  what  doth  the  Lord  thy  God 
require  of  thee,  but  to  fear  the  Lord  thy 
God,  and  keep  the  commandments  of  the 
Lord,  which  I  command  thee  this  day  for 
thy  good  ?"  It  is  God's  will  that  we  should 
repent,  and  this  is  for  our  good,  repentance 
ushers  in  remission.  Acts  iii.  19.,  "  Repent, 
and  be  converted  that  your  sins  may  be 
blotted  out."  It  is  God's  will  that  we  should 
believe  ;  and  why  is  it,  but  that  we  should 
be  crowned  with  salvation?  Mark  xvi.  16., 
"  He  that  believes  and  is  baptized  shall  be 
saved."  What  (lod  wills  is  not  so  much  our 
duty,  as  our  privilege ;  he  bids  us  obey  his 
voice,  and  it  is  greatly  for  our  good,  Jer. 
vii.  23.,  "  Obey  my  voice,  and  I  will  be  your 
God."  I  will  not  only  give  you  my  angels 
to  be  your  guard,  but  myself  to  be  your 
portion  ;  my  Spirit  shall  be  yours  to  sancti- 
fy you,  my  love  shall  be  yours  to  comfort 


you,  my  mercy  shall  be  yours  to  save  you, 
"  I  will  be  your  God." 

7.  To  do  God's  will,  is  our  honour.  A 
person  thinks  it  an  honour  to  have  a  king 
speak  to  him  to  do  such  a  thing  :  the  angels 
count  it  their  highest  honour  in  heaven  to 
do  God's  will.  Servire  Deo  regtiare  est,  to 
serve  God,  is  to  reign.  Xoii  onerant  noSy 
sed  ornant,  Salvian.  How  cheerfully  did 
the  rowers  row  the  barge  that  carried  Caisar; 
To  be  employed  in  this  barge  was  an  ho- 
nour :  to  be  employed  in  doing  God's  will 
is  insigna  honoris^  the  highest  ensign  of  ho- 
nour that  a  mortal  creature  is  capable  of. 
Christ's  precepts  do  not  burden  us,  but  a- 
dorn  us. 

8.  To  do  God's  will  on  earth,  makes  us 
like  Christ,  and  akin  to  Christ.  It  makes 
us  like  Christ :  is  it  not  our  prayer  that  we 
may  be  like  Christ  ?  Jesus  Christ  did  his 
Father's  will,  John  vi.  38.,  "  I  came  down 
from  heaven,  not  to  do  my  own  will,  but 
the  will  of  him  that  sent  me."  God  the 
Father  and  Christ,  as  they  have  but  one  es- 
sence, so  but  one  will;  Christ's  will  was 
melted  into  his  Father's  John  iv.  34-.,  "  My 
meat  is  to  do  the  will  of  him  that  sent  me." 
By  our  doing  God's  will  on  earth,  we  re- 
semble Christ,  nay,  we  are  akin  to  Christ, 
and  are  of  the  blood-royal  of  heaven.  Alex- 
ander called  himself  cousin  to  the  gods ; 
what  honour  is  it  to  be  akin  to  Christ  ! 
Mat.  xii.  50.,  "  Whosoever  shall  do  the  will 
of  my  Father  which  is  in  heaven,  the  same 
is  my  brother,  and  sister,  and  mother."  Did 
king  Solomon  arise  off  his  throne  to  meet 
his  mother  and  set  her  on  a  throne  by  him  ? 
1  Kings  ii.  19.,  such  honour  will  Christ  be- 
stow on  such  as  are  doers  of  God's  will,  he 
will  salute  them  as  his  kindred,  and  set 
them  on  a  glorious  throne  in  the  amphithea- 
tre of  heaven. 

9.  Doing  God's  will  on  earth  brings  peace 
in  life  and  death.  1.  In  life,  Ps.  xix.  11,, 
In  keeping  thy  precepts  "  there  is  great 
reward,"  not  only  after  keeping  them,  but 
in  keeping  them  ;  when  we  walk  closely 
with  God  in  obedience,  there  is  a  secret  joy 
let  into  the  soul,  and  how  swiftly  and  cheer- 
fully do  the  wheels  of  the  soul  move  when 
they  are  oiled  with  the  oil  of  gladness  ?  2. 
Peace  in  death.  W'hen  Hezekiah  thought 
he  was  about  tc  die,  what  gave  him  com- 


486 


OF  THE  THIRD  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


fort?  Tliis,  tliat  he  had  done  the  will  of 
God,  Isa.  xxxviii.  3.,  "  Remember,  O  Lord, 
I  beseech  thee,  how  I  have  walked  before 
thee  in  truth,  and  have  done  that  which  is 
good  in  thy  sight."  It  was  Augustus's  wish, 
that  he  might  have  an  easy  death,  without 
much  pain  :  if  any  thing  make  our  pillow 
easy  at  death,  it  will  be  this,  '  we  have  en- 
deavoured to  do  God's  will  on  earth.'  Did 
you  ever  hear  any  cry  out  on  their  death- 
bed, that  they  have  done  God's  will  too 
much  ?  No  ;  hath  it  not  been,  that  they  have 
done  his  will  no  more,  that  they  come  so 
short  in  their  obedience  ?  Doing  God's  will, 
will  be  both  your  comfort  and  your  crown. 

10.  If  we  are  not  doers  of  God's  will,  we 
shall  be  looked  upon  as  contemners  of  God's 
will;  let  God  say  what  he  will,  yet  men  will  go 
on  in  sin  ;  this  is  to  contemn  God,  Ps.  x.  13., 
"  Wherefore  do  the  wicked  contemn  God  ?  " 
To  contemn  God  is  worse  than  to  rebel. 
The  tribes  of  Israel  rebelled  against  Reho- 
boara,  because  he  made  their  yoke  heavier, 
1  Kings  xii.  16. ;  but  to  contemn  God  is 
worse,  it  is  to  slight  him ;  to  contemn  God 
is  to  put  a  scorn  upon  him,  and  affront  him 
to  his  face,  and  an  affront  will  make  God 
draw  his  sword.  Thus  I  have  answered 
that  question,  Avhy  doing  God's  will  on  earth 
is  so  requisite  ?  It  is  as  necessary  as  salva- 
tion. 

Quest.  In  what  manner  are  we  to  do  God's 
will,  that  we  may  find  acceptance  ? 

Ans.  1.  The  manner  of  doing  God's  will 
is  the  chief  thing.  The  schoolmen  say  well. 
Modus  rei  cadit  sub  precepto, — '  the  manner 
of  a  thing  is  as  well  required  as  the  thing 
itself.*  If  a  man  build  an  house,  if  he  doth 
it  not  according  to  the  mind  of  the  owner, 
he  likes  it  not,  but  thinks  all  his  charges 
lost ;  so  if  we  do  not  God's  will  in  the  right 
manner,  it  is  not  accepted ;  we  must  not 
only  do  what  God  appoints,  but  as  God  ap- 
points ;  here  lies  the  very  life-blood  of  reli- 
gion. So  I  come  to  answer  this  great  ques- 
tion, "  In  what  manner  are  we  to  do  God's 
will,  that  we  may  find  acceptance  ?" 

Ans.  We  do  God's  will  acceptably,  when 
we  do  duties  spiritually,  Phil.  iii.  3., 
*'  Which  worship  God  in  the  spirit."  To 
serve  God  spiritually,  is  to  do  duties  ah  in- 
terno  priyicipio, — from  an  inward  ])rinelple; 
the  Pharisees  were  very  exact  about  the  ex- 


ternal part  of  God's  worship  ;  how  zealou 
were  they  in  the  outward  observation  of  th 
sabbath,  charging  Christ  with  th§  breach  of 
it  ?  But  all  this  was  but  outward  obedience, 
there  was  nothing  of  spirituality  in  it;  then 
we  do  God's  will  acceptably,  when  we  serve 
him  from  a  renewed  principle  of  grace.  A 
crab-tree  may  bear  as  well  as  a  pearmain, 
but  it  is  not  so  good  fruit  as  the  other,  be- 
cause it  doth  not  come  from  so  sweet  a 
root:  an  unregenerate  person  may  do  as 
much  external  obedience  as  a  child  of  God, 
he  may  pray  as  much,  hear  as  much,  but 
his  obedience  is  harsh  and  sour,  because  it 
doth  not  come  from  the  sweet  and  pleasant 
root  of  grace ;  the  inward  principle  of  obe- 
dience is  faith,  therefore  it  is  called  "  the 
obedience  of  faith,"  Rom.  xvi.  26.  But  why 
must  this  silver  thread  of  faith  run  through 
the  whole  work  of  obedience  ? 

Ans.  Because  faith  looks  at  Christ  in 
every  duty,  it  toucheth  the  hem  of  his  gar- 
ment ;  and  through  Christ,  both  the  person 
and  the  offering  are  accepted,  Eph.  i.  6. 

A.  2.  We  do  God's  will  acceptably,  when 
we  prefer  his  will  before  all  other ;  if  God 
wills  one  thing,  and  man  wills  the  contrary, 
we  do  not  obey  man's  will,  but  rather  God's, 
Acts  iv.  19.,  "  Whether  it  be  right  to  heark- 
en unto  you  more  than  unto  God,  judge  ye." 
God  sjiith,  "  Thou  shalt  not  make  a  graven 
image;"  king  Nebuchadnezzar  set  up  a  gold- 
en image  to  be  worshipped;  but  the  three 
children,  or  rather  champions,  resolve  God's 
will  shall  take  place,  and  they  would  obey 
him,  though  with  the  loss  of  their  lives, 
Dan.  iii.  18.,  "  Be  it  known  unto  thee,  O 
king,  that  we  will  not  serve  thy  gods,  nor 
worship  the  golden  image  which  thou  hast 
set  up." 

A.  3.  We  do  God's  will  acceptably,  when 
we  do  God's  will  as  it  is  done  in  heaven, 
that  is,  as  the  angels  do  it ;  to  do  God's  will 
as  the  angels  simUitudincm  tiotat,  non  aquali- 
tatem,  Burgensis,- — denotes  this  much,  that 
we  are  to  resemble  them,  and  make  them 
our  pattern.  Though  we  cannot  equal  the 
angels  in  doing  God's  will,  yet  we  must  imi- 
tate them  ;  a  child  cannot  write  so  well  as 
the  scrivener,  yet  he  imitates  the  copy.  In 
particular, 

1.  We  do  God's  will  as  the  angels  do  it 
in  heaven,  when  we  do  God's  will  regular- 


OF  THE  THIRD  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


487 


)y, — si'ne  deflexu, — we  "^o  according^  to  tlie 
divine  institutions,  not  decrees  of  councils, 
or  traditions, — tliis  is  to  do  God's  will  as  the 
angels ;  they  do  it  rcfjularl y,  they  do  nothing;' 
but  what  is  commanded ;  anp^i^ls  are  not  for 
cei'emonies  ;  as  there  arc  statute  laws  in  the 
land  which  bind,  so  the  scripture  is  God's 
statute  law  which  we  must  exactly  observe. 
The  watch  is  set  by  the  dial :  then  our  obe- 
dience is  right,  when  it  goes  by  the  sun-dial 
of  the  word.  If  obedience  hath  not  the 
word  for  its  rule,  it  is  not  doing  God's  will, 
but  our  own  ;  it  is  will-worshij).  The  Lord 
would  have  Moses  make  the  tabernacle  ac- 
cording to  the  pattern,  Exod.  xxv.  40.  If 
Moses  had  left  out  any  thing  in  the  pattern, 
or  added  any  thing  to  it,  it  would  have  been 
very  provoking;  to  mix  any  thing  of  our 
own  devising  in  God's  worshij),  is  to  go  be- 
side, yea,  contrary  to  the  pattern ;  God's 
worship  is  the  apple  of  his  eye,  that  which 
lie  is  most  tender  of;  and  there  is  nothing 
he  hath  more  shewed  his  displeasure  against, 
than  the  corrupting  his  worship.  How  se- 
verely did  God  punish  Nadab  and  Abihu 
for  offering  up  '  strange  fire  V  Lev.  x.  2., 
that  is,  such  fire  as  God  hath  not  sanctified 
on  the  altar  ;  whatever  is  not  divinely  ap- 
pointed, is  offering  up  strange  fire.  There 
is  in  many  a  strange  itch  after  superstition  ; 
they  love  a  gaudy  religion,  and  are  more 
for  the  pomp  of  worship  than  the  purity  ; 
this  cannot  be  pleasing  to  God,  for,  as  if 
God  were  not  wise  enough  to  ajipoint  the 
manner  how  he  will  be  served,  man  will  be 
so  bold  as  to  prescribe  for  him.  To  thrust 
human  inventions  into  sacred  things  is  a 
doing  our  will,  not  God's  ;  and  he  will  say, 
quis  qucBsivit  hoc  ?  "  Who  hath  required 
this  at  your  hand?"  Isa.  i.  12.  Then  we 
do  God's  will  as  it  is  done  in  heaven,  when 
we  do  it  regulary,  we  reverence  God's  in- 
stitutions, and  the  mode  of  worship,  which 
hath  the  stamp  of  divine  authority  upon  it. 
2.  We  do  God's  will  as  it  is  done  by  the 
angels  in  heaven,  when  we  do  it  entirely, — 
fiine  7nuiilatione, — we  do  all  God's  will.  The 
angels  in  heaven  do  all  that  God  commands, 
thev  leave  nothing:  of  his  will  undone :  Ps. 
ciii.  20.,  "  Ye  his  angels  that  do  his  com- 
mandments." If  God  sent  an  angel  to  the 
Virgin  Mary,  he  goes  on  God's  errand  ;  if  he 
gives  his  angels  a  charge  to  minister  for  the 


saints,  they  (they,  Ileb.  i.  14.  It  cannot 
stand  with  angelical  obedience  to  leave  the 
least  tola  of  (iod's  will  unfulfilled  ;  this  is  to 
d<»  (iod's  will  as  the  angels,  when  we  do  all 
his  will, — f/idcf/idd  propter  Deum  Jit  aquali- 
If r fit.  This  ^vas  (iod's  charge  to  Israel, 
Numb.  XV.  10.,  "  Remember  and  do  all  my 
commandments."  And  it  was  spoken  of 
David,  Acts  xiii.  22.,  "  I  have  found  David, 
the  son  of  Jesse,  a  man  after  mine  own 
heart,  who  shall  perform  all  my  will,"  (Gr.) 
"  all  mv  wills."  Every  command  liatli  the 
same  authority  ;  and  if  we  do  (iod's  will  up- 
rightly, we  do  it  uniformly,  — we  obey  every 
part  and  branch  of  his  will,  we  join  first 
and  second  tal)le.  Surely  we  owe  that  to 
God  our  Father  which  the  papists  sav,  we 
owe  to  our  mother  the  church,  unliuiited 
obedience;  we  must  incline  to  every  com- 
mand, as  the  needle  moves  that  way  which 
the  loadstone  draws.  This  discovers  the 
unsoundness  of  many  who  do  God's  will  by 
halves, — they  pick  and  choose  in  religion,-— 
they  in  some  things  comply  with  God's  will, 
l)ut  not  in  others, — like  a  ioundered  horse, 
who  sets  but  some  of  his  feet  on  the  ground, 
he  favours  one  foot.  He  who  is  to  play  upon 
a  lute,  must  strike  upon  eA'ery  string,  or  he 
spoils  all  the  music.  God's  commandments 
may  be  com|)ared  to  a  ten-stringed  lute,  we 
must  obey  God's  will  in  every  command, 
strike  ujjon  every  string,  or  we  can  make 
no  good  melody  in  religion.  The  badger 
hath  one  foot  shorter  than  the  other:  hypo- 
crites are  shorter  in  some  duties  than  others ; 
some  will  pray,  not  give  alms, — hear  the 
word,  not  forgive  their  enemies, — receive 
the  sacrament,  not  make  restitution, — how 
can  they  be  holy  who  are  not  just  ?  Hypo- 
crites profess  fair,  but  when  it  comes  to  sa- 
crificing the  Isaac,  crucifying  the  beloved 
sin,  or  parting  with  some  of  their  estate  for 
Christ,  here  they  stick,  and  say  as  Naaman, 
2  Kings  V.  18.,  "  In  this  thing,  the  Lord 
pardon  thy  servant."  This  is  far  from  do- 
ing God's  will  as  the  angels  do ;  God  likes 
not  such  as  do  his  will  by  halves ;  if  your 
servant  should  do  some  of  your  work,  which 
you  set  him  about,  but  not  at  all,  how  would 
you  like  that? 

Obj.  But  who  is  able  to  do  all  God's  will .? 

Ans.  Thouj^^    /♦'e  cannot  do  all  God's  will 
legally,  yet  we  may  evangelically;  which  is^ 


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OF  THE  THIRD  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


Ist.  When  we  mourn  that  we  can  do 
God's  will  no  better ;  when  we  fail,  we  weep, 
Rom.  vii.  24. 

2d.  Wlien  it  is  the  desire  of  our  soul  to 
do  God's  whole  will,  Ps.  cxix.  5.,  "  O  that 
my  ways  were  directed  to  keep  thy  sta- 
tutes." What  a  child  of  God  wants  in 
strength,  he  makes  up  in  desire.  In  mag- 
nis  voluisse  sat  est. 

3d.  When  we  endeavour,  quoad  conatmn, 
to  do  the  whole  will  of  God.  A  father  bids 
his  child  lift  such  a  burden,  the  child  is  not 
able  to  lift  it,  but  he  tries,  and  does  his  en- 
deavour to  lift  it ;  the  father  accepts  of  it, 
as  if  he  had  done  it,  this  is  to  do  God's  will 
evangelically,  and  God  is  pleased  to  take  it 
in  good  part ;  though  it  be  not  to  satisfac- 
tion, yet  it  is  to  acceptation. 

3.  We  do  God's  will  as  it  is  done  in  hea- 
ven by  the  angels,  when  we  do  it  sincerely, 
sinefuco.  To  do  God's  will  sincerely,  lies 
in  two  things  : 

1st.  To  do  it  out  of  a  pure  respect  to  God's 
command. 

2d.  With  a  pure  eye  to  God's  glory. 

1st.  To  do  God's  will  out  of  a  pure  respect 
to  God's  command.  Abraham's  sacrificing 
Isaac  was  contrary  to  flesh  and  blood ;  to 
sacrifice  the  son  of  his  love,  the  son  of  the 
promise,  and  that  no  other  hand  but  the  fa- 
ther's own  should  do  this,  here  was  hard 
service ;  but,  because  God  commanded  it, 
out  of  pure  respect  to  the  command,  Abra- 
ham obeyed.  Tliis  is  to  do  God's  will  a- 
right,  when  though  we  feel  no  present  joy 
or  comfort  in  duty,  yet,  because  God  com- 
mands, we  obey  ;  not  comfort,  but  the  com- 
mand is  the  ground  of  duty.  Thus  the  an- 
gels do  God's  will  in  heaven  ;  God's  com- 
mand is  the  weight  sets  the  wheels  of  their 
obedience  a-going. 

2d.  To  do  God's  will  sincerelv,  is  to  do  it 
*with  a  pure  eye  to  God's  glory.  The  Pha- 
risees did  the  will  of  God  in  giving  alms ; 
but  that  which  was  a  dead  fly  m  the  oint- 
ment, was,  that  they  did  not  aim  at  God's 
glory,  but  vain  glory, — they  blew  a  trum- 
pet. Jehu  did  the  will  of  God  in  destroy- 
ing the  Baal-worshippers,  and  God  com- 
mended him  for  doing  it ;  but  because  he 
aimed  more  at  settling  himself  in  the  king- 
dom, than  at  the  glory  of  God,  therefore 
God  looked  upon  it  no  better  than  murder, 


and  said,  "  he  would  avenge  the  blood  of 
Jezreel  upon  the  house  of  Jehu,"  Hos.  i.  4. 
Let  us  look  to  our  ends  in  obedience ;  tliougli 
we  shoot  short,  let  us  take  a  right  aim  ;  one 
may  do  God's  will,  yet  not  with  a  perfect 
heart,  2  Chron.  xxv.  2.,  Amaziah  "  did  that 
which  was  right  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord, 
but  not  with  a  perfect  heart."  The  action 
was  right  for  the  matter,  but  his  aim  was 
not  right ;  that  action  which  wants  a  good 
aim,  wants  a  good  issue  ;  he  doth  God's  will 
rightly,  that  doth  it  uprightly,  his  end  is  to 
honour  God,  and  lift  up  his  name  in  the 
world.  A  gracious  soul  makes  God  his 
centre.  As  Joab,  when  he  had  taken  Kab- 
bah, sent  for  king  David,  that  he  might 
carry  away  the  glory  of  the  victory,  2  Sain, 
xii.  27.,  so  when  a  gracious  soul  hath  done 
any  duty,  he  desires  that  the  glory  of  all 
may  be  given  to  God,  1  Pet.  iv.  11.,  "  Tliat 
in  all  things  God  may  be  glorified."  This 
is  to  do  God's  will  as  the  angels,  when  we 
not  only  advance  God's  glory,  but  design  his 
glory;  the  angels  are  said  to  cast  their  crowns 
before  the  throne.  Rev.  iv.  10.,  crowns  are 
signs  of  the  greatest  honour,  but  these 
crowns  the  angels  lay  at  the  Lord's  feet,  to 
show  they  ascribe  the  glory  of  all  they  do 
to  him. 

4.  We  do  God's  will  as  it  is  done  in  hea- 
ven by  the  angels,  when  we  do  it  willingly, 
— sine  murmuratione.  The  angels  love  to  be 
employed  in  God's  service  ;  'tis  the  angels' 
heaven  to  serve  God  ;  they  willingly  descend 
from  heaven  to  earth,  when  they  bring  mes- 
sages from  God,  and  glad  tidings  to  the 
church ;  now  heaven  being  a  place  of  such 
jov,  the  angels  would  not  leave  it  a  minute 
of  an  hour,  only  that  they  take  such  infinite 
delight  in  doing  God's  will.  We  do  resem- 
ble the  angels,  when  we  do  God's  will  will- 
ingly, 1  Chron.  xxviii.  9.,  "  And  thou  Solo- 
mon, my  son,  serve  the  Lord  with  a  willing 
mind."  God's  people  are  called  '  a  willing 
people,'  Ps.  ex.  3.  (Heb.)  "  a  people  of 
willingnesses ;"  they  give  God  a  free-will 
offering ;  though  tliey  cannot  serve  him 
perfectly,  they  serve  him  willingly.  A  hy- 
pocrite, though  he  doth  facere  bomim,  yet 
not  ve/le, — he  hath  no  delight  in  duty,— • 
he  doth  it  rather  out  of  fear  of  hell,  than 
love  to  God, — when  he  doth  God's  will,  yet 
it  is  against  his  will.      Virtus  nolentiiim  nulla 


THE  THIRD   TETTTION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


489 


est.  Cain  brouo^ht  his  sacrifice,  but  grudg- 
ingly ;  liis  worship  was  rather  a  task  than 
an  offering,  rather  penance  tlian  a  sacrifice; 
lie  (lid  God's  will,  but  against  his  will  ;  we 
must  bo  carried  uj)on  the  wings  of  delight  in 
every  duty.  Israel  were  to  blow  the  trum- 
pets when  they  offered  burnt-offerings, 
Num.  X.  10.  :  blowing  the  trumpets  was  to 
show  their  joy  and  cheerfulness  in  serving 
God  ;  we  must  read  and  hear  the  word  with 
delight,  Jer.  xv.  15.,  "  Tliy  words  Avere 
found,  and  I  did  eat  them,  and  thy  words 
were  unto  me  the  joy  and  rejoicing  of  my 
heart."  A  pious  soul  goes  to  the  word  as 
to  a  feast,  or  as  one  would  go  with  delight 
to  hear  music.  Sleidan  reports,  that  the 
Protestants  of  France  had  a  chin'ch  tliey 
called  Paradise,  because,  when  they  were 
in  the  house  of  God,  thev  thought  them- 
selves  in  paradise ;  the  saints  flock  as  doves 
to  the  windows  of  God's  house,  Isa.  Ix.  8., 
"  Who  are  these  that  fly  as  doves  to  their 
windows  ?"  Not  that  a  truly  regenerate 
person  is  always  in  the  same  cheerful  temper 
of  obedience  ;  he  may  sometimes  find  an  in- 
disposition and  weariness  of  soul  ;  but  his 
weariness  is  his  burden, — he  is  weary  of  his 
weariness, — he  prays,  weeps,  useth  all 
means  to  regain  that  alacrity  and  freedom 
in'  God's  service,  that  he  was  wont  to  have, 
— this  is  to  do  God's  will  acceptably,  when 
we  do  it  willingly, — it  is  this  crowns  all 
our  services, — delight  in  duty  is  better  than 
duty.  The  musician  is  not  commended  for 
playing  long,  but  well ;  it  is  not  how  much 
we  do,  but  how  much  we  love,  Ps.  cxix.  97., 
"  O  how  love  I  thy  law  !"  Love  is  as  musk 
among  linen,  that  perfumes  it;  love  perfumes 
obedience,  and  makes  it  go  up  to  heaven  at 
incense.  This  is  doing  God's  will  as  the  an- 
gels in  heaven  do  it ;  they  are  ravished  with 
delight  w})ile  they  are  praising  God,  therefore 
the  angels  are  said  to  have  harps  in  their 
hands.  Rev.  xv.  2.,  as  a  sign  of  their  cheer- 
fulness in  God's  service. 

5.  We  do  God's  will  as  the  angels  in  hea- 
ven, when  we  do  God's  will  fervently, — 
sine  rcmissione.     Rom.   xii.    II.,  "Fervent 

in  spirit,  serving  the  Lord :"   a  metaphor  \  but  in  gold  :  God  will  have   the  best   we 
from  water  when  it  seethes  and  boils  over ;    have, — golden  services. 
80  our  affections  should  boil  over  in   zeal  |       7.  We  do  God's  will  as  the  angels  in  hea- 
and  fervency.     The  angels  serve  God  with    ven,    when  we  do  it  readily,   and  swiftly, 
fervour  and  intenseness.     The  angels  are    The  angels  do  not  dispute  or  reason   the 

3  Q 


called  .srraphims,  from  an  Hebrew  word 
which  signifies  to  bum,  to  show  how  the  an- 
gels are  all  on  fire,  Ps.  civ.  4.,  they  burn 
in  love  and  zeal  in  doing  God's  will ;  grace 
turns  a  saint  into  a  seraphim  ;  Aaron  must 
))ut  burning  coals  to  the  incense,  Exod.  xvi 
12. :  incense  was  a  type  of  prayer,  burning 
coals  of  zeal,  to  show  that  the  fire  of  zeal 
must  be  put  to  the  incense  of  prayer.  For- 
mality starves  duty  ;  when  we  serve  God 
dully  and  coldly,  is  this  like  the  angels? 
Duty  without  fervency  is  as  a  sacrifice  with- 
out fire;  we  should  ascend  to  heaven  in  a 
fiery  chariot  of  devotion. 

6.  We  do  God's  will  as  the  angels  in  hea- 
ven,  when  we  give  God  the  best  in  every 
service.  Num.  xviii.  29.,  "  Out  of  all  your 
gifts,   ye  shall  offer   all   the  best   thereof." 
Num.  xxviii.  7.,   "  In  the  holy  place  shalt 
thou  cause  the  strong  wine  to  be   poured 
unto  the  Lord  for  a  drink-offering  "     The 
Jews  might  not  offer  to  the  Lord  wine  that 
was  small  or  mixed,  but  the  strong  wine,  to 
imply,   that  we  must  offer  to  God  the  b'est, 
the  strongest  of  our  affections  ;  if  the  spouse 
had  a  cup  more  juicy  and  spiced,    Christ 
should  drink  of  that.  Cant.  viii.  2.,  "  I  would 
cause  thee  to  drink  of  spiced  wine,  of  the 
juice  of  my  pomegranate."     Thus  the  an- 
gels in  heaven  do  God's  will,  they  serve  him 
in  the  best  manner,  they  give  him  their  se- 
raphic high-stringed  praises;  he  who  loves 
God,  gives  him  the  cream  of  his  obedience. 
God  challenged  the  fat  of  all  the  sacrifices 
as  his  due.   Lev.  iii.  16.     Hypocrites   care 
not  what  services  they  bring  to  God;  they 
think  to  put  him  off  with  any  thing;  they 
put  no  cost  in   their  duties,    Gen,   iv.   3., 
"  Cain  brought  of  the  fruit  of  the  ground." 
The  Holy  Ghost  took  notice  of  Abel's  offer 
ing,  that  it  was  costly,  "  He  brought  of  the 
firstlings  of  his  flock,  and  of  the  fat  thereof," 
Gen.  iv.  4. ;  but  when  he  speaks  of  Cain's 
offering,  he  only  saith,  "  Pie  brought  of  the 
fruit  of  the  ground."     Then  we  do  God's 
will  aright,  when  we  do  offer  pinguia,  we 
dedicate  to  him  the  best.     Donntian  would 
not  have  his  image  carved  in  wood  or  iron, 


490 


OF  THE  THIRD  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYt^R. 


case,  but  as  soon  as  tlicy  liave  tlicir  cliarj^e 
aiifl  eoinmission  from  God,  they  immediate- 
ly obey;  and,  to  sliew  liow  ready  tbey  are 
to  execute  God's  will,  the  cheriibims,  re- 
presentini^  the  angels,  are  described  with 
winjjs,  to  show  how  swift  and  forward  they 
are  in  their  obedience, — it  is  as  if  they  had 
wings,  Dan.  ix.  21.,  "  The  man  Gabriel 
(that  was  an  angel)  being  caused  to  lly 
swiftly."  Thus  should  we  do  God's  will  as 
the  angels  ;  as  soon  as  ever  God  speaks  the 
word,  we  should  be  ambitious  to  obey.  Alas ! 
how  long  is  it  sometimes  ere  we  can  get 
leave  of  our  bcarts  to  go  to  a  duty  !  Christ 
went  more  readily  ad  cnicem,  than  we  to 
the  throne  of  grace.  How  many  disputes 
and  excuses  have  we  ?  Is  this  to  do  God's 
will  as  the  angels  in  heaven  do  it  ?  O  let  us 
shake  off  this  backwardness  to  duty,  as  Paul 
shook  off  the  viper  !  Nescit  tarda  moUmina 
Spiritus  Sancli  gratia ;  Zech.  v.  9.,  "  I  saw 
two  women,  and  the  wind  was  in  their 
wings."  Wings  are  swift,  but  wind  in  the 
wings  is  great  swiftness ;  such  readiness 
should  be  in  our  obedience.  So  Peter,  as 
soon  as  ever  Christ  commanded  him  to  let 
down  his  net,  at  Christ's  word  he  presently 
let  down  the  net,  and  you  know  what  suc- 
cess he  had,  Luke  v.  4.  It  was  prophesied 
of  such  as  were  brought  home  to  Christ, 
Ps.  xviii.  44.,  "  As  soon  as  they  hear  of  me, 
they  shall  obey  me." 

8.  We  do  God's  will  as  the  angels  in  hea- 
ven, when  we  do  it  constantly  ;  the  angels 
are  never  weary  of  doing  God's  will,  they 
serve  God  day  and  night.  Rev.  vii.  15.,  thus 
must  we  imitate  the  angels,  Ps.  cvi.  3., 
"  Blessed  is  he  that  doth  righteousness  at 
all  times."  Constancy  crowns  obedience. 
Noil  ccpis.te,  sed  perfecissc,  virtutis  est,  Cvph. 
Our  obedience  must  be  like  the  fire  of  the 
altar  which  was  continually  kept  burning, 
Lev.  vi.  13.  Hypocrites  soon  give  over  do- 
ing God's  will  ;  like  the  chrysolite  which  is 
of  a  golden  colour,  in  the  morning  it  is  very 
bright  to  look  on,  but  towards  evening  it 
grows  dull,  and  hath  h>st  its  sploiidour. 
AVe  should  continue  in  doing  God's  u  ill, 
because  of  that  great  loss  that  will  befall  us 
if  we  give  over  doing  God's  will. 

(1.)  A  loss  of  lumour  :  Rev.  iii.  II,,  "  That 
no  man  take  thv  crown  ;"  implying,  if  the 
church  of  Philadelphia  left  off  her   obedi- 


ence, she  would  lose  her  crown,  vi«.  her 
honour  and  reputation.  Apostacy  creates 
infamy ;  Judas  came  from  an  apostle  to  be 
a  traitor,  that  was  a  dishonour. 

(2.)  If  we  give  over  our  obedience  it  is  a 
loss  of  all  that  hath  been  already  done  ;  as 
if  one  should  work  in  silver,  and  then  ])ick 
out  all  the  stitches.  All  a  man's  prayers 
are  lost,  all  the  sabbaths  he  hath  kept  are 
lost,  he  doth  unravel  all  his  good  works, 
Ezek.  xviii.  24.,  *'  All  his  righteousness  that 
he  hath  done  shall  not  be  mentioned."  He 
undoes  all  he  hath  done ;  as  if  one  draw  a 
curious  picture  with  the  pencil,  and  then 
come  with  his  spunge  and  wipe  out  all  again. 

(3.)  A  loss  of  the  soul  and  happiness.  We 
were  in  a  fair  way  for  heaven,  but,  by  leav- 
ing off  doing  God's  will,  we  miss  the  ex- 
cellent glory,  and  are  plunged  deeper  in 
damnation,  2  Pet.  ii.  21.,  "  It  had  been  bet- 
ter for  them  not  to  have  known  the  way  of 
righteousness,  than,  after  they  have  known 
it,  to  turn  from  the  holy  commandment." 
Therefore  let  us  continue  in  doing  God's 
will ;  constancy  sets  the  crown  upon  the 
head  of  obedience.  Thus  you  see  how  we 
are  to  do  God's  will  acceptably. 

Use  \st.  Branch  I.  See  hence  our  impo- 
tency  ;  we  have  no  innate  power  to  do  God's 
will ;  what  need  we  pray,  "  thy  will  be 
done,"  if  we  have  power  of  ourselves  to  do 
it  ?    I  wonder  free  willers  pray  this  petition. 

2.  Branch.  If  we  are  to  do  God's  will 
on  earth,  as  it  is  done  by  the  angels  in  hea- 
ven, see  then  the  folly  of  those  who  go  by 
a  wrong  pattern  ;  they  do  as  the  most  of 
their  neighbours  do ;  if  they  talk  vain  on 
the  sabbath,  they  do  but  as  their  neighbours 
do ;  if  now  and  then  they  swear  an  oath,  it 
is  the  custom  of  their  neighbours  to  do  so , 
but  we  are  to  do  God's  will,  as  the  aiigela 
in  heaven, — do  the  angels  do  such  things  ? 
We  must  make  the  angels  our  patterns,  and 
not  our  neighbours ;  if  our  neighbours  do 
the  devil's  will,  shall  we  do  so  too?  if  our 
neighbours  go  to  hell,  shall  we  go  thither 
too  for  company. 

3.  Branch.  See  here  that  which  may 
make  us  long  to  be  in  heaven,  then  we  shall 
do  God's  will  perfectly  as  the  angels  do. 
Alas,  how  defective  are  we  in  our  obedience 
lu're  !   How  far  do  we  fall  short  ?  We  can- 

_  nut  write  a  copy  of  holiness  without  blot- 


OF  THE  THIRD  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


491 


ting;  our  lioly  things  are  l)1emislic<l,  like 
tlie  moon,  wliicli,  when  it  shines  brightest, 
hatli  a  dark  spot  in  it ;  but  in  heaven  we 
shall  do  God's  will  perfectly,  as  the  angels 
in  glory. 

Use  2(L  Of  Reproof. 

1.  Branch.  It  reproves  such  as  do  not 
God's  will ;  they  have  the  knowledge  of 
God's  will,  (knowledge  they  count  an  orna- 
ment) but  though  they  know  God's  will, 
yet  they  do  it  not. 

(1.)  They  know  what  God  would  have 
them  avoid:  they  know  they  should  not 
swear,  INIat.  v.  31.,  "  Swear  not  at  all." 
Jer.  xxiii.  10.  For  this  sin  the  land  mourns. 
Yet  though  tliey  pray  "  hallowed  be  thy 
name,"  they  profane  it  by  shooting  oaths 
like  chain-bullets  against  heaven ;  they 
know  they  should  abstain  from  fornication 
and  unclcanness,  yet  they  cannot  but  bite 
at  the  devil's  hook,  if  he  bait  it  with  flesh, 
Jude  7. 

(2.)  They  know  what  God  would  have 
them  practise,  but  they  "  leave  uiulone 
those  thinffs  which  tliev  oujjht  to  have  done." 
They  know  it  is  the  will  of  God  they  should 
•  be  true  in  their  promi>;es, — _just  in  their 
dealings, — good  in  their  relations, — but 
they  do  not  the  will  of  God ;  they  know 
they  should  read  the  scriptures, — consult 
with  God's  oracles, — but  the  Bible,  like 
rusty  armour,  is  hung  up,  and  seldom  used  ; 
they  look  oftener  upon  a  pack  of  cards  than 
a  Bible  ;  they  know  their  houses  should  be 
pakstrcE  pietatis,  luirseries  of  ])iety,  yet  have 
no  face  of  religion  in  them, — they  do  not 
perfume  their  houses  with  prayer.  What 
hypocrites  are  these  to  kneel  down  in  the 
church,  and  lift  up  their  eyes  to  lieaven, 
and  say,  "  Thy  will  be  done,"  yet  have  no 
care  at  all  to  do  God's  will  !  What  is  this 
but  to  hang  out  a  flag  of  defiance  against 
heaven  ?  And  rebellion  is  as  the  sin  of 
witchcraft. 

2.  Blanch.  It  reproves  those  who  do 
not  God's  will  in  a  right  acceptable  manner. 

(1.)  Tlioy  do  not  God's  will  entirely,  all 
God's  will  :  they  will  obey  God  in  some 
thin<rs,  but  not  in  others  ;  as  if  a  servant 
phould  do  some  of  your  work  you  set  him 
about  but  not  the  rest.  Jehu  destroyed  the 
idolatiy  of  B;uil,  but  let  the  golden  calves 
of  Jerobojui  stand,  2  Kings  x   30.     Some 


will  observe  the  duties  of  the  second  table, 
but  not  the  first.  Others  niake  an  high 
profession,  as  if  their  tongues  have  been 
touched  with  a  coal  from  God's  altar,  but 
live  idly,  and  out  of  a  calling;  these  the  a- 
postle  comjilains  of,  2  Thess.  iii.  11.,  "  We 
hear  there  are  souie  which  walk  among  you 
disorderly,  working  not  at  all."  Living  by 
faith,  and  living  in  a  calling,  must  go  to- 
gether. This  is  an  evil  thing,  not  to  do  all 
God's  will. 

(2.)  They  do  not  God's  will  ardently, 
nor  cheerfully, — tliey  do  not  j)ut  coals  to 
the  incense, — they  bring  their  sacrifice,  but 
not  their  heart, — this  is  far  from  doin" 
God's  will  as  the  angels ;  this  loseth  the 
reward ;  how  can  God  like  this,  to  serve 
him  as  if  we  served  him  not?  How  can 
God  mind  our  duties  when  we  ourselves 
scarce  mind  them  ? 

Use  Sd.  Of  Examination. 

Let  us  examine  all  our  actions  whether 
they  are  according  to  God's  will.  The  will 
of  God  is  the  rule  and  standard, — it  is  the 
sun-dial  by  which  we  must  set  all  our  ac- 
tions; he  is  no  good  workman,  that  doth 
not  work  by  rule ;  he  can  be  no  good  Chris- 
tian who  goes  not  according  to  the  rule  of 
God's  will.  Let  us  examine  our  actions 
whether  they  do  quadrare,  agree  to  the  will 
of  God.  Are  your  speeches  according  to 
God's  will?  Are  our  words  savoury,  being 
seasoned  with  grace  ?  Is  our  apparel  accor- 
ding to  God's  will  ?  1  Tim.  ii,  9.,  "  In  like 
manner,  also  that  women  adorn  themselves 
with  modest  aj)parel ;"  not  wanton  and  ga- 
rish to  invite  comers.  Our  diet,  is  it  ac- 
cording to  God's  will  ?  Do  we  hold  the  gol- 
den bridal  of  temperance,  and  only  take  so 
much  as  may  rather  satisfy  nature  than  sur- 
feit it?  Too  much  oil  chokes  the  lamp:  is 
our  whole  carriage  and  behaviour  according 
to  (lod's  will  ?  Are  we  patterns  of  prudence 
and  piety  ?  Do  we  keep  up  the  credit  of  re- 
ligion, and  shine  as  lights  in  the  world? 
^^  e  ])ray  "  Thy  will  be  done  as  it  is  \n  hea- 
ven ;"  are  we  like  our  ])attern  ;  would  the 
angels  do  this  if  they  were  on  earth  ?  would 
Jesus  Christ  do  this?  This  is  to  christian- 
ize, this  is  to  bo  saints  of  degrees,  when  we 
live  our  prayer  and  our  actions  are  the 
counter-part  of  (Jod's  will. 

Une  -\th.  Of  Exhortation. 


492 


OF  THE  THIRD  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


Let  us  be  doers  of  the  will  of  God,  "  Thy 
will  be  done." 

1.  It  is  our  wisdom  to  do  God's  will, 
Deut.  iv.  6.,  Keep  and  do  these  statutes, 
"  for  this  is  your  wisdom." 

2.  It  is  our  safety.  Hath  not  misery  al- 
ways attended  the  doing  of  our  own  will, 
and  happiness  the  doing  of  God's  will  ? 

( 1.)  Misery  hath  always  attended  tlie  do- 
ing of  our  own  wilh  Our  first  parents  left 
God's  will  to  fulfil  their  own,  "  in  eating 
the  forbidden  fruit."  And  what  came  of 
it  ?  The  apple  had  a  bitter  core  in  it ;  they 
purchased  a  curse  for  themselves  and  all 
their  posterity.  King  Saul  left  God's  will 
to  do  his  own  ;  he  spares  Agag,  and  the 
best  of  the  sheep,  and  what  was  the  issue, 
but  the  loss  of  his  kingdom  ? 

(2.)  Happiness  hath  always  attended  the 
doing  of  God's  will.  Joseph  obeyed  God's 
will,  in  refusing  the  embrace  of  his  mis- 
tress;  and  was  not  this  his  preferment? 
God  raised  him  to  be  the  second  man  in 
the  kingdom.  Daniel  did  God's  will  con- 
trary to  the  king's  decree  ;  he  bowed  his 
knee  in  prayer  to  God,  and  did  not  God 
make  all  Persia  bow  their  knees  to  Daniel  ? 

(3.)  The  way  to  have  our  will  is  to  do 
God's  will.  Would  we  have  a  blessing  in 
our  estate?  Then  let  us  do  God's  will, 
Deut.  xxviii.  1,  3.,  "  If  thou  shalt  hearken 
diligently  to  the  voice  of  the  Lord  thy  God, 
to  do  all  his  commandments,  the  Lord  thy 
God  will  set  thee  on  high  above  all  nations 
of  the  earth :  blessed  shalt  thou  be  in  the 
city,  and  blessed  shalt  thou  be  in  the  field." 
This  is  tlie  way  to  have  a  good  harvest. 
Would  we  have  a  blessing  in  our  souls  ? 
Then  let  us  do  God's  will,  Jer.  vii.  23., 
"  Obey  my  voice,  and  I  will  be  your  God ;" 
I  will  entail  myself  upon  you,  as  an  everlas- 
ting portion  ;  my  grace  shall  be  yours  to 
sanctify  you,  my  mercy  shall  be  yours  to 
save  you.  You  see  you  lose  nothing  by  do- 
ing God's  will ;  this  is  the  way  to  have  your 
will  ;  let  God  have  his  will  in  being  obeyed, 
and  you  shall  have  your  will  in  being  saved. 

Quest.  How  shall  tie  come  to  do  God's 
will  aright  ? 

Ans.  1.  Get  sound  knowledge  ;  we  must 
know  God's  will  before  we  can  do  it ;  know- 
ledge is  the  eye  to  direct  the  foot  of  obedi- 
ence.    The  papists  make  ignorance  the  mo- 


ther of  deA^otion,  but  Christ  makes  igno- 
rance the  mother  of  error.  Mat.  xxii  29., 
"  Ye  do  err,  not  knowing  the  scrij)ture." 
We  must  know  God's  will  before  we  can 
do  it  aright.  Affection  without  knowledge, 
is  like  a  horse  full  of  metal,  but  his  eyes 
are  out. 

A.  2.  If  we  would  do  God's  will  aright, 
let  us  labour  for  self-denial ;  unless  we  de- 
ny our  own  will,  we  shall  never  do  God's 
will  ;  God  wills  one  thing,  we  will  another, 
— God  calls  us  to  be  crucified  to  the  world, 
by  nature  we  love  the  world, — God  calls 
us  to  forgive  our  enemies,  by  nature  wo 
bear  malice  in  our  hearts, — God's  will  and 
ours  are  contrary,  like  the  wind  and  tide, 
and  till  we  can  cross  our  own  will,  we  shall 
never  fulfil  God's. 

A.  3.  Let  us  get  humble  hearts.  Pride 
is  the  spring  of  disobedience,  Exod.  v.  2., 
"  Who  is  the  Lord,  that  I  should  obey  his 
voice?"  A  proud  man  thinks  it  below  him 
to  stoop  to  God's  will.  Be  humble ;  the 
humble  soul  saitli,  "  Lord,  what  wilt  thou 
have  me  to  do?"  He  puts,  as  it  were,  a 
blank  paper  into  God's  hand,  and  bids  him 
wa'ite  what  he  will,  he  will  subscribe  to  it. 

A.  4.  Beg  grace  and  strength  of  God  to 
do  his  will,  Ps.  cxliii.  10.,  "  Teach  me  to 
do  thy  will :''  as  if  David  had  said,  "  Lord 
I  need  not  be  taught  to  do  my  own  will,  I 
can  do  it  fast  enough,  but  teach  me  to  do 
thy  will."  And  that  which  may  add  wings 
to  prayer,  is  God's  gracious  promise,  "  I 
will  put  my  Spirit  within  you,  and  cause 
you  to  walk  In  my  statutes,"  Ezek.  xxxvi. 
27.  If  the  loadstone  draw  the  iron,  it  is 
not  hard  for  the  iron  to  move :  If  God's 
Spirit  enable,  it  will  not  be  hard,  but  ra- 
ther delightful  to  do  God's  will. 

II.  In  this  petition,  "  Thy  will  be  done 
on  earth,  as  It  is  In  heaven,"  Ave  pray  that 
we  may  have  grace  to  submit  to  God's  will 
patiently  In  wiiat  he  Inflicts.  The  text  is 
to  be  understood  as  well  of  sufTeiIng  God's 
will  as  of  doing  it;  so  INIaldonet,  and  tlie 
most  judicious  Intorjjreters.  I  shall  speak 
now  of  patient  submission  to  Clod's  will, 
in  whatever  he  inflicts,  "  Thy  will  be  done." 
This  should  be  the  temper  of  a  good  Chris- 
tian, when  lie  Is  under  any  disastrous  pro- 
vidence, to  He  quietly  at  God's  feet,  and 
say,  "  Thy  will  be  done." 


OF  THE  THIRD  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


493 


Quest.  1.  What  this  patient  submission  to 
Cod's  u'ill  is  not  ? 

Ans.  There  is  something  looks  like  pa- 
tience which  is  not,  namely,  when  a  man 
bears  a  thing  because  he  cannot  help  it ;  he 
takes  affliction  as  his  fate  and  destiny,  there- 
fore he  endures  that  quietly  which  he  can- 
not avoid ;  this  is  rather  necessity  than  pa- 
tience. 

Quest.  2.  What  is  it  may  stand  with  pa- 
tient submission  to  God's  will  ? 

Ans.  1.  A  Christian  may  be  sensible  of 
affliction,  yet  patiently  submit  to  God's 
will ,  we  ought  not  to  be  Stoics,  insensi- 
ble and  unconcerned  with  God's  dealings ; 
like  the  sons  of  Deucalion,  who  (as  the 
Poets  say)  were  begotten  of  a  stone.  Christ 
was  sensible  when  he  swate  great  drops  of 
blood,  but  there  was  submission  to  God's 
will,  Mat.  xxvi.  39.,  "  Nevertheless,  not  as 
I  will,  but  as  thou  wilt."  We  are  bid  to 
humble  ourselves  under  God's  hand,  1  Pet. 
V.  6.,  which  we  cannot  do  unless  we  are 
sensible  of  it. 

A.  2.  A  Christian  may  weep  under  an 
affliction,  yet  patiently  submit  to  God's 
will.  God  allows  tears;  it  is  a  sin  to  be 
"without  natural  affection,"  Rom.  i.  31. 
Grace  makes  the  heart  tender ;  strangidet 
inclusus  dolor, — weeping  gives  vent  to  sor- 
row,— expletur  lachrymis  dolor.  Joseph  wept 
over  his  dead  father ;  Job,  when  he  had  so 
much  ill  news  brought  him  at  once,  rent 
his  mantle,  an  expression  of  grief,  but  did 
not  tear  his  hair  in  anger  ;  only  worldly 
gric  f  must  not  be  immoderate  ;  a  vein  may 
bleed  too  much  ;  the  water  riseth  too  high 
when  it  overflows  the  banks. 

A.  3.  A  Christian  may  complain  in  his 
affliction,  yet  be  submissive  to  God's  will, 
Ps.  cxlii.  1,  2.,  "  I  cried  to  the  Lord  with 
my  voice,  T  poured  out  my  complaint  be- 
fore him."  We  may  (being  under  oppres- 
sion) tell  God  how  it  is  with  us,  and  desire 
him  to  write  down  our  injuries.  Shall  not 
the  child  complain  to  his  father  when  he  is 
wronged  ?  And  holy  complaint  may  stand 
with  patient  submission  to  God's  will ;  but 
though  we  may  complain  to  God,  we  must 
not  complain  of  God. 

Quest.  3.  What  is  it  cannot  stand  with 
patient  submission  to  God's  will  ? 

Ans.    I.    Discontentedness    with    proA-i- 


dence.  Discontent  liath  a  mixture  of  grief 
and  anger  in  it,  and,  both  these  must  needs 
raise  a  storm  of  passion  in  the  soul.  God 
having  touched  the  apple  of  our  eye,  and 
smitten  us  in  that  we  loved,  we  are  touchy 
and  sullen,  and  (Jod  shall  not  have  a  good 
look  from  us.  Gen.  iv.  6.,  "  Why  art  thou 
wroth  ;"  like  a  sullen  bird  that  is  angry, 
and  beats  herself  against  the  cage. 

A.  2.  Murmuring  cannot  stand  with  sub- 
mission to  God's  will  ;  murmuring  is  the 
height  of  impatience,  it  is  a  kind  of  mutiny 
in  the  soul  against  God,  Numb.  xxi.  5., 
"  The  people  spake  against  God."  When 
a  cloud  of  sorrow  is  gathered  in  the  soul, 
and  this  cloud  doth  not  only  drop  into  tears, 
but  out  of  this  cloud  comes  hailstones,  mur- 
muring words  against  God,  this  is  far  from 
patient  submission  to  God's  will.  When 
water  is  hot  the  scum  boils  up ;  when  the 
heart  is  heated  with  anger  against  God, 
then  this  scum  boils  up.  Murmuring  is 
very  evil ;  it  springs,  1st,  From  pride :  men 
think  they  have  deserved  better  at  God's 
hand;  and,  when  they  begin  to  swell  they 
spit  poison.  2c?.  Distrust ;  men  believe 
not  that  God  can  make  a  treacle  of  })oison, 
bring  good  out  of  all  their  troubles,  tliere- 
fore  they  murmur,  Ps.  cvi.  24,  25.,  "  They 
believed  not  his  word,  but  murmured." 
Men  murmur  at  God's  providences,  be- 
cause they  distrust  his  promises  ;  God  hath 
much  ado  to  bear  this  sin,  Numb.  xiv.  27. 
This  is  far  from  submission  to  God's  will. 

A.  3.  Discomposedness  of  spirit  cannot 
stand  with  quiet  submission  to  God's  will. 
When  a  man  saith,  I  am  so  encompassed 
with  trouble,   that  I  know  not  how  to  get 
out;  head  and  heart  are  so  taken  up,  that 
a  j)erson  is  not  fit  to  pray.  Wlien  the  strings 
of  a  lute  are  snarled,  the  lute  can  make  no 
good  music  :  so,  when  a  Christian's  spirits 
are    perplexed    and    disturbed,    he    cannot 
make  melody  in  his  heart  to  the  Lord.    To 
be  under  a  discomposure   of  mind,   is   as 
when  an  army  is  routed,  one  runs  this  way, 
and  another  that,  the  army  is  put  into  dis- 
order :  so  when  a  Christian  is  in  an  hurry 
of  mind  his  thoughts  run  up  and  down  dis- 
tracted, as  if  he  were  undone, — this  cannot 
stand  with  patient  submission  to  God's  will. 
A.   4.    Self  apology  cannot  stand  with 
submission  to  God's  will  ;  instead  of  being 


494 


OF  THE  THIRD  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


liuml)led  under  God's  hand,  a  person  justi- 
fies liimself.  A  proud  sinner  stands  upon 
liis  own  defence,  and  is  ready  to  accuse 
God  of  unrighteousness^  which  is,  as  if  we 
should  tax  the  sun  with  darkness ;  tliis  is 
far  from  submission  to  God's  will.  God 
smote  Jonah's  gourd,  and  he  stands  upon 
his  own  vindication,  Jonah  iv.  9.,  "  I  do 
well  to  be  angry  even  unto  death."  What, 
to  be  angry  with  God,  and  to  justify  this  ! 
"  I  do  well  to  be  angry  !"  This  was  strange 
to  come  from  a  prophet,  and  was  far  from 
this  prayer  Christ  hath  taught  us,  "  Thy 
will  be  done." 

Quest.  4.  IVhat  this  patient  submission  to 
God's  ivill  is  ? 

Ans.  It  is  a  gracious  frame  of  soul,  where- 
by a  Christian  is  content  to  be  at  God's  dis- 
posal, and  doth  acquiesce  in  his  wisdom, 
1  Sam.  iii.  18.,  "  It  is  the  Lord,  let  him  do 
what  seemeth  him  good;"  Acts  xxi.  14., 
«  The  will  of  the  Lord  be  done."  That  I 
may  further  illustrate  this,  I  shall  show  you 
wherein  this  submission  to  the  will  of  God 
lies.     It  lies  chiefly  in  three  things. 

(1.)  In  acknowledging  God's  hand  :  see- 
ing God  in  the  affliction,  Job  v.  6.,  "  Afflic- 
tion cometh  not  forth  of  the  dust ;"  it  comes 
not  by  chance.  Job  did  eye  God  in  all  that 
befel  him.  Job  i.  21.,  "The  Lord  hath  ta- 
ken away."  He  com])lains  not  of  the  Chal- 
deans, or  the  influence  of  the  planets ;  he 
looks  beyond  second  causes,  he  sees  God  in 
the  affliction,  "  The  Lord  hath  taken  a- 
way."  There  can  be  no  submission  to 
God's  will,  till  there  be  an  acknowledging 
of  God's  hand. 

(2.)  Patient  submission  to  God's  will 
lies  in  our  justifying  of  God,  Ps.  xxii.  2., 
O  my  God,  I  cry  unto  thee,  yet  thou  hear- 
est  not,  thou  turncst  a  deaf  ear  to  me  in 
my  affliction  ;  v.  3,,  "  But  thou  art  holy." 
God  is  holy  and  just,  not  only  when  he  pu- 
nisheth  the  wicked,  but  when  he  afflicts 
the  righteous.  Though  God  ])ut  worm- 
v/ood  in  our  cup,  yet  we  vindicate  God, 
and  proclaim  his  righteousness.  As  INIau- 
ritius  the  emperor,  when  he  saw  his  son 
slain  before  his  eyes,— Justus  es,  Domine, — 
righteous  art  thou,  O  Lord,  in  all  thy  ways. 
We  justify  God,  and  confess  he  punisli- 
eth  us  less  than  we  deserve,  Ezra  ix.  13. 
(3.)    Patient  submission   to   God's   will 


lies  in  the  accepting  of  the  punishment, 
Lev.  xxvi.  41.,  "  And  they  then  accept  of 
the  punishment  of  their  iniquity."  Accept- 
ing the  punishment :  that  is,  taking  all  that 
God  doth  in  good  part.  He  who  accepts  of 
the  punishment,  saith,  "  good  is  the  rod  of 
the  Lord;"  he  kisseth  the  rod,  yea,  blesseth 
God  that  he  would  use  such  a  merciful  se- 
verity, rather  to  afflict  him  than  to  lose  him. 
This  is  patient  submission  to  God's  will. 
This  patient  submission  to  God's  will  in 
affliction  shews  a  great  deal  of  wisdom  and 
piety.  The  skill  of  a  pilot  is  most  discern- 
ed in  a  storm,  and  a  Christian's  grace  in 
the  storm  of  affliction  ;  and  indeed  this  sub- 
mission to  God's  will  is  most  requisite  for 
us  while  we  live  here  in  this  lower  remon. 
In  heaven  there  will  be  no  need  of  patience 
more  than  there  is  need  of  the  star-lisht 
when  the  sun  shines.  In  heaven  there  will 
be  all  joy,  and  what  need  of  patience  then  .'' 
It  requires  no  patience  to  wear  a  crown  of 
gold  ;  but  while  we  live  here  in  a  valley  of 
tears,  there  needs  patient  submission  to 
God's  will,  Heb.  x.  3().,  "  Ye  have  need  of 
patience." 

1.  The  Lord  sometimes  lays  heavy  afflic- 
tion upon  us,  Ps.  xxxviii.  2.,  "  Thy  hand 
presseth  me  sore."  The  word  in  the  origi- 
nal for  afflicted  signifies  to  be  melted.  God 
sometimes  melts  his  people  in  a  furnace. 

2.  God  sometia  es  lays  divers  afflictions 
upon  us  :  Job  ix.  17.,  "  He  multiplies  my 
wound."  God  shoots  divers  sorts  of  ar- 
rows. 

(1.)  Sometimes  God  afflicts  with  pover- 
ty. The  widow  had  nothing  left  her  save 
a  pot  of  oil,  1  Kings  xvii.  12.  Poverty  is  a 
great  temptation.  To  have  an  estate  re- 
duced almost  to  nothing,  is  hard  to  flesh 
and  blood,  Ruth  i.  20,  21.,  "Call  me  not 
Naomi,  but  Mara ;  I  went  out  full,  and  the 
Lord  hath  brought  me  home  again  empty." 
This  exposeth  to  contempt.  When  the 
prodigal  was  poor,  his  brother  was  asham- 
ed to  own  him,  Luke  xv.  30.,  "  This  thy 
son ;"  he  said  not,  this  my  brother,  but, 
this  thy  son;  he  scorned  to  call  him  bro- 
ther. WJien  the  deer  is  shot  and  bleeds, 
the  rest  of  the  herd  push  it  away ;  when 
God  shoots  the  arrow  of  poverty  at  one,  o- 
thers  are  ready  to  push  him  away ;  when 
Terence  was  grown  poor,  his  friend  Scipio 


OF  THE  THIRD  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


iO: 


cast  liim  oflF.  The  muses  (Ju|)itcr's  daujj^li- 
ters)  the  poets  feign,  had  no  suitors,  be- 
cause tlicy  wanted  a  dowry. 

(2.)  God  sometimes  afflicts  with  rej»roac]i. 
Such  as  have  tlic  light  of  grace  shining  in 
them  yet  may  be  eclipsed  in  their  name. 
The  ])rimilive  Christians  ivere  reproached 
as  if  they  were  guilty  of  incest,  saith  Ter- 
tullian.  Luther  was  called  a  trumpeter  of 
rebellion.  David  calls  reproach  an  hcart- 
l)rcaking,  Ps.  Ixix.  20. ;  this  God  lets  his 
dear  saints  oft  be  exercised  with.  Dirt  may 
be  cast  uj)on  a  pearl ;  those  names  may  be 
blotted,  which  are  written  in  the  book  of 
life ;  sincerity,  though  it  shields  from  hell, 
yet  not  from  slander. 

(3.)  God  sometimes  afflicts  with  the  loss 
of  dear  relations,  Ezek.  xxiv.  IG.,  "  Son  of 
man,  behold  I  take  away  from  thee  the  de- 
sire of  thine  eyes  with  a  stroke."  This  is 
like  pulling  away  a  limb  from  the  body. 
He  takes  away  an  holy  child.  Jacob's  life 
was  bound  up  in  Benjamin,  Gen.  xliv.  30. ; 
and  that  which  puts  teeth  into  the  cross, 
and  is  worse  than  the  loss  of  children,  is, 
when  they  are  continued  as  living  crosses, — 
wliere  the  parents  expected  honey,  there  to 
have  wormwood.  What  greater  cut  to  a 
godly  parent,  than  a  child  who  disclaims 
his  father's  God?  A  corrosive  applied  to  the 
body  may  do  well,  but  a  bad  child  is  a  cor- 
rosive to  the  heart.  Such  an  undutiful  son 
had  David,  who  conspired  treason,  and 
would  not  only  have  taken  away  his  fa- 
ther's crown,  but  his  life. 

(4.)  God  sometimes  afflicts  with  infirm- 
ness  of  body  ;  scarce  a  well  day.  Sickness 
takes  away  the  comfort  of  life,  and  makes 
one  in  deaths  oft.  Thus  God  tries  his  peo- 
ple with  various  afflictions,  so  that  there 
is  need  of  patience  to  submit  to  God's 
will.  lie  who  hath  divers  bullets  shot  at 
him  needs  armour  ;  when  divers  afflictions 
assaidt,  we  need  patience  as  armour  of 
yiroof. 

3.  God  sometimes  lets  the  affliction  con- 
tinue long,  Ps.  Ixxiv.  9.  As  it  is  with  dis- 
eases, there  are  some  chronical  that  linger 
and  hang  about  the  body  several  years  to- 
gether :  so  it  is  with  affliction,  the  Lord  is 
pleased  to  exercise  many  of  his  precious 
ones  with  chronical  affliction,  such  as  lie 
upon  them  a  long  time :  so  that  in  all  these 


cases  we  need  patience  and  submissiveness 
of  sj)irit  to  (iod's  will. 

U.se  Isf.  It  rej)roves  such  as  have  not  yet 
learned  this  part  of  the  Lord's  prayer,  "  Thy 
will  l)e  done:"  tliey  have  only  said  it,  but 
not  learned  it.  If  things  be  not  according 
to  their  mind, — if  the  wind  of  providence 
crosscth  the  tide  of  their  will, — they  are 
discontented  and  fjuerulous.  Where  is  no^v 
sul)missi<)u  of  will  to  God?  To  be  displeas- 
ed with  God,  if  things  do  not  j)lease  us,  is 
this  to  lie  at  God's  feet,  and  acquiesce  in  his 
will  ?  This  is  a  very  bad  temper  of  sj)irit, 
and  CJod  may  justly  punish  us  by  lotting  us 
have  our  will.  Rachel  cried,  "  Give  me 
children  or  I  die,"  Gen.  xxx.  I. ;  God  let 
her  have  a  child,  but  it  cost  her  her  life, 
Gen.  XXXV.  18.  Israel  is  not  content  with 
manna  (angels'  food)  they  must  have  quails 
to  their  manna;  God  punished  them  b\-  let- 
ting them  have  their  will.  Num.  xi.  31., 
There  went  forth  a  wind  from  the  Lord  and 
brought  quails  ;"  v.  33.,  '  and  while  the  flesh 
was  yet  between  their  teeth,  the  wrath  of 
the  Lord  was  kindled  against  the  people, 
and  the  Lord  smote  the  people  with  a  great 
plague."  They  had  better  been  without 
their  quails,  than  had  such  sour  sauce  to 
them.  Many  have  importunately  desired 
the  life  of  a  child,  and  could  not  bring  their 
will  to  God's  to  be  content  to  part  with  it ; 
and  the  Lord  hath  punished  them  by  lettiiio- 
fhem  have  their  will ;  the  child  hath  lived 
and  been  a  burden  to  them.  Seeing  their 
wills  crossed  God,  their  child  shall  cross 
them. 

Use  2d.  Of  exhortation.     Let  us  be  ex- 
horted,  whatever  troubles  God  doth  exer- 
cise us  with,  cpquo  animo  ferre,  to  resign  up 
our  wills  to  God,   and  sav,    *'  Tliv  will  he 
done."     Which  is  fittest,   that  God  should 
bring  his  will  to  ours,  or  we  bring  our  will 
to  his?  Say  as  Eli,   I  Sam.  iii.  18.,  "  It  is 
the  Lord,    let  him  do   what  seenieth    him 
good ;"  and  as  David,  2  Sam.  xv.  26.,  "  Be- 
hold, here  am  I,  let  him  do  to  me  as  seem- 
eth  good  unto  him  !"      It  was  the  saying  of 
Ilarpulas,  placit  milii  quod  reyi  placit^  '  that, 
pleaseth  me  which  pleaseth  the  king,' — so 
should   we   say,   that  which   j)leaseth   God 
pleaseth  us,  "  Thy  will   be   done."     Some 
have  not  yet  learned  this  art  of  submission 
to  God;  and  truly  he  who  wants  patience 


496 


OF  THE  THIRD  PETITION  IN  THE  LORDS  PRAYER. 


in  aflliction,  is  like  a  soldier  in  battle  who 
•wants  armour. 

Quest.  JVhen  do  we  not,  as  we  ought,  sub- 
mit to  GocTs  7cill  in  affliction  ? 
■    Ans.  1.  AVhen  we  have  hard  thoughts  of 
God,  and  our  hearts  begin  to  swell  against 
him 

A.  2.  When  we  are  so  troubled  at  our 
present  affliction,  that  we  are  unfit  for  duty. 
We  can  mourn  as  doves,  but  not  pray  or 
praise  God.  We  are  so  discomposed,  that 
we  are  not  fit  to  hearken  to  any  good  coun- 
sel, Exod.  vi.  9.,  "  They  liearkened  not  to 
Moses  for  anguish  of  spirit."  Israel  were 
so  full  of  grief  under  their  present  burdens, 
that  they  minded  not  what  Moses  said, 
though  he  came  with  a  message  from  God 
to  them  :  "  They  hearkened  not  to  Moses 
for  anguish  of  spirit." 

A.  3.  We  do  not  submit  as  we  ought  to 
God's  will,  \vlien  we  labour  to  break  loose 
from  aflliction  by  indirect  means.  Many, 
to  rid  themselves  out  of  trouble,  run  them- 
selves into  sin  ;  when  God  hath  bound  them 
with  tlie  cords  of  aflliction,  they  go  to  the 
devil  to  loosen  their  bands.  Better  it  is  to 
stay  in  affliction,  than  to  sin  ourselves  out 
of  affliction.  O  let  us  learn  to  stoop  to  God's 
will  in  all  afflictive  providences. 

Quest.  But  how  shall  we  bring  ourselves 
to  (his  Christian  temper,  in  all  occurrences  of 
jirovidtnce,  patiently  to  acquiesce  in  God's 
Will,  and  say,  "  thy  will  be  done  ?'  ff'e  know 
not  what  trials,  personal  or  relational,  we  may 
he  exercised  with.  JVe  scan  now  to  be  under 
the  planet  Saturn,  which  hath  a  muUgnaiit  as- 
pect. Our  ship  is  steered  so  strangely,  that 
we  are  in  danger,  on  one  hand,  of  the  sands, 
on  the  other  hand,  of  the  rocks.  If  affliction 
comes,  how  shall  we  keep  a  Christian  decorum  ? 
How  shall  we  bear  things  with  eqtianimity  of 
mind,  and  say,  *'  thy  will  be  done?" 

Ans.  Tlie  means  for  a  quiet  resignation 
to  God's  will  in  affliction  are  : 

1.  Judicioiis  consideration,  Eccl.  vii.  14., 
"  In  tlie  day  of  adversity  consider."  Wlien 
any  thing  burdens  us,  or  runs  cross  to  our 
desires,  did  we  but 'sit  down  and  consider, 
and  weigh  things  in  the  balance  of  judg- 
ment, it  would  much  quiet  our  minds, 
and  subject  our  wills  to  God ;  "  in  the 
day  of  adversity  consider."  Consideration 
would  be  as  David's  harp,  to  charm  down 


the  evil  spirit  of  frowardness  and  discon- 
tent. 

Quest.  But  ichat  should  we  consider  ? 

Ans.  That  which  may  make  us  submit  to 
God  in  affliction,  and  say,  "  thy  will  be 
done,"  is, 

1st.  To  consider,  that  the  present  state  ot 
life  is  subject  to  afflictions,  as  a  seaman's 
life  is  subject  to  storms.  J'erre  quam  sortem 
omnes  patiuntur  nemo  recusal.  Job  v.  7., 
"  Man  is  born  to  trouble ;"  he  is  heir  ap- 
parent to  it ;  he  conies  into  the  world  with 
a  cry,  and  goes  out  with  a  groan.  Ed  lege 
nati  sumus.  The  world  is  a  place  where 
much  wormwood  grows.  Lam.  iii.  15.,  "  He 
hath  filled  me  with  bitterness,"  (Ileb.)  with 
bitternesses ;  lie  hath  made  me  drunk  with 
wormwood.  Troubles  arise  like  sparks  out 
of  a  furnace.  Afflictions  are  some  of  tlie 
thorns  which  the  earth  after  the  curse  brings 
forth.  We  may  as  well  think  to  stop  the 
chariot  of  the  sun  when  it  is  in  its  swift 
motion,  as  put  a  stop  to  trouble.  The  con- 
sideration of  this,  our  life  is  exposed  to 
eclipses  and  sufferings,  should  make  us  say 
with  patience,  "  thy  will  be  done."  Shall 
a  mariner  be  angry  that  he  meets  with  a 
storm  at  sea  ? 

2d.  Consideration.  God  hath  a  special 
hand  in  the  disposal  of  all  occurrences  that 
fall  out.  Job  eyed  God  in  his  affliction, 
chap.  i.  21.,  "  The  Lord  hath  taken  away." 
lie  doth  not  complain  of  the  Sabeans,  or  the 
influences  of  the  planets ;  he  looked  beyond 
all  second  causes,  he  saw  God  in  the  afflic- 
tion, and  that  made  him  cheerfully  submit, 
"  blessed  be  the  name  of  the  Lord."  And 
Christ  looked  beyond  Judas  and  Pilate,  he 
looked  to  God's  determinate  counsel  in  de- 
livering him  up  to  be  crucified.  Acts  iv.  27. ; 
this  made  him  say.  Mat.  xxvi.  39.,  Father, 
"  not  as  I  will,  but  as  thou  wilt."  It  is  vain 
to  quarrel  with  instruments  :  wicked  men 
are  but  a  rod  in  God's  hand,  Isa.  x.  5.  "  O 
Assyrian,  tlie  rod  of  mine  anger."  Whoever 
brings  an  affliction,  God  sends  it :  the  con 
sideration  of  this  would  make  us  say,  "  thy 
will  be  done ; '  what  God  doeth,  he  sees  a 
reason  for.  We  read  of  a  wlieel  within  a 
wheel,  Ezck.  i.  15.  The  outward  wheel, 
which  tiu'ns  all,  is  providence ;  the  wheel 
within  this  wheel,  is  God's  decree;  this  be- 
lieved, \vould  rock  the  heait  quieL     bhali 


OF  THE  THIRD  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


497 


we  mutiny  at  that  wliicli  God  dotli  ?  We 
may  as  well  quarrel  with  the  works  of  crea- 
tion, as  the  works  of  j)rovitlciice. 

Bd.  Consideration,  wliich  may  make  us 
humhly  submit  to  God's  will,  is,  that  there 
is  a  necessity  of  affliction,  1  Pet.  i.  6.,  "  (if 
need  be)  ye  are  in  heaviness."  It  is  need- 
ful some  things  be  kept  in  brine  :  afflictions 
are  needful  upon  several  accounts. 

1.  To  keep  us  humble.  Oft-times  there 
is  no  other  way  to  have  the  heart  low,  but 
by  being  brought  low ;  2  Chron.  xxxiii. 
12.,  when  INIanasseh  "was  in  affliction  he 
humbled  himself  greatly."  Corrections  are 
corrosives  to  eat  out  the  proud  flesh,  Lam. 
iii.  19.,  "Remembering  mine  affliction  and 
my  misery,  the  Avormwood  and  the  gall, 
my  soul  is  humbled  in  me." 

2.  It  is  necessary  that  there  should  be 
affliction,  for  if  God  did  not  sometimes 
bring  us  into  affliction,  how  could  his  power 
be  seen  in  bringing  us  out  ?  Had  not  Is- 
rael been  in  the  Eg}'ptian  furnace,  God  had 
lost  his  glory  in  their  deliverance. 

3.  If  there  were  no  affliction,  then  many 
parts  of  scripture  could  not  be  fulfilled. 
God  hath  promised  to  help  us  to  bear  afflic- 
tion, Ps.  xxxvii.  24,  39. ;  how  could  we  ex- 
perience God's  supporting  us  in  trouble,  if 
we  did  not  sometimes  meet  with  it  ?  God 
hath  ]n*omised  to  give  us  joy  in  affliction, 
John  xvi.  -20. ;  how  could  we  taste  this  ho- 
ney of  joy,  if  we  were  not  sometimes  in  af- 
fliction ?  Again,  God  hath  promised  to 
wipe  away  tears  from  our  eyes,  Isa.  xxv.  8. ; 

•  how  could  God  wipe  away  our  tears  in  hea- 
ven, if  we  never  shed  any  ?  So  that,  in 
several  respects,  there  is  an  absolute  neces- 
sity that  we  should  meet  with  affliction. 
And  shall  not  we  quietly  submit  ?  and  say, 
"  Lord,  I  see  there  is  a  necessity  of  it ;  '  thy 
will  be  done.' " 

it/i.  Consideration,  to  make  us  submit 
to  God's  will  in  affliction,  is,  that  whatever 
we  feel,  it  is  nothing  but  what  we  have 
brought  upon  ourselves  ;  we  ])ut  a  rod  in- 
to God's  hand  to  chastise  us.  Christian, 
God  lays  thy  cross  on  thee,  but  it  is  of  thy 
own  making.  If  a  man's  field  be  full  of 
tares,  it  is  nothing  but  what  he  hath  sown 
in  it ;  if  thou  reapcst  a  bitter  crop  of  afflic- 
tion, it  is  nothing  but  wlir.t  thou  thyself 
hast  sown.     The  cords  that  pincli  thee  aie 


of  thy  own  twisting  ;  jne  me  ndsum  qui  feci  ! 
If  children  will  eat  green  fruit,  they  may 
thank  themselves  if  they  are  sick  ;  if  we 
eat  the  forbidden  fruit,  no  wonder  we  feel 
it  gripe.  Sin  is  the  Trojan  horse  that  lands 
an  army  of  afflictions  upon  us;  Jer.  iv.  15., 
"  A  voice  publisheth  afflieti(m  ;"  v.  18., 
"  Thy  way  and  thy  doings  have  procured 
these  things  unto  thee;  this  is  thy  wicked- 
ness." If  we  by  sin  run  ourselves  into  ar- 
rears with  God,  no  wonder  if  he  set  afflic- 
tion as  a  sergeant  on  our  back  to  arrest  us. 
This  may  make  us  patiently  submit  to  God 
in  affliction,  and  say,  "  Thy  will  be  done." 
AVe  have  no  cause  to  complain  of  God,  it 
is  nothing  but  what  our  sins  have  merited ; 
Jer.  ii.  17.,  "  Hast  not  thou  procured  this 
unto  thyself?"  The  cross,  though  it  be  of 
God's  laying,  it  is  of  our  own  making  ;  say 
then,  as  INlicah  vii.  9.,  "  I  will  bear  the  in- 
dignation of  the  Lord,  because  I  have  sin- 
ned against  him." 

bill.  Consideration,  to  cause  submission 
to  God's  in  affliction,  God  is  now  about  to 
make  an  exj)eriment,  he  doth  it  to  prove 
and  try  us,  Ps.  Ixvi.  10,  11.,  "Thou,  O 
God,  hast  tried  us  as  silver  is  tried,  thou 
laidst  affliction  upon  our  loins."  If  there 
were  no  affliction,  how  should  God  have' 
an  opportunity  to  try  men  ?  Hypocrites  can 
sail  in  a  pleasure-boat,  serve  God  in  pro- 
sperity ;  but  when  we  can  keep  close  to  God 
in  times  of  danger, — when  we  can  trust 
God  when  we  have  no  pawn,  and  love  God 
when  we  have  no  smile, — here  is  the  trial 
of  sincerity  !  This  may  make  us  say,  "  thy 
will  be  done  !"  God  is  only  trying  us ;. 
what  hurt  is  in  that?  What  is  the  gold, 
the  worse  of  being  tried  ? 

Gill.  Consideration,  to  make  us  submit  to 
God  in  affliction,  and  say,  "  thy  will  be 
done,"  is,  that  in  all  our  crosses  God  liath 
a  kindness  for  us.  As  there  was  no  night 
so  dark  but  Israel  had  a  jdllar  of  fire  to 
give  light,  so  there  is  no  condition  so  clou- 
dy, but  we  may  see  that  wliich  givas  light 
of  comfort.  David  would  '*  sing  of  mercy 
and  judgment,"  Ps.  ci.  1.  Tiiis  may  make 
our  wills  cheerfully  submit  to  God's,  to 
consider  in  every  path  of  providence  we 
may  see  a  footstep  of  kindness. 

Olest.    jy/ait  liiudness  is  there  in  ajfflie^ 
tiouy  icheu  (Jud  seems  most  ujdiind  ? 
3R 


498 


OF  THE  THIRD  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


and   shall 
we  quarrel 


Ans.  1.  There  is  Ivindnoss  in  affliction, 
in  that  there  is  love  in  it.  God's  rod,  and 
God's  love  may  stand  together,  Heb.  xii.  6., 
"  Whom  the  Lord  loveth  he  chasteneth," 
— whom  he  coclcereth  above  the  rest,  so 
Mercer.  As  Abraham,  when  he  lift  up  his 
hand  to  sacrifice  Isaac,  loved  him  ;  so  when 
God  afflicts  his  people,  and  seems  to  sacri- 
fice their  outward  comforts,  yet  he  loves 
them  ;  the  husbandman  loves  his  vine,  when 
he  cuts  it  and  makes  it  bleed ; 
not  we  submit  to  God  ?  shall 
with  thkt  which  hath  kindness  in  it,  which 
comes  in  love  ?  The  chirurg-eon  binds  the 
patient,  and  lanceth  him,  but  no  wise  man 
will  quarrel  with  the  cliirurgeon,  it  is  in 
lov^e,  and  in  order  to  a  cure. 

A.  2.  There  is  kindness  in  affliction,  in 
that  God  deals  with  us  now  as  children, 
Heb.  xii.  7.,  "  If  ye  endure  chastening,  God 
deals  with  you  as  sons."  God  hath  one 
Son  without  sin,  but  no  son  without  stripes. 
Affliction  is  a  badge  of  adoption  ;  it  is  Dei 
sigillian,  saith  Tertullian  ;  it  is  God's  seal 
by  which  he  marks  us  for  his  own.  When 
Munster,  that  holy  man,  lay  sick,  his  friends 
asked  him  how  he  did?  He  pointed  to  his 
sores,  saying,  II<s  simt  gemmoi  Dei, — these 
are  the  jewels  with  which  God  decks  his 
children.  Shall  not  we  then  say,  "  thy  will 
be  done?"  Lord,  there's  kindness  in  the 
cross,  thou  usest  us  as  children  !  The  rod 
of  discipline  is  to  fit  us  for  the  inheritance. 

A.  3.  There  is  kindness,  that  God  hath, 
in  all  our  afflictions,  left  us  a  promise ;  in 
the  most  cloudy  providences,  the  promise 
appears  as  a  rain-bow  in  the  cloud. 

(1.)  Then  we  shall  have  God's  promise 
with  us,  Ps.  xci.  15.,  "  I  will  be  with  him 
in  trouble,"  It  cannot  be  ill  with  that  man 
with  whom  God  is.  I  Avill  be  with  him, 
i.  e.  to  support,  sanctify,  sweeten;  God's 
presence  is  a  sweetening  ingredient  into  e- 
very  affliction.  I  had  rather  be  in  prison, 
and  have  God's  presence,  than  be  in  a  pa- 
lace, and  want  it. 

(2.)  Promise,  that  he  will  lay  no  more 
upon  us  than  he  will  enable  us  to  bear, 
1  Cor.  X.  13.  God  will  not  try  us  beyond 
our  strength ;  either  God  will  make  the 
yoke  lighter,  or  our  faith  stronger ;  may 
not  this  make  us  submit  our  wills  to  God, 
when  afflictions  have  so  much  kindness  in 


them  ?  In  all  our  trials,  God  hath  left  lis 
promises  which  are  like  manna  in  the  wii- 
derness. 

A.  4.  This  is  great  kindness,  that  all  the 
troubles  that  befall  us  shall  be  for  our  pro- 
fit, Heb.  xii.  10.,  "  He  for  our  profit." 

Quest.  But  what  jjrojit  is  in  affliction  ? 

Ans.  1.  Afflictions  are  disciplinary,  they 
teach  us, — Sc/iola  crucis,  schola  lucis.  ]Ma- 
ny  psalms  have  this  inscription, — Maschil, 
— '  a  psalm  giving  instruction  :'  affliction 
may  have  this  inscription  upon  it, — Mas- 
cliil, — an  affliction  giving  instruction  ;  Mi- 
cah  vi.  9.,  "  Hear  ye  the  rod."  Luther 
saith,  he  could  never  rightly  understand 
some  of  the  psalms,  till  he  was  in  affliction  ; 
Judges  viii.  16.,  "  Gideon  took  thorns  of 
the  wilderness,  and  briars,  and  with  them  he 
taught  the  men  of  Succoth  :"  God  by  the 
thorns  and  briars  of  affliction  teacheth  us. 

(1.)  Affliction  shews  us  more  of  our  own 
hearts  than  ever.  W^ater  in  a  glass-vial 
looks  clear,  but  set  it  on  the  fire,  and  the 
scum  boils  up ;  when  God  sets  us  upon  the 
fire,-  then  we  see  that  corruption  boils  up 
which  Ave  did  not  discern  before.  Sliai-p 
afflictions  are  to  the  soul  as  a  soaking  rain 
to  the  houses,  we  know  not  that  there  are 
such  holes  in  the  house  till  the  shower 
comes,  and  then  Ave  see  it  drop  doAvn  here 
and  there ;  so,  Ave  before  did  not  know  that 
there  were  such  unmortified  lusts  in  the 
soul,  till  the  storm  of  affliction  comes,  then 
Ave  spy  unbelief,  impatience,  carnal  fear, 
Ave  see  it  drop  down  in  many  j)laces.  Thus 
affliction  is  a  sacred  coU^rium,  it  clears  our 
eye-sight ;  the  rod  giAes  Avisdom. 

(2.)  Affliction  brings  tliose  sins  to  re- 
membrance Avhich  before  Ave  buried  in  the 
grave  of  forgetfulness.  Joseph's  brethren, 
for  twenty  years  together,  Avere  not  at  all 
troubled  for  their  sin  in  selling  their  bro- 
ther ;  but  Avhen  they  came  into  Egypt,  and 
began  to  be  in  straits,  then  their  sin  in  sell- 
insT  their  brother  came  into  their  remem- 
brance,  and  their  hearts  did  smite  them, 
Gen.  xlii.  21.,  "  They  said  one  to  another, 
Ave  are  A'crily  guilty  concerning  our  bro- 
ther." When  a  man  is  in  distress,  now  lils 
sin  comes  fresh  into  his  mind;  conscience 
makes  a  rehearsal-sermon  of  all  the  evils 
Avhich  have  passed  in  his  life ;  now  his  ex- 
pense of  precious  time,  his  sabbath-break- 


or  THE  IHIllD  PETI'lION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


inc",  liis  slip^litiiif^  of  tlie  word,  come  into 
his  renieinbraiico,  and  he  p^ocs  out  with  Pe- 
ter and  weeps  bitterly.  Tims  the  rod  gives 
wisdom,  it  shews  the  liidden  evil  of  tlie 
/leart,  and  brings  former  sins  to  remem- 
brance. 

A.  2.  There  is  profit  in  affliction   as   it 
quickens  a  spirit  of  prayer, — premuntur  jtis- 
ti  lit  pre.ssi  clament.     Jonah  was  asleep  in 
the  sliip,  but  at  prayer  in  the  whale's  belly. 
Perhaps,  in  a  time  of  health  and  prosperity, 
we  prayed  in  a  cold  and  formal  manner, — 
we  put  no  coals  to  the  incense, — we  did 
scarce  mind  our  own  prayers, — and  how 
should  God  mind  them  ?     Now,  God  sends 
some  cross  or  other  to  make  us  stir  up  our- 
selves to  take  liold  of  God.     When  Jacob 
was  in  fear  of  his  life  by  his  brother,  then 
lie  wrestles  with  God,  and  weeps  in  pi'ayei', 
and  would  not  leave  God   till  he  blessed 
liim,  IIos.  xii.  4.     It  is  with  many  of  God's 
cliildren,  as  witli  those  who  formerly  had 
the  sweating  sickness  in  this  land,  it  was  a 
sleep)'^  disease,  if  they  slept  they  died;  there- 
fore to  keep  them  waking,  they  were  smit- 
ten with  rosemary  brandies  ;  so,  tlie  Lord, 
useth   affliction   as   a  rosemary  branch   to 
keep  us  from  sleeping,   and   to  awaken  a 
spirit  of  prayer,  Isa.  xxvi.  16.,  "  They  pour- 
ed out  a  prayer,  when  thy  chastening  hand 
was  upon  them  ;"  now  their  prayer  pierced 
the  heavens.     In  times  of  trouble  we  pray 
feelingly ;  and  we  never  pray  so  fervently 
as  when  we  pray  feelingly  ;  and,  is  not  this 
for  our  profit  ? 

A.  3.  Affliction  is  for  our  profit,  as  it  is 
a  means  to  expectorate  and  purge  out  our 
sins,  Isa.  xxvii.  9.,  "  By  this  therefore  shall 
the  iniquity  of  Jacob  be  purged."  Afflic- 
tion is  God's  })hysic  to  expel  the  noxious 
humour  ;  it  cures  the  imposthume  of  pride, 
the  fever  of  lust ;  and,  is  not  this  for  our 
profit  ?  Affliction  is  God's  file  to  fetch  off 
our  rust,  his  flail  to  thrash  off  our  husks  : 
the  water  of  affliction  is  not  to  drown  us, 
but  to  wash  off  our  spots. 

A.  4.  To  be  under  the  black  rod  is  pro- 
fitable, in  that  herebv  we  ci'ow  more  se- 
rious,  and  are  more  careful  to  clear  our  e- 
vidences  for  heaven.  In  times  of  prosperi- 
ty,— "  when  the  rock  poured  me  out  rivers 
of  oil,"  Job  xxix.  6., — we  were  careless  in 
getting,  at  least  clearing  our  titlo  to  glory.  ' 


Had  many  no  better  evidences  for  their 
land,  than  they  have  for  their  salvation, 
they  were  but  in  an  ill  case ;  but  when  an 
hour  of  trouble  comes,  we  begin  to  look  af- 
ter our  s]ii ritual  evidences,  and  see  how 
things  stand  between  God  and  our  souls; 
and,  is  it  not  for  our  profit  to  see  our  inte- 
rest in  Christ  more  cleared  than  ever  ? 

A.  5.  Affliction  is  for  our  profit,  as  it  is 
a    means   to   take    us    more    off  from    the 
woild  ;  the  world  oft  proves  not  only  a  spi- 
der's ^veb,  but  a  cockatrice  egg ;  pernicious 
worldly  things  are  great  enchantments,  they 
are  ret'tnacuki  spci,  Tertul.     They  hinder 
us  in  our  ])assage  to  heaven.     If  a  clock  be 
overwound,   it   stands  still ;  so,   when  the 
heart  is  wound  up  too  much  to  the  world, 
it  stands  still  to  heavenly  things.     Afflic- 
tion sounds  a  retreat  to  call  us  off  the  im- 
moderate pursuit  of  earthly  things ;  when 
things  arc  frozen,  and  congealed  together, 
the  only  way  to  separate  them,  is,  by  fire  : 
so,  when  the  heart  and  the  world  are  con- 
goai(:d  together,  God  hath  no  better  way  to 
separate  them  than  by  the  fire  of  affliction. 
A.  6.  Affliction  is  for  our  profit,  as  it  is 
a  refiner  ;  it  works  us  to  further  degrees  of 
sanctitj',  Heb.  xii.  10.,  "  He  for  our  profit, 
that  we  might  be  partakers  of  his  holiness." 
The  vessels  of  mercy  are  the  brighter  for 
scouring;  you  pour  water   on   your  linen 
when  you  would  whiten  it :   God  pours  the 
waters  of  affliction  upon  us,  to  lay  our  souls 
a-whitcning.     The   leaves   of  the  fig-tree, 
and  root  are  bitter,  but  the  fruit  is  sweet ; 
afflictions  are  in  themselves  bitter,  but  they 
bring  forth  the  sweet  fruits  of  righteous- 
ness, Ileb.  xii.  11. :  This  may  make  us  sub- 
mit to  Cod,  and  say,  "  Thy  will  be  done ;" 
there's  kindness  in  affliction,  it  is  for  our 
spiritual  profit. 

A.  7.  There's  kindness  in  affliction,  ia 
that  there  is  no  condition  so  bad,  but  it 
might  be  worse  :  when  it  is  duskish  it  might 
be  darker.  God  doth  not  make  our  cross 
so  heavy  as  he  might ;  he  doth  not  stir  up 
all  his  anger,  Ps.  Ixxviii.  38.  He  dotli  not 
put  so  many  nails  in  our  yoke,  so  much 
wormwood  in  our  cup,  as  he  might.  Doth 
God  chastise  thy  body  ?  He  might  torture 
thy  conscience.  Doth  he  cut  thee  short  .'* 
lie  miffht  cut  thee  off.  The  Lord  might 
make  our  chains  heavier.     Is  it  a  burning 


500 


OF  THE  THIRD  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


fever  ?  It  might  have  been  the  burning 
lake.  Doth  God  use  the  pruning  knife  to 
lop  thee  ?  He  might  bring  liis  axe  to  l)e\v 
thee  down.  Ezek.  xlvii.  3.,  "  The  waters 
were  up  to  the  ankles."  Do  the  waters 
of  affliction  come  up  to  the  ankles ;  God 
might  make  them  rise  higher ;  nay,  lie 
might  drown  thee  in  the  waters.  This  may 
make  us  submit  quietly,  and  say,  "  Thy 
will  be  done,"  because  tliere  is  so  much 
kindness  in  it ;  whereas  God  useth  the  rod, 
he  might  use  the  scorpion. 

A.  8.  There  is  kindness  in  affliction,  in 
that  your  case  is  not  so  bad  as  others  ;  tliey 
are  always  upon  the  rack,  they  spend  tlieir 
"  years  with  sighing,"  Ps.  xxxi.  10.  Have 
you  a  gentle  fit  of  the  ague  ?  Otliers  cry 
out  of  the  stone  and  strangulation.  Do  you 
bear  the  wrath  of  men  ?  Others  bear  the 
wrath  of  God.  You  have  but  a  single 
trial  :  others  have  them  twisted  together. 
God  shoots  but  one  arrow  at  you,  he  shoots 
a  shower  of  arrows  at  others.  Is  there  not 
kindness  in  all  this  ?  We  are  apt  to  say, 
never  any  suffered  as  we  !  ^Vas  it  not 
worse  with  Lazarus,  who  was  so  full  of 
sores,  that  the  dogs  took  pity  on  him,  and 
licked  his  sores  ?  Nay,  was  it  not  worse 
with  Christ,  who  lived  poor,  and  died  curs- 
ed ?  May  not  this  cause  us  to  say,  "  thy 
will  be  done  ?"  There  is  kindness  in  it, 
that  God  deals  not  so  severely  with  us  as 
with  others. 

A.  9.  There  is  kindness  in  affliction,  in 
that  (if  we  belong  to  God)  it  is  all  the  hell 
we  shall  have.  Some  have  two  hells, — they 
suffer  in  their  body  and  conscience, — here 
is  one  hell ;  and  another  hell  is  to  come, 
unquenchable  fire.  Judas  had  two  hells, 
but  a  child  of  God  hath  but  one  hell.  La- 
zarus had  all  his  hell  here :  he  was  full  of 
sores,  but  had  a  convoy  of  angels  to  carry 
him  to  heaven  wlien  he  died.  Say  then, 
*'  Lo,  if  this  be  the  worst  I  shall  have,  if 
this  be  all  my  hell,  I  will  patiently  acqui- 
esce, "  Thy  will  be  done  !" 

A.  10.  There  is  kindness,  in  that  God 
gives  gracious  supports  in  affliction.  If  he 
strikes  with  one  hand  he  will  support  with 
the  other  ;  Deut.  xxxiii.  27.,  "  Underneath 
are  the  everlasting  arms."  Tiion*  is  not 
the  least  trial,  but  if  God  would  desert  us, 
aud  not  assist  us  with  his  grace,  we  should 


sink  under  it, — the  frown  of  a  great  man, 
— the  fear  of  reproach  :  Peter  was  frighted 
at  the  voice  of  a  maid,  Mat.  xxvi.  69.  O 
therefore,  what  mercy  is  it  to  have  Christ 
strengthen  us,  and  as  it  were  bear  the  hea 
viest  part  of  the  cross  with  us  !     One  said, 

1  have  no  ravishing  joys  in  my  sickness, 
but  I  bless  God,  I  have  sweet  supports  : 
and  should  not  this  cause  submission  to 
God's  will,  and  make  us  say,  Lo,  if  thou 
art  so  kind  as  to  bear  us  up  in  affliction, 
that  we  do  not  faint,  put  us  into  what  wine- 
press thou  pleasest,  "Thy  will  be  done  !" 

,  11.  There  is  kindness  in  affliction,  in  that 
it  is  preventive. 

(1.)  God  by  this  stroke  of  his  would  pre- 
vent some  sin.  Paul's  "  thorn  in  the  flesh" 
was  to  prevent  his  being  lifted  up  in  pride, 

2  Cor.  xii.  7.  As  affliction  is  sometimes 
sent  for  the  punishing  of  sin,  so  sometimes 
for  the  preventing  of  sin.  Prosperity  ex- 
poses to  much  evil  ;  it  is  hard  to  carry  a 
full  cup  without  spilling,  and  a  full  estate 
without  sinning.  God's  people  know  not 
how  much  they  are  beholden  to  their  afflic- 
tion ;  they  might  have  fallen  into  some 
scandal,  had  not  God  set  a  hedge  of  tiiorns 
in  their  way  to  stop  them.  What  kindness 
is  this  ?  God  lets  us  fall  into  sufferings,  to 
prevent  falling  into  snares  ;  say  then,  Lord, 
do  as  it  seems  good  in  thy  sight,  "  Thy  will 
be  done." 

(2.)  God  by  affliction  would  prevent 
damnation,  1  Cor.  xi.  32.,  "  We  are  chas- 
tened of  the  Lord,  that  we  should  not  be 
condemned  with  the  world."  A  man,  by 
falling  into  the  briars,  is  saved  from  falling 
into  the  river :  God  lets  us  fall  into  the 
briars  of  affliction,  that  we  may  not  drown 
in  perdition.  It  is  a  great  favour  when  a 
lesser  punishment  is  inflicted,  to  prevent  a 
greater.  Is  it  not  clemency  in  the  judge, 
when  he  lays  some  light  penalty  on  tlie  pri- 
soner, and  saves  his  life  ?  so,  wlien  God 
lays  upon  us  light  affliction,  and  saves  us 
from  wrath  to  come.  As  Pilate  said,  Luke 
xxiii.  16.,  "I  will  therefi)re  chastise  )iim, 
and  release  liim  :"  so  God  chustiseth  his 
children,  and  lets  them  go,  frees  them  from 
eternal  torment.  What  is  tlie  droj)  of  sor- 
row, the  godly  taste,  to  that  sea  of  wrath 
the  wicked  shall  he  drinkinir  of  to  all  eter- 
nity  '     O   ^\•hat   kindness    is    here  !     May 


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507 


not  tliis  make  us  say,  "  Thy  will  be  done  ?" 
It  is  preventing  j>liysic. 

A.  12.  Tlioie  is  kindness,  in  lliat  God 
dotli  mix  his  providences  ;  Hal),  iii.  2.,  In 
anger  he  remembers  mercy.  Not  all  jiure 
gall,  but  some  honey  mixed  with  it.  A- 
sher's  shoos  were  iron  and  brass,  but  his 
foot  was  dipped  in  oil,  Dent,  xxxiii.  2i. 
Affliction  is  the  shoe  of  brass,  but  God 
causeth  the  foot  to  be  dipped  in  oil.  As 
the  limner  mixeth  with  his  dark  shadows 
bright  colours,  so  the  wise  God  mingles  the 
dark  and  bright  colours,  crosses  and  bless- 
ings. The  body  is  afflicted,  but  within  is 
peace  of  conscience ;  there  is  a  blessing. 
Joseph  was  sold  into  Egypt,  and  put  in 
prison ;  there  was  the  dark  side  of  the 
cloud.  Job  lost  all  that  ever  he  had,  his 
skin  was  clothed  with  boils  and  ulcers ; 
here  wits  a  sad  providence.  But  God  gave 
a  tcj^timouy  from  heaven  of  Job's  integrity, 
and  did  afterwards  double  his  estate.  Job 
xlii.  10.,  "The  Lord  gave  Job  twice  as 
much  ;"  here  was  the  goodness  of  God  seen 
towards  Job.  God  doth  chequer  his  works 
of  providence,  and  shall  not  we  submit  and 
say.  Lord,  if  thou  art  so  kind,  mixing  so 
many  bright  colours  with  my  dark  condi- 
tion, "  thy  will  be  done." 

A.  13.  There  is  kindness  in  affliction,  in 
that  God  doth  moderate  his  stroke,  Jer.  xxx. 
II.,  "  I  will  correct  thee  in  measure."  God 
will  in  the  day  of  his  east-wind  stay  his 
rough  wind,  Isa.  xxvii.  8.  The  physician 
that  understands  the  crisis  and  temper  of 
the  patient  will  not  give  too  strong  physic 
for  the  body,  nor  will  he  give  one  drachm 
or  scruple  too  much  :  God  knows  our  frame, 
he  will  not  over-afflict,  he  will  not  stretch 
the  strings  of  his  viol  too  hard,  lest  they 
break.  And  is  there  no  kindness  in  all 
this  ?  May  not  this  work  our  hearts  to  sub- 
mission ?  Lord,  if  thou  usest  so  much  gen- 
tleness, and  correctest  in  measure,  "  thy 
will  be  done !" 

A.  14.  There  is  kindness  in  affliction,  in 
that  God  often  sweetens  it  with  divine  con- 
solation :  2  Cor.  i.  4.,  "  Who  comfortcth  us 
in  all  our  tribulation."  After  a  bitter  po- 
tion, a  lump  of  sugar.  God  comforts  in  af- 
fliction. 

(I.)  Partly  by  his  word,  Ps.  cxix.  50^ 
"  This  is  my  comfort  in  my  affliction,  for 


thy  word  hath  quickened  me."     llie  pro- 
mises of  the  word  are  a  shop  of  cordials. 

(2.)  God  comforts  by  his  Spirit.  Philip, 
langrave  of  Hesse,  said,  that  in  his  troubles, 
Se  (liuinas  martyrum  consulationes  sensisse^ — 
he  felt  the  divine  consolations  of  the  mar- 
tyrs. David  had  his  pilgrimage-songs,  Ps. 
cxix.  54.,  and  St.  Paul  his  prison-songs. 
Acts  iv.  25.  Thus  God  candies  our  worm- 
wood with  sugar,  and  makes  us  gather 
grapes  off  thorns.  Some  of  the  saints  have 
such  ravishing  joys  in  affliction,  that  they 
had  rather  endure  their  sufferings  than  want 
their  comforts.  O  how  much  kindness  is 
in  the  cross  ?  In  the  belly  of  this  lion  is  an 
honey-comb.  May  not  this  make  us  cheer- 
fully submit  to  God's  will,  when  God  lines 
the  yoke  with  comfort,  and  gives  us  honey 
at  the  end  of  the  rod  ? 

A.  15.  There  is  kindness  in  affliction,  in 
that  God  doth  curtail  and  shorten  it.  He 
will  not  let  it  lie  on  too  long,  Isa.  Ivii. 
16.,  "  I  will  not  contend  for  ever,  for  the 
spirit  should  fail  before  me."  God  will  give 
his  people  a  writ  of  ease,  and  proclaim  a 
year  of  jubilee  ;  the  wicked  may  plough  upon 
the  backs  of  the  saints,  but  God  will  cut  their 
traces,  Ps.  cxxix.  4.  The  goldsmith  will 
not  let  his  gold  lie  any  longer  in  the  fur- 
nace than  till  it  be  purified.  The  wicked 
must  drink  a  sea  of  wrath,  but  the  godly 
have  only  a  cup  of  affliction,  Isa.  li.  17., 
and  God  will  say,  "  Let  this  cup  pass  a- 
way."  Affliction  may  be  compared  to  frost, 
it  will  break,  and  spring-flowers  will  come 
on,  Isa.  XXXV.  10.,  *'  Sorrow  and  sighing 
shall  flee  away."  Affliction  hath  a  sting, 
but  withal  a  wing, — sorrow  shall  fly  away, 
— this  land-flood  shall  be  dried  up.  If 
then  there  be  so  much  kindness  in  the 
cross,  God  will  cause  a  cessation  of  trou- 
ble :  say  then  Jiat  voluntas  tua,  "  thy  will 
be  done*" 

A.  16.  Tliere  is  kindness  in  affliction,  in 
that  it  is  a  means  to  make  us  happy.  Job  v, 
17.,  "  Behold,  happy  is  the  man  whom  GoJ 
correcteth."  This  seems  strange  to  flesh 
and  blood,  that  affliction  should  make  one 
happy.  When  Moses  saw  the  bush  burn- 
ing and  not  consumed,  "  I  will  (saith  he) 
turn  aside  and  see  this  great  sight,"  Exod. 
iii.  3.:  so  here  a  strange  sight,  a  man  af- 
flicted, yet  happy.     The  world  counts  them 


502 


OF  THE  THIRD  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


liappy  wlio  can  escape  affliction,  but  happy 
is  the  man  whom  God  correctcth. 

Quest.  But  how  do  afflictions  contribute  to 
our  happiness  ? 

Ans.  1.  As  they  are  a  means  to  bring  us 
nearer  to  God  ?  The  loadstone  of  prosperity 
dotl)  not  draw  us  so  near  to  God,  as  the 
cords  of  affliction ;  when  the  prodigal  was 
pinched  with  want  then  saith  he,  "  I  will 
arise  and  go  to  my  father,"  Luke  xv.  18. 
The  deluge  brought  the  dove  to  the  ark  : 
the  floods  of  sorrow  make  us  hasten  to  Christ. 

A.  2,  Afflictions  make  us  happy,  as  they 
are  manuductions  to  glory.  The  storm 
drives  the  ship  »nto  the  harbour  :  happy  is 
that  storm  which  drives  the  soul  into  the 
heavenly  harbour.  Is  it  not  better  to  go 
through  affliction  to  glory,  than  through 
pleasure  to  misery  ?  Not  that  afflictions 
merit  glory, — no  cross  ever  merited,  but 
that  which  Christ  endured, — but  tliey  do 
disponere,  and  prepare  us  for  glory.  Think, 
O  Christian,  what  affliction  leads  to,  it  leads 
to  paradise,  where  are  rivers  of  pleasure 
always  running ;  may  not  this  make  us 
cheerfully  submit  to  God's  will,  and  say. 
Lord,  if  there  be  so  much  kindness  in  af- 
fliction, if  all  thou  doest  is  to  make  us  hap- 
py, "  thy  will  be  done  !" 

Ith.  Consideration,  it  is  God's  ordinary 
course,  to  keep  liis  people  to  a  bitter  diet- 
drink,  and  exercise  them  with  great  trials. 
Affliction  is  the  beaten  road  all  the  saints 
have  gone  in  ;  the  lively  stones  in  the  spi- 
ritual buihling  have  been  all  hewn  and  po- 
lished ;  Christ's  lily  hath  grown  among  the 
thorns,  2  Tim.  iii.  12.,  "  All  tliat  will  live 
godly  in  Christ  Jesus  shall  suffer  persecu- 
tion." 'Tis  too  much  for  a  Christum  to 
liave  two  heavens,  that  is  more  than  Christ 
had.  It  hath  been  ever  the  lot  of  the  saints 
to  encounter  with  sore  trials :  both  of  the 
prophets,  James  v.  10.,  "  Take,  my  brethren 
the  prophets  for  an  example  of  suffering  af- 
fliction :"  and  of  the  apostles, — Peter  was 
crucified  with  his  head  downward,  James 
beheaded  by  Herod,  John  banished  into  the 
isle  of  Patmos,  the  apostle  Thomas  thrust 
thx'ough  with  a  spear,  Matthias  (who  was 
chosen  apostle  in  Judas's  I'oom)  was  stoned 
to  death,  Luke,  the  evangelist,  hanged  on 
an  olive-tree.  Those  saints,  of  whom  the 
wofld  was  not  worthy,  did  pass  mider  the 


rod,  Heb.  xi.  36.  Christ's  kingdom  is  reg' 
num  crucis,  this  is  the  way  God  hath  alwavs 
gone  in  :  such  as  God  intends  to  save  from 
hell,  yet  he  doth  not  save  from  the  cross. 
The  consideration  of  this  should  quiet  our 
minds  in  affliction,  and  make  us  say,  "  thy 
will  be  done."  Do  we  think  God  will  alter 
his  course  of  providence  for  us  ?  Why  should 
we  look  for  exemption  from  trouble,  more 
than  others  ?  Why  should  we  think  to  tread 
only  upon  roses  and  violets,  when  prophets 
and  aj)ostles  have  marched  through  the 
briars  to  heaven  ? 

8//i.  Consideration,  God  hath  done  that  for 
thee,  Christian,  which  may  make  thee  con- 
tent to  suffer  any  thing  at  his  hand,  and  say, 
"  thy  will  be  done." 

(1.)  He  hath  adopted  thee  for  his  child. 
David  thought  it  no  small  honour  to  be  the 
king's  son-in-law,  I  Sam.  xviii.  18.  What 
an  honour  is  it  to  derive  thy  pedigree  from 
heaven,  to  be  born  of  God?  Why  then  art 
thou  troubled,  and  murmurest  at  every 
slight  cross  ?  As  Jonadab  said  to  Amnon, 
2  Sam.  xiii.  4.,  "  Wiiy  art  thou,  being  the 
king's  son,  lean  ?"  So,  why  art  thou,  who 
art  son  or  daughter  to  the  king  of  heaven, 
troubled  at  these  petty  things  ?  What  I  the 
king's  son,  and  look  lean  !  This  may  quiet 
thy  spirit,  and  bring  thy  will  to  God's ;  he 
hath  dignified  thee  with  honour,  he  hath 
made  thee  his  son  and  heir,  and  will  entail 
a  kingdom  on  thee. 

(2.)  God  hath  given  thee  Christ.  Christ 
is  connmmis  thesaurus, — a  magazine  or  store- 
house of  all  heavenly  treasure,— a  pearl  of 
price  to  enrich,  a  tree  of  life  to  quicken,-  - 
he  is  the  quintessence  of  all  blessings  :  why 
then  art  thou  discontented  at  thy  worldly 
crosses  ?  Tiiey  cannot  be  so  bitter  as  Christ 
is  sweet.  As  Seneca  said  once  to  Polybius, 
"  Why  dost  thou  complain  of  hard  fortune, 
salvo  Ccesare!  Is  not  Ca*sar  thy  friend?" 
So,  is  not  Christ  thy  friend  ?  lie  can  never  be 
poor  who  hath  a  mine  of  gold  in  his  field  ;  nor 
he  who  hath  the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ. 
Say  then.  Lord,  "  thy  will  be  done  ;"  though 
I  have  my  cross,  yet  I  have  Christ  with  it. 
The  cross  may  make  me  weep,  but  Christ 
wij)es  off  all  tears,  Wvx.  vii.  17. 

(3.)  God  hath  given  thee  grace.  Grace 
is  the  rich  eml)roidery  and  workmanship  of 
the  Holy  Ghost;  it  is  the  sacred  unction. 


OF  THE  THIRD  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


503 


1  Jolin  ii.  27.  Tlic  jjraccs  are  a  cliaiii  of 
pearl  to  adorn,  ami  beds  of  spices  wliicli 
make  us  a  sweet  odour  to  God ;  grace  is  a 
distin<yuisliing  blessiiijf,  Christ  fi^ave  Judas 
liis  purse  but  not  liis  Spirit.  May  not  this 
quiet  tlie  beart  in  affliction,  and  make  it  say, 
*'  thy  will  be  done  ?"  Lord,  tliou  iiast  given 
me  that  jewel  which  thou  bestowest  only 
on  the  elect ;  grace  is  a  seal  of  thy  love,  it 
is  both  food  and  cordial,  it  is  an  earnest  of 
glory. 

9///.  Consideration,  when  God  intends  the 
greatest  mercy  to  any  of  liis  jieople  he  brings 
them  low  in  affliction.  God  seems  to  go 
quite  cross  to  sense  and  reason  ;  when  he 
intends  to  raise  us  highest,  he  brings  us 
lowest.  As  Moses'  hand,  before  it  wrought 
miracles,  was  leprous  ;  and  Sarah's  womb 
before  it  brought  fortli  the  son  of  the  pro- 
mise, was  barren  ;  God  brings  us  low  before 
he  raiseth  us,  as  water  is  at  the  lowest  ebb 
before  there  is  a  spring-tide. 

(1.)  It  is  true  in  a  temporal  sense. 
When  God  would  bring  Israel  to  Canaan, 
a  land  flowing  with  milk  and  honey,  he 
first  leads  them  through  a  sea  and  wilder- 
ness. When  God  intended  to  advance  Jo- 
seph to  be  the  second  man  in  the  kingdom, 
he  cast  him  first  into  prison,  and  the  iron 
entered  into  his  soul,  Ps.  cv.  18.  God  u- 
sually  lets  it  be  darkest  before  the  morning- 
star  of  deliverance  appears. 

(2.)  It  is  true  in  a  spiritual  sense.  When 
God  intends  to  raise  a  soul  to  spiritual  com- 
fort, he  first  lays  it  low  in  desertion,  Isa. 
xii.  1.  As  the  limner  lays  his  dark  colour 
first,  and  then  lays  his  gold  colour  on  it,  so 
God  first  lays  the  soul  in  the  dark  of  deser- 
tion, and  then  he  hiys  his  golden  colour  ol" 
joy  and  consolation.  May  not  tiiis  make 
us  cheerfully  submit,  and  say,  "  Thy  will 
be  done  ?"  Perhaps  now  God  afflicts  me,  he 
is  about  to  raise  me,  he  intends  me  a  great- 
er mercy  than  I  am  aware  of. 

10/^.  Consideration,  the  excellency  of 
this  frame  of  soul,  to  lie  at  God's  feet  and 
say,  "  Thy  will  be  done." 

(1.)  A  soul  that  is  melted  into  God's  will 
shows  variety  of  grace.  As  the  holy  oint- 
ment was  made  up  of  several  aromatic  s])i- 
ces,  myrrh,  cinnamon,  cassia,  Exod.  xxx. 
23.,  so  this  sweet  temper  of  soul,  submis 


mixture  of  several  graces;  in  particular,  it 
is  comjjounded  of  three  graces,  faith,  love, 
humility.  1.  Faith  :  faith  believes  God 
doth  all  in  mei'cy, — that  affliction  is  to  mor- 
tify some  sin,  or  exercise  some  grace, — 
that  God  corrects  in  love  and  faithfulness, 
Ps.  cxix.  7').  ;  the  belief  of  this,  causeth  sub- 
mission of  will  to  God.  2.  Love :  love 
"  thinks  no  evil,"  1  Cor.  xiii.  5.  Love 
takes  all  God  doth  in  the  best  sense;  it  hath 
good  thoughts  of  God,  this  causeth  sub- 
mission, "  Thy  will  be  done."  Let  the 
righteous  God  smite  me  (saith  love)  it  shall 
be  a  kindness,  yea,  it  shall  be  an  excellent 
oil  which  shall  not  break  my  head.  3. 
Humility :  the  humble  soul  looks  on  its 
sins,  and  how  it  hath  provoked  God;  he 
saith  not  his  afflictions  are  great,  but  his 
sins  are  great;  this  makes  him  lie  at  God's 
feet,  and  say,  "  I  will  bear  the  indignation 
of  the  Lord,  because  I  have  sinned  against 
him,"  Micah  vii.  9.  Thus  a  submissive 
frame  of  heart  is  full  of  grace,  it  is  com- 
pounded of  several  graces ;  it  pleaseth  God 
to  see  so  many  graces  at  once  sweetly  ex- 
ercised ;  he  saith  of  such  a  Christian,  as 
David  of  Goliah's  sword,  1  Sam.  xxi.  9., 
"  None  like  that,  give  it  me." 

(2.)   He   who  puts  his  Jiat  et  placet  to 
Ciod's  will,  and  saith,  "  Thy  will  be  done," 
shows  not  oidy  variety  of  grace,  but  strength 
of  grace.     It  argues  much  strength  in  the 
body,  to  be  able  to  endure  hard  weather, 
yet  not  to  be  altered  by  it:  so  to  endure 
hard  trials,    yet   not    faint  or    fret,    shows 
more    than    ordinary    strength    of    grace. 
Vou  that  can  say,  you  have  brought  your 
wills  to  G(Krs  ;   God's  will  and  your's  agree, 
as  the  cf»py  and  the  original  ;  let  me  assure 
you,   you  have  outstript  many  Christians, 
\\\\o    ])erhaps    shine    in   an   higher  orb  of 
knowledge  than  you.     To  be  content  to  be 
at  God's  disposal,  to  be  any  thing  that  God 
will  have  us,    shows  a  noble  heroic  soul. 
It  is  reported  of  the  eagle,  it  is  not  like  o- 
ther  fowls;   they,   when  tliey  are  hinigry, 
make  a  noise,  the  ravens  cry  for  food,   but 
the  eagle  is  never  heard  to  make  a  noise, 
though  it  wants  meat ;  and  it  is  from  the 
nobleness  and  greatness  of  its  spirit;    the 
eagle  is  above  other  fowls,  and  hath  a  spi- 
rit suitable  to  its  nature;  so  it  is  an  argu- 


sioa  to  God's  will  in  affliction,  hath  in  it  a  I  meut  of  an  holy  gallantry  and  magnitude 


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OF  THE  THIRD  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


of  spirit,  that  whatsoever  cross  proA'idences 
befall  a  Christian,  he  doth  not  cry  and  whine 
as  others,  hut  is  silent,  and  lies  quietly  at 
God's  feet :  here  is  mucli  strength  of  grace 
in  such  a  soul,  nay,  the  heiglit  of  grace. 
When  grace  is  crowning,  it  is  not  so  much 
to  say,  "  Lord,  thy  will  be  done ;"  but 
when  grace  is  conflicting,  and  meets  with 
crosses  and  trials,  now  to  say,  "  Thy  will 
be  done,"  is  a  glorious  thing  indeed,  and 
prepares  for  the  garland  of  honour. 

llth.  Consideration,  persons  are  usually 
better  in  adversity  than  in  prosperity,  there- 
fore stoop  to  God's  will.  A  prosperous 
condition  is  not  always  so  safe  ;  'tis  true  it 
is  more  pleasing  to  the  palate,  and  every 
one  desires  to  get  on  the  warm  side  of  the 
hedge,  where  the  sun  of  prosperity  shines, 
but  it  is  not  always  best ;  in  a  prosperous 
estate,  there  is  more  burden  :  many  look  at 
the  shining  and  glittering  of  prosperity,  but 
not  at  the  burden,  plus  one?is. 

(1.)  The  burden  of  care,  therefore  Christ 
calls  riches,  "  cares,"  Luke  viii.  14.  A  rose 
hath  its  prickles,  so  have  riches  ;  we  think 
them  happy  that  floui'ish  in  their  silks  and 
cloth  of  gold,  but  we  see  not  the  troubles 
and  cares  that  attend  them.  A  shoe  may 
have  silver  lace  on  it,  yet  pinch  the  foot. 
Many  a  man  that  goes  to  his  day-labour, 
lives  a  more  contented  life  than  he  that 
hath  his  thousands  per  annum.  Disquieting 
care  is  the  malus  gen'ms,  the  evil  spirit,  that 
haunts  the  rich  man ;  when  his  chests  are 
full  of  gold,  his  heart  is  full  of  care  how  to 
increase,  or  how  to  secure  what  he  hath 
gotten  ;  he  is  sometimes  full  of  care  whom 
he  shall  leave  it  to.  A  large  estate,  like  a 
long  trailing  garment,  is  oft  more  trouble- 
some than  useful. 

(2.)  In  a  prosperous  estate  there  is  the 
burden  of  account.  Such  as  are  in  high 
places  have  a  far  greater  account  to  give  to 
God  than  others,  Luke  xii.  48.,  Uuto  whom- 
soever much  is  given,  of  him  much  shall 
be  required.  The  more  goldcti  talents  any 
are  entrusted  with,  the  more  they  have  to 
answer  for  ;  the  more  their  revenues,  the 
more  their  reckonings.  God  Mill  say,  "  I 
gave  you  a  great  estate,  what  have  you 
done  with  it  ?  how  have  you  employed  it 
for  my  glory  ?  I  have  read  of  Philip  king 
of  Spain,  when  he  was  to  die,  he  said,  "  O  , 


that  I  had  never  been  a  king  !  O  that  I  had 
lived  a  private  solitary  life  !  Here  is  all  the 
fruit  of  my  kingdom,  it  hath  made  mv  ac- 
counts heavier."  So  then,  may  not  this 
quiet  our  hearts  in  a  low  adverse  condition, 
and  make  us  say,  "  Lord,  thy  will  be  done  ?* 
as  thou  hast  given  me  a  less  portion  o 
worldly  things,  so  I  have  a  less  burden  of 
care,  and  a  less  burden  of  account. 

(3.)  A   prosperous  condition  hath  plm 
periculi,  more  danger  in  it.     Such  as  are 
on  the  top  of  the  pinnacle  of  honour,  are 
in  more  danger  of  falling,  they  are  subject 
to  many  temptations;   their  table  is  oft  a 
snare.     Heliogabalus  made  ponds  of  sweet 
water  to  bathe  in  ;  millions  are  drowned  in 
the  sweet  waters  of  pleasure.     A  great  sail 
overturns  the  vessel ;  how  many,  by  hav- 
ing too  great  sails  of  prosperity,  have  had 
their  souls  overturned  ?  It  must  be  a  strong 
head  that  bears  heady  wine ;  he  had  need 
have  much  wisdom  and  grace  that  knows 
how  to  bear  an  high  condition.     It  is  hard 
to  carry  a  full  cup  without  spilling,  and  a 
full  estate  without  sinning.     Agur  feared, 
if  he  were  full,   he  should  deny  God  and 
say,   "  Who  is  the  Lord?"  Pro  v.  xxx.  9., 
Prosperity  breeds,    1.  Pride  :  the  children 
of  Korah  were  in  an  higher  estate  than  the 
rest  of  the  Levites,  they  were  employed  in 
the  Tabernacle  about  the  most  holy  things 
of  all.  Numb.  iv.  4.     They  had  the  first  lot, 
Josh.  xxi.  10.     But  as  they  were  lifted  up 
above  others  of  the  Levites  in  honour,   so 
in  pride.  Numb.  xvi.  3.     In  the  Thames, 
when  the  tide  riseth  higher,  the  boat  riseth 
higher  :   so,  when  the  tide  of  an  estate  ris- 
eth higher,   many  men's  hearts  rise  higher 
in  pride.     2.    Prosperity    breeds    security. 
Samson  fell  asleep  in  Delilah's  lap,  so  do 
men  in  the  lap  of  ease  and  plenty  :    the 
world's  golden  sands  are  quick  sands.    How 
hard  is  it  for  a  rich  man  to  enter  into  the 
kingdom  of  Heaven  !   Luke  xviii.  24.     The 
consideration  of  this  should  make  us  sub- 
mit to  God  in  adversity,   and  say,    "  thy 
will  be  done."     God  sees  what  is  best  for 
us ;  if  we  have  less  estate,   we  are  in  less 
danger  ;   if  we  want  the  honours  of  others, 
so  we  want  their  temptations. 

'[2th.  Consideration,  the  having  of  our 
wills  melted  into  God's,  is  a  good  sign  that 
the  present  affliction  is  sanctified :   then  an 


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505 


affliction  is  sanctified,  when  it  attains  the 
end  for  which  it  was  sent.  The  end  wl)y 
God  sends  affliction,  is  to  calm  the  spirit, 
to  subdue  the  will,  and  bring  it  to  God's 
v/ill ;  when  this  is  done,  affliction  hath  at- 
tained the  end  for  which  it  came, — it  is 
sanctified,  and  it  will  not  be  long  ere  it  be 
removed.  When  the  sore  is  healed,  the 
smarting  plaster  is  taken  off. 

13tA.  Consideration,  how  unworthy  it  is 
of  a  Christian  to  be  fro  ward  and  unsubmis- 
sive, and  not  bring  his  will  to  God's. 

(1.)  It  is  below  the  spirit  of  a  Christian. 
The  spirit  of  a  Christian  is  dove-like,  'tis 
meek  and  sedate,  willing  to  be  at  God's  dis- 
posal ;  "  Not  my  will,  but  thy  will  be  done," 
Luke  xxii.  42.  A  Christian  spirit  is  not 
fretful,  but  humble  ;  not  craving  but  con- 
tented. See  the  picture  of  a  Christian  spi- 
rit in  St.  Paul,  Phil.  iv.  12.,  "  I  know  how 
to  be  abased,  and  I  know  how  to  abound." 
Paul  could  be  either  higher  or  lower,  as 
God  saw  good ;  he  could  sail  with  any  wind 
of  providence,  either  a  prosperous  or  bois- 
terous gale,  his  will  was  melted  into  God's 
will ;  now  to  be  of  a  cross  spirit  that  can- 
not submit  to  God,  is  unworthy  of  the  spi- 
rit of  a  Christian, — it  is  like  the  bird,  that, 
because  he  is  pent  up  in  the  cage,  and  can- 
not fly  in  the  open  air,  beats  himself  against 
the  cage. 

(2.)  A  froward  unsubmissive  frame,  that 
cannot  submit  to  God's  will,  is  unworthy 
of  a  Christian's  profession  ;  he  professeth  to 
live  by  faith,  yet  repines  at  his  condition  ; 
"  Faith  lives  not  by  bread  alone,"  it  feeds 
on  promises,  it  makes  future  glory  present: 
faith  sees  all  in  God :  When  the  fig-tree 
doth  not  blossom,  faith  can  joy  in  the  God 
of  its  salvation,  Hab.  iii.  17,  18.  Now,  to 
be  troubled  at  our  present  estate,  because 
low  and  mean,  shews  weak  faith.  Sure 
that  is  a  weak  faith,  or  no  faith,  which  must 
have  crutches  to  support  it.  O  be  asham- 
ed to  call  thyself  believer,  if  thou  canst  not 
trust  God,  and  acquiesce  in  his  will,  in  the 
deficiency  of  outward  comforts  ! 

(3.)  To  be  of  a  froward  unsubmissive 
spirit,  that  cannot  surrender  its  will  unto 
God,  is  unworthy  of  the  high  dignities  God 
hath  put  upon  a  Christian.  1.  He  is  a  rich 
heir ;  he  is  exalted  above  all  creatures  that 
ever  God  made,  except  the  angels  •  yea,  in 


some  sense,  as  his  nature  is  joined  in  an 
hypostatical  union  to  the  divine  nature,  so  he 
is  above  the  angels.  O  then,  how  is  it  be- 
low his  dignity,  for  want  of  a  few  earthly 
comforts,  to  be  froward,  and  ready  to  quar- 
rel with  the  Deity  !  Is  it  not  unworthy  of 
a  king's  son,  because  he  may  not  pluck  such 
a  flower,  to  be  discontented  and  rebel  against 
his  royal  father  ?  2.  A  Christian  is  espoused 
to  Jesus  Christ.  Wliat !  to  be  married  to 
Christ,  yet  froward  and  unsubmissive? 
Hast  not  thou  enough  in  him  ?  As  Elkanah 
said  to  Hannah,  1  Sam.  i.  8.,  "  Am  not  I 
better  to  thee  than  ten  sons  ?"  Is  not  Christ 
better  than  a  thousand  worldly  comforts; 
Omnia  bona  in  summo  bono.  It  is  a  dispa- 
ragement to  Christ  that  his  spouse  should 
be  froward  when  she  is  matched  into  the 
crown  of  heaven. 

(4.)  To  be  of  a  froward  unsubmissive 
spirit,  is  unsuitable  to  the  prayers  of  a  Chris- 
tian ;  he  prays,  "  thy  will  be  done ;"  it  is 
the  will  of  God  he  should  meet  with  such 
troubles,  whether  sickness,  loss  of  estate, 
crosses  in  children,  God  hath  decreed,  and 
ordered  it ;  why  then  is  there  not  submis- 
sion ?  Why  are  we  discontented  at  that 
which  we  pray  for  ?  It  is  a  saying  of  Lati- 
mer, speaking  of  Peter,  who  denied  his  mas- 
ter, Peter,  saitli  he,  forgot  his  prayer,  for 
that  was,  "  hallowed  be  thy  name  :"  so,  oft 
we  foiget  our  piayers,  nay,  contradict  them; 
for  we  pray  "  thy  will  be  done."  Now,  if  un- 
submissiveness  to  God  be  so  unworthy  of  a 
Christian,  should  not  we  labour  to  brino- 
our  wills  to  God's,  and  say,  Lord,  let  me 
not  disparage  religion,  let  me  do  nothing 
unwortliy  of  a  Christian. 

IWi.  Consideration,  frowardness  and  un- 
submissiveness  of  will  to  God,  is  very  sinful. 
(1.)  It  is  sinful  in  its  nature  ;  to  murmur 
when  God  crosseth  us  in  our  will,  shews 
much  ungodliness.  The  apostle  Jude  speaks 
of  ungodly  ones,  v.  15. ;  and  tliat  we  may 
better  know  who  these  are,  he  sets  a  mark 
upon  them,  v.  16.,  "  These  are  murmurers." 
Some  think  they  are  not  so  ungodly  as  o- 
thers,  besause  they  do  not  swear,  nor  get 
drunk,  but  you  may  be  ungodly  in  mur- 
muring ;  there  are  not  only  ungodly  drunk- 
ards, but  ungodly  murmurers ;  nay,  this  is 
the  height  of  ungodliness,  namely,  rebellion. 
Korah  and  his  company  murmured  against 

3S 


J06 


OF  THE  THIRD  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


God,  and  see  Tiow  the  Lord  interprets  this, 
Num.  xvii.  1 0.,  "  Bring  Aaron's  rod  to  be 
kept  for  a  token  against  the  rebels:"  to  be  a 
murmurei",  and  a  rebel,  is,  in  God's  account, 
all  one ;  Num.  xx.  13.,  "  This  is  the  water 
of  Meribah,  because  the  children  of  Israel 
strove  with  the  Lord."  How  did  they  strive 
with  God  ?  because  they  murmured  at  his 
providence,  v.  3.  What !  wilt  thou  be  a  rebel 
ajrainst  God?  It  is  a  shame  for  a  servant 
to  strive  with  his  master,  but  what  is  it  for 
a  creature  to  strive  with  its  maker. 

(2.)  To  quarrel  Avith  God's  providence, 
and  be  unsubmissive  to  his  will,  is  sinful  in 
the  spring  and  cause;  it  ariseth  from  pride. 
It  was  Satan's  temptation,  "  ye  shall  1  e  as 
gods,"  Gen.  iii.  5.  A  proud  person  makes  a 
god  of  himself  ;,lie  disdains  to  have  his  will 
crossed  ;  he  thinks  himself  better  than  o- 
thers,  therefore  he  finds  fault  with  God's 
wisdom,  that  he  is  not  above  others. 

(3.)  Quarrelsomeness  and  unsubmissivc- 
ness  to  God's  will  is  sinful  in  the  concomi- 
tants of  it.  1st.  It  is  joined  with  sinful  ris- 
ings of  the  heart.  (1.)  Evil  thoughts  arise ; 
we  think  hardly  of  God,  as  if  he  had  done 
us  wrong,  or,  as  if  we  had  deserved  better 
at  his  hands.  (2.)  Passions  begin  to  arise  ; 
the  heart  secretly  frets  against  God.  Jonah 
was  crossed  in  his  will,  and  passion  began 
to  boil  in  him,  Jonah  iv.  1.,  "  He  was  very 
angry."  Jonah's  spirit,  as  well  as  the  sea, 
wrought,  and  was  tempestuous.  2d.  Un- 
submissiveness  of  will  is  joined  with  un- 
thankfulness,  because  in  some  one  thing  we 
are  afflicted,  we  forget  all  the  mercies  we 
liave ;  we  deal  with  God,  just  as  the  widow 
of  Sarepta  did  with  the  prophet,  the  prophet 
Elijah  had  been  a  means  to  keep  her  alive 
in  the  famine,  but  as  soon  as  her  child  dies, 
she  quarrels  with  the  prophet,  1  Kings  xvii. 
18.,  "  O  thou  man  of  God,  art  thou  come 
to  slay  my  son  ?"  So  do  we  deal  with  God ; 
we  can  be  content  to  receive  blessings  at 
his  hand,  but  as  soon  as  he  doth,  in  the  least 
thing,  cross  us  in  our  will,  we  grow  touchy, 
and  are  ready  in  a  passion  to  fly  out  against 
him  :  thus  God  loseth  all  his  mercies,  and 
is  not  this  high  ingratitude? 

(4.)  Frowardness  and  unsubmissiveness 
to  God's  will,  is  evil  in  the  effects,  l.st.  It 
unfits  for  duty  :  it  is  bad  sailing  in  a  storm, 
and  it  is  ill  praying  when  the  heart  is  stormy 


and  unquiet ;  it  is  well  if  such  prayers  do 
not  suffer  shipwreck.  2d.  Unsubmissive- 
ness of  spirit,  sometimes  unfits  for  the  use 
of  reason.  Jonah  was  discontented,  because 
he  had  not  his  will ;  God  withered  the 
gourd,  and  his  heart  fretted  against  God  ; 
and  in  the  midst  of  his  passion,  he  spake  no 
better  than  nonsense  and  blasphemy,  Jonah 
iv.  9.,  "  I  do  well  to  be  angry,  even  unto 
death."  Sure  he  did  not  know  well  what 
he  said.  What !  to  be  angry  with  God,  and 
die  for  anger  ?  He  speaks  as  if  he  had  lost 
the  use  of  his  reason.  Thus  unsubmissive- 
ness of  will  is  sinful  in  its  nature,  causes, 
concomitants,  effects  ;  may  not  this  martyr 
our  wills,  and  bring  our  wills  to  God  in  every 
thing,  making  us  say,   "  thy  will  be  done." 

15th.  Consideration,  unsubmissiveness  to 
God's  will  is  very  imprudent,  we  get  no- 
thing by  it,  it  doth  not  ease  us  of  our  bur- 
den, but  rather  makes  it  heavier.  The  more 
the  child  struggles  v.ith  llie  parent;  the 
more  it  is  beaten  ;  when  we  struggle  with 
God,  and  will  not  siibuiit  to  his  will,  we 
get  nothing  but  m;;re  blows.  Instead  of 
having  the  cords  of  ailiictlon  loosened,  we 
make  God  tie  them  the  ^trailer.  Let  us 
then  submit,  and  say,  "  Loid,  thy  will  be 
done."  Wliy  should  I  spin  out  my  own 
trouble  by  impatience  and  make  my  cross 
heavier  ?  What  got  Israel  by  their  froward- 
ness,— they  were  within  eleven  days  jour- 
ney of  Canaan,  they  fell  a  murmuring,  and 
God  leads  them  a  march  of  forty  years 
lonoer  in  the  wilderness. 

16t/i.  Consideration,  the  mischief  of  being 
unsubmissive  to  God's  will  in  affliction,  it 
lays  a  man  open  to  many  tem]>tations. 
When  the  heart  frets  against  God  by  dis- 
content, here's  good  fibliiug  lor  Satan  in 
these  troubled  waters.  lie  usually  puts 
discontented  persons  upon  indirect  means 
Job's  wife  fretted — so  iar  was  she  from 
holy  submission — and  she  ]irescntly  puts 
her  husband  u])on  cursing  of  (iod,  Job.  ii. 
9.,  "  Curse  God  and  die."  What  is  the 
reason  why  some  have  turned  witches,  and 
given  themselves  to  the  devil,  but  out  of 
envy  and  discontent,  because  they  have  not 
liad  their  will.  Others  being  under  a  temp- 
tation of  poverty,  and  not  having  their  wills 
in  living  at  such  an  high  rate  as  othei'S, 
have  laid  violent  hands  upon  themselves. 


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507 


O  tlie  temptations  that  men  of  discontented 
spirits  are  exposed  to  !  Here  (saith  Satan) 
is  good  fishing  for  me. 

I7th.  Consideration,  how  far  unsixbmis- 
siveness  of  spirit  is  from  that  temper  of 
soul  wliich  God  requires  in  affliction.  God 
would  have  us  in  patience  possess  our  souls, 
Lukexxi.  19.  The  Greek  word  for /?o^/e??C6", 
signifies  to  bear  up  under  a  burden  without 
fainting  or  fretting;  but  to  be  froward  in 
affliction,  and  quarrel  with  God's  will,  where 
is  this  Christian  patience  ?  God  would  have 
us  rejoice  in  affliction,  James  i.  2.,  "  Count 
it  all  joy  when  ye  fall  into  divers  tempta- 
tions," that  is,  afflictions  ;  count  it  joy,  be 
as  birds  that  sing  in  winter,  1  Thess.  i.  6., 
'*  Ye  received  the  word  in  much  affliction 
with  joy."  Paul  could  leap  in  his  fetters, 
and  sing  in  the  stocks.  Acts  xvi.  25.  How 
far  is  a  discontented  soul  from  this  frame  ? 
He  is  far  from  rejoicing  in  affliction  that 
hath  not  learned  to  submit. 

\8th.  Consideration,  what  is  it  makes  the 
difference  between  a  godly  man,  and  an  un- 
godly man  in  affliction,  but  only  this,  the 
godly  man  submits  to  God's  will,  the  un- 
godly man  will  not  submit :  a  wicked  man 
frets  and  fumes,  and  is  like  a  wild  bull  in 
a  net.  He  in  affliction  blasphemes  God, 
Rev.  xvi.  9.,  "  Men  were  scorched  with 
gi'eat  heat,  and  blasphemed  the  name  of 
God."  Put  a  stone  in  the  fire,  and  it  flies 
in  your  face  ;  stony  hearts  fly  in  God's  face. 
A  stuff  that  is  rotten,  the  more  it  is  rubbed, 
the  more  it  frets  and  tears.  When  God 
afflicts  the  sinner  he  tears  himself  in  anger, 
but  a  godly  man  is  sweetly  submissive  to 
God's  will ;  this  is  his  speech,  "  shall  not  I 
drink  the  cup  which  my  Father  hath  given 
me  ?"  Spices,  when  they  are  bruised,  send 
out  a  sweet  fragrant  smell :  when  God 
bruiseth  his  saints,  they  send  out  the  sweet 
perfume  of  patience.  Servulus  an  holy 
man,  was  long  afflicted  with  the  palsy,  yet 
this  was  his  ordinary  speech,  laudetur  Dens, 
let  God  be  praised  :  O  let  us  say,  "  Thy  will 
be  done."  Let  us  bear  that  patiently  which 
God  inflicts  justly,  else  how  do  we  show  our 
grace  ?  What  difference  is  there  between  us 
and  the  wicked  in  affliction? 

19///.  Consideration,  not  to  submit  to 
God's  providential  will,  is  highly  provoking 
to  God.     Can  we  anger  God  more  than  by 


quarrelling  with  him,  and  not  let  him  have 
his  will  ?  Kings  do  not  love  to  have  their 
wills  opposed,  though  they  may  be  unjust : 
how  ill  doth  God  take  it,  when  we  will  be 
disputing  against  his  righteous  will  ?  It  is 
a  sin  God  cannot  bear,  Numb.  xiv.  27., 
"  How  long  shall  I  bear  with  this  c\\\  con- 
gregation which  murmur  against  me?" 
May  not  God  justly  say  thus,  how  long 
shall  I  bear  with  this  wicked  person,  who, 
when  any  thing  falls  out  cross,  murmurs 
against  me  ?  v.  28.,  "  Say  unto  them,  as 
truly  as  I  live,  saith  the  Lord,  as  ye  have 
spoken  in  my  ears,  so  will  I  do  unto  you." 
God  swears  against  a  murmurer,  "  As  I 
live ;"  and  what  will  God  do  as  he  lives  ? 
V.  29.,  "  Your  carcasses  shall  fall  in  the  wil- 
derness." You  see  how  provoking  a  dis- 
contented quarrelsome  spirit  is  to  God,  it 
may  cost  men  their  lives,  nay  their  souls. 
God  sent  fiery  serpents  among  the  people 
for  their  murmuring,  1  Cor.  x.  10.  He 
may  send  worse  than  fiery  serpents,  he  may 
send  hell  fire. 

2Qth.  Consideration,  how  much  doth  God 
bear  at  our  hand,  and  shall  not  we  be  con- 
tent to  be.ar  something  at  his  hand  ?  It 
would  tire  the  patience  of  angels  to  bear 
with  us  one  day,  2  Pet.  iii.  9.,  "  The  Lord 
is  long  suffering  towards  us."  How  oft  do 
we  offend  in  our  eye  by  envious  impure 
glances  ?  in  our  tongues  by  rash  censuring  ? 
but  God  passeth  by  many  injuries,  he  bears 
with  us.  Should  the  Lord  punish  us  every 
time  we  offend,  he  might  draw  his  sword 
every  day.  Shall  God  bear  so  much  at  our 
hands,  and  can  we  bear  Avith  nothinir  at  his 
hand  ?  Shall  God  be  patient  with  us,  and 
we  impatient  with  him  ?  Shall  he  be  meek, 
and  we  murmur?  Shall  he  endure  our 
sins,  and  shall  not  we  endure  his  strokes  ? 
Oh  let  us  say,  "  Thy  will  be  done."  Lord, 
thou  hast  been  the  greatest  sufferer,  thou 
hast  borne  more  from  me,  than  I  can  iVom 
thee. 

21.9^.  Consideration,  submitting  our  wills 
to  God  in  affliction  disappoints  Satan  of  his 
hope,  and  quite  spoils  his  design.  The  de- 
vil's end  is  in  all  our  afflictions  to  make  us 
sin.  The  reason  why  Satan  did  smite  Job 
in  his  body  and  estate,  was  to  perplex  his 
mind,  and  ])ut  him  into  a  passion  ;  he  hop- 
ed that  Job  would  have  been  discontented. 


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and  in  a  fit  of  anger,  not  only  have  cursed 
liis  birth-day,  but  curse  his  God.  But  Job 
lying  at  God's  feet,  and  blessing  him  in  af- 
fliction, disappointed  Satan  of  his  hope,  and 
quite  spoiled  his  plot.  Had  Job  murmur- 
ed he  had  pleased  Satan  ;  had  he  fallen  in- 
to an  heat,  and  sparks  of  his  anger  had 
flown  about,  the  devil  had  warmed  himself 
at  this  fire  of  Job's  passion  ;  but  Job  quiet- 
ly submitted  and  blessed  God ;  here  Satan's 
design  was  frustrated,  and  he  missed  of  his 
intent.  The  devil  hath  oft  deceived  us  ; 
the  best  way  to  deceive  him,  is  by  quiet 
submission  to  God  in  all  things,  saying, 
"  Thy  will  be  done." 

22c?.  Consideration,  it  may  rock  our  hearts 
quiet  in  affliction,  to  consider,  that  to  the 
godly  the  nature  of  affliction  is  quite  chang- 
ed ;  to  a  wicked  man,  it  is  a  curse,  the  rod 
is  turned  into  a  serpent ;  affliction  to  him 
is  but  an  eff'ect  of  God's  displeasure,  the 
beginning  of  sorrow  ;  but  the  nature  of  af- 
fliction is  quite  changed  to  a  believer,  it  is 
by  divine  chemistry  turned  into  a  blessing; 
it  is  like  poison  corrected,  which  becomes 
a  medicine ;  it  is  a  love  token,  a  badge  of 
adoption,  a  preparatory  to  glory;  should 
not  this  make  us  say,  "  Thy  will  be  done  ?" 
The  poison  of  the  affliction  is  gone ;  it  is 
not  hurtful,  but  healing.  This  hath  made 
the  saints  not  only  patient  in  affliction,  but 
to  sound  forth  thankfulness.  As  bells, 
when  they  have  been  cast  in  the  fire,  do 
afterwards  make  a  sweeter  sound,  so  the 
godly,  after  they  have  been  cast  into  the 
fire  of  affliction,  have  sounded  forth  God's 
praise,  Ps.  cxix.  71.,  "It  is  good  for  me 
that  I  have  been  afflicted."  Job  i.  21., 
"  Blessed  be  the  name  of  the  Lord." 

23r/.  Consideration,  to  make  us  submit 
our  will  to  God's  in  affliction,  is,  to  think 
how  many  good  things  we  receive  from 
God,  and  shall  not  we  be  content  to  receive 
some  evil?  Job  ii.  10.,  "Shall  Ave  receive 
good  at  the  hand  of  G(»d,  and  shall  we  not 
receive  evil  ?"  In  the  Hebrew,  shall  we  re- 
ceive good  from  God,  and  not  evil  ?  This 
may  make  us  say,  "thy  will  be  done." 
How  many  blessings  have  we  received  at 
the  hand  of  God's  bounty  ?  We  have  been 
bemiracled  with  mercy.  What  sparing, 
preventing,  delivering  mercy  have  we  had  ? 
The  honey-comb  of  mercy  hath  continually 


dropped  upon  us.  Lam.  iii.  23.,  His  mer- 
cies "  are  new  every  morning."  Mercy 
comes  in  as  constantly  as  the  tide  ;  nay, 
how  many  tides  of  mercies  do  we  see  in 
one  day.  We  never  feed,  but  mercy  carves 
every  bit  to  us ;  we  never  drink,  but  in  the 
golden  cup  of  mercy  ;  we  never  go  abroad, 
but  mercy  sets  a  guard  of  angels  about  us ; 
we  never  lie  down  in  bed,  but  mercy  draws 
the  curtains  of  protection  close  about  us ; 
nov*-,  shall  we  receive  so  many  good  things 
at  the  hand  of  God,  and  shall  we  not  receive 
evil  ?  Our  mercies  far  outweigh  our  af- 
flictions ;  for  one  affliction  Ave  have  a  thou- 
sand mercies,  O  then  let  us  submit  to 
God,  and  say,  "  Thy  will  be  done."  The 
sea  of  God's  mercy  should  swallow  up  a 
few  drops  of  affliction. 

24/A.  Consideration,  to  bring  our  wills  to 
God  in  affliction  doth  much  honour  the 
gospel ;  an  unsubmissive  Christian  re- 
proacheth  religion,  as  if  it  were  not  able  to 
subdue  an  unruly  spirit.  It  is  weak  phy- 
sic, which  cannot  purge  out  ill  humours  : 
and  sure  it  is  a  weak  gospel,  if  it  cannot 
master  our  discontent,  and  martyr  our  wills. 
Unsubmissiveness  is  a  reproach,  but  a  cheer- 
ful resignation  of  our  will  to  God  sets  a 
crown  of  honour  upon  the  head  of  religion, 
it  shows  the  power  of  the  gospel,  which 
can  charm  down  the  passions,  and  melt  the 
will  into  God's  Avill ;  therefore  in  scripture 
submissive  patience  is  brought  in  as  an  a- 
dorning  grace.  Rev.  xiv.  12.,  "  Here  is  the 
patience  of  the  saints." 

25^/i.  Consideration,  the  example  of  our 
Lord  Jesus,  how  flexible  and  submissive 
was  he  to  his  Father  !  He  who  taught  u 
this  prayer,  "  thy  will  be  done,"  had  learn 
cd  it  himself;  Christ's  will  was  perfectly 
tuned  to  his  Father's  will ;  it  was  the  will 
of  his  Father  that  he  should  die  for  our 
sins,  and  he  "  endured  the  cross,"  Heb.  xii. 
2.  It  was  a  painful,  shameful,  cursed  death  ; 
he  suffered  the  very  pains  of  hell  equiva- 
lently,  yet  he  willingly  submitted,  Isa.  liii. 
7,,  "  He  opened  not  his  mouth."  He  open- 
ed his  side  when  the  blood  ran  out,  but  he 
opened  not  his  mouth  in  repining,  his  will 
was  resolved  into  the  will  of  his  Father, 
John  xviii.  1 1.,  "  The  cup  which  my  Fa- 
tlicr  hath  given  me  shall  I  not  drink  it  ?" 
Now  the  more  our  wills  are  subject  to  God's 


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will  in  affliction,  tlie  nearer  we  come  to 
Christ  our  pattern :  is  it  not  our  prayer  we 
may  bo  like  Christ  ?  By  holy  submission 
^Ae  imitate  him;  his  will  was  melted  into 
his  Father's  will. 

26///.  Consideration,  to  submit  our  wills 
to  God  is  the  way  to  liave  our  will ;  every 
one  would  be  glad  to  have  his  will, — the 
way  to  have  our  will  is  to  resign  it, — God 
deals  with  us  as  we  do  with  froward  chil- 
dren,— while  we  fret  and  quarrel,  God  will 
give  us  nothing,  but  when  we  are  submis- 
sive, and  say,  "  Thy  will  be  done,"  now 
God  carves  out  mercy  to  us.  The  way  to 
bave  our  will  is  t<i submit  it.  David  brought 
his  will  to  God's,  2  Sam.  xv.  26.,  "  Here 
am  I,  let  him  do  to  me  as  seems  good  to 
him."  And  after  he  resigned  his  will  he 
had  his  will ;  God  brought  him  back  to  the 
ark  and  settled  him  again  in  his  throne, 
2  Sam.  xix.  Many  a  parent  that  hath  had 
a  dear  child  sick,  when  he  could  bring  his 
will  to  God  to  part  with  it,  God  hath  given 
him  the  life  of  his  child  :  there's  nothing 
lost  by  referring  our  will  to  God,  the  Lord 
takes  it  kindly  from  us,  and  it  is  the  only 
way  to  have  our  will. 

21th.  and  ult.  Consideration,  we  may  the 
more  cheerfully  surrender  our  souls  to  God 
when  we  die,  when  we  have  surrendered 
our  will  to  God  while  we  live.  Our  blessed 
Saviour  had  all  along  submitted  his  will  to 
God  ;  there  was  but  one  will  between  God 
the  Father,  and  Christ.  Now  Christ  in  his 
life-time  having  given  up  his  will  to  his 
Father,  at  death  he  cheerfully  gives  up  his 
soul  to  him,  Luke  xxiii.  46.,  "  Father,  into 
thy  hands  I  commend  my  spirit."  You  that 
resign  up  your  wills  to  God,  may  at  the 
liour  of  death  comfortably  bequeath  your 
souls  to  him. 

The  second  means  to  bring  our  will  to 
God  in  affliction  is,  study  the  will  of  God. 

L  It  is  a  sovereign  will ;  he  hath  a  su- 
preme right  and  dominion  over  his  crea- 
tures, to  dispose  of  them  as  he  pleaseth ;  a 
man  may  do  with  his  own  as  he  lists,  Mat. 
XX.  15.,  "  Is  it  not  lawful  for  me  to  do.what 
I  will  with  my  own  ?"  A  man  may  cut  his 
own  timber  as  he  will.  God's  sovereignty 
may  cause  submission,  he  may  do  with  us 
as  he  sees  good.  God  is  not  accountable  to 
any  creature  for  what  he  doth,  Job  xxxiii. 


13.,  "  He  giveth  not  account  of  any  of  his 
matters."  Who  shall  call  God  to  account  ? 
Who  is  higher  than  the  highest  ?  Eccl.  v.  8. 
What  man  or  angel  dare  summon  God  to 
his  bar  ?  "  He  giveth  not  account  of  any 
of  his  matters."  God  will  take  an  account 
of  our  carriage  towards  him,  but  he  will 
give  no  account  of  his  carriage  towards  us. 
God  hath  an  absolute  jurisdiction  over  us  ; 
the  remembrance  of  this,  God's  will  is  a 
sovereign  will,  to  do  with  us  what  he  pleas- 
es, may  silence  all  discontents,  and  charm 
down  all  unruly  passions ;  we  are  not  to 
dispute  but  to  submit. 

2.  God's  will  is  a  wise  will,  he  knows 
what  is  conducing  to  the  good  of  his  peo- 
ple, therefore  submit,  Isa.  xxx.  18.,  "  The 
Lord  is  a  God  of  judgment,"  that  is,  he  is 
able  to  judge  what  is  best  for  us,  therefore 
rest  in  his  wisdom,  and  acquiesce  in  hi 
will.  We  rest  in  the  wisdom  of  a  physi- 
cian, we  are  content  he  should  scarify  and 
let  us  blood,  because  he  is  judicious,  and 
knows  what  is  most  conducible  to  our 
health  ;  if  the  pilot  be  skilful,  the  passenger 
saith,  "  let  him  alone,  he  knows  best  how 
to  steer  the  ship ;"  and  shall  we  not  rest  in 
God's  wisdom  ?  Did  we  but  study  how 
wisely  God  steers  all  occurrences,  and  how 
he  often  brings  us  to  heaven  by  a  cross 
wind,  it  would  much  quiet  our  spirits,  and 
make  us  say,  "  Thy  will  be  done."  God's 
will  is  guided  by  wisdom  ;  should  God  some- 
times let  us  have  our  will,  we  would  undo 
ourselves  ;  did  he  let  us  carve  for  ourselves, 
we  would  choose  the  worst  piece  ;  Lot  chose 
Sodom  because  it  was  well-watered,  and 
Avas  as  the  garden  of  the  Lord,  Gen.  xiii. 
10.,  but  God  rained  fire  upon  it  out  of  hea- 
ven. Gen.  xix.  24. 

3.  God's  will  is  a  just  will.    Gen.   xviii. 
25.,  "  Shall  not  the  judge  of  all  the  earth 
do  right ''"  God's  will  is  regula  et  mensura^ 
— it  is  the  rule  of  justice;  the  wills  of  men 
are  corrupt,  therefore  unfit  to  give  law;  but 
God's  will  is  an   holy  and   unerring  will 
which    may    cause    submission,    Ps.  xcvii 
God  may  cross,    but  he  cannot  wrong   us 
severe  he  may  be,  not  unjust ;  therefore  we 
must  strike  sail,  and  say,    "  Thy  Avill  be 
done." 

4.  God's  will  is  a  good  and  gracious  will, 
it  promotes  our  interest ;  if  it  be  God's  will 


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OF  THE  THIRD  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


to  afflict  us,  he  shall  make  us  say  at  last, 
it  was  g-ood  for  us  that  we  were  afflicted. 
God's  flail  shall  only  thrash  off  our  husks. 
That  which  is  against  our  will  shall  not  be 
against  our  profit;  study  what  a  p^ood  will 
God's  is,  and  we  will  say,  fiat  voluntas, — 
«  Thy  will  be  done." 

5.  God's  will  is  an  irresistible  will ;  we 
may  oppose  it,  but  we  cannot  hinder  it ;  the 
risinji^  of  the  wave  cannot  stop  the  ship  when 
it  is  in  full  sail,  so  the  rising  up  of  our  will 
against  God  cannot  stop  the  execution  of 
his  will,  Rom.  ix.  19.,  "  Who  hath  resisted 
his  will  ?"  Who  can  stay  the  chariot  of  the 
sun  in  its  full  career  ?  Who  can  hinder  the 
progress  of  God's  will  ?  Therefore  it  is  in 
vain  to  contest  with  God,  his  will  shall  take 
place  ;  there  is  no  way  to  overcome  God, 
but  by  lying  at  his  feet. 

3d  Means  to  submission  to  God  in  afflic- 
tion is,  get  a  gracious  heart ;  all  the  rules 
and  helps  in  the  world  will  do  but  little 
good,  till  grace  be  infused  ;  the  bowl  must 
have  a  good  bias,  or  it  will  not  run  accord- 
ing to  our  desire,  so  till  God  put  a  new  bias 
of  grace  into  the  soul,  which  inclines  the 
will,  it  never  submits  to  God  ;  grace  renews 
the  will,  and  it  must  be  renewed  before  it 
be  subdued  ;  grace  teacheth  self-denial,  and 
we  can  never  submit  our  will  till  we  deny  it. 

4th  INIeans,  let  us  labour  to  have  our  co- 
venant-interest cleared,  to  know  that  God 
is  our  God,  Ps.  xlviii.  14.,  "  This  God  is 
our  God."  He  whose  faith  does  flourish  in 
assurance,  that  can  say,  God  is  his,  will  say, 
"  Thy  will  be  done."  A  wicked  man  may 
say,  God  hath  laid  this  affliction  upon  me, 
and  I  cannot  help  it ;  but  a  believer  saith, 
my  God  hath  done  it,  and  I  will  submit  to 
it.  He  who  can  call  God  his,  knows  God 
loves  him  as  he  loves  Christ,  and  designs 
his  salvation  ;  therefore  he  will,  with  St. 
Paul,  take  pleasure  in  reproaches,  2  Cor. 
xii.  10.  And  in  every  adverse  providence 
yield  to  God,  as  the  wax  to  the  impression 
of  the  seal. 

5th  Means  to  submission  to  God  in  af- 
fliction, get  an  humble  spirit :  a  proud  man 
will  never  stoop  to  God,  he  will  rather  break 
than  bend;  but  when  the  heart  is  humble, 
the  will  is  pliable.  Wliat  a  vast  difference 
was  there  between  Pharaoh  and  Eli  ?  Pha- 
raoh cries  out,  "  Who  is  the  Lord,  that  I 


should  obey  his  voice  ?"  Exod.  v.  2.  But 
Eli  saith,  "  It  is  the  Lord,  let  him  do  what 
seems  good  in  his  sight,"  1  Sam.  iii.  18. 
See  the  difference  between  an  heart  that  is 
swelled  with  pride,  and  that  which  is  bal- 
lasted with  humility  ;  Pharaoh  saith,  "  Who 
is  the  Lord  ?"— Eli,  "  It  is  the  Lord."  An 
humble  soul  hath  a  deep  sense  of  sin, — he 
sees  how  he  hath  provoked  God, — he  won- 
ders he  is  not  in  hell ;  therefore,  whatever 
God  inflicts,  he  knows  it  is  less  than  hia 
iniquities  deserve;  this  makes  him  say, 
"  Lord,  thy  will  be  done,"  O  get  into  an 
humble  posture,  the  will  is  never  flexible 
till  the  heart  be  humble  !  « 

6th  Means,  get  your  hearts  loosened  from 
things  below;  be  crucified  to  the  world. 
Whence  is  children's  frowardness,  but  when 
you  take  away  their  play-things  ?  When 
we  love  the  world,  and  God  takes  away 
these  things  from  us,  then  we  grow  froward 
and  unsubmissive  to  God's  will.  Jonah 
was  exceeding  glad  of  the  gourd ;  and  when 
God  smote  it,  he  grew  froward,  and  because 
God  had  killed  his  gourd,  kill  me  too,  saith 
he,  Jonah  iv.  8.  He  who  is  a  lover  of  the 
world,  can  never  pray  this  prayer  heartily, 
"  thy  will  be  done  ;"  his  heart  boils  with 
anger  against  God ;  and  when  the  world  is 
gone,  his  patience  is  gone  too.  Get  morti- 
fied affections  to  these  sublunary  things. 

7th  Means  for  submission  to  God's  will, 
get  some  good  persuasion  your  sin  is  par- 
doned. Feri,  Domine,  fieri,  quia  peccata  mea 
condonata  stmt, — '  smite.  Lord,  smite  where 
thou  wiltj'  said  Luther,  '  because  my  sins 
are  pardoned.'  Pardon  of  sin  is  a  crown- 
ing blessing ;  hath  God  forgiven  my  sin,  I 
will  bear  any  thing,  I  will  not  murmur  but 
admire ;  I  will  not  complain  of  the  burden 
of  affliction,  but  bless  God  for  removing  the 
burden  of  sin  ;  the  pardoned  soul  saith  this 
prayer  heartily,  "  Thy  will  be  done."  Lord, 
use  thy  pruning-knife,  so  long  as  thou  wilt 
not  come  with  thy  bloody  axe  to  hew  me 
down. 

8th  INIeans,  if  we  would  have  our  wills 
submit  to  God,  let  us  not  look  so  much  on 
the  dark  side  of  the  cloud  as  the  light-side ; 
that  is,  let  us  not  look  so  much  on  the  smart 
of  affliction,  as  the  good  of  affliction.  'Tis 
bad  to  pore  all  on  the  smart,  as  'tis  bad  for 
sore  eyes  to  look  too  much  on  the  fire ;  but 


OF  THE  FOURTH  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


5U 


we  should  look  on  the  jj^ood  of  affliction ; 
Samson  did  not  only  look  on  the  lion's  car- 
cass, hut  on  the  honey-comb  within  it, 
Judges  xiv.  8.,  "  He  turned  to  see  the  car- 
cass of  the  lion,  and  behold,  there  was  ho- 
ney in  the  carcass."  Affliction  is  the  fright- 
ful lion,  but  see  what  honey  thei'e  is  in  it ; 
affliction  humbles,  purifies,  fills  us  with  the 
consolations  of  God  ;  here  is  honey  in  the 
belly  of  the  lion ;  could  we  but  look  upon 
the  benefit  of  affliction,  stubbornness  would 
be  turned  into  submissiveness,  and  we 
should  say,  "  thy  will  be  done." 

9th  Means,  pray  to  God  that  he  would 
calm  our  spirits,  and  conquer  our  wills.  It 
is  no  easy  thing  to  submit  to  God  in  afflic- 
tion, there  will  be  risings  of  the  heart ; 
therefore  let  us  pray  that  what  God  inflicts 
righteously,  we  may  bear  patiently.  Pray- 
er is  the  best  spell  or  charm  against  impa- 
tience ;  prayer  doth  to  the  heart  as  Christ 
did  to  the  sea,  when  it  was  tempestuous,  he 
rebuked  the  wind,  and  there  was  a  great 
calm  ;  so,  when  the  passions  are  up,  and  the 
will  is  apt  to  mutiny  against  God,  prayer 
makes  a  gracious  cal  m  in  the  soul ;  prayer 
doth  to  the  heart  as  the  spunge  doth  to  the 
cannon,  when  hot,  cools  it. 

10th  Means,  if  we  would  submit  to  God's 
will  in  affliction,  let  us  make  a  good  inter- 
pretation of  God's  dealings,  take  all  God 
doth  in  the  best  sense.  We  are  apt  to  mis- 
construe God's  dealings,  and  put  a  bad  in- 
terp^tation  upon  them,  as  Israel,  Numb.  xx. 


4.,  "  Ye  have  brought  the  congregation  of 
the  Lord  into  this  wilderness,  that  we  should 
die  there."  So  God  hath  brought  this  af- 
fliction upon  us,  because  he  hates  us,  and 
intends  to  destroy  us;  and  such  hard 
thoughts  of  God  cause  sullenness  and  stub- 
bornness. O  let  us  make  a  fair  and  candid 
interpretation  of  providence.  Doth  God 
afflict  us  ?  Say  thus,  perhaps  he  intends  us 
mercy  in  this  ;  he  will  try  us  whether  we 
will  love  him  in  afflictions ;  he  is  about  to 
mortify  some  sin,  or  exercise  some  grace ; 
he  smites  the  body,  that  he  may  save  the 
soul.  Could  we  j)ut  such  a  good  meaning 
upon  God's  dealings,  we  should  say,  "  thy 
will  be  done."  "  Let  the  righteous  God 
smite  me,  and  it  shall  be  a  kindness,  it  shall 
be  an  excellent  oil,  which  shall  not  break 
my  head,"  Ps.  cxli.  5. 

II  th  and  ult.  Means,  if  you  would  submit 
to  God  in  affliction,  believe  that  the  present 
condition  is  best  for  you.  We  are  not  com- 
petent judges ;  we  fancy  it  is  best  to  have 
ease  and  plenty,  and  have  the  rock  pour 
out  rivers  of  oil,  but  God  sees  affliction 
best ;  he  sees  our  souls  thrive  best  upon 
the  bare  common  ;  the  fall  of  the  leaf  is  the 
spring  of  our  grace.  Could  we  believe  the 
present  condition  is  best  which  God  carves 
out  to  us,  the  quarrel  would  soon  be  at  an 
end,  and  we  should  sit  down  satisfied  with 
what  God  doth,  and  say,  "  thy  will  be 
done."     So  much  for  this  third  petition. 


OF  THE  FOURTH  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


Mat.  vi.  11.  Give  us  this  day  our  daily  bread. 


IN  this  petition  there  are  two  things  ob- 
servable :   \st^  The  order.     2d,  The  matter. 

I.  The  order.  First  we  pray  "  hallowed 
be  thy  name,"  before,  "  Give  us  this  day 
our  daily  bread."  Hence  we  learn,  that 
the  glory  of  God  ought  to  be  preferred  be- 
fore our  own  personal  concerns. 

First  we  pray,  "  Hallo\\'ed  be  thy  name, 
thy  kingdom  come,  thy  will  be  done,"  be- 
fore we  pray  "  give  us  this  day  our  daily 
bread."  God's  glory  ought  to  weigh  down 
all  before  it ;  it  must  be  preferred  before 


our  dearest  concerns.  Christ  preferred  his 
Father's  glory  before  his  own  glory  as  he 
was  man,  John  viii.  49,  50.,  "  I  honour  my 
Father,  I  seek  not  my  own  glory."  God's 
glory  is  that  which  is  most  dear  to  him, — 
it  is  the  apple  of  his  eye, — all  his  riches  lie 
here.  As  Micah  said.  Judges  xviii.  24., 
"  What  have  I  more  ?"  so  I  may  say  of 
God's  glory,  what  hath  he  more?  God's 
glory  is  the  most  orient  pearl  of  his  crown, 
which  he  will  not  part  with,  Isa.  xlii.  8., 
"  My  glory  will  I  not  give  to  another  '* 


512 


OF  THE  FOURTH  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


God's  glory  is  more  wortli  than  heaven, 
more  wortli  than  the  salvation  of  all  men's 
Bouls  ;  better  kingdoms  be  demolished,  bet- 
ter men  and  angels  be  annihilated,  than 
God  lose  any  part  of  his  glory.  First  we 
pray  that  God's  name  may  be  hallowed  and 
glorified  before  we  pray,  "  give  us  our  dai- 
ly bread."  We  are  to  prefer  God's  glory 
before  our  nearest  concerns  ;  before  there 
can  be  a  preferring  God's  glory  before  our 
private  concerns,  there  must  be  a  new  birth 
wrouiiht ;  the  natural  man  seeks  his  own 
secular  interest  before  God's  glory,  John  iii. 
31.,  "  He  is  of  the  earth,  earthly."  Let  him 
Lave  peace  and  trading,  let  the  rock  pour 
out  rivers  of  oil.  Job  xxix.  6.,  and  let  God's 
glory  go  which  way  it  will,  he  minds  it  not. 
A  worm  cannot  fly  and  sing  as  a  lark  :  a 
natural  man,  whose  heart  creeps  upon  the 
earth,  cannot  admire  God,  or  advance  his 
glory,  as  a  man  elevated  by  grace  doth. 

Use.  Of  trial.  Do  we  prefer  God's  glo- 
ry before  our  private  concerns?  Doth 
God's  glory  take  place  ?  Minus  te  amat  qui 
aliquid  tecum  amat,  quod  von  propter  te  amat, 
Aug.  1*^  Do  we  prefer  God's  glory  before 
our  own  credit  ?  Fama  parri  passu  amlm- 
lat  cum  vita.  Credit  is  a  jewel  highly  val- 
ued ;  like  precious  ointment,  it  casts  a  fra- 
grant smell ;  but  God's  glory  must  be  dear- 
er than  credit  or  applause  ;  we  must  be 
willing  to  have  our  credit  trampled  upon, 
if  God's  glory  may  be  raised  higher.  Acts 
V.  41.,  The  apostles  rejoiced  "  that  they 
were  counted  worthy  to  suffer  shame  for 
his  name  ;"  that  they  were  graced  so  far 
as  to  be  disgraced  for  Christ.  2</,  Do  we 
prefer  God's  glory  before  our  relations  ? 
llelations  are  dear,  they  are  of  our  own 
flesh  and  bones  ;  but  God's  glory  must  be 
dearer,  Luke  xiv.  2G.,  "  If  any  man  come 
after  me,  and  hate  not  father  and  mother, 
he  cannot  be  my  disciple."  Here  odium  in 
suos,  is  pietas  in  Ihuiu.  "  If  my  IViends 
(saith  Jerom)  should  persuade  me  to  deny 
Christ, — if  my  wife  sliould  liang  about  my 
neck, — if  my  mother  should  shew  me  her 
breasts  that  gave  me  suck, — I  would  tram- 
ple upon  all,  and  flee  to  Christ."  3(/,  We 
must  prefer  God's  glory  before  estate ;  gold 
is  but  shining  dust,  God's  glory  must  weigh 
heavier.  If  it  come  to  this,  I  cannot  keep 
xny  place  of  profit,  but  God's  glory  will  be 


eclipsed, — here  I  must  rather  suffer  in  my 
estate,  than  God's  glory  should  suffer,  Heb. 
X.  34.  ^th.  We  must  prefer  God's  glory 
before  our  life.  Rev.  xii.  11.,  "  They  loved 
not  their  own  lives  to  the  death."  Igna- 
tius called  his  fetters  his  spiritual  jewels, 
he  wore  them  as  a  chain  of  pearl.  Gordius 
the  martyr  said,  "  It  is  to  my  loss,  if  you 
bate  me  any  thing  of  my  sufferings."  This 
argues  grace  crescent,  and  elevatetl  in  an 
high  degree.  Who  but  a  soul  inflamed  in 
love  to  God,  can  set  God  highest  on  the 
throne,  and  prefer  him  above  all  private 
concerns  ? 

II.  The  second  thing  in  the  petition,  is 
the  matter  of  it.  "  Give  us  this  day  our 
daily  bread."  The  sum  of  this  petition  is, 
that  God  would  give  us  such  a  competency 
in  these  outward  things,  as  he  sees  most 
excellent  for  us.  It  is  much  like  that  prayer 
of  Agur,  Prov.  xxx.  8.,  "  Feed  me  with 
food  convenient  for  me ;"  give  me  a  viati- 
cmn,  a  bait  by  the  way,  enough  to  bear  my 
charges  till  I  come  to  heaven,  and  it  suflSc- 
eth.  Let  me  explain  the  words,  "  Give  us 
this  day  our  daily  bread."  [Give]  Hence 
note,  that  the  good  things  of  this  life  are 
the  gifts  of  God  :  he  is  the  donor  of  all  our 
blessings.  "  Give  us  :"  not  only  faith,  but 
food  is  the  gift  of  God ;  not  only  daily 
grace  is  from  God,  but  "  daily  bread  ;"  e- 
very  good  thing  comes  from  God,  James  i. 
17.,  "  every  good  gift  is  from  above,  and 
cometh  down  from  the  Father  of  lights." 
Wisdom  is  the  gift  of  God,  Is.  xxviii.  26., 
"  His  God  doth  instruct  him  to  discretion." 
Riches  are  the  gift  of  God,  2  Chron.  i.  12., 
"  I  will  give  thee  riches."  Peace  is  the 
gift  of  God,  Ps.  cxlvii.  14.,  "  He  makelh 
j)eace  in  thy  borders."  Health,  Avhich  is 
the  cream  of  life,  is  the  gift  of  God,  Jer. 
xxx.  17.,  "  I  will  restore  health  to  thee." 
Rain  is  the  gift  of  God,  Job  v.  10.,  "  Who 
"iveth  rain  on  the  earth."  All  comes  from 
God ;  he  makes  the  corn  to  grow,  and  the 
herbs  to  flourish. 

Use  \st.  See  our  own  poverty  and  indi- 
gence :  we  live  all  upon  alms,  and  upon 
free-gifts,  "  give  us  this  day."  All  we  have 
is  from  the  hand  of  God's  royal  bounty; 
we  have  nothing  but  what  God  gives  us  out 
of  his  store-house  ;  we  cannot  have  one  bit 
of  bread  but  from  God.     The  devil  per- 


OF  THE  FOURTH  FETITlON  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


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Buaded  our  first  parents,  that  by  disoljeyino: 
God,  they  should  "  be  as  gods,"  Gen.  iii. 
5.,  but  we  may  now  see  wliat  goodly  gods 
we  are,  that  we  have  not  a  bit  of  bread  to 
put  in  our  moutlis,  unh'ss  God  <;ivc  it  us  : 
liere  is  an  huniblinc;'  consideration. 

2d.  Is  all  a  gift?  Then  we  are  to  seek 
every  mercy  from  God  by  prayer,  "  (iive 
us  this  <lay."  The  tree  of  mercy  will  not 
drop  its  fruit,  unless  shaken  by  the  hand 
of  prayer.  Whatever  we  have,  if  it  do  not 
come  in  the  way  of  prayer,  it  doth  not  come 
in  the  way  of  love;  it  is  given,  as  Israel's 
quails,  in  anger.  If  every  thing  be  a  gift, 
we  do  not  deserve  it,  we  are  not  fit  for  it, 
uidess  we  ask  for  this  alms.  And  must 
we  go  to  God  for  every  mercy  ?  How 
wicked  are  they,  wlio  instead  of  going  to 
God  for  food  when  they  want,  they  go  to 
the  devil ;  they  make  a  compact  with  him; 
and  if  lie  will  help  them  to  a  livelihood, 
they  will  give  him  their  souls.  Better 
"tarve,  than  go  to  the  devil  for  provender. 
I  wish  there  be  none  in  our  age  guilty  of 
this,  who,  when  they  are  in  want,  use  in- 
direct means  for  a,  livelihood  ;  they  consult 
with  witches,  who  are  the  devil's  oracles ; 
the  end  of  these  will  be  fearful,  as  that  of 
Saul  was,  whom  the  Lord  is  said  to  have 
killed,  because  he  asked  counsel  at  a  fami- 
liar spirit. 

2d.  If  all  be  a  gift,  then  it  is  not  a  debt, 
we  cannot  say  to  God,  as  that  creditor  said. 
Mat.  xviii.  28.,  "  Pay  me  that  thou  owest." 
Who  can  make  God  a  debtor,  or  do  any 
act  that  is  obliging  and  meritorious  ?  What- 
ever we  receive  from  God  is  a  gift ;  we  can 
give  nothing  to  God  but  what  he  hath  gi- 
ven to  us,  1  Chron.  xxix  14.,  "  All  tilings 
come  of  thee,  and  of  thine  own  have  we 
given  thee."  David  and  his  people  offered 
to  the  building  of  God's  house  gold  and 
silver,  but  they  offered  nothing  but  what 
God  had  given  them,  "  of  thine  own  have 
we  given  thee."  If  we  love  God,  God  it  is 
that  hath  given  us  an  heart  to  love  him ; 
if  we  praise  him,  he  both  gives  us  the  or- 
gan of  the  tongue,  and  puts  it  in  tune  ;  if 
we  give  alms  to  others,  God  hath  given 
alms  to  us  fiist,  so  that  we  may  say,  "  we 
offer,  O  Lord,  of  thine  own  to  thee.'  Is 
all  <tf  gilt,  how  absurd  then  is  the  doctrine 
of  merit  ^      That  was  a  proud  speech  of  the 


friar,  that  said,  Rcdde  mild  vifam  etetnnm 
quam  dehas, — 'give  me.  Lord,  eternal  life, 
which  thou  owest  me.'  A\'e  cannot  deserve 
a  bit  of  bread,  much,  less  a  crown  of  glory. 
If  all  be  a  gift,  then  merit  is  exploded,  and 
slint  out  of  doors. 

Ath.  If  all  be  a  gift,  "  give  us  this  day,'' 
then  take  notice  of  God's  goodness  ;  there 
is  nothing  in  us  can  deserve  or  reqtiite 
(iod's  kindness  ;  yet  such  is  the  sweetness 
of  his  nature,  he  gives  us  rich  provision, 
and  feeds  us  with  the  finest  of  the  wheat. 
Pindar  saith,  it  was  an  ojnuion  of  the  ])co- 
ple  of  Rhodes,  that  Jupiter  rained  down 
gold  upon  the  city  :  God  hath  rained  down 
golden  mercies  upon  us;  he  is  upon  the  gi  vino- 
hand.  Observe  three  things  in  God's  givin(»- : 

(1.)  He  is  not  weary  of  giving;  the 
springs  of  mercy  are  ever  running.  God 
did  not  only  dispense  blessings  in  former 
ages,  but  he  still  gives  gifts  to  us ;  as  the  sua 
not  only  enriches  the  world  with  its  mor« 
ning  light,  but  keeps  light  for  the  meridian. 
The  honey-comb  of  God's  bounty  is  still 
dropping. 

(2.)  God  delights  in  giving,  Micah  vli.  18., 
"  He  delighteth  in  mercy."  As  the  nu)thcr 
delights  to  give  the  child  the  breast,  God 
loves  we  should  have  the  breast  of  mercy 
in  our  mouth. 

(3.)  God  gives  to  his  very  enemies. 
Who  will  send  in  provisions  U\  liis  enemy  ? 
Men  use  to  spread  nets  fi)r  their  enemies, 
God  spreads  a  table.  The  dew  drops  on 
the  thistle  as  well  as  the  rose;  the  dew  of 
God's  bounty  drops  upon  the  worst.  Those 
who  have  their  mouths  opened  against  God 
yet  God  puts  bread  in  those  mouths.  O 
the  royal  bounty  of  God  !  Ps.  Iii.  1.,  "  The 
goodness  of  God  endureth  continually." 
Swinish  sinners  God  puts  jewels  upon,  and 
feeds  them  every  day. 

blh.  If  all  be  a  gift,  see  then  the  odious 
ingratitude  of  men,  who  sin  against  their 
giver.  God  feeds  them,  and  they  fight  a- 
gainst  him ;  he  gives  them  tlieir  bread,  and 
they  give  him  affronts.  How  unworthy  is 
this?  Would  we  not  cry  shame  of  him, 
who  had  a  friend  always  feeding  him  with 
money,  and  he  should  betray  and  injure- 
that  IViend.  Thus  ungratefully  do  sinners, 
deal  with  God,  they  do  not  only  forg3t  his 
mercies,  but  abuse  them,  Jer.  v.  7.,  "  When 

3  T 


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OF  THE  FOURTH  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


1  liad  fed  them  to  the  full,  they  then  com- 
mitted adultery."  O  liow  horrid  is  this, 
to  sin  against  a  bountiful  God  ! — to  strike 
(as  it  were)  those  hands  that  relieve  us  ! 
This  o-ives  a  dye  and  tincture  to  men's  sins, 
and  makes  them  crimson.  How  many 
make  a  dart  of  God's  mercies,  and  slioot  at 
liim?  He  pves  them  wit,  and  they  serve 
the  devil  with  it ;  he  g-ives  them  strenj^th, 
and  they  waste  it  amonjr  harlots  ;  he  g^ives 
them  bread  to  eat,  and  they  lift  nj)  the  heel 
against  him,  Deut.  xxxii.  15.,  "  Jeshurun 
waxed  fat  and  kicked."  These  are  like 
Absalom,  who  as  soon  as  David  his  father 
kissed  him,    plotted  treason   against   him, 

2  Sam.  XV.  10.  Like  the  mule,  who  kicks 
the  dam  after  she  hath  given  it  milk. 
Those  who  sin  against  their  giver,  and  a- 
buse  God's  royal  favours,  the  mercies  of 
God  will  come  in  as  witnesses  against  them. 
What  smoother  than  oil?  But  if  it  be  heat- 
ed, what  more  scalding  ?  What  sweeter  than 
mercy  ?  But  if  it  be  abused,  what  more 
dreadful  ?  It  turns  to  fury. 

Gth.  If  God  gives  us  all,  let  God's  giving 
excite  ns  to  thanksgiving ;  he  is  the  foun- 
der and  donor  of  all  our  blessings,  let  him 
have  all  our  acknowledgments.  "  All  the 
rivers  come  from  the  sea.  And  thither 
they  return  again,"  Eccl.  i.  7.  All  our  gifts 
come  fi-ora  God,  and  to  him  must  all  our 
praises  return.  We  are  a])t  to  burn  incense 
to  our  own  drag,  Ilab.  i.  16.;  to  attribute 
all  we  have  to  our  own  second  causes. 

(1.)  Our  own  skill  and  industry.     God  is 
He  giver ;  he  gives  daily  bread,  Ps.  cxxxvi. 
He  gives  riches,  Deut.  viii.  18.,  "  He  it 
that  giveth  thee  power  to  get  wealth." 
Or,  (2.)   We  oft  ascribe  the  praise  to  se- 
cond causes,    and  forget  God.     If  friends 
have  bestowed  an  estate,  we  look  at  them 
and  admire  them,  but  not  God  who  is  the 
great  giver ;  as  if  one  should  be  thankful 
to  the  steward,    and  never  take  notice  of 
the  master  of  the  family  that  provides  all. 
O  if  God  gives  all,  our  eye-sight,  our  food, 
our  clothing,  let  us  sacrifice  the  chief  praise 
to  him ;  let  not  God  be  a  loser  by  his  mer- 
cies I    Praise  is  a  more  illustrious  part  of 
God's  worship.     Our  wants  may  send  us 
to  prayer,  nature  may  make  us  beg  daily 
bread ;  but  it  shews  an  heart  full  of  inge- 
uuitv  and  grace,  to  be  rendering  praises  to 


God.     In  petition  we  act  like  men,  in  praise 
we  act  like  angels.     Doth  God  sow  seeds 
of  mercy  ?  Let  thankfulness  be  the  crop  we 
bring  forth.     We  are  called  the  temples  of 
God,  1  Cor.  iii.  16.,  and  where  should  God's 
praises  be  sounded  forth,  but  in  his  tem- 
ples ?  Ps.  cxlvi.  2.,   "  While  I  live  \^A\\  I 
praise  the  Lord,    I  will  sing  praises  to  my 
God  while  I  have  any  being."     God  gives 
us  daily  bread,  let  us  give  him  daily  praise. 
Thankfulness  to  our  donor  is  the  best  poli- 
cy ;  there  is  nothing  lost  by  it ;  to  be  thank- 
ful for  one  mercy,  is  the  way  to  have  more. 
Musicians    love    to    sound    their    trumpets 
where  there  is  the  best  echo,  and  God  loves 
to  bestow  his  mercies   where  there  is  the 
best  echo  of  praise  ;  and  it  is  not  only  of- 
fering the  calves  of  our  lips  is  enough,  but 
we  must  shew  our  thankfulness  by  impro- 
ving the  gifts  which  God  gives  us,  and  as 
it  were  putting  them  out  to  use.     God  gives 
us  an  estate,  and  we  honour  the  Lord  with 
our  substance,    Prov.   iii.  9. ;    he  gives  us 
the  staff  of  bread,  and  we  lay  out  the  strength 
we  receive  by  it  in  his  service ;   this  is  to 
be  thankful :   and  that  we  may  be  thank- 
ful, be  humble.     Pride   stops  the  current 
of  gratitude;   a  proud  man  will  never  be 
thankful ;   he  looks  upon  all  he  hath,  either 
to  be  of  hi^  own  procuring  or  deserving. 
Let  us  see  all  we  have  is  God's  gift,  and 
how  unworthy  we  are  to  receive  the  least 
favour  ;   and   this   will   make  us  much  in 
doxology  and  gratitude,   we  will  be  silver 
trumpets  sounding  forth  God's  praise. 

First,  give.  Hence  I  note,  1.  That  the 
good  things  of  this  life  are  the  gifts  of  God; 
he  is  the  founder  and  donor. 

2.  From  this  word  give,  I  note,  that  it  is 
not  unlawful  to  pray  for  temporal  things ; 
we  may  pray  for  daily  bread,  Prov.  xxx.  8., 
"  Feed  me  with  food  convenient  for  me ;" 
we  may  pray  for  health,  Ps.  vi.  2.,  '  O 
Lord,  heal  me ;  for  my  bones  are  vexed.' 
As  these  are  in  themselves  good  things,  so 
they  are  useful  for  us ;  they  are  as  needful 
for  pi-eserving  the  comfort  of  life,  as  the 
oil  is  needful  for  preserving  the  lamp  from 
going  out.  Only  let  me  insert  two  things. 
(1.)  There  is  a  great  dilTerence  between 
our  praying  for  temporal  things  and  spiri- 
tual. In  pi-aying  for  spiritual  things,  W3 
must  be  absolute.     When  we  pray  for  par- 


OF  THE  FOURTH  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


>15 


<!(»n  of  sin,  and  (1)c  favour  of  God,  and  the 
sanctifyinij  graces  of  tlie  Spirit,  these  are 
indispensably  necessary  to  salvation,  and 
liere  we  must  take  no  denial  :  but  when 
we  pray  for  temporal  things,  lierc  our  pray- 
ers must  be  limited,  we  must  pray  condi- 
tionally so  far  as  God  sees  tlieni  fjof)d  for 
us.  God  sometimes  sees  cause  to  wiihhold 
temporal  thin<rs  from  us :  tlicy  may  be 
snares,  and  draw  our  hearts  from  God, 
therefore  we  must  pray  for  these  things 
with  submission  to  God's  will.  Tiiis  was 
Israel's  sin  ;  they  would  be  jieremptory  and 
absolute  in  their  desire  of  tem])oral  things, 
God's  bill  of  fare  did  not  please  them,  they 
must  liave  dainties,  Numb.  xi.  18.,  "  Who 
shall  give  us  flesh  to  eat?"  God  hatli  given 
them  manna,  he  fed  them  with  a  miracle 
from  heaven,  but  their  wanton  palates  cra- 
ved more,  they  must  have  quails  :  God  let 
them  have  their  desire,  but  they  had  sour 
sauce  to  their  quails,  Ps.  Ixxviii.  30,  31., 
*'  While  the  meat  was  yet  in  their  mouths, 
the  wrath  of  God  came  upon  them  and 
slew  them."  Rachel  was  importunate  in 
her  desires  for  a  child.  Gen.  xxx.  1.,  "  Give 
me  children,  or  I  die  :"  God  let  her  have 
a  child,  but  it  was  a  Beiioni,  a  son  of  sor- 
row, it  cost  her  her  life  in  bringing  forth, 
Gen.  XXXV.  18.  We  must  pray  for  out- 
ward things  with  submission  to  God's  will, 
else  thev  come  in  anger. 

(2.)  When  we  pray  for  things  pertaining 
to  this  life,  we  must  desire  tcmjioral  things 
for  spiritual  ends ;  we  must  desire  these 
things  to  be  as  helps  in  our  journey  to  hea- 
ven. If  we  pray  for  health,  it  must  be  that 
WQ  may  improve  this  talent  of  health  for 
God's  glory,  and  may  be  fitter  for  liis  ser- 
vice ;  if  we  pray  for  a  competency  of  estate, 
it  must  be  for  an  holy  end,  that  we  may  be 
kept  from  the  temptations  which  poverty 
usually  exposeth  to,  and  that  we  may  be  in 
a  better  capacity  to  sow  the  golden  seeds  of 
charity,  and  relieve  such  as  are  in  want. 
Temporal  things  must  be  prayed  for,  for 
6])iritual  ends.  Hannah  prayed  for  a  child, 
but  it  was  for  this  end,  that  her  child  might 
be  devoted  to  God,  1  Sam.  i.  11.,  "  O  Lord, 
if  thou  wilt  remember  me,  and  wilt  give 
unto  thine  hand-maid  a  man  child,  then  I 
will  give  him  unto  the  Lord  all  the  days  of 
his  life."     Many  pray  for  outward  things 


only  to  gratify  their  sensual  appetite:  "  the 
ravens  cry  for  food,"  Ps.  cxlvii.  9.  To  pray 
for  (mtwar<l  things  only  to  satisfy  nature,  is 
to  cry  rather  like  ravens  tlian  Cliristians. 
We  must  have  an  higher  end  in  our  pray- 
ers, we  must  aim  at  heaven,  while  we  are 
praying  for  earth.  And  must  we  pray  for 
temporal  things  for  spiritual  ends,  that  we 
may  be  fitter  to  serve  God?  Then,  how 
wicked  are  they,  who  beg  temporal  mercies 
tliat  they  may  be  more  enabled  to  sin  a- 
gainst  God  ?  Janies  iv.  3.,  "  Ye  ask  that  ye 
may  consume  it  upon  your  lusts."  One 
man  is  sick,  and  he  prays  fi)r  health  that 
he  may  be  among  his  cups  and  harlots ;  an- 
other prays  for  an  estate, — he  would  not 
only  have  his  belly  filled,  but  his  barns. 
And  why  would  he  be  rich  ?  that  he  may 
raise  his  name,  or  that,  having  more  power 
in  his  hand,  he  may  now  take  a  fuller  re- 
venge on  his  enemies.  This  is  impiety 
joined  with  impudence;  to  pray  to  God  to 
give  us  temporal  things,  that  we  may  be  the 
better  enabled  to  serve  the  devil. 

Uss.  If  we  are  to  pray  for  temporal  good 
things,  then  how  much  more  for  spiritual  ? 
if  we  are  to  pi-ay  for  bread,  then,  liow  much 
more  for  the  bread  of  life  ?  if  for  oil,  then, 
how  much  more  for  the  oil  of  gladness  '^  If 
we  pray  to  have  our  hunger  satisfied,  much 
more  should  we  pray  to  have  our  souls  saved 
Alas  !  what  if  God  should  hear  our  prayers, 
and  grant  us  these  temporal  things,  and  no 
more,  what  were  we  the  better  ?    W^hat  is 
it  to  liave  food,  and  want  grace  ?  What  is 
it  to  liave  the   back  clothed  and  the   soul 
naked  ?  to  have  a  south  land,  and  want  the 
living  springs  in  Christ's  blood  ?  What  com- 
fort could  that  be  ?  O  therefore  let  us  be 
earnest  for  spiritual  mercies  !  Lord  do  not 
only  \'cQi\  me,  but  sanctify  me ;  rather  an 
heart  full  of  grace,    than  an  house  full   of 
gold ;  if  we  are  to  pray  for  daily  bread,  the 
things  of  this  life,  mucli  more  for  the  things 
of  the  life  that  is  to  come. 

3.  From  this  Avord  give,  I  note,  that  they 
whom  God  hath  given  a  large  measure  of 
outward  things  to,  yet  must  pray,  "  Give 
us  daily  bread."  And  this  may  answer  a 
question. 

Quest.  Some  may  say,  we  have  an  estate 
already,  and  ichat  need  we  pray,  *  Give  us 
daily  bread  ?' 


516 


OF  THE  FOURTH  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


Ans.  Supposing-  we  Lave  a  ])lentiful  estate, 
vet  we  need  make  this  petition,  "  Give  us 
tlaily  bi-eatl,"  and  that  upon  a  double  ac- 
count. 

(1.)  That  we  may  have  a  blessing  upon 
our  food,  and  all  that  we  enjoy,  Ps.  cxxxii. 
15.,  "  I  will  abundantly  bless  hei*  provision. 
Man  shall  not  live  by  bread  alone,  but  by 
every  word  which  proceedeth  out  of  God's 
mouth,"  Mat.  iv.  4.  What  is  that  but  a 
word  of  blessing  ?  Though  the  bread  is  in 
our  hand,  yet  the  blessing  is  in  God's  hand, 
and  it  must  be  fetched  out  of  his  hand  by 
prayer.  Well  therefore  may  rich  men  pray, 
"  Give  us  our  bread,"  let  it  be  seasoned 
with  a  blessing.  If  God  should  withhold  a 
blessing,  nothing  we  have  would  do  us 
good;  our  clothes  would  not  warm  us,  our 
food  would  not  nourish  us:  Ps.  cvi.  15., 
"  lie  gave  them  their  request,  but  sent 
leanness  into  their  soul," — that  is,  they 
pined  away,  and  their  meat  did  not  nourish 
them.  If  God  should  withhold  a  blessing, 
what  we  eat  would  turn  to  bad  humours, 
and  hasten  death.  If  God  do  not  bless  our 
riches,  they  will  do  us  more  hurt  than  good, 
Eccl.  V.  13.,  "  Riches  kept  for  the  owners 
thereof  to  their  hurt."  So  that,  granting 
we  have  plentiful  estates,  yet  we  had  need 
pray,  "  Give  us  our  bread ;"  let  us  Lave  a 
blessing  with  what  we  have. 

(2.)  Though  we  have  estates,  yet  we  had 
need  pray,  give,  that  we  may  hereby  engage 
God  to  continue  these  comforts  to  us.  How 
many  casualities  may  fall  out  ?  How  many 
have  liad  corn  in  their  barn,  and  a  fii'e  hath 
come  on  a  sudden  and  consumed  all  ?  How 
many  have  had  losses  at  sea,  and  great  es- 
tates boiled  away  to  nothing?  Ruth  i.  21., 
*'  I  went  out  full,  and  the  Lord  hath  brought 
me  home  again  empty."  Therefore,  though 
we  have  estates,  yet  we  had  need  pray, 
"  give  us,"  Lord,  give  a  continuance  of 
these  comforts,  that  they  may  not,  before 
■we  are  aware,  take  wings  and  fly  from  us. 
So  much  for  this  first  word  in  the  petition, 

give. 

Secondly,  us.     "  Give  us." 

Quest.  Whtj  do  we  pray  here  in  the  plural? 
IJ'Tiy  ^  give  usf  Why  is  it  not  said,  '  give 
me?' 

Ans.  To  show  that  we  are  to  have  pub- 
c  spirits  in  prayer  ;  we  must  not  only  pray 


for  ourselves,  but  others  ;  both  the  law  of 
God,  and  the  law  of  love  bind  us  to  this, 
"  we  must  love  our  neighbour  as  ourselves;" 
therefore  we  must  pray  for  them  as  well  as 
ourselves.  Every  good  Christian  hath  a 
fellow-feeling  of  the  wants  and  miseries  of 
others,  and  he  prays  God  would  extend  his 
bounty  to  them,  especially,  he  prays  for  the 
saints,  Eph.  vi.  18.,  "  Praying  always  for 
all  saints."  These  are  children  of  the  fa- 
mily. 

Use  1st.  Should  we  haA'e  public  spirits  ia 
prayer,  *  give  us  ?'  It  reproves  such  nar- 
row-spirited men  as  move  only  within  their 
own  sphere  ;  they  look  only  at  themselves, 
but  mind  not  the  case  of  others  ;  they  leave 
others  out  of  their  prayers  ;  if  they  have 
daily  bread,  tliey  care  not  though  others 
starve  ;  if  they  are  clothed,  they  care  not 
though  others  go  naked.  Christ  hath  taught 
us  to  pray  for  others,  "  give  us  ;"  but  selfish 
persons  are  shut  up  within  themselves,  as 
the  snail  in  the  shell,  and  never  speak  a 
word  in  prayer  for  others  ;  these  have  no 
commiseration  or  pity;  they  are  like  Judas, 
whose  bowels  fell  out. 

Use  2d.  Let  us  pray  for  others,  as  well  as 
for  ourselves,  '  give  us  :'  vir  bonus  aliis  pro- 
dest  (EqiicB  ac  sibi.  Spiders  work  only  for 
themselves,  but  bees  work  for  the  good  of 
others  ;  the  more  excellent  any  thing  is,  the 
more  it  operates  for  the  good  of  others. 
The  springs  refresh  others  with  their  chrys- 
tal  streams, — the  sun  enlightens  others  with 
its  golden  beams, —  the  more  a  Christian  is 
ennobled  with  grace,  the  more  he  besiegeth 
heaven  with  his  prayers  for  others ;  if  we 
are  members  of  tiie  body  mystical,  we  can- 
not but  have  a  sympathy  with  others  in 
their  wants,  and  tJiis  sympathy  sets  us  a 
praying  for  them.  David  had  a  public  spi- 
rit in  prayer,  Ps.  cxxv.  4.,  "  Do  good,  O 
Lord,  unto  those  that  be  good."  Though 
he  begins  the  psalm  with  prayer  for  him- 
self, Ps.  11.  1.,  "  Have  mercy  ujxni  me,  O 
God ;"  yet  he  ends  the  ])salm  with  prayer 
for  others,  v.  18.,  "  Do  good  in  thy  good 
pleasure  unto  Zion." 

Use  Sd.  It  is  matter  of  comfort  to  the 
godly,  who  are  but  low  in  the  world,  yet 
they  have  tlie  prayers  of  God's  people  for 
them  ;  they  pray  not  only  for  the  increase 
of  their  faith,  but  their  food,  that  God  will 


OF  THE  FOURTH  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


517 


give  tlicm  "  daily  bread."     He  is  like  to  be  \      Fonrtlily.  The  fourth  thing  in  the  petition 


rich,  who  hath  several  stocks  goinc: ;  so  they 
are  in  a  likely  way  to  thrive,  who  have  the 
prayers  of  the  saints  going  for  them  in  se- 
voval  parts  of  the  world.  So  much  for  this 
second  word  in  the  petition,  "  Give  us." 

Thirdly.  The  third  word  in  the  petition 
is,  "  This  day."  We  pray  not,  give  us 
bread  for  a  month,  or  a  year,  but  a  day  ; 
'  Give  us  this  day.' 

QuEsr.  Is  it  not  lawful  to  lay  up  for  after- 
wards ?  Doth  not  the  apostle  say,  He  who  pro- 
vides not  for  his  family,  is  worse  than  infidel, 
I  Tim.  V.  8, 

Ans.  It  is  true,  it  is  lawful  to  lay  up  for 
posterity,  hut  our  Saviour  hath  taught  us 
to  pray,  "  Give  us  this  day  our  bread,"  for 
two  reasons  ; 

\st.  That  we  should  not  have  carking  care 
for  the  future.  We  should  not  set  our  wits 
upon  the  tenter,  or  torment  ourselves  how 
to  lay  up  great  estates  ;  if  we  do  vivere  in 
diem, — if  we  have  but  enough  to  supply  for 
the  present,  it  may  suffice,  '  Give  us  this 
dav  :'  "  take  therefore  no  thought  for  to- 
morrow," Mat.  vi.  34.,  God  fed  Israel  with 
manna  in  the  wilderness,  and  he  i'cd  them 
from  hand  to  mouth ;  sometimes  all  their 
manna  was  spent;  and  if  any  one  had  ask- 
ed them  where  they  would  have  tlieir  break- 
fast next  morning,  they  would  have  said, 
our  care  is  only  for  this  day,  God  will  rain 
down  what  manna  we  need;  if  we  have 
bread  this  day,  do  not  distrust  God's  pro- 
vidence for  the  future. 

2d.  Our  Saviour  will  have  us  pray,  "  Give 
us  bread  this  day,"  to  teach  us  to  live  every 
day  as  if  it  were  our  last.  We  are  not  to 
pray,  give  us  bread  to-morrow,  because  we 
do  not  know  whether  we  shall  live  till  to- 
morrow ;  but,  Lord,  "  give  us  this  day  ;"  it 
may  he  our  last  day  we  shall  live,  and  then 
we  shall  need  no  more. 

Use.  If  we  ju-ay  ft)r  bread  only  fo)-  a 
day,  "  Give  us  this  day,"  then  you  who 
have  great  estates  have  cause  to  be  thank- 
ful ;  you  have  more  than  you  pray  for ;  you 
pray  but  for  bread  for  one  day,  and  God 
liath  given  you  enough  to  suffice  you  all  your 
life.  Wliat  a  bountiful  God  do  you  serve  ! 
Two  things  may  make  rich  men  thankful  : 

1.  God  gives  them  more  than  they  deserve. 

2.  God  gives  them  more  than  they  pray  for. 


is,  "  Our  bread." 

Quest.  JJ'hy  is  it  called  "  Our  bread," 
when  it  is  not  ours,  but  God's  ? 

Ans.  1.  We  must  understand  it  in  a  qua- 
lified sense  ;  it  is  our  bread,  being  gotten  by 
honest  industry.  There  are  two  sorts  of 
bread  that  cannot  properly  be  called  our 
bi-ead  :  Isf,  The  bread  of  idleness.  2d,  The 
bread  of  violence. 

(1.)  The  bread  of  idleness,  Prov.  xxxi. 
27.,  "  She  eateth  not  the  bread  of  idleness." 
An  idle  person  doth  vivere  aliend  quadrd, 
he  lives  at  another  body's  cost,  and  is  at 
their  finding  :  Prov.  xxi.  25.,  "  His  hands 
refuse  to  labour."  We  must  not  be  as  the 
drones  which  eat  the  honey  that  other  bees 
have  brouglit  into  the  hive  ;  if  we  eat  the 
bread  of  idleness,  this  is  not  our  own  bread, 
2  Thess.  iii.  11,  12.,  "  There  ai'e  some  which 
walk  amontr  you  disorderly,  working  not 
at  all  ;  such  we  command  and  exhort  by  our 
Lord  Josus  Christ  that  they  work,  and  eat 
their  own  bread."  The  apostle  gives  this 
hint,  that  such  as  live  idly  do  not  eat  theii 
own  bread. 

(2.)  The  bread  of  violence.  We  cannot 
call  this  "  our  bread,"  for  it  is  taken  away 
from  others;  that  which  is  gotten  by  stealth 
or  fraud,  or  any  manner  of  extortion,  is  not 
our  bread,  it  belongs  to  another.  He  who 
is  a  bird  of  prey,  who  takes  away  the  bread 
of  the  v.'idow  and  fatlierless,  he  eats  that 
bread  which  is  none  of  his,  nor  can  he  pray 
for  a  blessing  upon  it:  can  he  pray  God  to 
bless  that  wl;ieh  he  hath  gotten  unjustly? 

A.  2.  It  is  called  "  our  bread"  by  virtue 
of  our  title  to  it.  There  is  a  twofold  title 
to  bread.  U/,  A  spiritual  title;  in  and  by 
Christ  we  have  a  right  to  the  creature,  and 
may  call  it  "  our  bread."  As  we  are  be- 
lievers, we  have  the  best  title  to  earthly 
things,  we  hold  all  in  capite,  1  Cor.  iii.  22., 
"  xVil  things  are  yours  ;"  by  what  title  ?  "  ye 
are  Christ's."  2d,  A  civil  title,  which  the 
law  confers  on  us  ;  to  deny  men  a  civil  right 
to  their  possessions,  and  make  all  common, 
opens  the  door  to  anarchy  and  confusion. 

Use.  See  the  privilege  of  believers,^ 
they  have  both  a  spiritual  and  a  civil  right 
to  what  they  possess,— they  who  can  say, 
"  Our  Father,"  can  say,  "  our  bread.'* 
Wicked   men,    though   they  have  a   legal 


518 


OF  THE  FOURTH  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAVEH. 


rifrht  to  what  tlicy  possess,  yet  not  a  cove-  the  earth,  the  fire  ;"  and  I  may  add  a  fifth 
naiit  rii^lit ;  they  liave  it  by  providence,  not  tiling,  tlie  lieart  of  a  covetous  man.  Such 
by  promise  ;  with  God's  leave,  not  with  his    as  are  not   content  with  daily  bread,   but 


love.  Wicked  men  are  in  God's  eye  no 
better  than  usurpers ;  all  they  have,  their 
money  and  land,  is  like  cloth  taken  up  at 
the  drapers,  which  is  not  paid  for ;  but  this 
is  the  sweet  privilege  of  believers,  they  can 
say,  "  our  bread ;"  Christ  being  theirs,  all 
is  theirs.  O  how  sweet  is  every  bit  of 
bread  dipped  in  Christ's  blood  !  How  well 
doth  that  meat  relish  which  is  a  pledge  and 
earnest  of  more  !  The  meal  in  the  barrel  is 
an  earnest  of  our  angels'  food  in  paradise. 
Here  is  the  privilege  of  saints,  they  liave  a 
right  to  the  earth  and  heaven. 

Fifthly.  The  fifth  and  last  thing  in  this 
petition  is,  the  thing  we  pray  for,  "  daily 
bread." 

Quest.  What  is  meant  hy  bread? 

Ana.  Bread  here,  by  a  syncchdoche,  is 
put  for  all  the  temporal  blessings  of  this 
life,  food,  fuel,  clothing.  Qidcqvid  nobis 
conducit  ad  bene  esse,  Austin.  Whatever 
may  serve  for  necessity  or  sober  delight. 

Use.  Learn  to  be  contented  with  that  al- 
lowance God  gives  us.  If  we  have  bread, 
— a  competency  of  these  outward  things, — 
let  us  rest  satisfied.  We  pray  but  for  bread, 
*'  Give  us  our  daily  bread  ;"  we  do  not  pray 
for  superfluities,  nor  for  quails  or  venison, 
but  for  bread,  that  which  may  support  life. 
Though  we  have  not  so  much  as  others,  so 
full  a  crop,  so  rich  an  estate,  yet  if  we  have 
the  staff  of  bread  to  shore  us  from  falling, 
let  us  be  content.  Most  people  are  herein 
faulty  :  though  they  pray  that  God  would 
give  them  bread  (so  much  as  he  sees  ex- 
pedient for  them)  yet  they  are  not  content 
with  God's  allowance,  but  overgieedily  co- 
vet more,  and  with  the  daughters  of  the 
horse-leech,  cry,  "  Give  !  give  !"  Prov.  xxx. 
15.  This  is  a  vice  naturally  ingrafted  in 
us.  Many  pray  Agur's  first  ])rayer,  "  give 
me  not  poverty,"  but  fy^w  prays  liis  last 
prayer,  "  give  me  not  riches,"  Prov.  xxx.  8. 
They  are  not  content  with  daily  bread,  but 
have  the  dry  dropsy  of  covetousness  ;  tliey 
are  still  craving  for  more,  Hah.  ii.  .5.,  "  Who 
enlargeth  his  desire  as  hell,  and  is  as  death, 
and  cannot  be  satisfied."  "  There  are  (saith 
Solomon)  four  things  say  not  it  is  enough, 
Prov.  xxx.  15.,  the  grave,  the  barren  womb. 


thirst  insatiably  after  more,  will  break  over 
the  hedge  of  God's  command,  and  to  get 
riches  will  stick  at  no  sin.  Qui  nihil  satis 
est,  eidem  nihil  turpe,  Tacitus.  Therefore 
covetousness  is  called  a  radical  vice,  1  Tim. 
vi.  10.,  "  The  root  of  all  evil."  Quid  non 
mortalia  pectora  cogit,  auri  sacra  fames  ? 
The  Greek  word  for  covetousness  (pleonexia) 
signifies  an  inordinate  desire  of  getting. 
Covetousness  is  not  only  in  getting  riches 
unjustly,  but  in  loving  tliem  inordinately: 
this  is  a  key  opens  the  door  to  all  sin.  It 
causeth,  \st.  Theft ;  Achan's  covetous  hu- 
mour made  him  steal  that  wedge  of  gold 
which  cleft  asunder  his  soul  from  God, 
Josh.  vii.  21.  2d,  It  causeth  treason.  What 
made  Judas  betray  Christ  ?  It  was  the  thii-ty 
pieces  of  silver.  Mat.  xxA'i.  5.  Sd,  It  pro- 
duccth  murder.  It  was  the  inordinate  love 
of  the  vineyard  made  Ahah  conspire  Na- 
both's  death,  1  Kings  xxi.  13.  Ath,  It  is 
the  root  of  perjury,  2  Tim.  iii.  3.  IMen 
shall  be  covetous  ;  and  it  follows,  truce- 
breakers.  Love  of  silver  will  make  men 
take  a  false  oath,  and  break  a  just  oath. 
bth,  It  is  the  spring  of  apostacy,  2  Tim.  iv. 
10.,  "  Hemas  hath  forsaken  me,  having 
loved  this  present  world."  He  did  not  only 
forsake  Paul's  company,  but  his  doctrine. 
Demas  afterwards  became  a  priest  in  an 
idol-temple,  saith  Dorotheus.  dth,  Cove- 
tousness will  make  men  idolaters.  Col.  iii. 
5.,  "  Covetousness  Avhich  is  idolatry." 
Though  the  covetous  man  will  not  worship 
graven  images  in  the  church,  yet  he  will 
worship  the  graven  image  in  his  coin.  7M, 
Covetousness  makes  men  give  themselves 
to  the  devil.  Pope  Sylvester  II.  did  sell  his 
soul  to  the  devil  for  a  popedom.  Covetou$j 
persons  forget  this  prayer,  "  Give  us  daily 
bread,"  that  which  may  satisfy  natme,  but 
they  an;  insatiable  in  their  desire.  O  let 
us  take  heed  of  this  dry -dropsy  :  Heh.  xiii. 
5.,  "  Be  content  with  such  things  as  ye 
have."  Natiira  parvd  dimittitiir,  Seneca. 
Tliat  we  may  be  content  with  daily  bread, 
— that  which  God  in  his  j)rovidence  carves 
out  to  us, — and  not  covet  or  murmur,  let 
me  j)rop()se  these  things. 

1.  God  can  bless  a  little^  Exod.  xxiii.  25., 


OF  THE  FOURTH  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


519 


*  Tie  will  bless  thy  bread  and  tliy  water." 
A  blessing  puts  sweetness  into  tlie  least 
morsel  of  bread,  it  is  like  su<i;ar  in  wine, 
Ps.  exxxii.  15.,  "  I  will  bless  her  provision." 
Daniel,  and  the  three  ehildren,  ate  pulse, 
(whieli  was  a  eoarse  fare,)  yet  they  looked 
fairer  than  those  who  did  eat  of  the  kin^j's 
meat,  Dan.  i.  12.  Whence  was  this?  Ciod 
did  infuse  a  more  than  ordinary  blessing 
into  the  pnlse  :  God's  blessing  was  better 
than  the  king's  venison  :  a  piece  of  bread 
with  God's  love  is  angels'  food. 

2.  God,  who  gives  us  our  allowance, — 
knows  what  quantity  of  these  outward 
things  is  fittest  for  us;  a  smaller  provision 
may  be  fitter  for  some  ;  bread  may  be  better 
than  dainties  ;  every  one  cannot  bear  an 
high  condition,  no  more  than  a  weak  brain 
can  bear  heavy  wine.  Ilath  one  a  larger 
pro])ortion  of  worldly  things  ?  God  sees  he 
can  better  manage  such  a  condition  ;  he  can 
order  his  affairs  with  discretion,  which  per- 
haps another  cannot ;  as  he  hath  a  large 
estate,  so  he  hath  a  large  lieart  to  do  good, 
Tvhich  perhaps  another  hath  not;  this  should 
make  us  content  with  a  shorter  bill  of  fare; 
God's  wisdom  is  what  we  must  acquiesce 
in,  lie  sees  what  is  best  for  every  one  ;  that 
which  is  good  lor  one,  may  be  bad  for  an- 
otlicr. 

3.  In  being  content  with  daily  bread, — 
that  which  God  carves  for  us,  though  it  be 
a  lesser  jiiece, — much  grace  is  seen  in  this; 
all  the  graces  act  their  ])art  in  a  contented 
soul.  As  the  holy  ointment  was  made  up 
of  several  spices,  myrrh,  cinnamon,  cassia, 
Exo<l.  XXX.  23.,  so,  contentment  hath  in  it 
a  mixture  of  several  graces  ;  there  is  faith, 
a  Christian  believes  God  doth  all  for  the 
best, — and  love,  which  thinks  no  evil,  but 
takes:  all  (iod  doth  in  good  part, — and  pa- 
tience, submitting  cheerfully  to  what  God 
orders  wisely.  God  is  much  pleased  to  see 
so  many  graces  at  once  sweetly  exercised, 
like  so  many  bright  stars  shining  in  a  con- 
etellation. 

4.  To  be  content  with  daily  l>read, — the 
allowance  God  gives,  though  but  sparingly, 
— doth  keep  us  from  many  temptations, 
which  discontented  persons  fall  into.  A\  hen 
the  devil  sees  a  person  just  of  Israel's  hu- 
mour, not  content  with  manna,  but  must 
have  quails,  saith  Satan,  here  is  good  fishing 


for  me.  Satan  oft  tempts  discontented  ones 
to  minmuring,  an<l  to  unlawful  means,  coz- 
ening an<l  (lef"raii(lii)g  ;  and  he  who  increas- 
eth  an  estate  by  indirect  means,  stuffs  his 
pillow  with  thorns,  and  his  head  will  lie 
very  uneasy  when  he  comes  to  die.  If  you 
would  be  freed  from  the  temptations  which 
discontent  exposeth  to,  be  content  with 
sucii  things  as  ye  have,  bless  God  for  "  daily 
bread." 

5.  What  a  rare  and  admirable  thing  is  it 
to  be  content  with  daily  bread,  though  it  be 
coarse,  and  though  there  be. but  little  of  it ! 
A  Christian,  though  he  hath  hut  a  viaticiwi^ 
— a  little  meal  in  the  barrel, — yet  he  hath 
that  which  gives  him  content.  What  he 
hath  not  in  the  cupboard,  he  hatli  in  the 
promise ;  that  bit  of  bread  he  hath,  is  with 
the  love  of  God,  and  that  sauce  makes  it 
relish  sweet, — that  little  oil  in  the  cruse  is 
a  ])]edge  aiul  earnest  of  those  dainties  he 
shall  taste  of  in  the  kingdom  of  God, — this 
makes  him  content.  A\'hat  a  rare  and  won- 
derful thing  is  this  !  It  is  no  wonder  to  be 
content  in  heaven,  when  we  are  at  the  foun- 
tain-head, and  have  all  things  we  can  de- 
sire ;  but  to  be  content  when  God  keeps  us 
to  short  commons,  and  we  have  scarce  <laily 
bread,  this  is  a  wonder,  ^\'hen  grace  is 
crowning,  it  is  no  wonder  to  be  content  > 
but  when  grace  is  conflicting  with  straits, 
now  to  be  content  is  a  glorious  thing  indeed, 
and  deserves  the  garland  of  praise. 

6.  To  make  us  content  with  daily  bread, 
though  (iod  straitens  us  in  our  allowance, 
think  seriously  of  the  danger  that  is  in  an 
high  j)rosperous  condition.     Some  are  not 
content  with  daily  bread,  but  desire  to  have 
their  barns  filled,   and  heap  up  silver  as 
dust ;  this  ])roves  a  snare  to  them,  1  Tim. 
vi.  9.,   "  They  that  will    be   rich   fall   into 
temptation  and  a  snare.""     Pride,  idleness, 
wantonness,  are  three  worms,  that  usually 
breed  of  plenty.     Prosperity  oft  deafens  the 
ear  against  God,  Jer.  xxii.  21.,  "I  spake  to 
thee  in  thy  prosperity,   but  thou  saidst,   I 
will  not  hear."      Soft  jilensures  harden  the 
heart.      In  the  body,  the  more  fat,   the  less 
blood  in  the  veins,  and  the  less  sj)irits ;   the 
more  outward  plenty,  often  the  less  piety. 
Prosperity    hath    its    honey,    and    also    its 
sting  ;  pros])erity,  like  the  full  of  the  moon, 
makes  many  lunatic.    The  pastures  of  pros- 


520 


OF  THE  rOURTII  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  TRAYER. 


])prity  arc  rank  and  surfeiting.  Anxious 
care  is  tlic  vtalus  (jeniiis, — the  evil  spirit 
that  haunts  the  rich  man,  and  Avill  not  let 
liini  be  quiet ;  wlien  liis  chests  are  full  of 
money,  his  heart  is  full  of  care,  either  how 
to  manage  or  how  to  increase,  or  how  to 
secure  what  he  hath  gotten.  Sunshine  is 
pleasant,  but  sometimes  it  scorcheth.  Should 
not  this  make  us  content  with  what  allow- 
ance God  gives,  if  we  have  daily  bread, 
though  not  dainties  ?  Think  of  the  dan- 
ger of  prosperity  ;  the  sjn'eading  of  a  full 
table  may  be  the  spreading  of  a  snare ;  ma- 
ny have  been  sunk  to  hell  with  golden 
weights.     The  ferry-man  takes  in  all  pas- 


cannot  give  in  anger,  and  which  cannot 
stand  with  reprobation,  and  they  may  Kay 
as  David,  Ps.  xvi.  6,,  Tlie  lines  are  fallen 
to  them  in  jdeasant  jdaces,  and  they  liavc 
a  goodly  heritage.  I  have. read  of  Didimus 
and  Anthony  :  Didimus  was  a  blind  man, 
but  very  lioly, — Anthony  asked  hini,  if  he 
was  not  troubled  for  the  want  of*  his  eves, 
he  told  him  he  was, — Why  (saith  Anthonv) 
are  you  troubled  ?  you  want  that  which 
flies  and  birds  have,  but  you  have  that  which 
angels  have.  So  I  say  to  Chri.^lians,  il'(jod 
hath  not  given  you  the  purse,  he  hath  given 
you  his  Spirit ;  if  you  want  that  which 
rich  men  have,  Cilod  hath  given  you   that 


sengers,  that  he  may  increase  his  fare,  and  i  which  angels  have,  and  are  you  not  con- 


sometimes  to  the  sinking  of  his  boat.  1  Tim 
vi.  9.,  "They  that  will  be  rich  fall  into 
many  hurtful  lusts,  which  drown  men  in 
perdition."  The  world's  golden  sands  are 
cpiicksands ;  this  may  make  us  take  our 
daily  bread,  though  it  be  but  coarse,  con- 
tentedly. AVhat  if  we  have  less  food,  we 
liave  less  snare  ;  if  less  dignity,  less  dan- 
ger ;  as  we  want  the  rich  provisions  of  the 
world,  so  we  want  the  temptations. 

7.  If  God  keeps  us  to  a  spare  diet,  if  he 
gives  us  less  temporals,  he  hath  made  it  up 
in  spirituals  ;  he  hath  given  us  tlie  ])earl  of 
price,  and  the  holy  anointing. — \st.  The 
pearl  of  price,  the  Lord  Jesus,  he  is  the 
quintessence  of  all  good  things.  To  give 
us  Christ,  is  more  than  if  God  had  given 
lis  all  the  vvorld.  God  can  make  more 
worlds,  but  he  hath  no  more  Christs  to  be- 


stow ;  he  is  such  a  golden 


mine,   that  the 


angels  cannot  dig  to  the  bottom,  Ejih.  iii. 
8.  From  Christ  we  may  have  justification, 
ado])tion,  coronation.  The  sea  of  God's 
mercy  in  giving  us  Christ  (saith  Luther) 
should  swallow  up  all  our  wants. — 2d,  The 
holy  unction  ;  (iod  hath  anoiuted  us  with 
the  graces  of  his  Si»irit.  Grace  is  a  seed  of 
God,  a  blossom  of  eternity;  the  graces  are 
the  impressions  of  the  divine  nature,  stars 
to  enlighten  us,  spices  to  ])erfume  us,  dia- 
monds to  enrich  tjs;  and  if  God  lialh  ad- 
orned the  hidden  man  of  the  heart  with 
these  sacred  jewels,  it  may  well  make  us 
content,  though  we  have  but  siiort  com- 
mons, and  that  coarse  too.  God  hath  i^i- 
veu  iiis  people  better  things  than  com  and 
wine  ;  he  hath  given  them  that  which  he 


tent  ? 

8.  If  you  have  but  daily  bread  enough 
to  suffice  nature,  be  content.  Consider  i» 
is  not  having  abundance  makes  the  life  al- 
ways comfoitable  ;  it  is  not  a  great  cage 
will  make  the  bird  sing  :  a  competency  may 
breed  contentment,  when  having  more  may 
make  one  less  content ;  a  staff  may  help  the 
traveller,  but  a  bundle  of  staves  will  be  a 
burden  to  him.  A  great  estate  may  be  like 
a  long  trailing  garment,  more  burdensome 
than  useful.  Many  that  have  great  incomes 
and  revenues  have  not  so  much  comfort  in 
their  lives,  as  some  that  go  to  their  hard 
labour. 

9.  If  you  liave  less  daily  bread,  you  will 
have  less  account  to  give.  The  riches  and 
honours  of  this  world,  like  alchymy,  make 
a  great  show,  and,  with  their  glistering, 
dazzle  men's  eyes  ;  but  they  do  not  consi- 
der the  great  account  they  must  give  to 
God,  Luke  xvi.  2.,  "  Give  an  account  of  thy 
stewardship."  What  good  hast  thou  done 
Avith  thy  estate  ?  Hast  thou,  as  a  good 
steward,  traded  thy  golden  talents  for  God's 
glory  ?  Hast  thou  honoured  the  Lord 
with  tliy  substance?  The  greater  revenues 
the  greater  reckonings  ;  tiiis  may  Cjuiet  aiid 
content  us,  if  we  have  but  little  daily  bread, 
our  account  will  be  less. 

10.  You  that  have  ])ut  a  small  compe- 
tency in  these  out\vard  things,  your  provi- 
sions are  short,  yet  you  may  be  content  to 
consider  how  much  you  look  for  hereafter  : 
(iod  keeps  the  best  wine  till  last.  What 
tluiugh  now  you  have  a  small  ])ittaMce,  and 
are  led  from  hand  to  mouth  ?  aou  look  for 


OF  THE  FIFTH  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


521 


an  eternal  reward,  white  robes,  sparkliii^r 
crowns,  rivers  of  pleasure.  A  son  is  con- 
tent tlunifrli  Ills  lather  give  Iiiin  but  now 
and  then  a  little  nioiu'v,  as  lonuf  as  lie  ex- 
pects Itis  lather  should  settle  all  his  land 
upon  him  at  last ;  if  God  fjivc  you  but  a 
little  at  present,  yet  you  look  for  that  glory 
which  eye  hath  not  seen  :  may  not  you  be 
content  ?  The  world  is  but  a  diversorium, 
— a  great  inn  :  if  God  give  you  sufficient 
to  pay  for  your  charges  in  your  inn,  you 
inav  be  content,  you  shall  have  enouiih 
when  you  come  to  your  own  country. 

Quest.  How  may  we  be  content,  though 
God  rut  us  short  in  these  externals  ;  though 
we  have  hut  little  dadij  bread  and  coarse  ? 

Ans.  1.  Think  with  yourselves,  some 
have  been  ninch  lower  than  you,  who  have 
been  better  than  you.  Jacob,  an  lioly  pa- 
triarch, goes  over  Jordan  with  his  staff, 
and  lived  in  a  mean  condition  a  long  time; 
he  had  the  clouds  for  his  canopy,  and  a 
stone  for  his  pillow.  INIoses,  that  might 
liave  been  rich,  (some  historians  say,  Pha- 
raoh's daughter  adopted  him  for  her  son, 


because  king  Pharaoh  liad  no  heir,  and  so 
Moses  was  like  to  have  come  to  the  crown,) 
yet  leaving  the  honours  of  the  court,  in 
what  a  low  mean  condition  did  he  live  in, 
wlien  he  went  to  Jethro  his  father-in-law  ? 
Musculus,  famous  for  learning  and  jiiety, 
was  put  to  great  straits,  he  was  jiut  to  dig 
in  a  town-ditch,  and  had  scarce  daily  bread, 
yet  content.  Nay,  Christ,  \vlio  was  heir  of 
all,  yet  for  our  sakes  "  became  |>()or,"  2  Cor. 
viii.  9.  Let  all  these  examples  make  us 
content. 

A.  2.  Let  us  labour  to  have  the  interest 
cleared  between  God  and  our  souls.  He 
who  can  say,  "  My  God,"  hath  enough  to 
rock  his  heart  quiet  in  the  lowest  condition. 
What  can  he  want  who  hath  El-Shaddai, 
the  all-sufficient  God,  for  his  ])ortion  ? 
Though  the  nether-springs  fail,  yet  he  hath 
the  upper-springs ;  though  tlie  bill  of  fare 
grow  short,  yet  an  interest  in  God  is  a  pil- 
lar of  support  to  us,  and  we  may,  with  Da- 
A'id,  encourage  ourselves  in  the  Lord  our 
God. 


OF  THE  FIFTH  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


Mat.  vi.  12.  And  forgive  us  our  debts,  as  we  forgive  our  debtors. 


BEFORE  I  speak  strictly  to  the  words 
I  shall  take  notice,  ]sf.  That  in  this  prayer 
there  is  but  one  ])etition  for  the  body,  "Give 
us  our  (hiiiy  bread,"  but  two  petitions  for 
the  soul,  "  Ftirgive  us  our  trespasses,"  "lead 
us  not  into  teuiptalion,  bat  deliver  us  from 
evil."  Hence  obsei've,  that  we  are  to  be 
more  careful  for  our  soids.  than  for  our 
bodies, — more  careful  for  grace  than  for 
daily  bread, — more  desirous  to  have  our 
souls  saved,  than  our  bodies  fm].  In  the 
law,  the  weijiht  of  the  sanctuary  was  twice 
as  big  as  the  comnu)n  weight,  to  typify  that 
spiritual  things  must  be  of  far  greater  weight 
witli  us  than  earthly.  The  excellency  of 
the  soul  may  challenge  our  chief  care  ahout 
it. 

1.  The  soul  is  an  immaterial  snl)stance  ; 
it  is  an  heavenly  spark,  lighted  by  the  breath 
of  God  ;  it  is  the  more  retined  spiritual  part 
of  man,  it  is  of  an  angelical  nature  ;  it  hath 


some  faint  resemblance  of  God.  The  body 
is  the  more  dreggish  part,  it  is  but  the  ca- 
binet, which  though  curiously  wrought,  the 
soul  is  the  jewel ;  the  soul  is  near  akin  to 
angels,  it  is  capax  beatiluditds,  capable  of 
communion  with  God  in  glory. 

2.  It  is  immortal ;  it  doth  never  expire. 
It  can  act  without  the  body  ;  though  the 
body  dissolve  into  dust,  the  soul  lives, 
Luke  xii.  1.  The  essence  of  the  soul  is  e- 
tenial,  it  hath  a  beginning,  l)ut  no  end  ;  it 
is  a  blossom  of  eternity.  Sure,  then,  if  the 
s«)ul  be  so  ennobled  and  dignified,  more 
care  should  be  taken  ahout  the  soid  than 
the  body.  M'e  make  l)ut  one  petition  for 
the  body,  l)ut  two  ])etitions  lor  the  soul. 

Lsc  1.  It  re])roves  them  that  take  more 
care  for  their  bodies,  than  their  souls.  The 
body  is  but  the  hrutisli  part,  yet  they  lake 
more  care,  \st.  About  dressing  their  bodies, 
than   their  souls.     They   put  on   the  best 

3'U 


522 


OF  THE  FIFTH  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


clotliCR,  are  dressed  in  the  richest  garb,  but 
care  not  how  naked  or  undrest  tlieir  souls 
are  ;  they  do  not  get  the  jewels  of  grace,  to 
adorn  their  inner-man.  2(7,  About  feeding 
their  bodies,  than  their  souls ;  tliey  are  ca- 
terers for  the  flesh,  they  do  make  ])rovision 
for  the  flesh,  Rom.  xiii.  14.,  they  have  the 
best  diet,  but  let  their  souls  starve  ;  as  if 
one  should  feed  his  hawk,  but  let  his  child 
starve.  Tlie  body  must  sit  in  the  chair  of 
state,  but  the  soul — that  princely  thing, — 
is  made  a  lackey  to  run  on  the  devil's  er- 
rand. 

Use  2.  Let  us  be  more  careful  for  our 
gouls. —  Omnia  si  perdas  animain  servare  me- 
mento. If  it  be  well  with  the  soul,  it  shall 
be  well  with  the  body ;  if  the  soul  be  gra- 
cious, the  body  shall  be  glorious,  for  it  shall 
shine  like  Christ's  body.  Therefore  it  is 
wisdom  to  look  chiefly  to  the  soul,  because 
in  saving  the  soul,  we  secure  the  happiness 
of  the  body.  And  we  cannot  shew  our 
care  for  the  soul  more  than  in  taking  all 
seasons  for  our  souls;  reading,  praying, 
hearing,  meditating.  O  look  to  the  main 
chance, — let  the  soul  be  chiefly  tended  ! 
The  loss  of  the  soul  would  be  fatal ;  other 
losses  may  be  made  up  again.  If  one  los- 
eth  his  health,  he  may  recover  it  again  ;  if 
he  lose  his  estate,  he  may  make  it  up  again  ; 
but  if  he  lose  his  soul,  this  loss  can  never 
be  made  up  again.  The  merchant  that  ven- 
tures all  he  hath  in  one  ship,  if  that  ship 
be  lost,  he  is  quite  broken. 

2<i.  From  the  connexion  in  the  text,  as 
soon  as  Christ  had  said,  give  us  "  daily 
bread,"  he  adds,  "  and  forgive  us."  Clirist 
joins  this  petition  of  forgiveness  of  sin,  im- 
mediately to  the  other  of  daily  bread,  to 
shew  us,  that  though  we  have  daily  bread, 
yet  all  is  nothing  witliout  forgiveness.  If 
our  sins  be  not  pardoned,  we  can  take  but 
little  comfort  in  our  food.  As  it  is  with  a 
man  that  is  condemned,  though  you  bring 
him  meat  in  prison,  yet  he  takes  little  com- 
fort in  it  without  a  pardon  :  so,  though  we 
have  daily  bread,  yet  it  will  do  us  no  good 
unless  sin  be  forgiven.  What  though  we 
should  have  manna  which  was  called  an- 
gels' food, — though  the  rock  shoidd  pour 
out  rivers  of  oil,  Job  xxix.  6., — all  is  no- 
thing unless  sin  be  done  away.  Wlicn 
Christ  had  said,  "  Give  us  our  daily  bread," 


he  presently  adds,  and  "  forgive  us  our  tres- 
passes." Daily  bread  may  satisfy  the  aj)pe- 
tite,  but  forgiveness  of  sin  satisfies  the  con- 
science. 

tZse  1.  It  condems  the  folly  of  most  peo- 
ple :  if  they  have  daily  bread,  the  delicious 
things  of  this  life,  they  look  no  furtlier, 
they  are  not  solicitous  for  the  pardon  of 
sin  ;  if  they  have  that  which  feeds  them, 
they  look  not  after  that  which  should  crown 
them.  Alas  !  you  may  have  daily  bread, 
and  yet  perish.  The  rich  man  in  the  gos- 
pel had  daily  bread,  nay,  he  had  dainties, 
he  fared  "  sumptuously  every  day,"  but  in 
"  hell  he  lift  up  his  eyes,"  Luke  xvi.  19, 
23. 

Use  2.  Let  us  pray,  that  God  would  not 
give  us  our  portion  in  this  life,  that  he 
would  not  put  us  oif  with  daily  bread,  but 
that  he  would  give  forgiveness.  This  is  the 
sauce  that  would  make  our  bread  relish  the 
sweeter.  A  speech  of  Luther,  valde  proteS" 
tatiis  sum  me  nolle  sic  satiari  ah  illo^ — '  I  did 
seleJlinly  protest,  that  God  should  not  put 
nie  off  with  outward  things.'  Be  not  con- 
tent with  that  which  is  common  to  the  brute 
creatures,  the  dog  or  elephant,  to  have  your 
hunger  satisfied ;  but,  besides  daily  bread, 
get  pardon  of  sin.  A  drop  of  Christ's 
blood,  or  a  dram  of  forgiving  mercy,  is  in- 
finitely more  valuable  than  all  the  delights 
under  the  sun.  Daily  bread  may  make  us 
live  comfortably,  but  forgiveness  of  sin  will 
make  us  die  comfortably.  So  I  come  to 
the  words  of  the  petition,  "  forgive  us  our 
debts,"  &c. 

\sL  Here  is  a  term  given  to  sin,  it  is  a 
debt.  2d.  The  confessing  the  debt,  "  our 
debts."  M.  A  prayei-,  "  forgive  us."  Ath. 
A  condition  on  which  we  desire  forgive- 
ness, "  as  we  forgive  our  debtors." 

First,  I  shall  speak  of  the  term  given  to 
sin,  it  is  a  debt.  That  which  is  here  called 
a  debt,  is  called  sin,  Luke  xi.  4.,  "  Forgive 
us  our  sins."  So  then  sin  is  a  debt,  and  e- 
very  sinner  is  a  debtor.  Sin  is  compared 
to  a  debt  of  "  ten  thousand  talents,"  Mat. 
xviii.  24. 

1.  Why  is  sin  called  a  debt  ?  2.  Where- 
in is  sin  worse  than  other  debts  we  con- 
tract ?  3.  \\'herein  have  sinners  the  pro- 
perty of  bad  debtors  ? 

Quest.   JVhy  is  sin  called  a  debt  ? 


OF  THE  FIFTH  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


523 


Ans.  Because  it  so  fitly  resembles  it. 

1 .  A  debt  ariseth  upon  non-payment  of 
money,  or  the  not  paying  that  which  is 
one's  due.  So  we  owe  to  God  exact  obe- 
dience, and  not  paying  what  is  due,  thus 
we  come  to  be  in  debt.  2.  As  in  case  of 
non-payment,  the  debtor  goes  to  prison  :  so, 
by  our  sin,  we  become  guilty,  and  stand  o- 
bliged  to  God's  curse  of  damnation.  Tliough 
God  doth  a  while  grant  a  sinner  a  reprieve, 
yet  he  stands  bound  to  eternal  death,  if  the 
debt  be  not  forgiven. 

Quest.  2.  I?i  what  sense  is  sm  the  worse 
debt  ? 

Ans.  1.  Because  we  have  nothing  to  ])ay  ; 
if  we  could  pay  the  debt,  what  need  we 
pray,  "  forgive  us  ?"  We  can't  say,  as  he 
in  the  gospel,  "  have  patience  with  me,  and 
I  will  pay  thee  all ;"  we  can  pay  neither 
principal  nor  interest.  Adam  made  us  all 
bankrupts  ;  in  innocency  Adam  had  a  stock 
of  original  righteousness  to  begin  the  world 
with,  he  could  give  God  personal  and  pci*- 
fect  obedience  ;  but,  by  his  sin,  he  is  quite 
broken,  and  hath  beggared  all  his  posterity. 
We  have  nothing  to  pay,  all  our  duties  are 
mixed  with  sin,  and  so  we  cannot  pay  God 
in  current  coin. 

A.  2.  Sin  is  the  worst  debt,  because  it  is 
against  an  infinite  majesty.  An  offence  a- 
gainst  the  person  of  a  king,  is  crimen  icescB 
tnaj'estitatis,  it  doth  enhance  and  aggravate 
the  crime.  Sin  wrongs  God,  and  so  it  is 
an  infinite  offence.  The  schoolmen  say 
omne  pe.ccatum  contra  conscientiam  est  quasi 
dicidiuni,  i.  e.  Every  known  sin  strikes  at 
the  Godhead.  The  sinner  would  not  only 
unthrone  God,  but  ungod  him,  this  makes 
the  debt  infinite. 

A.  3.  Sin  is  the  worst  debt,  because  it  is 
not  a  single,  but  a  multiplied  debt:  forgive 
us  "  our  debts  ;"  we  have  debt  upon  debt, 
Ps.  xl.  12.,  "  Innumerable  evils  have  com- 
passed me  about."  We  may  as  well  reckon 
all  the  drops  in  the  sea,  as  reckon  all  our 
spiritual  debts  ;  we  cannot  tell  how  much 
we  owe.  A  man  may  know  his  other  debts, 
but  we  cannot  Tuxm])er  our  spiritual  debts. 
Every  Viiin  thought  is  a  sin,  Prov.  xxiv.  9., 
"The  thought  of  foolishness  is  sin."  And 
what  swarms  of  vain  thoughts  have  we  ? 
Tlie  first  rising  of  corruption,  though  it  never 
blossom  into  outward  act,  is  a  sin  ;  then, 


"  who  can  understand  his  errors  ?"  We 
do  not  know  how  much  we  owe  to  God. 

A.  4.  Sin  is  the  worst  debt ;  because  it 
is  an  inexcusable  debt  in  two  respects  ;  I. 
There  is  no  denying  the  debt.  2.  There  is 
no  sliifting  it  off.    , 

(1.)  There  is  no  denying  the  debt ;  other 
del)ts  men  may  deny.  If  money  be  not 
|)aid  before  witnesses,  or  if  the  creditor  lose 
the  bond,  the  debtor  may  say  he  owes  him 
nothing  ;  but  there's  no  denying  this  debt 
of  sin.  If  we  say  we  have  no  sin,  God  can 
prove  the  debt,  Ps.  1.  21.,  I  will  set  thy 
sins  in  order  before  thee.  God  writes  down 
our  debts  in  his  book  of  remembrance,  and 
God's  book,  and  the  hook  of  conscience  do 
exactly  agree,  so  that  this  debt  cannot  be 
denied. 

(2.)  There  is  no  shifting  of  the  debt ;  o- 
ther  debts  may  be  shifted  off. 

1.  AVe  may  get  friends  to  pay  them,  but 
neither  man  nor  angel  can  pay  this  debt 
for  us  :  if  all  the  angels  in  heaven  should 
go  to  make  a  purse,  they  cannot  pay  one 
of  our  debts. 

2.  In  other  debts  men  may  get  a  protec- 
tion, so  that  none  can  touch  their  persons, 
or  sue  them  for  the  debt :  but  Avho  shall 
give  us  a  protection  from  God's  justice? 
Job  X.  7.,  "  There  is  none  that  can  deliver 
out  of  thine  hand."  Indeed  the  pope  pre- 
tends that  his  pardon  shall  be  men's  protec- 
tion, and  now  God's  justice  shall  not  sue 
them  ;  but  that  is  only  a  forgery,  and  can- 
not be  pleaded  at  God's  tribunal. 

3.  Other  debts,  if  the  debtor  dies  in  pri- 
son, cannot  be  recovered,  death  frees  them 
from  debt ;  but  if  we  die  in  debt  to  God,  he 
knows  how  to  recover  it ;  as  long  as  we  have 
souls  to  strain  on,  God  will  not  lose  his  debt. 
Not  the  death  of  the  debtor,  but  the  death 
of  the  surety,  pays  a  sinner's  debt. 

4.  In  other  debts  men  may  flee  from  their 
creditor,  leave  their  country,  and  go  into 
foreign  parts,  and  the  creditor  cannot  find 
them  ;  but  we  cannot  flee  from  God.  God 
knows  where  to  find  all  his  debtors,  Ps. 
cxxxix.  7,  8.,  "  Whether  sliall  I  flee  from  thy 
presence  ?  If  I  take  the  wings  of  the  mor- 
ning, and  dwell  in  the  uttermost  parts  of 
the  sea,  there  shall  thy  right  hand  hold 
me." 

5.  Sin  is  the  worst  debt,  because  it  car 


524 


OF  THE  FIFTH  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


rios  men,  in  case  of  non-payment,  to  a  worse 
prison  than  any  upon  earth,  to  a  fiery  pri- 
son ;  and  tlie  sinner  is  laid  in  worse  chains, 
chains  of  darkness,  where  the  sinner  is 
bound  under  wratli  for  ever. 

QuKST.  3.  Wherein  have  we  the  properties 
of  hod  debtors. 

Ans.  1.  A  bad  debtor  dotii  not  love  to  be 
called  to  an  account.  Tliere's  a  day  com- 
inff  when  God  will  call  his  debtors  to  ac- 
count,  Roni.  xiv.  12.,  "  So  then,  every  one 
shall  Jiive  an  account  of  himself  to  God." 
But  we  play  away  the  time,  and  do  not 
love  to  hear  of  the  day  of  judgment ;  we 
love  not.  that  ministers  should  put  us  in 
mind  of  our  debts,  or  speak  of  the  day  of 
reckoning.  What  a  confounding  word  will 
that  be  to  a  secure  sinner,  rcdde  rationem, 
— give  an  account  of  your  stewardship. 

A.  2.  A  bad  debtor  is  unwilling  to  con- 
fess his  debt,  he  will  put  it  otf,  or  make 
less  of  it ;  so  we  are  more  willing  to  excuse 
sin,  than  confess  it.  How  hardly  was  Saul 
brought  to  confession?  1  Sam.  xv.  20,  21., 
*'  I  have  obeyed  the  voice  of  the  Lord,  but 
the  people  took  of  the  spoil."  He  rather 
excuseth  his  sin  than  confesseth  it. 

A.  3.  A  bad  debtor  is  apt  to  hate  his  crc- 
tor  ;  debtors  wish  their  creditors  dead ;  so 
wicked  men  naturally  hale  (iod,  because 
they  think  he  is  a  just  judge,  and  will  call 
them  to  account;  (Gr.)  Gitd-hatcrs.  The 
debtor  doth  not  love  to  see  his  creditor. 

Use  \sf.  It  reproves  them  who  are  loath 
to  be  in  debt,  but  make  no  reckoning  of 
Bin,  which  is  the  greatest  debt ;  they  use  no 
means  to  get  out  of  it,  but  run  still  further 
in  debt  to  God.  We  would  think  it  strange, 
if  writs  or  warrants  were  out  against  a  man, 
or  a  judgment  granted  to  seize  his  body  and 
estate,  yet  he  is  secure  and  regardless,  as  if 
he  were  unconcerned.  God  hath  a  writ  out 
against  a  sinner,  nay,  many  writs,  for  swear- 
ing, drunkenness,  sabbath -breaking,  yet  the 
sinner  eats  and  drinks,  and  is  quiet,  as  if 


he  were  not  in  debt ;  what  opium  hath  Sa- 
tan given  men  ? 

Use  2d.  Exhortation.  If  sin  be  a  debt. 
1.  Let  us  be  humbled.  The  name  of  debt 
(saith  St.  Ambrose)  is  grave  vocahidum, 
grievous.  Men  in  debt  are  full  of  shame, 
they  lie  hid,  and  do  not  care  to  be  seen.  A 
debtor  is  ever  in  fear  of  arrest.  Ca?)is  /at rat 
et  cor  palpitat.  O  let  us  blush  and  tremble, 
who  are  so  deeply  indebted  to  God  !  A  Ro- 
man dying  in  debt,  Augustus  the  emperor 
sent  to  buy  his  pillow,  because  (saith  he)  I 
hope  it  has  some  virtue  in  it  to  make  me 
sleep,  on  which  a  man  so  much  in  debt 
could  take  his  ease.  We  that  haA^e  so  many 
spiritual  debts  lying  upon  us,  how  can  we 
be  at  rest  till  we  have  some  hope  that  they 
are  discharged. 

2.  Let  us  confess  our  debt.  Let  us  ac- 
knowledge that  we  are  run  in  arrears  with 
God,  and  deserve  that  he  should  follow  the 
law  upon  us,  and  throw  us  into  hell-prison. 
By  conf.  ssion  we  give  glory  to  (jod,  Josh, 
vii.  19.,  "  My  son,  I  pray  thee  give  glory 
to  the  Lord  God  of  Israel,  and  make  con- 
fession to  him. '  Sav  that  God  were  rio-h- 
teous  if  he  should  strain  upon  all  we  have  ; 
if  we  confess  the  debt,  God  will  forgive  it, 
1  John  i.  9.,  "  If  we  confess  our  sins,  he  is 
just  to  forgive."  Do  but  confess  the  debt, 
and  God  will  cross  the  book,  Ps,  xxxii.  5., 
"  I  said,  I  will  confess  my  transgression  to 
the  Lord,  and  thou  forgavest,the  iniquity  of 
my  sin." 

3.  Labour  to  get  your  spiritual  debts  paid, 
that  is,  by  our  surety  Christ.  Say,  "  Lord, 
have  patience  with  me,  and  Christ  shall  pay 
thee  all.  He  hath  laid  down  an  in(ii;ite 
price."  The  covenant  of  works  would  not 
admit  of  a  surety,  it  demanded  jiersonal  o- 
bedience :  but  this  privilege  we  have  by  the 
gospel,  which  is  a  court  of  chancery  to  re- 
lieve us,  that  if  we  have  nothing  to  pay, 
God  Avill  acce))t  of  surety.  Believe  in 
Christ's  blood,  and  the  debt  is  paid. 


Luke  xi.  4.  And  forgive  us  our  sins,  fur  we  also  forgive  every  one  that  is  indebted  to  us. 


IN  the  words  are  two  parts :  Isf,  Ai)eti- 
tion,  "  Forgive  us  our  sins."  2d,  A  condi- 
tion, "  For  we  also  forgive  every  one  that 
io  indebted  to  us."     Our  forgiving  others  is  |      First.     I  begin  with  the  first,  the  peti- 


not  a  cause  of  God's  forgiving  us,  but  it  is 
a  condition  without  which  God  will  not  foi- 
give  us. 


OF  THE  FIFTH  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


625 


tion,  "  Forc^ive  us  our  sins  ;"  a  blessed  jte-  dispels  the  cloud,  and  breaks  forth  with  the 

tition  !  the  ignorant  world  say,  "  Who  will  light  of  his  countenance, 

show  us  any  good?"  Ps.  iv.  (5.,  meaning  a  5.  To  forgive  sin,  is  for  God  to  cast  our 

good  lease,  a  good  purchase ;   but  our  Sa-  sins  into  the  depths  of  the  sea,   Micah  vii. 

viour  teaclieth  us  to  pray  for  that  which  is  ;  19.,  which  iinj^lies  God's  burying  them  out 

more  noble,  and  will  stand  us  in  more  stead,  of  sight,  that  they  shall  not  rise  up  in  judg- 

the  pardon  of  sin,  "  Forgive  us  our  sins."  nient  against  us.      "  Thou  wilt  cast  all  their 

Forgiveness  of  sins  is  a  ]»riinary  blessing, —  sins  into  the  depths  of  the  sea."      (io<l  will 


it  is  one  <»f  the  first  mercies  (iod  bestows, 
Ezek.  xxxvi.  25.,  "  I  will  sprinkle  clean 
water  upon  you ;"  that  is,  forgiveness. 
When  God  pardons,  there  is  nothing  he 
will  stick  at  to  do  for  the  soul ;  he  will  a- 
dopt,  sanctify,  crown. 

Quest.  1 .    What  forgiveness  of  sin  is  ? 

Ans.  It  is  God's  passing  by  sin,  Mic.  vii. 
18.,  his  wiping  off  the  score,  and  giving  us 
a  discharge.  The  nature  of  forgiveness  will 
more  clearly  appear  :  l.s/.  By  opening  some 
scripturc-])hrases.  2c/,  By  laying  down 
some  divine  aphorisms  and  ])ositions. 

\st.  By  opening  some  scripture-phrases, 
].  To  forgive  sin,  is  to  tjike  away  inicjuity, 
Job  vii.  21.,  "  Why  dost  thou  not  take  away 
my  ini(piity  ?"  (Heb.)  lift  off.  It  is  a  me- 
taphor taken  from  a  man  that  carries  an 
heavy  ])urden  ready  to  sink  him,  and  ano- 
ther comes,  :ind  lifts  off"  this  burden  ;  so 
when  the  heavy  burden  of  sin  is  on  us,  God 
in  pardoning,  lifts  off"  this  burden  from  the 
conscience,  and  lays  it  upon  Christ,  Isa.  liii. 
C,  "  The  Lord  hath  laid  on  him  the  iniqui- 
ties of  us  all." 

2.  To  forgive  sin,  is  to  cover  sin,  Ps. 
xxxii.  1.,  Thou  hast  covered  all  their  sin. 
riiis  was  typified  by  the  mercy-seat  cover- 
ing the  ark,  to  shew  God's  coA'cring  of  sin 
throngh  Christ.  God  doth  not  cover  sin  in  the 
Autinomian  sense,  so  as  he  sees  it  not,  but 
he  doth  so  cover  it,  as  he  will  not  impute  it. 

3.  To  forgive  sin,  is  to  blot  it  out,  Isa. 
xliii.  25  ,  "  I  am  he  that  blotteth  out  thy 
transgressions."       The    Hebrew    word,    to 

lot  out,  alludes  to  a  creditor,  who,  when 
his  debtor  hath  paid  him,  blots  out  the  debt, 
and  gives  him  an  acquittance  ;  so  God,  when 
he  forgives  sin,  blots  out  the  debt,  he  draws 
the  red  lines  of  Christ's  blood  over  onr  sins, 
and  so  crosseth  the  debt-book. 

4.  To  forgive  sin,  is  for  God  to  scatter 
our  sins  as  a  cloud,  Isa.  xliv.  22.,  "  I  have 


throw  them  in,  not  as  cork  that  riseth  again, 
but  as  lead  that  sinks  to  the  bottom. 

2(1.  The  nature  of  forgiveness  will  a|)pear, 
by  laying  down  some  divine  aphorisms  or 
positions. 

Aphorism  1.  Every  sin  is  mortal,  and 
needs  forgiveness:  I  say,  mortal,  that  is, 
deserves  death.  God  may  relax  the  rigour 
of  the  law  but  every  sin  merits  damnation. 
The  pa])ists  distinguish  of  mortal  sins,  and 
venial :  some  sins  are  ex  surreptionr,  they 
creep  unawares  Into  the  mind,  (as  vaia 
thoughts,  sudden  motions  of  anger  and  re- 
venge) these,  saith  Bellarmine,  are  in  their 
own  nature  venial.  It  is  true,  the  greatest 
sins  arc  in  one  sense  venial,  that  is,  God  is 
able  to  forgive  them  :  but  the  least  sin  is 
not  in  its  own  nature  venial,  but  deserves 
danuiation.  We  read  of  "  the  lusts  of  the 
llesh,"  Rom.  iii.  14.,  and  "  the  works  of  the 
ilesh,"  Gal.  V.  19.  The  lusts  of  the  flesh 
are  sinful,  as  well  as  the  works  of  the  flesh. 
That  which  is  a  transgression  of  the  law- 
merits  damnation ;  but  the  first  stirrings  of 
corruption  are  a  breach  of  the  royal  law, 
Rom.  vii.  7.,  Prov.  xxiv.  9.,  therefore  they 
merit  damnation.  !So  that  the  least  sin  is 
mortal,  and  needs  forgiveness. 

Aj)horism  2.  It  is  Ciod  only  that  forgives 
sin.  To  jiardon  sin  is  one  of  the  jura  re- 
f/a/ia,  tlie  flowers  of  God's  crown,  Mark  ii. 
7.,  "  Who  can  forgive  sins  but  God  only  ?" 
It  is  most  ])roper  for  God  to  ])ard<)n  sin; 
only  the  creditor  can  remit  the  debt.  Sin 
is  an  infinite  offence,  and  no  finite  ])ower 
can  discharge  an  infinite  offence. 

That  (j!od  only  can  forgive  sin,  I  ])rove 
thus: — No  man  can  t<ike  away  sin,  unless 
he  is  able  to  infuse  grace;  for  (as  A(|uinas 
saith)  with  forgiveness  is  always  infusion 
of  grace ;  but  no  man  can  infuse  grace, 
therefore  no  man  can  forgive  sin.  He  only 
can  forgive  sin,  who  can  remit  the  penalty, 


blotted  out  as  a  thick  cloud  thy  transgres-    but  it  is  only  God's  prerogative  royal  to  for- 
sions."     Sii)   is  the  cloud  interposed,  God  |  give  sin. 


526 


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Obj.  1.  But  a  Christian  is  charged  to  for- 
give his  brother :  Col.  iii.  13.,  "  Forgiving 
one  another." 

Ans.  In  all  second-table  sins,  there  are 
two  distinct  things  :  1.  Disobedience  against 
God.  2.  Injury  to  man.  That  which  man 
is  required  to  forgive,  is  the  wrong  done  to 
himself;  but  the  wrong  done  to  God,  he 
cannot  forgive.  INIan  may  remit  a  trespass 
against  himself,  but  not  a  transgression  a- 
gainst  God. 

Obj.  2.  But  the  scripture  speaks  of  the 
pilfer  com wi tied  to  ministers  to  forgive  sin  : 
John  XX.  23.,  "  AVliosocver  sins  ye  remit, 
they  are  remitted  unto  them." 

Ans.  Ministers  cannot  remit  sin  authori- 
tatively and  effectually,  but  only  declara- 
tively.  They  have  a  s])eciHl  office  and  au- 
thority to  apply  the  promises  of  pardon  to 
broken  fiearts.  When  a  minister  sees  one 
humbled  for  sin,  yet  is  afraid  God  hath  not 
pardoned  him,  and  is  ready  to  be  swallowed 
up  of  sorrow, — in  this  case,  a  minister,  for 
the  easing  of  this  man's  conscience,  may,  in 
the  name  of  Christ,  declare  to  him,  that  he 
is  ])ardoncd  ;  the  minister  dotli  not  forgive 
sin  by  his  own  authority,  but  as  an  herald, 
in  Christ's  name,  pronounceth  a  man's  par- 
don. As  it  was  with  the  priest  in  the  law, 
God  did  cleanse  the  leper,  the  priest  only 
did  ])ronounce  him  clean,  so  it  is  God,  who, 
by  his  prerogative,  doth  forgive  sin,  the 
minister  only  pronounceth  forgiveness  to 
the  sinner,  being  penitent.  Power  to  forgive 
sin  authoritatively  in  one's  own  name,  was 
never  granted  to  any  mortal  man.  A  king 
may  S])are  a  man's  life,  but  not  pardon  his 
sin  ;  popes'  pardons  are  insignificant,  like 
blanks  in  a  lottery,  good  for  nothing  but  to 
be  torn. 

Aphorism  3.  Forgiveness  of  sin  is  purely 
an  act  of  God's  free  grace.  There  are  some 
acts  of  God  which  declare  his  power,  as 
making  and  governing  the  world, — other 
acts  that  declare  his  justice,  as  punishing 
the  Gfuilty, — other  acts  that  declare  his  free- 
grace,  as  pardoning  of  sinners,  Isa.  xliii. 
25.,  "  n  even  I  am  he  that  blotteth  out  thy 
transgressions  for  my  own  name's  sake." 
As  \\  hen  a  creditor  freely  forgives  a  debtor, 
1  Tim.  i.  15.,  "  I  obtained  mercy."  I  was 
all  over  besprinkled  with  mercy.  When 
God  pardons  a  sin,  he  doth  not  pay  a  debt, 


but  give  a  legacy.  Forgiveness  is  spun  out 
of  the  bowels  of  God's  mercy  ;  there  is  no- 
thing we  can  do  can  deserve  it ;  it  is  not 
our  prayers,  or  tears,  or  good  deeds  can  pur- 
chase pardon.  When  Simon  Magus  would 
have  bought  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost  \\'\\h 
money,  "  thy  money  (saith  Peter)  j)erish 
with  thee,"  Acts  viii.  20. :  so  they  who  think 
they  can  buy  pardon  of  sin  with  their  du- 
ties and  alms,  their  money  perish  with 
them  ;  forgiveness  is  an  act  of  God's  free- 
grace,  here  he  displays  the  banner  of  love. 
This  is  that  will  raise  the  trophies  of  God's 
glory,  and  will  cause  the  saints'  triumph  in 
lieaven,  that  when  there  was  no  worthiness 
in  them,  when  they  hiy  in  their  blood,  God 
took  pity  on  them,  and  held  forth  the  gol- 
den sceptre  of  love  in  forgiving  ?  Forgive- 
ness is  a  golden  thread  spun  out  of  the 
bowels  of  free-grace. 

Aphorism  4.  Forgiveness  is  through  the 
blood  of  Christ.  Free  grace  is  the  inward 
cause  moving.  Christ's  blood  is  the  out- 
ward cause  meriting  ])ardon,  Eph.  i.  7., 
"  In  whom  we  have'  redemption  through 
his  blood.'  All  pardons  are  sealed  in  Christ's 
blood  ;  the  guilt  of  sin  was  infinite,  and  no- 
thing but  that  blood  which  was  of  infinite 
value  could  procure  forgiveness. 

Obj.  But  if  Christ  laid  doicn  his  blood  as 
the  price  of  our  pardon^  then  how  can  ice  say, 
God  freely  forgives  sin  ?  If  it  be  by  purchase, 
how  is  it  by  grace  ? 

Ans.  1.  It  was  God's  free  grace  that  found 
out  a  way  of  redemption  through  a  Media- 
tor. Nay,  God's  love  appeared  more  in  let- 
ting Christ  die  for  us,  than  if  he  had  for- 
given us  without  exacting  any  satisfaction. 

A.  2.  It  was  free-grace  moved  God  to 
accept  of  the  price  paid  for  our  sins  :  that 
God  should  accept  a  surety, — that  one 
should  sin,  and  another  sutler, — this  was 
free-grace.  So  that  forgiveness  of  sin, 
though  it  be  purchased  by  Christ's  blood, 
yet  it  is  by  free-grace. 

Aphorism  5.  In  forgiveness  of  sin,  God 
remits  the  guilt  and  j)cnalty.  liemissa  cul- 
pa, remittitur  poena.  Guilt  is  an  obligation 
to  punishment,  guilt  cries  for  justice  :  now 
God  in  forgiving  doth  indulge  the  sinner  as 
to  the  penalty  :  God  seems  to  say  to  the 
sinner  thus,  "  though  thou  art  fallen  into 
the  hands  of  my  justice,  and  deservest  to 


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527 


die,  yet  I  will  takn  ofF  the  penalty;  what- 
ever is  charj'i'ed  ii])oii  thee  shall  he  dischartj;'- 
ed ;"  when  (lod  pardons  a  soul,  he  will  not 
leckon  with  him  in  a  purely  vindictive  way, 
he  stops  the  execution  of  justice. 

Aphorism  G.  ]Jy  virtue  of  this  pardon 
God  will  no  more  call  sin  into  reinemhrancc, 
Heh.  viii.  12.,  "  Their  sins  and  their  ini- 
quities will  I  rememher  no  more."  God 
will  pass  an  act  of  ohlivion,  he  will  not  up- 
braid us  with  former  unkindnesses ;  when 
we  fear  God  will  call  over  our  sins  a^ain 
after  pardon,  look  into  this  act  of  indemni- 
ty, "  their  iniquities  will  I  remember  no 
more."  God  is  said  therefore  to  '  blot  out 
our  sin.'  A  man  doth  not  call  f«)r  a  debt, 
when  he  hath  crossed  the  book  ;  when  God 
pardons  a  man,  his  former  displeasure  ceas- 
eth,Hos.xiv.4.,"jMineanfi^eristurncdawav." 

Quest.  But  is  God  aiignj  with  his  par- 
doned ones  ? 

Ans.  Though  a  child  of  God,  after  par- 
don, may  incur  God's  fatherly  displeasure, 
vet  God's  judicial  wrath  is  removed ;  thouirh 
God  may  lay  on  the  rod,  yet  he  hath  taken 
away  the  curse  ;  correction  may  befall  the 
saints,  but  not  destruction,  Ps.  Ixxxi.v.  33., 
"  My  loving  kindness  will  I  not  utterly  take 
away." 

Aj)horism  7.  That  sin  is  not  forgiven 
till  it  be  repented  of;  therefore  they  are 
put  together,  Luke  xxiv.  47.,  "  Repentance 
and  remission,"  Domine,  da  pcenttenf.iajn, 
et  poslea  indulgentiam^  Fulgentius. 

Now  in  repentance  there  are  three  main 
ingredients,  and  all  these  must  be  before 
forgiveness.  1.  Contrition,  2.  Confession, 
3.  Convei'sion.  (1.)  Contrition,  or  broken- 
ness  of  heart,  Ezek.  vii.  16.,  "  They  shall 
be  like  doves  of  the  valleys,  all  of  tliem 
mourning  every  one  for  his  iniquity."  This 
contrition  or  rending  of  the  heart,  is  ex- 
pressed sometimes  by  smiting  on  the  breast, 
Luke  xviii.  13. ;  sometimes  by  plucking  off 
the  hair,  Ezra.  ix.  3.;  sometimes  by  water- 
ing the  couch,  Ps.  vi.  6.  But  all  luimilia- 
tion  is  not  contrition  ;  some  have  only  pre- 
tended sorrow  for  sin,  and  so  have  missed 
of  forgiveness ;  Ahab  humbled  himself,  his 
garments  were  rent,  not  his  heart. 

Quest.  What  is  that  remorse  and  sorrow 
which  goes  hejbre  forgiveness  of  sin  ? 

Ans.  It  is  an  holy  sorrow,—  it  is  a  griev- 


ing for  sin,  <piatenns  sin,  as  it  is  sin,  and  as 
it  is  a  dishonouring  of  (Jod,  and  a  defiling' 
of  the  soul.  Though  there  were  no  suffer- 
ings to  follow,  yet  the  true  penitent  would 
grieve  for  sin,  Ps.  li.  3.,  "  My  sin  is  ever 
before  me."  This  contriti<»n  goes  before 
remission,  Jer.  xxxi."19,  20.,  "  I  repented, 
I  smote  upon  my  thigh  ;  is  Ephraim  my  dear 
son  ?  my  bowels  are  tr<»id)led  for  him,  I  will 
surely  have  mercy  upon  hiin."  Ephraim 
was  troubled  for  sinning,  and  God's  bowels 
were  troubled  for  Ephraim ;  the  woman  in 
the  gospel  stood  at  .Jesus's  feet  weej)ing,  and 
a  pardon  followed,  Luke  vii.  47.,  Where- 
fore I  say,  "  her  sins  which  are  many,  are 
forgiven  her."  The  seal  is  set  upon  the 
wax  when  it  melts  ;  God  seals  his  pardon 
uj)on  melting  hearts. 

(2.)  The  second  ingredient  in  repentance 
is  confession,  Ps.  li.  4.,  "  Against  thee,  thee 
only  have  I  sinned."  This  is  not  auricular 
confession  ;  this  the  papists  make  a  sacra- 
ment, and  affirm,  that  without  confession  of 
all  one's  sins  in  the  ears  of  the  priest,  no 
man  can  receive  forgiveness  of  sin  ;  the 
scripture  is  ignorant  of  it,  nor  do  we  read 
that  any  general  council,  till  the  Laterau 
council,  which  was  about  twelve  hundred 
years  after  Christ,  did  ever  decree  auricular 
confession. 

OiJj.  But  doth  not  the  scripture  soy,  James 
V.  15.,  "  Confess  your  sins  one  to  another  ?" 

Ans.  This  is  absurdly  broui^ht  for  auri- 
cular confession ;   for,    by  this,   the   priest 
must  as  well  confess  to  the  people,  as  the 
people   to   the   priest.     The  sense   of   that 
place  is,  in  case  of  public  scandals,  or  pri- 
vate wrongs,~liere  confession  is  to  be  made  to 
others  ;  but  chiefly,  confession  is  to  be  made 
to  (iod,  who  is  the  ])arty  offended  ;  "against 
thee,  thee  only  have  1  sinned."     Confession 
gives  vent  to  sorrow ;  confession  must  be 
free  without  compulsion,  ingenuous  without 
reserve,    cordial    without    hypocrisy ;    the 
heart  must  go  along  with   the  confession 
This  confession  makes  way  for  forgiveness, 
Ps.    xxxii.   5.,   "  I  said   I  will   confess  my 
transgressions  unto  the  Lord,  and  thou  for- 
gavest  me."     When  the  publican  and  thiel 
on  the  cross  confessed,  they  had  that  par- 
don ;    the   publican  smote  uj)on  his  breast, 
there  was  contrition  ;   and  said,   "  God  be 
merciful  to  me  a  sinner,"  thero  was  confes- 


528 


OF  THE  FIFTH  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


sion  ;  lie  wont  a'.vay  justified,  there  was  tui- 
givencss ;  and  the  tliief  on  tiie  cross,  "  We 
indeed  suffer  justly,"  there  was  confession  ; 
and  Clnist  absolved  him  belore  he  died, 
Luke  -\xiii.  43.,  "  To-day  slialt  thou  be 
with  me  in  paradise."  Which  words  of 
Christ  might  occasion  tliat  saying  of  St. 
Austin,  confession  shuts  the  mouth  of  hell, 
and  opens  the  gate  of  paradise. 

(3.)  The  third  ingredient  in  repentance 
is,  conversion,  or  turning  from  sin.  Judges 
X.  15,  "We  have  sinned,"  there  was  con- 
fession ;  V.  16.,  "  Tliey  put  away  the  strange 
gods,"  there  was  conversion.  And  it  must 
be  an  universal  turning  from  sin,  Ezek. 
xviii.  31.,  "  Cast  away  from  you  all  your 
transgressions."  You  would  be  loath  Cod 
t;]](»uld  forgive  only  some  of  your  sins ; 
v»ould  you  have  God  forgive  all,  and  will 
not  you  forsake  all  ?  Ke  that  hides  one 
rebel,  is  a  traitor  to  the  crown  ;  he  that 
lives  in  one  known  sin,  is  a  traitorous  hypo- 
crite. And  it  must  not  only  be  a  turning 
from  sin,  but  a  turning  unto  God  :  tliere- 
fore  it  is  called  "  repentance  towards  God," 
Acts  XX.  21.  The  heart  points  towards 
God,  as  the  needle  to  the  north-pole.  The 
jirodigal  did  not  only  leave  his  harlots,  but 
did  arise  and  go  to  bis  father,  Luke  xv.  20. 
This  repentance  is  the  ready  \^ay  to  par- 
don, Isa.  Iv.  7.,  "  Let  the  wicked  forsake 
bis  way,  and  turn  to  the  Lord,  and  he  will 
abundantly  jiardon."  A  king  will  not  par- 
don a  rebel  whilst  he  continues  in  open 
hostility.  Thus  you  see  repentance  goes 
before  remission  ;  they  who  never  rej)ent- 
cd,  can  have  no  ground  to  hope  that  their 
sins  are  j)ardoned. 

Aphorism*8.  That  sin  is  not  forgiven  till 
it  be  repented  of. 

Caution.  Not  that  repentance  doth  me- 
rit the  forgiveness  of  sin  ;  to  make  repen- 
tance satisfactory  is  popish  ;  by  repentance 
we  j/lease  God,  but  we  do  not  satisfy  him. 
Alas  !  "  Christ's  blood  must  wash  our  tears." 
Ke])entance  is  a  condition,  not  a  cause ; 
God  will  not  ])ardon  for  repentance,  nor 
yet  without  it;  God  seals  his  pardons  on 
melting  hearts  ;  repentance  makes  us  prize 
pardon  the  more.  He  who  cries  out  of  his 
broken  bones,  will  the  more  prize  the  mer- 
cy of  having  them  set  again  ;  when  there 
is  nothing  in  the  soul  but  clouds  of  sorrow, 


and  now  God  brings  a  pardcm  (which  is  a 
setting  up  of  a  rainbow  in  the  cloud,  to  tell 
the  soul  the  Hood  of  God's  wrath  shall  not 
overflow,)  O  what  joy  at  the  sight  of  this 
rainbow  !  The  soul  now  burns  in  love  to 
God. 

Aphorism  9.  The  greatest  sins  come  with- 
in the  compass  of  forgiveness.  Incest,  so- 
domy, adultery,  theft,  murder,  which  are 
sins  of  the  first  magnitude,  yet  these  are 
pardonable.  Paul  was  a  blasphemer,  and 
so  sinned  against  the  first  table  ;  a  j^erse- 
cutor,  and  so  he  sinned  against  the  second 
table  ;  yet  he  obtained  mercy,  1  Tim.  i.  13., 
I  was  all  besprinkled  with  mercy.  Zac- 
cheus,  an  extortioner, — Mary  Magdalene, 
an  unchaste  woman,  out  of  wliom  seven  de- 
vils were  cast, — Pdanasseh,  Avho  made  the 
streets  run  with  blood, — yet  these  had  par- 
don. Some  of  the  Jews,  who  had  a  hand 
in  crucifying  of  Christ,  were  forgiven.  God 
blots  out  not  only  the  cloud,  but  "  the  thick 
cloud,"  Isa.  xliv.  22. ;  enormities  as  well  as 
infirmities.  The  king  in  the  parable,  for- 
gave his  debtor  that  owed  him  10,000  ta- 
lents. Mat.  xviii.  27.,  a  talent  weighed  3000 
shekels,  10,000  talents  contained  almost  12 
tons  of  gold.  This  was  an  emblem  of  God's 
forgiving  great  sins,  Isa.  i.  18.,  "Though 
your  sins  be  as  scarlet,  yet  they  shall  be  as 
white  as  snow."  Scarlet,  in  the  Greek,  is 
called  twice  dipped,  and  the  art  of  man 
cannot  wash  out  the  dye  again.  But  though 
our  sins  are  of  a  scarlet  dye,  God's  mercy 
can  wash  them  away  :  the  sea  can  as  well 
cover  great  rocks  as  little  sands.  Tliis  I 
mention  that  simiers  may  not  des])air.  God 
counts  it  a  glory  to  him  to  forgive  great 
sins;  now  mercy  and  love  ride  in  triumph, 
1  Tim.  i.  11.,  "  The  grace  of  our  Lord  was 
exceeding  abundant,"  it  was  exuberant,  it 
did  overflow  as  Nilus.  We  must  not  mea- 
sure God  by  ourselves  :  God's  mercy  excels 
our  sins,  as  much  as  heaven  doth  earth, 
Ps.  cxix.  11.  If  great  sins  could  not  be 
forgiven,  then  great  sinners  should  not  be 
preached  to  ;  but  the  gospel  is  to  be  preach- 
ed to  all.  If  they  could  not  be  forgiven,  it 
were  a  dishonour  to  Christ's  blood ;  as  if 
the  wound  were  broader  than  the  plaster. 
God  hath  first  made  great  sinners  "  broken 
vessels," — he  hath  broken  their  hearts  for 
sin;  and  then  he  hath  made  them  ''golden 


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529 


vessels," — he  hath  filled  them  with  the  gol- 
den oil  of  pardoning  mercy  ;  this  may  en- 
courage great  sinners  to  come  in  and  re- 
pent. Indeed  the  sin  against  the  Holy- 
Ghost  is  unpardonahle,  not  hut  that  there 
is  mercy  enough  in  (iod  to  forgive  it,  but 
because  lie  who  hath  committed  this  sin 
will  have  no  pardon ;  he  despites  God, 
scorns  his  mercy,  spills  the  cordial  of 
Christ's  blood,  and  tramples  it  under  foot ; 
he  puts  away  salvation  from  him  ;  but  else 
the  greatest  sins  are  pardonable.  When 
a  poor  sinner  looks  upon  himself,  and  sees 
his  guilt,  and  when  he  looks  on  God's  jus- 
tice and  holiness,  he  falls  down  confound- 
ed :  but  here  is  what  may  be  as  a  cork  to 
the  net,  to  keep  him  from  despair,  if  thou 
wilt  leave  thy  sins  and  come  to  Christ,  mer- 
cy can  seal  thy  pardon. 

Aphorism  10.  When  God  pardons  a  sin- 
ner, he  forgives  all  sins,  Jer.  xxxiii.  8.,  "  I 
will  pardon  all  their  iniquities."  Col.  ii. 
13.,  "Having  forgiven  you  all  trespasses." 
The  mercy-seat  covered  the  whole  ark ;  the 
mercy-seat  was  a  type  of  forgiveness,  to 
shew  that  God  covers  all  our  transgressions. 
He  doth  not  leave  one  sin  nj)on  the  score  ; 
he  doth  not  take  his  pen,  and  for  fourscore 
sins  "write  down  fifty,  but  blots  out  all  sin, 
Ps.  ciii.  3.,  '■  Who  forgives  all  thine  iniqui- 
ties." When  I  say,  God  forgiveth  all  sins, 
I  understand  it  of  sins  past,  but  sins  to  come 
are  not  forgiven  till  they  are  repented  of. 
Indeed  God  hath  decreed  to  pardon  them  ; 
and  when  God  forgives  one  sin,  he  will  in 
time  forgive  all ;  but  sins  future  are  not  ac- 
tually pardoned,  till  they  are  repented  of; 
it  is  absurd  to  think  sin  should  be  forgiven, 
before  it  is  committed. 

1.  If  all  sins  past  and  to  come  are  at 
once  forgiven,  then,  what  need  a  man  pray 
for  the  pardon  of  sin  ?  It  is  a  vain  thing  to 
pray  for  the  pardon  of  that  which  is  already 
forjnven. 

2.  This  opinion,  that  sins  to  come  (as 
well  as  past)  are  forgiven,  doth  take  away 
and  make  void  Christ's  intercession.  Christ 
is  an  advocate  to  intercede  for  daily  sins, 
1  John  ii,  1.;  but  if  sin  be  forgiven  before 
it  be  committed,  what  need  is  there  of 
Christ's  daily  intercession  ?  What  need 
have  I  of  an  advocate  if  sin  be  pardoned 
before    it    be   committed  ?      So   that   God, 


though  he  forgives  all  sins  past  to  a  believ- 
er, yet  sins  to  come  are  not  forgiven,  till 
repentance  be  renewed. 

Aphorism  11.  Faith  doth  necessarily  an- 
tecede  forgiveness,  there  must  be  believing 
on  our  part,  before  there  is  forgiving  on 
(iod's  part,  Acts  x.  43.,  "  To  him  gave  all 
the  prophets  witness,  that  through  his  name 
whosoever  helieveth  in  him  shall  receive 
remission  of  sins."  So  that  faith  is  a  ne- 
cessary antecedent  to  forgiveness.  There 
are  two  acts  of  faith, — to  accept  Christ, 
and  to  trust  in  Christ, — to  accept  of  his 
terms,  to  trust  in  his  merits  ;  and  he  who 
doth  neither  of  these,  can  have  no  forgive- 
ness ;  he  who  doth  not  accept  Christ,  can- 
not have  his  person  ;  he  that  doth  not  trust 
in  him,  cannot  have  benefit  by  his  blood. 
So  that,  without  faith  no  remission. 

Aphorism  12.  Though  justification  and 
sanctification  are  not  the  same,  yet  God  ne- 
ver pardons  a  sinner,  but  he  doth  sanctify 
him.  Justification  and  sanctification  are 
not  the  same. 

1.  Justification  is  without  us,  sanctifica- 
tion is  within  us.  The  one  is  by  righteous^ 
ness  imputed,  tlie  other  is  by  righteousness, 
imparted. 

2.  Justification  is  equal,  sanctification  is 
gradual.  Sanctification  doth  recipere  majua 
et  minus  ;  one  is  sanctified  more  than  ano- 
ther, but  one  is  not  justified  more  than  a- 
nother  ;  one  hath  more  grace  than  another, 
but  he  is  not  more  a  believer  than  another. 

3.  The  matter  of  our  justification  is  per- 
fect, viz.  Christ's  righteousness ;  but  our 
sanctificaticui  is  im|)erfect,  there  are  the- 
spots  of  God's  children,  Deut.  xxxii.  5. 
Our  graces  are  mixed,  our  duties  are  defil- 
ed, 'i'hus  justification  and  sanctification 
are  not  the  same  ;  yet,  for  all  that,  they  are 
not  separated.  God  never  pardons  and 
justifies  a  sinner,  but  he  doth  sanctify  him, 
1  Cor.  vi.  11.,  "  But  ye  are  justified,  but  ye 
are  sanctified."  1  John  v.  6.,  "  This  is  he 
that  came  by  water  and  blood,  even  Jesus 
Christ."  Christ  comes  to  the  soul  by  blood,, 
that  denotes  remission  ;  and  by  water,  that 
denotes  sanctification.  Let  no  man  say  he 
is  pardoned,  that  is  not  made  holy.  And 
this,  I  the  rather  urge  against  the  Antino- 
mians,  who  talk  of  being  forgiven  their  sin, 
and  having  a  part  in  Christ,  and  yet  remain 

3X 


530 


OF  THE  FIFTH  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


unconverted,  and  live  in  the  grossest  sins. 
Pardon  and  liealing  go  tog^ether  :  Isa.  Ivii. 
19.,  "  I  create  the  fruit  of  the  lips,  peace. 
And  I  will  heal  him."  Peace  is  the  fruit 
of  pardon  :  and  then  it  follows,  "  I  will  heal 
him."  Whore  (u)d  pardons  he  purifies.  As 
in  the  inauguration  of  kings,  with  the  crown 
there  is  the  oil  to  anoint :  so  when  God 
crowns  a  man  with  forgiveness,  there  he 
gives  the  anointing  oil  of  grace  to  sanctify, 
Rev.  ii.  17.,  "  I  will  give  him  a  white  stone, 
and  in  the  stone  a  new  name."  A  "  white 
stone,"  that  is  absolution  ;  and  a  "  new 
name"  in  the  stone,  that  is  sanctification. 

1.  If  God  should  pardon  a  man,  and  not 
sanctify  him,  this  would  be  a  reproach  to 
him  ;  then  he  should  love  and  be  well-plea- 
sed with  men  in  their  sins,  Avhich  is  dia- 
metrically contrary  to  his  holy  nature. 

2.  If  God  should  pardon  and  not  sancti- 
fy, then  he  could  have  no  glory  from  us. 
God's  people  are  formed  to  shew  forth  his 
praise,  Isa.  xliii.  21.,  but  if  he  should  par- 
don and  not  sanctify  us,  how  could  we 
shew  forth  his  praise?  How  could  we  glo- 
rify him  ?  What  glory  can  God  have  by  a 
proud,  ignorant,  profane  heart  ? 

3.  If  God  should  pardon  and  not  sancti- 
fy, then  that  should  enter  into  heaven  which 
defileth  ;  but  Rev.  xxi.  27.,  "  Nothing  shall 
enter  that  defileth."  Then  God  should  set- 
tle the  inheritance  upon  men  before  they 
arc  fit  for  it,  contrary  to  that,  Col.  i.  12., 
"  he  hath  made  us  meet  to  be  partakers  of 
the  inheritance  ;"  how  is  that  but  by  the 
divine  unction  ?  So  that,  whoever  God  for- 
gives, he  transforms.  Let  no  man  say  his 
sins  are  forgiven,  who  doth  not  find  an  in- 
herent work  of  holiness  in  his  heart. 

Aphorism  13.  Where  God  remits  sin,  he 
Imputes  righteousness.  This  righteousness 
of  Christ  imputed  is  a  salvo  to  God's  law, 
and  makes  full  satisfaction  for  the  breaches 
of  it.  This  righteousness  procures  God's 
ftivour.  God  cannot  but  love  us,  when  he 
sees  us  in  his  Son's  robe,  which  both  covers 
and  adorus  us.  In  this  spotless  robe  of 
Christ  we  outshine  the  angels  :  theirs  is  but 
the  righteousness  of  creatures,  this  is  the 
righteousness  of  God  himself,  2  Cor.  v.  21., 
''  That  we  might  be  made  the  righteous- 
ness of  God  in  him."  How  great  a  bles- 
sing then  is  forgiveness  ?    With  remission 


of  sin  is  joined  imputation  of  righteous- 
ness. 

Aphorism  14.  Tljey  whose  sins  are  for- 
given, must  not  omit  praying  for  forgive- 
ness, "  Forgive  us  our  trespasses."  Be- 
lievers who  are  pardoned,  must  be  conti- 
nual suitors  for  pardon.  Wlien  Nathan 
told  David,  "  The  Lord  also  hath  put  away 
thy  sin,"  2  Sam.  xii.  13.,  yet  Da^id,  after 
that,  composed  a  penitential  psalm  for  the 
pardon  of  his  sin.  Sin,  after  pardon,  rebels. 
Sin,  like  Samson's  hair,  though  it  be  cut, 
will  grow  again.  We  sin  daily,  and  must 
as  well  ask  for  daily  pardon,  as  for  daily 
bread.  Besides,  a  Christian's  pardon  is  not 
so  sure,  but  he  may  desire  to  have  a  clear- 
er evidence  of  it. 

Aphorism  15.  A  full  absolution  from  all 
sin  is  not  pronounced  till  the  day  of  judg- 
ment. The  day  of  judgment  is  called  "  a 
time  of  refreshing,"  when  sin  shall  be  com- 
pletely blotted  out,  Acts  iii.  19.  Now  God 
blots  out  sin  truly,  but  then  it  shall  be  done 
in  a  more  public  way ;  God  will  openly 
pronounce  the  saints'  absolution  before  men 
and  angels  ;  their  happiness  is  not  comple- 
ted till  the  day  of  judgment,  because  then 
their  pardon  shall  be  solemnly  pronounced, 
and  there  shall  be  the  triumphs  of  tlie  hea- 
venly host.  At  that  day  it  will  be  true  in- 
deed that  God  sees  no  sin  in  his  children ; 
they  shall  be  as  pure  as  the  angels ;  then 
the  church  shall  be  presented  without  wrin- 
kle, Eph.  V.  27.  She  shall  be  as  free  from 
stain  as  guilt;  then  Satan  shall  no  more 
accuse,  Christ  will  shew  the  debt-book 
crossed  in  his  blood.  Therefore  the  church 
doth  so  pray  for  Christ's  coming  to  judg- 
ment. Rev.  xxii.  17.,  The  bride  siuth, 
"  Come,  Lord  Jesus :"  light  the  lamps,  then 
burn  the  incense. 

Use  1st.  Of  information.  From  this  word, 
'  Forgive,'  we  learn  that  if  the  debt  of  sin 
be  no  other  way  discharged  but  by  being 
forgiven,  then  we  cannot  satisfy  for  it.  A- 
mong  other  damnable  opinions  of  the  church 
of  Rome,  this  is  one,  man's  power  to  satis- 
fy for  sin.  The  council  of  Trent  holds  that 
God  is  satisfied  by  our  undergoing  the  pe- 
nalty imposed  by  the  censure  of  priests ; 
and  again,  we  have  works  of  our  own,  bv 
Avhich  we  may  satisfy  for  our  wroiiiis  done 
to  God;  by  these  opinions,  let.  any  judge 


OF  THE  FIFTH  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


531 


what  the  popish  religion  is.  They  intend 
to  pay  the  debt  they  owe  God  themselves, 
to  pay  it  in  part,  and  do  not  look  to  have 
it  all  forgiven  ;  but  why  did  Christ  teach  us 
to  pray,  "  Forgive  us  our  sins,"  if  we  can 
of  ourselves  satisfy  God  for  the  wrong  we 
liave  done  him  ?  Tliis  doctrine  robs  God  of 
his  glory,  Christ  of  his  merit,  and  the  soul 
of  salvation.  Alas  !  Is  not  the  lock  cut 
where  the  strength  lay  ?  Are  not  all  our 
works  fly-blown  with  sin,  and  can  sin  sa- 
tisfy for  sin  ?  This  doctrine  makes  men 
their  own  saviours  :  it  is  most  absurd  to 
hold ;  for,  can  the  obedience  of  a  finite 
creature  satisfy  for  an  infinite  offence  ?  Sin 
being  forgiven,  clearly  implies  we  cannot 
satisfy  for  it. 

2.  From  this  word  tcs,  "  forgive  us,"  we 
learn  that  pardon  is  chiefly  to  be  sought  for 
ourselves :  for  though  we  are  to  pray  for 
the  pardon  of  others,  James,  v.  16.,  "  pray 
one  for  another,"  yet  in  the  first  place,  we 
are  to  beg  pardon  for  ourselves.  What ! 
will  another's  pardon  do  us  good?  Every 
one  is  to  endeavour  to  have  his  own  name 
in  the  pardon.  A  son  may  be  made  free 
by  his  father's  copy,  but  he  cannot  be  par- 
doned by  his  father's  pardon,  he  must  liaA  e 
a  pardon  for  himself.  In  this  sense,  selfish- 
ness is  lawful,  every  one  must  be  for  him- 
self, and  get  a  pardon  for  his  own  sins. 
*'  Forgive  us." 

3.  From  this  word  our,  '  our  sins,'  we 
learn  how  just  God  is  in  punishing  us. 
The  text  says,  *  our  sins ;'  we  are  not  pu- 
nished for  other  men's  sins,  but  our  own. 
Nemo  habet  de  propria,  nisi  peccatum,  Au- 
gustine. There's  nothing  we  can  call  so 
properly  ours,  as  sin.  Our  daily  bread  we 
have  from  God,  our  daily  sins  we  have  from 
ourselves.  Sin  is  our  own  act,  a  web  of 
our  own  spinning;  how  righteous  therefore 
is  God  in  punishing  of  us  ?  We  sow  the 
seed,  and  God  only  makes  us  reap  what  we 
sow,  Jer.  xvii.  10.,  "  I  give  every  man  the 
fruit  of  his  doings."  When  we  are  punished, 
we  but  taste  the  fruit  of  our  own  grafting. 

4.  From  this  word  sins,  see  from  hence 
the  multitude  of  sins  we  stand  guilty  of. 
We  pray  not  forgive  us  our  sin,  (as  if  it 
were  only  a  single  debt,)  but  sins,  in  the 
plural  :  so  vast  is  the  catalogue  of  our  sins, 
that  David  cries  out,  "  Who  can  understand 


liis  errors?"  Ps.  xix.  12.  Our  sins  are 
like  the  drops  of  the  sea,  like  the  atoms  in 
the  sun,  they  exceed  all  arithmetic.  Our 
debts  we  owe  to  God,  we  can  no  more  num- 
ber, than  we  can  satisfy  ;  wliich,  as  it  should 
humble  us,  to  consider  how  full  of  bl.'ick 
spots  our  souls  are,  so  it  should  put  us  upon 
seeking  after  the  pardon  of  our  sins.  And 
this  brings  to  the  second  use. 

Exhortation.  To  labour  to  have  the  for- 
giveness of  sin  sealed  up  to  us.  How  can 
we  eat,  or  drink,  or  sleep  without  it  ?  'Tis 
sad  dying  witluuit  a  pardon ;  this  is  to  fall 
into  the  labyrinth  of  despair;  of  this  the 
next  time. 

Use  2d.  Let  us  labour  for  the  for<nvc- 
ness  of  sm.  If  ever  this  was  needful,  then 
now,  when  the  times  ring  changes,  and  dan- 
ger seems  to  be  marching  towards  us. 
Labour,  I  say,  for  the  forgiveness  of  sin  ; 
this  is  a  main  branch  of  the  charter  or  co- 
venant of  grace,  Heb.  viii.  12.,  "  I  will  be 
merciful  to  your  unrighteousness,  and  your 
sins  and  iniquities  I  will  remember  no 
more."  It  is  mercy  to  feed  us,  but  it  is 
rich  mercy  to  pardon  us ;  this  is  spun  and 
woven  out  of  the  bowels  of  free-grace. 
Earthly  things  are  no  signs  of  God's  love ; 
he  may  give  the  venison,  but  not  the  bles- 
sing; but  when  God  seals  up  forgiveness, 
he  gives  his  love  and  heaven  with  it,  Ps. 
xxi.  3.,  "  Thou  settest  a  crown  of  pure  gold 
on  his  head."  A  crown  of  gold  was  a 
mercy,  but  if  you  look  into  Ps.  ciii.  you 
shall  find  a  greater  mercy,  v.  3,  4.,  "  Who 
forgiveth  all  thine  iniquities,  who  crowneth 
thee  with  loving  kindness."  To  he  crown- 
ed with  forgiveness  and  loving  kindness,  is 
a  fiir  greater  mercy  than  to  have  a  crown 
of  pure  gold  set  upon  the  head.  It  was  a 
mercy  when  Christ  cured  the  palsy  man  , 
but  when  Christ  said  to  him,  "  thy  sins  be 
forgiven,"  Mark,  ii,  5.,  this  was  more  than 
to  have  his  palsy  healed  ;  forgiveness  of  sin 
is  the  chief  thing  to  be  sought  after;  .ind 
sure,  if  conscience  be  once  touched  witli  a 
sense  of  sin,  there  is  nothing  a  man  will 
thirst  after  more  than  forgiveness,  Ps.  li.  3,, 
"  My  sin  is  ever  bcf«»re  me."  This  made 
David  so  earnest  for  pardor.,  Ps.  li.  1., 
"  Have  mercy  upon  me,  O  God  ;  blot  out 
my  transgressions."  If  one  should  have 
come  to  David,    and  asked  him,    "  David 


532 


OF  THE  FIFTH  PETITION   IN  THE  LOKD'S  PRAYER. 


where  is  thy  pain  ?  wliat  is  it  troubles  thee  ? 
is  it  the  fear  of  shame  which  sliall  come  u- 
pon  thee  and  thy  wives  ?  is  it  the  fear  of 
the  sword  whicli  God  hath  threatened  sliall 
not  depart  from  thy  liouse  ?"  lie  would 
have  said,  "  No,  it  is  only  my  sin  pains  me, 
— '  my  sin  is  ever  before  me.'  Were  but 
this  removed  by  forgiveness,  though  the 
sword  did  ride  in  circuit  in  my  family,  I 
would  be  well  enough  content.  When  the 
arrow  of  guilt  sticks  in  the  conscience,  no- 
thing is  so  desirable  as  to  have  this  arrow 
pluclved  out  by  forgiveness.  O  therefore 
seek  after  "  forgiveness  of  sin  !"  Can  you 
make  a  shift  to  live  without  it;  but  how 
•will  you  do  to  die  without  it?  Will  not 
death  liaA'e  a  sting  to  an  unpardoned  sin- 
ner ?  How  do  you  tliink  to  get  to  heaven 
without  forgiveness  ?  As  at  some  solemn 
festivals,  there  is  no  being  admitted  unless 
you  bring  a  ticket :  so,  unless  you  have  this 
ticket  to  show,  "  forgiveness  of  sin,"  there 
is  no  being  admitted  into  the  holy  place  of 
heaven.  Will  God  ever  crown  those  that 
he  will  not  forgive?  O  be  ambitious  of  par- 
doning grace  !  When  God  had  made  Abra- 
ham great  and  large  promises,  Abraham  re- 
plies, "  Lord,  what  wilt  thou  give  me,  see- 
ing I  go  childless  ?"  Gen.  xv.  2.  So,  when 
God  hath  given  thee  riches,  and  all  thy 
heart  can  wish,  say  to  him,  "  Lord,  what 
is  all  this,  seeing  I  want  forgiveness  ?  Let 
my  pardon  be  sealed  in  Christ's  blood." 
A  prisoner  in  the  Tower  is  in  an  ill  case, 
notwithstanding  his  brave  diet,  great  atten- 
dance, soft  bed  to  lie  on,  because,  being  im- 
peached, he  looks  every  day  for  his  arraign- 
ment, and  is  afraid  of  the  sentence  of  death  : 
in  such  a  case,  and  worse,  is  he,  that  swims 
in  the  pleasures  of  the  world,  but  his  sins 
are  not  forgiven, — a  guilty  conscience  doth 
impeach  him,  and  he  is  in  fear  of  being  ar- 
raigned and  condemned  at  God's  judgment- 
Beat.  Give  not  then  sleep  to  your  eyes,  or 
slumber  to  your  eye-lids,  till  you  have  got- 
ten some  well-grounded  hope  that  your  sins 
are  blotted  out.  Before  I  come  to  press 
the  exhortation  to  seek  after  forgiveness  of 
sin,  I  shall  propound  one  question. 

Quest.  If  pardon  of  sin  be  so  absolutely 
necessary^  without  it  no  salvatio7i,  what  is  the 
reason  that  softtv  in  the  world  seek  after  it  ? 
Jfihey  want  healthy  they  repair  to  the  physi- 


cian :  if  they  want  riches,  they  take  a  voyage 
to  the  Indies  ;  but  if  they  want  forgiveness  of 
sin,  they  seem  to  be  unconcerned,  and  do  not 
seek  after  it :  whence  is  this  ? 

Ans.  1.  Inadvertency,  or  want  of  consi- 
deration ;  they  do  not  look  into  their  spiri- 
tual estate,  or  cast  up  their  accounts  to  see 
how  matters  stand  between  God  and  their 
souls,  Isa.  i.  3.,  "  My  people  do  not  consi- 
der." They  do  not  consider  they  are  in- 
debted to  God  in  a  debt  of  ten  thousand  ta- 
lents, and  that  God  will,  ere  long,  call  them 
to  account,  Rom.  xiv.  12.,  "  So  then  every 
one  of  us  shall  give  an  account  of  himself 
to  God."  But  people  shun  serious  thoughts; 
"  my  people  do  not  consider."  Hence  it  is 
they  do  not  look  after  i)ar(l(tn. 

A.  2.  Men  do  not  seek  after  forgiveness 
of  sin,  for  want  of  conviction.  Few  are 
convinced  what  a  deadly  evil  sin  is, — it  is 
the  spirits  of  mischief  distilled, — it  turns  a 
man's  glory  into  shame, — it  brings  all 
plagues  on  the  body,  and  curses  on  the 
soul.  Unless  a  man's  sins  be  forgiven, 
there  is  not  the  vilest  creature  alive, — the 
dog,  serpent,  toad, — but  is  in  a  better  con- 
dition than  the  sinner ;  for  when  they  die, 
they  go  but  to  the  earth  ;  but  he  dying 
without  pardon,  goes  into  hell-torments  for 
ever.  Men  are  not  convinced  of  this,  but 
play  with  the  viper  of  sin. 

A.  3.  INIen  do  not  seek  earnestly  after 
forgiveness,  because  they  are  seeking  other 
things  :  they  seek  the  world  immoderately. 
When  Saul  was  seeking  after  the  asses,  he 
did  not  think  of  a  kingdom.  Tlie  world  is 
a  golden  snare.  Divilice  sa'culi  stmt  laquei 
diaboli,  Bern.  The  wedge  of  gold  hinders 
many  from  seeking  after  a  pardon.  Minis- 
ters cry  to  the  people,  "  Get  your  j)ardon 
sealed  !"  But  if  you  call  to  a  man  that  is 
in  a  mill,  the  noise  of  the  mill  drowns  the 
voice,  that  he  cannot  hear  :  so  when  the 
mill  of  a  trade  is  going,  it  makes  such  a 
noise,  that  the  peoj)le  cannot  hear  the  mi- 
nister when  he  lifts  up  his  voice  like  a 
trumpet,  and  cries  to  them  to  look  after  tlie 
sealing  of  their  pardon.  He  who  spends 
all  his  time  about  the  world,  and  doth  not 
mind  forgiveness,  will  accuse  himself  of 
folly  at  last.  You  would  judge  that  priso- 
ner very  unwise,  that  should  sj)end  all  his 
time  with  the  cook  to  get  his  dinner  rea- 


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533 


(ly,  and  should  never  mind  getting  a  par- 
don. 

A.  4.  Men  seek  not  after  tlie  forgiveness 
of  sin,  tliroiio;],  a  bold  presumption  of  mer- 
cy ;  they  eonccit  God  to  be  made  up  all  of 
mercy,  and  that  lie  will  indulge  them, 
though  they  take  little  or  no  pains  to  sue 
out  their  pardon.  *Tis  true,  God  is  merci- 
ful, hut  withal  he  is  just,  he  will  not  wrong 
his  justice  hy  shewing  mercy.  Read  the 
proclamation,  Exod.  xxxiv.  6.,  "  The  Lord, 
tlie  Lord  (jod.  merciful  and  gracious  ;  v.  7,, 
"  and  that  will  by  no  means  clear  the  guil- 
ty." Such  as  go  on  in  sin,  and  are  so  sloth- 
ful or  wilful,  that  they  will  not  seek  after 
forgiveness,  though  there  be  a  whole  ocean 
of  mercy  in  the  Lord,  not  one  drop  shall 
fidl  to  their  share,  "  he  will  by  no  means 
clear  the  guilty." 

J.  5.  Men  seek  not  earnestly  after  for- 
giveness, out  of  hope  of  impunity.  They 
flatter  themselves  in  sin,  and  because  they 
have  been  spared  so  long,  therefore  think, 
God  never  intends  to  reckon  with  them, 
Ps.  X.  i  I.,  "  He  hath  said  in  his  heart,  God 
hath  forgotten  :  hejiideth  his  face;  he  will 
never  see  it."  Atheists  think,  either  the 
judge  is  blind,  or  forgetful ;  but  let  sinners 
know,  that  long  forbearance  is  no  forgive- 
ness. God  did  bear  with  Sodom  a  lou"- 
time,  but  at  last  rained  down  fire  and  brim- 
stone upon  them  :  the  adjourning  of  the 
assizes  doth  not  acquit  the  prisoner :  the 
longer  God  is  taking  the  blow,  the  heavier 
it  will  be  at  last,  if  sinners  repent  not. 

A.  6.  Men  do  not  seek  earnestly  after 
forgiveness  through  mistake ;  they  think 
getting  a  pardon  is  easy,  it  is  but  repeating 
at  the  last  hour,  a  sigh,  or  a  Lord  have 
mercy,  and  a  j)ardon  will  droj)  into  their 
mouths.  But,  is  it  so  easy  to  repent,  and 
liave  a  pardon  ?  Tell  me,  O  sinnei-,  is  re- 
generation easy  ?  Are  there  no  pangs  in 
the  new  birth  ?  Is  mortification  easy  ?  Is 
it  nothing  to  pluck  out  the  right  eye?  Is 
it  easy  to  leap  out  of  Delilah's  lap  into  A- 
braham's  bosom  ?  This  is  the  draw-net, 
by  which  the  devil  drags  millions  to  hell, 
— the  facility  of  repenting  and  getting  a 
pardon  ! 

A.  7.  Men  do  not  look  after  forgiveness 
through  despair.  "  Oh,"  saith  the  despond- 
ing soul,  "  it  is  a  vain  thing  for  me  to  ex- 


pect pardon  ;  my  sins  are  so  many  and  hei 
nous,  that  sure  God  will  not  forgive  me : 
Jer.  xviii.  12.,  'And  they  said,  There  is  no 
hope.'  My  sins  are  huge  mountains,  and, 
can  they  ever  be  cast  into  the  sea  ?"  De- 
spair cuts  the  sinews  of  endeavour ;  who 
will  use  means  that  despairs  of  success? 
The  devils  shews  some  men  their  sins  at 
the  little  end  of  the  perspective-glass,  and 
they  seem  little,  or  none  at  all;  but  he 
shews  others  their  sins  at  the  great  end  of 
the  perspective,  and  they  fright  them  into 
despair.  This  is  a  soul-damning  sin  ;  Ju- 
das's  despair  was  worse  than  Ins  treason. 
Despair  spills  the  cordial  of  Christ's  blood  ; 
this  is  the  voice  of  despair,  "  Christ's  blood 
cannot  pardon  me."  Thus  you  see  whence 
it  is  that  men  seek  no  more  earnestly  after 
the  forgiveness  of  sin.  Having  answered 
this  question,  I  shall  now  come  to  press 
the  exhortation  upon  every  one  of  us,  to 
seek  earnestly  after  the  forgiveness  of  our 
sins. 

1.  Our  very  life  lies  upon  the  getting  of 
a  pardon  :  it  is  called  "  the  justification  o£ 
life,"  Rom.  V.  18.     Now,  if  our  life  lies  up- 
on our  pardon,  and  we  arc  dead  and  damn- 
ed without  it,  doth  it  not  concern  us  above 
all  things  to  labour  after  fiirgiveness  of  sin? 
Dent,  xxxii.  47.,  "For  it  is  not  a  vain  thing 
lor  you,  because  it  is  your  life."     If  a  man 
he  under  a  sentence  of  death,  he  will  set 
his  wits  a-work,   and  make  use  of  all  his 
friends  to  get  the  king  to  grant  his  pardon, 
because  his  life  lies  upon  it :  so  we  are,  by 
reason  of  sin,  under  a  sentencs  of  damna- 
tion ;  now,  there  is  one  friend  at  court  we 
may  make  use  of  to  j)rocure  our  pardon, 
namely,  the  Lord  Jesus  ;  how  earnest  thea 
should  we  be  with  him  to  be  our  Advocate 
to  the  Father  for  us,   and   that  he  would 
present  the  merit  of  his  blood  to  the  Fa- 
ther, as  the  price  of  our  pardon  ? 

2.  There  is  that  in  sin  may  make  us  de- 
sire forgiveness.  Sin  is  the  only  thing  that 
disquiets  the  soul. —  1.  Sin  is  a  burden,  it 
burdens  the  creation,  Rom.  viii.  22.,  it  bur- 
dens the  conscience,  Ps.  xxxviii,  4. 
wicked  man  is  not  sensible  of  sin,  he  is  dead 
in  sin  ;  and  if  you  lay  a  thousand  weight 
upon  a  dead  man,  he  feels  it  not.  But  to 
an  awakened  conscience  there  is  no  such 
burden  as  siu  ;  when  a  man  seriously  weighs 


y 


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OF  THE  FIFTH  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


with  Limsclf  the  glory  and  purity  of  that 
Majesty  wliich  sin  hath  offended, — the  pre- 
ciousness  of  that  soul  which  sin  hath  pol- 
luted,— tlie  loss  of  that  happiness  wliich  sin 
liath  endangered, — the  greatness  of  that 
torment  which  sin  liath  deserved, — to  lay 
all  this  together,  sure  must  make  sin  bur- 
densome. And  should  not  we  labour  to 
liave  this  burden  removed  by  pardoning 
mercy? — 2.  Sin  is  a  debt,  Mat.  vi.  12., 
*'  Forgive  us  our  debts ;"  and  (jvery  debt 
we  owe,  God  hath  written  down  in  his 
book,  Isa.  Ixv.  6.,  "  Behold  it  is  written  be- 
fore me,"  and  one  day  God's  debt-book  will 
be  opened,  Rev.  xx.  12.,  "The  books  were 
opened."  And,  is  not  this  that  which  may 
make  us  look  after  forgiveness  ?  Sin  being 
such  a  debt  as  we  must  eternally  lie  in  the 
prison  of  hell  for,  if  it  be  not  discharged, 
shall  not  we  be  earnest  with  God  to  cross 
the  debt-book  with  the  blood  of  his  Son  ? 
There  is  no  way  to  look  God  in  the  face 
with  comfort,  but  by  having  our  debts  ei- 
ther paid,  or  pardoned. 

3.  There  is  nothing  but  forgiveness  can 
give  ease  to  a  troubled  conscience.  There 
is  a  great  difference  between  the  having  tlie 
fancy  pleased,  and  having  the  conscience 
eased.  Worldly  things  may  please  the  fan- 
cy, but  not  ease  the  conscience  ;  nothing 
but  pardon  can  relieve  a  troubled  soul. 
It  is  strange  what  shifts  men  will  make  for 
ease  when  conscience  is  pained,  and  how 
many  false  medicines  they  will  use,  before 
they  will  take  the  right  way  for  a  cure. 
When  conscience  is  troubled,  they  will  try, 
what  merry  company  can  do ;  they  may 
perhaps  drink  away  trouble  of  conscience  ; 
perhaps  they  may  play  it  away  at  cards  ; 
perhaps  a  Lent-whipping  will  do  the  deed  ; 
perhaps  multitude  of  business  will  so  take 
up  their  time,  that  they  shall  have  no  leisure 
to  hear  the  clamours  and  accusations  of 
conscience ;  but  how  vain  are  all  these  at- 
tempts !  still  their  wound  bleeds  inwardly, 
their  heart  trembles,  their  conscience  roars, 
and  they  can  have  no  peace.  Wlience  is 
it  ?  Here  is  the  reason,  they  go  not  to  the 
mercy  of  God,  and  the  blood  of  Christ,  for 
the  pardon  of  thtir  sins  :  and  hence  it  is 
they  can  have  no  ease.  Suppose  a  m;in  liath 
a  thorn  in  his  foot  which  puts  him  to  j)ain  ; 
let  him  anoint  it,  or  wrap  it  up,  and  keep 


it  warm  ;  yet,  till  the  thorn  be  plucked  out, 
it  aches  and  swells,  and  he  hath  no  ease  : 
so  when  the  thorn  of  sin  is  gotten  into  a 
man's  conscience,  there's  no  ease  till  the 
thorn  be  pulled  out ;  when  God  removes  ini- 
quity, now  the  thorn  is  plucked  out.  How 
was  David's  heart  finely  quieted,  when  Na- 
than the  prophet  told  him,  "  the  Lord  also 
hath  put  away  thy  sin,"  2  Sam.  xii.  13.  How 
should  we  therefore  labour  for  forgiveness ! 
Till  then  we  can  have  no  ease  in  our  mind  ; 
notl'.ing  but  a  pardon,  sealed  with  the  blood 
of  the  Redeemer,  can  ease  a  wounded  spirit. 

4.  Forgiveness  of  sin  is  feasible ;  it  may 
be  obtained.  Impossibility  destroys  endea- 
vour ;  but,  as  Ezra  x.  2.,  "  There  is  hope 
in  Israel  concerning  this."  Tlie  devils  are 
past  hope  ;  a  sentence  of  death  is  past  upon 
them,  which  is  irrevocable;  but  there  is 
hope  for  us  of  obtaining  a  pardon,  Ps.  cxxx. 
4.,  "  There  is  forgiveness  with  thee."  If 
pardon  of  sin  were  not  possible,  then  it 
were  not  t.o  be  prayed  for  ;  but  it  hath  been 
prayed  for,  2  Sam.  xxiv.  10.,  "  I  beseech 
thee,  O  Lord,  take  away  mine  iniquity  ;" 
and  Christ  bids  us  pray  for  it,  "  Forgive 
us  our  trespasses."  That  is  possible  which 
God  hath  promised,  but  God  hath  promised 
pardon  upon  repentance,  Isa.  Iv.  7.,  "  Let 
the  wicked  forsake  his  way  and  return  to 
the  Lord,  and  he  will  have  mercy  upon 
him  ;  and  to  our  God,  for  he  will  ahundant- 
ly  pardon."  (Heb.)  He  will  multiply  to 
pardon.  That  is  possible  which  others 
have  obtained  :  but  others  have  arrived  at 
forgiveness,  therefore  it  is  haveable,  Ps. 
xxxii.  5.,  Isaiah  xxxviii.  17.,  "Thou  hast 
cast  all  my  sins  behind  thy  back."  Tiiis 
may  make  us  endeavour  after  ])ardon,  be- 
cause it  is  feasible  it  may  be  had. 

5.  Consideration,  to  persuade  to  it,  is, 
forgiveness  of  sin  is  a  choice  eminent  bless- 
ing ;  to  have  the  book  cancelled,  and  God 
appeased,  is  worth  obtaining ;  which  may 
whet  our  endeavour  after  it.  That  it  is  a 
rare  transcendent  blessing,  appears  by  three 
demonstrations, 

1a/,  If  we  consider  how  this  blessing  is 
purchased,  namely,  by  tlie  Lord  Jesus, 
There  are  three  things  in  reference  to 
Christ,  Avhich  set  forth  the  choiceness  and 
preciousness  of  forgivencvss. 

1.  No  mere  created  power  in  heaven  or 


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535 


earth  could  expiate  one  sin,  or  procure  a 
pardon  ;  only  Jesus  Christ,  1  John  ii.  2., 
*'  He  is  the  propitiation  for  our  sins."  No 
merit  can  huy  out  a  pardon.  Paul  had  as 
much  to  boast  of  as  any  man, — his  high 
birth,  his  learning,  his  legal  righteousness ; 
but  he  disclaims  all  in  point  of  justification, 
and  lays  them  under  Christ's  feet  to  tread 
upon.  No  angel  could,  with  all  his  holi- 
ness, lay  down  a  price  for  the  pardon  of 
one  sin,  1  Sam.  ii.  25.,  "  If  a  man  sin  a- 
gainst  the  Lord,  who  shall  entreat  for  him  ?" 
What  angel  durst  be  so  bold,  as  to  oj)cn  his 
mouth  to  God  for  a  delinquent  sinner  ? 
Only  Jesus  Christ,  who  is  God-man,  could 
deal  with  God's  justice,  and  purchase  for- 
giveness. 

2.  Christ  himself  could  not  procure  a 
pardon,  but  by  dying ;  every  pardon  is  the 
price  of  blood.  Christ's  life  is  a  rule  of  ho- 
liness, and  a  pattern  of  <)l)cdience,  Mat.  iii.- 
15.,  He  fulfilled  all  rigliteousncss.  And 
certainly,  Christ's  active  obedience  was  of 
great  value  and  merit ;  but  here  is  that 
which  raiseth  the  worth  of  fi)rgiveness, 
Christ's  active  obedience  had  not  fully  ])ro- 
cured  a  pardon  for  us,  without  the  shedding 
of  his  blood  :  therefore  our  justification  is 
ascribed  to  his  blood,  Rom.  v.  9.,  "  Being 
now  justified  by  his  blood."  Christ  did 
bleed  out  our  pardon.  There's  much  as- 
cribed to  Christ's  intercession,  but  his  in- 
tercession had  not  prevailed  with  God  for 
the  forgiveness  of  one  sin,  had  not  he  shed 
his  blood.  It  is  worth  our  notice,  that  when 
Christ  is  described  to  John  as  an  interces- 
sor for  his  church,  he  is  repi'csented  to  him 
in  the  likeness  of  a  Lamb  slain.  Rev.  v.  6., 
to  shew  that  Christ  must  die,  and  be  slain, 
before  he  can  be  an  intercessor. 

3.  Christ,  by  dying,  had  not  purchased 
forgiveness  for  us,  if  he  had  not  died  an  ex- 
ecrable death ;  he  endured  the  curse,  Gal. 
iii.  13.  All  the  agonies  Christ  endured  in 
bis  soul,  all  the  torments  in  his  body,  could 
not  purchase  a  pardon,  except  he  had  been 
made  a  curse  for  us.  Christ  must  be  curs- 
ed, before  we  could  be  blessed  with  a  par- 
don. 

2^///,  Forgiveness  of  sin  is  a  choice  bless- 
ing, if  we  consider  what  glorious  attributes 
God  puts  fortlj  in  the  pardoning  of  sin. —  1. 
God  puts  forth  infinite  power  :  wljen  Moses 


was  pleading  with  God  for  the  pardon  of 
Israel's  sin,  he  speaks  thus,  "  Let  the  power 
of  my  Lord  be  great,"  Numb.  xiv.  17.  God's 
forgiving  of  sin  is  a  work  of  as  great  power 
as  to  make  heaven  and  earth,  nay,  a  greater  ; 
For,  when  God  made  the  world,  he  met  with 
no  opposition  ;  but,  when  he  comes  to  par- 
don, Satan  opposeth,  and  the  heart  oj)poseth. 
A  sinner  is  desperate,  and  slights,  yea,  de- 
fies a  pardon,  till  God,  by  his  mighty  pow- 
er, convinceth  him  of  his  sin  and  daniier, 
and  makes  him  willing  to  accept  of  a  ])ar- 
don. — 2.  God,  in  forgiving  sins,  puts  forth 
'infinite  mercy,'  Numb.  xiv.  19.,  "Pardon, 
I  beseech  thee,  the  iniquity  of  this  people, 
according  to  the  greatness  of  thy  mercy." 
It  is  mercy  to  have  a  reprieve  ;  and  if  there 
be  mercy  in  sparing  a  sinner,  what  mercy 
then  is  in  pardoning  him  ?  This  is  the^os 
lactis,  the  cream  of  mercy.  For  God  to 
put  up  with  so  many  injuries, — to  wipe  so 
many  debts  off  the  score, — this  is  infinite 
favour ;  forgiveness  of  sin  is  spun  out  of  the 
bowels  of  God's  mercy.  / 

3d/t/,  Forgiveness  of  sin  is  a  choice  bless- 
ing, as  it  lays  a  foundation  for  other  mer- 
cies. It  is  a  leading  mercy. —  1.  It  makes 
way  for  temporal  good  things.  (1.)  It 
brings  health.  When  Christ  said  to  the 
palsy  man,  "  Thy  sins  are  forgiven,"  this 
made  way  for  a  bodily  cure,  "  Arise,  take 
up  thy  bed  and  go  into  thine  house,"  Mat. 
ix.  G.  The  j)ardon  of  his  sin  made  way  for 
the  healing  of  his  ])alsy.  (2.)  It  brings 
prosjierity,  Jer.  xxxiii.  8,  9. — 2.  It  makes 
way  for  spiritual  good  things.  Forgiveness 
of  sin  never  coujes  alone,  but  hath  other 
spiritual  blessings  attending  it.  Whom  God 
})ardons,  he  sanctifies,  adopts,  crowns.  It 
is  a  voluminous  mercy, — it  draws  the  silver 
link  of  grace,  and  the  golden  link  of  glory 
after  it.  It  is  an  high  act  of  indulgence, — 
God  seals  the  sinner's  pardon  with  a  kiss. 
And  should  not  we  above  all  things  seek 
after  so  great  a  blessing  as  forgiveness  ? 

6.  Consideration,  that  which  may  make 
us  seek  after  forgiveness  of  sin  is,  God's  in- 
clinableness  to  pardon,  Neh.  ix.  17.,  "  Thou 
art  a  God  ready  to  j)ardon."  In  the  He- 
brew it  is,  "  A  God  of  pardons."  We  are 
apt  to  entertain  wrong  conceits  of  God, 
that  he  is  inexorable,  and  will  not  forgive, 
Mat.  XXV.  24..,   "  I  knew  that  thon  art  an 


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OF  THE  FIFTH  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


hard  man."  But  God  is  a  sin  pardoning 
God,  Exod.  xxxiv.  6,  7.,  "  The  Lord,  mer- 
ciful and  gracious,  forgiving  iniquity,  trans- 
gression and  sin."  Here  is  my  name  (saith 
God)  if  yoii  would  know  how  I  am  called, 
I  tell  you  my  name,  "  The  Lord,  the  Lord 
God,  merciful,  forgiving  iniquity."  A  pi- 
rate or  rebel,  that  knows  there  is  a  procla- 
mation out  against  him,  will  never  come 
m  ;  but,  if  he  hears  that  the  prince  is  full  | 
of  clemency,  and  there  is  a  proclamation  of 
pardon  to  him,  if  he  submit,  this  will  be  a 
great  incentive  to  liim  to  lay  down  his  arms, 
and  become  loyal  to  his  prince.  See  God's 
proclamation  to  repenting  sinners,  Jer.  iii. 
12.,  "  Go  and  proclaim  these  words,  and 
say,  '  Return,  thou  backsliding  Israel,'  saith 
the  Lord,  '  and  I  will  not  cause  my  anger 
to  fall  upon  thee,  for  I  am  merciful.' "  God's 
mercy  is  a  tender  mercy.  The  Hebrew 
word  for  mercy  signifies  bowels.  God's 
mercy  is  full  of  sympathy ;  he  is  of  a  most 
sweet  indulgent  nature,  Ps,  Ixxxvi.  5., 
"  Thou,  Lord,  art  good,  and  ready  to  for- 
give." The  bee  doth  not  more  naturally 
give  honey,  than  God  shews  mercy. 

Ob  J.  1.  But  doth  not  God  seem  to  delight 
%n  punitive  acts,  or  acts  of  severity  ?  Pro  v.  i. 
26.,  "  I  will  laugh  at  your  calamity." 

Ans.  Who  doth  God  say  so  to  ?  See  verse 
25.,  "  Ye  have  set  at  nought  all  my  coun- 
sel, and  would  none  of  my  reproof."  God 
delights  in  their  destruction  who  despise  his 
instruction :  but  an  humble  penitentiary 
breaking  off  sin,  and  suing  out  his  pardon, 
the  Lord  delights  in  sliewing  mercy  to  such 
an  one,  Micah  vii.  18.,  "  He  delighteth  in 
mercy." 

Obj.  2.  But  though  God  be  so  full  of  mer- 
cy, and  ready  to  forgive,  yet  his  mercy  reach- 
eth  not  to  all ;  he  forgives  only  such  as  are 
elected,  and  I  question  my  election  ? 

Ans.  1.  No  man  can  say  he  is  not  elect- 
ed :  God  hath  not  revealed  this  to  any  par- 
ticular man,  that  he  is  a  reprobate,  except- 
ing him  only  who  hath  sinned  the  sin  a- 
gaiust  the  Holy  Ghost :  which  sin  thou  art 
iar  enough  from,  who  mourncst  lor  sin,  and 
seekest  after  forgiveness. 

A.  2.  These  thoughts  of  non-election, — 
that  we  are  not  elected, —  and  that  there  is 
no  ])ardon  for  us, — come  from  Satan,  and 
are  the  poisoned  arrows  he  shoots.     He  is^ 


the  accuser ;  he  accuseth  us  to  God,  that  we 
are  great  sinners ;  and,  he  accuseth  God  to 
us,  as  if  he  were  a  tyrant.  One  that  did 
watch  to  destroy  his  creature,  these  are  di- 
abolical suggestions ;  say,  "  Get  thee  behind 
me,  Satan." 

A.  3.  It  is  sinful  for  any  to  hold  that  he 
is  not  elected  ;  it  would  take  him  oif  from 
the  use  of  means,  from  praying,  and  repent- 
ing; it  would  harden  him,  and  make  hira 
desperate  ;  therefore  pry  not  into  the  arcana 
cceli,  the  secrets  of  heaven.  Remember 
what  befel  the  men  of  Bethshemesh,  for 
looking  into  the  ark,  1  Sam.  vi.  19.  Know 
that  we  are  not  to  go  by  God's  secret  wil)« 
but  by  his  revealed  will ;  look  into  God's 
revealed  will,  and  there  we  shall  find  e~ 
nough  to  cherish  liopo,  and  encourage  us  to 
go  to  God  for  the  pardon  of  our  sins.  God 
hath  revealed  in  his  word,  that  "  lie  is  rich 
in  mercy,"  Eph.  ii.  4. ;  that  he  doth  not  de- 
light in  the  destruction  of  a  sinner,  Ezek. 
xviii.  32.  Jurat  per  essentinm,  Musculus. 
He  swears  by  his  essence,  Ezek.  xxxiii.  11,, 
"  As  I  live  saith  the  Lord  God,  I  have  no 
pleasure  in  the  death  of  the  wicked."  Hence 
it  is  God  waits  so  long,  and  puts  off  the 
sessions  from  time  to  time,  to  see  if  sinners 
will  repent,  and  seek  to  him  for  pardon  ; 
therefore  let  God's  tender  mercies  and  pre- 
cious promises  encourage  us  to  seek  to  him 
for  the  forgiveness  of  our  sins. 

7.  Consideration.  Not  to  seek  earnestly 
for  pardon  is  the  unspeakable  misery  of  such 
as  want  forgiveness ;  it  must  needs  be  ill 
with  that  malefactor  that  wants  liis  ])ardon. 

1.  The  unpardoned  sinner  (that  lives  and 
dies  so)  is  under  the  greatest  loss  and  pri- 
vation. Is  there  any  happiness  like  to  the 
enjoying  of  God  in  glory  ;  this  is  the  joy  of 
angels,  the  crown  of  saints  glorified  ;  but 
the  unforgiven  sinner  shall  not  behold  (iod's 
smiling  face  ;  he  shall  see  God  as  an  enemy, 
not  as  a  friend  ;  he  shall  have  an  aflVighting 
sijrht  of  God,  not  beatifical ;  he  shall  see  the 
black  rod,  not  the  mercy-seat.  Sins  unpar- 
doned are  like  the  angel  with  a  flaming 
sword,  who  stopped  the  jKissage  to  ])aradise  ; 
sins  unpardoned  stop  the  way  to  the  hea 
venly  ])aradise  ;  and  how  doleful  is  the  con- 
dition of  that  soul  which  is  banished  from 
the  place  of  bliss,  where  the  King  of  glory 
keeps  his  court '' 


OF  THE  FIFTH  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


2.  Tlie  unpardoned  sinner  li.itli  notlnng 
to  do  with  any  promise ;  the  promises  are 
mulclralia  evanf/elii,  the  breasts  that  liold 
the  sincere  milk  of  tlie  word,  which  fills 
the  soul  with  precious  sweetness  ;  they  are 
the  royal  charter:  but  wliat  liath  ;i  str,inger 
to  do  to  meddle  with  the  cliartcr  ?  It  was 
the  dove  ])lucked  tlic  olive-branch  ;  it  is 
only  the  believer  plucks  the  tree  of  tlie  pro- 
mise. Till  the  condition  of  the  promise  be 
performed,  no  man  can  have  right  to  the 
comfort  of  the  promise ;  and  how  sad  is 
tliat,  not  to  have  one  promise  to  show  for 
licaven  ? 

3.  An  unpardoned  sinner  is  continually 
in  danger  of  the  outcry  of  an  accusing  con- 
science. An  accusing  conscience  is  a  little 
hell.  Sia/la  non  invenere  tyranni  tormentuin 
majus.  We  tremble  to  hear  a  lion  roar; 
}>ow  terrible  are  the  roarings  of  conscience  ! 
Judas  lianged  himself  to  quiet  his  con- 
science :  a  sinner's  conscience  at  present  is 
either  asleep,  or  seared  ;  but  when  God  shall 
awaken  conscience,  either  by  affliction  or 
at  death,  how  will  the  unpardoned  sinner 
be  affrighted  !  When  a  man  shall  liave  all 
his  sins  set  before  his  eyes,  and  drawn  out 
in  their  bloody  colours,  and  the  worm  of 
conscience  begins  to  gnaw, — sinner,  here 
are  thy  debts,  and  the  book  is  not  cancelled, 
thou  must  to  hell, — O  what  a  trembling  at 
heart  will  the  sinner  have  ! 

4.  All  the  curses  of  God  st-and  in  full 
force  against  an  unpardoned  sinner.  His 
very  blessings  are  cursed,  Mai.  ii.  2.,  "  I 
will  curse  your  blessings."  His  table  is  a 
snare  ;  he  cats  and  drinks  a  curse.  What 
comfort  could  Dionysius  have  at  his  feast, 
when  he  imagined  he  saw  a  naked  sword 
hanging  by  a  twine-thread  over  his  liead? 
This  is  enough  to  spoil  a  sinner's  banquet, 

—a  curse,  like  a  naked  sword,  hangs  over 
his  head.  Csesar  wondered  to  see  one  of 
his  soldiers  so  merry  that  was  in  rtcbt.  One 
would  wonder  that  man  would  be  merry 
who  is  heir  to  all  God's  curses  ;  lie  doth  not 
see  these  curses,  but  is  blinder  than  Ba- 
hiam's  ass,  who  saw  the  angel's  sword 
drawn. 

5.  The  unpardoned  sinner  is  in  an  ill 
CISC  at  death.  Luther  professed  there  were 
three  things  which  he  durst  not  think  of 
without  Christ :  of  his  sins,  of  death,  of  the 


day  of  judgment.  Death  to  a  Christless 
soul  is  the  "  king  of  terrors."  As  the 
prophet  Ahijah  said  to  Jeroboam's  wife, 
I  Kings  xiv.  6.,  "  I  am  sent  to  thee  with 
heavy  tidings  ;  so  (ftath  is  sent  to  the  un- 
jiardoncd  soul  with  heavy  tidings ;"  it  is 
God's  jailor  to  arrest  him.  Death  is  a  pro- 
logue to  damnation  ;   in  particular, 

(I.)  Death  is  a  voider,  to  take  away  all 
his  earthly  couiforts, — it  takes  away  his  su- 
gared morsels, — no  more  drinking  wine  in 
bowls, — no  more  mirth  or  music.  Rev.  xviii. 
22.,  "  The  vctice  of  harpers  and  musicians 
shall  be  heard  no  more  at  all  in  thee." 
The  sinner  shall  never  taste  of  luscious  de- 
lights more  to  all  eternity ;  his  honey  shall  be 
turned  into  "  the  gall  of  asps,"  Job.  xx.  14. 
(2.)  At  death  there  shall  be  an  end  put 
to  all  reprieves.  Now  God  reprieves  a  sin- 
ner, he  spares  him  such  a  fit  of  sickness  ; 
he  respites  him  many  years  ;  the  sinner 
should  have  died  such  a  drinking-bout,  hut 
God  granted  him  a  reprieve  ;  he  lengthen- 
ed out  the  silver  thread  of  patience  to  a  mi- 
racle ;  but  the  sinner  dying  without  repen 
tance,  unpardoned,  now  the  lease  of  God's 
patience  is  run  out,  and  the  sinner  must 
appear  in  person  before  the  righteous  (iod 
to  receive  his  sentence  ;  after  which  there 
shall  be  none  to  bail  him,  nor  shall  he  hear 
of  a  re])rieve  any  more. 

6.  The    unpardoned    sinner,     dvinir    so, 
must  go  into  damnation  ;  this  is  the  second 
death,    mora  sine  morte.     The   unpardoned 
soul  must  for  ever  bear  the  anger  of  a  sin- 
revenging  God  ;  as  long  as   God  is  God,   so 
long  the  vial  of  his  wrath  shall  be  dro]»ping 
upon  the  damned  soul;  this  is  an  heij)less 
condition.     There  is  a  time  when  a  sinner 
will  not  be   lielped  ;    Christ  and   salvation 
are  offered  to  him,  but  he  slights  them,  he 
will   not  be  helped;    and   there  is  a  time 
shortly  coming,  when  he  cannot  be  helped; 
he  calls  out  for  mercy,  "  O  a  pardon,  a  par- 
don !"  but  then  it  is  too  late,  the  date  of 
mercy  is  expired,     O  how  sad  then  is  it  to 
live  and  die  unpardoned!  You   niav  lav  a 
grave-stone  upon  that  man,   and  write  this 
epitaph  upon  it,  *'  it  had  been  good  for  that 
man  that  he  had  never  been  born."     Now 
if  the  misery  of  an  unjiardoned  state  be  so 
inexpressible,    liow  should   we   labour   for 
forgiveness,  that  we  mav  not  be  ingulphed 

3'Y 


538 


OF  THE  FIFTH  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


in  so  dreadful  a  labyrinth  of  fire  and  brim- 
stone to  all  eternity  ? 

7.  Such  as  are  unpardoned  must  needs 
lead  uncomfortable  lives,  Deut.  xxviii.  (iO., 
"  Thy  life  ishall  han|2:  in  doubt  before  tliee, 
and  thou  slialt  fear  day  and  night."  Tlius 
the  unpardoned  sinner  must  needs  have  a 
palpitation  and  tremblin<T  at  tlie  heart :  he 
fears  every  bush  he  sees,  1  John  iv.  18., 
"  Fear  hath  torment."  The  Greek  word 
for  torment,  [hohisis,)  is  used  sometimes  for 
hell :  fear  hath  hell  in  it.  A  man  in  debt 
fears  every  step  he  goes,  lest  he  should  be 
arrested;  so  the  un])ardoned  sinner  feai's, 
what  if  this  night  death,  which  is  God's 
sergeant,  should  arrest  liim  ?  Job  vii.  21., 
"  Why  dost  not  thou  pardon  my  transgres- 
sion ?  For  now  shall  I  sleep  in  tlie  dust." 
As  if  Job  had  said,  "  Lord,  I  shall  shortly 
die,  I  shall  sleep  in  the  dust ;  and  what 
shall  I  do  if  my  sins  be  not  pardoned  ?" 
What  comfort  can  an  unpardoned  soul  take 
in  any  thing  ?  Sure  no  more  than  a  pri- 
soner can  take  in  meat  or  music,  that  wants 
his  pardon  !  Therefore,  by  all  these  power- 
ful motives,  let  us  labour  for  the  forgive- 
ness of  sin. 

Ob  J.  L  But  I  am  discouraged  from  going 
to  God  for  pardon,  for  lam  umcortlnf  of  for- 
giveness ;  what  am  /,  that  God  should  do 
such  a  favour  for  me  ? 

Ans.  God  forgives,  not  because  we  are 
worthy,  but  because  he  is  gracious,  Exod, 
xxxiv.  6.,  "  The  Lord,  the  Lord,  merciful 
and  gracious."  God  forgives  out  of  his  cle- 
men('y  ;  acts  of  pardon  are  acts  of  grace. 
What  worthiness  was  there  in  Paul  before 
conversion  ?  He  was  a  blasphemer,  and 
so  he  sinned  against  the  first  table  ;  he  was 
a  persecutor,  and  so  he  sinned  against  the 
second  table  ;  but  free-grace  sealed  his  ])ar- 
don,  1  Tim.  i.  13.,  "  I  obtained  mercy  ;"  ] 
was  all  bestrewed  with  mercy.  What  wor- 
thiness was  in  the  woman  of  Samaria?  She 
was  ijrnorant,  John  iv.  22.  She  was  un- 
clean,  v.  18,  She  was  morose  and  chur- 
lish ;  she  would  not  give  Christ  so  much  as 
a  cup  of  cold  water,  v,  9.,  "  How  is  it 
that  thou,  being  a  Jew,  askest  drink  of  me 
wliich  am  a  woman  of  Samaria  .''"  What 
worthiness  was  here  ?  Yet  Christ  overlook- 
ed all,  and  jjardoned  her  ingratitude  ;  and 
though  she  denied  him  water  out  of  the 


well,  yet  he  gave  her  tlie  water  of  life. 
Gratia  non  iuvenit  dignos,  sed  facit.  Free- 
grace  doth  not  find  us  worthy,  but  makes 
us  worthy.  Thercfore,  notwithstanding 
unworthiness,  seek  to  God,  that  your  sins 
may  be  pardoned. 

Oi5j.  2.  But  I  have  been  a  great  simier^ 
and  sure  God  ivill  not  pardon  me. 

Ans.  David  brings  it  as  an  argument  for 
pardon,  Ps.  xxv.  11.,  "  Pardon  mine  iniqui- 
ty, for  it  is  great."  When  God  forgives 
great  sins,  now  he  doth  a  work  like  him- 
self. The  desperateness  of  the  wound  doth 
the  more  set  forth  the  virtue  of  Christ's 
blood  in  curing  it.  Mary  Magdalene,  a  ^ 
great  sinner,  out  of  whom  seven  devils  were 
cast,  yet  she  had  her  pardon.  Some  of  the 
Jews,  who  had  an  hand  in  crucifying  of 
Christ,  upon  their  repentance,  the  very 
blood  they  shed  did  seal  their  pardon. 
Consider  sins  either  for  their  number  as  the 
sands  of  the  sea;  or  for  their  weight  as  the 
rocks  of  the  sea,  yet  there  is  mercy  enough 
in  God  to  forgive  them,  Isa.  i.  18.,  "Though 
your  sins  be  as  scarlet  they  shall  be  as  white 
as  snow."  Scarlet  signifies  twice  dipped, 
which  no  art  of  man  can  get  out;  yet  God 
can  wash  out  this  scarlet  dye.  There  is 
no  sin  excepted  from  pardon,  but  that  sin 
which  despiseth  pardon,  viz.  the  sin  against 
the  Holy  Ghost,  Mat.  xii.  31.  Therefore, 
O  sinner,  do  not  cast  away  thy  anchor  of 
hope,  but  go  to  God  for  forgiveness.  The 
vast  ocean  hath  bounds  set  to  it,  but  God's 
pardoning  mercy  is  boundless.  God  can 
as  well  forgive  great  sins  as  less ;  as  the 
sea  can  as  well  cover  great  rocks  as  little 
sands.  Nothing  hinders  pardon,  but  the 
sinner's  not  asking  it. 

That  a  great  sinner  should  not  despair  of 
forgiveness,  consult  that  scripture,  Isa.  xliii. 
25.,  "  I,  even  I,  am  he  that  blotteth  out  thy 
transgressions."  If  vou  look  on  the  foreco- 
ing  words,  you  would  wonder  how  this 
verse  comes  in,  v.  24-.,  "  Thou  hast  made 
me  CO  serve  with  thy  sins,  thou  hast  wea- 
ried me  with  thy  ini(|uitles  ;"  and  then  it 
fidlows,  "  I,  even  I,  am  he  that  blotteth  out 
thy  transgressions."  One  would  have 
thought  it  should  have  run  thus,  "  Thou 
hast  wearied  me  with  thy  ini(|uities  ;  1,  e- 
ven  J,  am  he  that  will  ])unish  thy  iniqui- 
ties ;"    but    God  comes  in  a    mild  loving 


OF  THE  FIFTH  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


539 


strain,  "  Tliou  hast  wearied  me  with  tliy 
iniquities,  I  am  he  that  hh)t8  out  thy  iniqui- 
ties." So  that  the  greatness  of  our  sins 
should  not  dlscouraijo  us  from  ffoin":  to 
God  for  forgiveness.  Though  thou  hast 
committed  acts  of  impiety,  yet  God  can 
come  witli  an  act  of  indemnity,  and  say, 
•  "  I,  even  I,  am  he  tliat  blotteth  out  thy 
transgressions."  God  counts  it  his  gh)ry 
to  disphiy  free-grace  in  its  orient  coh)urs, 
Rom.  V.  20.,  "  Where  sin  aboundeth  grace 
did  much  more  abound."  When  sin  be- 
comes exceeding  sinful,  free-grace  becomes 
exceeding  glorious.  God's  pardoning  love 
can  conquer  the  sinnoi*,  and  triumph  over 
the  sin.  Consider,  thou  almost  despairing 
soul,  there  is  not  so  much  sin  in  man  as 
there  is  mercy  in  God  ;  man's  sin  in  com- 
parison of  God's  mercy,  is  but  as  a  spark 
to  the  ocean  :  and  who  would  doubt  whe- 
ther a  spark  could  be  quenched  in  an  ocean  ? 

Ob  J.  3.  But  I  have  relapsed  into  the  same 
sins,  and  how  can  I  have  the  face  to  come  to 
(rod  for  pardon  of  those  sins  which  I  have 
more  than  once  fallen  into  ? 

Ans.  I  know  that  the  Novatians  held 
that  after  a  relapse  no  f(n*giveness  by  the 
church.  But  doubtless,  that  was  an  error; 
Abraham  did  twice  equivocate, — Lot  com- 
mitted incest  twice, — Peter  sinned  thrice 
by  carnal  fear, — but  these  repenting,  had 
their  absolution.  There  is  a  twofold  re- 
lapse, I.  A  wilful  relapse,  when,  after  a 
man  hath  solemnly  vo\vo<l  himself  to  God, 
he  falls  into  a  league  witli  sin,  and  returns 
back  to  it,  Jer.  ii.  2.).,  "  I  have  loved  stran- 
gers, and  after  them  will  I  go." 

2.  There  is  a  relapse  through  infirmity, 
when  the  bent  and  resolution  of  a  man's 
heart  is  against  sin,  but,  through  the  vio- 
lence of  temptation,  and  withdrawing  of 
God's  grace,  he  is  carried  down  the  stream 
against  his  will.  Now,  though  wilful  and 
continued  relapses  are  desperate,  and  do 
vastare  conscietUiam,  (as  TertuUian,)  waste 
the  conscience,  aud  run  men  upon  tlie  pre- 
cipice of  damnation,  yet  if  they  are  through 
infinnitv,  and  we  mourn  for  them,  we  inav 
obtain  forgiveness.  A  g»»dlv  nian  doth  not 
march  after  sin  as  his  general,  but  is  led 
captive  by  it ;  and  the  Lord  will  pity  a 
captive-|»risoner.  Christ  commands  us  to 
orgive  a   trespassing   brother,    "  seventy- 


times  seven,"  Mat.  xviii.  22.  If  he  bids 
us  do  it,  mucli  more  will  Ife  forgive  a  re- 
lapsing sinner  in  case  he  repent,  Jer.  iii.  22., 
"  Return  thou  backsliding  Israel,"  for  I 
am  merciful,  saith  the  Lord.  It  is  not  fall- 
ing once  or  twice  into  the  mire  that  drowns, 
but  lying  there  ;  it  is  not  once  relapsing 
into  sin,  but  lying  in  sin  impenitently  that 
damns. 

Obj.  4.  But  God  requires  so  much  sorrow 
and  hunuliation  before  remission,  that  I  fear 
I  shall  neixr  arrive  at  it. 

Am.  (iod  requires  no  more  liumiliation 
than  may  fit  a  soul  for  mercy.  Many  a 
Christian  thinks,  because  he  hath  not  filled 
God's  bottle  so  full  of  tears  as  others,  there- 
fore he  is  not  humbled  enough  to  receive  a 
])ardon.  But  we  must  know  God's  dealings 
are  various:  all  have  not  the  like  pangs  in 
the  new-birth  ;  some  are  won  with  love, 
the  sense  of  God's  mercy  abused,  causeth 
ingenuous  tears  to  flow ;  others  are  more 
flagitious  and  hardened,  and  these  God  deals 
more  roughly  with.  This  is  sure,  that  soul 
is  humbled  enough  to  receive  a  pardon  who 
is  brought  to  a  thorough  sense  of  sin,  and 
sees  the  need  of  a  Saviour,  and  loves  him 
as  the  fairest  of  ten  thousand ;  therefore  be 
not  discouraged,  if  thy  heart  be  bruised 
from  sin  and  broken  off  from  it,  thy  sin 
shall  be  blotted  out.  No  sooner  did  Eph- 
raim  fall  a- weeping,  but  God's  bowels  fell 
a-working,  Jer.  xxxi.  20.,  "  My  bowels  are 
troubled  for  him,  I  will  surely  have  mercv 
upon  him."  Having  answered  these  objec- 
tions, let  me  beseech  you,  above  all  things, 
labour  for  the  forgiveness  of  sin  ;  think 
with  yourselves  how  great  a  mercy  it  is ;  it 
is  one  of  the  richest  jewels  in  the  cabinet 
of  the  new  covenant,  Ps.  xxxii.  1.,  "  Bles- 
sed is  he  whose  transgression  is  forgiven." 
In  the  Hebrew  it  is  blessedness.  And 
think  with  yourselves,  the  unparalleled  mis- 
ery of  such  whose  sins  are  not  forgiven. 
Such  as  had  not  the  blood  of  the  paschal 
lamb  sj)rinkled  upon  their  door-jK)sts  were 
destroyed  by  the  angel,  Exod.  xii.  7. :  so 
they  who  have  not  Christ's  blood  sprinkled 
on  them,  to  wash  away  the  guilt  of  sin, 
will  fall  into  the  gulf  «)f 'perdili«»n.  And  if 
vou  resolve  to  seek  after  forgiveness,  do 
not  delay 

Many  say  they  will  go  about  the  getting 


540 


OF  THE  FIFTH  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


their  pardon,  but  they  procrastinate  and 
put  it  oflF  so  \oug,  till  it  be  too  late  ;  Avlien 
the  shadows  of  the  evening  are  stretched 
forth,  and  tlie  night  of  death  approacheth, 
tlien  they  begin  to  look  after  their  pardon. 
This  hath  been  the  undoing  of  millions; 
they  purpose  they  will  look  after  their  souls, 
but  they  stay  so  long  till  the  lease  of  mercy 
be  run  out.  Oh,  therefore  hasten  the  get- 
ting of  a  pardon  !  Think  of  the  uncertainty 
of  life  !  What  security  liave  you  that  you 
shall  live  another  day  ?  Volat  ambiguis  nio- 
bilis  alls  hora.  Our  life  is  a  taper  soon 
blown  out;  it  is  made  up  of  a  few  flying 
minutes.  O  thou  dust  and  ashes  !  thou 
mayest  fear  every  liour  to  be  blo\A'n  into 
thy  grave ;  and  what  if  death  come  to  ar- 
rest thee  before  thy  pardon  be  sealed?  Plu- 
tarch reports  of  one  Archias,  v\'ho  being  a- 
mong  his  cups,  one  delivered  to  him  a  let- 
ter, and  desired  him  to  read  it  presently, 
being  about  serious  business ;  saith  he,  seria 
eras,  I  will  mind  serious  things  to-morrow ; 
and  that  night  he  was  slain.  Thou  that 
sayest,  "  to-morrow  I  will  repent, — I  will 
get  my  pardon,"  thou  mayest  suddenly  be 
slain  ;  therefore  to-day,  while  it  is  called 
to-day,  look  after  the  forgiveness  of  sin  ; 
after  a  while,  all  the  conduits  of  mercy  will 
be  stopped,  there  will  not  be  one  drop  of 
Christ's  blood  to  be  had,  there  is  no  sealing 
of  pardons  after  death. 

2d  Branch  of  exhortation.  Let  us  labour 
to  have  the  evidence  of  pardon,  to  know 
that  our  sins  are  forgiven.  A  man  may 
have  his  sins  forgiven,  and  not  know  it ;  lie 
may  have  a  pardon  in  the  court  of  heaven, 
when  he  hath  it  not  in  the  court  of  con- 
science. David's  sin  was  forgiven  as  soon 
as  he  repented.  And  God  sent  Nathan  the 
prophet  to  tell  him  so,  1  Sam.  xii.  13.  But 
David  did  not  feel  the  comfort  of  it  at  pre- 
sent, as  appears  by  the  penitential  psalm 
composed  after,  Ps.  li.  8.,  "  Make  me  to 
hear  joy  and  gladness;"  v.  11.,  "  Cast  me 
not  away  from  thy  ])resence."  It  is  one 
thing  to  be  pardoned,  and  another  thing  to 
feel  it.  The  evidence  of  pardon  may  not 
appear  for  a  time,  and  this  may  b<', 

1.  From  the  imbecility  and  weakness  of 
faith.  Forgiveness  of  sin  is  so  strange  and 
Infinite  a  blessing,  that  a  Christian  can 
hardly  persuade  himself  that  God  will  ex- 


tend such  a  favour  to  liim.  As  it  is  said 
of  the  apostles,  when  Christ  appeared  to 
them  first,  *'  they  believed  not  for  joy,  and 
wondered,"  Luke  xxiv.  41. :  so  the  soul  is 
so  stricken  with  admiration,  that  the  won- 
der of  pardon  doth  almost  stagger  his  faith. 

2.  A  man  may  be  pardoned,  and  not 
know  it,  from  the  strength  of  temptation. 
Satan  accuseth  the  godly  of  sin,  and  tells 
him  that  God  doth  not  love  them ;  what, 
should  such  sinners  think  of  pardon  ?  Be- 
lievers are  compared  to  bruised  reeds.  Mat. 
xii.  20. ;  and  temptations  to  winds,  Mat.  vii. 
15.  Now,  a  reed  is  easily  shaken  with  the 
wind.  Temptations  shake  the  godly;  and 
though  they  are  pardoned,  yet  they  know  it 
not.  Job  in  a  temptation  thought  God  his 
enemy,  Job  xvi.  9.  Yet  then  he  was  in  a 
pardoned  condition. 

Quest.  But  ivhy  doth  God  sometimes  con~ 
ceal  the  evidence  of  pardon  ? 

Ans.  Though  God  doth  pardon,  yet  he 
may  withhold  the  sense  of  it  a  while  : 

1.  Because  hereby  he  would  lay  us  low- 
er in  contrition.  God  would  have  us  see 
what  an  evil  and  bitter  thing  it  is  to  offend 
him  ;  we  shall  therefore  lie  the  longer  steep- 
ing ourselves  in  the  brinish  tears  of  repen- 
tance, before  we  have  the  sense  of  jjardon  , 
it  being  long  before  David's  broken  bones 
were  set,  and  his  pardon  sealed,  the  more 
contrite  his  heart  was,  and  this  was  a  sa- 
crifice God  delighted  in. 

2.  Though  God  hath  forgiven  sin,  yet  he 
may  deny  the  manifestation  of  it  for  a 
time,  to  make  us  prize  pardon,  and  make 
it  sweeter  to  us  when  it  comes.  The  diffi- 
culty of  obtaining  a  mercy  enhanceth  the 
value.  When  we  have  been  a  long  time 
tugging  at  prayer  for  a  ])ardon  of  sin,  and 
still  God  withholds,  but  at  last,  after  many 
sighs  and  tears,  ])ard()n  comes,  now  we  es- 
teem it  the  more,  and  it  is  sweeter,  (^uo 
lonyius  defcrtur,  eo  siiavius  loitatur, — The 
longer  mercy  is  in  the  birth,  the  more  wel- 
conie  will  the  deliverance  be. 

Let  me  now  re-assume  the  exhortation 
to  labour  for  the  evidence  and  sense  of  ])ar- 
don.  He  who  is  pardoned  and  knows  it 
not,  is  like  one  who  hath  an  estate  befallen 
him,  but  knows  it  not.  Our  comfort  con- 
sists in  the  knowledge  of  forgiveness,  Ps. 
\  li.  8.,  "  Make  me  to  hear  jcvy  and  gladness.' 


OF  THE  FIFTH  PETITION  IN  THE  LORDS  PRAYER. 


5il 


Tilts  is  a  proclaiming  a  jubilee  in  the  soul, 
when  wc  are  able  to  read  our  pardon  ;  and 
to  the  Avitness  of  conscience  God  adds  the 
witness  of  his  Spirit ;  in  the  mouth  of  these 
two  witnesses  our  joy  is  confirmed.  O  la- 
bour for  this  evidence  of  forgiveness  ! 

Quest.  How  shall  we  know  that  our  sins 
are  forgiven  ? 

Ans.  We  must  not  be  our  own  judges  in 
this  case,  Prov.  xxviii.  26.,  "  He  that  trust- 
cth  in  his  own  heart  is  a  fool."  "  The  heart 
is  deceitful,"  Jer.  xvii.  9.  And  it  is  folly 
to  trust  a  deceiver.  The  Lord  only  by  his 
word  must  be  judge  in  this  case,  whether 
we  are  pardoned,  or  not.  As  it  was  under 
the  law,  no  leper  might  judge  himself  to  be 
clean ;  but  the  priest  was  to  pronounce  him 
clean,  Lev.  xiii.  37. :  so,  we  are  not  to  judge 
of  ourselves  to  be  clean  from  the  guilt  of 
sin,  till  we  are  such  as  the  word  of  God 
hath  pronounced  to  be  clean. 

Ql'f.st.  How  then  shall  we  know  by  the 
word  whether  our  guilt  is  done  away  and  our 
sins  pardoned  ? 

Alls,  1.  The  pardoned  sinner  is  a  great 
weeper.  The  sense  of  God's  love  melts  his 
heart ;  that  free  grace  should  ever  look  upon 
me, — that  such  crimson  sins  should  be 
washed  away  in  Christ's  blood, — this  makes 
the  heart  melt,  and  the  eyes  drop  with 
tears  ;  never  did  any  man  read  his  pardon 
with  dry  eyes,  Luke  vii.  38.,  "  She  stood 
at  his  feet  weeping," — her  heart  was  a  spi- 
ritual limbec,  out  of  which  those  tears  were 
distilled.  Mary's  tears  were  more  precious 
to  Christ  than  her  ointment;  her  eyes, 
which  before  did  sparkle  with  lust,  whose 
amorous  glances  had  set  on  fire  her  lovers, 
now  she  makes  them  a  fountain,  and  wash- 
eth  Christ's  feet  with  her  tears.  She  was 
a  true  penitent,  and  had  her  pardon ;  v.  47., 
"  Wjierefore,  I  say,  her  sins  which  were 
many,  are  forgiven."  A  pardon  will  make 
the  hardest  heart  relent,  and  cause  the  stony 
heart  to  bleed:  and,  is  it  thus  with  us? 
Have  we  been  dissolved  into  tears  for  sin  ? 
God  seals  his  pardons  upon  melting  hearts. 

A.  2.  We  may  know  our  sins  are  forgiven, 
by  having  the  grace  of  faith  infused,  Acts 
X.  43.,  "  To  him  give  all  the  prophets  wit- 
ness, that  whosoever  believeth  in  him  shall 
receive  remission  of  sins."  In  saving  faith 
there  are   two  things, — renunciation,  and 


recumbency.  1.  Renunciation:  a  man  re- 
nounceth  all  opinion  of  himself;  digged  out 
of  his  own  burrow,  he  is  quite  taken  off 
himself,  Phil.  iii.  9.  He  sees  all  his  duties 
are  but  broken  reeds  ;  though  he  could  weep 
a  sea  of  tears, — though  he  had  all  the  grace 
of  men  and  angels, — it  could  not  pur- 
chase his  pardon.  2.  Recumbency.  Faith 
is  an  assent  with  affiance ;  the  soul  doth  get 
hold  of  Christ,  as  Adonijah  did  of  the  horns 
of  the  altar,  1  Kings  i.  5L  Faitii  casts  it- 
self upon  the  stream  of  Christ's  blood,  and 
saith,  "  If  I  perish,  I  perish."  If  we  liave 
but  tlie  minimum  quod  sic, — (he  least  drachm 
of  this  precious  faith, — we  have  something 
to  shew  for  pardon.  "  To  him  give  all  the 
prophets  witness,  that  whosoever  believeth 
in  him  shall  receive  remission  of  sins."  Ist^ 
This  faith  is  acceptable  to  God, — it  pleaseth 
God  more  than  offering  up  ten  thousand 
rivers  of  oil, — than  working  miracles,  than 
martyrdom,  or  the  highest  acts  of  obedi- 
ence. 2d,  Faith  is  profitable  to  us;  it  is 
our  best  certificate  to  shew  for  pardon  :  no 
sooner  doth  faith  roach  fortli  its  hand  to  re- 
ceive Christ,  but  Christ  sets  his  hand  to  our 
pardon. 

A.  3.  The  pardoned  soul  is  a  God-ad- 
mirer, Micah  vii.  18.,  "  Who  is  a  God  like 
thee,    that    pardoncth    iniquity?"     O   that 
God  should  ever  look   upon   me  !   I  was  a 
sinner,  and  nothing  but  a  sinner,  yet  I  ob- 
tained mercy  !    Who  is  a  God   like  thee ! 
Mercy  hath  been  despised,  yet  that  mercy 
should  save  nie  !  Christ  hath  been  crucified 
by  me,  yet  his  cross  crowns  me  !   God  hath 
disj)layed  the   ensigns   of  frre    grace, — he 
hath  set  up  his  mercy  above  my  sin,    nay, 
in    sj)ite   of  it, — tjiis   causeth   admiration : 
"  W^lio  is  a  God  like  ihee  !"     A  man  ti)at 
goes  over  a  narrow  bridge  in  the  night,  and 
the  next  morning  comes  and  sees  the  dan- 
ger he  was   in,   and  how  miraculously  he 
escaped,   he   is  stricken   with   admiration: 
so,  when   God  shews   a  soul    how  near  he 
was  a-falling  into  hell,  and  how  tiiat  this 
gulf  is   shut,  all  his  sins  are  pardoned,  he 
is  amazed,  and  cries  out,  "  Who  is  a  God 
like  thee,  that  pardonest  iniquity  !'     That 
God  should  pardon  one,  and  pass  by  ano- 
ther,— one  taken,  another  left, — this  fills  the 
soul  with  wonder  and  astonishment. 

A.  4.    Wherever    God   pardons   sin,    lie 


512 


OF  THE  FIFTH  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


Kuhducs  it,  Micah  vii.  19.,  "  He  will  have 
compassion  on  us,  he  will  subdue  our  ini- 
quities." Where  men's  persons  are  justi- 
fied, tlieir  lusts  are  mortified.  There  is  in 
sin  v/'s  imperatoria  et  damnatoria, — a  com- 
manding power,  and  a  condemning.  Then 
is  the  condemning  power  of  sin  taken  away, 
when  the  commanding  power  of  it  is  taken 
away.  When  we  know  whether  our  sins 
are  forgiven,  are  they  subdued.  If  a  male- 
factor be  in  prison,  how  shall  he  know  that 
his  prince  hath  pardoned  him  ?  If  the  jailor 
come  and  knock  off  his  chains  and  fetters, 
and  lets  him  out  of  prison,  then  he  may 
know  he  is  pardoned  :  so,  how  shall  we 
know  God  hath  pardoned  us  ?  If  the  fetters 
of  sin  be  broken  off,  and  we  walk  at  liberty 
in  the  ways  of  God,  Ps.  cxix.  45.,  "  I  will 
walk  at  liberty ;"  this  is  a  blessed  sign  Ave 
are  pardoned.  Such  as  are  washed  in 
Christ's  blood  from  their  guilt,  are  made 
kings  to  God,  Rev.  i.  6.  As  kings  they 
rule  over  their  sins. 

A.  5.  He  whose  sins  are  forgiven  is  full 
of  love  to  God.  Mary  Magdalene's  heart 
was  fired  with  love,  Luke  vii.  47.,  "  Her 
sins,  which  are  many,  are  forgiven ;  for  she 
loved  much."  Her  love  was  not  the  cause 
of  her  remission,  but  a  sign  of  it.  A  par- 
doned soul  is  a  monument  of  mercy,  and  he 
thinks  he  can  never  love  God  enough  ;  he 
wishes  he  had  a  coal  from  God's  altar,  to 
inflame  his  heart  in  love  ;  he  wisheth  he 
could  borrow  the  wings  of  the  cherubims, 
that  he  might  fly  swifter  in  obedience;  a 
pardoned  soul  is  sick  of  love.  He  whose 
heart  is  like  marble,  locked  up  in  impeni- 
tency,  that  doth  not  melt  in  love,  gives  evi- 
dence his  pardon  is  yet  to  seal. 

A.  6.  Where  the  sin  is  pardoned,  the  na- 
ture is  ])urified,  IIos.  xiv.  4.,  "  I  will  heal 
their  backslidings,  I  will  love  them."  Every 
man,  by  nature,  is  both  guilty  and  diseas- 
ed;  where  God  remits  the  guilt,  he  cures 
the  disease,  Ps.  ciii.  3.,  "  Who  forgiveth  all 
thy  iniquities,  who  healeth  all  thy  diseases." 
Herein  God's  pardon  goes  beyond  the  king's 
])ardon  ;  the  king  may  forgive  a  malefactor, 
but  he  cannot  change  his  heart,  lie  may 
have  a  thievish  heart  still ;  but  God,  when 
he  pardons,  changeth  the  heart,  Ezek.  xxxvi. 
26.,  "  A  new  heart  also  will  I  give  you." 
A  pardoned  soul  is  adorned  and  embellish- 


ed with  holiness,  1  John  v.  6.,  "  Tliis  i-;  he 
that  came  by  water  and  blood."  Wheie 
Christ  comes  with  blood  to  justify,  he  comes 
with  water  to  cleanse,  Zech.  iii.  4.,  "  I  have 
caused  thine  iniquity  to  pass  from  thee,  and 
I  will  clothe  thee  with  change  of  raiment." 
I  will  cause  thy  iniquity  to  pass  from  thee, 
there  is  pardoning  grace;  and  I  will  clothe 
thee  with  change  of  raiment,  there  is  sanc- 
tifying grace ;  let  not  liim  say,  he  hath 
pardon,  that  wants  grace.  INIany  tell  us, 
they  ho])e  they  are  pardoned,  but  were 
never  sanctified ;  yea,  but  they  believe  in 
Christ, — but  what  faith  is  it  ?  A  swearing 
faith, — a  whoring  faith, — the  faith  of  devils 
is  as  good. 

A.  7.  Such  as  are  in  the  number  of  God's 
people,  forgiveness  of  sin  belongs  to  them, 
Isa.  xl.  1,  2.,  "  Comfort  ye  my  people,  tell 
them  their  iniquity  is  pardoned." 

Quest.  How  shall  we  know  that  tve  arc 
God's  elect  people  ? 

Ans.  By  three  characters. 

Ls^.  God's  people  are  an  humble  people, 
the  livery  which  all  Christ's  people  wear, 
is  humility,  1  Pet.  v.  5.,  "  Be  clothed  with 
humility."  1.  A  sight  of  Gotl's  glory  hum- 
bles. Elijah  wrapped  his  face  in  a  mantle 
when  God's  glory  passed  by,  Job  xlii.  5., 
"  Now  mine  eye  seeth  thee,  wherefore  I  ab- 
hor myself."  The  stars  vanish  when  the 
sun  appears.  2.  A  sight  of  sin  humbles. 
In  the  gljiss  of  the  word  the  godly  see  their 
spots,  and  these  are  humbling  sj)ots.  Lo, 
saith  the  soul,  I  can  call  nothing  my  own 
but  sins  and  wants  !  this  humbles.  An 
humble  sinner  is  in  a  better  condition  than 
a  proud  angel. 

2d.  God's  people  are  a  willing  ])eople. 
Ps.  ex.  3.,  "  A  people  of  willingness."  Love 
constrains  them ;  they  serve  God  freely, 
and  out  of  choice.  They  stick  at  no  ser- 
vice ;  they  will  run  through  a  sea,  and  a 
wilderness ;  they  will  follow  the  Lamb 
whithersoever  he  goeth. 

3r7.  They  are  an  heavenly  peo])le,  stars, 
John  xvii.  16.,  "  They  are  not  of  the  world." 
As  the  primian  niobUe  in  the  heavens  hath 
a  motion  of  its  own,  contrary  to  the  other 
orbs  :  so  God's  people  have  an  heavenly  mo- 
tion of  soul,  contrary  to  the  men  of  tho 
world  ;  they  use  the  world  as  their  servant, 
but  do  not  follow  the  world  as  their  ma* 


OF  THE  FIFTH  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


543 


ter,  Phil.  iii.  20.,  "  Our  conversation  is  in 
heaven."  Such  as  have  these  three  clia- 
racters  of  God's  peopU',  have  a  g^ood  certifi- 
cate to  sliew  that  they  are  pardoned.  For- 
giveness of  sin  l)eh»ngs  to  tliem  :  '*  Comfctrt 
ye  my  people,  tell  them  tiieir  iniquity  is  for- 
given." 

y/.  8.  A  sign  we  are  pardoned,  if,  after 
many  storms,  we  have  a  sweet  calm  and 
peace  within,  Rom.  v.  1.,  "  Being  justified 
we  h.ive  ])eace."  After  many  a  hitter  tear 
shed,  and  heart-hreaking,  the  mind  hath 
been  more  sedate,  and  a  sweet  serenitv  or 
Btill  music  hath  followed  ;  this  brings  tid- 
ings, God  is  appeased ;  whereas  before  con- 
science did  accuse,  now  it  doth  secretly 
whisper  comfort, — this  is  a  blessed  evidence 
a  man's  sins  are  pardoned.  If  the  bailitfs 
do  not  trouble  and  arrest  the  debtor,  it  is  a 
sign  his  debt  is  compounded  or  forgiven : 
so  if  conscience  do  not  vex  or  accuse,  but 
.upon  good  grounds  whisper  consolation, 
this  is  a  sign  the  debt  is  discharged,  the  sin 
is  forgiven. 

A.  9.  A  sign  sin  is  forgiven,  when  we 
liave  hearts  without  guile,  Ps.  xxxii.  ],  2., 
"  Blessed  is  he  whose  transgression  is  for- 
given, unto  whom  the  Lord  imputeth  not 
iniqnitv,  and  in  whose  spirit  there  is  no 
guile."' 

QuF.ST.  What  is  this  to  be  sine  fuco  willi- 
out  ffuik  ? 

1.^^  He  who  is  without  guile,  hath  plain- 
ness of  heart;  he  is  without  collusion,  he 
liath  not  cor  duplex, — a  double  heart, — his 
lieart  is  right  with  God.  A  man  may  do 
a  right  action,  but  not  with  a  right  heart : 
2  C'hron.  xxv.  2.,  Amaziah  *'  did  that  which 
was  right  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord,  but  not 
with  a  perfect  heart."  To  have  the  heart 
right  with  God,  is  to  serve  God  from  a  right 
principle, — love;  by  a  right  rule, — the  word; 
to  a  right  end, — the  glory  of  God. 

2d.  An  heart  without  guile  dares  not  al- 
low itself  in  the  least  sin  ;  he  avoids  secret 
sins.  He  dares  not  hide  any  sin,  as  Pachcl 
did  her  father's  images,  imder  her,  Gen. 
xxxi,  34.  He  knows  God  sees  him,  which 
is  more  than  if  men  and  anccls  did  behold 
liim.  He  avoids  complexion-sins,  Ps.  xviii. 
23.,  "  I  was  also  upright  before  him,  and  I 
kept  myself  from  my  iniquity."  As  in  the 
hive  theie  is  a  master -bee,   so  in  the  heart 


there  is  a  master-sin.  An  heart  witliout 
guile  takes  the  sacrificing  knife  of  mortifica- 
tion, and  runs  it  through  his  beloved  sin. 

2d.  An  heart  without  guile  desires  to 
know  the  whole  mind  and  will  of  (lod.  Aw 
unsound  heart  is  afraid  of  the  light,  lucifitgOy 
he  is  not  willing  to  know  his  duty.  A  sin- 
cere soul  saith,  as  Job  xxxiv.  32.,  "  '  AVhat  I 
know  not,  teach  thou  me :'  Lord  shew  nie 
what  is  my  duty,  and  wherein  I  offeiul :  let 
me  not  sin  for  want  of  light :  what  I  know 
not,  teach  thou  me." 

AtJi.  An  heart  without  guile  is  uniform 
in  religion:  he  hath  an  equal  eye  to  all 
God's  commands.  1.  He  makes  conscience 
of  private  duties  •  he  worships  God  in  his 
closet  as  well  as  in  the  temjde.  Jacob, 
when  he  was  alone,  wrestled  with  the  an- 
gel. Gen.  xxxii.  24,  25.:  so  a  Christian, 
when  he  is  alone,  wrestles  with  God  in 
prayer,  and  will  not  let  him  go  till  he  hath 
blessed  him.  2.  He  performs  difiicult  du- 
ties, wherein  the  heart  and  spirit  of  religion 
lie,  and  which  do  cross  flesh  and  blood  ;  he 
is  much  in  self-humbling  and  self-cxamin-- 
ing.  Utifur  specidis  magis  quam  ])crs})icdli% 
Sen.  He  rather  useth  the  looking  glass  of 
the  word  to  look  into  his  own  heart,  than 
the  broad  spectacles  of  censure  to  spy  the 
faults  of  others. 

bill.  An  heart  without  guile  is  true  to 
(iods  interest.  I.  He  grieves  to  see  it  go 
ill  with  the  church.  Neheraiah,  though  the 
king's  cup-bearer,  and  wine  so  near,  yet 
was  sad  when  Zion's  glory  was  eclipsed, 
Neb.  ii.  3.  Like  the  tree  I  have  read  of,  if 
any  of  the  leaves  are  cut,  the  rest  of  the 
leaves  begin  to  shrink  up  themselves,  and 
for  a  time  to  hang  down  the  head  ;  so  a  sin- 
cere soul,  when  God's  church  suffers,  feels 
himself  as  it  were  touched  in  his  own  per- 
son. 2.  He  rejoiceth  to  see  the  cause  of 
(Jod  get  ground  ;  to  see  truth  triumph,  ])i('ty 
lifts  up  her  head,  and  the  flowers  of  C  lirist's 
crown  flourish.  This  is  an  heart  without 
guile,  it  is  loyal  and  true  to  God's  interest. 

Gth.  An  heart  without  guile  is  just  in  his 
dealings;  as  he  is  u])right  in  his  words,  so 
he  is  upright  in  his  weights.  He  makes 
conscience  of  the  second  table  as  well  as 
the  first;  he  is  for  equity  as  well  as  jtiety 
1  Thess.  iv.  0.,  "  That  no  man  go  beyond 
and  defraud  his  brother  in  any  matter."     A 


OF  THE  FIFTH  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


sincere  lioart  tliinks  lie  may  as  well  rob  as 
defratul :  lii.s  rule  is  to  do  to  others  wliat  he 
would  have  them  do  to  him,  Mat.  vii.  12. 

7//t.  An  heart  without  guile  is  true  in  his 
promises ;  Ids  word  is  as  good  as  his  bond. 
If  he  hath  made  a  promise,  though  it  be  to 
his  prejudice,  and  doth  entrench  npon  his 
profit,  he  will  not  go  back.  The  hypocrite 
plays  fast  and  loose,  flees  from  his  word ; 
there  is  no  more  binding  him  with  oaths 
and  promises,  than  Samson  could  be  bound 
with  green  withes,  Judges  xvi.  7.  A  sin- 
cere soul  saith  as  Jephtha,  Judges  xi.  35., 
"  I  have  opened  my  mouth  to  the  Lord,  and 
I  cannot  go  back." 

^th.  An  heart  without  guile  is  faithful  in 
his  friendship;  he  is  what  he  pretends;  his 
lieart  goes  along  with  his  tongue,  as  a  well- 
tnade  dial  goes  with  the  sun.  He  cannot 
flatter  and  hate,  commend  and  censure. 
Counterfeitiiig  of  love  is  hypocrisy.  It  is 
too  usual  to  betray  with  a  kiss  :  2  Sam.  xx. 
9.,  "  Joab  took  Abner  by  the  beard  to  kiss 
him,  and  smote  him  in  the  fifth  rib  that  he 
died."  Many  deceive  with  sugar  words. 
Physicians  use  to  judge  of  the  health 
of  the  body  by  the  tongue;  if  that  look 
well,  the  body  is  in  health.  But  we  can- 
not judge  of  friendship  by  the  tongue ; 
the  words  may  be  full  of  honey,  when  the 
lieart  hath  the  gall  of  malice  ;  sure  his  heart 
is  not  true  to  God,  who  is  treacherous  to 
his  friend.  Thus  you  see  what  an  heart 
without  guile  is  ;  now,  to  have  such  an  heart 
is  a  sign  sin  is  pardoned  :  "  God  will  not 
impute  sin  to  him  in  whose  spirit  there  is 
no  guile."  What  a  blessed  thing  is  this, 
not  to  have  sin  imputed  ?  If  our  sins  be 
not  imputed,  it  is  as  if  we  had  no  sin ;  sins 
remitted,  are  as  if  they  had  not  been  com- 
mitted ;  this  the  blessing  belongs  to  a  sin- 
cere soul,  God  imputes  not  iniquity  to  liim 
in  whose  spirit  is  no  guile. 

9^/t.  He  whose  sins  are  forgiven,  is  will- 
ing to  forgive  others  who  have  offended 
him,  Ejdi.  iv.  32.,  "  Forgiving  one  another, 
even  as  God  for  Christ's  sake  hath  forgiven 
you."  An  hypocrite  will  read, — come  to 
church, — give  alms, — build  hospitals, — but 
cannot  forgive  wrongs  :  he  will  rather  want 
forgiveness  from  God  than  he  will  forgive 
his  enemies.  A  pardoned  soul  argues  thus ; 
"  Hath  God  been  so  good  to  me,  to  forgive 


me  my  sins,  and  shall  not  I  imitate  him  in 
this  ?  Hath  he  forgiven  me  pounds,  and 
shall  I  not  forgive  pence."  It  is  noted  of 
Ci'anraer,  nihil  oblivisci  sulet  prater  hijurias^ 
Cicero.  He  was  of  a  forgiving  spirit,  and 
would  do  offices  of  love  to  them  that  had 
injured  him  ;  like  the  sun,  which  having 
drawn  up  black  vapours  from  the  earth,  re- 
turns them  back  in  sweet  showers.  By 
this  touchstone  we  may  try  whether  our 
sins  are  pardoned  ;  we  need  not  climb  up 
into  heaven  to  see  whether  our  sins  are  for- 
given, but  let  us  look  into  our  hearts  ;  are 
we  of  forgiving  spirits  ?  Can  we  bury  in- 
juries,— requite  good  for  evil?  A  good 
sign  we  are  forgiven  of  God.  If  we  can 
find  all  these  things  wrought  in  our  souls, 
they  are  happy  signs  that  our  sins  are  par- 
doned, and  are  good  letters  testimonial  to 
shew  for  heaven. 

Use.  3d.  Consolation.  I  shall  open  a  box 
of  cordials,  and  shew  you  some  of  the  glo-, 
rious  privileges  of  a  pardoned  condition. 
This  is  a  peculiar  favour, — it  is  a  spring 
shut  up,  broached  for  none  but  the  elect. 
The  wicked  may  have  forbearing  mercy, 
but  only  an  elect  person  hath  forgiving 
mercy.  Forgiveness  of  sin  makes  way  for 
solid  joy,  Isa.  xl.  I.,  "Comfort  ye,  comfort 
ye  my  people,  saith  your  God.  Speak  ye 
comfortably  to  Jerusalem," — or,  as  in  the 
Hebrew,  "  speak  to  her  heart."  What  was 
this  must  cheer  her  heart  ?  "  Toll  her  that 
her  iniquity  is  pardoned."  If  any  thing 
would  comfort  her,  the  Lord  knew  it  was 
this.  When  Christ  would  cheer  the  palsied 
man,  Mat.  ix.  2.,  he  says,  "  Son,  be  of  good 
cheer,  thy  sins  be  forgiven  thee."  It  was 
a  greater  comfort  to  have  his  sins  forgiven, 
than  to  have  his  palsy  healed.  This  made 
David  put  on  his  best  clothes,  and  anoint 
himself,  2  Sam.  xii.  20.  It  was  strange, — 
his  child  was  newly  dead, — and  God  had 
told  him  the  sword  should  not  depart  from 
his  house, — yet  now  he  spruceth  up  him- 
self, he  puts  on  his  best  clothes,  and  anoints 
himself:  whence  was  this?  David  had 
heard  good  news ;  God  sent  him  his  pai-- 
don  by  Nathan  the  prophet,  2  Sam.  xii.  13., 
"  The  Lord  also  hath  put  away  thy  sin." 
This  could  not  but  revive  his  heart,  and  in 
token  of  joy,  he  anoints  himself.  Philo 
saith,  it  was  an  opinion  of  some  of  the  phi 


OF  THE  FIFTH  PETITION  IN  THE  LORDS  PRaYER. 


545 


losopliers  tliat  among  the  heavenly  spheres 
there  was  such  sweet  harmonious  meh)dy, 
what  if  tlie  sound  of  it  could  reach  our  ears, 
it  would  affect  us  with  wonder  and  deliglit : 
sure  lie  who  is  pardoned  luith  such  a  divine 
melody  in  his  soul,  as  doth  replenish  him 
with  infinite  delij^ht.  A^Hien  Christ  liad 
said  to  INIary  Magdalene,  "  thy  sins  are  for- 
given ;"  he  presently  adds,  "  go  in  peace," 
Luke  vii.  50.     More  particularly, 

Isf,  Comfort.  God  hjoks  upon  a  pardon- 
ed soul,  as  if  he  had  never  sinned.  As  the 
cancelling  a  bond  nulls  the  bond,  and  makes 
it  as  if  the  money  had  never  been  owing, 
fortrivinsf  sin  makes  it  not  to  be.  Where 
sin  is  remitted,  it  is  as  if  it  had  not  been  com- 
mitted, Jer.  1.  20.  So  that,  as  Rachel  wept 
because  her  children  were  not,  so  a  child 
of  God  may  rejoice  because  his  sins  are  not. 
God  looks  upon  him  as  if  he  had  never  of- 
fended ;  though  sin  remain  in  liim  after 
pardon,  yet  God  doth  not  look  upon  him  as 
a  fynner,  but  as  a  just  man. 

2d,  God  having  pardoned  sin,  will  pass 
an  act  of  oblivion,  Jer.  xxxi.  34.,  "  I  will 
forgive  their  iniquity,  and  I  will  remember 
their  sin  no  more."  When  a  creditor  hath 
crossed  the  book,  he  doth  not  call  for  the 
book  again.  God  will  not  reckon  with  the 
sinner  in  a  judicial  way.  When  our  sins 
are  laid  upon  the  head  of  Christ,  our  scape- 
goat, they  are  carried  into  a  land  of  forge t- 
fulness. 

Sd,  The  pardoned  soul  is  for  ever  secur- 
ed from  the  wrath  of  God.  How  terrible 
is  God's  wrath  !  Ps.  xc.  11.,  "  Who  know- 
eth  the  power  of  thine  anger  ?"  If  a  spark 
of  God's  WTath  when  it  lights  upon  a  man's 
concience,  fills  it  with  such  horror,  (as  in 
the  case  of  Spira)  then,  what  is  it  to  be  al- 
ways scorching  in  that  torrid  zone,  to  lie 
upon  beds  of  flames  ?  Now,  from  this  a- 
venging  wrath  of  God  every  pardoned  soul 
is  freed  ;  though  he  may  taste  of  the  bitter 
cup  of  affliction,  yet  he  shall  never  drink  of 
the  sea  of  God's  wrath,  Rom.  v.  9.,  "  Being 
justified  by  his  blood,  we  shall  be  saved 
from  wrath  through  him."  Christ's  blood 
quencheth  the  flames  of  hell. 

At/i,  Sin  being  pardoned,  conscience  hath 
no  more  authority  to  accuse.  Conscience 
roars  against  the  unpardoned  sinner,  but  it 
hath  nothing  to  do  to  terrify  or  accuse  him 


that  is  pardoned.  God  hath  discharged  the 
sinner,  and  if  the  creditor  discharge  the 
debtor,  what  hath  the  sergeant  to  do  to  ar- 
rest him  ?  The  truth  is,  if  God  absolve, 
conscience,  if  riglitly  informed,  absolves ; 
if  once  God  saith  thy  sins  are  pardoned, 
conscience  saith,  "go  in  peace."  If  the 
sky  be  clear,  and  no  storms  blow  there, 
then  the  sea  is  calm  ;  if  all  be  clear  above, 
and  God  shine  with  pardoning  mercy  upon 
the  soul,  then  conscience  is  calm  and  serene. 

5t/i,  Nothing  that  befals  a  pardoned  soul 
shall  hurt  him  ;  Ps.  xci.  10.,  "  No  evil  bcfal 
thee  :"  that  is,  no  destructive  evil.  Every 
thing  to  a  wicked  man  is  hurtful.  Good 
things  are  for  his  hurt.  His  very  bless- 
ings are  turned  into  a  curse,  Mai.  ii.  2., 
"  I  will  curse  your  blessings."  Riches  and 
prosperity  do  him  hurt.  They  are  not 
iminera  but  imidia,  Seneca,  '  Gold  snares.' 
Eccl.  V.  13.,  "  Riches  kept  for  the  owners 
thereof  to  their  hurt."  Like  Haman's  ban- 
quet, which  did  usher  in  his  funeral.  Or- 
dinances do  a  sinner  hurt ;  they  are  a  '  sa- 
vour of  death,'  2  Cor.  ii.  16.  Cordials 
themselves  kill.  The  best  things  hurt  the 
wicked,  but  the  worst  things  which  befal 
a  pardoned  soul  shall  do  him  no  hurt;  the 
sting,  the  poison,  tlie  curse  is  gone ;  his 
soul  is  no  more  hurt,  than  David  hurt  Saul,, 
when  he  cut  off  the  lap  of  his  garment. 

6^//,  To   a   pardoned    soul,    every  things 
hath  a  commission  to  do  him  good.     Afflic- 
tions   shall    do    him    good, — poverty,    re- 
proach,   persecution  ;    Gen.    1.    20.,    "  Ye 
thought  evil  against  me,  but  God  meant  it 
unto  good."     As  the  elements,   though  of 
contrary  qualities,  yet   God   hath   so  tem- 
pered them,  that  they  work  for  the  good  of 
the  universe,  so  the  most  cross  providences, 
shall  work  for  good   to   a  pardoned   soul. 
Correction  shall  be  a  corrosive  to  eat  out 
sin  ;  it  shall  cure  the  swelling  of  pride,  the 
fever  of  lust,   the   dro|)sy  of  avarice.     It 
shall  be  a  refining  fire  to  purify  grace,  and 
make  it  sparkle  as  gold.     Every  cross  pro- 
vidence, to  a  pardoned  soul,  shall  be  like 
Paul's    Euroclydon    or   cross    wind,    Acta 
xxvii.,  which  though  it  broke  the  ship,  yet. 
Paul  was  brought  to  shore  upon  the  brokeiL 
pieces. 

1th,  A  pardoned  soul  is  not  only  exempt- 
ed from  wrath,  but  invested  with  dignity  ;; 

3  Z 


b4(J 


OF  THE  FIFTH  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S   PRAYER. 


as  Joseph  was  not  only  freed  from  prison, 
but  advanced  to  be  second  man  in  the  king- 
dom. 

Sth,  A  pardoned  soul  is  made  a  fovourite 
of  heaven.  A  king  may  pardon  a  traitor, 
but  will  not  make  him  one  of  his  privy- 
council  ;  but  whom  God  pardons,  he  re- 
ceives into  favour.  I  may  say  to  him,  as 
the  angel  to  the  virgin  Mary,  Luke  i.  30., 
"  Thou  hast  found  favour  with  God."  Hence 
such  as  are  forgiven,  are  said  to  be  "  crown- 
ed with  loving-kindness,"  Ps.  ciii.  3,  4. 
Whom  God  pardons  he  crowns.  Whom 
God  absolves,  he  marries  himself  to,  Jer. 
iii.  12.,  "  I  am  merciful,  and  I  will  not  keep 
anger  for  ever ;"  there  is  forgiveness ;  and 
in  ch.  v.  14.,  "  I  am  married  to  you ;"  and 
he  who  is  matched  into  the  crown  of  hea- 
ven, is  as  rich  as  the  angels,  as  rich  as  hea- 
ven can  make  him. 

9th,  Sin  being  pardoned,  we  may  come 
with  humble  boldness  to  God  in  prayer; 
guilt  makes  us  afraid  to  go  to  God.  Adam 
having  sinned,  Gen.  iii.  10.,  "was  afraid," 
and  hid  himself.  Guilt  cTips  the  wings  of 
prayer, — it  fills  the  face  with  blushing ; 
but  forgiveness  breeds  confidence ;  we  may 
look  upon  God  as  a  Father  of  mercy,  hold- 
ing forth  a  golden  sceptre ;  he  that  hath 
got  his  pardon,  can  look  upon  his  prince 
with  comfort. 

IG^A,  Forgiveness  of  sin  makes  our  ser- 
vices acceptable  ;  God  takes  all  we  do  in 
good  part.  A  guilty  person,  nothing  he 
doth  pleaseth  God.  His  prayer  is  "  turne<l 
into  sin  ;"  but  when  sin  is  pardoned,  now 
God  accepts  our  oifering.  We  read  of  Jo- 
shua standing  before  the  angel  of  the  Lord. 
"  Joshua  was  clothed  with  filthy  garments," 
Zech.  iii.  3.,  that  is,  he  was  guilty  of  divers 
sins  :  now,  saith  the  Lord,  v.  4.,  "  Take  a- 
way  his  filthy  garments,  I  have  caused  tliine 
iniquity  to  pass  from  thee  ;"  and  then  he 
stood  and  ministered  before  the  Lord,  and 
his  services  were  accepted. 

\Oth,  Forgiveness  of  sin  is  the  sauce 
which  sweetens  all  the  comforts  of  this  life. 
As  guilt  embitters  our  comforts, — it  puts 
wormwood  into  our  cup,  so  pardon  of  sin 
sweetens  all, — it  is  like  sugar  to  wine. 
Healtli  and  pardon,  estate  and  pardon,  re- 
lish well.  Pardon  of  sin  gives  a  sanctified 
title  !  and  a  delicious  taste  to  every  comfort. 


As  Naaman  said  to  Gehazi,  2  Kings  v.  23., 
"  Take  two  talents,"  so  saith  God  to  t))e 
pardoned  soul,  "  take  two  talents, — take 
the  venison,  and  take  a  blessing  with  it, — - 
take  the  oil  in  the  cruse,  and  take  my  love 
with  it, — take  two  talents."  It  is  observa- 
ble, Christ  joins  these  two  together,  "  Give 
us  our  daily  bread,"  "  forgive  us  our  tres- 
passes :"  as  if  Christ  would  teach  us,  there  is 
little  comfort  in  daily  bread,  unless  sin  be 
forgiven.  Forgiveness  doth  perfume  and  drop 
sweetness  into  every  earthly  enjoyment. 

12///,  If  sin  be  forgiven,  God  will  never 
upbraid  us  with  our  former  sins.  When 
the  prodigal  came  home  to  his  father,  the 
father  received  him  into  his  loYnng  embra- 
ces, and  never  mentioned  his  former  luxu- 
ry, or  spending  his  estate  among  harlots, 
so  God  will  not  upbraid  us  with  former 
sins,  nay,  he  will  entirely  love  us,  we  shall 
be  his  jewels,  and  he  will  put  us  in  his  bo- 
som. Mary  Magdalene,  a  pardoned  peni- 
tent, after  Christ  arose,  he  appeared  fi^st 
to  her,  Mark  xvi.  9. ;  so  far  was  Christ 
from  upbraiding  her,  that  he  brings  her  the 
first  news  of  his  resurrection. 

13//t,  Sin  being  pardoned,  is  a  pillar  of 
support  in  the  loss  of  dear  friends.  God 
hath  taken  away  thy  child,  thy  husband  ; 
but  withal,  he  hath  taken  away  thy  sins. 
He  hath  given  thee  more  than  he  hath  tak- 
en away  ;  he  hath  taken  away  a  flower,  and 
given  thee  a  jewel.  He  hath  given  thee 
Christ  and  the  Spirit,  .ind  the  earnest  of 
glory.  He  hath  given  thee  more  tliau  he 
hath  taken  away. 

14///,  Where  God  pardons  sins,  he  bes- 
tows righteousness.  With  remission  of  sin 
goes  imputation  of  righteousness,  Isa.  Ixi. 
10.,  "  I  will  greatly  rejoice  in  the  Lord,  he 
hath  covered  me  with  the  robe  of  righteous- 
ness." If  a  Christian  can  take  any  comfort 
in  his  inherent  righteousness,  which  is  so 
stained  and  mixed  with  sin,  O  then  what 
comfort  may  he  take  in  Christ's  righteous- 
ness, which  is  a  better  righteousness  than 
that  of  Adam  !  Adam's  righteousness  was 
mutable  ;  hut  suppose  it  had  been  unchange- 
able, yet  it  Avas  but  the  righteousness  of 
a  man  ;  but  that  righteousness  which  is  im- 
puted, is  the  righteonusess  of  him  who  is 
God,  2  Cor.  v.  21.,  "  That  we  might  be 
made   the   righteousness  of  God   in   him." 


OF  THE  FIFTH  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


547 


O  blessed  privilege,  to  be  reputed,  in  tlie 
sight  of  God,  righteous  as  Christ,  having 
his  embroidered  robe  put  tipon  the  souJ  ! 
This  is  the  comfort  of  every  one  that  is  par- 
doned, he  hath  a  perfect  righteousness ; 
and  now  God  saith  of  him,  "  thou  art  all 
fair,  my  love,  and  there  is  no  spot  in  thee," 
Cant.  iv.  7. 

latfi,  A  pardoned  soul  needs  not  fear 
death.  He  may  look  on  death  with  joy, 
who  can  look  on  forgiveness  with  faith. 
To  a  pardoned  soul  death  hath  lost  his  sting. 
Death,  to  a  pardoned  sinner,  is  like  the  ar- 
resting a  man  after  the  debt  is  paid  ;  death 
may  arrest,  but  Christ  will  shew  the  deht- 
book  crossed  in  his  blood.  A  pardoned 
soul  may  triumph  over  death,  "  O  death, 
where  is  thy  sting  !  O  grave,  where  is  thy 
victory  !"  He  who  is  pardoned  needs  not 
fear  death,  it  is  not  a  destruction,  but  a  de- 
liverance; it  is  to  him  a  day  of  jubilee  or 
release ;  it  releaseth  him  from  all  his  sins. 
Deatli  comes  to  a  pardoned  soul,  as  the  an- 
gel did  to  Peter  ;  it  smote  him,  and  beat 
off  his  chains,  and  carried  him  out  of  pri- 
son ;  so  doth  death  to  him  who  is  j)ardone(l, 
it  smites  his  body,  and  the  chains  of  sin  fall 
off.  Death  gives  a  pardoned  soul  a  quietus 
est,  it  frees  from  all  his  labours.  Rev.  xiv. 
13.  Ftlix  transitus  a  lahore  ad  requiem, 
Bern.  Death,  as  it  will  wipe  off  our  tears 
BO  it  will  wipe  off  our  sweat.  Death  will 
do  a  pardoned  Christian  the  greatest  good 
turn,  therefore  it  is  made  a  part  of  the  in- 
ventory, 1  Cor.  iii.  22.,  "  Death  is  yours," 
Death  is  like  the  waggon  which  was  sent 
for  old  Jacob, — it  came  rattling  with  its 
wheels,  but  it  was  to  carry  Jacob  to  his  son 
Joseph ;  so  the  wheels  of  death's  chariot 
may  rattle,  and  make  a  noise,  but  they  are 
to  carry  a  believer  to  Christ.  Wliile  a  be- 
liever is  here,  he  is  "  absent  from  the  Lord," 
2  Cor.  V.  6.  He  lives  far  from  court,  and 
cannot  see  him  whom  his  soid  loves :  but 
death  gives  liim  a  sight  of  the  King  of  glo- 
ry, "  in  whose  presence  is  fulness  of  joy." 
To  a  pardoned  soul,  death  is  transitus  ad 
regnum, — it  removes  him  to  the  place  of 
bliss,  where  he  shall  hear  the  triumphs  and 
anthems  of  praise  sung  in  the  choir  of  an- 
gels. No  cause  hath  a  pardoned  soul  to 
fear  death  ;  wliat  needs  he  fear  to  have  his 
oody  buried  in  the  earth,  wiio  hath  his  sins 


buried  in  Clwist's  wounds?  Wliat  hurt  can 
deatli  do  to  him  ?  It  is  but  bis  ferry-man 
to  ferry  him  over  to  the  land  of  promise. 
The  day  of  death  to  a  pardoned  soul,  is  his 
asrension-<l:>y  to  lieavcn,  his  coronation-day, 
when  he  shall  \h\  crowned  with  those  de- 
lights of  paradise  wliicli  arc  unspeakable 
and  fidl  of  glory.  Thus  you  see  the  rich 
consolations  which  belong  to  a  pardoned 
sinner;  well  might  David  proclaim  him 
blessed,  Ps,  xxxii.  1.,  "  Blessed  is  he  whose 
trangressiou  is  f(»rgiven  ;"  in  the  Hebrew 
it  is  in  the  plural,  hfcsscdncsscs.  Here  is  a 
plurality  of  blessings.  Forgiveness  of  sin 
is  like  the  first  link  of  a  chain,  which  draws 
all  the  links  after  it;  it  draws  these  fif- 
teen privileges  after  it ;  it  crowns  with 
grace  and  glory.  Who  tlieii  would  not  la- 
bour to  have  his  sins  forgiven  ?  "  Blessed 
is  he  whose  iniquity  is  forgiven,  whose  sin 
is  covered," 

Now  fidlow  the  duties  of  such  as  liave 
their  sins  forgiven.  Mercy  calls  for  duty. 
Be  much  in  praise  and  doxologv. 

1.  "  Bless  the  Lord,  O  my  soul,  who 
forgiveth  all  thy  iniquities."  Hath  God 
crowned  you  with  pardoning  mercy  ?  set 
the  crown  of  your  ])raise  upon  the  head  of 
free -grace.  Pardon  of  sin  is  a  discrimina- 
ting mercy,  a  jewel  hung  only  upon  the  e- 
lect :  this  calls  for  acclamations  of  praise. 
You  will  give  thanks  for  "  daily  bread," 
and  will  you  not  much  more  for  pardon  ? 
You  will  give  thanks  for  deliverance  from 
si'kncss,  and  will  you  not  for  deliverance 
from  hell  ?  God  hath  done  more  for  you  in 
forgiving  your  sin,  than  if  he  had  given 
you  a  kingdom.  And  that  you  may  be 
more  thankful,  do  but  set  the  unpardoned 
condition  before  your  eyes :  how  sad  is  it 
to  want  a  pardon  !  All  the  curses  of  the 
law  stand  in  full  force  against  such  an  one. 
The  unpardoned  sinner  dying,  he  drops  in- 
to the  grave  and  hell  both  at  once  ;  he  must 
quarter  among  the  damned  ;  and  will  not 
this  make  you  thankful,  that  this  is  not 
your  condition,  but  that  you  are  "  deliver- 
ed from  the  wrath  to  come  ?" 

2.  Let  God's  pardoning  love  inflame  your 
hearts  with  love  to  God.  For  God  to  par- 
don freely  without  any  desert  of  yours, — 
to  pardon  so  many  offences, — that  he  should 
pardon  you  and  pass  by  others, — that  he 


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OF  THE  FIFTH  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


should  lake  you  out  of  the  ruins  of  man  • 
kind,  and,  of  a  clod  of  dust  and  sin,  make 
you  a  jewel  sparkling  with  heavenly  glory, 
--will  not  this  make  you  love  God  much  ? 
Three  prisoners  that  deserves  to  die,  if  the 
king  pardon  one  of  these,  and  leave  the  o- 
ther  two  to  the  severity  of  the  law,  will  not 
he  that  is  pardoned  love  his  prince,  who 
bath  been  so  full  of  clemency  ?  How  should 
your  hearts  be  endeared  in  love  to  God  ? 
The  schoolmen  distinguish  of  a  twofold  love, 
amor  gratuitus,  a  love  of  bounty,  that  is, 
God's  love  to  us  in  forgiving  :  and  amor  de- 
hitus,  a  love  of  duty ;  that  is,  our  love  to 
God  by  way  of  retaliation.  We  should 
shew  our  love  by  admiring  God,  by  sweet- 
ly solacing  ourselves  in  him,  and  binding 
ourselves  to  him  in  a  perpetual  covenant. 

3.  Let  the  sense  of  God's  love  in  foraiv- 
ing,  make  you  more  cautious  and  fearful 
of  sin  for  the  future,  Ps.  cxxx.  4.,  "  There 
is  forgiveness  with  thee  that  thou  mayest 
be  feared."  O  fear  to  offend  this  God,  who 
hath  been  so  gracious  to  you  in  forgiving. 
If  a  fi-iend  hath  done  a  kindness  for  us,  we 
will  not  disoblige  him,  or  abuse  his  love. 
After  Nathan  had  told  David,  "  The  Lord 
hath  put  away  thy  sin,"  how  tender  was 
David's  conscience  !  How  fearful  was  he  of 
staining  his  soul  with  the  guilt  of  more 
blood!  Ps.  li.  14.  "  Deliver  me  from 
blood-guiltiness,  O  God  !"  Men  committing 
gross  sins  after  pardon,  God  changeth  his 
carriage  towards  them,  he  turns  his  smile 
into  a  frown  ;  they  lie,  as  Jonah,  in  '  the 
belly  of  hell;'  God's  wrath  falls  into  their 
conscience,  as  a  drop  of  scalding  lead  into 
the  eye;  the  promises  are  as  a  fountain 
sealed,  not  a  drop  of  comfort  comes  from 
them.  O  Christians,  do  you  not  remember 
what  it  cost  you  before  to  get  your  pardon  ! 
How  long  it  was  before  your  '  broken  bones' 
were  set;  and  will  you  again  venture  to 
sin  ?  You  may  be  in  such  a  condition,  that 
you  may  question  whether  you  belong  to 
God  or  not;  though  God  doth  not  damn 
you,  he  may  send  you  to  hell  in  this  life. 

4.  If  God  hath  given  you  good  hope  that 
you  are  pardoned,  walk  cheerfully,  Rom. 
V.  IL,  "  We  joy  in  God,  through  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  by  whom  we  liave  received 
the  atonement."  Who  should  rejoice,  if 
not  he  that  hath  his  pardon  ?  Gcd  lejoiceth 


when  he  shews  us  mercy,  and  shoidd  not 
we  rejoice  when  we  receive  mercy?  In  the 
saddest  times  a  pardoned  soul  may  rejoice. 
Afllictions  have  a  commission  to  do  him 
good,  every  cross  wind  of  providence  shall 
blow  him  nearer  to  the  haven  of  glory. 
Christian,  God  hath  pulled  off  your  prison- 
fetters,  and  clothed  you  with  the  robe  of 
righteousness,  and  crowned  you  with  lov- 
ing-kindness, and  yet  art  thou  sad?  Rom. 
v.  2.,  '•  We  rejoice  in  hope  of  the  glory  of 
God."  Can  the  wicked  rejoice  who  have 
only  a  short  rcj)rieve  from  hell,  and  not 
they  who  have  a  full  pardon  sealed  ? 

5.  Hath  God  pardoned  you  ?  Do  all  the 
service  you  can  for  God,  1  Cor.  xv.  58., 
"  Always  abounding  in  the  work  of  the 
Lord."  Let  your  head  study  for  God, — let 
your  hands  work  for  hiui, — let  your  tongue 
be  the  organ  of  his  praise.  Paul  got  his 
pardon,  1  Tim.  i.  IG.,  "  I  obtained  mercy  :" 
and  this  was  as  oil  to  the  wheels,  it  made 
him  move  faster  in  obedience,  1  Cor.  xv. 
10.,  "  I  laboured  more  abundantly  than 
they  all."  Paul's  obedience  did  not  move 
slow,  as  the  sun  on  the  dial ;  but  swiftly,  as 
the  sun  in  the  firmament,  he  did  spend, 
and  was  spent  for  Christ.  The  pardoned 
soul  thinks  he  can  never  love  God  enough, 
or  serve  him  enough. 

The  last  thing  is  to  lay  down  some  rules 
or  directions,  how  we  may  obtain  forgive- 
ness of  sin. 

First,  We  must  take  heed  of  mistakes  a- 
bout  pardon  of  sin. 

1st.  Mistake  that  our  sins  are  pardoned, 
when  they  are  not. 

Quest.  Jl/unce  is  this  miatake? 

A/IS.  From  t\\-o  grounds. 

l.s^  Mistake,  Because  God  is  merciful. 

Ans.  God's  being  n)ercif"ul,  shews,  that  a 
man's  sins  are  parduiiahle.  But  tliere  is  a 
great  deal  of  tliffirenee  between  sins  par- 
donable and  sins  pardoned  ;  thy  sins  may 
be  pardonable,  yet  not  pardoned.  Though 
God  be  merciful,  yet  who  is  God's  mercy 
for  ?  Not  for  the  presuming  sinner,  but  the 
repenting  sinner.  Such  as  go  on  in  sin, 
cannot  lay  claim  to  it.  God's  mercy  is  like 
the  ark,  none  but  the  priests,  might  touch 
the  ark :  none  but  such  as  are  spiritual 
priests,  sacrificing  their  sins,  may  touch  this 
ark  of  God's  mercy. 


OF  THE  FIFTH  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


549 


2.  Because  Christ  died  for  their  sins,  Mat.  viii.  8.,  "  Lord,  1  am  not  worthy  that 
therefore  they  are  forgiven.  thou  sl)ouUlest  come  under  ray  roof;"  I  de- 

Jns.  Tliat  Cluist  died  for  remission  of  serve  not  tlie  least  smile  from  heaven.'* 
sin  is  true  ;  but,  that  therefore  all  have  re-  ,  This  is  the  way  for  pardon. 


mission,  is  false  ;  then  Judas  should  he  for- 
given.    Remission  is  limited  to  believers. 


The  Third  means  for  pardon  is,  hearty 
confession  of  sin,  Ps.  xxxii.  5.,  "  I  will  con- 


Acts  xiii.  39.,  "  By  him  all  that  believe  are  ,  fess  my  transgressions,  and  thou  forgavest 


justified  ;"  but  all  do  not  believe, — some 
slight  and  trample  Christ's  blood  under  foot, 
Heb.  X.  29.,  so  that,  notwithstanding  Christ's 
death,  all  are  not  pardoned.  Take  heed  of 
this  dangerous  mistake.  Wlio  will  seek 
after  pardon,  that  thinks  he  hath  it  already? 

2d  Mistake.  That  pardon  is  easy  to  be 
had  ;  it  is  but  a  sigh,  or.  Lord  have  mercy. 
But,  how  dearly  hath  pardon  cost  them  who 
have  obtained  it?  How  long  was  it  ere 
David's  broken  bones  were  set  ?  Happy  are 
we,  if  we  have  the  pardon  of  sin  sealed, 
though  at  the  very  last  hour ;  but  why  do 
men  think  pardon  of  sin  so  easy  to  be  ob- 
tained? Their  sins  are  but  small,  therefore 
venial.  The  devil  holds  the  small  end  of 
the  perspective  glass  before  their  eyes. 
But,  l.s^,  There  is  no  sin  small,  being  a- 
gainst  a  Deity.  Why  is  he  punished  with 
death  that  clips  the  king's  coin,  or  defaceth 
liis  statue,  but  because  it  is  an  abuse  offer- 
ed to  the  person  of  the  king  ?  2rNf/,  Little 
sins,  when  multipled  become  great ;  a  little 
sum,  when  multiplied,  comes  to  millions. 
What  is  less  than  a  grain  of  sand  ?  hut, 
when  the  sand  is  multiplied,  what  heavier  ? 
Sdfi/,  Thy  sins  cost  no  small  price.  View 
thy  sins  in  the  glass  of  Christ's  sufferings ; 
Christ  did  vail  his  glorj',  lose  his  joy,  and 
pour  out  his  soul  an  offering  for  the  least 
sin.  'Ithli/,  Little  sins  um-epented  of  will 
damn  thee,  as  well  as  greater.  Not  only 
great  rivers  fall  into  the  sea,  but  little 
brooks;  not  only  greater  sins  carry  men  to 
hell,  but  lesser ;  therefore  do  not  think  par- 
don easy,  because  sin  is  small ;  beware  of 
mistakes. 

The  Second  means  for  pardon  of  sin,  is, 
see  yourselves  guilty, — come  to  God  as  con- 
demned men,  1  Kings  xx.  32.,  "  They  put 
ropes  upon  their  heads,  and  came  to  the 
king  of  Israel."  Let  us  come  to  God  in 
profound  humility.  Say  not  thus,  "  Lord, 
my  heart  is  good,  and  my  life  blameless ;" 
God  hates  this.  Lie  in  the  dust,  be  cover- 
ed  with   sackcloth  ;   say  as   the  centurion, 


me."  Would  we  have  God  cover  our  sins, 
we  must  discover  them,  1  John  i.  9.,  "  If 
we  confess  our  sins,  he  is  faithful  and  just 
to  forgive  us  our  sins."  One  would  have 
thought  it  should  have  run  thus,  if  we  con- 
fess our  sins,  he  is  merciful  to  forgive  them : 
nay,  but  he  is  just  to  forgive  them.  Why 
just?  Because  he  hath  bound  himself  by  a 
promise  to  forgive  an  humble  confessor  of 
sin.  Cum  accusal,  excusat,  Tertullian. 
When  we  accuse  ourselves,  God  absolves 
us.  We  are  apt  to  hide  our  sins.  Job  xxxi. 
33.  Wliich  is  as  great  a  folly  as  for  one  to 
hide  his  disease  from  the  physician ;  but 
when  we  open  our  sins  to  God  by  confess- 
ing, he  opens  his  mercy  to  us  by  forgiving. 

The  Fourth  means  for  pardon  is  sound 
repentance :  repentance  and  remission  are 
put  together,  Luke  xxiv.  47.  There  is  a 
promise  of  a  fountain  opened  for  the  wash- 
ing away  the  guilt  of  sin,  Zech.  xiii.  1. 
But  see  what  goes  before,  Zech.  xii.  10., 
"  They  shall  look  upon  me  whom  they  have 
pierced,  and  shall  mourn  for  him,"  Isa.  i. 
1(5.,  "  Wash  you,  make  you  clean  ;"  that  is, 
wash  in  the  waters  of  repentance  ;  and  then 
follows  a  promise  of  forgiveness,  "  though 
your  sins  be  as  scarlet,  they  shall  be  white 
as  snow."  It  is  easy  to  turn  white  into 
scarlet,  but  not  so  easy  to  turn  scarlet  into 
white  :  yet,  upon  repentance,  God  hath 
j)romised  to  make  the  scarlet  sinner  of  a 
milk-like  whiteness. 

Caution.  Not  that  repentance  merits  par- 
don, but  it  prepares  for  it.  We  set  our  seal 
on  the  wax  when  it  melts  :  God  seals  his 
pardons  on  melting  hearts. 

The  Fifth  means,  faith  in  the  blood  of 
Christ.  It  is  Christ's  blood  washeth  away 
sin,  Rev.  i.  5.  But  this  blood  will  not 
wash  away  sin,  unless  it  be  applied  by  faith. 
The  apostle  speaks  of  the  "  sprinkling  of 
the  blood  of  Christ,"  1  Pet.  i.  2.  Many  are 
not  pardoned,  though  Christ's  blood  be 
shed,  because  it  is  not  sprinkled  :  now  it  is 
faith  that  sprinkles  Christ's  blood  on   the 


550 


OF  THE  FIFTH  PETITION  IN  THE  LORDS  PRAYER. 


•boul,  for  the  remission  of  sin.  As  Thomas 
put  his  hands  into  Christ's  sides,  Jolin  xx. 
27.  So  faith  puts  its  hand  into  Christ's 
wounds,  and  takes  of  the  blood  and  sprin- 
kles it  upon  the  conscience  for  the  washing 
away  of  guilt.  Hence  in  scripture,  we  are 
said  to  obtain  pardon  through  faith,  Acts 
xiii.  39.,  "  By  him  all  that  believe  are  jus- 
tified," Luke  vii.  48.,  "  Thy  sins  are  for- 
given." Whence  was  this,  v.  50.,  "  Thy 
faith  has  saved  thee."  O  let  us  labour  for 
faith  !  Christ  is  a  propitiation  or  atonement 
to  take  away  sin  ;  but  how  ?  "  Through 
faith  in  his  blood,"  Rom.  iii.  25. 

The  Sixth  means,  pray  mucli  for  pardon, 
Hos.  xiv.  2.,  "  Take  away  all  iniquity," 
Luke  xviii.  13.,  "  The  publican  smote  upon 
his  breast,  saying,  God  be  merciful  to  me 
a  sinner."  And  the  text  saith,  "  He  went 
away  justified."  Many  pray  for  health, 
riches,  children ;  but  Christ  liath  taught  us 
what  to  pray  for  chiefly,  Remitte  nobis  debita 
nostra^  '  Forgive  us  our  sins.'  And  be  ear- 
nest suitors  for  pardon  ;  consider  what  guilt 
of  sin  is;  it  binds  one  over  to  the  wrath  of 
God  ;  better  thy  house  were  haunted  with 
devils,  than  thy  soul  with  guilt.  He  who 
is  in  "  the  bond  of  iniquity,"  must  needs  be 
"  in  the  gall  of  bitterness,"  Acts  viii.  23. 
A  guilty  soul  wears  Cain's  mark,  which 
was  a  trembling  at  the  heart,  and  a  shaking 
in  his  flesh  ;  guilt  makes  the  sinner  afraid, 
lest  every  trouble  he  meets  with  should  ar- 
rest him,  and  bring  him  to  judgment.  If 
guilt  be  so  dismal,  and  breed  such  convul- 
sion-fits in  the  conscience,  how  earnest 
should  we  be  in  prayer  that  God  would  re- 
move this  guilt,  and  so  earnest  as  to  resolve 
to  take  no  denial.  Plead  hard  with  God 
for  pardon,  as  a  man  would  plead  with  a 
judge  for  his  life.  Fall  upon  thy  knees, 
say,  "  Lord,  hear  one  word." — "  Why," 
may  God  say,  "  what  canst  thou  say  for 


thyself,  that  thou  shouldest  not  die?" — 
"  Lord,  I  can  say  but  little,  but  I  put  in  my 
suretv,  Christ  shall  answer  for  me.  O  look 
upon  that  blood  which  speaks  better  things 
than  that  of  Abel  !  Christ  is  my  priest,  his 
blood  is  my  sacrifice,  his  divine  nature  is  my 
altar."  As  Rahab  was  to  shew  the  scarlet 
thread  in  the  window,  and  when  Joshua 
saw  it,  he  did  not  destroy  her.  Josh.  ii.  18, 
21.,  and  vi.  22,  23.,  so  shew  the  Lord  the 
scarlet  thread  of  Christ's  blood,  and  that  is 
the  way  to  have  mercy.  "  But,"  will  God 
say,  "  why  should  I  pardon  thee  ?  thou  hast 
nowise  obliged  me."^ — "  But,  Lord,  pardon 
me,  because  thou  hast  promised  it ;  I  urge 
thy  covenant."  When  a  man  is  to  die  by 
the  law,  he  calls  for  his  book,  so  say,  "  Lord, 
let  me  have  the  benefit  of  my  book  :  thy 
word  saith,  '  if  the  sinner  forsake  his  evil 
way  thou  wilt  pardon  abundantly,'  Isa.  Iv. 
7.  Lord,  I  have  forsaken  my  sins,  let  me 
therefore  have  mercy  :  I  plead  the  benefit 
of  the  book." — "  But,  for  whose  sake  should 
I  pardon  ?  Thou  canst  not  deserve  it." — 
"  Lord,  for  thy  own  name's  sake ;  thou 
hast  said,  thou  wilt  blot  out  sin,  for  thy 
own  name's  sake,  Isa.  xliii.  25.  'Twill  be 
no  eclipsing  to  thy  ci-own ;  how  will  thy 
mercy  shine  forth,  and  all  thy  other  attri- 
butes ride  in  triumph,  if  thou  shalt  pardon 
me  !"  Thus  plead  with  God  in  prayer,  and 
resolve  not  to  give  him  over  till  thy  pardon 
be  sealed.  God  cannot  deny  importunity ; 
he  delights  in  mercy.  As  the  mother,  saith 
Chrysostom,  delights tohave  her  breast  milk- 
ed, so  God  delights  to  milk  out  tlie  breast 
of  mercy  to  the  sinner.  These  moans  being 
used  will  procure  this  great  blessedness, — 
the  forgiveness  of  sin.  Thus  I  have  done 
with  the  first  part  of  this  fifth  petition, 
'  Forgive  us  our  sins  ;'  I  come  to  the  second 
part  of  this  petition,  "  As  we  forgive  our 
debtors." 


Mat.  vi.  12.  As  we  forgive  our  Debtors  :  Or,  As  ice  forgive  them  that  trespass  against  us 


I  PROCEED  to  the  second  part  of  the 
petition,  "  As  we  forgive  them  that  trespass 
against  us." 

"  As  we  forgive."  This  word,  As,  is  not 
a  note  of  equality,  but  similitude  ;  not  that 
we  equal  God  in  forgiving,  but  imitate  him. 


This  great  duty  of  forgiving  others,  is  a 
crossing  the  stream  ;  'tis  contrary  to  flesh 
and  blood.  Men  forget  kindnesses,  but  re 
member  injuries.  But  it  is  an  indispensi- 
hie  duty  to  forgive ;  we  are  not  bound  to 
trust  an  enemy  ;  but  we  are  bound  to  for- 


OF  THE  FIFTH  PETITION  IN  THE  LORDS  PRAYER. 


551 


give  liim.  We  are  naturally  prone  to  re- 
venge. Revenge  (saith  Homer)  is  sweet 
as  dropping  honey.  The  heathen  philoso- 
phers held  revenge  lawful.  JJIcisci  te  laces- 
sittts  potes.  Cicero.  But  we  learn  better 
things  out  of  the  oracles  of  scripture,  Mark 
xi.  25.,  "  Wlien  ye  stand  praying,  forgive," 
Mat.  V.  44.,  Col.  iii.  13.,  "  If  a  man  hatli  a 
quarrel  against  any,  even  as  Christ  forgave 
you,  so  also  do  ye." 

Quest.  1.  How  can  we  forgive  others,  when 
it  is  only  God  forgives  sin  ? 

Ans.  In  every  breach  of  the  second  ta- 
ble, there  are  two  things, — an  offence  a- 
gainst  God, — and  a  trespass  against  man  ; 
60  far  as  it  is  an  offence  against  God,  he 
only  can  forgive ;  but  so  far  as  it  is  a  tres- 
pass against  man,  so  we  may  forgive. 

Quest.  2.   When  do  rve  forgive  others  ? 

Alls.  When  we  strive  against  all  thoughts 
of  revenge, — if  it  be  in  our  power  to  do  our 
enemies  mischief,  we  will  not, — we  wish 
well  to  them,  grieve  at  their  calamities,  we 
pray  for  them,  we  seek  reconciliation  with 
them,  we  shew  ourselves  ready  on  all  occa- 
sions to  relieve  them, — this  is  gospel-for- 
giving. 

Ocj.  1.  But  I  have  been  much  injured  and 
abused,  and  to  put  it  up  will  be  a  stain  to  my 
reputation. 

Ans.  1.  To  pass  by  an  injury  without  re- 
venge, is  no  eclipsing  one's  credit ;  the 
scripture  saith,  Prov.  xix.  11.,  "It  is  the 
glory  of  a  man  to  pass  over  a  transgres- 
sion." 'Tis  moi'e  honour  to  bury  an  inju- 
ry, than  revenge  it ;  wrathfulness  denotes 
weakness  ;  a  noble  heroic  spirit  overlooks 
a  petty  offence. 

A.  2.  Suppose  a  man's  credit  should  be 
impaired  with  those  whose  censure  is  not 
to  be  valued  ;  yet  consider  the  folly  of  chal- 
lenging another  to  a  duel,  'tis  little  wisdom 
for  a  man  to  redeem  his  credit  by  losing 
Ids  life,  and  to  run  to  hell  to  be  counted  va- 
lorous. 

Obj.  2.  But  the  wrong  he  hath  done  me  is 
great. 

Ans.  But  thy  not  forgiving  him  is  a  great- 
er wrong;  he  in  injm-ing  thee  hath  offend- 
ed against  a  man,  but  thou  in  not  forgiving 
him  oifendest  against  God. 

Obj.  3.  But  if  I  forgive  one  injury y  I  shall 
occasion  more. 


Ans.  If  the  more  injuries  thou  forgivest, 
the  more  thou  meetest  with,  this  will  make 
thy  grace  shine  the  more.  Often  forgiving 
will  add  more  to  the  weight  of  his  sin,  and 
to  the  weight  of  thy  glory.  If  any  say,  "  I 
strive  to  excel  in  other  graces,  but  as  for 
this  of  forgiving,  I  cannot  do  it,  I  desire  in 
this  to  be  excused," — what  dost  thou  talk 
of  other  graces  ?  The  graces  are  inter  se 
connexcc,  linked  and  chained  together ;  where 
there  is  one,  there  is  all  ;  he  that  cannot 
forgive,  his  grace  is  counterfeit,  his  faith  is 
fancy,  his  devotion  is  hypocrisy. 

Quest.  3.  But  suppose  another  hath  wrong- 
ed me  in  my  estate,  may  not  I  go  to  law  for 
my  debt  ? 

Ans.  Yes,  else  what  use  were  there  of 
law-courts?  God  hath  set  judges  to  de- 
cide cases  in  law,  and  to  give  every  one  his 
right.  It  is  with  going  to  law,  as  it  is  with 
going  to  war;  when  the  just  rights  of  a 
nation  are  invaded,  here  it  is  lawful  to  go 
to  war,  so  when  a  man's  estate  is  trespass- 
ed upon  by  another,  he  may  go  to  law  to 
recover  it.  But  the  law  must  be  used  in 
the  last  place,  when  no  entreaties  or  arbi- 
trations will  prevail,  then  the  chancery 
must  decide  it.  Yet  this  is  no  revenge,  it 
is  not  so  much  to  injure  another,  as  to  riirh* 
one's  self;  this  may  I  e,  yet  one  may  live  iu 
charity. 

Use  \st.  Here  is  a  bill  of  indictment  a- 
gainst  such  as  study  revenge,  and  cannot 
put  up  the  least  discourtesy.  They  would 
have  God  forgive  them,  but  they  will  not 
forgive  others  ;  they  will  pray, — come  to 
church, — give  alms, — but,  as  Christ  said, 
Mark  x.  21,,  Yet  lackest  thou  one  thing; 
they  lack  a  forgiving  spirit ;  they  will  ra- 
ther want  forgiveness  from  God,  than  they 
will  forgive  their  brother.  How  sad  is  it, 
that,  for  every  slight  wrong,  or  disgraceful 
word,  men  should  let  malice  boil  in  their 
hearts  !  Would  there  be  so  many  duels, 
arrests,  murders,  if  men  had  the  art  of  for- 
giving ?  Revenge  is  the  projjcr  sin  of  the 
devil ;  he  is  no  drunkard  or  adulterer,  but 
this  old  serpent  is  full  of  the  poison  of  ma- 
lice ;  and  what  shall  we  say  to  them  who 
make  profession  of  religion,  yet  instead  of 
forgiving,  pursue  others  despitefully  ?  It 
was  prophesied,  "  the  wolf  should  dwell 
with  the  lamb,"  Isa.  xi.  6.     But  what  shall 


552 


OF  THE  FIFTH  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


ve  sav,  nlicn  such  as  profess  to  be  Iambs 
become  wolves?  These  open  the  mouths 
of  the  profane  ajo^aiiist  religion  ;  they  will 
sav,  those  are  as  full  of  rancour  as  any.  O 
whitlier  is  love  and  mercy  fled  !  If  the  son 
of  man  did  come,  should  he  find  cliarit)  on 
the  earth  ?  I  fear  but  little  !  Such  as  but 
cherish  anger  and  malice  in  their  hearts, 
and  will  not  forgive,  how  can  they  pray, 
"  Forgive  us,  as  we  forgive  others  ?"  Ei- 
ther they  must  omit  this  petition  (as  Chry- 
sostom  saith  some  did  in  his  time)  or  else 
they  pray  against  themselves. 

Use  2d.  Let  it  persuade  us  all,  as  ever 
we  hope  for  salvation,  to  pass  by  petty  in- 
juries and  discourtesies,  and  labour  to  be 
of  forgiving  spirits.  Col.  iii.  13.,  "Forbear- 
ing one  another,  and  forgiving  one  another." 
L  Herein  m'c  resemble  God.  He  is  "rea- 
dy to  forgive,"  Ps.  Ixxxvi.  5.  He  befi'iends 
his  enemies, — he  opens  his  hands  to  relieve 
them,  who  <tpen  their  mouths  against  him. 
It  was  Adam's  pride  to  go  to  resemble  God 
in  omnisciency,  but  here  it  is  lawful  to  re- 
semble God  in  forgiving  enemies,  this  is  a 
God-like  disposition  ;  and  what  is  godli- 
ness, but  God-likeness. 

2.  To  forgive  is  one  of  the  highest  evi- 
dences of  grace.  AVhen  grace  comes  into 
the  heart,  it  makes  a  man,  as  Caleb,  of  an- 
other spirit.  Numb.  xiv.  24.  It  makes  a 
great  metamorphosis, — it  sweetens  the  heart, 
and  fills  it  with  Ioa  e  and  candour.  When 
a  scion  is  grafted  into  a  stock,  it  partakes 
of  the  nature  and  sap  of  the  tree,  and  brings 
forth  the  same  fruit ;  take  a  crab,  graft  it 
into  a  pepin,  it  brings  forth  the  same  fruit 
as  the  pepin,  so  he  who  was  once  of  a  sour 
crabby  disposition,  given  to  revenge,  when 
he  is  once  ingrafted  into  Christ,  he  partakes 
of  the  sap  of  this  heavenly  olive,  and  bears 
sweet  and  generous  fruit,  he  is  full  of  love 
to  his  enemies,  and  requites  good  for  evil. 
As  the  sun  draws  up  many  thick  nox- 
ious vapours  from  the  earth,  and  returns 
them  in  sweet  showers,  so  a  gracious  heart 
returns  the  unkindnesses  of  others  with  the 
sweet  influences  of  love  and  m.  rcifulness, 
Ps.  XXXV.  12,  13.,  "  They  rewarded  me  evil 
for  good  :  but  as  for  me,  when  they  were 
Kick,  my  clothing  was  sackcloth,  I  humbled 
my  soul  with  fasting."  This  is  a  good  cer- 
tificate to  shew  for  lieaven. 


3.  The  blessed  example  of  our  Lord  Je- 
sus ;  he  was  of  a  forgiving  spirit ;  his  ene- 
mies reviled  him,  but  he  did  pity  them  ; 
their  words  were  more  bitter  than  the  gall 
and  vinegar  they  gave  him,  but  Christ's 
words  were  smoother  than  oil ;  they  spat 
upon  him,  pierced  him  with  the  spear  and 
nails,  but  he  prayed  for  them,  "  Father, 
forgive  them ;  he  wept  over  his  enemies, 
he  shed  tears  for  them  that  shed  his  blood. 
Never  such  a  pattern  of  amazing  kind- 
ness !  Christ  bids  us  learn  of  him.  Mat. 
xi.  29.,  he  doth  not  bid  us  lejirn  of  him 
to  work  miracles,  but  he  would  have  us 
learn  of  him  to  forgive  our  enemies.  If 
we  do  not  imitate  Christ's  life,  we  cannot 
be  saved  by  his  death. 

4.  The  danger  of  an  implacable  unfor<nv- 
ing  spirit ;  it  hinders  the  efficacy  of  ordi- 
nances ;  it  is  like  an  obstruction  in  the  bo- 
dy, which  keeps  it  from  thriving.  A  re- 
vengeful spirit  poisons  our  sacrifice, — our 
prayers  are  turned  into  sin, — will  God  re- 
ceive prayer  mingled  with  this  strange  fire  ? 
Our  coming  to  the  sacrament  is  sin,  we 
come  not  in  charity  ;  so  that  ordinances  are 
turned  into  sin.  It  were  sad  if  all  the  meat 
one  did  eat  should  turn  to  poison ;  malice 
poisons  the  sacramental  cup,  men  eat  and 
drink  their  own  damnation  ;  Judas  came  to 
the  passover  in  malice,  "  and  after  the  sop 
Satan  entered,"  John.  xiii.  27. 

5.  God  hath  tied  his  mercy  to  this  con 
dition,  if  we  do  not  forgive,  neither  will  he 
forgive  us.  Mat.  vi.  15.,  ."  If  ye  forgive  not 
men  their  trespasses,  neither  will  your  hea- 
venly Father  forgive  your  trespasses."  A 
man  may  j\s  well  go  to  hell,  for  not  forgiv- 
ing, as  for  not  believing.  How  can  they 
expect  mercy  from  God,  whose  bowels  are 
shut  up,  and  are  merciless  to  their  trespas- 
sing brethren?  James  ii.  13.,  "  He  shall 
have  judgment  without  mercy,  that  hath 
shewed  no  mercy."  I  cannot  forgive,  said 
one,  though  I  go  to  hell. 

6.  The  examples  of  the  saints  who,  have 
been  of  forgiving  spirits.  Joseph  forgave 
his  brethren,  though  they  put  him  into  a 
pit,  and  sold  him,  Gen.  1.  21.,  "  Fear  ye 
not,  I  will  nourish  you,  and  your  little 
ones."  Stephen  ])rayed  for  his  persecutors 
Moses  was  of  a  forgiving  spirit ;  how  many 
injuiies  and  affronts  did  he  put  up?  The 


OF  THE  FIFTH  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


553 


people  of  Israel  dealt  unkindly  with  liim, 
they  murmured  against  liim  at  the  waters 
of  Marah,  (the  water  was  not  so  bitter  as 
their  spirits)  hut  he  fell  to  prayer  for  them, 
Exod.  XV.  25.,  "  He  cried  unto  the  Lord, 
and  the  Lord  shewed  liiin  a  tree,  wliich 
when  he  liad  cast  into  th<!  waters,  the  wa- 
ters were  made  sweet."  When  they  want- 
ed water,  tliey  fell  a-chiding  with  Moses, 
Exod.  xvii.  3.,  "  Why  hast  thou  brought 
us  out  of  Egypt,  to  kill  us  with  thirst  ?" 
As  If  tliey  had  said,  "  If  we  die,  we  will 
lay  our  death  to  thy  charge  ;"  here  was  e- 
nough  to  have  made  Moses  call  for  fire 
from  heaven  upon  them,  but  he  passeth  by 
this  injury,  and,  to  shew  he  forgave  them, 
he  becomes  an  intercessor  for  them,  v.  4., 
and  set  the  rock  a  broach  for  them,  v.  5. 
The  prophet  Elisha  feasted  his  enemies, 
2  Kings,  vi.  23.,  he  prepared  a  table  for 
them  who  would  have  prepared  his  graA'e. 
Cranmer  was  famous  for  forgiving  injuries. 
When  Luther  had  reviled  Calvin,  saith  Cal- 
vin, Etinmsi  millies  me  (Uubolnm  vocet, — 
'  though  he  call  me  a  devil  a  thousand  times,' 
— yet  I  will  love  and  honour  him  as  a  pre- 
cious servant  of  Christ.  When  one  had 
abused  and  wronged  a  Christian,  asking 
him  what  wonders  hath  your  master  Christ 
wrought?  saith  he,  He  hath  wrought  this 
wonder,  that  though  you  have  so  injured 
me,  yet  I  can  forgive  you,  and  pray  for  you. 
7.  Forgiving  and  r(!quiting  good  for  evil 
is  the  best  way  to  conquer  aiul  melt  the 
heart  of  an  enemy.  Saul  having  pursued 
David  with  malice,  and  hunted  him  as  a 
partridge  upon  the  mountains,  yet  David 
would  not  do  him  mischief  when  it  was  in 
liis  ])ower.  David's  kindness  melted  Saul's 
heart,  1  Sam.  xxiv.  16,  ii.,  "  Is  this  thy 
voice,  my  son  David  ?  And  Saul  lifted  up 
his  voicp  and  wept,  and  said,  Thou  art  more 
righteous  than  I,  for  thou  hast  rewarded 
me  good."  This  forgiving  is  heaping  coals, 
which  melts  the  enemy's  heart,  Rom.  xii.  20. 
This  is  the  most  noble  victory,  to  overcome 
an  enemy  without  striking  a  bhnv,  to  con- 
quer him  with  love.  Philip  of  Macedon, 
when  it  was  told  him  that  one  Nicanor  did 
openly  rail  against  liim,  the  king,  instead 
of  putting  him  to  death,  sent  him  a  rich 
present,  which  did  so  overcome  the  man 
and  make  his  heart  relent,  that  he  went  up  | 


and  down  to  recant  what  he  had  said  against 
the  king,  and  did  highly  extol  the  king's 
clemency. 

8.  Forgiving  others  is  the  way  to  have 
forgiveness  from  God,  and  is  a  sign  of  for- 
giveness. 

(1.)  It  is  the  way  to  have  forgiveness, 
Mat.  vi.  14.,  "  If  ye  forgive  men  their  tres- 
passes, your  heavenly  Father  will  also  for- 
give you."  But  one  would  think  other 
things  should  sooner  procure  forgiveness 
from  God,  than  our  forgiving  others  :  no 
surely,  nothing  like  this  to  procure  forgive- 
ness, for  all  other  acts  of  religion  may  have 
leaven  in  them.  God  forbade  leaven  in 
the  sacrifice,  Exod.  xxxiv.  25.  One  may 
give  alms,  yet  there  may  be  the  leaven  ot 
vain  glory  in  this  ;  the  Pharisees  sounded 
a  trumpet,  they  did  not  give  alms,  but  sell 
them  for  applause,  Mat.  vi.  2.  One  may 
give  his  body  to  be  burned,  yet  there  may 
be  leaven  in  this, — it  may  be  a  false  zeal, 
— there  may  be  leaven  in  many  acts  of  re- 
ligion which  sours  the  whole  lump;  but  to 
forgive  others  that  have  offended  us, — this 
can  have  no  leaven  in  it,  no  sinister  aim, — 
this  is  a  duty  wholly  spiritual,  and  is  done 
purely  out  of  love  to  God ;  hence  it  is  God 
rather  annexeth  forgiveness  to  this  than  to 
the  highest  and  most  renowned  works  of 
charity,  which  are  so  cried  up  in  the  world. 

(2.)  It  is  a  sign  of  God's  fi)rgiving  us. 
It  is  not  a  cause  of  God's  forgiving  us,  but 
a  sign  ;  we  need  not  climb  up  into  heaven, 
to  see  whether  our  sins  are  forgiven  ;  let 
us  look  into  our  hearts,  and  see  if  we  can 
forgive  others.  Then  we  need  not  doubt 
but  God  hath  forgiven  us  :  our  loving  oth- 
ers is  nothing  but  the  reflection  of  God's 
love  to  us.  Oh  therefore,  by  all  these  ar- 
guments, let  us  be  persuaded  to  the  forgiv- 
ing others.  Christians,  how  many  offences 
hath  God  passed  by  in  us  ?  Our  sins  are 
innumerable  and  heinous:  is  God  willing 
to  forgive  us  so  many  offences,  and  cannot 
we  forgive  a  few  ?  No  man  can  do  so  n)ucri 
wrong  to  us  all  our  life,  as  we  do  to  God 
in  one  day. 

Qlest.  Jh/t  how  must  icefonjive  ? 

Alls.  As  (ioil  forgives  us. 

\.  Cordially.  God  doth  n«)t  only  make 
a  shew  of  forgiven 3ss,  and  keep  our  sins  by 
hiu),  but  doth  really  forgive, — he  passeth 

4.  .1 


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OF  THE  FIFTH  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


an  act  of  oblivion,  Jer.  xxxi.  34.  So  we 
must  not  only  say,  we  forgive,  but  do  it 
with  tlie  licart.  Mat.  xviii.  35.,  "  If  ye  from 
Vour  hearts  forgive  not." 

2.  God  forgives  fully;  he  forgives  all 
our  sins.  He  doth  not  for  fourscore  write 
down  fifty,  Ps.  ciii.  3.,  "  Who  forgiveth  all 
thy  iniquities."  Hypocrites  pass  by  some 
offences,  but  retain  others.  Would  we 
have  God  deal  so  with  us  to  remit  only 
some  trespasses,  and  call  us  to  account  for 
the  rest. 

3.  God  forgives  often  ;  we  run  afresh  u- 
pon  the  score,  but  God  multiplies  pardon, 
Isa.  Ivii.  7.  Peter  asks  the  question.  Mat. 
xviii.  21.,  "  Lord,  how  oft  shall  my  brother 
sin  against  me,  and  I  forgive  him  ?  Till  se- 
ven times  ?  Jesus  saith  to  him,  I  say  not, 
until  seven  times,  but,  until  sev^enty  times 
seven."  If  he  say,  "  I  repent,"  you  must 
say,  "  I  remit." 

Quest.  But  this  is  one  of  the  highest  acts 
of  religion,  flesh  and  blood  cannot  do  it, — 
how  shall  I  attain  to  it  ? 

Ans.  1 .  Let  us  consider  how  many  wrongs 
and  injuries  we  have  done  against  God, — 
what  volume  can  hold  our  errata  ?  Our 
sins  are  more  than  the  sparks  in  a  furnace. 

A.  2.  If  we  would  forgive,  see  God's 
hand  in  all  that  men  do  or  say  against  us. 
Did  we  look  higher  than  instruments,  our 
hearts  would  grow  calm,  and  we  would  not 
meditate  revenge.  Shimei  reproached  Da- 
vid and  cursed ;  David  looked  higher, 
2  Sam.  xvi.  11.,  "  Let  him  alone,  let  him 
curse,  for  the  Lord  hath  bidden  him." 
What  made  Christ,  that  when  he  was  revil- 
ed he  reviled  not  again  ?  He  looked  beyond 
Judas  and  Pilate,  he  saw  his  Father  put- 
ting the  bitter  cup  into  his  hand  :  and  as 
we  must  see  God's  hand  in  all  the  affronts 
and  incivilities  we  receive  from  men,  so  we 
must  believe  God  will  do  us  good  by  all,  if 
we  belong  to  liim,  2  Sam.  xvi.  12.,  "  It 
may  be  the  Lord  will  requite  me  good  for 
his  cursing  this  day."  Qiiisfjuis  detrahit  fla- 
mes inea  addet  wercedi  7uece.  Aug.  He 
that  injures  me  shall  add  to  my  reward  ; 
lie  that  clij)s  my  name  to  make  it  weigh 
ighter,  shall  make  my  crown  weigh  hea- 


vier. Well  might  Stephen  pray  for  his  e- 
nemies,  "  Lord,  lay  not  this  sin  to  their 
charge,"  Acts  vii.  60.  He  knew  they  did 
but  increase  his  glory  in  heaven ;  every 
stone  his  enemies  threw  at  him,  added  a 
pearl  to  his  crown. 

A.  3.  Lay  up  a  stock  of  faith,  Luke  xvii. 
4.,  "  If  thy  brother  trespass  against  thee 
seven  times  in  a  day,  and  seven  times  in  a 
day  turn  again  unto  thee,  and  say,  I  re- 
pent, thou  shalt  forgive  him."  And  the  a- 
postles  said  to  the  Lord,  "  increase  our 
faith  :"  as  if  they  had  said,  "We  can  never 
do  this  without  a  great  deal  of  faith  ;  Lord, 
increase  our  faith."  Believe  God  hath  par- 
doned you,  and  you  will  pardon  others ; 
only  faith  can  throw  dust  upon  injuries,  and 
bury  them  in  the  grave  of  forgetful ness. 

A.  4.  Think  how  thou  hast  sometimes 
wronged  others ;  and  may  it  not  be  just 
with  God  that  the  same  measure  you  mete 
to  others,  should  be  measured  to  you  again  ? 
Hast  not  thou  wronged  others,  if  not  in 
their  goods,  yet  in  their  name?  If  thou 
hast  not  borne  false  witness  against  them, 
yet  perhaps  thou  hast  spoken  falsely  ot 
them  :  the  consideration  of  this  may  make 
Christians  bury  injuries  in  silence. 

A.  5.  Get  humble  hearts.  A  proud  man 
thinks  it  a  disgrace  to  put  up  an  injury. 
What  causeth  so  many  duels  and  murders 
but  pride?  "Be  clothed  with  humility," 
1  Pet.  v.  5.  He  who  is  low  in  his  own 
eyes,  will  not  be  troubled  much  though  o- 
tliers  lay  him  low :  he  knows  there  is  a  day 
coming,  when  there  shall  be  a  resurrection 
of  names  as  well  as  bodies,  and  God  will 
avenge  him  of  his  adversaries,  Luke  xviii. 
7.,  "  And  shall  not  God  avenge  his  own 
elect?"  The  humble  soul  leaves  all  his 
wrongs  to  God  to  requite,  who  hath  said, 
"  Vengeance  is  mine,"  Rom.  xii.  19. 

Use,  Of  comfort.  Such  as  forgive,  God 
will  forgive  them.  You  have  a  good  argu- 
ment to  plead  with  God  for  forgiveness. 
"  Lo,  I  am  willing  to  forgive  him  who 
makes  me  no  satisfaction,  and  wilt  not  thou 
foririve  me  who  hast  received  satisfaction 
in  Christ  my  surety."  So  ends  the  fifth 
petition. 


OF  THE  SIXTH  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


55b 


OF  THE  SIXTH  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 

Mat.  vi.  13.  And  lead  us  not  into  temptation^  hut  deliver  us  from  evil. 


TI11J5  petition  consists  of  two  parts. 
First,  Deprecatory,  "  Lead  us  not  into 
temptation."  Secondly,  Petitionary,  "  but 
deliver  us  from  evil." 

First,  "  Lead  us  not  into  temptation." 
Doth  Cod  lead  into  temptation  ?  God 
tempts  no  man  to  sin,  James  i.  13.,  "  Let 
no  man  say  when  he  is  tempted,  I  am  tempt- 
ed of  God,  for  God  tempteth  not  any  man." 
Clod  doth  permit  sin,  but  doth  not  promote 
It.  He  who  is  an  encourager  of  holiness 
cannot  be  a  patron  of  sin.  God  doth  not 
tempt  to  that  which  he  hath  an  antipathy 
against.  What  king  will  tempt  his  subjects 
to  bleak  those  laws  which  he  himself  hath 
established. 

Quest.   But  is  it  not  saidy   God  tempted 
Abraham?  Gen.  xxii.  1. 
'  Ans.  Tempting   there  was  no  more  than 

trying.  God  tried  Abraham's  faith,  as 
a  goldsmith  tries  gold  in  the  fire :  but 
there  is  a  great  deal  of  difference  be- 
tween God's  trying  his  people's  grace,  and 
exciting  their  corruptions ;  he  trieth  their 
grace,  but  doth  not  excite  their  corruptions; 
man's  sin  cannot  be  justly  fathered  on 
God.     God  tempts  no  man. 

Quest.  JVhal  then  is  the  meaning  of  this, 
Lead  us  not  into  temptation  ? 

Alts.  When  we  pray,  "  Lead  us  not  into 
temptation,"  the  meaning  is,  we  desire  of 
God  that  lie  would  not  suffer  us  to  be  over- 
come by  temptation.  That  we  may  not  be 
given  up  to  the  power  of  temptation,  which 
is  when  we  are  trepanned  into  sin. 

Quest.  JVheitce  do  temptations  come  ? 

Ans.  1.  Ab  intra, — from  ourselves.  The 
heart  is  Jomes  peccati, — the  breeder  of  all 
evil.  Our  own  hearts  are  the  greatest 
tempters :  James  i.  14.,  "  Every  man  is 
tempted  when  he  is  drawn  away  of  his  own 
lust."     Tiie  heart  is  a  perfect  decoy. 

2.  Temptations  come  ab  extra, — from 
Satan.  lie  is  called  '  the  Tempter,'  Mat. 
iv.  3.,  he  lies  in  ambush  to  do  us  mischief, 
—.Stat  in  procinctu  diabolus, — the  devil  lays 
a  train  of  temptation  to  blow  up  the  fort  of 
our  grace ;  the  devil  is  not  yet  fully  cast 


into  prison,  but  is  like  a  prisoner  that  goes 
under  bail ;  the  world  is  his  diocese  where 
he  visits ;  we  are  sure  to  find  Satan,  what- 
ever we  are  doing, — reading, — praying, — 
meditating ;  we  find  him  within,  how  he 
came  there  we  know  not ;  we  are  sure  of 
his  company,  uncertain  how  we  came  by  it. 
A  saint's  whole  life  (saith  Austin)  is  a 
temptation.  Elias,  who  could  shut  heaven 
by  prayer,  could  not  shut  his  heart  from  a 
temptation.  This  is  a  great  molestation  to 
a  child  of  God;  as  it  is  a  trouble  to  a  vir- 
gin to  have  her  chastity  daily  assaulted. 
The  more  one  is  tempted  to  evil,  the  more 
he  is  hindered  from  good ;  we  are  in  great 
danger  of  Satan  '  the  prince  of  the  air ;' 
and  we  had  need  often  pray,  "  Lead  us  not 
into  temptation."  That  we  may  see  in  what 
danger  we  are  of  Satan's  temptations. 

Consider  \st.  His  malice  in  tempting. 
This  hellish  serpent  is  swelled  with  the 
poison  of  malice.  Satan  envies  man's  liap- 
piness  ;  to  see  a  clod  of  dust  so  near  to  God, 
and  himself  (once  a  glorious  angel)  cast 
out  of  the  heavenly  paradise,  this  makes 
him  pursue  mankind  with  inveterate  hatred, 
Rev.  xii.  12.,  "  The  devil  is  come  down  to 
you  having  great  wrath."  If  there  be  any 
thing  this  infernal  spirit  of  hell  can  delight 
in,  it  is  to  ruin  souls,  and  bring  them  into 
the  same  condemnation  with  himself.  This 
malice  of  Satan  in  tempting  must  needs  be 
great,  if  we  consider  three  things  : 

1.  That  when  Satan  is  so  full  of  torment, 
yet,  that  at  such  a  time  he  should  tempt. 
One  would  think  that  Satan  should  scarce 
have  a  thought  free  from  thinking  of  his  own 
misery  ;  yet  such  is  his  rage  and  malice, 
that,  when  God  is  punishing  him,  he  is 
tempting. 

2.  Satan's  malice  is  great,  that  lie  will 
tempt  where  he  knows  he  cannot  prevail ; 
he  will  put  forth  his  sting,  though  he  can- 
not hurt.  He  tempted  Christ,  Mat.  iv.  3., 
"  If  thou  be  the  Son  of  God."  He  knew 
well  enoufih  Christ  was  God  as  well  as  man, 
yet  he  would  tempt  him.  Such  was  hia 
malice  against  Christ,  that  he  would  put  aa 


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OF  THE  SIXTH  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


affront  on  Clirist,  though  he  knew  he  could 
not  conquer  him.  He  tempts  the  elect  to 
blasphemy ;  he  knows  he  cannot  prevail  a- 
gainst  the  elect ;  yet  such  is  his  malice,  that 
though  he  cannot  storm  the  garrison  of 
their  hearts,  yet  he  will  plant  his  pieces  of 
ordnance  against  them. 

3.  Satan's  malice  is  great,  that  though  he 
knows  his  tempting  men  to  sin  will  increase 
his  own  torment  in  hell,  yet  he  will  not 
leave  off  tempting ;  every  temptation  makes 
his  chain  heavier,  and  his  fire  hotter,  yet 
he  will  tempt.  Therefore  Satan  being  such 
a  malicious  revengeful  spirit,  had  we  not 
need  pray  that  God  would  not  suffer  him 
to  prevail  by  his  temptations  ?  "  Lead  us 
not  into  temptation." 

Consider  2d.  Satan's  diligence  in  tempt- 
ing, 1  Pet.  V.  8.,  "  He  walketh  about."  He 
neglects  no  time  ;  he  who  would  haA'e  us 
idle,  yet  he  himself  is  always  busied.  This 
lion  is  ever  hunting  after  his  prey, — he 
compasseth  sea  and  land  to  make  a  prose- 
lyte,— he  walks  about, — he  walks  not  as  a 
pilgrim,  but  a  spy, — he  watcheth  where  he 
may  throw  in  the  fire-ball  of  a  temptation. 
He  is  a  restless  spirit ;  if  we  repulse  him, 
yet  he  will  not  desist,  but  come  again  with 
a  temptation.  Like  Marcellus,  a  Roman 
captain  Hannibal  speaks  of,  whether  he  was 
conquered,  or  did  conquer,  he  was  never 
quiet.  More  particularly,  Satan's  diligence 
in  tempting  is  seen  in  this, 

\.  If  he  gets  the  least  advantage  by  temp- 
tation, he  pursues  it  to  the  utmost.  If  his 
motion  to  sin  begins  to  take,  he  follows  it 
close,  and  presseth  to  the  act  of  sin.  When 
he  tcm[)ted  Judas  to  betray  Christ,  and 
found  that  Judas  was  inclinable,  and  began 
to  bite  at  the  bait  of  thirty  pieces  of  silver, 
he  hurries  him  on,  and  never  leaves  him 
till  he  had  betrayed  his  Lord  and  Master. 
When  he  had  tempted  Spira  to  renounce 
his  religion,  and  saw  Spira  begin  to  yield, 
lie  follows  his  temptation  close,  and  never 
left  till  he  had  made  him  go  to  the  legate 
at  Venice,  and  there  abjure  his  faith  in 
Christ. 

2.  Again,  Satan's  diligence  in  tempting 
is  seen  in  this,  the  variety  of  temptations 
he  useth.  He  doth  not  confine  himself  to 
one  sort  of  temptation,  he  hath  more  ])lots 
than  one;  if  he  finds  one  temptation  doth 


not  prcA'ail,  he  will  have  another ;  if  he  can- 
not tempt  to  lust,  he  will  tempt  to  pride; 
if  a  temptation  to  covetousness  doth  not 
prevail,  he  will  tempt  to  profuseness;  if  he 
cannot  fright  men  into  despair,  he  will  see 
if  he  can  draw  them  to  presumption  if  he 
cannot  make  them  profane,  he  Avill  see  if 
he  can  make  them  formalists  ;  if  he  cannot 
make  them  vicious,  he  will  tempt  them  to 
be  erroneous.  He  will  tempt  them  to  leave 
off  ordinances  ;  he  will  pretend  revelations. 
Error  damns  as  well  as  vice  ;  the  one  pis- 
tols, the  other  poisons;  thus  Satan's  dili- 
gence in  tempting  is  great,  he  will  turn 
every  stone,  he  hath  several  tools  to  work 
with  ;  if  one  temptation  will  not  do,  he  will 
make  use  of  another.  Had  not  we  need 
then  to  pray,  "  Lead  us  not  into  temptation." 

3.  Consider  Satan's  power  in  tempting. 
He  is  called  "the  prince  of  the  world," 
John  xii.  31.,  and  the  "  strong  man,"  Luke 
xi.  21.,  and  the  "great  red  dragon,"  who 
"  with  his  tail  drew  down  the  third  part 
of  the  st.irs,"  Rev.  xii.  4.  He  is  full  of 
power,  being  an  angel  ;  though  Satan  hath 
lost  his  holiness,  yet  not  his  strength.  The 
devil's  power  in  tempting  is  seen  several 
ways  :  1.  He,  as  a  spirit  having  an  intellec- 
tual being,  can  convey  himself  into  the  fan- 
cy, and  poison*  it  with  bad  thoughts.  As 
the  Holy  Ghost  doth  cast  in  good  motions, 
so  the  devil  doth  bad  ;  he  put  it  into  Judas's 
heart  to  betray  Christ,  John  xiii.  2.  2. 
Satan,  though  he  cannot  compel  the  will, 
yet  he  can  ])resent  pleasing  objects  to  the 
senses,  which  liaA'e  a  great  force  in  them. 
He  set  a  '  wedge  of  gold'  before  Achan, 
and  so  enticed  him  with  that  golden  bait. 
3.  The  devil  can  excite  and  stir  up  the 
corruption  within,  and  work  some  inclina- 
bleness  in  the  heart  to  embrace  the  tempta- 
tion ;  thus  he  stirred  up  corruption  in  Da- 
vid's heart,  and  provoked  him  to  number 
the  people,  1  Chron.  xxi.  1.  Satan  can 
blow  the  spark  of  lust  into  a  flame. 

4.  Herein  lies  much  of  his  j)ower,  that 
he  being  a  spirit,  can  so  strangely  convey 
his  temptations  into  our  minds,  that  we 
cannot  easily  discern  whether  they  come 
from  Satan,  or  from  ourselves ;  a\  hether 
they  are  his  suggestions,  or  the  natural 
births  of  our  own  hearts.  A  bird  may 
hatch  the  e^^  of  another  bird,  thinking  it  is 


OF  THE  SIXTH  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


537 


her  own  :  often  we  hatch  the  devil's  mo- 
tions, thinking  tlicy  come  from  our  own 
hearts.  When  Peter  dissuaded  Christ  from 
suffering,  sure  Peter  thought  it  came  from 
the  good  affection  wliich  he  did  bear  to  his 
mast(M',  Mat.  xvi.  22.,  little  did  Peter  think 
Satan  had  an  hand  in  it.  Now,  if  the  de- 
vil hath  such  a  power  to  instil  his  tempta- 
tions, that  we  hardly  know  whether  they 
be  his  or  ours,  we  are  in  a  great  deal  of 
danger,  and  had  need  pray,  not  to  be  led 
into  temptation.  Here,  I  know,  some  are 
desirous  to  move  the  question, 

Quest.  How  shall  we  perceive  when  a  mo- 
tion comes  from  our  own  hearts,  and  when 
from  Satan  ? 

Ans.  1.  It  is  hard  (as  Bernard  saith)  to 
distinguish  inter  morsum  serpentis,  et  morhum 
mentis, — between  those  suggestions  which 
come  from  Satan,  and  which  breed  out  of 
our  own  hearts.  But  I  conceive  there  is 
this  threefold  difference. 

1.  Such  motions  to  evil  as  come  from  our 
own  hearts,  spring  up  more  leisurely,  and 
by  degrees ;  a  sin  is  long  concocted  in  the 
thoughts,  ere  consent  be  given,  but  usually 
we  may  know  a  motion  comes  from  Satan 
by  its  suddenness  ;  therefore  a  temptation 
is  compared  to  a  dart,  Eph.  vi.  16.,  because 
it  is  shot  suddenly.  David's  numbering  the 
people  was  a  motion  which  the  devil  did  in- 
ject suddenly. 

2.  The  motions  to  evil  which  come  from 
our  own  hearts  are  not  so  terrible  ;  few  are 
frighted  at  the  sight  of  their  own  children  ; 
but  motions  coming  from  Satan  are  more 
ghastly  and  frightful,  as  motions  to  blas- 
plieuiy  and  self-murder.  Hence  it  is  temp- 
tiitioiis  are  compared  to  fiery  darts,  Eph.  vi. 
16.,  fi»r  their  terribleness,  because  they  do, 
as  flashes  of  fire,  startle  and  affright  the 
soul. 

3.  When  evil  thoughts  are  thrown  into 
our  mind,  when  we  loathe,  and  h.ive  reluc- 
tuiicy  against;  when  we  strive  against  them, 
and  tire  from  them,  as  Moses  did  from  the 
serpent,  this  shews  they  are  not  the  natural 
birth  of  our  own  heart,  but  the  hand  of 
Joab  is  in  this.  Satan  hath  injected  these 
im]>ure  motions. 

4.  Satan's  power  in  tempting  appears  by 
the  long  experience  he  hath  gotten  in  the 
art :  he  hath  been  a  tempter,  well  nigh  as 


long  as  he  liath  been  an  angel.  Wlio  are 
fitter  for  action  than  men  of  experience  ? 
Who  is  fitter  to  steer  a  ship  than  an  old  ex- 
perienced pilot  ?  Satan  hath  gained  much 
experience,  by  his  being  so  long  versed  in 
the  trade  of  tempting.  He  having  such  ex- 
perience, knows  what  are  the  temptations 
which  have  foiled  others,  and  are  most  like- 
ly to  prevail  :  the  fowler  lays  those  snares 
which  have  caught  other  birds.  Satan  hav- 
ing such  power  in  tempting,  we  are  in  dan- 
ger, and  had  need  pray,  "  Lead  us  not  into 
temptation." 

5.  Consider  Satan's  subtilty  in  tempting. 
The  Greek  word  to  tempt,  signifies  to  de- 
ceive. Satan  in  tempting,  useth  many  sub- 
tle policies  to  deceive  ;  we  read  of  the  depths 
of  Satan,  Rev.  ii.  24. ;  and  his  devices  and 
stratagems,  2  Cor.  ii.  11.;  we  read  of  his 
snares  and  his  darts ;  his  snares  are  worse 
than  his  darts;  he  is  called  a  lion  for  his 
cruelty,  and  an  old  serpent  for  his  subtilty; 
he  hath  several  sorts  of  subtilty  in  tempting. 

\st  Subtilty.  The  devil  observes  the  na- 
tural temper  and  constitution.  Omnium  dis- 
cntit  mores.  The  devil  doth  not  know  the- 
hearts  of  men,  but  he  may  feel  their  pulse, 
know  their  temper,  and  so  accordingly  can 
apply  himself.  As  the  husbandman  knows 
what  seed  is  proper  to  sow  in  si^ch  a  soil, 
so  Satan  finding  out  the  temper,  knows 
what  temptations  is  proper  to  sow  in  such 
a  heart.  That  way  the  tide  of  a  man's  con- 
stitution runs,  that  way  the  wind  of  temp- 
tation blows ;  Satan  tempts  the  ambitious 
man  with  a  crown,  the  sanguine  man  with 
beauty,  the  covetous  man  with  a  wed<re  of 
gold.  He  provides  savoury  meat,  such  as 
the  siinier  loves. 

2d  Subtilty.  Satan  clsooseth  the  fittest 
season  to  tempt  in.  As  a  cuiming  angler 
casts  in  his  angle  when  the  fish  will  bite 
best ;  the  devil  can  hit  the  very  joint  of  time 
when  a  temptation  is  likeliest  to  j)revail. 
There  are  several  seasons  he  tempts  in. 

\st  Season.  In  our  first  initiation  and 
entrance  into  religion,  when  we  have  newly 
given  up  our  names  to  Christ.  Satan  will 
never  disturb  his  vassals ;  but  when  we 
have  broke  his  prison  in  conversion,  now  he 
pursues  us  with  violent  temptations.  Solet 
inter  primordia  conversionis  acrius  insurgere. 
Bern.     When  Israel  were  got  a  little  out 


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OF  THE  SIXTH  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


of  E^'pt,  tlien  Pharaoh  pursues  them. 
Herod,  as  soon  as  Christ  was  born,  sent  to 
destroy  him  ;  so  when  the  child  of  grace  is 
newly  born,  the  devil  labours  to  strangle  it 
with  temptation.  When  the  first  buddings 
and  blossoms  of  grace  begin  to  appear,  the 
devil  would  nip  these  tender  buds  with  the 
sharp  blasts  of  his  temptations.  Indeed,  at 
first  conversion,  grace  is  so  weak,  and  temp- 
tation so  strong,  that  one  would  wonder 
how  the  young  convert  escapes  with  his 
life  ;  Satan  hath  a  spite  at  the  new  creature. 

2d  Season.  The  devil  tempts  when  he 
finds  us  idle,  unemployed.  We  do  not  sow 
seed  in  fallow  ground  ;  but  Satan  sows 
most  of  his  seed  in  a  person  that  lies  fallow. 
When  the  fowler  sees  a  bird  sit  still  and 
perch  upon  the  tree,  now  he  shoots  it ;  so 
when  Satan  obsei'ves  us  to  sit  still,  now  he 
shoots  his  fiery  darts  of  temptation  at  us, 
Mat.  xiii.  25.,  "  While  men  slept,  the  ene- 
my sowed  tares ;"  so,  while  men  sleep  in 
sloth,  Satan  sows  his  tares.  When  David 
was  walking  on  the  leads,  and  unemployed, 
now  the  devil  set  a  tempting  object  before 
him,  and  it  prevailed,  2  Sam.  xi.  3. 

2d  Season.  When  a  person  is  reduced 
to  outward  wants  and  straits,  now  is  the 
devil's  tempting  time.  When  Christ  had 
fasted  forty  days  and  was  hungry,  then  the 
devil  comes  and  tempts  him  with  the  glory 
of  the  world.  Mat.  iv.  8.  When  pi'ovisions 
grow  short,  now  Satan  sets  in  with  a  temp- 
tation ;  What  !  Wilt  thou  starve  rather 
than  steal  ?  Reach  forth  tliy  hand,  pluck 
the  forbidden  fruit !  How  oft  doth  this 
temptation  prevail  !  How  many  do  we  see, 
who,  instead  of  living  by  faith,  live  by  their 
shifts,  and  will  steal  the  venison,  though 
they  lose  the  blessing  ! 

Ath  Season.  Satan  tempts  after  an  ordi- 
nance. When  we  have  been  at  hearing  of 
the  word,  or  prayer,  or  sacrament ;  now 
Satan  casts  in  the  angle  of  temptation. 
When  Christ  had  been  fasting  and  praying, 
then  came  the  tempter,  Mat.  iv.  3. 

Quest.  ]Vliy  doth  Satan  choose  this  time 
to  tempt  in,  after  an  ordinance  ?  One  icoidd 
think  this  were  the  most  disadvantageous  time, 
for  notv  the  soul  is  raised  up  to  an  heavenly 
frame  ? 

Ans.  1.  Malice  puts  Satan  upon  it.  The 
ordinances,  that  cause  fervour  in  a  saint, 


cause  fury  in  Satan.  He  knows  in  every 
duty  we  have  a  design  against  him, — in  e- 
very  prayer  we  put  up  a  suit  in  heaven  a- 
gainst  him, — in  the  Lord's  supper,  we  take 
the  sacrament  upon  it,  to  fight  under  Christ's 
banner  against  the  devil, — therefore  now 
Satan  is  more  enraged,  lie  now  lays  his 
snares,  and  shoots  his  darts  against  us. 

A.  2.  Satan  tempts  after  an  ordinance, 
because  he  thinks  he  shall  now  find  us 
more  secure.  After  we  have  been  at  the 
solemn  Avorship  of  God,  we  are  apt  to  grow 
remiss,  and  leave  off  former  strictness,  like 
a  soldier,  that  after  the  battle  leaves  off  his 
armour :  now  Satan  watcheth  his  time. 
He  doth  as  David  did  to  the  Amalekites, 
after  they  had  taken  the  spoil,  and  were  se- 
cure, they  did  eat  and  drink,  and  dance, 
now  David  fell  upon  them,  and  did  smite 
them,  J  Sam.  xxx.  17.:  so  when  we  grow 
remiss  after  an  ordinance,  and  perhaps  too 
much  indulge  ourselves  in  carnal  delights, 
now  Satan  falls  upon  us  by  a  temptation, 
and  oft  foils  us.  As  after  a  full  meal,  men 
are  apt  to  grow  drowsy,  so  after  we  have 
had  a  full  meal  at  an  ordinance,  we  are  apt 
to  slumber  and  grow  secure,  and  now  Sa- 
tan shoots  his  arrow  of  temptation,  and  hits 
us  between  the  joints  of  our  armour. 

5th  Season.  Satan  tempts  after  some  dis- 
coveries of  God's  love.  Satan,  like  a  pirate, 
sets  on  a  ship  that  is  lichly  laden :  so  when 
a  soul  hath  been  laden  with  spiritual  com- 
forts, now  the  devil  will  be  shooting  at  him 
to  rob  him  of  all.  The  devil  envies  to  see 
a  soul  feasted  with  spiritual  joy.  Joseph's 
party-coloured  coat  made  his  brethren  env}' 
him,  and  plot  against  him.  After  David 
had  the  good  news  of  the  pardon  of  his  sin 
(which  must  needs  fill  him  with  consola- 
tion) Satan  presently  tempted  him  to  a  new 
sin  in  numbering  the  people;  and  so  all 
his  comfort  leaked  out,  and  was  spilt. 

6th  Season.  Satan  tempts  when  he  sees 
us  weakest.  He  breaks  over  the  hedge 
where  it  is  lowest ;  as  the  sons  of  Jacob 
came  upon  the  Shechcmites  when  they  weie 
sore,  and  could  make  no  resistance.  Gen. 
xxxiv.  25.  At  two  times  Satan  comes  up- 
on us  in  our  weakness. 

(1.)  AVhen  we  are  alone;  so  he  came  to 
Eve  when  her  husband  was  away,  and  sho 
the  less  able  to  resist  his  temptation.     Sa- 


OF  THE  SIXTH  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


5/i9 


tan  hath  this  policy,  he  gives  his  poison 
privately,  when  no  body  is  by  ;  others 
might  discover  his  treachery.  Satan  is  like 
a  cuiniing  suitor  tliat  wooes  the  daughter 
when  the  parents  are  from  home  ;  so,  when 
one  is  alone,  and  none  near,  now  the  devil 
comes  a-wooing  with  a  temptation,  and 
hopes  to  liave  tlie  match  struck  up. 

(2.)  When  the  hour  of  death  approaches. 
As  the  poor  sheep  when  it  is  sick  and  weak 
and  can  hardly  help  itself,  now  the  crows 
lie  pecking  at  it,  so,  when  a  saint  is  weak 
on  his  death-bed,  now  the  devil  lies  peck- 
ing at  him  with  a  temptation, — he  reserves 
his  most  furious  assaults  till  the  last.  The 
people  of  Israel  were  never  so  fiercely  as- 
saulted, as  when  they  were  going  to  take 
possession  of  the  promised  land  ;  then  all 
the  kings  of  Canaan  combined  their  forces 
against  them  ;  so,  when  the  saints  are  leav- 
ing the  world,  and  going  to  set  their  foot 
on  the  heavenly  Canaan,  now  Satan  sets 
upon  them  by  temptation ;  he  tells  them 
they  are  hypocrites  ;  all  their  evidences  are 
counterfeit.  Thus,  like  a  coward,  he  strikes 
the  saints  when  they  are  down  ;  when  death 
is  striking  at  the  body,  he  is  striking  at  the 
soul.  This  is  the  second  subtilty,  Satan 
chooseth  the  fittest  season  when  to  throw 
in  a  temptation. 

Sd  Subtilty.  A  third  subtle  policy  of 
Satan  in  tempting,  is,  he  baits  his  hook 
with  religion  ;  the  devil  can  hang  out 
Christ's  colours,  and  tempt  to  sin  under 
pretences  of  piety.  Now  he  is  the  white 
devil  and  transforms  himself  into  an  angel 
of  light.  Celsus  wrote  a  book  full  of  error, 
and  he  entitled  it.  Liber  verUatis,  '  the  book 
of  truth  :'  so  Satan  can  write  the  title  of 
religion  upon  his  worst  temptation.  lie 
comes  to  Christ  with  scripture  in  his  mouth, 
"  it  is  written,"  &c.  So  he  comes  to  many, 
and  tempts  them  to  sin,  under  the  pretence 
of  religion  ;  he  tempts  to  evil,  that  good 
may  come  of  it;  he  tempts  men  to  such 
unwarrantable  actions,  that  they  may  be 
put  into  a  capacity  of  honouring  God  the 
more.  He  tempts  them  to  accept  of  pre- 
ferment against  conscience,  that  hereby 
they  may  be  in  a  condition  of  doing  more 
good ;  he  put  Herod  upon  killing  John 
Baptist,  that  hereby  he  might  be  kept  from 
the    violation    of    his    oath.       He    tempts 


many  to  oppression  and  extortion,  telling 
them,  tliev  are  bound  to  provide  for  their 
families.  He  tempts  many  to  make  away 
with  themselves,  that  they  may  live  no 
longer  to  sin  against  God  :  thus  he  wraps 
his  poisonous  pills  in  sugar.  Who  would 
suspect  him  when  he  conies  as  a  divine, 
and  quotes  scri|)ture. 

<if/i  Subtilty  of  Satan  is,  to  tempt  to  sin 
gradnully.  The  old  serpent  winds  himself 
in  by  degrees,  he  tempts  first  to  lesser  sins, 
tliat  so  he  may  bring  on  greater.  A  small 
offence  may  occasion  a  great  crime  ;  as  a 
little  prick  of  an  artery  may  occasion  a 
mortal  gangrene.  Satan  first  tempted  Da- 
vid to  an  im])ure  glance  of  the  eye,  to  look 
on  Bathsheha,  and  that  unclean  look  occa- 
sioned adultery  and  murder.  First  the  de- 
vil tempts  to  go  into  the  comj)any  of  ijie 
wicked,  then  to  twist  into  a  cor<l  of  friend- 
ship, and  so,  by  degrees,  to  be  brought  into 
the  same  condemnation  with  them  ;  this  is 
a  great  subtilty  of  Satan,  to  tem])t  to  lesser 
sins  first ;  lor  these  harden  the  heart,  and 
fit  men  for  the  committing  of  more  horrid 
and  tremendous  sins. 

5/A  Subtilty.  Satan's  policy  is  to  haiid 
over  temptations  to  us,  by  those  whom  we 
least  suspect. 

1.  By  near  friends  ;  he  tempts  us  by  them 
who  are  near  in  blood.  He  tempted  Job 
by  a  proxy, — he  handed  o^■er  a  temptation 
to  him,  by  his  wife.  Job  ii.  9.,  "  Dost  thou 
still  retain  thy  integrity  ?"  As  if  he  had 
said,  "  Job,  thou  seest  how  for  all  thy  reli- 
gion, God  deals  with  thee;  his  hand  is  gone 
out  sore  against  thee:  What!  and  still 
pray,  and  weep?  Cast  off  all  religion! 
turn  atheist !  curse  God,  and  die  !"  Thus 
Satan  made  use  of  Job's  wife  to  do  his 
work ;  the  woman  was  made  of  the  rib, 
and  Satan  made  a  bow  of  this  rib,  out  of 
which  he  shot  the  arrow  of  his  temptation. 
Per  costam  petit  cor.  The  de\  il  ol't  stands 
behind  the  curtain,  he  will  not  be  seen  in 
the  business,  but  puts  others  to  do  his  work. 
As  a  man  makes  use  of  a  serjeant  to  arrest 
another,  so  Satan  makes  use  of  a  proxy  to 
tempt ;  as  he  did  creep  into  the  serpent,  so 
he  can  creep  into  a  near  relation. 

2.  He  temi)ts  sometimes  by  religious 
friends ;  the  devil  keeps  still  out  of  sight, 
that  his  cloven  foot  may  not  be  seen.    Who 


HO 


OF  THE  SIXTH  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


would  liavc  tlioujrlit  to  have  found  the  de- 
vil in  Peter  ?  When  lie  dissuaded  Christ 
from  suffering-,  Master,  *  spare  thyself,' 
Christ  spied  Satan  in  the  temptation,  "  Get 
thee  behind  me  Satan  !'  When  our  reli- 
gious friends  would  dissuade  us  from  doing 
our  duty,  Satan  is  a  lying  spirit  in  their 
mouths,  and  would  by  them  entice  us  to 
evil. 

6th  Subtilty.  Satan  tempts  some  persons 
more  than  others  ;  some  are  like  wet  tinder, 
who  will  not  so  soon  take  the  fire  of  temp- 
tation as  others.  Satan  tempts  most  where 
he  thinks  his  policies  will  more  easily  pre- 
vail ;  some  are  fitter  to  receive  the  impres- 
sion of  temptations,  as  soft  wax  is  fitter  to 
take  the  stamp  of  the  seal.  The  apostle 
speaks  of  "  vessels  of  wrath  fitted  for  de- 
struction," Rom.  ix.  22.,  so  there  are  ves- 
sels fitted  for  temptation.  Some,  like  the 
spunge,  suck  in  Satan's  temptations.  There 
are  five  sorts  of  persons  that  Satan  doth 
most  fit  for  brooding  upon  by  his  tempta- 
tions. 

l.sY,  Ignorant  persons.  The  devil  can 
lead  them  into  any  snare ;  you  may  lead  a 
blind  man  any  whither.  God  made  a  law, 
that  the  Jews  should  not  put  a  stumbling- 
block  in  the  way  of  the  blind.  Lev.  xix.  14. : 
Satan  knows  it  is  easy  to  put  a  temptation 
in  the  way  of  the  blind,  at  which  they  shall 
stumble  into  hell.  When  the  Syrians  were 
smitten  with  blindness,  the  prophet  Elisha 
could  lead  them  whither  he  would  into  the 
enemy's  country,  2  Kings  vi.  20.  The  bird 
that  is  blind  is  soon  shot  by  the  fowler. 
Satan,  the  god  of  this  world,  blinds  men, 
and  then  shoots  them.  An  ignorant  man 
cannot  see  the  devil's  snares ;  Satan  tells 
them  such  a  thing  is  no  sin,  or  but  a  little 
one,  and  he  will  do  well  enough ;  'tis  but 
repent. 

2dh/,  Satan  tempts  unbelievers.  He  who, 
with  Diagoras,  doubts  of  a  Deity,  or,  with 
the  Phocinians,  denies  hell,  what  sin  will 
not  this  man  be  drawn  to  ?  He  is  like  me- 
tal that  Satan  can  cast  into  any  mould  ;  he 
can  dye  him  of  any  colour.  An  unbeliever 
will  stick  at  no  sin, — luxury,  perjury,  in- 
justice. Paul  was  afraid  of  none  so  much 
as  them  that  did  not  believe,  Rom.  xv.  31., 
*'  That  I  may  be  delivered  from  them  that 
do,  not  believe  in  Judea." 


Sdly,  Satan  tempts  proud  persons  ;  these 
he  hath  more  power  of.  None  is  in  greater 
danger  of  falling  by  a  temptation,  than  he 
who  stands  high  in  his  own  conceit.  When 
David's  heart  was  lifted  up  in  pride,  then 
the  devil  stirred  him  up  to  number  the  peo- 
ple, 2  Sam.  xxiv.  2.  Celsa  graviore  casu 
decidunt  turres,  ftriuntque  summos  fuhnina 
montes.  Ho  race.  Satan  made  use  of  Ha- 
man's  pride  to  be  his  shame. 

Athly^  Melancholy  persons.  Melancholy 
is  atra  bills,  a  black  humour,  seated  chiefly 
in  the  brain.  Melancholy  clothes  the  mind 
in  sable  ;  it  doth  disturb  reason  ;  Satan  doth 
work  much  upon  this  humour.  There  are 
three  things  in  melancholy,  which  give  the 
devil  great  advantage  :  1.  It  unfits  for  duty, 
it  pulls  off  the  chariot-wheels,  it  dispirits  a 
man.  Lute-strings,  when  they  are  wet, 
will  not  sound  ;  when  the  spirit  is  sad  and 
melancholy,  a  Christian  is  out  of  tune  for 
spiritual  actions.  2.  Melancholy  sides  of- 
ten with  Satan  against  God  ;  the  devil  tells 
such  a  person,  God  doth  not  love  him, 
there's  no  mercy  for  him  ;  and  the  melan- 
choly soul  is  apt  to  think  so  too,  and  sets 
his  hand  to  the  devil's  lies.  3.  Melancho- 
ly breeds  discontent,  and  discontent  is  a 
cause  of  many  sins,  unthankfulness,  impa- 
tience, and  oft  it  ends  in  self-murder. 
Judge  then  what  an  advantage  Satan  hath 
against  a  melancholy  person,  and  how  easi- 
ly he  may  prevail  with  his  temptations.  A 
melancholy  person  tempts  the  devil  to 
tempt  him. 

5thl!/,  Idle  persons.  lie  who  is  idle,  the 
devil  will  find  him  work  to  do.  Jerome 
gave  his  friend  this  counsel :  To  be  ever 
well-employed,  that  when  the  tempter  came, 
he  might  find  him  working  in  the  vineyard. 
If  the  hands  be  not  working,  the  head  will 
be  plotting  sin,  Micah  ii.  1. 

Itk  Subtilty  of  Satan  is,  to  give  some  lit- 
tle respite,  and  seem  to  leave  off  tempting  a 
while,  that  he  may  come  on  after  with  more 
advantage :  as  Israel  made  as  if  they  were 
beaten  before  the  men  of  Ai,  and  fled, — but 
it  was  a  policy  to  draw  them  out  of  their 
fenced  cities,  and  ensnare  them  by  an  am 
bush,  Josh.  viii.  15.  The  devil  sometimes 
raiscth  the  seige,  and  feigns  a  flight,  that  he 
may  the  better  obtain  the  victory.  lie  goes 
away  for  a  time,  that  he  may  return  when 


OF  THE  SIXTH  PETITION  IN  THE  LORDS  PRAYER. 


Ml 


ne  sees  abetter  season,  Luke  xi.  24.,  "  ^^Ijen 
the  unclean  spirit  is  gone  out  of  a  man,  lie 
walketh  through  dry  places,  seeking  rest: 
and  finding  none,  he  saith,  *  I  will  return 
to  my  house,  whence  I  came  out.' "  Satan, 
by  feigning  a  flight,  and  leaving  off  tempt- 
ing a  while,  causeth  security  in  persons,  and 
thev  think  they  are  safe,  and  are  become 
victors,  when,  on  a  sudden,  Satan  falls  on, 
and  wounds  them.  As  one  that  is  going  to 
leap,  runs  back  a  little,  that  he  may  take 
the  greater  jump,  Satan  seems  to  retire  and 
run  back  a  little,  that  he  may  come  on  a- 
gain  with  a  temptation  more  furiously  and 
successfully ;  therefore  we  need  always  to 
watch  and  have  on  our  spiritual  armour. 

8th  Subtilty  of  the  old  serpent  is,  either 
to  take  men  off  from  the  use  of  means,  or  to 
make  them  miscarry  in  the  use  of  means. 

First,  He  labours  to  take  men  off  from 
duty, — from  praying  and  hearing ;  his  de- 
sign is  to  discourage  them  ;  and,  to  do  that, 
he  hath  two  artifices : 

(1.)  He  discourageth  them  from  duty,  by 
suggesting  to  them  their  unworthiness  ;  they 
are  not  worthy  to  approach  to  God,  or  have 
any  signals  of  his  love  and  favour.  They  are 
sinful,  and  God  is  holy,  how  dare  they  pre- 
sume to  bring  their  impure  offering  to  God  ? 
This  is  a  temptation  indeed.  That  we  should 
see  ourselves  unworthy,  is  good,  and  argues 
humility  ;  but  to  think  we  should  not  ap- 
proach to  God  because  of  unworthiness,  is 
a  conclusion  of  the  devil's  making.  God 
saith,  "  Come,  though  unworthy :"  by  this 
temptation,  the  devil  takes  many  off  from 
coming  to  the  Lord's  table.  "  O  (saith  he) 
this  is  a  solemn  ordinance,  and  requires 
much  holiness ;  how  darest  thou  so  unwor- 
thily come,  lest  thou  eat  and  drink  unwor- 
thily ?"  Thus,  as  Saul  kept  the  people  from 
eating  honey,  so  the  devil  by  this  tempta- 
tion, scares  many  from  this  ordinance, 
which  is  sweeter  than  honey  and  the  honey- 
comb. 

(2.)  Satan  endeavours  to  discourage  from 
duty,  by  objecting  want  of  success.  Wlien 
men  have  waited  upon  God  in  the  use  of 
ordinances,  and  yet  find  not  that  comfort 
they  desire,  now  Satan  disheartens  them, 
and  puts  them  upon  resolves  of  declining 
all  religion  ;  they  begin  to  say  as  that  wicked 
king,  2  Kings  vi.  33.,  "  What  should  I  wait 


for  the  Lord  any  longer  ?"  *  When  Saul 
saw  God  answered  him  not  by  dreams  and 
visions,'  Satan  tempted  liini  to  leave  God's 
worship,  and  seek  to  the  witch  of  Endor, 
1  Sam.  xviii.  6.  No  answer  of  prayer 
comes,  "  therefore,"  saith  Satan,  "  leave  off 
praying ;  who  will  sow  seed  where  no  crop 
comes  up?"  Thus  the  devil  would,  by  his 
subtle  logic,  dispute  a  poor  soul  out  of  duty. 
But  if  he  sees  he  cannot  prevail  this  wav, 
to  take  men  off  from  the  use  of  means,  then 
he  labours. 

Secondly,  To  make  them  miscarry  in  the 
use  of  means.  By  this  artifice  he  prevails 
over  multitudes  of  professors.  Tiie  devil 
stands  as  he  did  at  Joshua's  right-hand,  to 
resist  men,  Zech.  iii.  1.  If  he  can't  hinder 
them  from  duty,  he  will  be  sure  to  hinder 
them  in  duty,  two  ways. 

1st,  By  causing  distraction  in  the  service 
of  God ;  and  this  he  doth  by  proposing  ob- 
jects of  vanity,  or  by  whispering  in  men's 
ears,  that  they  can  scarce  mind  what  they 
are  doing. 

2d/i/,  Satan  hinders,  by  putting  men  upon 
doing  duties  in  a  wrong  manner.  1 .  In  a  dead 
formal  manner,  that  so  they  may  fail  of  the 
success.     Satan  knows  duties  done  super- 
perficially  were  as  good  to  be  left  undone- 
That  prayer  which  doth  not  pierce  the  hearty 
will  never  j)ierce  heaven.    2.  He  puts  thena. 
upon  doing  duties  for  wrong  ends.      Finis- 
specijicat  actionem  ;  he  will  make  them  look 
a-sqiiint,  and  have  by-ends  in  duty,  Matth.. 
vi.  5.,  "  Be  not  as  the  hypocrites,  for  they 
love  to  pray  standing  in  the  corners  of  the 
streets,   that   they   may  be  seen   of   men." 
Prayer  is  good,  but   to  pray  to  be  seen  of 
men,  this  was  a  dead  fly  in  the  box  of  oint- 
ment ;    the   oil    of    vain-glory   feeds    their 
lamp ;  sinister  aims   corrupt  and  fly-blow 
our   holy  things.      Here   is  Satan's  policy^ 
either  to  prevent  duty,  or  pervert  it;  either 
to  take  men  off  from   the  use  of  moans,  or 
make  them  miscarry  in  the  use  of  means. 

9//t  Subtilty.  Satan  can  colour  over  sin 
with  the  name  and  j)retence  of  virtue.  Al- 
eibiades  hung  a  curtain  curiously  embroi- 
dered over  a  foul  picture  of  satyrs  ;  so  Sa- 
tan can  put  tlie  image  of  virtue  over  the 
foul  ])icture  of  sin.  Satan  can  cheat  men 
with  false  wares  ;  he  can  make  them  be- 
lieve, that  presumption  is  faith, — that  iii^ 

4B 


562 


OF  THE  SIXTH  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  TRAYER. 


temperate  passion  is  zeal, — revenge  is  pru- 
dence,— covetousness  is  frugality, — and  pro- 
digality good  hospitality.  "  Come,  see  my 
zeal  for  the  Lord,"  saith  Jehu.  Satan  ])er- 
suaded  him  it  was  a  fire  from  heaven,  when 
it  was  nothing  but  the  wildfire  of  his  own 
ambition  ;  it  was  not  zeal,  but  state-policy. 
This  is  a  subtle  art  of  Satan,  to  deceive 
by  tempting,  and  put  men  off  with  the 
dead  child  instead  of  the  live-child, — to 
make  men  believe  that  is  a  grace,  which  is 
a  sin, — as  if  one  should  write  balm-water 
upon  a  glass  of  poison.  If  Satan  hath  all 
these  subtle  artifices  in  tempting,  are  we 
not  in  great  danger  from  this  prince  of  the 
nir?  and  had  we  not  need  often  pray, 
"  Lord,  suffer  us  not  to  be  led  into  tempta- 
tion ?"  As  tlie  serpent  beguiled  Eve  with 
his  subtilty,  2  Cor.  xi.  3.,  let  us  not  be  be- 
guiled by  the  snares  and  policies  of  this 
liellish  Machiavel.  Satan  hath  a  dexterity 
in  subtle  contrivances ;  he  doth  more  hurt 
;is  a  fox,  than  a  lion ;  his  snares  are  worse 
than  his  darts,  2  Cor.  ii.  11.,  "  We  are  not 
ignorant  of  his  devices." 

\Oth.  The  next  subtilty  of  Satan  is,  he  la- 
bours to  ensnare  us  by  lawful  things.  In 
Ileitis  perimus  omnes.  More  are  hurt  by 
lawful  things,  than  unlawful,  as  more  are 
killed  "with  wine  than  poison  ;  gross  sins 
affright,  but  how  many  take  a  surfeit  and 
die,  in  using  lawful  things  inordinately  ? 
Recreation  is  lavvful, — eating  and  drinking 
are  lawful, — but  many  offend  by  excess,  and 
their  table  is  a  snare.  Relations  are  law- 
ful, but  how  oft  doth  Satan  tempt  to  over- 
love  !  how  oft  is  the  wife  and  child  laid  in 
God's  room  !  Excess  makes  things  lawful 
become  sinful. 

]\th  Subtilty  of  Satan  is,  to  make  the 
duties  of  our  general  and  particular  calling 
hinder  and  justlc  out  one  another.  Our 
general  calling  is  serving  God, — our  parti- 
cular calling  is  minding  our  employments 
in  the  world.  It  is  wisdom  to  be  regular 
in  both  these,  when  the  ])articular  calling 
doth  not  eat  out  the  time  for  God's  service, 
nor  the  service  of  God  hinder  diligence  in 
a  calling.  The  devil's  art  is  to  make  Chris- 
tians defective  in  one  of  these  two ;  some 
spend  all  their  time  in  hearing,  reading,  and 
under  a  pretence  of  living  by  faith,  do  not 
live  in  a  calling  ;  others  Satan  takes  off  du- 


ties of  religion,  under  a  pretence  that  they 
must  provide  for  their  families, — he  makes 
them  so  careful  for  their  bodies,  that  they 
quite  neglect  their  souls.  This  is  the  sul>- 
tilty  of  the  old  serpent,  to  make  men  negli- 
gent in  the  duties  either  of  the  first  table  or 
the  second. 

12//i  Subtilty  of  Satan  in  tempting  is,  to 
misrepi'esent  true  holiness,  that  he  may 
make  others  out  of  love  with  it.  He  paints 
the  face  of  religion  full  of  scars,  and  with 
seeming  blemishes,  that  he  may  create  in 
the  minds  of  men  prejudice  against  it. 
Satan  represents  religion  as  the  most  mel- 
ancholy thing,  and  that  he  who  embraceth 
it,  must  banish  all  joy  out  of  lus  diocese , 
though  the  apostle  saith,  "  Joy  and  peace 
in  believing,"  Rom.  xv.  13.  Satan  suggests 
that  religion  exposeth  men  to  danger;  he 
shews  them  the  cross,  but  hides  the  crown 
from  them ;  he  labours  to  put  all  the  dis- 
grace he  can  upon  holiness,  that  he  may 
tempt  men  to  the  renouncing  of  it.  Satan 
abuseth  the  good  Christian,  and  gives  him 
a  wrong  name  :  the  truly  zealous  man,  Sa- 
tan calls  hot-headed  and  factious, — the  pa- 
tient man,  that  bears  injuries  A^Tthout  re- 
venge, Satan  represents  him  as  a  coward, 
— the  humble  man  as  low-spirited, — the 
heavenly  man  Satan  calls  fool,  he  lets  go 
things  that  are  seen,  for  things  that  are  not 
seen  :  thus  the  devil  misrepresents  religion 
to  the  world.  As  John  Huss,  that  holy 
man,  was  painted  with  red  devils,  so  Satan 
paints  holiness  with  as  deformed,  misshapen 
a  face  as  he  can,  that  he  may,  by  this  temp- 
tation, draw  men  off  from  solid  piety,  and 
make  them  rather  scorn  than  embrace  it. 
The  hand  of  Joab  is  in  this  :  Satan  is  tempt- 
ing persons  to  atheism,  to  cast  off  all  reli- 
gion. 

13^/i  Subtilty  of  Satan  in  tempting  is,  to 
draw  men  off  from  the  love  of  the  truth  to 
embrace  error,  2  Thess.  ii.  11.,  "That  they 
should  believe  a  lie."  Satan  is  called,  in 
scripture,  not  only  an  unclean  spirit,  but  a 
lying  spirit.  As  an  unclean  spirit,  so  he 
labours  to  defile  the  soul  with  lust  ;  and  as 
a  lying  spirit,  so  he  labours  to  corrupt 
the  mind  with  error  ;  and  indeed  this  is 
dangerous,  because  many  errors  do  look  so 
like  the  truth,  as  alchymy  rej)i*esents  true 
gold.     Satan  thus  beguiles  souls.     Though 


OF  THE  SIXTH  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


5G3 


tlie  scripture  blainos  licretics  for  hcing  the 
promoters  of  error,  yet  it  cliarpeth  Satan 
with  being  the  cliief  contriver  of  it.  They 
spread  tlie  error,  but  the  devil  is  a  lying 
f'pirit  in  tlieir  mouths.  Tliis  is  Satan's 
great  temptation  ;  he  makes  men  believe 
sut'h  are  glorious  truths,  which  are  danger- 
ous impostures ;  thus  he  transforms  him- 
self "  into  .an  angel  of  liglit."  What  is  the 
meaning  of  Satan's  sowing  tares  in  the  pa- 
rable, Mat.  xiii.  25.,  but  Satan's  sowing  er- 
ror instead  of  truth  ?  How  quickly  had 
the  devil  broached  false  doctrine  in  the  a- 
])ostles'  times  ?  That  it  was  necessary  to 
be  circumcised.  Acts  xv.  1.,  that  angel- 
worship  was  lawful,  and  that  Christ  was 
not  yet  come  in  the  flesh,  1  John  iv.  3. 
Now  the  devil  tempts  by  drawing  men  to 
error,  because  he  knows  how  deadly  this 
snare  is,  and  the  great  mischief  error  will 
do  when  it  comes. — 1.  Error  is  of  a  spread- 
ing nature  ;  it  is  compared  to  leaven,  be- 
cause it  sours.  Mat.  xvi.  11.,  and  to  a  gan- 
grene, because  it  spreads,  2  Tim.  ii.  17. 
(1.)  One  error  spreads  into  more,  like  a 
circle  in  the  water,  that  multiplies  into 
more  circles,  one  error  s-eldom  goes  alone. 
(2.)  Error  spreads  from  one  person  to  ano- 
ther ;  it  is  like  the  plague,  which  infects  all 
round  about.  Satan,  by  infecting  one  per- 
son with  error,  infects  more.  The  error 
of  Pelagius  did  spread  on  a  sudden  to  Pa- 
lestine, Africa,  Italy  ;  the  Arian  error  was 
at  first  but  a  single  spark,  but  at  last  it  set 
almost  all  the  world  on  fire. — 2.  The  devW 
lays  this  snare  of  error,  because  error  brings 
divisions  into  the  church  ;  and  divisions 
bring  an  opprobrium  and  scandal  upon  the 
ways  of  God.  The  devil  danceth  at  dis- 
cord :  division  destroys  peace,  which  was 
Christ's  legacy ;  and  love,  which  is  the 
bond  of  perfection.  Not  only  Christ's  coat 
hath  been  rent,  but  his  body,  by  the  divi- 
sions which  error  hath  caused.  In  churches 
and  families  where  error  creeps  in,  what  a- 
nimosities  and  factions  doth  it  make  !  It 
sets  the  father  against  the  son,  and  the  son 
against  the  father.  What  slaughtci-s  and 
bloodshed  have  been  occasioned  by  errors 
broached  in  the  church  ! — 3.  The  devil's 
policy  in  raising  errors,  is  to  hinder  refor- 
mation ;  the  devil  was  never  a  friend  to  re- 
formation.    In   the  primitive  times,   after 


the  apostles'  days,  "  the  serpent  cast  out  of 
his  mouth  water  as  .a  flood  after  the  wo- 
man," Rev.  xii.  15.  Which  was  a  deluge 
of  heresies,  that  so  he  might  hinder  the 
progress  of  the  gospel. — 4.  Satan  tempts  to 
error,  because  error  devours  godliness.  The 
Gnostics,  as  Epiphanius  observes,  were  not 
only  corrupted  in  their  judgments,  but  in 
their  morals,  they  were  loose  in  their  lives, 
Jude  4.,  "  Ungodly  men,  turning  the  grace 
of  our  God  into  lasciviousness."  The  Fa- 
milists  afterwards  turned  ranters,  and  gave 
themselves  over  to  vices  and  immoralities  ; 
and  this  they  did,  boasting  of  the  Spirit  and 
perfection. — 5.  The  devil's  design  in  seduc- 
ing by  error,  is,  he  knows  error  is  perni 
cious  to  souls.  Error  damns,  as  well  as 
vice  ;  poison  kills  as  well  as  a  pistol.  2  Pet. 
ii.  1.,  "They  shall  privily  bring  in  damna- 
ble heresies."  Now,  if  Satan  be  thus  sub- 
tle in  laying  snares  of  error  to  deceive,  had 
not  we  need  to  pray  that  God  would  not 
suffer  us  to  be  led  into  temptation  ;  that  he 
would  make  us  wise  to  keep  out  of  the 
snare  of  error,  or,  if  we  have  fallen  into  it, 
that  he  would  give  us  to  recover  out  of  the 
snare  by  repentance  ? 

lith.  Another  subtil ty  of  Satan  is,  to  be- 
witch and  ensnare  men,  by  setting  pleasing 
baits  before  them, — the  riches,  pleasures, 
honours  of  the  world,  Mat.  iv.  9.,  "  All  this 
will  I  give  thee."  How  many  doth  Satan 
tempt  with  this  golden  apple  !  Pride,  i- 
dleness,  luxury,  are  the  three  worms  which 
breed  of  plenty,  1  Tim.  vi.  9.,  "  They  that 
will  be  rich  fall  into  temptation  and  a 
snare."  Satan  kills  with  these  silver  darts. 
How  many  surfeit  on  luscious  delights  ! 
The  pleasures  of  the  world  are  the  great 
engine  by  which  Satan  batters  down  mens' 
souls.  His  policy  is  to  tickle  them  to  death, 
to  damn  them  with  delights.  The  flesh 
would  fain  be  ])leased,  and  Satan  prevails 
by  this  temptation  ;  he  drowns  them  in  the 
sweet  waters  of  jdeasure  ;  such  as  liave  a- 
bundance  of  the  world,  walk  in  the  midst 
of  golden  snares.  We  had  need  watch  our 
hearts  in  prosperity,  and  pray  not  to  be 
*  led  into  temptation.'  We  have  as  much 
need  to  be  careful  that  we  are  not  endan- 
gered bv  prosperity,  as  a  man  hath  to  be 
careful  at  a  feast,  where  there  are  some 
poisoned  dishes  of  meat. 


564 


OF  THE  SIXTH  PETITION  IN  THE  LORDS  PRAYER. 


\5th  Subtil ty  of  Satan  in  tempting  is,  to 
plead  necessity.  Satan's  policy  in  tempt- 
ing men  under  a  plea  of  necessity  is  this, 
lie  knows  that  necessity  may  in  some  cases 
seem  to  palliate  and  excuse  a  sin.  It  may 
seem  to  make  a  lesser  evil  good  to  avoid  a 
greater,  as  Lot  offered  to  expose  Lis  daugh- 
ters to  the  Sodomites,  and  was  willing  that 
they  should  defile  them,  that  he  might  pre- 
serve the  angel-strangers  that  were  come 
into  his  house.  Gen.  xix.  8.  Doubtless  Sa- 
tan had  a  hand  in  this  temptation,  and 
made  Lot  believe  that  the  necessity  of  this 
action  would  excuse  the  sin.  The  trades- 
man pleads  a  necessity  of  unlawful  gain, 
else  he  cannot  live  ;  another  pleads  a  neces- 
sity of  revenge,  else  his  credit  would  be 
impaired :  thus  Satan  tempts  men  to  sin, 
by  telling  them  of  the  necessity.  Nay,  the 
devil  will  quote  scripture  for  it,  that  in 
gome  cases  extraordinary,  there  may  be  a 
necessity  of  doing  that  which  is  not  justi- 
fiable. Did  not  David,  in  case  of  necessi- 
ty, "  eat  the  shew  bread,  which  was  not 
lawful  for  him,  but  only  the  priests  ?"  Mat. 
xii.  4.  Nor  do  we  read  he  was  blamed ; 
then  will  Satan  say,  why  may  not  you  in 
cases  extraordinary  trespass  a  little,  and 
take  the  forbidden  fruit?  O  beware  of 
this  temptation, — see  Satan's  cloven  foot  in 
it ;  nothing  can  warrant  a  thing  in  its  own 
nature  sinful ;  necessity  will  not  justify  im- 
piety ! 

I6fh  Subtilty  of  Satan  in  tempting  is,  to 
draw  men  to  presumption.  Presumption 
is  a  confidence  without  ground  ;  it  is  made 
up  of  two  ingredients,  audacity  and  securi- 
ty ;  this  temptation  is  common.  There  is 
a  two-fold  presumption  :  1.  Satan  tempts 
men  to  presume  of  their  own  hearts,  that 
they  are  better  than  they  are ;  they  pre- 
sume they  have  grace,  when  they  have 
none  ;  they  will  not  take  gold  on  trust,  but 
th6y  will  take  grace  upon  trust ;  the  foolish 
virgins  presumed  that  they  had  oil  in  their 
vessels  when  they  had  none.  Here  that 
rule  of  Epicharmus  is  good,  "  distrust  a  fal- 
lacious heart." — 2.  Satan  tempts  men  to 
presume  of  God's  mercy ;  though  they  are 
not  so  good  as  they  should  be,  yet  (iod  is 
roerciful.  They  look  upon  God's  mercy 
with  the  broad  spectacles  of  presumption. 
Satan  soothes  men  up  in   their  sins ;    he 


preacheth  to  them  "  all  hope,  no  fear ;"  and 
so  he  deludes  them  with  these  golden 
dreams.  Qnam  multi  cum  vana  spe  descen- 
dunt  ad  inferos  !  Aug.  Presumption  is  Sa- 
j  tan's  draw-net,  by  which  he  drags  millions 
I  to  hell ;  Satan  by  this  temptation,  oft  draws 
I  the  godly  to  sin  ;  they  presume  upon  their 
!  privileges,  or  graces,  and  so  venture  on  oc- 
casions of  sin.  Jehoshaphat  twisted  into  a 
league  of  amity  with  king  Ahab,  presum- 
ing his  grace  would  be  antidote  strong  e- 
nough  against  the  infection,  2  Chron.  xviii. 
3.  Satan  tempted  Peter  to  presume  upon 
his  own  strength,  and  when  it  came  to  a 
trial,  he  was  foiled,  and  came  off  with 
shame.  We  had  therefore  need  pray,  '  that 
we  may  not  be  led  into  this  temptation  ;* 
and  with  David,  "  Keep  back  thy  servant 
also  from  presumptuous  sins,"  Ps.  xix.  13. 
\lth  Subtilty  of  Satan  in  tempting  is,  to 
carry  on  his  designs  against  us  under  the 
highest  pretences  of  friendship ;  he  thus 
puts  silver  upon  his  bait,  and  dips  his  poi- 
soned pills  in  sugar.  Satan  doth,  as  some 
courtiers,  make  the  greatest  pretences  of 
love,  where  they  have  the  most  deadly  ha- 
tred. Joab's  sword  was  ushered  in  with  a 
kiss :  "  He  kissed  Abiier,  and  then  smote 
him  under  the  fifth  rib."  Satan  puts  off 
his  lion's  skin,  and  comes  in  sheep's  cloth- 
ing,— he  pretends  kindness  and  friendship, 
— he  would  consult  what  might  be  for  our 
good.  Thus  Satan  came  to  Christ,  "  Com- 
mand that  these  stones  be  made  bread," 
Mat.  iv.  3.  As  if  he  had  said  to  Christ, 
"  I  see  thou  art  hungry,  and  here  there  is 
no  table  spread  for  thee  in  the  wilderness ; 
I  therefore,  pitying  thy  condition,  wish  thee 
to  get  something  to  eat ;  turn  stones  to 
bread,  that  thy  hunger  may  be  satisfied." 
But  Christ  spied  the  temptation,  and  with 
the  sword  of  the  Spirit  wounded  the  old 
serpent.  Thus  S:itan  came  to  Uve  and 
tempted  her  under  tlie  notion  of  a  friend  : 
"  Eat,  saith  he,  of  the  forbidden  fruit ;  fitr 
the  Lord  knows,  that,  '  in  the  dav  yo  eat 
thereof,  ye  shall  be  as  gods  :'  "  as  if  he  had 
said,  "  I  persuade  you  only  to  that  which 
will  put  you  into  a  better  condition  tlian 
now  you  are ;  eat  of  this  tree,  and  it  will 
make  you  omniscient,  'ye  shall  be  as  gods.'" 
What  a  kind  devil  was  here  !  But  it  was 
\  a  subtle  temptation,  she  greedily  swallow- 


OF  THE  SIXTH  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


565 


ing  the  bait,  it  niidld  Iter  and  all  her  pos- 
terity. Let  us  fear  liis  falacious  flatteries. 
Tvneo  Danaos  et  donn  fercntes. 

\?,lh  Siibtihy  is,  when  Satan  hath  tempt- 
ed men  to  sin,  lie  persuades  them  to  heep  his 
counsel ;  like  them  that  have  some  foul  dis- 
ease, they  will  rather  die  than  tell  the  phy- 
fsician.  It  were  wisdom,  in  case  of  sore 
temptation,  to  open  one's  mind  to  some  ex- 
perienced Christian,  whose  counsel  miijht  ])e 
an  antidote  ajifainst  the  temptation  ;  but  the 
danjTcr  of  a  temptation  lies  in  the  conceal- 
ing: of  it;  it  is  like  the  concealing  of  a  dis- 
temper, which  may  prove  mortal.  IIow  had 
we  need  renew  this  petition,  '  Lead  us  not 
into  temptation  !' 

19//^  Subtilty  of  Satan  in  tempting  is,  to 
make  use  of  fit  tools  and  engines,  for  the 
carrying  on  of  his  work  ;  that  is,  he  makes 
use  of  such  persons  as  may  be  likely  means  to 
promote  his  tem])ting  designs.  The  devil  lavs 
the  plot  of  a  temptation,  and  as  it  were  cuts 
out  the  work,  and  then  he  employs  others 
to  finish  it. 

(1.)  Satan  makes  use  of  such  as  are  in 
places  of  dignity.  Men  of  renown.  lie 
knows,  if  he  can  get  these  on  his  side,  they 
may  draw  others  into  snares;  when  the 
princes  and  heads  of  the  tribes  joined  with 
Korah,  they  presently  drew  a  multitude  in- 
to the  conspiracy,  Numb.  xvi.  2.  10. 

(2.)  The  devil  makes  use  of  such  to  car- 
ry on  his  tempting  designs,  as  are  men  of 
wit  and  parts ;  such  as,  if  it  were  possible, 
should  deceive  the  very  elect.  He  must 
have  a  great  deal  of  cunning  that  shall  per- 
suade a  man  to  be  out  of  love  with  his  food  ; 
the  devil  can  make  use  of  such  heretical 
spirits  as  shall  persuade  men  to  be  out  of 
love  with  the  ordinances  of  God,  which 
they  profess  they  have  found  comfort  in. 
Many  who  once  seemed  to  be  strict  fre- 
quenters of  the  house  of  God,  are  now  per- 
suaded, by  Satan's  cunning  instruments,  to 
leave  of  all,  and  follow  an  i^ii^nus  fatviif!,  the 
light  within  them.  This  is  a  great  subtilty 
of  the  devil,  to  make  use  of  such  cunning, 
Bubtle-pated  men,  as  may  be  fit  to  carry  on 
his  tempting  designs. 

(3.)  Satan  makes  use  of  bad  company  to 

be    instruments    of    tempting ;    they  draw 

youth  to  sin.     First,  they  persuade  them  to 

ome  into  their  company, — then   to  twist 


into  a  cord  of  friendship, — then  to  drink 
with  them, — and  by  degrees,  debauch  them. 
These  are  the  devil's  decoys  to  tempt  o- 
thers. 

20th  Subtilty  of  Satan  is,  be,  in  his  temp- 
tation, strikes  at  some  grace  more  than  o- 
thers  ;  as  in  temj)ting,  he  aims  at  some  per- 
sons more  than  others,  so  he  aims  at  some 
grace  more  than  others  ;  and  if  he  can  pre- 
vail in  this,  he  knows  what  an  advantage  it 
will  be  to  him.  If  you  ask,  what  grace  is  it 
that  Satan  in  his  temptations  doth  most 
strike  at  ?  I  answer,  it  is  the  grace  of  faith  ; 
he  lays  the  train  of  his  temptation  to  blow 
up  the  fort  of  our  faith.  Fidei  scutum  per- 
cntil.  WHiy  did  Christ  pray  more  for  Peter's 
faith,  than  any  other  grace?  Luke  xxii.  32. 
Because  Christ  saw  that  his  faith  was  most 
in  danger ;  the  devil  was  striking  at  this 
grace.  Satan,  in  tempting  Eve,  did  labour 
to  weaken  her  faith,  Gen.  iii.  1.,  "  Yea,  hath 
God  said.  Ye  shall  not  eat  of  every  tree  of 
the  garden?"  The  devil  would  persuade 
her,  that  God  bad  not  spoken  truth  ;  and 
when  he  had  once  wrought  her  to  distrust, 
then  she  took  of  the  tree.  'Tis  called  scutum 
fidei,  "  the  shield  of  faith,"  Eph.  vi.  16.  Sa- 
tan in  tempting,  strikes  most  at  our  shield, 
he  assaults  our  faith.  True  faith,  though 
it  cannot  be  wholly  lost,  yet  it  may  suffer  a 
great  eclipse;  though  the  devil  cannot  by 
temptation  take  away  the  life  of  faith,  yet 
he  may  the  lively  acting:  he  cannot ^ra^iam 
diruere  but  he  may  dehilitart. 

Quest.    Ihit  trhy  doth  Satan  in  tempting 
chiefly  set  upon  our  faith. 

Ans.  1  Kings  xxii.  31.,  "Fight  neither 
with  small  nor  great,  save  only  with  the 
king."  So  faith  is  as  it  were  the  king  of 
the  graces  ;  it  is  a  royal  princely  grace,  and 
puts  forth  the  most  majestic  and  noble  acts, 
therefore  Satan  fights  chiefly  with  this  king- 
ly grace.  I  shall  shew  you  the  devil's  po- 
licy in  assaulting  faith  most. 

\st,  Because  this  is  the  grace  doth  Satan 
most  mischief;  it  makes  the  most  resistance 
agsiinst  him,  1  Pet.  v.  9,,  "  Whom  resist, 
steadfast  in  the  faith."  No  grace  doth  more 
bruise  the  serpent's  head  than  faith.  Faith 
is  both  a  shield  and  a  sword,  defensive  and 
offensive.  (1.)  It  is  a  shield  ;  a  shield  guards 
the  head,  defends  the  vitals ;  the  shield  of 
faith  causeth  that  the  fiery  darts  of  tempta- 


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tion  do  not  pierce  us  through.      (2.)  Faith 
is  a  sword,  it  wounds  the  red  dragon. 

Quest.  How  comes  faith  to  be  so  strong, 
that  it  can  rei^ist  Satan  and  put  him  to  flight  ? 
Ans.  1.  Because  faith  brings  the  strength 
of  Christ  into  the  soul  ;  Samson's  strength 
lay  in  his  hair,  ours  lies  in  Christ.  If  a  child 
be  assaulted,  it  runs  and  calls  to  its  father  for 
lielp,  so,  when  faith  is  assaulted,  it  runs  and 
calls  Christ,  and  in  his  strength  overcomes. 
A.  2.  Faith  furnishes  itself  with  store  of 
promises ;  the  promises  are  faith's  weapons 
to  fight  with.  Now  as  David,  by  five  stones 
in  his  sling,  wounded  Goliah,  1  Sam.  xvii. 
40.,  so  faith  puts  the  promises,  as  stones, 
into  its  sling,  "  I  will  never  leave  thee  nor 
forsake  thee,"  Heb.  xiii.  5.  He  will  not 
break  the  bruised  reed,  Mat.  xii.  20.  "  He 
will  not  suffer  you  to  be  tempted  above  that 
ye  are  able,"  1  Cor.  x.  13.  The  Lord  will 
shortly  bruise  Satan  under  your  feet,  Rom. 
xvi.  20.  "  None  is  able  to  pluck  them  out 
of  my  Father's  hand,"  John  x.  29.  Here 
are  five  promises,  like  five  stones,  put  in  the 
sling  of  faith,  and  with  these  a  believer 
wounds  the  red  dragon.  Now  faith  being 
such  a  grace,  that  doth  so  resist  and  wound 
Satan,  he  will  watch  his  opportunity  that  he 
may  batter  our  shield,  though  he  cannot 
break  it. 

2dli/,  Satan  strikes  most  at  our  faith,  and 
would  weaken  and  destroy  it,  because  faith 
hath  a  great  influence  upon  all  the  other 
graces ;  faith  sets  all  the  graces  a-work. 
Like  some  rich  clothier,  that  gives  out  a 
stock  of  wool  to  the  poor  and  sets  them  all 
a-spinning,  so  faith  gives  out  a  stock  to  all 
the  other  graces,  and  sets  them  a-working. 
Faith  sets  love  a-work,  Gal.  v.  6.,  "  Faith 
which  worketh  by  love."  When  once  the 
soul  believes  God's  love,  this  kindles  love 
to  God.  The  believing  martvrs  burned 
hotter  in  love  than  in  fire.  Faith  sets  re- 
pentance a-work.  When  the  soul  believes 
there  is  mercy  to  be  had,  and  that  this  mer- 
cy is  for  him,  this  sets  the  eyes  a-weeping. 
O  saith  the  soul,  that  ever  I  should  offend 
such  a  gracious  God  !  Repenting  tears  drop 
from  the  eye  of  faith,  Mark  ix.  23.,  "  The 
father  of  the  child  cried  out  and  said  with 
tears,  Lord,  I  believe."  Faith  sets  his  eyes 
abroach  with  tears ;  therefore  the  devil  hath 
most  spite  at  faith,  and  by  his  temptations 


broaching   those  doctrines 
pleasing. 


would  undermine  it,  because  it  is  such  an 
operative  grace,  it  sets  all  the  other  graces 
on  work.  If  the  devil  cannot  destroy  our 
faith,  yet  if  he  can  disturb  it, — if  he  can 
hinder  and  stop  the  actings  of  faith, — he 
knows  all  the  other  graces  will  be  lame  and 
inactive.  If  the  spring  in  a  watch  be  stop- 
ped, it  will  hinder  the  motion  of  the  wheels  : 
if  faith  be  down,  all  the  other  graces  are  at 
a  stand. 

21s^  Subtilty  of  Satan  in  tempting,  is,  in 

that  are  flesh- 
Satan  knows  the  flesh  loA'es  to 
be  gratified,  it  cries  out  for  ease  and  liberty ; 
it  will  not  endure  any  yoke,  unless  it  be 
lined  and  made  soft.  The  devil  will  be 
sure  so  to  lay  his  bait  of  temptation,  as  to 
please  and  humour  the  flesh.  The  word 
saith,  '  Sti'ive  as  in  an  agony'  to  enter  into 
glory, — crucify  the  flesh, — take  the  kingdom 
of  heaven  by  holy  violence, — now  Satan,  to 
enervate  and  weaken  these  scriptures,  comes 
with  temptations  and  flatters  the  flesh.  He 
tells  men,  there  needs  no  such  strictness, — 
why  so  much  zeal  and  violence  ?  a  softer 
pace  will  serve, — sure  there  is  an  easier  way 
to  heaven, — there  needs  no  breaking  the 
heart  for  sin, — do  but  confess  to  a  priest, 
or  tell  over  a  few  beads,  or  say  some  Ai'e 
Marias,  and  this  will  procure  you  a  pardon, 
and  give  you  admission  into  paradise.  Or, 
the  devil  can  go  another  way  to  work  ;  if 
he  sees  men  startle  at  popery,  then  he  stirs 
up  the  flattering  Antinomian,  and  he  comes 
in  another  disguise,  and  saith,  "  What  needs 
all  this  cost  ?  what  needs  repenting  tears? 
these  are  legal.  What  need  you  be  so  strict 
in  your  obedience  ?  Christ  hath  done  all  for 
you,  you  may  make  use  of  your  Christian  li- 
berty." Tiiis  temptation  draws  many  a- 
way  ;  it  takes  them  off  from  strictness  of  life. 
He  who  sells  cheapest  shall  have  most  cus- 
tomers; the  devil  knows  this  is  a  cheap 
easy  doctrine,  which  will  please  the  flesh, 
and  he  doth  not  doubt  but  he  shall  have 
customers  enough. 

22d  Subtilty  of  Satan  in  tempting,  is,  in 
reference  to  holy  duties.  His  policy  is 
either  to  hinder  from  duty,  or  discourage  in 
duty,  or  put  men  too  far  in  duty. 

1.  To  hinder  from  duty,  as  1  Thess.  ii. 
18.,  "  I  would  have  come  once  and  again, 
but  Satan  hindered  me."     So  many  duties 


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of  religion  had  been  performed,  "  but  Sa- 
tan hindered."  The  hand  of  Joab  is  in  this. 
There  are  three  duties  wliich  the  devil  is  an 
enemy  to,  and  labours  to  keep  us  from. 

(1.)  Meditation.  He  will  let  men  pro- 
fess, or  pray  and  hear  in  a  formal  manner  ; 
this  doth  him  no  hurt,  nor  them  no  good ; 
but  he  doth  oppose  meditation,  as  being  a 
means  to  compose  the  heart,  and  make  it 
serious.  Satan  can  stand  your  small  shot ; 
if  you  do  not  put  in  this  bullet,  he  cares 
not  how  much  you  hear,  nor  how  little  you 
meditate.  Meditation  is  a  chewing  of  the 
cud, — it  makes  the  word  digest,  and  turn 
to  nourishment ;  meditation  is  the  bellows 
of  the  aifections, — the  devil  is  an  enemy  to 
this.  When  Christ  was  alone  in  the  wil- 
derness, giving  himself  to  divine  contem- 
plations, then  the  devil  comes  and  tempts 
him,  to  hinder  him.  He  will  thrust  in 
worldly  business,  something  or  other  to 
keep  men  off  from  holy  meditation. 

(2.)  Duty,  which  Satan,  by  tempting, 
would  keep  us  from,  is  mortification. 
This  is  as  needful  as  heaven,  Col.  iii.  5., 
*'  Mortify  your  members  which  are  upon 
the  earth,  uneleanness,  inordinate  affection." 
Satan  will  let  men  be  angry  with  sin,  ex- 
change sin,  restrain  sin,  which  is  keeping 
sin  prisoner,  that  it  doth  not  break  out ; 
but  when  it  comes  to  the  taking  away  the 
life  of  sin,  Satan  labours  to  stop  the  war- 
rant, and  hinder  the  execution.  When  sin 
is  mortifying,  Satan  is  crucifying. 

(3.)  Self-examination,  2  Cor.  xiii.  5., 
"  Examine  yourselves," — a  metaphor  from 
metal,  that  is  pierced  through,  to  see  if  it 
be  gohl  within.  Self-examination  is  a  spi- 
ritual inquisition  set  up  in  one's  soul  ;  a 
man  must  searcli  his  heart  for  sin,  as  one 
would  search  a  house  for  a  traitor,  or,  as 
Israel  sought  for  leaven  to  burn  it.  Satan, 
if  it  be  possible,  will,  by  his  temptations, 
keep  men  from  this  duty  ;  he  useth  a  great 
doa\  of  subtilty.  Here,  first  he  tells  them, 
their  estate  is  good,  and  what  need  they 
put  themselves  to  the  trouble  of  examina- 
tion ?  Though  men  will  not  take  their  mo- 
ney on  trust,  but  will  examine  it  by  the 
touch- stone,  yet  Satan  persuades  them  to 
take  their  grace  on  trust.  The  devil  per- 
euaiW  the  foolish  virgins,  they  had  oil  in 


will  shew  men  the  faults  of  others,  to  keep 
them  from  searching  their  own  :  see  what  a 
proud  covetous  man  goes  there.  He  will 
allow  them  spectacles  to  see  what  is  amiss 
in  others,  but  not  a  looking-glass  to  behold 
their  own  faces,  and  see  what  is  amiss  in 
themselves. 

2.  Satan's  policy  is,  to  discourage  us  in 
duty.  When  one  hath  been  about  the  per- 
forming of  holy  duties,  then  the  devil  stands 
up  and  tells  him  he  hath  played  the  hypo- 
crite,— he  hath  served  God  for  a  livre, — he 
hath  had  sinister  ends, — his  duties  have 
been  full  of  distraction,— they  have  been 
fly-blown  with  pride, — he  hath  offered  the 
blind  and  lame,  and  can  lie  expect  a  reward 
from  God  ?  Satan  tells  a  Christian,  he  hath 
increased  his  sin  by  prayer;  and,  by  this 
temptation,  he  would  make  a  child  of  God 
quite  out  of  c(mceit  with  his  duties,  he  knows 
not  whether  he  had  best  pray  or  not. 

3.  Or  thirdly,  if  this  plot  will  not  take, 
Satan  labours  by  temptation  to  put  a  Chris- 
tian on  too  far  in  duty;  if  he  cannot  keep 
a  child  of  God  from  duty,  he  will  run  liim 
on  too  far  in  it.     For  instance  humiliation 
and  mourning  for  sin  is  a  duty,   but  Satan 
will  put  one  on  too  far  in  it ;  thou  art  not, 
saith  he,  humbled  enough;  and  indeed  Sa- 
tan never  thinks  a  man  is  humbled  enough, 
till  he  despair.     He  would  make  a  Chris- 
tian wade  so  far  in  the  waters  of  repentance, 
that  he  should  wade  beyond  his  depth,  and 
be  drowned  in  the  gulf  of  despair.     Satan 
comes  thus  to  the  soul,    *'  Thy  sins  have 
been  great,  and  thy  sorrow  shall  be  propor- 
tionable to  thy  sins.     But  is  it  so?  canst 
thou  say  thou  hast  been  as  great  a  mourner 
as  thou  hast  been  a  sinner  ?  thou  didst  for 
many  years  drive  no  other  trade  but  sin, 
and  is  a  drop  of  sorrow  enough  for  a  sea  of 
sin?  No  !  thy  soul  must  be  more  humbled, 
and  lie  steeping  longer  in  the  brinish  wa- 
ters of  repentance."     Satan  would  have  a 
Christian  weep  himself  blind,  and  in  a  des- 
parate  mood  throw  away  the  anchor  of  hope 
Now,  lest  any  here  be  troubled  with  this 
temptation,  let  me  say  this,  this  is  a  mere 
fallacy  of  Satan  ;  for  sorrow  proportionable 
to  sin  is  not  attainable  in  this  life,  nor  doth 
God  expect.     It  is  sufficient  for  thee,  Chris- 
tian, if  thou  Jiast  a  gospel-sorrow, — if  thou 

their  lamps.     Satan  hath  another  policy,  he  ^grievest  so  far  as  to  see  sin  hateful,  and 


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Christ  precious, — if  thou  grievest  so  as  to 
break  off  iniquity, — if  thy  remorse  end  in 
divorce,  this  is  to  be  humbled  enough. 
Then  the  gokl  liath  lain  long  enough  in  the 
fire,  when  the  dross  is  purged  out;  then  a 
Christian  hath  lain  long  enough  in  humili- 
ation, when  the  love  of  sin  is  purged  out ; 
this  is  to  be  humbled  enough  to  divine  ac- 
ceptation. God,  for  Christ's  sake,  will  ac- 
cept of  this  sorro\y  for  sin  ;  therefore  let 
not  Satan's  temptations  drive  to  despair. 
You  see  how  subtle  an  enemy  he  is,  to  hin- 
der from  duty,  or  discourage  in  duty,  or 
put  men  on  too  far  in  duty,  that  he  may 
run  them  upon  the  rock  of  despair.  Had 
we  not  then  need  (having  such  a  subtle  e- 
nemy)  pray,  "  Lord,  lead  us  not  into  temp- 
tation ?"  As  the  serpent  beguiled  Eve,  let 
us  not  be  beguiled  by  this  hellish  Machia- 
vel. 

23^/  Subtil ty  of  Satan  in  tempting  to 
the  act  of  sin,  is  the  hopes  of  returning  out 
of  it  by  speedy  repentance.  But  this  is  a 
falacy;  it  is  easy  for  the  bird  to  fly  into 
the  snare,  but  it  is  not  easy  to  get  out  of 
the  snare.  Is  it  so  facile  a  thing  to  repent? 
Are  there  no  pangs  in  the  new  birth  ?  Is  it 
easy  to  leap  out  of  Delilah's  lap  into  Abra- 
ham's bosom  ?  How  many  has  Satan  flat- 
tered into  hell  by  this  policy,  that  if  they 
sin,  they  may  recover  themselves  by  repen- 
tance ?  Alas  !  is  repentance  in  our  power  ? 
a  spring-lock  can  shut  of  itself,  but  it  can- 
not open  without  a  key, — we  can  shut  of 
ourselves  to  God,  but  we  cannot  open  by 
repentance,  till  God  open  our  heart,  who 
liath  the  key  of  David  in  his  hand. 

24/A  Subtilty  of  Satan  in  tempting,  is, 
to  put  us  upon  doing  that  which  is  good 
unseasonably. 

(I.)  To  mourn  for  sin  is  a  duty;  the  sa- 
crifices of  God  are  a  broken  heart,  Ps.  li.  17. 
But  yet  there  is  a  time  when  it  may  not  be 
so  seasonable ;  after  some  eminent  deliver- 
ance, which  calls  for  rejoicing,  now  to  have 
the  spirits  dyed  of  a  sad  colour,  and  to  sit 
weeping,  is  not  seasonable.  There  was  a 
special  time  at  the  feast  of  tabernacles,  when 
God  called  his  people  to  cheerfulness,  Dent. 
xvi.  15.,  "  Seven  days  shalt  thou  keep  a  so- 
lemn feast  to  the  Lord  thy  God,  and  tliou 
ehalt  surely  rejoice."  Now,  if  at  this  tiuio, 
the  Israelites  had  hung  their   harps  upon 


tlie  willows,  and  been  disconsolate,  it  bad 
beon  very  unseasonable,  like  mourning  at  a 
wedding.  When  God  by  his  jn-ovidence 
calls  us  to  thanksgiving,  and  we  sit  droop- 
ing, and,  with  Rachel,  refuse  to  be  comfor- 
ted, this  is  very  evil,  and  sai'ours  of  ingra- 
titude. This  is  Satan's  temptation ;  the 
hand  of  Joab  is  in  this. 

(2.)  To  rejoice  is  a  duty,  Ps.  xxxiii.  1. 
"  Praise  is  comely  for  the  upright."  But 
when  God,  by  his  judgments,  calls  us  to 
weeping,  now  joy  and  mirth  is  unseasona- 
ble, Isa.  xxii.  12,  14.,  "  In  that  day  did  the 
Lord  call  to  weeping,  and  behold  joy  and 
gladness."  Oecolampadius,  and  other  lear- 
ned writers,  think  it  was  in  the  time  of  king 
Ahaz,  when  the  signs  of  God's  anger,  like 
a  blazing  star,  did  appear  :  now  to  be  given 
to  mirth  was  very  unseasonable. 

(3.)  To  read  the  word  is  a  duty,  but  Sa- 
tan will  sometimes  put  men  upon  it  Avhen 
it  is  unseasonable.  To  read  it  at  home 
when  God's  word  is  preaching,  or  the  sa- 
crament administering,  is  unseasonable,  yea 
sinful,  as  Hushai  said,  2  Sam.  xvii.  7., 
"  The  counsel  is  not  good  at  this  time." 
There  was  a  set  time  enjoined  for  the  pas- 
soA^er,  when  the  Jews  were  to  bring  their 
offering  to  the  Lord,  Numb.  ix.  2.  Had 
the  people  been  reading  the  law  at  home 
in  the  time  of  the  passover,  it  had  not  been 
in  season,  and  God  would  have  punished  it 
for  a  contempt.  This  is  the  devil's  subtle 
temptation,  either  to  keep  us  from  duty,  or 
to  put  us  upon  it,  when  it  is  least  in  season. 
Duties  of  religion  not  well  timed,  and  done 
in  season,  are  dangerous.  Snow  and  hail 
are  good  for  the  ground  when  they  come  in 
their  season  ;  but  in  the  harvest,  when  the 
corn  is  ripe,  then  a  storm  of  hail  would  do 
hurt. 

25th  Subtilty  of  Satan  in  tempting,  is,  to 
persuade  men  to  delay  their  repenting  and 
turning  to  God.  He  saith,  as  Hag.  i.  2., 
"  The  time  is  not  come."  Now  youth  is 
budding,  or  you  are  but  in  the  flower  of 
your  age,  it  is  too  soon  to  repent,  *'  The 
time  is  not  yet  come."  This  temj)tation  is 
the  devil's  draw-net,  by  which  lie  draws 
millions  to  hell  ;  it  is  a  dangerous  tempta- 
tion. Sin  is  (/nice  I'cneDinm,  Bkun  ,  a  ]>oi- 
son  ;  the  longer  |)oison  lies  in  the  body,  the 
more  mortal ;  by  delay  of  repentance,   sin 


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strengthens,  and  the  heart  hardens.  The 
longer  ice  freezeth,  the  harder  it  is  to  be 
broken  :  the  longer  a  man  freezeth  in  iin- 
penitency,  the  more  difficult  it  will  be  to 
have  his  heart  broken.  When  sin  hath  got- 
ten a  haunt,  it  is  not  easily  shaken  off. 
Besides,  the  danger  of  this  temptation  to 
delay  repentance  appears  in  this,  because 
life  is  hazardous  and  may  on  a  sudden  ex- 
pire. ^^^hat  security  have  you  that  you 
shall  live  another  day  ?  Life  is  made  up  of 
a  few  flying  minutes  ;  it  is  a  taper  soon 
bh)wn  out.  Jam.  iv.  14.,  "  What  is  your 
life  ?  It  is  even  a  vapour."  The  body  is 
like  a  vessel,  tunned  with  a  little  breath  ; 
sickness  broacheth  this  vessel,  death  draws 
it  out :  how  dangerous  therefore  is  this 
temptation,  to  procrastinate  and  put  off 
tiuiiing  to  God  by  repentance  !  Many  now 
in  hell  did  purpose  to  repent  but  death  sur- 
prised them. 

2Glh  Subtilty  of  Satan  in  tempting  is,  to 
infringe  and  weaken  the  saints'  peace.  If 
he  cannot  destroy  their  grace,  he  will  dis- 
turb thi'ir  peace.  Satan  envies  a  Chnstian 
should  have  a  good  day  ;  and  if  he  cannot 
keep  them  from  heaven,  he  will  keep  them 
from  an  heaven  upon  earth.  There  is  no- 
thing (next  to  holiness)  a  Christian  prizeth 
more,  than  peace  and  tranquillity  of  mind  ; 
this  is  the  cream  of  life,  a  bunch  of  grapes 
by  the  \vay.  Now,  it  is  Satan's  great  poli- 
cy to  shake  a  Christian's  peace  ;  that,  if  he 
will  go  to  heaven,  he  shall  go  thither  through 
flights,  and  plenty  of  tears.  The  devil 
throws  in  his  fire-balls  of  temptation,  to  set 
the  saints'  peace  on  fire.  Of  such  great 
concern  is  spiritual  peace,  that  no  wonder 
if  Satan  would,  by  his  intricate  subtilties, 
rob  us  of  this  jewel.  Spiritual  peace  is  a 
token  of  God's  favour.  As  Joseph  had  a 
special  testimony  of  his  father's  kindness  in 
the  party-coloured  coat  he  gave  him,  so 
have  the  saints  a  special  token  of  (iod's 
good-will  to  them,  when  he  gives  them  in- 
Avard  ])eace,  which  is,  as  it  were,  the  party- 
coloured  coat  to  wear.  No  womler  then, 
if  Satan  so  much  rage  against  the  saints' 
peace,  and  would  tear  off  this  conifortuhh' 
robe  from  them  !  The  devil  trouhh's  the 
waters  of  the  saints'  peace,  because  hereby 
he  hopes  to  have  the  more  advantage  of 
them. 


1.  By  this  perplexing  of  their  spirits,  Sa- 
tan tJikes  off  their  chariot-wheels, — unfits 
them  for  the  service  of  God ;  body  and 
mind  are  both  out  of  temper,  like  an  instru- 
ment out  of  tune.  Sadness  of  spirit  pre- 
vailing, a  Christian  can  think  of  nothing 
but  his  troubles  ;  his  mind  is  full  of  doubts, 
fears,  surmises,  so  that  he  is  like  a  person 
distracted,  and  is  scarce  himself;  either  he 
neglects  the  duties  of  religion,  or  his  mind 
is  taken  off  from  them  while  he  is  doing 
them.  Especially  there  is  one  duty  that 
melancholy  and  sadness  of  spirit  imfits  for, 
and  that  is  thankfulness.  Thankfulness  is 
a  tribute  or  quit-rent  due  to  God,  Ps.  cxlix. 
5,  6.,  "  Let  the  saints  be  joyful,  let  the  high 
praises  of  God  be  in  their  mouth."  But 
when  Satan  hath  disturbed  a  Christian's 
spirit,  and  filled  his  mind  full  of  black,  and 
almost  despairing  thoughts,  how  can  he  be 
thankful  ?  It  rejoiceth  Satan  to  see  how 
his  plot  takes  ;  by  making  God's  children 
unquiet,  he  makes  them  unthankful. 

2.  Satan,  by  troubling  the  saints'  peace, 
hath  this  advantage  of  laying  a  stumbling 
block  in  the  way  of  others;  by  this  policy, 
the  devil   gets   an   occasion  to  render   the 
ways  of  God   unlovely  to  those   who  are 
looking  heaven-ward.     He  sets  before  new- 
beginners,    the    perplexing    thoughts,     the 
tears,  the  groans  of  them  who  are  wounded 
in  sj)irit,  to  scar  them  quite  off  from  all  se- 
riousness  in    religion.     He   will   object   to 
new  beginners,  "  Do  you  not  see  how  these 
sad  souls  torture   themselves  with  melan- 
choly thoughts,   and   will  you  change  the 
comforts  and  pleasures  of  this  life  to  sit  al- 
wavs  in  the  house  of  mourninjr  ?  Will  you 
espouse  that  religion,   which   makes  you  a 
terror  to  yourselves,  and  a  burden  to  oth- 
ers? Can  you  be  in  love  with  such  a  reli- 
gion, as  is  ready  to  fright  you  out  of  your 
wits?"    This  advantiige  the  devil   gets  by 
troubling  the  saints'  peace, — he  would  dis- 
courage  others    wlio   are   looking   towards 
heaven, — he    would    beat    them    off    from 
prayer,  and  heariiiff  all  soul-awakening  ser- 
mons,  lest  they  fall  into  this  black  humour 
of  melancholy,  and  end  their  days  in  des- 
pair. 

3.  By  this  subtle  policy  of  Satan,  in  dis- 
turbing the  saints'  peace,  and  making  theiu 
believe  God  doth  not  love  them,  he  hath 

4G 


670 


OF  THE  SIXTH  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


tills  aflvantage,  he  sometimes  so  fai*  prevails 
over  tliem,  as  to  make  tliem  beijin  to  enter- 
tain hard  thoughts  of  God.  Through  the 
black  sjiectacles  of  melancholy,  God's  deal- 
ings look  sad  and  ghastly.  Satan  tempts 
the  godly  to  have  strange  thoughts  of  God, 
— to  think  he  hath  cast  off  all  pity,  and  hath 
forgotten  to  be  gracious,  Ps.  Ixxvii.,  and  to 
make  sad  conclusions,  Isa.  xxxviii.  13.,  "  I 
reckoned,  that  as  a  lion,  so  will  he  break  all 
my  bones  :  from  day,  even  to  night,  wilt 
thou  make  an  end  of  me."  The  devil  set- 
ting in  with  melancholy,  causeth  a  sad  e- 
clipse  in  the  soul ;  it  begins  to  think,  God 
hath  shut  up  the  springs  of  mercy,  and 
there  is  no  hope.  Hereupon  Satan  getteth 
further  advantage  of  a  troubled  spirit  ; 
sometimes  he  puts  the  troubled  soul  upon 
sinful  wishes  and  execrations  against  itself; 
Job,  in  distemper  of  mind,  cursed  his  birth- 
day. Job.  iii.  3.  Job,  though  he  did  not 
Gurse  his  God,  yet  he  cursed  his  birth-day. 
Thus  you  see  what  advantages  the  devil 
gets  by  raising  storms,  and  troubling  the 
saints'  peace  ;  and  let  me  tell  you,  if  the 
devil  is  capable  of  any  delight,  it  is  to  see 
the  saints'  disquiets, — their  groans  ai'e  his 
music, — 'tis  a  sport  to  him  to  see  them  tor- 
ture themselves  upon  the  rack  of  melan- 
choly, and  almost  drown  themselves  in  tears. 
When  the  godly  have  unjust  surmises  of 
God, — question  his  love, — deny  the  work 
of  grace,  and  fall  to  wishing  they  had  ne- 
ver been  born, — now  Satan  is  ready  to  clap 
Lis  hands,  and  shout  for  a  victory. 

Having  shewn  you  the  advantages  the 
devil  gets  by  this  temptation  of  disturbing 
the  saints'  peace,  I  shall  answer  a  question, 
By  what  arts  and  methods  doth  Satan^  in 
templing,  disturb  the  saints'  peace  ? 

Ans.  1.  Satan  slily  conveys  evil  thoughts, 
and  ihen  makes  a  Christian  believe  they 
come  from  his  own  heart.  The  cup  was 
found  in  Benjamin's  sack,  but  it  was  of  Jo- 
sej)h's  putting  in  :  so  a  child  of  God  often 
finds  atheistical,  blasphemous  thoughts  in 
his  mind,  but  Satan  hath  cast  them  in. 
The  devil  doth  as  some,  lay  their  children 
at  another's  door  :  so  Satan  lays  his  temp- 
tations at  our  door, — fathers  them  upon  us, 
— and  then  we  trouble  ourselves  about 
them,  and  nurse  them,  as  if  they  were  our 
own. 


A.  2.  Satan  disturbs  the  saints'  peace* 
by  drawing  forth  their  sins  in  the  most 
black  colours,  to  affright  them,  and  make 
them  ready  to  give  up  the  ghost.  Satan  is 
called  the  accuser  of  the  brethren,  not  only 
because  he  accuscth  them  to  God,  but  ac- 
cuseth  them  to  themselves ;  he  tells  them 
they  are  guilty  of  such  sins,  and  they  are 
hypocrites  ;  whereas  the  sins  of  a  believer 
shew  only  that  grace  is  not  perfect,  not  th.it 
he  hath  no  grace.  When  Satan  comes 
with  this  temptation,  shew  him  that  scrip- 
ture, 1  John.  i.  7.,  "  The  blood  of  Jesus 
Christ  his  Son  cleanseth  us  from  all  sin." 

21th  Subtil ty  of  Satan  is,  by  plausible  ar- 
guments, to  tempt  men  to  hefelo  de  se, — to 
make  away  themselves.  This  temptation 
doth  not  only  cross  the  current  of  scripture, 
but  is  abhorring  to  nature,  to  be  one's  own 
executioner :  yet  such  cunning  artifices 
doth  Satan,  that  he  persuades  many  to  lay 
violent  hands  upon  themselves,  which  the 
bills  of  mortality  witness.  1.  He  tempts 
some  to  do  this  in  terror  of  conscience,  tell- 
ing them,  All  the  hell  they  shall  have  is  in 
their  conscience,  and  death  will  give  them 
present  ease.  2.  He  tempts  others  to  make 
away  themselves,  that  they  may  live  no 
longer  to  sin  against  God.  3.  Otliers  he 
tempts  to  make  away  themselves,  that  they 
may  presently  arrive  at  happiness ;  he  tells 
them,  the  best  of  the  saints  desire  heaven, 
and  the  sooner  they  are  there  the  better. 
Austin  speaks  of  Cleombratas,  who  hearing 
Plato  read  a  lecture  on  the  immortality  of 
the  soul,  and  the  joys  of  the  other  w'orld, 
threw  himself  down  a  steep  precipice,  or 
rock,  and  killed  himself.  This  is  Satan's 
plot ;  but  we  must  not  break  prison  by  lay- 
ing violent  hands  upon  ourselves,  but  stay 
till  God  send  and  open  the  door.  Let  us 
pray,  "  Lead  us  not  into  temptation." 
Still  bear  in  mind  that  scripture,  Exod.  xx. 
13.,  *'  Thou  shalt  not  kill."  Clamitat  in  coe- 
lutn  vox  sanguinis.  If  we  may  not  kill  a- 
nother,  much  less  ourselves  ;  and  take  heed 
of  discontent,  which  often  opens  the  door 
to  self-murder. 

Thus  I  have  shewn  you  twenty-seven 
subtilties  of  Satiin  in  tempting,  that  so  you 
may  the  better  know  them,  and  avoid  them. 

Tiiere  is  a  story  of  a  Jew  tliat  would 
have  poisoned  Lutlier ;  but  a  friend  sent  to 


OV  THE  SIXTH  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


571 


Luther  the  picture  of  this  Jew,  warning 
him  to  take  heed  of  sucli  a  man  when  he 
saw  him  ;  by  whicli  means  he  knew  tlie 
murderer,  and  escaped  his  liands.  I  liave 
told  you  tlie  subtle  devices  of  Satan  in 
tempting ;  I  have  shewn  you  (as  it  were) 
the  picture  of  him  that  would  murder  you  ; 
I  beseech  you,  being  forewarned,  take  heed 
of  the  murderer. 

Ui<e.  From  this  subtilty  of  Satan  in  tempt- 


ing5 


let  me  draw  three  inferences. 


1.  It  may  administer  matter  of  wonder 
to  us  how  any  soul  is  saved.  How  may  we 
admire,  that  Satan, — this  Abaddon,  or  "  an- 
gel of  the  bottomless  pit,"  Rev.  ix.  II., — 
this  Apollyon, — this  soul-devourer, — doth 
not  ruin  all  mankind  !  What  a  wonder  is 
it  that  some  are  preserved, — that  neither 
Satan's  hidden  snares  prevail,  nor  his  fiery 
darts, — that  neither  the  head  of  the  serpent, 
nor  the  paw  of  the  lion  destroys  them  ! 
Sure  it  will  be  matter  of  admiration  to  the 
saints  when  they  come  to  heaven,  to  think 
how  strangely  they  came  thither  ;  that,  not- 
withstanding all  the  force  and  fraud,  the 
power  and  policy  of  hell,  yet  they  should 
arrive  safe  at  the  heavenly  port ;  this  is 
through  the  safe  conduct  of  Christ,  the  cap- 
tain of  our  salvation ;  Michael  is  too  hard 
for  the  dragon. 

2.  Is  Satan  subtle  ?  See  then  what  need 
we  have  to  pray  to  God  for  wisdom  to  dis- 
cern the  snares  of  Satan,  and  strength  to 
resist  them.  We  cannot  of  ourselves  stand 
against  temptation  ;  if  we  could,  this  prayer 
were  needless,  "  lead  us  not,"  &c.  Let  us 
not  think  we  can  be  too  cunning  for  the 
devil,  we  can  escape  his  wiles  and  darts. 
If  David  and  Peter,  who  were  "  pillars  in 
God's  temple,"  fell  by  temptation,  how  soon 
should  such  weak  reeds  as  we  be  blown 
down,  did  God  leave  us.  Take  Christ's  ad- 
vice, Mat.  xxvi.  41.,  "  Watch  and  pray, 
that  ye  enter  not  into  temptation." 

3.  See  what  the  end  of  all  Satan's  sub- 
tilties  in  tempting  is, — he  is  a  tempter,  that 
he  may  be  an  accuser.  He  lays  the  plot, 
enticeth  men  to  sin,  and  then  brings  in  the 
indictment ;  as  if  one  should  make  another 
drunk,  and  then  complain  of  him  to  the 
magistrate  for  being  drunk.  Tlie  devil  is 
first  a  temjjter,  and  then  jfti  informer ;  first 
a  liar,  and  then  a  murderer.    Having  shewn 


you  the  subtilties  of  Satan  in  tempting,  I 
shall  answer  two  questions  : 

Quest.  I.  JV/iy  cluth  God  svjfer  his  saints 
to  be  so  hurried  and  buffeted  by  Satan's  temp' 
taiions  ? 

Alls.  The  Lord  doth  it  for  many  wise 
and  holy  ends. 

1.  He  lets  them  be  tempted  to  try  them. 
The  Hebrew  word  nissa  in  pyhil^  signifies 
both  to  tempt  and  to  try, — temptation  is  a 
touchstone  to  try  what  is  in  the  heart ;  the 
devil  tempts  that  he  may  deceive,  but  God 
lets  us  be  tempted  to  try  us.  Qici  non  ten- 
tat  ur,  non  probatur,  Aug. 

(1.)  Hereby  God  tries  our  sincerity. 
Job's  sincerity  was  tried  by  temptation, 
the  devil  told  God  that  Job  was  an  hypo- 
crite, and  served  God  only  for  a  livery; 
but,  saith  he,  "  touch  him,  (that  is,  let  me 
tempt  him)  and  then  see  if  he  will  not  curse 
thee  to  thy  face?"  Job  i.  11.  Well,  God 
did  let  the  devil  touch  him  by  a  temptation, 
yet  Job  remains  holy,  he  worships  God, 
and  blesseth  God,  v.  20,  21.  Here  Job's 
sincerity  was  proved ;  Job  had  fiery  temp- 
tations, but  he  came  out  of  the  fire  a  golden 
Christian.  '  Temptation  is  a  touchstone  of 
sincerity.' 

(2.)  By  temptation,  God  tries  our  love. 
The  wife  of  Tigranes  did  never  so  shew  her 
chastity  and  love  to  her  husband,  as  when 
she  was  tempted  by  Cyrus,  but  did  not 
yield  ;  so,  our  love  to  God  is  seen  in  this, 
when  we  can  look  a  temptation  in  the  face, 
and  turn  our  back  upon  it ;  though  the  de- 
vil come  as  a  serpent  subtilely,  and  offers 
a  golden  apple,  yet  we  will  not  touch  the 
forbidden  fruit.  When  the  devil  shewed 
Christ  all  the  kingdoms  of  the  world,  and 
the  glory  of  them,  such  was  Christ's  love 
to  his  Father,  that  he  abhorred  the  tempta- 
tion. True  love  will  not  be  bribed.  When 
the  devil's  darts  are  most  fiery,  a  saint's 
love  to  God  is  most  fervent. 

(3.)  By  temptation,  God  tries  our  cou- 
rage, Hos.  vii.  1 1.,  "  Ephraim  also  is  like  a 
silly  dove  without  an  heart."  So  it  may 
be  said  of  many,  they  are  ex  corde^ — with- 
out an  heart ;  they  have  no  heart  to  resist 
a  temptation  ;  no  sooner  doth  Satan  come 
with  his  solicitations,  but  they  yield ;  like 
a  coward,  as  soon  as  the  thief  approacheth, 
he  delivers  his  purse ;  but  he  is  a  vuloroud 


672 


OF  THE  SIXTH  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


Christian,  tliat  brandlslicth  tlie  sword  of 
the  Spirit  aj^aiust  Satan,  and  will  rather 
die  than  yield.  The  courage  of  tlie  Ro- 
mans was  never  more  seen  than  when  they 
were  assaulted  by  the  Carthaginians  ;  the 
heroic  spirit  of  a  saint  is  never  more  seen 
than  in  a  field-battle,  when  he  is  fighting 
with  the  red  dragon,  and  by  the  power  of 
faith  puts  the  devil  to  fiight.  Fidei  rohor 
potest  esse  concussum,  non  excussnm,  Tertul. 
This  is  one  reason  why  God  lets  his  people 
be  tempted, — that  their  metal  may  be  tried, 
— their  sincerity,  love,  magnanimity;  when 
grace  is  proved,  the  gospel  is  honoured. 

A.  2.  God  suffers  his  children  to  be 
tempted,  that  they  may  be  kept  from  pride. 
Qnos  non  gula  svperavit!  Cypr.  Pride 
crept  once  into  the  angels,  and  into  the  a- 
postles,  when  they  disputed  "  which  of 
them  should  be  greatest ;"  and  in  Peter, 
"  thouffh  all  men  forsake  thee,  vet  I  will 
not,"  as  if  he  had  had  more  grace  than  all 
the  apostles.  Pride  keeps  grace  low,  that 
it  cannot  thrive ;  as  the  spleen  swells,  so 
the  other  parts  of  the  body  consume  ;  as 
pride  grows,  so  grace  consumes,  (iod  re- 
sists pride  ;  and,  that  he  may  keep  his  chil- 
dren humble,  he  suffers  them  sometimes  to 
fall  into  temptation,  2  Cor.  xii.  7.,  "  Lest  I 
should  be  exalted,  there  was  given  to  me  a 
thorn  in  the  flesh,  a  messenger  of  Satan  to 
buffet  me."  When  Paul  was  lifted  up  in 
revelations,  he  was  in  danger  to  be  lifted 
up  in  pride,  now  came  the  messenger  of 
Satan  to  buffet  him,  that  was,  some  sore 
temptation  to  humble  him.  The  thorn  in 
the  flesh  was  to  prick  the  bladder  of  pride ; 
better  is  that  temptation  that  Immbles  me, 
than  that  duty  which  makes  me  proud. 
Rather  than  a  Christian  should  be  proud, 
God  lets  him  fall  into  the  devil's  hands  a 
while,  that  he  may  be  cured  of  his  impos- 
thume. 

A.  3.  God  lets  his  people  be  tempted, 
that  they  may  be  fitter  to  comfort  others 
who  are  in  the  same  distress  ;  they  can 
speak  a  word  in  due  season  to  such  as  aie 
weary.  St.  Paul  was  trained  up  in  the 
fencing-school  of  temptation,  2  Cor.  ii.  IL 
And  he  was  able  to  acquaint  others  with 
Satan's  wiles  and  stratagems.  A  man  that 
hath  rid  over  a  place  where  there  are  quick- 
sands, is  the  fittest  to  guide  others  through 


that  dangerous  way  ;  he  who  hath  been  buf- 
feted by  Satan,  and  hath  felt  the  claws  of 
this  roaring  lion,  is  the  fittest  man  to  deal 
with  one  that  is  tempted. 

A.  4.  God  lets  his  children  be  tempted,  to 
make  them  long  more  for  heaven,  where 
they  shall  be  out  of  gun-shot;  there  they 
shall  be  freed  from  the  hissing  of  the  old 
serpent.  Satan  is  not  yet  fully  cast  into 
prison,  but  is  like  a  prisonei  that  goes  un- 
der bail,  he  doth  vex  and  molest  the  saints; 
he  lays  his  snares,  throws  his  fire-balls, 
but  this  is  only  to  make  the  people  of  God 
long  to  be  gone  from  hence,  and  that  they 
may  pray  that  they  had  "  the  wings  of  a 
dove,"  to  fly  away  beyond  Satan's  tempta- 
tions. God  suffered  Israel  to  be  vexed  with 
the  Egyptians,  that  they  might  long  the 
more  to  be  in  Canaan.  HeaA'en  is  the  cen- 
trum^ a  place  of  rest,  centrum  qnietativium  ; 
no  bullets  of  temptation  fly  there.  The 
eagle  that  soars  aloft  in  the  air,  and  sits 
perching  upon  the  tops  of  high  trees,  is  not 
troubled  with  the  stinging  of  serpents  :  so, 
when  believers  are  gotten  above  into  the 
empyrean  heaven,  they  shall  not  be  stung 
with  the  old  serpent.  The  devil  is  cast  out 
of  the  heavenly  paradise.  Heaven  is  com- 
pared to  an  exceeding  high  mountain.  Rev. 
xxi.  10.  It  is  so  high,  that  Satan's  fiery 
darts  cannot  reach  up  to  it.  Nnllus  ihi  hos- 
Cuim  metus,  nullcB  itisidia  demoman,  Bern. 
The  temptations  here  are  to  make  the  saints 
long  till  death  sound  a  it;treat,  and  call  them 
off  the  field  where  the  bullets  of  temptation 
fly  so  thick,  that  tliey  may  receive  a  victo- 
rious crown.  Thus  I  have  answered  this 
question,  why  God  lets  his  dear  servants  be 
tempted. 

Quest.  2.  What  rochs  of  support  are  therCf 
or  what  comfort  for  tempted  souls  ? 

Ans.  \st,  That  is  not  our  case  alone,  but 
hath  been  the  case  of  God's  eminent  saints, 
1  Cor.  X.  13.,  "  There  hath  no  temptation 
taken  you  but  such  as  is  common  to  man," 
yea,  to  the  best  men  ;  Christ's  lambs,  which 
have  had  the  ear-mark  of  election  upon 
them,  have  been  set  upon  by  the  world. 
Elijah  that  could  shut  lieaven  by  praver, 
could  not  shut  his  heart  from  a  temptation, 
1  Kings  xix.  4. ;  Job  was  tempted  to  curse 
God,  Peter  to  deny  Christ ;  hardly  ever 
any  saint  hath  got  to  heaven  but  hath  met 


OF  THE  SIXTH  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


5^3 


with  a  Hon  by  the  way.     Sortem  qiiam  om-    himself  lay  under  them  and  did  feel  them 


ties  sancti  patiuntur  nenio  recusal.  Nay,  Je- 
sus Christ  himself  though  he  was  free  from 
ein,  yet  not  from  temptation :  we  read  of 
Christ's  baptism,  Mat.  iii.,  and  Mat.  iv.  1., 
**  Then  he  was  led  into  the  wilderness  to 
be  tempted  of  the  devil."  No  sooner  was 
Christ  out  of  the  water  of  baptism,  but  he 
was  in  the  fire  of  temptation  ;  and  if  the 
devil  would  set  upon  Christ,  no  wonder  if 
he  set  upon  us.  There  was  no  sin  in  Christ, 
no  powder  for  the  devil's  fire ;  temptation 
to  Christ,  was  like  a  bur  on  a  crystal  glass, 
which  glides  oif,  or  like  a  spark  of  fire  on 
a  marble  pillar,  which  will  not  stick  ;  yet 
Satan  was  so  bold  as  to  tempt  Christ.  This 
is  some  comfort,  such  as  have  been  our  bet- 
ters have  wrestled  with  temptations. 

2d  Rock  of  support,  that  may  comfort  a 
tempted  soul,  is,  that  temptations  (where 
they  are  burdens)  evidence  grace.  Satan 
doth  not  tempt  God's  children,  because  they 
have  sin  in  them,  but  because  they  have 
grace  in  them.  Had  they  no  grace,  the 
devil  would  not  disturb  them  ;  where  he 
keeps  possession  all  is  in  peace,  Luke  xi. 
21.  His  temptations  are  to  rob  the  saints 
of  their  grace.  A  thief  will  not  assault  an 
empty  house,  but  where  he  thinks  there  is 
treasure  ;  a  pirate  will  not  set  upon  an  emp- 
ty ship,  but  one  that  is  full  fraught  with 
ppices  and  jewels  ;  so  the  devil  most  assaults 
the  people  of  God,  because  he  thinks  they 
have  a  rich  treasure  of  grace  in  their  hearts, 
and  he  would  rob  them  of  that,  \\liat  makes 
Ko  many  cudgels  be  thrown  at  a  tree,  but 
because  there  is  so  xnuch  fruit  hanging  upon 
it  ?  The  devil  throws  his  temptations  at 
you,  because  he  sees  you  have  so  much  fruit 
of  grace  growing  upon  you.  Tliough  to  be 
ten)j)ted  is  a  trouble,  yet  to  think  why  you 
are  tempted  is  a  comfort. 

3d  Rock  of  support  or  comfort,  is,  that 
Jesus  Christ  is  near  at  hand,  and  stands  by 
us  in  all  our  temptations.  Here  take  notice 
of  two  things :  1.  Christ's  sympathy  in  temp- 
tation.    2.  Christ's  succour  in  temptation. 

1.  Christ's  sympathy  in  our  temptations. 
Nobis  com patitur  Cliristus.  Ileb.  iv.  15.,  "  We 
have  not  an  high-priest  who  cannot  be 
touched  with  the  feeling  of  our  infirmities." 
Jesus  Ciirist  doth  sympathize  with  us  ;  he 
is  so   sensible  of  our  temptations  as  if  he 


in  his  own  soul.  As  in  music,  when  one 
string  is  touched  all  the  rest  sound,  so 
Christ's  bowels  sound  ;  we  cannot  be  tempt- 
ed but  he  is  touched.  If  you  saw  a  wolf 
worry  your  child,  would  you  not  pity  your 
child  ?  You  cannot  pity  it  so  as  Christ  doth 
tempted  ones.  Christ  had  a  felh)W-feeling 
when  he  was  upon  earth,  much  more  now 
in  glory. 

Quest.  But  hoiv  can  it  stand  with  Christ's 
glory  now  in  heaven^  to  have,  a  fellow-feeling 
of  our  miseries  and  temptations  ? 

Ans.  This  fellow-feeling  in  Christ  ariseth 
not  from  an  infirmity  or  passion,  but  from 
the  mystical  union  between  him  and  his 
members,  Zech.  ii.  8.,  "  He  that  toucheth 
you  toucheth  the  apple  of  mine  eye."  Every 
injury  done  to  a  saint  Christ  takes  as  done 
to  him  in  heaven ;  every  temptation  is  a 
striking  at  Christ,  and  he  is  touched  with 
the  feeling  of  our  temptations. 

2.  Christ's  succour  in  temptation.  As  the 
good  Samaritan  first  had  compassion  on  the 
wounded  man, — there  was  sympathy ;  then 
he  poured  in  wine  and  oil, — there  was  suc- 
cour, Luke  X.  34.  So  when  we  are  wounded 
by  the  red  dragon,  Christ   is  first  touched 
with  compassion,  and  then  he  pours  in  wine 
and  oil,  Hcb.  ii.  18.,  "  In   tliat  he  himself 
hath  suffered,  being  tempted,  he  is  able  to 
succour  them  that  are  tempted."  The  Greek 
word  to  succour,  signifies  to  run  speedily  to 
ones  help  :  so  fierce  is  Satan,  so  frail  is  man, 
that  Christ,  who  is  God-man,  runs  speedily 
to  his   help.      AVhen   Peter  was   ready   to 
sink,  and  said,  "  Lord,  save  me  !"     Christ 
presently    stretched   forth    his    hand,    and 
caught  him  :  so  when  a  poor  soul  is  tempted, 
and  cries  to  heaven  for  help,  "  Lord,  save 
me !"  Christ   comes   in   with  his   auxiliary 
forces  ;  noscit  Chrislus,  our  Lord  Jesus  knows 
what  it  is  to  be  tempted,  therefore  he  is  so 
ready  to  succour  such  as  are  tempted.     It 
hath  been  an  observation,  that  child-bear- 
ing  women   are   more   jiitiful  to  others   in 
their  travails,  than  such  women  as  are  bar- 
ren :    so    the   Lord    Jesus   having    been  in 
travail    by  temptations    and    sufferings,   is 
more  readv  to  ])ity  and  succour  such  as  are 


tempted.  Concerning  Christ's  succouring 
the  tempted,  consider  two  things  :  1.  Christ's 
ability.     2.  His  agility  to  succour. 


674 


OF  THE  SIXTH   PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


1  Christ's  ability  to  succour,  HcK  ii.  18., 
"  He  is  able  to  succour  them  that  are  tempt- 
ed." Christ  is  called  Michael,  Rev.  xii.  7., 
wliich  signifies  "  Who  is  like  God."  Tho' 
tlie  tempted  soul  is  weak,  yet  lie  fig^hts  un- 
der a  ji^ood  Captain,  '  the  Lion  of  the  tribe 
of  Jiulah.'  When  a  tempted  soul  fights, 
Christ  comes  into  the  field  as  his  second. 
ISIichaol  would  be  too  hard  for  the  dragon  ; 
when  the  devil  lays  the  siege  of  a  tempta- 
tion, Christ  can  raise  the  siege  when  he 
pleases  ;  he  can  beat  through  the  enemy's 
quarters,  and  can  so  rout  Satan  that  he 
shall  never  be  able  to  rally  his  forces  any 
more.  Jesus  Christ  is  on  the  saint's  side, 
and  who  would  desire  a  better  life-guard 
than  omnipotency  ? 

2.    Christ's    agility    in    succouring.      As 
Christ  is  able  to  succour  the  tempted,  so  he 
will  certainly  succour  them.    Christ's  power 
enables  him,  his  love  inclines  him,  his  faith- 
fulness engages    him   to    succour  tempted 
Kouls,     This  is  a  great  comfort  to  a  soul  in 
temptation,  he  hath  a    succouring  Saviour. 
As  God  did  succour  Israel  in  the  wilderness 
among  fiery  serpents,  they  had  the  rock  set 
abroach, — the  manna,   the  pillar  of  cloud, 
the  brazen  serpent, — what   was  this  but  a 
type  of  God's  succouring  a  poor  soul  in  the 
wilderness  of  temptation,  stung  by  the  devil 
that  fiery  serpent  ?  Alexander  being  asked 
how  be  could  sleep  so  securely,  when  his 
enemies  were  about  Iiim,  said,  "  Antipatcr 
is  awake,  who  is  always  vigilant:"  so  when 
our  tempting  enemy  is  near  us,  Jesus  Christ 
is  awake,  who  is   a  wall  of  fire  about  us. 
There    is   a   great    deal  of  succour  to  the 
tempted  in  the  names  given  to  Christ :  as 
Satan's    names    may    terrify,    so    Christ's 
names  may  succour.     The   devil   is  called 
ApoUijov,  the  devourer,  Rev.  ix.  11.;  Christ 
is  called  a  Saviour.     The  devil  is  called  the 
*  strong    man,'    Matth.   xi.    29. ;    Christ    is 
called   El-Gihhor,  the  "  Mighty  God,"  Isa. 
ix.  G.     The  devil   is  called  "  the  accuser," 
Rev.  xii.  10.  ;  ChriMt  is  called  "  the  Advo- 
cate," 1    John    ii.    I.     The   devil    is  called 
"  the  tempter,"  Mat.  iv.  3. ;  Christ  is  called 
"  the  comforter,"  Luke  ii.  25.     The  devil 
is  called  "  the  prince  of  darkness  ;"  Christ 
is  called  "  the  Sun  of  Righteousness."  The 
devil  is  called  "  the  old  serpent ;"   Christ  is 
called  "   the    brazen   serpent"   that   heals, 


John  iii.  14.  Tims  the  very  names  of 
Christ  have  some  succour  in  them  for  tempt- 
ed souls. 

Quest.  Hota  and  in  what  minner,  doth 
Christ  succour  them  that  are  tempted  ? 

Ans.  Several  ways  : 

1.  Christ  succours  them,  by  sending  his 
Spirit,  whose  work  it  is  to  bring  those  pro- 
mises to  their  mind,  which  arc  fortifying, 
John  xiv.  2fi.,  "  He  shall  bring  all  things  to 
your  remembrjince."  The  Spirit  furnishes 
us  with  promises  as  so  many  weapons  to 
fight  against  the  old  serpent,  Rom.  xvi.  20., 
"  The  Lord  will  shortly  bruise  Satan  un- 
der your  feet ;"  1  Cor.  x.  13.,  "  God  will  not 
suffer  you  to  be  tempted  above  that  ye  are 
able  ;"  Gen.  iii.  15.,  The  seed  of  the  woman 
shall  break  the  serpent's  head.  We  are  oft 
in  times  of  temptation,  as  a  man  that  hath 
his  house  beset,  and  cannot  find  his  wea- 
pons, he  hath  his  sword  and  gun  to  seek  : 
now,  in  this  case,  Christ  sends  his  Spirit, 
and  he  brings  things  to  our  remembrance 
that  helps  us  in  our  combat  with  Satan 
The  Spirit  of  Christ  doth  to  one  that  is 
tempted,  as  Aaron  and  Hur  did  to  Moses, 
they  put  a  stone  under  him,  and  lield  up 
his  hands,  and  then  Israel  prcA'ailed ;  so 
God's  Spirit  puts  the  promises  under  the 
hand  of  faith,  and  then  a  Christian  over- 
comes the  devil,  that  spiritual  Amalek. 
The  promise  is  to  the  soul,  as  the  anchor  is 
to  the  ship,  which  keeps  it  steady  in  a  storm. 

2.  Christ  succours  them  that  are  tempted 
by  his  blessed  '  interceding  for  them.'  When 
the  devil  is  tempting,  Christ  is  praying. 
That  prayer  Christ  put  up  for  Peter  when 
he  was  tempted,  extends  to  ;ill  his  saints, 
Luke  xxii.  32.,  Lord,  saith  Christ,  "  it  is  my 
child  that  is  tempted;  Father,  pity  him." 
When  a  poor  soul  lies  bleedingof  his  wounds 
the  devil  hath  given  him,  Christ  presents 
his  wounds  to  his  Father,  and,  in  the  virtue 
of  those,  pleads  for  mercy.  How  powerful 
must  Christ's  prayer  needs  be  !  He  is  a  fa- 
vourite, John  xi.  42.  He  is  both  an  high- 
priest  ajid  a  son  ;  if  God  could  forget  that 
Christ  were  a  priest,  yet  he  cannot  forget 
that  he  is  a  S<m.  Besides,  Clirist  prays  for 
nothing  but  what  is  agreeable  to  his  Father's 
will ;  if  a  king's  son  petitions  only  for  that 
which  his  father  hath  a  mind  to  grant,  his 
suit  will  not  be  denied. 


OF  THE  SIXTH  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYEn. 


575 


3.  Clirist  succours  liis  people,  by  taking 
off  the  tempter.  A  shepherd,  when  the 
sheej)  bejjin  to  straggle,  may  set  the  dog  on 
the  sheep  to  bring  it  nearer  the  fohl,  but 
then  lie  calls  off  the  dog  again  ;  God  will 
take  ofC  the  temj)ter,  1  Cor.  x.  J  3.,  "  He 
will  with  the  temptation  make  a  way  to  e- 
6cai)e,"  he  will  make  an  outlet.  Christ  will 
rebuke  the  tempter,  Zeeh.  iii.  2.,  •'  The  Lord 
rebuke  thee,  O  Satan."  This  is  no  small 
KUj)port,  that  Christ  succours  the  tempted. 
The  mother  succours  the  child  most  when 
it  is  sick  ;  she  sits  by  its  bed-side,  brings  it 
cordials  ;  so,  when  a  soul  is  most  assaulted, 
it  shall  be  most  assisted. 

Oij.r.  But  I  have  dealt  nnkindhj  with 
Christ  and  sinned  against  his  love ;  and  sure 
he  will  not  succour  me,  but  let  me  perish  in  the 
battle. 

Ans.  Christ  is  a  merciful  high  priest,  and 
will  succour  thee  notwithstanding  thy  fail- 
ings. Joseph  was  a  type  of  Christ ;  his 
brethren  sold  him  away,  and  the  '  irons  en- 
tered into  his  soul ;'  yet  afterwards,  when 
his  brethren  were  ready  to  die  in  the  fam- 
ine, he  forgot  their  injuries,  and  succoured 
them  with  money  and  corn ;  "  I  am,  (saith 
he)  Joseph  your  brother  !"  So  will  Christ 
say  to  a  tempted  soul,  "  I  know  thy  unkind- 
nesses, — how  thou  hast  distrusted  my  love, 
grieved  my  Spirit, — but  I  am  Joseph,  I  am 
Jesus,  therefore  I  will  succour  thee,  when 
thou  art  tempted." 

Mh  Rock  of  support.  The  best  man  may 
be  most  tempted.  A  rich  ship  may  be  vio- 
lently sot  ujitiu  by  pirates:  he  who  is  rich 
in  faith,  yet  may  have  the  devil  (that  pirate) 
set  upon  him  by  his  battering  pieces.  Job, 
an  eminent  saint,  yet  how  fiercely  was  he 
assaulted  ?  Satan  did  smite  his  body,  that 
he  might  tempt  him,  cither  to  question  God's 
providence,  or  quarrel  with  it.  St.  Paul 
was  a  chosen  vessel,  but  how  was  this  ves- 
sid  1  attcrcd  with  temptation?  2  Cor.  iv.  7. 

Obj.  But  is  it  not  said.  He  who  is  born 
of  God,  the  wicked  one  toucheth  him  not? 
1  John.  V.  18. 

ylns.  It  is  not  meant,  that  the  devil  doth 
not  tempt  him,  but  he  toucheth  liiui  not, 
that  is,  tactu  lethali,  Cajetan,  with  a  dead- 
ly touch.  1  J<thn  V.  16.,  "  There  is  a  sin  I 
unto  death."  Now  Satan  with  all  his  temp- 
tations doth  nut  make  a  child   of  God  sin 


"  a  sin   unto  death."     Thus  he   t«)ucheth 
him  not. 

5th  Rock  of  support.  Satan  can  go  no 
further  in  tempting  than  Ciod  will  '  give 
him  leave  ;'  the  power  of  the  tempter  is  li- 
mited. A  whole  legion  of  devils  could  not 
touch  one  swine,  till  Christ  gave  them  leave. 
Satan  would  have  sifted  Peter  till  he  sifted 
out  all  his  grace ;  but  Christ  would  not  suf- 
fer him,  "  I  have  prayed  for  thee,"  &c 
Christ  binds  the  devil  in  a  chain,  Rev.  xx.  1. 
If  Satan's  power  were  according  to  his  ma- 
lice, not  one  soul  should  be  saved  ;  but  ho 
is  a  chained  enemy  ;  this  is  a  comfort,  Sa- 
tan cannot  go  a  hair's  bceadtli  beyond  (lod's 
permission.  If  an  enemy  could  not  touch 
a  child  further  than  the  father  did  appoint, 
sure  he  should  do  the  child  no  great  hurt. 

6th  Rock  of  support.  It  is  not  the  hav- 
ing a  temptation  makes  guilty,  but  the  giv- 
ing consent ;  we  cannot  hinder  a  tempta- 
tion ;  Elijah,  that  could  by  prayer  shut 
heaven,  could  not  shut  out  a  temptation; 
but  if  we  abhor  the  temptation,  it  is  our 
burden,  not  our  sin.  We  read  in  the  old 
law,  if  one  went  to  force  a  virgin,  and  she 
cried  out,  she  was  reputed  innocent :  if  Sa- 
tan would  by  temptation  commit  a  rape  u- 
pon  a  Christian,  and  he  cries  out,  and  will 
not  give  consent,  the  Lord  will  charge  it 
upon  the  devil's  score.  It  is  not  the  laying 
the  bait  hurts  the  fish,  if  the  fish  do  not  bite. 

llh  Rock  of  support.  Our  being  temp- 
ted is  no  sign  of  (iod's  hating  us.  A  child 
of  God  oft  thinks  God  doth  not  love  him, 
because  he  lets  him  be  haunted  with  the 
devil :  yion  scquitur,  this  is  a  wrong  conclu- 
sion. Was  not  Christ  liimself  temj)ted? 
yet  by  a  voice  from  heaven  ])roclaimed, 
"  This  is  my  beloved  Son,"  Mat  iii.  17. 
Satan's  tempting,  and  God's  loving,  may 
stand  together.  The  goldsmith  loves  his 
gold  in  the  fire ,  God  loves  a  saint,  though 
shot  at  by  fiery  darts. 

Sth  Rock  of  support.  Christ's  temptation 
was  for  our  consolation.  Jesus  Christ  is  to 
be  looked  uj)on  as  a  ]>ul)lic  person,  as  our 
head  and  representative;  and  what  (.  hrist 
did,  he  did  for  us, — his  prayer  was  fi)r  us, 
— his  suffering  was  for  us, — when  he  was 
tempted,  aiul  overcame  the  temptation,  ho 
overcame  for  us.  Christ's  concjuering  Sa- 
tan was  to  shew  that  elect  persons  shall  at 


576 


OF  THE  SIXTH  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


last  be  conquerors  over  Satan  ;  wlien  Christ 
Os'ercame  Satan's  temptation,  it  was  not 
only  to  give  us  an  example  of  courage,  but 
an  assurance  of  conquest;  we  have  over- 
come Satan  already  in  our  head,  and  we 
shall  at  last  perfectly  overcome. 

9th  Rock  of  support.  Tiie  saints'  temp- 
tation shall  not  be  above  their  strength. 
The  lutenist  will  not  stretch  the  strings  of 
his  lute  too  hard  lest  they  break,  1  Cor.  x. 
13.,  "  God  is  faithful  who  will  not  suffer 
you  to  be  tempted  above  that  ye  arc  able" 
God  will  proportion  our  strength  to  the 
stroke,  2  Cor.  xii.  9.,  "  My  grace  is  suffi- 
cient for  thee."  The  torch-light  of  faith  shall 
be  kept  burning,  notwithstanding  all  the 
winds  of  temptation  blowing. 

loth  Rock  of  support.  These  tempta- 
tions shall  produce  much  good. 

1.  They  shall  quicken  a  spirit  of  prayer 
in  tbe  saints,  they  shall  pray  more  and  bet- 
ter ;  temptation  is  orationes  stabellam,  the 
exciter  of  prayer;  perhaps,  before,  the  saints 
came  to  God  as  cold  suitors  in  prayer,  they 
prayed  as  if  they  prayed  not.  Temptation 
is  a  medicine  for  security ;  when  Paul  had 
a  messenger  of  Satan  to  buifet  him  he  was 
more  earnest  in  prayer,  2  Cor.  xii.  8.,  "  For 
this  thing  I  besought  the  Lord  thrice ;"  the 
thorn  in  his  flesh  was  a  spur  in  his  sides  to 
quicken  him  in  prayer.  The  deer  being 
shot  with  the  dart,  runs  faster  to  the  water  : 
when  a  soul  is  shot  with  the  fiery  darts  of 
temptation,  he  runs  the  faster  to  the  throne 
of  grace, — now  he  is  earnest  with  God,  ei- 
ther to  take  off  the  tempter,  or  to  stand  by 
him  when  he  is  tempted. 

2.  God  makes  the  temptation  to  sin  a 
means  to  j)revent  sin.  The  more  a  Chris- 
tian is  tempted,  the  more  he  fights  against 
the  ten  ptation  ;  the  more  a  chaste  woman 
is  assaulted,  the  more  she  abhors  the  mo- 
sion  ;  the  stronger  Joseph's  temptation  was, 
the  stronger  was  his  opposition  ;  the  more 
the  enemy  attempts  to  storm  a  castle,  the 
more  he  is  repelled  and  beat  back. 

3.  A  godly  man's  tem])tations  cause  the 
mcrease  of  grace.  Unus  Christianus  iemp- 
tatus  mille, — '  one  tem])ted  Christian  (saith 
Luther)  is  worth  a  thousand.'  lie  grows 
more  in  grace ;  as  the  bellows  increaseth 
the  flame,  so  the  bellows  of  a  temptation 
doth  increase  the  flame  of  grace. 


4.  By  these  temptations  God  makes  way 
for  comfort;  as  Christ  after  he  was  tempt- 
ed, the  "  angels  came  and  ministered  unto 
him,"  Mat.  iv.  11.  As,  when  Abraham  had 
been  warring,  Melchizedek  brought  him 
bread  and  wine  to  revive  his  spirits,  Gen. 
xiv.  18.  So,  after  the  saints  have  been 
warring  with  Satan,  now  God  sends  his 
Spirit  to  comfort  them;  which  made  Lu- 
ther say,  that  temptations  were  amplexus 
Christie  '  Christ's  embraces,'  because  he 
doth  then  most  sweetly  manifest  himself  to 
the  soul.  Thus  you  see  what  rocks  of  sup- 
port there  are  for  tempted  souls.  That  1 
may  further  comfort  such  as  are  tempted, 
let  me  speak  to  two  cases  of  the  tempted. 

ist  Case.  /  have  horrid  temptations  to 
blasphemy. 

Ans,  Did  not  the  devil  tempt  Christ  after 
this  manner.  Mat.  iv.  9.,  "  All  these  things 
will  I  give  thee,  if  thou  wilt  fall  down  and 
worship  me  ?"  What  greater  blas])hemy 
can  be  imagined,  than  that  the  God  of  hea- 
ven and  earth  should  worship  the  devil  ? 
Yet  Christ  was  tempted  to  this.  If  when 
blasphemous  thoughts  are  injected,  you 
tremble  at  them,  and  are  in  a  cold  sweat, 
they  are  not  yours,  Satan  shall  answer  for 
them  ;  let  him  that  plots  the  ti'eason,  sufler. 

2d  Case.  But  my  case  is  yet  worse  ;  I  have 
been  tempted  to  such  sins,  and  liave  yielded  ; 
the  tempter  hath  overcome  me. 

Ans.  I  grant,  that,  through  the  withdraw- 
ing of  God's  grace,  and  the  force  of  a  temp- 
tation, a  child  of  God  may  be  overcome. 
David  was  overcome  bv  a  temptation  in  the 
case  of  Bathsheba,  and  numbering  the  peo- 
ple. There  is  a  party  of  grace  in  the  heart, 
true  to  Christ;  but  sometimes  it  may  be  o- 
ver-voted  by  corruption,  and  then  a  Chris- 
tian yields;  it  is  sad  thus  to  yield  to  the 
tempter.  But  yet  let  not  a  child  of  God  be 
wholly  discouraged,  and  say  there  is  no 
hope:  let  me  pour  in  some  balm  of  Gilead 
into  this  wounded  soul. 

1.  Though  a  Christian  may  fall  by  a 
temptation,  yet  the  seed  of  God  is  in  him, 
1  John  iii.  9.,  "  His  seed  remaineth  in  him." 
Gratia  concutitur  non  executitur,  Aug.  A 
man  may  be  bruised  by  a  fall  yet  there  is 
life  in  him  :  a  Christian,  being  foiled  by 
Satan,  may  be  like  him,  who  going  to  Jeri- 
cho,  fell  among  thieves,    "  Avounded  and 


OF  THE  SIXTH  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


577 


half  dead,"  Luke  x.  30.  But  still  there  is 
a  vital  principle  of  grace,  his  seed  remains 
in  him. 

2.  Though  a  child  of  God  may  be  over- 
come in  prcelio,  in  a  skirmish, — yet  not  in 
hello.)  in  the  main  battle  ;  an  army  may  be 
worsted  in  a  skirmish,  but  may  overcome 
at  last.  Though  Satan  may  foil  a  child  of 
God  in  a  skirmish  by  a  temptation,  yet  the 
believer  shall  overcome  at  last ;  a  saint  may 
be  foiled,  not  conquered, — he  may  lose 
ground,  not  lose  the  victory. 

3.  God  doth  not  judge  of  his  children 
by  one  action,  but  by  the  frame  of  their 
heart;  as  God  doth  not  judge  of  a  wicked 
man  by  one  good  action,  so  neither  of  a  god- 
ly man  by  one  bad  action ;  a  holy  person 
may  be  worsted  by  a  temptation :  but  God 
doth  not  measure  him  by  that.  Who  mea- 
sures milk  when  it  seethes  and  boils  up  ? 
God  doth  not  take  the  measure,  of  a  saint 
when  the  devil  hath  boiled  him  up  in  a  pas- 
sion, but  God  judgeth  of  him  by  the  pulse 
and  temper  of  his  heart;  he  Avould  fear 
God ;  when  he  fails  he  weeps.  God  looks 
which  way  the  bias  of  his  heart  stands  :  If 
his  heart  be  set  against  sin,  God  will  par- 
don. 

4.  God  will  make  a  saint's  being  foiled 
by  temptation,  turn  to  his  spiritual  advan- 
tage. 

(1.)  He  may  let  a  regenerate  person  fall 
by  a  temptation,  to  make  him  more  watch- 
ful ;  perhaps  he  walks  loosely,  and  so  was 
decoyed  into  sin,  but  for  the  future,  he 
grows  more  curious  and  cautious  in  his 
walking.  The  foiled  Christian  is  a  vigilant 
Christian  ;  he  will  have  a  care  of  coming 
within  the  lion's  chain  any  more,  he  will 
he  shy  and  fearful  of  the  occasion  of  sin  ; 
I'.e  will  not  go  abroad  without  bis  spiritual 
armour,  and  he  girds  on  his  armour  by 
prayer.  When  a  wild  beast  gets  over  the 
hedge,  and  hurts  the  corn,  a  man  will  make 
his  fence  stronger  :  so,  when  the  devil  gets 

'  over  the  fence  by  a  temptation,  and  foils  a 
Christian,  he  will  be  sure  to  mend  his  fence, 
and  be  more  vigilant  against  a  temptation 
afterwards. 

(2.)  God  lets  his  children  be  sometimes 
foiled  by  a  temptation,  that  they  may  see 

,  their  continual  dependance  on  God,  and 
may  go  to  him  for  strength.     We  need  not 


only  habitual  grace,  to  stand  against  temp- 
tation, but  auxiliary  grace :  as  the  boat 
needs  not  only  the  oars,  but  wind,  to  carry 
it  against  a  strong  tide.  God  lets  liis  chiU 
dren  sometimes  fall  by  a  temptation,  that, 
seeing  their  own  weakness,  they  may  rest 
more  on  Christ  and  free-grace.  Cant.  viii.  5w 
(3.)  God,  by  suffering  his  children  to  bo 
foiled  by  a  temptation,  will  settle  them  the 
more  in  grace  :  they  shall  get  strength  by 
their  foils.  Tlse  poets  feign,  that  Anta^as 
the  giant,  in  wrestling  with  Hercules,  got 
strength  by  every  fall  to  the  ground:  it  is 
true  here, — a  saint,  being  foiled  in  wrest- 
ling with  Satan,  gets  more  spiritual  strength. 
Peter  had  never  such  a  strengthening  in 
his  faith,  as  after  his  being  foiled  in  the 
high -priest's  hall.  How  was  he  fired  with 
zeal,  steeled  with  courage  ?  He  who  be- 
fore was  dashed  out  of  countenance  by  the 
voice  of  a  maid,  now  dares  openly  confess 
Christ  before  the  rulers  and  the  councils  ! 
Acts  ii.  14.  The  shaking  of  the  tree  set- 
tles it  the  more  :  God  lets  his  children  be 
shaken  with  the  wind  of  temptation,  that 
they  may  be  more  settled  in  grace  after- 
wards. This  I  have  spoken  that  such 
Christians  as  God  hath  suffered  to  be  foiled 
by  temptation,  may  not  cast  away  their 
anchor,  or  give  way  to  sad  despairing 
thoughts. 

Ouj.  But  this  may  seem  to  make  Christians 
careless  whether  they  fall  into  a  temptation  or 
not,  if  God  can  make  their  being  foiled  by  a 
temptation  advantageous  to  them. 

Ans.   We  must  distinguish  between  one 
who  is  foiled  through  weakness,  and  through 
wilfulness.     If  a  soldier  fights,  but  is  foil- 
ed for  want  of  strength,  the  general  of  the 
army  will  pity  him,  and  bind  up  his  wounds;, 
but  if  he  be  wilfully  foiled,    and   proves 
treacherous,  he  must  expect  no  favour :  so,, 
if  a  Christian  fight  it  out  with  Satan,  but 
is  foiled    for  want  of  strength   (as   it  was 
with  Peter)  God  will  pity  liim,  and  do  him 
good  by  his  being  foiled  ;  but  if  he  be  foil- 
ed wilfully,  and  runs  into  a  temptation,  (as 
it  was  with  Judas),  God  will  shew  him   no 
favour,  but  will  execute  martial  law  upon 
him. 

The  uses  remain. 

Use   1.  Branch   1.     See   in   what   conti- 
nual danger  we  are.     Satan  is  an  exquisite 

4D 


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OF  THE  SIXTH  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


artist, — a  deep  head-piece, — he  lies  in  am- 
bush to  ensnare, — he  is  the  tempter, — it  is 
his  delig^ht  to  make  the  saints  sin  ;  and  he 
is  subtle  in  tempting,  he  hath  ways  and 
methods  to  deceive. 

First,  He  brings  a  saint  into  sin,  by 
making  him  confide  in  his  habitual  graces. 
Satan  makes  him  believe  he  hath  such  a 
etock  of  grace  as  will  antidote  him  against 
all  temptations  ;  thus  Satan  deceived  Peter, 
he  made  him  trust  in  his  grace ;  he  had 
such  a  cable  of  faith  and  strong  tacklings, 
that  though  the  winds  of  temptation  did 
blow  never  so  fierce,  he  could  Aveather  the 
point :  "  Though  all  men  forsake  thee  yet 
will  not  I  !"  as  if  he  had  more  grace  than 
all  the  apostles.  Thus  he  was  led  into 
temptation,  and  fell  in  the  battle  :  a  man 
may  make  an  idol  of  grace.  Habitual 
grace  is  not  sufficient  without  auxiliary. 
The  boat  needs  not  only  oars,  but  a  gale  of 
wind  to  carry  it  against  the  tide,  so  we 
need  not  only  habitual  grace,  but  the  blow- 
ing of  the  Spirit,  to  carry  us  against  a 
strong  temptation. 

Second///,  Satan  tempts  to  sin  by  the 
baits  and  allurements  of  the  world.  Foenus 
peci(nia>J'tinns  anima:.  One  of  Christ's  own 
apostles  was  caught  with  a  silver  bait.  Such 
as  the  devil  cannot  debauch  with  vice,  he 
will  corrupt  with  money  :  "  all  these  things 
will  1  give  thee,"  was  his  last  temptation, 
Mat.  iv.  9.  Achan  was  deluded  by  a  wedge 
of  gold.  Sylvester  H.  did  sell  his  soul  to 
the  devil  for  a  popedom. 

Thirdly,  Satan  tempts  to  sin,  sub  specie 
honi,  under  a  mask  and  shew  of  good ;  his 
temptations  seem  gracious  motions. 

1.  He  tempts  men  to  duties  of  religion. 
You  would  think  this  strange,  that  Satan 
should  tempt  to  duty  ;  but  it  is  so.  1.  He 
tempts  men  to  duty  out  of  sinister  ends. 
Thus  he  tempted  the  Pharisees  to  pray  and 
give  alms,  that  they  might  be  seen  of  men. 
Mat.  \\.  5.  Prayer  is  a  duty,  but  to  look 
a-squint  in  prayer,  to  do  it  for  vain-glory, 
this  prayer  is  turned  into  sin.  2.  T  le  tempts 
to  duty,  when  it  is  not  in  season.  Numb, 
xxviii.  2.,  "  My  offering  and  my  bread  for 
my  sacrifices,  shall  ye  offer  unto  me  in  their 
due  season."  Satan  tempts  to  duty  when 
it  is  out  of  season;  he  tempts  to  read  the 
word  at  home,  when  we  should  be  hearing 


the  word ;  he  will  so  tempt  to  one  duty,  as 
it  may  hinder  another.  3.  He  tempts  some 
to  duty,  out  of  design  that  it  may  be  a  cloak 
for  sin.  He  tempts  them  to  frequency  in 
duty,  that  they  may  sin  and  be  less  sus- 
pected. He  tempted  the  Pharisees  to  make 
long  prayers,  that  they  might  devour  wi- 
dows' houses  under  this  pretence.  Mat. 
xxiii.  14.  Who  would  suspect  him  of  false 
weights,  that  so  oft  holds  a  Bible  in  his 
hand  ?  Thus  cunning  is  Satan  he  tempts 
to  duty. 

2.  He  tempts  men  to  sin,  out  of  a  shew 
of  love    to   Christ.     You   Avill    think    this 
strange,  but  there  is  truth  in  it.     IMany  a 
good  heart  may  think  what  he  dotli  is  in 
love  to  Christ,  and  all  this  while  he  may  be 
under  a  temptation.     Christ  told  Peter  he 
must  suffer  at  Jerusalem  ;  Peter  took  him 
and  rebuked  him,  "  Be  it  far  from   tliee, 
Lord,"  Mat.  xvi.  22.,  as  if  he  had  said  to 
Christ,  Lord  thou  hast  deserved   no   such 
shameful  death,  and  this  shall  not  be  un- 
to thee.     Peter,  as  he  thought,  did  this  out 
of  love  to  Christ,  but  Peter  was  all   this 
while  under  a  tem])tation.     What  had  be- 
come of  us,  if  Christ  had  hearkened  to  Pe- 
ter, and  had  not  suffered  ?     So  when  Clirist 
washed    his   disciples'   feet,   Peter   was   so 
mannerly  that  he  would  not  let  Christ  wash 
his  feet,  John  xiii.  8.,  "  Thou  shalt  never 
wash    my   feet."     This   Peter    did    (as   he 
thought)  out  of  love  and  respect  to  Christ; 
Peter  thought  Christ  was  too  good  to  wash 
his    feet,    and   thei'efore    would    have    put 
Christ  off;  but  this  was  a  temptation,  the 
devil  put  Peter  upon  this  sinful  modesty, 
he   struck  at  Peter's  salvation,   insomuch 
that  Christ  saith,  *'  If  I  wash  thee  not,  thou 
hast  no  part  in  me."     So  agjiin,  when  the 
Samaritans  would  not  receive  Christ,   the 
disci i)les,    James  and   John,    said,    "  Lord 
wilt  thou  that  we  command  fire  from  hea- 
ven   and    consume    them?"  Luke  ix.   54., 
they  did  this,  as  they  thought,  out  of  love 
to  Christ ;  thcv  would  wisjj  for  fire  to  con- 
sume  their  enemies,  but  tiiey  were  under  a 
temptation  ;  it  was  not  zeal,  but  the  wild 
fire  of  their  own  passion  :  "  ye  know  not 
(sjiith  Christ)  what  spirits  ye  are  of." 

Fourthly,  Satan  tempts  to  that  sin  which 
a  man's  heart  is  naturally  most  inclinable 
to  ;  he  will  not  tempt  a  civil  man  to  gross 


OF  THE  SIXTH  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


570 


Bin,  tliis  is  aMiornnfr  to  tho.  Hjjlit  of  nature. 
Satan  never  sets  a  dish  before  men  tliat 
they  <lo  not  love  :  but  be  will  tempt  a  civil 
man  to  pride,  and  to  trust  in  bis  own  righ- 
teousness, and  to  make  a  Saviour  of  bis  ci- 
vility. The  spider  weaves  a  web  out  of 
lier  own  bowels ;  the  civil  man  would 
weave  a  web  of  salvation  out  of  bis  own 
rigliteousness.  See  then  in  what  danger 
we  are,  when  Satan  is  continually  lying  in 
ambush  with  bis  temptations. 

Brancb  2.  See  man's  inability  of  himself 
to  resist  a  temptation.  Could  be  stand  of 
himself  against  a  temptation,  this  prayer 
were  needless,  "  Lead  us  not  into  tempta- 
tion ;"  no  man  bath  power  of  himself  to  re- 
sist a  temptation,  further  than  God  gives 
him  strength,  Jer.  x.  23.,  "  O  Lord,  I  know 
that  the  way  of  man  is  not  in  himself !" 
If  Peter  who  had  true  grace,  and  Adam 
who  had  perfect  grace,  could  not  stand  a- 
gainst  temptation,  much  less  can  any  stand 
by  the  power  of  nature ;  which  confutes 
the  doctrine  of  free-will ;  what  freedom  of 
will  hatb  man,  when  be  cannot  resist  the 
least  temptation  ? 

Branch  3.  Here  is  matter  of  humiliation, 
that  there  is  in  us  such  an  aptitude  and 
proneness  to  yield  to  temptation.  Nitimur 
in  vetitiim — We  are  as  ready  to  swallow  a 
temptation,  as  the  fish  to  swallow  the  bait. 
If  the  devil  tempt  to  pride,  lust,  envy,  re- 
venge, bow  do  we  symbolize  witb  Satan, 
and  embrace  his  snares  ?  Like  a  woman 
that  hath  a  suitor  come  to  her,  and  she  doth 
not  need  much  wooing,  she  presently  gives 
her  consent :  Satan  comes  a-wooing  by 
temptation,  and  we  soon  yield ;  he  strikes 
fire,  and  we  are  as  dry  tinder  that  catcheth 
the  first  spark ;  he  knocks  by  temptation, 
and  it  is  sad  to  think  how  soon  we  open  the 
door  to  the  devil,  which  is  as  if  one  should 
open  the  door  to  a  thief;  this  may  cause  a 
spring  of  tears. 

Brancb  4.  See  hence,  a  Christian's  life  is 
no  easy  life  ;  it  is  military  ;  he  hath  a  Go- 
liah  in  the  field  to  encounter  with,  one  that 
is  armed  with  power  and  subtilty  ;  be  bath 
liis  wiles  and  darts.  A  Christian  must  be 
continually  watcbinff  and  ficrbtincr.  Satan's 
designs  carry  death  in  the  front,  1  Pet.  v. 
8.,  "  Seeking  whom  be  may  devour  ;"  there- 
fore we  bad  need  be  always  with  our  wea- 


pons in  our  liand.  llow  few  think  their 
life  a  warfare  ?  Though  they  have  an  enemy 
in  the  field,  that  is  always  laying  of  snares, 
or  shooting  of  darts,  yet  they  do  not  stand 
sentinel  or  get  their  spiritual  artillery  ready 
they  put  on  their  jewels,  but  not  their  ar- 
mour. Job  xxi.  12.,  "  They  take  the  timbrel 
and  harp,  and  rejoice  at  the  sound  of  the 
organ,"  as  if  tliey  were  rather  in  music  than 
in  battle.  Many  are  asleep  in  sloth,  when 
they  should  be  fighting  against  Satan  ;  and 
no  wonder  the  devil  shoots  them  when  he 
finds  them  asleep ! 

Use  2.  It  reproves  them  who  pray,  "  Lead 
us  not  into  into  temptation,"  yet  run  them- 
selves into  temptation  :  such  are  tliey  who 
go  to  plays  and  masfpierades,  and  bunt  after 
strange  flesh.  Some  go  a  slower  pace  to 
bell,  but  such  as  run  themselves  into  temp- 
tation, these  go  galloping  tbitber;  we  have 
too  many  of  these  in  this  de])auched  age, 
who  as  if  they  thought  they  could  not  sin 
fast  enough,  tempt  the  devil  to  tempt  them. 

Use  3.  Exhortation.  Let  us  labour  that 
we  be  not  overcome  by  temptation. 

Quest.  IJ'/iot  means  may  be  tiscd,  that  Sa- 
ta7i's  temptations  may  not  prevail  against  us  ? 

Ans.  1.  Avoid  solitariness.  It  is  no  wis- 
dom in  fighting  with  an  enemy  to  give  him 
the  advantage  of  the  ground  :  we  give  Sa- 
tan advantage  of  the  ground  when  we  are 
alone.  Eve  was  foiled  in  the  absence  of 
her  husband.  A  virgin  is  not  so  soon  set 
upon  in  company,  Eccl.  iv.  9.,  "  Two  are 
better  than  one."  Get  into  the  communion 
of  saints,  and  that  is  a  good  remedy  against 
temptation. 

2.  If  you  would  not  be  overcome  of  temp- 
tation, beware  of  the  predominancy  of 
melancholy;  this  is  a/ra  ii7/.v,  a  black  liu- 
niour  seated  chiefly  in  the  brain.  Melan- 
choly disturbs  reason,  and  exposeth  to  temp- 
tation. One  calls  melancholy  balneum  dia- 
bcli,  '  the  devil's  bath ;'  be  bathes  himself 
with  delight  in  such  a  person.  Melancholy 
clothes  the  mind  in  sable;  it  fills  it  with 
su'h  dismal  apprehensions,  as  oft  end  in 
self-murder. 

3.  If  you  would  not  be  overcome  of 
temptation  study  sobriety,  1  Pet.  v.  8., 
"  Be  sober,  because  your  adversary  walketh 
about."  Sober-mindedness  consists  in  the 
moderate  use  of  earthly  things ;  an  immo- 


580 


OF  THE  SIXTH  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


derate  desire  of  tliese  things  oft  brings  men 
into  the  snare  of  the  devil.  1  Tim.  vi.  9., 
"  Tliey  that  will  be  rich  fall  into  a  snare." 
He  who  loves  riches  inordinately,  will  ])ur- 
cliase  tliem  unjustly.  Ahab  would  swim 
to  Naboth's  vineyard  in  blood.  lie  wlio  is 
drunk  with  the  love  of  tlie  world,  is  never 
free  from  temptation;  he  will  pull  down 
l)is  soul  to  build  up  an  estate.  '  Qiiid  non 
mortalia  pectora  cogis  auri  sacra  fames  ?'  Be 
sober,  take  heed  of  being  drunk  with  the  love 
of  the  world,  lest  ye  fall  into  temptation. 

4.  Be  always  upon  your  guard, — watch 
against  Satan's  wiles  and  subtil  ties, —  1  Pet. 
v.  8.,  "  Be  vigilant,  because  your  adversary 
the  devil  walks  about."  A  Christian  must 
excubias  agere, — keep  watch  and  ward  ;  see 
where  Satan  labours  to  make  a  breach, — 
see  what  grace  he  most  strikes  at,  or  what 
sin  he  most  tempts  to  :  Mark  xiii.  37.,  "  I 
say  unto  you  all,  watch."  Watch  all  the 
senses,  the  eye,  the  ear,  the  touch  ;  Satan 
can  creep  in  here.  O  how  needful  is  tlie 
spiritual  watch  !  Shall  Satan  be  watchful, 
and  we  drowsy  ?  Doth  he  watch  to  devour 
us,  and  shall  not  we  watch  to  save  ourselves  ? 
Let  us  see  what  sin  our  heart  most  natur- 
ally inclines  to,  and  watch  against  this. 

5.  Beware  of  idleness  ;  Satan  sows  most 
of  his  seed  in  fallow-ground.  It  was  Ilie- 
rom's  counsel  to  his  friend,  to  be  ever  bu- 
sied, that  if  the  devil  did  come,  he  might 
find  him  working  in  the  vineyard.  Idleness 
tempts  the  devil  to  tempt ;  the  bird  that  sits 
still  is  shot;  he  that  wants  employment, 
never  wants  temptation  ;  when  a  man  hath 
nothing  to  do,  Satan  will  bring  grist  to  the 
mill,  and  find  him  work  enough. 

6.  Make  known  thy  case  to  some  godly 
friend ;  the  hiding  a  serpent  in  the  bosom, 
is  not  the  way  to  be  safe  ;  when  the  old  ser- 
pent hath  gotten  into  your  bosom  by  a  temp- 
tation, do  not  hide  him  there  by  keeping  his 
counsel.  If  a  spark  be  got  into  the  thatch, 
it  is  not  wisdom  to  conceal  it,  it  may  set 
the  house  on  fire ;  conceal  not  temptation. 
The  keeping  of  secrets  is  for  familiar  friends: 
1)6  not  so  great  a  friend  to  Satan,  as  to  keep 
his  secrets ;  reveal  your  temptations,  which 
is  the  way  to  procure  others'  prayers  and 
advice;  let  all  see  that  you  are  not  true  to 
Satan's  party,  because  you  tell  all  his  plots, 
and  reveal  his  treasons.     Besides,  the  tell- 


ing of  our  case  to  some  experienced  Chris- 
tian, is  the  way  to  have  ease  ;  as  the  open- 
ing of  a  vein  gives  ease,  so  the  opening  of 
our  case  to  a  friend  gives  ease  to  the  soul, 
and  a  temptation  doth  not  so  much  inflamie. 
7.  Make  use  of  the  word.  This  the  apos- 
tle calls  '  the  sword  of  the  Spirit,'  Eph.  vi. 
17.,  a  fit  weapon  to  fight  against  the  tempter. 
This  '  sword  of  the  Spirit'  hg/audius  anceps, 
'  a  two-edged  sword  ;'  it  wounds  carnal  lust, 
and  it  wounds  Satan.  He  who  travels  a 
road  where  there  is  robbing,  will  be  sure 
to  ride  with  his  sword :  we  are  travelling 
to  heaven,  and  in  this  road  there  is  a  thief 
will  always  beset  us,  Satan  is  in  every  place 
where  we  go, — he  meets  us  at  church,  he 
doth  not  miss  a  sermon,  he  will  be  tempting 
us  there, — sometimes  to  drowsiness;  when 
you  sleep  at  sermon,  the  devil  rocks  you  a- 
sleep, — sometimes  he  tempts  by  distracting 
the  mind  in  hearing,  sometimes  he  tempts 
to  question  the  truth  of  what  you  hear, — 
thus  we  meet  with  the  templer  at  church. 
And  he  tempts  in  the  shop  he  tempts  you 
to  use  collusion  and  d?*ceit,  IIos.  xii.  7., 
"  The  balances  of  deceic  are  in  his  hand  ," 
so  that  we  meet  with  the  tempter  every 
where.  Therefore,  this  thief  being  in  tlie 
road,  we  had  need  ride  with  a  sword ;  we 
must  have  '  the  sword  of  the  Spirit'  about  us. 
We  must  have  skill  to  use  this  sword,  and 
have  an  heart  to  draw  it  out,  and  this  sword 
will  put  the  devil  to  flight.  Thus  our  bless- 
ed Saviour,  when  Satan  tempted  him  to  dis- 
trust and  blasj/hemy,  he  used  a  sciijiture 
weapon,  "  It  is  written."  Three  times 
Christ  wounded  the  old  serpent  with  tliis 
sword.  Christ  could  with  his  power  and  au- 
thority have  rebuked  the  ])rince  of  the  air, 
as  he  did  the  winds ;  but  he  stops  the  devil's 
mouth  with  scripture,  "  It  is  written."  It 
is  not  our  vows  and  resolutions  will  d«)  it, — 
it  is  not  the  j)apist's  holy  water  or  charms 
will  drive  away  the  devil,— but  let  us  bring 
the  word  of  God  against  him;  this  is  such 
an  argument  as  he  cannot  answer.  It  was 
a  saying  of  Luther,  "  I  have  had  groat 
troubles  of  mind  ;  but  so  soon  as  I  laid  hold 
on  any  place  of  scrij)ture,  and  stayed  myself 
upon  it,  as  upon  my  chief  anchor,  straight- 
way my  temptations  vauisjied  away."  There's 
no  temptation  but  we  have  fit  scri])tnre  to 
answer  it.     If   Satan    tempts    to  sabbath 


OF  THE  SIXTH  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


681 


breakiiijr,  answer  Iiim,  "  ft  is  written,  *  Re- 
momhor  tlie  sabhath  rlay  to  keep  it  liolv.'" 
If  he  tcMnpts  to  iincleanncss,  ariswiM-  liiin, 
**  It  is  written,  '  whoremonnfers  and  adul- 
terers (lod  will  judj^c'  "  If  he  tempts  to 
carnal  fear,  say,  "  It  is  written,  *  fear  not 
them  that  kill  the  body,  and  after  that,  have 
no  more  that  thev  can  do.'  "  No  such  way 
to  confute  temptation  as  by  scripture;  the 
arrows  which  we  shoot  against  Satan  must 
be  fetched  out  of  this  quiver.  Many  people 
want  this  sword  of  the  Spirit,  they  liave  not 
a  liible  ;  others  seldom  make  use  of  this 
sword,  but  let  it  rust ;  they  look  seldom  into 
the  scripture,  therefore  no  wonder  thev  are 
overcome  by  temptations.  lie  who  is  well- 
skilled  in  the  word  is  like  one  who  hath  a 
plaster  ready,  to  lay  upon  the  wound  as  soon 
as  it  is  made,  and  so  the  danger  is  prevent- 
ed. Oh  study  the  scripture,  and  you  will 
be  too  hard  for  the  devil ;  he  cannot  stand 
against  this  ! 

8.  Let  us  be  careful  of  our  own  liearts 
tbat  they  do  not  decoy  us  into  sin.  The  a- 
poslle  saith,  "  a  man  is  drawn  away  of  his 
own  heart,  and  enticed,"  James  i.  14.  Quis- 
qtte  sihi  Satan  est,  Bern.  Every  man  hath 
a  tempter  in  his  own  bosom.  A  traitor 
within  the  castle  is  dangerous.  The  heart 
can  bring  forth  a  temptation,  though  Satan 
do  not  midwife  it  into  the  world  ;  if  Satan 
were  dead  and  buried,  the  heart  could  draw 
us  to  evil.  As  the  ground  of  all  diseases 
lies  in  the  humours  of  the  body,  so  the  seed 
of  all  sin  lies  in  tlie  original  lust.  Look  to 
your  hearts. 

9.  If  you  would  not  be  overcome  of  temp- 
tation, flee  the  '  occasions  of  sin.'  Occasions 
of  sin  have  a  great  force  in  them  to  awaken 
lust  within.  He  that  would  keej)  himself 
free  from  infection,  will  not  come  near  an 
infected  house  :  if  you  would  be  sober,  a- 
void  drunken  company.  Joseph,  \\  hen  he 
was  enticed   by  his  mistress,  shunned  the 

■•»ccasion;  the  text  saith,  he  would  not  be 
with  her,  (icn  xxxix.  10.  If  you  would  not 
be  ensnared  with  popery,  do  not  hear  the 
mass.  The  Nazarite,  who  was  forbid  wine, 
might  not  eat  grapes,  which  might  occasion 
intemperance.  Come  not  near  the  borders 
of  a  temptation.     Suppose  one  had  a  body 


be  blown  up :  many  pray  "  lead  us  not  into 
temptation,"  and  they  run  themselves  into 
temptation. 

10.  If  you  would  not  be  overcome  by 
temptation,  make  use  of  faith,  "above  all 
things  take  the  shield  of  faith,"  Eph.  \x  16. 
Faitli  wards  off  Satan's  fiery  darts,  that 
they  do  not  hurt,  1  Pet.  v.  9.,  "  Whom  re- 
sist, stedfast  in  the  faith."  Mariners  in  a 
storm  flee  to  their  anchor  :  flee  to  your  an- 
clior  of  faith  ;  faith  brings  Christ  along 
with  it ;  duellers  bring  their  second  with 
them  into  field  :  faith  brings  Christ  along 
for  its  second.  Faith  puts  into  Christ,  and 
then  the  devil  cannot  hurt  us.  The  chicken 
is  safe  from  the  birds  of  prey,  under  the 
wings  of  the  hen  :  and  we  are  secure  from 
the  tempter,  under  the  wings  of  the  Lord 
Jesus.  Though  other  graces  are  of  use  to 
resist  the  impulsions  of  Satan,  yet  faith  is 
the  conquering  grace  ;  faith  takes  hold  of 
Christ's  merits,  value,  and  virtue ;  and  so 
a  Christian  is  too  hard  for  the  devil.  The 
stars  vanish  when  the  sun  appears :  Satan 
vanisheth  when  faith  appears. 

11.  If  you  would  not  be  overcome  of 
temptation,  be  much  in  prayer.     Such  as 
walk  in  infectious  jdaces,   carry  antidotes 
about  them :  prayer  is  the  best  antidote  a- 
gainst  temptation.     When  the  apostle  had 
exhorted  to  "  put  on  the  whole  armour  of 
God,"  Eph.  vi.  11.,  he  adds,  v.  18.,  "  Pray- 
ing always  with  all  ])rayer."     Without  this, 
reliqua  armn  parum  prosunf,  Zanch.     All 
other  weajmns  will   do  little  good.      Christ 
prescribes  this  remedy,  "  Watch  and  pray, 
lest  ye  enter  into  tem|)tation,"  Mark  xiv. 
38.     A  Christian  fetchcth  down   strength 
from  heaven  by  prayer.     Let  us  cry  to  God 
for   help  against  the   tempter,   as   Samson 
cried    t(»   heaven   for  help,  Judges  xvi.  28., 
"  O  Lord  God,  remember  me  and  strengthen 
me,  I  pray  thee,  that  I  may  be  avenged  of 
the  Philistines  !"     And  v.  30.,  "  The  house 
fell    upon   the   lords  and   all    the   people." 
Prayer  \s  fngelhm  diafxi/i,— it  whips  and 
torments    the    devil  ;    the   a|>ostle    bids    us 
*'  pray  without  ceasing,"  1  Thes.  v.  17.     It 
was  Luther's  advice  to  a  lady,  when  temp- 
tation   came,    to  fall    upon   her  knees    by 
prayer.     Prayer  doth  assuage  the  force  of 


made  of  gun-powder,    he  would   not  come    a  tempUition.     Prayer  is  the  best  charm  or 
near  the  least  spark  of  fire,  lest   he  should  !  spell  we  can  use  against  the  devil.     Temo- 


582 


OF  THE  SIXTH  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


tation  may  bruise  our  lieel  ;  but  by  prayer 
we  wound  the  serpent's  head.  When  Paul 
bad  "  a  messenger  of  Satan  to  buffet  liim," 
wliat  remedy  doth  lie  use  ?  He  betook 
himself  to  prayer,  2  Cor.  xii.  8.,  "  For  this 
thing  I  besought  the  Lord  thrice,  that  it 
might  depart  from  me."  When  Satan  as- 
saults furiously,  let  us  pray  fervently. 

12.  If  you  would  not  be  overcome  of 
temptation  be  humble  in  your  own  eyes  : 
such  are  nearest  falling,  who  presume  of 
their  own  strength.  Penelton,  who  said, 
Lis  fat  flesh  should  melt  in  the  fire,  instead 
of  his  fat  melting,  his  heart  melted,  and  he 
turned  from  the  truth  :  when  men  grow 
into  a  big  conceit,  (lod  lets  them  fall,  to 
prick  the  bladder  of  ])ri(h'.  O  be  humble  ! 
such  are  like  to  hold  best  out  in  tempta- 
tion, who  have  most  grace ;  but  God  gives 
more  grace  to  the  humble,  James  iv.  6. 
Beware  of  pride ;  an  imj)ostliume  is  not 
more  dangerous  in  the  body,  than  pride  in 
the  soul.  The  doves  (saith  Pliny)  take  a 
pride  in  their  feathers,  and  in  their  flying 
high  ;  at  last  they  fly  so  high,  that  they  are 
a  prey  to  the  hawk  :  when  men  fly  high  in 
pride  and  self  confidence,  they  become  a 
prey  to  the  tempter. 

13.  If  you  would  not  be  foiled  by  tempta- 
tion, do  not  enter  into  a  dispute  with  Sa- 
tan. When  Eve  began  to  argue  the  case 
with  the  serpent,  the  serpent  was  too  hard 
for  her ;  the  devil,  by  his  logic,  disputed 
her  out  of  paradise  !  Satan  can  mince  sin, 
make  it  small,  and  varnish  it  over,  and 
make  it  look  like  virtue  :  Satan  is  too  sub- 
tle a  sophister  to  hold  an  argument  with 
him.  Dispute  not,  but  fight.  If  you  enter 
into  a  parley  with  Satan,  you  give  him  half 
the  victory. 

14.  If  we  would  not  be  overcome  of  Sa- 
tan, let  us  put  on  Christian  fortitude.  An 
enemy  we  must  expect  who  is  either  shoot- 
ing of  darts,  or  laying  of  snares,  therefore 
let  us  be  armed  with  courage,  2  Chron.  xix. 
11.,  "Deal  courageously,  and  the  Lord 
shall  be  with  the  good."  The  coward  ne- 
ver won  victory  ;  and,  to  animate  us  in  our 
combat  with  Satan,  1.  We  have  a  good  Cap- 
tain that  marcheth  before  us ;  Christ  is 
called  'the  Captain  of  our  salvation,'  Ileb. 
ii.  10.  2.  We  have  good  armour;  grace 
is  armour  of  God's  making,  Eph.  vi.   11. 


3.  Satan  is  beaten  in  part  already,  Christ 
hath  given  him  his  death-wound  upon  the 
cross,  Col.  i.  15.  4.  Satan  is  a  chained  e- 
nemy, — his  power  is  limited, — he  cannot 
force  the  will ;  it  was  all  Eve  complained 
of  that  the  serpent  deceived  her,  not  ccn- 
strained\\QY,  Gen.  iii.  13.  Satan  hath  astu- 
tium  suadendi  not  potentinm  cogendi, — he 
may  persuade,  not  compel.  5.  He  is  a 
cursed  enemy,  and  God's  curse  will  blast 
him :  therefore  put  on  holy  gallantry  of 
spirit  and  magnanimity.  Fear  not  Satan, 
(ireater  is  he  that  is  in  you,  than  he  that  is 
against  you. 

15.  If  we  would  not  be  overcome  of  a 
teinptation,  let  us  call  in  the  help  of  others 
If  an  house  be  set  on  fire,  Avould  not  you 
call  in  help  ?  Satan  tempts,  that  he  may 
rob  you  of  your  soul ;  acquaint  some  friends 
with  your  case,  and  beg  for  their  counsel 
and  prayers.  Who  knows  but  Satan  may 
be  cast  out  by  the  joint  prayers  of  others  ? 
In  case  of  temptation,  how  exceeding  help- 
ful is  the  communion  of  saints  ? 

IG.  If  we  would  not  be  overcome  of 
temptation,  let  us  make  use  of  all  the  en- 
couragements we  can.  If  Satan  be  a  roar- 
ing lion,  '  Christ  is  the  lion  of  the  tribe  of 
Judah.'  If  Satan  tempts,  Christ  ])rays.  If 
Satan  be  a  serpent  to  sting,  Christ  is  a  bra- 
zen serpent  to  heal.  If  the  conflict  be  hard, 
look  to  the  crown,  James  i.  12.  Whilst 
we  are  fighting,  Christ  Avill  succour  us ; 
and  when  we  overcome  he  will  crown  us. 
What  makes  the  soldier  endure  a  blootly 
fight,  but  the  hope  of  a  golden  harvest  ? 
Think,  that  shortly  God  will  call  us  out  of 
the  field  where  the  bullets  of  temj)tation  fly 
so  fast,  and  he  will  set  a  garland  of  glory 
upon  our  head.  How  will  the  case  be  al- 
tered !  Instead  of  fighting,  singing;  in- 
stead of  an  helmet,  a  diadem  ;  instead  of  a 
sword,  a  palm-branch  t»f  victory;  instead 
of  armour,  white  robes;  instead  of  Satan's 
skirmishes,  the  kisses  aiul  embraces  of  a 
Saviour ;  the  viewing  these  eternal  recom- 
penses, would  keep  us  from  yielding  to 
temj)tation.  Who  would  to  gratify  a  lust, 
lovse  a  crown  ? 

Use  4.  A  word  of  counsel  to  such  as  are 
tempted  ;  be  so  wise  as  to  make  good  use 
of  your  temptation.  As  we  should  labour 
to   improve   our  afflictions,  so  to  improve 


OF  THE  SIXTH  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


583 


oar  tcmpt.'itions.  We  sliould  pick  some 
good  out  of  temptation,  as  Sarasou  got  ho- 
ney out  of  the  lion. 

Quest.  JV/iat  good  comes  out  of  a  tempta- 
tion ?  Ca?i  there  be  any  good  in  being  set 
vpon  brj  an  enemy  ?  Can  there  be  any  good 
to  have  fiery  darts  shot  at  ns  ? 

Ans.  Yes,  God  that  can  make  a  treacle  of 
poison,  can  make  his  people  get  much  good 
by  their  temptations.  First,  hereby  a  Chris- 
tian sees  that  corruption  in  his  heart,  which 
he  never  saw  before.  Water  in  a  glass 
looks  pure,  but  set  it  on  the  fire,  and  the 
scum  boils  up :  so  in  temptation  a  Chris- 
tian sees  that  scum  of  sin  boil  up,  that  pas- 
sion and  distrust  of  God,  as  he  thought  had 
not  been  in  his  heart.  Secondly,  hereby  a 
Christian  sees  more  of  the  wiles  of  Satan, 
and  is  better  able  to  withstand  them  ;  St. 
Paul  had  been  in  the  fencing-school  of 
temptation,  and  he  grew  expert  in  finding 
out  Satan's  stratagems,  2  Cor.  ii.  11.,  "  We 
are  not  ignorant  of  his  devices."  Thirdly, 
hereby  a  Christian  grows  more  humble ; 
God  will  rather  let  his  children  fall  into 
the  devil's  hands,  than  be  jjroud  ;  temj)ta- 
tion  makes  the  jilumcs  of  pride  fall,  2  Cor. 
xii.  7.,  "  Lest  I  should  be  exalted  above 
measure,  there  was  given  me  a  thorn  in  the 
flesh."  Better  is  that  temptation  that 
humbles,  than  that  duty  which  makes  one 
proud.  Thus  you  see  how  much  good  a 
Christian  may  get  by  temptation ;  which 
made  Luther  say,  three  things  make  a  good 
divine, — prayer,  meditation,  temptation. 

Use  5.  To  such  as  have  been  under  sore 
temptations  and  buflfetings  of  Satan,  to  lust, 
revenge,  self-murder,  but  God  hath  stood 
by  them,  and  given  them  strength  to  over- 
come the  tempter. 

1.  Be  very  thankful  to  God;  say  as 
1  Cor.  XV.  57.,  "  Thanks  be  to  God,  which 
giveth  us  the  victory  !"  Be  much  in  doxo- 
logy.  Why  were  we  kept  more  than  others 
from  falling  into  sin  ?  Was  it  because 
temptation  was  not  so  strong?  No  !  Satan 
shoots  his  darts  with  all  his  force.  Was 
the  cause  in  our  will  ?  No  !  such  a  broken 
shield  would  never  have  conquered  Satan's 
tem])tations  ;  know,  that  it  was  free  grace 
that  beat  back  the  tempter,  and  brought  us 
off  with  trophies  of  victory.      O  be  tliank- 


temptation,  you  might  have  put  black  spots 
in  the  face  of  religion,  and  given  occasion 
to  the  enemies  of  God  to  blaspheme,  2  Sam. 
xii.  14.  Had  you  been  overcome  you  might 
have  lain  sick  of  '  a  wounded  spirit,'  and 
cried  out,  with  David,  of  '  broken  bones.' 
After  Da\id  yielded  to  temptation,  he  lay 
for  three  quarters  of  a  year  in  horror  of 
mind ;  and  some  divines  think,  he  never 
recovered  his  full  joy  to  the  day  of  his 
death.  O  therefore,  what  cause  have  they 
to  stand  upon  mount  Gerizim  blessing  of 
God,  who  in  a  field  of  battle  have  got  the 
better  of  Satan,  and  been  more  than  con- 
querors !  Say,  as  the  Psalmist,  Ps.  cxxiv. 
6.  "  Blessed  be  the  Lord,  who  hath  not 
given  us  a  ])rey  to  their  teeth  !"  so,  blessed 
be  God  who  hath  not  given  us  as  a  prey  to 
Satan  that  roaring  lion  !  When  God  puts 
mercy  in  the  premises,  we  must  put  praise 
in  the  conclusion. 

2.  You  that  have  been  tempted,  and  come 
off  victors,  be  full  of  sympathy, — pity  tempt- 
ed souls, — shew  your  piety  in  your  pit  v. 
Do  you  see  Satan's  darts  sticking  in  their 
sides  ?  Do  what  you  can  to  pull  out  these 
darts ;  communicate  your  experiences  to 
them;  tell  them  how  you  broke  the  devil's 
snare,  and  your  Saviour  was  your  succour- 
er.  The  apostle  speaks  of  restoring  others, 
'  in  the  spirit  of  meekness,'  Gal.  vi.  1.  The 
Greek  word  for  rest,  alludes  to  chirurgeons, 
who  set  bones  out  of  joint :  so  when  we  see 
such  as  are  tempted,  and  Satan  hath,  as  it 
were,  put  their  bones  out  of  joint,  labour  to 
put  them  in  joint  again,  with  all  love,  meek- 
ness, and  compassion.  '  A  word  sjjoken  in 
season'  may  relieve  a  soul  fainting  in  temp- 
tation ;  and  you  may  do,  as  the  good  Sama- 
ritan, drop  in  oil  and  wine  into  the  wound, 
Luke  X.  34«.  Vir  spiritualis  consilia  mogis 
quam  convitia  meditatur,  Aug. 

3.  You  that  have  got  a  conquest  of  Sa- 
tan, be  not  secure.  Tliink  not  that  you 
shall  never  be  troubled  with  the  tempter 
more  ;  he  is  not  like  the  Syrians,  2  Kings 
vi.  23.,  "  The  bands  of  Syria  came  no  more 
into  the  land  of  Israel."  A  cock,  if  he  be 
made  once  to  run  away,  he  will  fight  no 
more  ;  but,  it  is  not  so  with  Satan,  he  is  a 
restless  enemy,  atul  if  you  have  beaten  him 
back,  he  will   make  a  fresh  onset.     Hanni- 


ful  to  God  !     Had  you  been  overcome  by  j  bal  said  of  Marcellus,  a  Roman  captain,  tha> 


684 


OF  THE  SIXTH  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


whether  he  did  beat  or  was  beaten,  lie  was 
never  quiet.  When  Clirist  had  worsted  Sa- 
tan, he  went  away  from  Christ,  but  ad  tem- 
pns,  "  for  a  season,"  Luke  iv.  13.,  as  if  lie 
meant  to  come  ajjain.  When  we  have  got- 
ten the  better  of  Satan,  we  are  apt  to  g-row 
secure,  to  lay  aside  our  armour,  and  leave 
off  our  watch  ;  which,  when  Satan  perceives, 
then  he  comes  upon  us  with  a  neAv  tempta- 
tion and  wounds  us ;  he  deals  with  us  as 
David  did  with  the  Amalakites,  when  they 
had  taken  the  spoil,  and  were  secure,  1  Sam. 
XXX.  16.,  "  They  were  spread  abroad  upon 
all  the  earth,  eating,  and  drinking,  and 
dancing:"  then,  ver.  17.,  "  David  smote 
them,  and  there  escaped  not  a  man  of  them." 
Therefore,  after  we  have  got  the  better  of 
the  tempter,  we  must  do  as  the  mariners  in 
a  calm,  mend  our  tackling,  as  not  knowing 
how  soon  another  storm  may  come.  Satan 
mav  for  a  time  retreat,  that  he  may  after- 
wards  come  on  more  fiercely  ;  he  may  go  a- 
wav  a  while,  and  bring  other  seven  spirits 
with  him,  Luke  xi.  26.  Therefore,  be  not  se- 
cure, but  stand  upon  your  watch-tower,  lie 
in  your  armour,  always  expect  a  fight.  Say, 
as  he  that  hath  a  short  respite  from  an  ague, 
I  look  every  day  when  my  fit  shall  come; 
so  say,  I  look  every  day  when  the  tempter 
should  come  ;  I  will  put  myself  into  a  war- 
like posture.  Satan  when  he  is  beaten  out  of 
the  field,  is  not  beaten  out  of  heart,  he  will 
come  again,  lie  had  little  hope  to  prevail 
against  Christ;  Christ  gave  him  three  dead- 


ly wounds,  and  made  him  retreat ;  yet  he 
departed  only  '  for  a  season.'  If  the  devil 
cannot  conquer  us,  yet  he  knows  he  shall 
molest  us  ;  if  he  cannot  destroy  us,  he  will 
surely  disturb  us  ;  tlierefore  we  must,  with 
the  pilot,  have  our  compass  ready,  and  be 
able  to  turn  our  needle  to  any  point  where 
temptation  shall  blow.  If  the  tempter  come 
not  so  soon  as  we  expect,  yet,  by  putting 
ourselves  into  a  posture,  we  have  this  ad- 
vantage, we  are  always  prepared. 

To  conclude  all :  let  us  oft  make  this 
prayer,  "  Lead  us  not  into  temptation."  If 
Satan  woo  us  by  a  temptation,  let  us  not 
give  consent.  But  in  case  a  Christian  hath, 
through  weakness,  and  not  out  of  a  design, 
yielded  to  a  temptation,  yet  let  him  not 
'  cast  away  his  anchor;'  take  heed  of  de-. 
spair,  this  is  worse  than  the  fall  itself. 
Christian,  steep  thy  soul  in  the  brinish  wa- 
ters of  repentance,  and  God  will  be  appeas- 
ed. Repentance  gives  the  soul  a  vomit; 
Christ  loved  Peter  after  his  denial  of  him, 
and  sent  the  first  news  of  his  resurrection 
to  him  ;  "  Go  tell  the  disciples  and  Peter." 
It  is  an  error  to  think  that  one  act  of  sin  can 
destroy  the  habit  of  grace.  It  is  a  wrong 
to  God's  mercy  and  a  Christian's  comfort, — 
to  make  this  despairing  conclusion,  that  af- 
ter one  hath  fallen  by  temptation,  his  estate 
is  irrecoverable.  Therefore,  Christian,  if 
thou  hast  fallen  with  Peter,  repent  with 
Peter,  and  God  Avill  be  ready  to  seal  thy 
pardon. 


Mat.  vi.  13.  But  deliver  us  from  evil. 

Ana.  First,  In  general,  from  the  evil  of 


THE  second  branch  of  this  sixth  Petition 
is,  Lihern  nos  a  ma/u, — ''  Deliver  us  from 
evil."  There  is  more  in  this  petition  than  is 
expressed ;  the  thing  expressed  is,  that  we 
may  be  kept  from  evil ;  the  thing  further  in- 
tended is,  that  we  may  make  a  progress  in 
piety,  Titus  ii.  12.,  "  Denying  ungodliness, 
and  worldly  lusts  ;"  there  is  being  deliver- 
ed from  evil ;  "  that  we  should  live  soberly, 
righteously,  and  godly;"  there  is  a  progress 
in  piety.  I  begin  with  the  first  thing  in  this 
petition  expressed,  "  Deliver  us  from  evil." 

Quest.  What  evil  do  xve pray  to  be  deliver- 
ed from  f 


sin. 


Secondly,  More  particularly,  we  pray  to 
be  delivered, — 

1.  From  tlie  evil  of  our  own  heart;  it  is 
called  "an  evil  heart,"  Ileb.  iii.  12. 

2.  From  the  evil  of  Satan  ;  he  is  called 
"  the  wicked  one,"  Mat.  xiii.  19. 

3.  From  the  evil  of  the  world;  it  is  call- 
ed "  the  ])resent  evil  world,"  Gal.  i.  4. 

First,  In  general,  "  Deliver  us  from  evil  :'* 
we  pray  to  be  delivered  from  the  evil  of 
sin.  Not  that  we  pray  to  be  delivered  im- 
mediately from  the  presence  and  in-being  of 


OF  THE  SIXTH  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


585 


sin,  for  tliat  cannot  be  in  this  life,  we  can- 
not shake  off  tliis  viper  ;  but  we  pray,  that 
God  wouUl  deliver  us  more  and  more  from 
the  power  and  practice,  from  the  scandalous 
acts  of  sin,  whicii  cast  a  reflection  upon  the 
gospel.  Sin  then  is  the  deadly  evil  we  pray 
agrunst :  "  Deliver  us  from  evil."  With 
what  pencil  shall  I  be  able  to  draw  the  de- 
formed f.ice  of  sin  ?  The  devil  would  bap- 
tize sin  with  the  name  of  virtue :  it  is  easy 
to  lay  fair  colours  on  a  black  face.  But  I 
shall  endeavour  to  shew  you  what  a  prodi- 
gious monster  sin  is  ;  and  there  is  great 
reason  we  should  pray,  "  Deliver  us  from 
evil." 

Sin  is  (as  the  apostle  saith)  "  exceeding 
sinful,"  Rom.  ^^i.  13.  Sin  is  the  very  spi- 
rits of  mischief  distilled ;  it  is  called  "  the 
accursed  thing,"  Josh.  vii.  13.  That  sin  is 
the  most  execrable  evil,  appears  several 
ways ; 

1.  Look  upon  sin  in  its  original. 

2.  Look  upon  sin  in  its  nature. 

3.  Look  upon  sin  in  the  judgment  and 
opinion  of  the  godly. 

4.  Look  upon  sin  in  the  comparative. 

5.  Look  upon  sin  in  the  manner  of  cure. 

6.  Look  upon  sin  in  its  direful  effects ; 
and  when  you  have  seen  all  these,  you  will 
apprehend  what  an  horrid  evil  sin  is,  and 
what  great  reason  we  have  to  pray,  "  De- 
liver us  from  evil." 

1st,  Look  upon  sin  in  its  original ;  it  fetch- 
eth  its  predigree  from  hell.  Sin  is  of  the 
devil,  John  viii.  34.  Sin  calls  the  devil, 
father.  It  is  serpentis  venenwn,  as  Austin 
saith, — it  is  the  poison  the  old  serpent  hath 
spit  into  our  virgin-nature. 

2dly,  Look  upon  sin  in  its  nature,  and 
so  it  is  evil. 

L  See  what  the  scripture  compares  it  to. 
Sin  hath  got  a  had  name,  it  is  compared  to 
the  vomit  of  dogs,  2  Pet.  ii.  22.,  to  a  men- 
struous  cloth,  Isa.  xxx.  22.,  which,  as  Jcrom 
saith,  was  tlie  most  unclean  thing  under 
the  law ;  it  is  compared  to  the  plague, 
1  Kings  \\n.  38.,  to  a  gangrene,  2  Tim.  ii. 
17.  Persons  under  these  diseases  we  would 
be  loath  to  eat  and  drink  with. 

2.  Sin  is  evil  in  its  nature,  as  it  is  inju- 
rious to  God  three  wavs  : 

(L)  It  is  a  breach  of  God's  royal  law, 
1  John  iii.  4.,  "  Sin  is  a  transgression  of 


!  the  law :"  It  is  crimen  lessee  majestafis-^ — l"gJ» 
treason  against  heaven.  What  greater  in- 
jury can  be  offered  to  a  prince  than  to 
trample  upon  his  royal  edicts  ?  Neh.  ix.  2fi., 
"  They  have  cjist  thy  laws  behind  their 
backs." 

(2.)  Sin  is  a  contum.icious  affront  to  God, 
it  is  a  walking  contrary  to  him.  Lev.  xxvi. 
40.  The  Hebrew  word  for  sin  signifies  re- 
bellion :  sin  flies  in  the  face  of  God, — Job 
XV.  25.,  "  He  stretcheth  out  his  hand  a- 
gainst  God."  We  ought  not  to  lift  u|)  a 
thought  against  God,  much  less  to  lift  up 
an  hand  against  him ;  but  the  sinner  dotli 
so.  Sin  is  Deicidium  ;  it  would  not  only 
unthrone  God,  but  ungod  him  ;  if  sin  could 
help  it,  God  should  be  no  longer  God. 

(3.)  Sin  is  injurious  to  God,  as  it  is  an 
act  of  high  ingratitude.  God  feeds  a  sin- 
ner, screens  off  many  evils  from  him ;  yet 
he  not  only  forgets  God's  mercies,  but  abu- 
seth  them;  IIos.  ii.  8.,  "  I  gave  her  corn, 
and  wine,  and  oil,  and  multiplied  her  silver, 
which  they  prepared  for  Baal."  God  may 
say,  I  gave  thee  wit,  health,  and  riches, 
which  thou  hast  employed  against  me.  A 
sinner  makes  an  arrow  of  God's  mercies, 
and  shoots  at  him,  2  Sam.  xvi.  17.,  "  Is 
this  thy  kindness  to  thy  friend  ?"  Did  God 
give  thee  life  to  sin  ?  Did  he  give  thee  wa- 
ges to  serve  the  devil  ?  O  what  an  ungrate- 
ful thing  is  sin  !  Ingratitude  forfeits  niercv, 
as  the  merchant  forfeits  his  goods  by  not 
paying  custom. 

3.  Sin  is  g\\\  in  its  nature,  as  it  is  a  fool- 
ish thing,  Luke  xii.  20.,   "  Thou  fool,  this 
night  thy  soul  shall  be  required  of  thee  !" 
Is  it  not  foorish  to  prefer  a  short  lease  be- 
fore an  inheritance  ?  A  sinner  prefers  the 
plejisures  of  sin  for  a  season  before  those 
pleasures  which  are  at  God's  right-hand  for 
evermore.     Is  it  not  folly  to  gratify  an  en- 
emy ?  Sin  gratifies  Satan.     Morldlium  irro- 
res  cpuhe  sunt  damomnn,    men's   sins  feast 
the  devil.     Is  it  not  folly  for  a  man  to  bo 
felo  fie  se,  guilty  of  his  own  destruction,  to 
give  himself  poison  ?  A  sinner  hath  an  hand 
in  his  own  death,   Prov.  i.  18.,   "  Tliey  lay 
wait  for  their  own  lilood  ;"   no  creature  did 
ever  willingly  kill  itself  but  man. 

4.  Sin  is  a  polluting  thing.  Sin  is  not 
only  a  defection,  but  a  pollution  ;  it  is  as 
rust  to  gold, — as  a  stain  to  beauty ;  it  is 

4E 


586 


OF  THE  SIXTH  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


c'lUcd  "  filtliiiiess  of  tlie  flesh  and  s])irit," 
2  Cow  vii.  1.  It  makes  tlie  soul  rod  with 
puilt  and  hhick  with  filth.  Qitantn  fceditas 
vithsfc  mentis!  Cicero.  This  filth  of  sin 
is  inward  ;  a  spot  in  the  face  may  easily  be 
wiped  off,  but  to  have  the  liver  and  lunj^s 
tainted  is  far  worse  ;  sin  hatli  cfot  into  the 
conscience,  Tit.  i.  15.  Sin  defiles  all  the 
faculties,  tlie  mind,  memory,  affections,  as 
if  the  whole  mass  of  blood  were  corrupted  ; 
sin  pollutes  and  fly-blows  our  holy  thinjrs  ; 
the  leper,  in  the  law,  if  he  had  touched  the 
altar,  the  altar  had  not  cleansed  him,  but 
he  had  polluted  the  altar;  an  emblem  of 
sin's  leprosy  spotting  our  holy  things. 

.5.  Sin  is  a  debasing  thing,  it  degrades 
us  of  our  honour,  Dan.  xi.  21.  In  those 
days  "  shall  stand  up  a  vile  person."  This 
was  spoken  of  Antiochus  Epiphanes,  who 
was  a  king,  and  his  name  signifies  illustri- 
ous ;  but  sin  had  made  him  vile.  Sin  blots 
a  man's  name;  nothing  so  turns  a  man's 
glory  into  shame  as  sin  doth  ;  sin  makes 
one  like  a  beast,  Ps.  xlix.  20.  It  is  worse 
to  be  like  a  beast,  than  to  be  a  beast;  it  is 
no  shame  to  be  a  beast,  but  it  is  a  shame 
for  a  man  to  be  like  a  beast.  Lust  makes 
a  man  brutish,  and  wrath  makes  him  devi- 
lish. 

6.  Sin  is  an  enslaving  thing.  A  sinner 
is  a  slave  when  he  sins  most  freely.  Gra- 
ve servitntis  jugum!  Cicero.  Sin  makes 
men  the  devil's  servants ;  Satan  bids  them 
sin,  and  they  do  it ;  he  bid  Judas  betray 
Christ,  and  he  did  it ;  he  bid  Ananias  tell 
a  lie,  and  he  did  it.  Acts  v.  3.  When  a 
man  commits  a  sin,  he  is  the  devil's  lackey 
and  runs  on  his  errand ;  they  who  serve 
Satan  have  such  a  bad  master,  that  they 
will  be  afraid  to  receive  their  wages. 

7.  Sin  is  an  misavoury  thing,  Ps.  xiv.  3., 
*'  Tliey  are  altogether  become  filthy ;"  in  the 
Hebrew,  they  are  become  stinking.  Sin  is 
very  noisome  to  God ;  that  person  who 
shall  worship  in  God's  house,  yet  live  in 
the  sin  of  uiicleanness,  let  liim  be  perfumed 
with  all  the  spices  of  Arabia,  his  prayers 
are  unsavoury,  Isa.  i.  13.,  "  Incense  is  an 
abomination  to  me  ;"  therefore  God  is  sjiid 
to  behold  the  proud  afar  off,  Ps.  cxxx\'iii.  6. 
He  will  not  come  near  the  dunghill-sinner, 
that  hath  such  noisome  vapours  coming 
from  him. 


8.  Sin  is  a  painful  thing,  it  costs  men 
much  labour  and  pains  to  accomplish  their 
wicked  designs,   Jer.  ix.   5.,   "  They  weary 
themselves  to  commit  iniquity."     Peccatnm 
est  sui  ipsius  pceiut.     \Vliat  pains  did  Judas 
take  to  bring  about  his  treason  !   lie  goes 
to  the  high   priest,   and  then  after  to  the 
band  of  soldiers,  and  then  back  again   to 
the  garden.     Wliat  pains  did  the  powder- 
traitors  take    in   digging   through   a   thick 
stone-wall !  What  pains  in  laying  their  bar- 
rels of  powder,    and  then   covering   them 
with  crows  of  iron  !    How  did  they  tire  out 
themselves  in  sin's  drudgery!    Chrysostom 
saith,  virtue  is  easier  than  vice  ;   it  is  easier 
to  be  sober  than  intemperate ;   it  is  easier 
to  serve  God  than  to  follow  sin.     A  wicked 
man  sweats  at  the  devil's  plough,  and  is  at 
great  pains  to  damn  himself. 

9.  Sin  is  a  disturbing  thing;  whatever 
defiles,  disturbs.  Sin  breaks  the  peace  of 
the  soul,  Isa.  I  vii.  21.,  "  No  peace  to  the 
wicked."  When  a  man  sins  presumptu- 
ously, he  stuffs  his  pillow  with  thorns,  and 
his  head  will  lie  very  uneasy  when  he  comes 
to  die.  Sin  causeth  a  trembling  at  the 
heart.  When  Spira  had  sinned,  he  had  a 
hell  in  his  conscience ;  he  was  in  that  hor- 
ror, that  he  professed  he  envied  Cain  and 
Judas.  Charles  IX.  who  was  guilty  of  the 
massacre  in  Paris,  was  afterwards  a  terror 
to  himself;  he  was  frighted  at  every  noise, 
and  could  not  endure  to  be  awakened  out 
of  his  sleep  without  music.  Sin  breaks  the 
peace  of  the  soul.  Cain  in  killing  Abel, 
stabbed  half  the  world  at  a  blow,  but  could 
not  kill  the  worm  of  his  own  conscience. 
Thus  you  see  what  an  evil  sin  is  in  the  na- 
ture of  it ;  and  had  we  not  need  pray, 
"  Deliver  us  from  evil." 

3dly,  Look  upon  sin  in  the  judgment  and 
opinion  of  the  godly,  and  it  will  appear  to 
be  the  most  prodigious  evil. 

1.  Sin  is  so  great  an  evil,  that  the  godly 
will  rather  do  any  thing  than  sin,  Ilcb.  xi. 
24,  25.,  "  Moses  chose  rather  to  suffer  with 
the  people  of  God,  than  to  enjoy  the  plea- 
sures of  sin."  The  primitive  Christians  said, 
ad  leonuin  putiiis  quam  lenonem, — they  chose 
rather  to  be  devoured  by  lions  without  than 
lusts  within.  Irenreus  was  carried  to  a 
place  where  w<is  a  cross  on  one  side  and  an 
idol  on  the  other,  and  he  was  put  to  his 


OF  THE  SIXTH  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


587 


choice,  either  to  bow  to  the  idol,  or  suffer 
on  the  cross,  and  lie  chose  the  latter.  A 
wise  man  will  choose  rather  to  liave  a  rent 
in  liis  coat  than  in  his  llesh  ;  the  godly  will 
rather  endure  outward  sufferings  than  a 
rent  in  their  conscience.  So  great  an  evil 
is  in  sin,  that  the  godly  will  not  sin  for  the 
greatest  gain ;  they  will  not  sin  though 
they  might  purchase  an  estate  by  it,  nay 
though  they  were  sure  to  promote  God's 
glory  by  it. 

2.  The  godly  testify  sin  is  a  great  evil, 
in  that  they  desire  to  die  upon  no  account 
more  than  this,  that  they  may  be  rid  of  sin  : 
they  are  desirous  to  put  off  the  clothing  of 
the  flesh,  that  they  may  be  unclothed  of  sin  ; 
it  is  their  greatest  grief  that  they  are  trou- 
bled with  such  inmates,  they  have  the  stir- 
rings of  pride,  lust,  envy.  It  was  a  cruel 
torment  Mezentius  used,  he  tied  a  dead 
man  to  a  living:  thus  a  child  of  God  hath 
corruption  joined  with  grace, — here  is  a 
dead  man  tied  to  the  living.  So  hateful  is 
this,  that  a  believer  desires  to  die  for  no  o- 
ther  reason  more  than  this,  that  death  shall 
free  him  from  sin.  Sin  brought  death  into 
the  world,  and  death  shall  carry  sin  out  of 
the  world.  Thus  you  see,  in  the  opinion 
of  the  godly,  sin  is  the  most  hyperbolical 
and  execrable  evil. 

4thly,  Look  upon  sin  in  the  comparative, 
and  it  will  appear  to  be  the  most  deadly  e- 
vil.  Compare  what  you  will  with  it:  I. 
Afflictions.  2.  Death.  3.  Hell,  and  still 
sin  is  worse. 

1.  Compare  sin  with  affliction :  there  is 
more  evil  in  a  drop  of  sin,  than  in  a  sea  of 
affliction. 

(1.)  Sin  is  the  cause  of  affliction,  the  cause 
is  more  than  the  effect.     Sin  brings  all  mis- 
chief; sin  hath  sickness,  sword,  famine,  and 
all  judgments  in  the  womb  of  it.     Sin  rots 
the  name,  consumes  the  estate,  wastes  the 
radical  moisture.     As  the  poets  feigned  of 
Pandora's  box,  when  it  wjis  opened,  it  filled 
the  world  fu!l  of  diseases :  so  when  Adam 
broke  the  box  of  original   righteousness,   it 
caused  all   the    penal   evils    in   the   world. 
Sin  is  the  Phaeton  that  sets  the  world  on 
fire.     Sin  turned  the  angels  out  of  heaven, 
and   Adam  out    of   jjaradise.      Sin   causeth 
mutinies,  divisions,  massacres,  Jer.  xlvii.  fi., 
''  ■'  O  thou  sword  of  the  Lord,  how  long  will 


it  be  ere  thou  be  quiet  !"  The  sword  of 
(i()d's  justice  lies  quietly  in  the  scabl)ard, 
till  sin  draws  it  out  and  whets  it  against  a 
nation.  So  that  sin  is  worse  than  affliction, 
it  being  the  cause  of  it :  the  cause  is  more 
than  the  effect. 

(2.)  (jod  is  the  author  of  affliction,  Amos 
iii.  ().,  "  Shall  there  be  evil  in  a  city,  and 
the  Lord  hi^th  not  done  it  ?"  It  is  meant 
of  the  evil  of  affliction.  (Jod  hath  an  hand 
in  affliction,  but  no  hand  in  sin  ;  (jod  is 
the  cause  of  every  action,  so  far  as  it  is  na- 
tural, but  not  as  it  is  sinful.  He  who 
makes  an  instrument  of  iron,  is  not  the 
cause  of  the  rust  and  canker  which  cor 
rupts  the  iron,  so  God  made  the  instrumen 
of  our  souls,  but  the  rust  and  canker  of  sin, 
which  corrupts  our  souls  God  never  made. 
Peccatiun  Deus  non  fecit,  Austin.  (Jod  can 
no  more  act  evil,  than  the  sun  can  darken. 
In  this  sense  sin  is  worse  than  affliction. 
God  hath  an  hand  in  affliction,  but  disclaims 
having  any  hand  in  sin. 

(3.)  Affliction  doth  but  reach  the  body, 
and  make  that  miserable,  but  sin  makes  the 
soul  miserable.     The  soul  is  the  most  no- 
ble part.     Hie  soul  is  a  diamond  set  in  a 
ring  of  clay  ;  it  is  excellent  in  its  essence, 
a  spiritual,  immortal  substance, — excellent 
in  the  price  paid  for  it,  redeemed  with  the 
blood   of  God,   Acts   xx.  28.     It    is    more 
worth    than   a  world ;  the   world    is  of  a 
coarser  make,  the  soul  of  a  finer  spinning ; 
in  the  world  we  see  the  finger  of  God,  in 
the  soul  the  image  of  (iod.     To  have  the 
precious  soul  endangered,  is  far  worse  than 
to  have  the  body  endangered.     Sin  wrongs 
the   soul,    Prov.  viii.  36.     Sin    casts    this 
jewel  of  the  soul  overboard.     Affliction  is 
but  skin-deep,  it  can  but  take  away  the  life, 
hut  sin  takes  away  the  soul,  Luke  xii.  20. 
The  loss  of  the  soul  is  an  unparalleled  loss, 
it   can   never  be   made   up  again.     "  God 
(saith  St.  Chrysostom)  hath  given  thee  two 
ey<'s,  if  thou  losest  one  thou  hast  another ; 
but  thou  hast  but  one  soul,  and,  if  that  be 
lost,  it  can  never  be  repaired."     Thus  sin 
is  worse  than  affliction  ;  the  one  can  but 
reach  the  body,  the  other  ruins  the  soul. 
Is  there  not  great   reason   then,    that   wo 
should  oft(  n  put  up  this  petition,  "  Deliver 
us  from  evil  .''" 

(4.)   Afflictions  are  good  for  us,  Ps.  cxix.. 


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71.,  "  It  is  good  for  me  that  I  have  been 
afflicted."  Many  can  bless  God  for  afflic- 
tion. Affliction  humbles,  Lam.  iii.  19,  20., 
"  Remembering  my  affliction,  the  worm- 
wood and  tlie  gall,  my  soul  hath  them  still 
in  remembrance,  and  is  humbled  in  me." 
Afflictions  are  compared  to  thorns,  Hos.  ii. 
6.,  these  thorns  are  to  prick  the  bladder  of 
pride.  Affliction  is  the  school  of  repen- 
tance, Jer.  xxxi.  18,  19.,  "Thou  hast  chas- 
tised me,  and  I  was  chastised  ;  I  repented." 
The  fire  being  put  under  the  still,  makes 
the  water  drop  from  the  roses  :  the  fire  of 
affliction  makes  the  water  of  repentance 
drop  from  the  eyes.  Affliction  brings  us 
nearer  to  God.  The  loadstone  of  mercy 
doth  not  draw  us  so  near  to  God  as  the 
cords  of  affliction.  When  the  prodigal  was 
pinched  with  want,  then,  saith  he,  "  I  will 
arise  and  go  to  my  father,"  Luke  xv.  18. 
Afflictions  prepare  for  glory,  2  Cor,  iv.  17., 
*'  Our  light  affliction  worketh  for  us  an  e- 
ternal  weight  of  glory  :"  The  limner  lays 
his  gold  upon  dark  colours,  so  God  lays 
first  the  dark  colours  of  affliction,  and  then 
the  golden  colour  of  glory.  Thus  affliction 
is  for  our  good  ;  but  sin  is  not  for  our  good, 
it  keeps  good  things  from  us,  Jer.  v.  25., 
"  Your  sins  have  withholden  good  things 
fi-om  you."  Sin  stops  the  current  of  God's 
mercy,  it  precipitates  men  to  ruin.  Manas- 
Rch's  affliction  brought  him  to  humiliation  ; 
but  Judas  his  sin  brought  him  to  desperation. 
(5.)  A  man  may  be  afflicted,  and  his 
conscience  may  be  quiet.  Paul's  feet  were 
in  the  stocks,  yet  he  had  the  witness  of  his 
conscience,  2  Cor.  i.  12.  The  head  may 
ache,  yet  the  heart  may  be  well  :  the  out- 
ward  man  may  be  afflicted,  yet  the  soul 
may  dwell  at  ease,  Ps.  xxv.  13.  The  hail 
may  beat  upon  the  tiles  of  the  house,  when 
there  is  music  within  ;  in  the  midst  of  out- 
ward pain,  there  may  be  inward  peace. 
Thus,  in  affliction,  conscience  may  be  quiet ; 
but  when  a  man  commits  a  ])resumptuous, 
scandalous  sin,  conscience  is  troubled  ;  by 
defiling  the  purity  of  conscience,  we  lose 
the  peace  of  conscience.  When  Spira  liad 
sinned  and  abjured  the  faith,  he  was  a  ter- 
ror to  himself,  he  had  an  hell  in  his  con- 
science. Tiberius  the  emperor  felt  such  a 
sting  in  his  conscience,  that  he  told  the  se- 
nate, he  suffered  death  daily. 


(6.)  In  affliction  we  may  have  the  love 
of  God.  Afflictions  are  love-tokens.  Rev. 
iii.  19.,  "As  many  as  I  love,  I  rebuke." 
Afflictions  are  sharp  arrows,  but  shot  from 
the  hand  of  a  loving  father.  If  a  man 
should  throw  a  bag  of  money  at  another, 
and  it  should  bruise  him  a  little,  and  raise 
the  skin,  he  would  not  be  offended,  but 
take  it  as  a  fruit  of  love  :  so,  when  God 
bruiseth  us  with  affliction,  it  is  to  enrich  us 
with  the  golden  graces  of  his  Spirit,  all  is 
love  :  but  when  we  commit  sin,  God  with- 
draws his  love, — it  is  the  sun  overcast  with 
a  cloud,  nothing  appears  but  anger  and  dis- 
pleasure. When  David  had  sinned  in  the 
matter  of  Uriah,  2  Sam.  xi.  27.,  "  The 
thing  that  David  had  done  displeased  the 
Lord." 

(7.)  There  are  many  encouragements  to 
suffer  affliction.  God  himself  suffers  with 
us,  Isa.  Ixiii.  9.,  "  In  all  their  afflictions  he 
was  afflicted."  God  will  strengthen  us  in 
our  sufferings,  Ps.  xxx^ni.  39.,  "  lie  is  their 
strength  in  the  time  of  trouble."  Either 
God  makes  our  burden  lighter,  or  our  faith 
stronger.  He  will  compensate  and  recom- 
pense our  sufferings.  Mat.  xix.  29.,  "  Every 
one  that  hath  forsaken  houses  or  lands  for 
my  name's  sake,  shall  receive  a  hundred- 
fold, and  inherit  life  everlasting."  Here 
are  encouragements  to  suffer  affliction,  but 
there  is  no  encouragement  to  sin.  God 
hath  brandished  a  flaming  sword  of  threa- 
tenings  to  deter  us  from  sin,  Ps.  Ixviii.  21., 
"  God  shall  wound  the  hairy  scalp  of  such 
an  one  as  goes  on  still  in  his  trespasses." 
There  is  a  flying  roll  of  ciu'ses  which  enters 
into  the  house  of  a  sinner,  Zech.  v.  4., 
"  If  a  man  sin,  be  it  at  his  peril  ;  Dent. 
xxxii.  42.,  "  I  will  make  mine  arrows  drunk 
with  blood."  (iod  will  make  men  neary 
of  their  sins,  or  he  will  make  them  weary 
of  their  lives.  Tims  sin  is  worse  tlian  af- 
fliction ;  there  are  encouragements  to  suf- 
fer aftliction,  but  no  encouragement  to  sin. 

(8.)  When  a  person  is  afflicted,  only  he 
himself  suffers  ;  but  by  sinning  openly  he 
doth  hurt  to  others.  1.  He  doth  hurt  to 
the  unconverted;  one  man's  sin  mav  lav  a 
stone  in  another  man's  way,  at  M-hich  he 
may  stumble  and  fall  into  hell  ;  O  the  evil 
of  scandalous  sin  !  Some  are  discouraged, 
others  hardened ;  thy  sinning  may  be  the 


OF  THE  SIXTH  PETITION  IN  THE  LORDS  PRAYER. 


589 


c(l  than  Alexander  the  conqueror.  Thus 
afflictions  maj^^nify  a  person,  but  sin  doth 
not  magnify  hut  vilify  him.  When  Eli's 
sons  had  sinned  and  profaned  their  ])ricst- 
hood,  they  turned  their  glory  into  shame  ; 
the  text  saith,  "  They  made  themsolves  vilo," 
1  Sam.  iii.  13.  Sin  casts  an  indelible  blot 
(m  a  man's  name,  Prov.  vi.  32,  33.,  "  Who- 
so commits  adultery  with  a  woman,  a 
wound  and  dishonour  shall  he  get,  and  his 
reproach  shall  not  be  wiped  away." 

(11.)   A  man  may  suffer  affliction,  and 
bring    honour    to    religion.     Paul's    iron 
chain  made  the  gospel  we.ir  a  gold  chain  ; 
suffering  credits  and  propagates  the  gospel, 
but  committing  of  sin  brings  a  dishonour 
and  scandal  upon  the  ways  of  God.     Cy- 
prian saith,  when  in  the  primitive  times  a 
virgin,  who  vowed  herself  to  religion,  had 
defiled  her  chastity,  totum  ecclesice  ccclinn  er- 
ubescere, — shame  and  grief  filled  the  face  of 
the  whole  congregation.     When  scandidous 
sins  are  committed  by  a  few,  they  bring  a 
reproach   upon   all   them   that  profess ;  as 
three  or  four  brass  shillings   in  a  sum  of 
money  make  all  the  rest  suspected, 

(12.)  When  a  man's  afflictions  are  upon 
a  good  account,  when  he  suffers  for  Christ, 
he  hath  the  prayers  of  God's  people.  'Tis 
no  small  privilege  to  have  a  stock  of  prayer 
iroin<'':  it  is  like  a  merchant  that  hatli  a 
])art  in  several  ships  ;  suffering  saints  have 
a  large  share  iu  the  ])rayers  of  others,  Acts 
xii.  5.,  "  Peter  was  iu  j)rison,  but  prayer 
was  made  without  ceasing  of  the  church  to 
(iod  for  him."  What  greater  ha])))ines8 
than  to  have  (iod's  promises,  and  the  •saints' 
prayers  ?  But  when  a  man  sins  presinnjitu- 
ouslv  ami  scandalously, — he  hath  the  saints 
bitter  tears  and  just  censures, — he  is  a  l)nr- 
den  to  all  that  know  him,  as  Dayid  sjteaks 
ill  another  case,  Ps.  xxxi.  11.,  "  They  that 
did  see  me  without,  fled  from  me."  So  a 
scandalous  sinner,  the  people  of  God  flee 
deals  with  you  as  sons."  Every  print  of  j  from  him,  he  is  like  an  infected  person,  e- 
the  rod  is  a  badge  of  honour.  2.  As  the  very  one  shuns  and  aA'oids  him. 
Bufferings  of  the  godly  have  raised  their  (13.)  Affliction  can  hurt  a  man  only 
fame  and  renown  in  the  world;  the  zeal  i  while  he  is  living,  but  sin  doth  hurt  him 
and  constancy  of  the  martyrs  in  their  suf-  i  when  he  is  dead.  As  a  man's  virtues  and 
ferings  have  eternized  their  name.  O  how  alms  may  do  good  when  he  is  dead,  so  a 
eminent  was  Job  for  his  patience  !  James  man's  sins  may  do  him  mischief  wlien  he 
V.  11.,  "Ye  have  heard  of  the  patience  of  is  dead.  When  a  spider  is  killed,  the  poi- 
Job."     Job  the  sufferer  was  more  renown-  \  son  of  it  may  do  hurt ;  so  the  poison  of  an 


cause  of  another's  damning,  Mai.  ii.  7,  8. 
The  priests  going  wrong  caused  others  to 
stumble.  2.  lie  doth  Imrt  to  the  convert- 
ed ;  by  an  open  scandalous  sin  he  offends 
weak  believers,  and  so  sins  against  Christ, 
1  Cor.  viii.  12.  Thus  sin  is  worse  than  af- 
fliction, because  it  doth  hurt  to  others. 

(9.)   In  affliction  the  saints  may  rejoice, 
1  Thes.  i.  6.,    "  Ye  received    the   word    in 
much  affliction,   with  joy."     Heb.  x.  34., 
"Ye    took  joyfully  the    spoiling  of  your 
goods."     Aristotle  speaks  of  a   bird  that 
lives  among  thorns,  yet  sings  sweetly,  so  a 
child  of  God  can  rejoice  in  afflictions.     St. 
Paul   had    his   prison   songs,    Rom.   v.   3., 
"  We   glory   in    tribulation."     The   Greek 
word   signifies  an   exuberancy  of  joy, — a 
joy  with  boasting  and  triumph.     God  doth 
oft  pour   in   those   divine    consolations    as 
cause  the   saints   to   rejoice   in   afflictions ; 
they  had  rather  have  their  afflictions,  than 
want  their  comforts;  God  doth  candy  their 
wormwood  with  sugar,   Rom.  v.  5.     You 
have  seen  the  sun-shine  when  it  rains  :  the 
saints  have  had  the  shinings  of  (iod's  face, 
when  afflictions   have  rained  and  dropped 
upon  them.     Thus  we  may  rejoice   iu   af- 
fliction, but  we  cannot  rejoice  in  sin,   IIos. 
ix.  1.,  "  Rejoice  not,   O   Israel,  for  joy,  as 
other  people,  for  thou  hast  gone  a-whoring 
from  thy  God."     Sin   is  matter  of  shame 
and  grief  not  of  joy.     David  having  sinned 
in   numbering  of  the   j)eo|)h',    his    "heart 
smote    him,"    2    Sam.    xxiv.    10.     As    the 
pricking  of  a  vein   lets  out  the  blood,   so, 
when   sin   hath   pricked  the   conscience   it 
lets  out  the  joy. 

(10.)  Affliction  is  a  magnifying  of  a  per- 
son. Job  vii.  17, 18.,  "What  is  man,  that  thou 
shouldest  magnify  him,  and  visit  him  every 
morning  !"  That  is,  visit  him  with  affliction. 

Quest.  How  do  afflictions  magnify  us? 

Ans.  1.  As  they  are  signs  of  sonship, 
Ileb.  xii.  7.,  "  If  ye  endure  chastening,  (iod 


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evil  example  may  do  much  hurt,  when  a 
man  is  in  his  grave.  Affliction  at  most 
can  hut  last  a  man's  life,  but  sin  lives  and 
doth  hurt  when  he  is  gone.  Thus  you  see 
sin  is  far  worse  than  affliction. 

2.  Sin  is  worse  than  death.  Aristotle 
calls  death  '  the  terrible  of  terribles,'  and 
Job  calls  it,  '  the  king  of  terrors,'  Job  xviii. 
14.,  but  sin  is  more  deadly  than  death  it- 
self. 1.  Death,*  though  it  be  painful,  yet  it 
were  not  hurtful  but  for  sin  ;  it  is  sin  that 
imbitters  death  and  makes  it  sting,  1  Cor. 
XV.  56.,  "  The  sting  of  death  is  sin."  Were 
it  not  for  sin,  though  death  might  kill  us,  it 
could  not  curse  us.  Sin  poisons  death's  ar- 
row, so  that  sin  is  worse  than  death,  liecause 
it  puts  a  sting  into  death.  2.  Death  doth 
but  separate  between  the  body  and  the  soul : 
but  sin,  without  repentance,  separates  be- 
tween God  and  the  soul.  Judges  xviii.  24., 
*'  Ye  have  taken  away  my  gods,  and  what 

have  I  more  ?"  Death  doth  but  take  away 
our  life  from  us,  but  sin  takes  away  our 
God  from  us :  so  that  sin  is  worse  than 
death. 

3.  Sin  is  worse  than  hell.  In  hell  there 
is  the  worm  and  the  fire,  but  sin  is  worse. 
1.  Hell  is  of  God's  making,  but  sin  is  none 
of  his  making  ;  it  is  a  monster  of  the  devil's 
creating.  2.  The  torments  of  hell  are  a  bur- 
den only  to  the  sinner,  but  sin  is  a  burden 
to  God,  Amos  ii.  13.,  "  I  am  pressed  under 
you,  as  a  cart  is  pressed  that  is  full  of 
sheaves."  3.  In  hell-torments  there  is  some- 
thing that  is  good, — there  is  the  execution 
of  God's  justice, — there  is  justice  in  hell ; 
but  sin  is  the  most  unjust  thing, — it  would 
rob  God  of  his  glory, — Christ  of  his  pur- 
chase,— the  soul  of  its  happiness;  so  that  it 
is  worse  than  hell. 

5thly,  Look  upon  sin  in  the  manner  of 
its  cure  ;  it  cost  dear  to  be  done  away  ;  the 
guilt  of  sin  could  not  be  removed  but  by 
the  blood  of  Christ ;  he  who  was  God  must 
die,  and  be  made  a  curse  for  us,  before  sin 
could  be  remitted.  How  horrid  is  sin,  that 
no  angel  or  archangel,  nor  all  the  powers 
of  heaven,  could  ])rocurc  the  pardon  of  sin, 
but  it  cost  the  blood  of  God  !  If  a  man 
should  commit  an  offence,  and  all  the  nobles 
should  kneel  upon  their  knees  before  the 
king  for  him,  but  no  pardon  could  be  had, 
unless  the  king's  son  be  arraigned  and  suf- 


fer death  for  him, — all  must  conceive  it 
was  an  horrible  fact  that  must  be  the  cause 
of  this,  such  is  the  case  here,  the  Son  of 
God  must  die  to  satisfy  God's  justice  for 
our  sins.  O  the  agonies  and  sufferings  of 
Christ !  L  In  his  body  ;  his  head  crowned 
with  thorns,  his  face  spit  upon,  his  side 
pierced  with  the  spear,  his  hands  and  feet 
nailed — Totum  pro  vidnere  corpus. — 2.  He 
suffered  in  his  soul.  Mat.  xxvi.  38.,  "  My 
soul  is  exceeding  sorrowful  unto  death." 
He  drank  a  bitter  cup,  mingled  with  curses  ; 
which  made  him, — though  he  was  sancti- 
fied by  the  Spirit, — supported  by  the  Dei- 
ty,—  comforted  by  angels, — sweat  drops  of 
blood,  and  cry  out  upon  the  cross,  "  ]My 
God,  why  hast  thou  forsaken  me  !"  All 
this  was  to  do  away  our  sin.  Viev/  sin  in 
Christ's  blood,  and  it  will  appear  of  a  crim- 
son colour. 

GthJy,  Look  upon  sin  in  the  dism<il  ef- 
fects of  it,  and  it  will  appear  the  most  hor- 
rid prodigious  evil,  Rom.  vi.  23.,  "  The 
wages  of  sin  is  death,"  that  is,  "  the  second 
death,"  Rev.  xxi.  8.  Sin  hath  shame  for 
its  companion,  and  death  for  its  wages.  A 
wicked  man  knows  what  sin  is  in  the  plea- 
sure of  it,  but  doth  not  know  what  sin  is  in 
the  punishment  of  it.  Sin  draws  hell  at 
the  heels  of  it.  This  hellish  torment  con- 
sists of  two  parts ; 

1.  Poena  damni, — the  punishment  of  loss, 
Mat.  vii.  23.,  "  Depart  from  me."  It  was  a 
great  trouble  to  Absalom,  that  he  might 
not  see  the  king's  face ;  to  lose  God's  smiles, 
to  be  banished  from  his  presence,  in  whose 
presence  is  fulness  of  joy,  how  sad  and  tre- 
mendous !  this  word,  '  depart,'  (saith  Chry- 
sostom)  is  worse  than  the  fire.  Sure  sin 
must  be  the  greatest  evil,  which  separates 
us  from  the  greatest  good. 

2.  Pvcna  seyisus, — the  punishment  of 
sense.  Mat.  xxv.  41.,  "  Depart  from  me,  ye 
ye  cursed,  into  everlasting  fire,  ])repared  for 
the  devil  and  his  angels." — "  Why,"  might 
sinners  plead,  "  Lord,  if  we  must  depart 
from  thee,  let  us  have  thy  blessing  :"  "  No  ! 
Go  ye  cursed." — "  But  if  we  must  depart 
from  thee,  let  it  be  into  some  place  of  ease 
and  rest."  "  No  !  Go  into  fire." — "  But, 
if  we  must  into  fire,  let  it  be  for  a  little 
time  ;  let  the  fire  be  quickly  put  out."  "  No  ! 
Go  into  everlasting  fire." — "  But  if  it  be 


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591 


BO,  that  we  must  be  tlicro,  let  us  be  with  good 
company." — "  No !  with  the  devil  and 
Ills  angels."  O  what  an  evil  is  sin  !  all  the 
torments  of  this  life  are  but  ludibriiun  ct 
risus,  a  kind  of  sport  to  hell-tornients. 
What  is  a  burning  fever  to  the  burnini^ 
in  hell  !  it  is  called,  "  the  wrath  of  Al- 
mitjhty  God,"  Rev.  xix.  15.  The  Almifrhty 
God  inflicts  the  punishment,  therefore  it 
will  be  hcavv.  A  child  cannot  strike  very 
hard,  but  if  a  pliant  strike,  he  kills  with  a 
blow :  to  have  the  Almig^hty  God  to  lay  on 
the  stroke,  it  will  be  intolerable.  Hell  is 
the  EMPHASIS  of  misery.  The  body  and 
soul,  which  have  sinned  t<»j^ether,  shall  suf- 
fer tofjethcr ;  and  those  torments  shall  have 
no  period  put  to  them.  Rev.  ix.  G.,  "  They 
sliall  seek  deatli  and  sliall  not  find  it."  Rev. 
xiv.  11.,  "and  the  smoke  of  their  torments 
ascendeth  for  ever  and  ever ;"  here  the 
wicked  thoug^ht  a  ])raycr  long,  a  sabl)ath 
long,  but  how  long  will  it  be  to  lie  upon 
])eds  of  flames  for  ever  !  This  word,  ever, 
breaks  the  heart.  Thus  you  see  sin  is  the 
most  deadly  arid  execrable  evil  ;  look  upon 
it  in  its  original,  in*  its  nature,  in  the  judg- 
ment and  estimate  of  the  wise  ;  look  upon 
it  comj)aratively,  it  is  worse  than  affliction, 
death,  hell ;  look  upon  it  in  the  manner  of 
cure,  and  in  the  dismal  effV'ct,  it  brings  e- 
ternal  damnation  ;  is  there  not  then  a  great 
deal  of  reason  that  we  should  make  this 
prayer,  "  deliver  us  from  evil?" 

Use  \s{.  Branch  1.  Is  sin  such  a  deadly, 
pernicious  evil,  the  evil  of  evils?  See  then 
what  it  is  we  are  to  pray  most  to  be  deliver- 
ed from,  and  that  is  from  sin,  our  Saviour 
hath  taught  us  to  pray,  "  deliver  us  from 
evil."  Hypocrites  pray  more  against  tem- 
poral evils  than  spiritual.  Pharaoh  prayed 
more  to  have  the  plague  of  hail  and  thun- 
der to  be  removed,  than  his  hard  heart 
should  be  removed,  Exod.  ix.  28.  The  Is- 
raelites prayed,  tolle  serpoites, — take  away 
the  serpents  from  us, — more  than  to  have 
their  sin  taken  away,  Numb.  \xi.  8.  The 
hypocrite's  prayer  is  carnal, — he  prays  more 
to  be  cured  of  his  deafness  and  lameness, 
than  of  his  unbelief, — more  that  God  would 
take  away  his  pain,  than  take  away  his 
sin.  But  our  prayer  should  be,  "  deliver 
us  from  evil."  Spiritual  prayers  are  best. 
Hast    thou   a   diseased  body  ?    pray  more ' 


that  the  disease  of  thy  soul  may  be  removed, 
than  thy  body,  Ps.  xli.  4.,  "  Heal  my  soul, 
for  I  have  sinned."  The  plague  of  tho 
heart  is  worse  than  a  cancer  in  the  breast. 
Hast  thou  a  child  that  is  crooked  ?  pray 
more  to  have  its  unholiness  removed  than 
its  crookedness.  Spiritual  prayers  are  more 
pleasing  to  God,  and  are  as  music  in  his 
ears.  Christ  hath  here  taught  us  to  pray 
agjiinst  sin,  "  deliver  us  from  evil." 

Branch  2.  If  sin  be  so  great  an  evil,  then 
admire  the  wonderful   patience  of  (iod  that 
bears  with  siimers.    Sin  is  a  breach  of  (Jod's 
royal  law,  it  strikes  at  his  glory  ;   now,  for 
God  to   bear   with   sinners,    who   ])rovoko 
him,  it  shows  admirable  patience;  well  may 
he  be  called  "  the  God  of  patience,"  Rom. 
xy.  4,  5.     It  would  tire  the  patience  of  the 
angels,   to  bear  with  men's  sins  one  day;" 
but  what  doth  God  bear?    How  many  af- 
fronts and   injuries   doth  he  put  up  ?    God 
sees  all  the  intrigues   and  horrid  impieties 
committed  in  a  nation,  Jer.  xxix.  23.,  "  They 
have  committed  villany  in  Israel,  and  have 
committed  adultery ;  even  I  know,  and  am 
a    witness,    saith    the    Lord."     God    could 
strike   men  "  dead   in  their  sins ;"  but   he 
forbears  and  respites  them.    IVIethinks  I  see 
the  justice  of  (Jod  with  a  flaming  sword  in 
his   hand,    ready  to   strike  the  stroke;  and 
patience  steps  in  for  the  sinner.  Lord,  spare 
him  a  while  longer.     INIethinks  I  hear  the 
angel  saying  to  God,  as  the  king  of  Israel 
to  the  ])ro|)het,  2  Kings  vi.  21.,  "  Shall   I 
smite  them?   Shall   I  smite   them?    Lord, 
here  is  such   a  sinner,  shall    I  smite  him? 
Shall  I  take  ofl^  the  head  of  such  a  drunk- 
ard, swearer,  sabbath-breaker  ?"  And  God'.s 
patience   saith,  as  the  dresser  of  the  vine- 
yard,  Luke  xiii.  8.,  "  Let  him  alone  this 
year."     O  the  infinite  patience  of  (Jod,  that 
sin  being  so  great  an  evil,  and  so  contrary 
to  God,  he  should  bear  with  sinners  so  long  ! 
1  Sam.  xxiv.  19.,  "  If  a  man  find  his  ene- 
my, will  he  let  him  go  well  away  ?"  God 
finds  his  enemies,  yet  he  lets  them  go,  he 
is  not  presently  avenged  on  them.     Every 
sin  hafh  a  voice  to  cry  to  God  for  vengeance; 
Sodom's  sin  cried,  (ien  xviii.  20.     \  ct  God 
spares  men ;  but  let  notsinners  presume  upon 
God's  patience;  if  they  repent  not,  long  for- 
bearance is  no  forgiveness ;  God's  j):itience 
abused  will  leave  men  more  inexcusable. 


592 


OF  THE  SIXTH  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


Branch  3.  If  sin  be  so  jj:reat  an  evil, 
tlien  there  is  no  sin  little.  There  is  no  lit- 
tle treason  ;  every  sin  strikes  at  God's  crown 
and  dijTnity,  and  in  this  sense  it  may  be 
said,  as  Job  xxii.  5.,  "  Are  not  thy  iniqui- 
ties infinite?"  The  least  sin  as  the  school- 
men say  is  infinite  objective,  because  it  is 
committed  ajjainst  an  infinite  Majesty;  and 
besides,  nothing  can  do  away  sin,  but  that 
which  hath  an  infiniteness  in  it ;  for  though 
the  sufferings  of  Christ  as  man  were  not 
infinite,  yet  the  divine  nature  did  shed 
forth  an  infinite  value  and  merit  upon  his 
sufferings.  So  that  no  sin  is  little,  there 
is  no  little  hell  for  sin.  As  we  are  not  to 
think  any  of  God's  mercies  little,  because 
they  are  more  than  we  can  deserve,  so  nei- 
ther are  we  to  think  any  of  our  sins  little, 
because  they  are  more  than  we  can  answer 
for.  That  sin  we  esteem  lightest,  without 
Christ's  blood  will  be  heavy  enough  to  sink 
us  into  perdition. 

Branch  4.  If  sin  be  so  great  an  evil,  then 
Bce  whence  all  personal  or  national  trou- 
bles come ;  they  come  from  the  evil  of  sin  ; 
our  sin  grows  high,  that  makes  our  divisions 
grow  wide  ;  sin  is  the  Achan  that  troubles 
us,  it  is  the  cockatrice  egg  out  of  which 
comes  a  fiery  flying  serpent.  Sin  is  like 
Phaeton,  who,  as  the  poets  feign,  driving 
the  chariot  of  the  sun,  set  the  world  on  fire. 
Sin,  like  the  planet  Saturn,  hath  a  malig- 
nant influence ;  sin  brings  us  into  straits, 
2  Sam.  xxiv.  14.,  "  David  said  unto  Gad,  I 
am  in  a  great  strait."  Jer.  iv.  17.,  "  As 
keepers  of  a  field  are  they  against  her 
round  about ;"  as  horses  or  deer  in  a  field 
are  so  enclosed  with  hedges,  and  so  narrow- 
ly watched,  that  they  cannot  get  out,  so 
Jerusalem  was  so  close  besieged  with  ene- 
mies and  watched,  that  there  was  no  escape 
for  her.  Whence  was  this  ?  v.  1 8.,  "  This 
is  thy  wickedness."  All  our  evils  are  from 
the  evil  of  sin.  The  cords  that  pinch  us 
arc  of  our  own  twisting.  Sin  raiscth  all 
the  storms  in  conscience ;  the  sword  of 
God's  justice  lies  quiet  till  sin  draws  it  out 
of  the  scabbard,  and  makes  God  whet  it  a- 
gainst  a  nation. 

Branch  5.  If  sin  be  so  great  an  evil,  then 
how  little  reason  hath  any  one  to  be  in  love 
with  sin.  Some  are  so  infatuated  with  sin 
that  they  delight  in  it.     The  devil  can  so 


cook  and  dress  sin  that  it  y)leaseth  the 
sinner's  palate,  Job  XX.  12.,  "Though  wick- 
edness be  sweet  in  his  mouth."  Sin  is  as 
delightful  to  corrupt  nature,  as  meat  to  the 
taste.  Sin  is  a  feast  on  which  men  feed 
their  lusts ;  but  there's  little  cause  to  be  so 
in  love  with  sin,  Job  xx.  12,  14.,  "  Though 
wickedness  be  sweet  in  his  mouth,  it  is  the 
gall  of  asps  within  him."  To  love  sin  is  to 
hug  an  enemy.  Sin  puts  a  worm  into  con- 
science,— a  sting  into  death, — a  fire  into 
hell.  Sin  is  like  those  locusts,  Rev.  viii. 
10.,  "  On  their  heads  were  as  it  were  crowns 
like  gold,  and  they  had  hair  as  the  hair  of 
women,  and  their  teeth  were  as  the  teeth 
of  lions,  and  they  had  tails  like  scorpions, 
and  they  had  stings  in  their  tails."  After 
the  woman's  hair  comes  in  the  scorpion's 
sting. 

Branch  6.  If  sin  be  so  great  an  evil,  then 
what  may  we  judge  of  them  who  make 
light  of  sin  as  if  there  were  no  danger  in  it ; 
as  if  God  were  not  in  earnest  when  he 
threatens  sin  ;  or  as  if  ministers  were  about 
a  needless  Avork,  when  they  preach  against 
sin  ?  Some  people  make  nothing  of  breaking 
a  commandment ;  they  make  nothing  of 
telling  a  lie,  of  cozening,  of  slandering  ;  no- 
thing of  living  in  the  sin  of  uncleanness. 
If  you  weigh  sin  in  the  balance  of  some 
men's  judgments,  it  weighs  very  light ;  but, 
who  are  those  that  make  so  very  light  of 
sin?  Solomon  hath  described  them,  Prov. 
xiv.  9,,  "  Fools  make  a  mock  at  sin."  Stul- 
tus  in  vitia  cito  dilahitur,  Isidor.  Who  but 
fools  would  make  light  of  that  which  grieves 
the  Spirit  of  God?  Who  but  fools  would 
put  such  a  A^iperous  thing  in  their  bosom  ? 
Who  but  fools  would  laugh  at  their  own  ca- 
lamity, and  make  sports  while  they  give 
themselves  poison  ? 

Branch  7.  If  sin  be  so  great  an  evil,  then 
I  infer,  that  there  is  no  good  to  be  gotten 
by  sin ;  of  this  thorn  we  cannot  gather 
grapes.  If  sin  be  so  deadly  an  evil,  then 
we  cannot  get  any  profit  by  it ;  no  man  did 
ever  thrive  upon  this  trade.  Those  Atheists 
said,  Mai.  iii.  14.,  "  It  is  vain  to  serve  God, 
and  what  profit  is  it?"  But  we  may  say 
more  truly,  What  profit  is  there  in  sin? 
Rom.  vi.  21.,  "  What  fruit  had  ye  then  in 
those  thinjrs  whereof  ye  are  now  ashamed?" 
Where  are  your  earnings  ?  What  have  you 


OF  THE  SIXTH  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


598 


gotten  by  sin  ?  It  batli  sliainc  for  its  com- 
panion ;  and  death  for  its  waji^es.  What 
profit  had  Aclian  of  his  wedge  of  gold? 
That  wedge  seemed  to  cleave  asunder  liis 
soul  from  God.  What  profit  had  Aliah  of 
the  vineyard  he  got  unjustly  ?  Tlie  dogs 
licked  his  blood,  1  Kings  xxi.  19.  What 
profit  had  Judas  of  his  treason?  For  thirty 
pieces  he  sold  his  Saviour,  and  bought  his 
own  damnation.  All  the  gain  men  get  by 
their  sins,  they  may  put  in  their  eye  ;  nay, 
they  must,  and  weep  it  out  again. 

Branch  8.  If  sin  be  so  great  an  evil,  see 
then  the  folly  of  those   who  venture  upon 
sin,  because  of  the  pleasure  they  have  in  it, 
2  Thess.  ii.  12.,  "  But  had  pleasure  in  un- 
righteousness."    As  for  the  pleasure  of  sin, 
1.  It  is  but  seeming,  it  is  but  a  pleasant 
fancy,  a  golden  dream.     2.  And  besides,  it 
is  a  mixed  pleasure,  it  has  bitterness  inter- 
mingled, Pro  v.  vii.  17.,  "  I  have  saith  the 
harlot  perfumed  my  bed  with  myrrh,  aloes, 
and  cinnamon."     For  one  sweet,  here  are 
two  bitters;  cinnamon  is  sweet,  but  mjTfh 
and  .ilocs  are  bitter ;  the  harlot's   pleasure 
is  mixed.     There  are   those   inward  fears 
and  lashes  of  conscience,  as  imbittcr  the 
pleasure.  3.  If  there  be  any  pleasure  in  sin, 
it  is  only  to  the  body,  the  brutish  part ;  the 
soul  is  not  at  all  gratified  by  the  pleasure, 
Luke  xii.   19.,  "  Soul,   take  thy  ease ;"  he 
might  have  more  properly  said,  "  Body  take 
thy  ease  ;"  tlie  soul  cannot  feed  on  sensual 
objects.     4.  In  short,  that  pleasure  men  talk 
of  in  sin,  is  their  disease.     Some  take  plea- 
sure in  eating  chalk  or  coals,  this  is  from 
their  disease :  so,  when  men  talk  of  pleasure 
in  eating  the  forbidden  fruit,  it  is  from  the 
sickness  and  disease  of  their  souls,  "  thcv 
put  bitter  for  sweet,"  Isa.  v.  20.     O  what 
folly  is  it,  for  a  cup  of  pleasure,  to  drink  a 
sea  of  wrath  !   Sin  will  be  bitter  in  the  end, 
Prov.  xxiii.  31,  32.,  "  Look  not  on  the  wine 
when  it  is  red,  when  it  gives  its  colour  in 
the  cup ;  at  last  it  bites  like  a  serpent." 
Sin  will  prove  like  Ezekicl's  roll,  sweet  in 
the  mouth,  but  bitter  in  the  belly, — mel  in 
ore.^fel  in  corde.     Ask   Cain   now  how  he 
likes  his  murder?  Achan,  how  he  likes  his 
golden  wedge  ?  O  remember  that  saying  of 
Austin,  Momentnrnm  est  quod  delcctnt,  cBter- 
nnm  qwxi  cruciat !    The   pleasure  of  sin  is 
soon  gone,  but  the  sting  remains. 


Branch  9.  If  sin  be  so  great  an  evil,  tlien, 
what  wisdom  is  it  to  depart  from  evil  !  Job 
xxviii.  28.,  "  To  dcpait  from  evil  is  under- 
standing." To  sin,  is  to  do  foolishly :  there- 
fore, to  depart  from  sin,  is  to  do  wisely. 
Solomon  saith,  Prov.  xxix.  6.,  In  every 
transgression  is  a  snare.  Is  it  not  wisdom 
to  avoid  a  snare  ?  Sin  is  a  deceiver,  it  cheat- 
ed our  first  parents ;  instead  of  being  as 
gods,  they  became  as  the  beasts  that  perish, 
Ps.  xlix.  20.  Sin  hath  cheated  all  that  have 
meddled  with  it ;  is  it  not  wisdom  to  shun 
such  a  cheater?  Sin  hath  many  fair  pleas, 
and  tells  how  it  will  gratify  all  the  senses 
\vith  pleasure:  "  But,"  saith  a  gracious 
soul,  "  Christ's  love  is  sweeter, — peace  of 
conscience  is  sweeter, — what  are  the  plea- 
sures of  sin  to  the  pleasures  of  paradise?" 
Well  may  the  saints  be  called  wise  virgins, 
because  they  spy  the  deceits  that  are  in  sin, 
and  avoid  the  snares.  "  The  fear  of  the 
Lord,  that  is  wisdom  ;  and  to  depart  from 
evil,  is  understanding." 

Branch  10.  If  sin  be  so  great  an  evil, 
then,  how  justifiable  and  commendable  are 
all    those  means  which  are   used  to   keep 
men  from  sin  ?     IIow  justifiable  are  a  mi- 
nister's admonitions  and  reproofs  ?  Tit.  i. 
13.,  "  Rebuke  them  sharply ;"  or  cuttivgly  ; 
a  metaphor  from  a  chirurgeon  that  searches 
a  wound,  and  cuts  out  the  proud  flesh  that 
the  patient  may  be  sound  ;  so  God's  minis- 
ter come*  with  a  cutting  reproof,  but  it  is 
to  keep  you  from  sin,   and  to  save  your 
souls.     Si  merito  ohjnrgaverit  te  aliquis,  scito 
quia  prn/uit,  Seneca.     Esteem  them  your 
best  friends  who  would  keep  you  from  sin- 
ning against  God.     If  a  man  were  going  to 
poison  or  drown   himself,  were  not  he  hw- 
friend  who  would  hinder  him  from  doiu^ 
it  ?     All   a  minister's   reproofs  are  but  to 
keep  you  from  sin,  and  hinder  you  from 
self-murder;  all  is  in  love,  2  Cor.  v..  11., 
"  Knowing  the  terror  of  the  Lord,  we  per- 
suade men."     'Tis  the  passion  of  most  to 
he  angry  with   them   that   would   reclaim 
them  from  sin,  Amos  v.  10.,   "  They  hate 
him  that  rcbuketh  in  the  gate."     Who  is 
angry  with  the  physician  for  prescribing  a 
hitter  potion,  seeing  it  is  to  purge  out  the 
peccant    hiimonr  ?     'Tis    mercy    to    men's 
souls  to  tell  them  of  their  sins.     And  sure- 
ly those  are  priests  for  the  devil,  2  Cor.  xi. 

4F 


£94 


OF  THE  SIXTH  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


15.,  who  see  men  go  on  in  sin,  and  ready 
to  drop  into  hell,  yet  never  pull  them  back 
by  a  reproof,  nay,  perhaps  flatter  them  in 
their  sins.  God  never  made  ministers  as 
false  glasses,  to  make  bad  faces  look  fair; 
such  make  themselves  guilty  of  other  men's 


sms. 


Branch.  11.  If  sin  be  so  great  an  evil, — 
the  evil  of  evils, — then  see  what  a  bad 
choice  they  make,  who  choose  sin  to  avoid 
affliction :  as,  if  to  save  the  coat  from  being 
rent,  one  should  suffer  his  flesh  to  be  rent. 
It  was  a  false  charge  that  Elihu  brought  a- 
gainst  Job,  xxxvi.  21.,  Thou  hast  chosen 
iniquity  rather  than  affliction.  This  is  a 
bad  choice.  Affliction  hath  a  promise  made 
to  it,  2  Sam.  xxii.  28.,  but  sin  hath  no  pro- 
mise made  to  it.  Affliction  is  for  our  good, 
but  sin  is  not  for  our  good ;  it  would  entail 
hell  and  damnation  upon  us.  Spira  chose 
iniquity  rather  than  affliction,  but  it  cost 
him  dear ;  he  at  last  repented  of  his  choice. 
He  who  commits  sin  to  avoid  suff'ering,  is 
like  one  that  runs  into  a  lion's  den  to  avoid 
the  stinging  of  a  gnat. 

Branch  12.  If  sin  be  so  great  an  evil,  see 
then  what  should  be  a   Christian's   great 
care  in  this  life,  to  keep  from  sin  ;  "  Deli- 
ver us  from  evil."     Some  make  it  all  their 
cai'e  to  keep  out  of  trouble ;  they  had  ra- 
ther keep  their  skin  whole  than  their  con- 
science pure ;  but  our  care  should  be  chief- 
ly to  keep  from  sin.     How  careful  are  we 
to  forbear  such  a  dish,  as  the  physicians 
tells  us  is  hurtful  for  us, — it  will  bring  the 
stone  or  gout :  much  more  should  we  be 
careful  that  we  eat  not  the  forbidden  fruit, 
which  will  bring  divine  vengeance,  1  Tim. 
V.  22.,  "  Keep  thyself  pure."     It  hath  al- 
ways been  the  study  of  the  saints  to  keep 
alooff  off"  from  sin,  Gen.  xxxix.  9.,  •'  How 
can  I  do  this  great  wickedness,   and  sin 
agqjnst  God  ?"     Ps.  xix.  13.,  "  Keep  back 
thy  servant  from  presumptuous  sins."     It 
was  a  saying  of  Anselm,  "  If  sin  were  on 
one  side,  and  hell  on  the  other,  I  would  ra- 
ther leap  into  hell,  than  willingly  sin  a- 
gainst  my  God."     O  what  a  mercy  is  it  to 
be  kept  from  sin  !     We  count  it  a  great 
.  mercy  to  be  kept  from  the  plague  and  fire, 
but  what  is  it  to  be  kept  from  sin  ? 

Branch  13.  Is  sin  so  great  an  evil  ?  see 
hen  that  which  may  make  us  long  for  hea- 


ven, when  we  shall  be  perfectly  freed  from 
sin,  not  only  from  the  outward  acts  of  sin, 
but  from  the  inbeing  of  sin.  In  heaven  we 
shall  not  need  to  pray  this  prayer,  "  Deli- 
ver us  from  evil."  What  a  blessed  time 
will  it  be,  when  we  shall  never  have  a  vain 
thought  more  ?  Then  Christ's  spouse  shall 
be  sine  macula  et  ruga, — without  spot  or 
wrinkle,  Eph.  v.  27.  Now  there  is  a  dead 
man  tied  to  the  living ;  we  cannot  do  any 
holy  duty,  but  we  mix  sin ;  we  cannot  pray 
without  wandering, — we  cannot  believe 
without  doubting, — but  then,  our  virgin- 
soul  shall  not  be  capable  of  the  least  tinc- 
ture of  sin,  but  we  shall  all  be  as  the  angels 
of  God.  In  heaven  we  shall  have  no  temp- 
tation to  sin.  The  old  serpent  is  cast  out 
of  paradise,  and  his  fiery  darts  shall  never 
come  near  to  touch  us. 

Use  2d.  Exhortation.  And  it  hath  two 
distinct  branches. 

Branch  1.  To  all  in  general.  If  sin  be 
so  great  and  prodigious  an  evil,  then,  as 
you  love  your  souls  take  heed  of  sin.  If 
you  taste  of  the  forbidden  fruit,  it  will  cost 
you  dear, — it  will  cost  you  bitter  tears, — it 
may  cost  you  lying  in  hell, — O  therefore 
flee  from  sin  ! 

1.  Take  heed  of  sins  of  omission.  Mat. 
xxiii.  23.  It  is  as  really  dangerous  not  to 
do  things  commanded,  as  to  do  things  for- 
bidden. Some  think  it  no  great  matter  to 
omit  reading  scripture  ;  the  Bible  lies  by 
like  rusty  armour,  which  they  never  use ; 
they  think  it  no  great  matter  to  omit  fami- 
ly or  closet-prayer ;  they  can  go  several 
months,  and  God  never  hear  of  thera. 
These  have  nothing  sanctified  to  them ; 
they  feed  upon  a  curse  ;  for  every  creature 
is  sanctified  by  prayer,  1  Tim.  iv.  5.  The 
bird  may  shame  many,  it  never  takes  a  drop 
but  its  eye  is  lifted  up  towards  heaven.  O 
take  heed  of  living  in  the  neglect  of  any 
known  duty  !  It  was  the  prayer  of  a  re- 
verend holy  man  on  his  death-bed,  "  Lord, 
forgive  my  sins  of  omission." 

2.  Take  heed  of  secret  sins.  Some  are 
more  modest  than  to  sin  openly  in  a  balco- 
ny ;  but  they  will  carry  their  sins  under  a 
canopy,  they  will  sin  in  secret.  Rachel 
did  not  let  her  father's  images  be  seen, 
but  she  put  them  under  her,  "  and  sat  up- 

(on  them,"  Gen.  xxxi.  34.     Many  will  b*i 


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diunk  and  unclean,  if  they  may  do  it  when  ] 
nobody  may  see  them ;  they  are  like  one 
that  shuts  up  his  shop-windows,  but  fol- 
lows his  trade  within  doors.  But  if  sin  be 
so  great  an  evil,  let  me  warn  you  this  day 
not  to  sin  in  secret ;  know,  that  you  can  ne- 
ver sin  so  privately,  but  that  there  are  two 
witnesses  always  by, — God  and  conscience. 

3.  Take  heed  of  your  complexion-sin, 
that  sin  which  your  nature  and  constitu- 
tion doth  most  incline  you  to.  As  in  the 
hive  there  is  a  master-bee,  so  in  the  heart 
there  is  a  master-sin,  Ps.  xviii.  23.,  "  I  have 
kept  myself  from  mine  iniquity."  There 
is  some  sin  that  is  a  special  favourite, — the 
peccatum  in  deliciis, — the  darling  sin  that 
lies  in  the  bosom,  and  this  doth  bewitch 
and  draw  away  the  heart.  O  beware  of 
this  ! 

Quest.  How  may  this  darling  sin  be 
known  ? 

Ans.  1.  That  sin  which  a  man  doth  most 
cherish,  and  to  which  all  other  sins  are 
subservient ;  this  is  the  sin  which  is  most 
tended  and  waited  upon.  The  Pharisees' 
darling-sin  was  vain-glory ;  all  they  did 
was  to  feed  this  sin  of  pride.  Mat.  vi.  2., 
"  That  they  may  have  glory  of  men ;"  when 
they  gave  alms,  they  sounded  a  trumpet. 
If  a  stranger  had  asked  the  question,  "  Why 
doth  this  trumpet  sound?"  The  answer 
Was,  "  The  Pharisees  are  going  to  give  alms 
to  the  poor.  Their  lamp  of  charity  was 
filled  with  the  oil  of  vain-glory,"  Mat.  xxiii. 
5.  All  their  works  they  did  to  be  seen  of 
men.  Pride  was  their  bosom-sin.  Often- 
times covetousness  is  the  darling-sin ;  all 
other  sins  are  committed  to  maintain  this. 
Why  do  men  equivocate,  oppress,  defraud, 
take  bribes  ?  all  is  to  uphold  covetousness. 

A.  2.  That  sin  which  a  man  doth  not 
love  to  have  reproved,  is  the  darling-sin. 
Herod  could  not  endure  to  have  his  incest 
spoken  against :  if  John  the  Baptist  med- 
dles with  that  sin  it  shall  cost  him  his  head. 

A.  3.  That  sin  which  hath  most  power 
over  one,  and  doth  most  easily  lead  him 
captive,  that  is  the  beloved  of  the  soul. 
There  are  some  sins  a  man  can  better  put 
off,  and  give  a  repulse  to ;  but  there  is  one 
sin,  which,  if  it  comes  to  be  a  suitor,  he 
cannot  deny,  but  is  overcome  by  it :  this  is 
the   bosom-sin.     The  young   man   in   the 


gospel  had  a  complexion-sin  which  he  could 
not  resist,  and  that  was  the  love  of  the 
world ;  his  silver  was  dearer  to  him  than 
his  Saviour.  It  is  a  sad  thing  a  man  should 
be  so  bewitched  by  a  lust,  that  he  will  part 
with  the  kingdom  of  heaven  to  gratify  it. 

A.  4.  That  sin  which  men  use  arguments 
to  defend  is  the  darling  sin.  To  plead  for 
sin,  is  to  be  the  devil's  attorney ;  if  the  sin 
be  covetousness  and  we  vindicate  it ;  if  it 
be  rash  anger,  and  we  justify  it,  Jonah  iv. 
9.,  "  I  do  well  to  be  angry ;"  this  is  the 
complexion-sin. 

A.  5.  Tliat  sin  which  doth  most  trouble 
one,  and  flee  in  his  face  in  an  hour  of  sick- 
ness and  distress,  that  is  the  beloved  sin. 
When  Joseph's  brethren  were  distressed, 
their  sin  came  to  remembrance  in  selling 
their  brother.  Gen.  xlv.  2. :  so,  when  a  man 
is  upon  his  sick-bed,  and  conscience  shall 
say.  Dost  not  thou  remember  how  thou 
hast  lived  in  such  a  sin,  though  thou  hast 
been  often  warned,  yet  thou  wouldst  not 
leave  it  ?  Conscience  reads  a  curtain-lec- 
ture ;  sure  that  was  the  darling-sin. 

A.  6.  That  sin  which  a  man  is  most  un- 
willing to  part  with,  that  is  the  darling-sin. 
Jacob  could  of  all  his  sons,  most  hardly 
part  with  Benjamin,  Gen.  xlii.  36.,  "  Joseph 
is  not,  and  Simeon  is  not,  and  ye  will  take 
Benjamin  away  :"  so  saith  the  sinner,  this 
and  that  sin  have  I  parted  with  ;  but  must 
Benjamin  go?  must  I  part  with  this  de- 
lightful sin  ?  that  goes  to  the  heart.  This 
is  the  Delilah,  the  beloved  sin.  O  if  sin  be 
such  a  deadly  evil,  dare  not  to  indulge  any 
bosom-sin  !  This  is  of  all  the  most  dange- 
rous :  like  an  humour  striking  to  the  heart, 
which  is  mortal,  leave  open  but  one  gap, 
the  wild  beast  may  enter  at  it ;  one  darling 
sin  lived  in,  is  setting  open  a  gap  for  Satan 
to  enter. 

4.  Take  heed  of  the  sins  which  attend 
your  particular  callings.  A  calling  you 
must  live  in  ;  Adam  in  Paradise  tilled  the 
ground ;  God  never  sealed  warrants  to  idle- 
ness ;  but  every  calling  hath  its  snare ;  as 
some  sin  in  living  out  of  a  calling,  so  oth- 
ers sin  in  a  calling.  Remember  how  dead- 
ly an  evil  sin  is ;  avoid  those  sins  which 
you  may  be  exposed  to  in  your  trade ;  take 
heed  of  all  fraud  and  collusion  in  your  deal- 
ings, Mat.  vii.  12.,  "  Whatsoever  ye  would 


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tliat  men  slioulJ  do  to  you,  do  ye  even  so 
to  tliem." 

(1.)  Take  heed  of  a  deceitful  tongue  in 
selling.  The  scripture  makes  it  the  char- 
acter of  one  that  goes  to  heaven,  Ps.  xv.  2., 
"  He  speaketh  the  truth  from  his  heart." 
It  is  the  custom  of  many  to  say,  the  com- 
modity stands  them  more,  yet  take  less. 
This  is  hardly  credihle. 

(2.)  Beware  of  a  deceitful  hallance,  Hos. 
xii.  7.,  "  The  ballances  of  deceit  are  in  his 
liand."  Men  by  making  their  weights 
litrhter,  make  their  accounts  heavier. 

(3.)  Beware  of  sophisticating,  mingling 
and  embasing  commodities,  Amos  viii.  6., 
"  They  sell  the  refuse  of  the  wheat." 
They  would  pick  out  the  best  grains  of  the 
wheat,  and  sell  the  worst  at  the  same  price 
as  they  did  the  Iwst ;  to  mix  a  coarser  com- 
modity with  a  fine,  and  yet  sell  it  all  for 
fine,  is  no  better  than  deceit,  Isa.  i.  22. 

(4.)  Beware  of  stretching  your  con- 
sciences too  far,  or  taking  more  for  a  com- 
modity than  it  is  worth.  Lev.  xxv.  14., 
"  If  thou  sellest  ought  unto  thy  neighbour, 
ye  shall  not  oppress  one  another."  There 
is  a  lawful  gain  allowed,  yet  one  may  not 
so  advantage  himself  as  to  damnify  another. 
Let  that  be  the  tradesman's  motto,  Acts 
xxiv.  16.,  "  A  conscience  void  of  offence, 
toward  God  and  toward  man."  He  hath 
an  hard  bargain,  that  doth  purchase  the 
world  with  the  loss  of  his  soul. 

(5.)  Sin  being  so  deadly  an  evil,  "  take 
heed  of  the  appearance  of  sin."  Abstain 
not  only  from  apparent  evil,  but  the  ap- 
pearance of  evil:  if  it  be  not  absolutely  a 
sin,  yet  if  it  looks  like  sin,  avoid  it.  He 
■who  is  loyal  to  his  prince,  not  only  forbears 
to  have  his  hand  in  treason,  but  he  will 
take  heed  of  that  which  hath  a  shew  of 
treason.  Joseph's  mistress  tempted  him, 
and  he  fled  and  would  not  be  with  her, 
Gen.  xxxix.  12.  An  apj)earanee  of  good  is 
too  little,  and  an  aj)pearance  of  evil  is  too 
much.  1.  The  appearance  of  evil  is  oft 
an  occasion  of  evil ;  dalliance  is  an  appear- 
ance of  evil,  and  oftentimes  it  occasions  e- 
vil.  Touching  the  forbidden  fruit,  may 
occasion  tasting:  dancing  in  masquerades, 
hath  often  been  the  occasion  of  uncleanness. 
2.  The  appearance  of  evil  may  scandalize 
another,  1  Cor.  viii.  12.,  "  When  ye  sin  a- 


gainst  the  brethren,  and  wound  their  weak 
conscience,  ye  sin  against  Christ:"  sinning 
against  a  member  of  Christ,  is  a  sinning  a- 
gainst  Christ. 

Thus  you  see  sin  being  so  deadly  an  e- 
vil,  we  should  avoid  all  sin, — sins  of  omis- 
sion,— secret  sins, — complexion-sins, — sins 
that  attend  our  particular  calling, — yea, 
the  appearance  of  evil. 

Quest.  JVhat  means  shall  ice  use  to  be 
kept  from  the  acts  of  sin  ? 

Ans.  1.  If  you  would  be  preserved  from 
actual  and  scandalous  sins,  labour  to  mor- 
tify original  sin.  If  you  would  not  have 
the  branches  bud  and  blossom,  smite  at  the 
root.  I  know  original  sin  cannot  in  this 
life  be  removed,  but  labour  to  have  it  sub- 
dued. Why  do  men  break  forth  into  actu- 
al sins,  but  because  they  do  not  mortify 
heart  sins  ?  Suppress  the  first  risings  of 
pride,  lust,  passion  ;  original  sin  unmorti- 
fied,  will  prove  such  a  root  of  bitterness,  as 
will  bring  forth  the  cursed  root  of  scanda- 
lous sin. 

A.  2.  If  you  would  be  kept  from  actual 
sins,  think  what  an  odious  thing  sin  is. 
Besides  what  you  have  heard,  remember, 
sin  is  '  the  accursed  thing,'  Josh.  vii.  13. 
It  is  the  abominable  thing  God  hates,  Jer. 
xliv.  4.,  "  O  do  not  this  abominable  thing 
that  I  hate  ! '  Sin  is  the  spirits  of  witch- 
craft ;  it  is  the  devil's  excrement ;  it  is  cal- 
led '  filthincss,'  James  i.  21.  If  all  the  e- 
vils  in  the  world  were  put  together,  and 
their  quintessence  strained  out,  they  could 
not  make  a  thing  so  filthy  as  sin  doth.  So 
odious  is  a  sinner,  that  God  loathes  the 
sight  of  him,  Zech.  xi.  8.,  "  My  soul  loath- 
ed them."  He  who  defiles  himself  with  a- 
varice,  what  is  he  but  a  serpent  licking  the 
dust?  He  who  defiles  himself  with  the  lust 
of  uncleanness,  what  is  he  but  a  swine  with 
a  man's  head  ?  He  who  defiles  himself  with 
prid'S  what  is  he  but  a  bladder,  which  the 
devil  hatli  blown  up?  He  who  defiles  him- 
self with  drunkenness,  what  is  he  but  a 
beast  that  hath  got  the  staggers  ?  To  consi- 
der how  odious  and  base  a  thing  sin  is 
would  be  a  mean  to  keep  us  from  sinning. 

A.  3.  If  you  would  be  kept  from  actual 
sins,  get  the  fear  of  God  planted  in  your 
hearts,  Prov.  xvi.  6.,  "  By  the  fear  of  the 
Lord   men  depart  from  evil."     Cavcbis  si 


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pavehis.  Fear  is  a  bridle  to  sin,  and  a  spur 
to  holiness.  Fear  puts  an  holy  awe  upon 
tin?  heart,  and  binds  it  to  its  ^ooA  behaviour. 
By  the  foar  of  the  Lord  men  depart  from 
e\dl.  When  the  empress  Eudoxia,  threat- 
ened to  banish  Chrysostom,  "  Tell  lier  (saith 
he)  I  fear  nothing  but  sin."  Fear  \s  janitor 
animce  ;  it  stands  as  a  porter  at  the  door  of 
the  soul,  and  keeps  sin  from  entering ;  all 
sin  is  committed  for  want  of  the  fear  of 
God,  Rom.  iii.  14.  15.  18.,  "  Whose  mouth 
is  full  of  cursing  and  bitterness  ;  their  feet 
are  swift  to  shed  blood;  there  is  no  fear  of 
God  before  their  eyes."  Holy  fear  stands 
sentinel,  and  is  ever  watcliing  against  secu- 
rity, pride,  wantonness.  Fear  is  a  Christian's 
life-guard  to  defend  him  against  the  fiery 
darts  of  temptation.  Si  vis  esse  securus,  sem- 
per time.  The  way  to  be  safe,  is  always  to 
fear,  Prov.  ii.  14. 

A.  4.  If  we  would  be  kept  from  actual 
sins,  lot  us  be  careful  to  avoid  all  the  inlets 
and  occasions  of  sin ;  run  not  into  evil 
company;  he  that  would  not  have  the 
plague,  will  not  go  into  an  infected  house. 
Guard  your  senses,  which  may  be  the  inlets 
to  sin.  Keep  the  two  portals,  the  eye  and 
the  ear ;  especially,  look  to  your  eyes ; 
much  sin  comes  in  by  the  eye, — the  eye  is 
oft  an  inlet  to  sin, — sin  takes  fire  at  the  eye, 
— the  first  sin  in  the  world,  began  at  the 
eye,  Gen.  iii.  6.,  "  Wlien  the  woman  saw 
that  the  tree  was  good  for  food,  and  was 
pleasant  to  the  eyes,  then  she  took  of  the 
fruit  thereof."  Looking  begat  lusting. 
Intemperance  begins  at  the  eye  :  looking 
on  the  wine  when  it  is  red  and  gives  its  co- 
lour in  the  glass,  causeth  excess  of  drinking, 
Prov.  xxi.  31 

eye.  Josh.  vii.  21.,  "  When  I 
the  spoils  a  goodly  Babylonish  garment, 
and  a  wedge  of  gold,  I  coveted  and  took 
them."  The  fire  of  lust  besins  to  kindle  at 
the  eye  :  David  walking  upon  the  roof  of 
his  house,  saw  a  woman  washing  herself, 
and  she  was,  saith  the  text,  '  very  beautiful 
to  look  upon,'  and  he  sent  messengers  and 
took  her,  and  defiled  himself  with  her, 
2  Sam.  xi.  2.  O  therefore  look  to  your 
eyes  !  Job  made  a  covenant  with  liis  eyes, 
Job  xxxi.  1.  If  the  eye  be  once  inflamed, 
it  will  be  hard  to  stand  out  long  against  sin  ; 
if  the  outworks  are  taken  by  the  enemy. 


Covetousness  begins  at  the 
saw  anion": 


there  is  great  danger  of  taking  the  A\hoIe 
castle. 

A.  5.  If  you  would  be  kept  from  actual 
gross  sin,  study  sobriety  and  temperance, 
1  Pet.  V.  8 ,  Sobrii  est,  '  be  sober.'  Check 
the  inordinancy  of  appetite ;  sin  doth  fre- 
quently make  its  entrance  this  way.  By 
gratifying  the  sensitive  appetite,  the  soul, 
that  is  a-kin  to  angels,  is  enslaved  to  the 
brutish  part.  Many  drink,  if  not  to  drun- 
kenness, yet  to  drowsiness.  The  not  deny- 
ing the  sensitive  appetite,  makes  men's  con- 
sciences so  full  of  guilt,  and  the  world  so 
full  of  scandal.  If  you  would  be  kept  from 
running  into  sin,  lay  restraint  upon  the 
flesh.  What  hath  God  given  reason  and 
conscience  for,  but  to  be  a  bridle  to  check 
inordinate  desires  ? 

A.  6.  If  you  would  be  kept  from  actual 
sins,  be  continually  upon  your  spiritual  watch. 

1.  Watch  your  thoughts,  Jer.  iv.  14., 
"  How  long  shall  thy  vain  thoughts  lodge 
within  thee  ?"  Sin  begins  at  the  thoughts. 
First,  men  cherish  revengeful  thoughts, 
then  they  dip  their  hands  in  blood.  Set  a 
spy  over  your  thouglits. 

2.  Watch  your  passions  :  passions  of  an- 
ger, passions  of  lust.  The  heart  is  ready 
to  be  destroyed  by  its  own  passions,  as  the 
vessel  is  to  be  overturned  by  the  sail.  Pas- 
sion transports  beyond  the  bounds  of  reason  ; 
it  is  brevis  insania,  Seneca,  '  A  short  fren- 
zy.' Moses  in  a  passion  spake  unadvisedly 
with  his  lips,  Ps.  cvi.  33.  The  disciples  in 
a  passion  called  for  fire  from  heaven,  A 
man  in  a  passion  is  like  a  ship  in  a  storm, 
that  hath  neither  pilot  nor  sails  to  help  it, 
but  is  exposed  to  the  waves  and  rocks. 

3.  Watch  your  temptations.  Satan  con- 
tinually lies  in  ambush,  and  watcheth  to 
draw  us  to  sin.  Stat  in  procinctu  diabolns  : 
lie  is  fishing  for  our  souls, — he  is  either  lay- 
ing of  snares,  or  shooting  of  darts, — there- 
fore we  had  need  watch  the  tempter,  that 
we  be  not  decoyed  into  sin.  Most  sin  is 
committed  for  want  of  watchfulness. 

A.  7.  If  you  would  be  kept  from  the  evil 
of  sin,  consult  with  the  oracles  of  God,  be 
well-versed  in  scri[)ture,  Ps,  cxix.  11., 
"  Thy  word  have  I  hid  in  my  heart,  that  I 
might  not  sin  against  thee,"  The  word  is, 
amceps  gladins, — a  two-edged  sword,  to  cut 
asunder  men's  lusts.     When  the  fogs  and 


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OF  THE  SIXTH  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


vapours  of  sin  begin  to  arise,  let  but  the 
lio-ht  of  scripture  shine  into  the  soul,  and  it 
dispels  those  fogs ;  "  let  the  word  of  Christ 
dwell  in  you  richly,"  Col.  iii.  16.  Alphon- 
sus  king  of  Arragon,  read  over  the  bible 
fourteen  times.  The  word  shews  the  dam- 
cable  evil  of  sin  ;  it  furnisheth  us  with  pre- 
cepts, which  are  so  many  recepes  and  anti- 
dotes against  sin.  When  Christ  had  a 
temptation  to  sin,  he  beat  back  the  tempter, 
and  wounded  him  three  times  with  this 
sword  of  the  Spirit,  "  It  is  written."  Why 
do  men  live  in  sin,  but  because  they  either 
do  not  read  the  word  or  do  not  believe  it  ? 
A.  8.  If  you  would  be  preserved  from 
gross,  presumptuous  sin,  get  your  hearts 
fired  with  love  to  God.  Love  hath  great 
force  in  it,  it  is  "  strong  as  death,"  it  breaks 
the  league  between  the  heart  and  sin. 
Two  things  in  God  cause  love. 

1.  His  glorious  beauty  :  Moses  desired 
to  see  some  glimpse  of  it.  "  Lord,  shew 
me  thy  glory." 

2.  His  amazing  love.  What  a  prodigy 
of  love  was  it,  to  give  his  Son  out  of  his 
bosom,  and  lay  such  a  jewel  to  pawn  for 
our  redemption  !  Those  two, — the  glories 
of  God's  beauty,  and  the  magnitude  of  his 
love, — may,  like  two  loadstones,  draw  our 
love  to  God  ;  and  if  we  love  him,  we  will 
not  sin  against  him ;  he  that  loves  his 
friend,  will  not  by  any  means  disj)lease 
him.  I  have  read  of  four  men  meeting  to- 
gether, who  asked  one  another,  what  it  was 
that  kept  them  from  sinning?  One  said, 
the  fear  of  hell ;  another  said,  the  joys  of 
heaven  ;  the  third  said,  the  odiousness  of 
sin ;  the  fourth  said,  that  which  keeps  me 
from  sin,  is,  love  to  God ;  shall  I  sin  against 
so  good  a  God  ?  shall  I  abuse  love  ?  Love 
to  God  is  the  best  curbing-bit  to  keep  from 
sin. 

A.  9.  If  you  would  be  kept  from  the  evil 
of  sin,  be  diligent  in  a  calling.  DH  labori- 
bus  omnia  vendant.  Adam  in  j)aradise  must 
till  the  ground.  Such  as  live  idly,  expose 
themselves  to  sin  ;  if  we  have  no  work  to 
do,  Satan  will  find  us  work ;  he  sows  most 
of  his  seed  in  fallow-ground.  A  woman 
being  much  tempted  to  sin,  came  to  the 
reverend  Mr.  Greenham  for  advice,  what 
she  should  do  to  resist  the  temptation  ?  He 
gave  her  this  answer  •  Be  always  well-em-  I 


ployed,  that  so  when  Satan  comes,  he  may 
find  thee  busied  in  thy  calling,  and  thou 
mayest  not  be  at  leisure  to  listen  to  his 
temptation." 

A.  10.  If  you  would  be  kept  from  sin,  fix 
the  eye  of  your  mind  upon  '  the  beauty  of 
holiness.'  Holiness  consists  in  our  confor- 
mity to  God ;  holiness  is  the  sparkling  of 
the  divine  nature,  a  beam  of  God  shining 
in  the  soul.  How  lovely  is  Christ's  bride, 
when  decked  and  bespangled  with  the  jew- 
els of  holiness  !  What  makes  the  seraphims 
angels  of  light ;  but  their  holiness  ?  Do  but 
think  with  yourselves  what  a  splendid,  glo- 
rious thing  holiness  is,  and  it  will  cause  a 
disgust  and  hatred  of  sin,  which  is  so  con- 
trary to  it.  The  beholding  of  beauty,  makes 
one  out  of  love  with  deformity. 

A.  11.  If  you  would  keep  from  the  evil 
of  sin,  meditate  frequently  on  death  :  First, 
the  unavoidableness  of  it,  Heb.  ix.  27.,  "  It 
is  appointed  unto  all  men  once  to  die." 
We  are  not  so  sure  to  lie  down  this  night 
in  bed,  as  we  are  to  lie  down  in  the  grave. 
Secondly.  The  uncertainty  of  the  time. 
We  are  but  tenants  at  will ;  we  hold  our 
life  at  the  will  of  our  landlord,  and  how 
soon  may  God  turn  us  out  of  this  house  of 
clay  ?  Death  oft  comes  when  we  least  look 
for  it.  The  flood  as  some  learned  writers 
observe  came  in  the  month  Ziph,  or  Ap- 
ril,— in  the  spring, — when  the  trees  were 
blossoming,  and  the  birds  singing,  then 
came  the  flood,  when  they  least  looked  for 
it :  so  oft  in  the  spring  of  youth,  when  the 
body  is  most  healthy,  and  the  spirits  most 
sprightly  and  vigorous,  and  death  is  least 
thought  on,  then  it  comes.  Could  we  think 
often  and  seriously  of  death,  it  would  give 
a  death's-wound  to  sin.  No  stronger  anti- 
dote  against  sin  than  this  :  I  am  now  sing- 
ing, and  to-morrow  may  be  dying  ?  What 
if  death  should  take  me  doing  the  devil's 
work,  would  it  not  send  me  to  him  to  re- 
ceive my  wages  ?  AVould  but  the  adulterer 
think,  I  am  now  in  the  act  of  sin,  but  how 
soon  may  death  come,  and  then  I  who  have 
burned  in  lust,  must  burn  in  hell :  this  sure 
would  strike  a  damp  into  him  ;  and  make 
him  afraid  of  going  after  strange  flesh. 

A,  12.  If  ye  would  be  kept  from  gross 
scaruhilous  sins,  beware  of  a  covetous  heart. 
Covetousness  is  a   dry  drunkenness.     He 


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599 


who  tliirsts  insatiably  after  tlie  world  will 
stick  at  no  sin,  he  will  betray  Christ  and  a 
good  cause  for  money.  Cui  nihil  satis,  ei- 
dem  nihil  turpe,  Tacitus.  1  Tim.  vi.  10., 
*'  Tlie  love  of  money  is  the  root  of  all  evil." 
From  this  root  comes,  First,  theft :  Achan's 
covetous  humour  made  him  steal  the  wedge 
of  gold,  Josh.  vii.  21.  Covetousness  makes 
the  gaols  so  full.  Secondly,  from  this  root 
comes  murder.  Why  did  Ahab  stone  Na- 
both  to  death,  but  to  possess  his  vineyard  ? 
1  Kings  xxi.  13.  Covetousness  hath  made 
many  swim  to  the  crown  in  blood.  Third- 
ly, from  this  bitter  root  of  covetousness 
proceeds  cozenage  ;  it  is  the  covetous  hand 
holds  false  weights.  Fourthly,  from  tliis 
root  of  covetousness  comes  unclcauness. 
You  read  of  the  Iiire  of  a  whore,  Deut.  xxiii. 
1*^.  For  money  she  would  let  both  her 
conscience  and  chastity  be  set  to  sale.  O 
if  you  would  be  kept  from  the  evil  of  sin, 
beware  of  coVetousness  which  is  the  inlet 
to  so  many  sins  ! 

A.  13.  Let  us  be  much  in  prayer  to  God, 
to  keep  us  from  ingulphing  ourselves  in 
sin,  Ps.  xix.  13.,  "  Keep  back  thy  servant 
from  presumptuous  sins."  We  have  no 
power  inherent  to  keep  ourselves  from  evil. 
Arnoldus  saith,  that  man,  in  his  corrupt 
estate,  hath  aliquas  reliquias  vifce  spiritualis, 
— some  reliques  of  spiritual  life  left.  And 
Arminias  saith,  man  hath  a  sufficiency  of 
grace  in  himself  whereby  he  may  abstinere 
a  malo,  abstain  from  evil;  free-will  is  a 
sufficient  curb  to  check  and  pull  him  back 
from  sin.  But  then  what  needed  Christ  to 
have  taught  us  this  prayer:  Libera  nos  a 
tnalo,  "  Deliver  us  from  evil?"  If  we  have 
power  of  ourselves  to  keep  from  sin,  what 
need  we  pray  to  Clod  for  power  ?  Alas  !  if 
David  and  Peter,  in  an  habit  of  grace,  fell, 
for  want  of  a  fresh  gale  of  the  Spirit  to  hold 
them  up,  much  more  will  they  be  in  danger 
of  falling,  who  have  only  the  power  of  free- 
will to  hold  them.  Let  us  therefore  sue  to 
God  for  strength  to  keep  us  from  sinning ; 
pray  that  prayer  of  David,  Ps.  cxix.  117., 
*  Hold  thou  me  up,  and  I  shall  be  safe." 
And  that  other  prayer,  Ps.  xvii.  5.,  "  Hold 
up  my  goings  in  thy  paths  that  my  footsteps 
slip  not."  Lord,  keep  me  from  dishonour- 
ing thee, — keep  me  from  the  defiling  sins 
of  the  age,  that  I  may  not  be  worse  for  the 


times,  nor  the  times  the  worse  for  me, — 
"  Keep  back  thy  servant  from  presumptu- 
ous sins."  Lord,  whatever  I  suffer,  keep 
me  from  sin.  The  chihl  is  safe  in  the 
nurse's  arms ;  and  we  are  only  safe  from 
falling  into  sin,  while  we  are  held  up  in 
the  arms  of  Clirist  and  free-grace.     The 

2d  Branch  of  the  exhortation  hath  an  as- 
pect to  (iod's  children.  You  that  aie  j)ro- 
fessors,  and  carnj'  Christ's  colours,  I  beseech 
you,  above  all  others,  to  take  heed  of  sin  ; 
beware  of  any  action  that  is  scandalous  and 
unbecoming  the  gospel.  You  have  heard 
what  a  prodigious  liyperbolical  evil  sin  is. 
Come  not  near  the  forbidden  fruit,  Hos.  iv. 
15.,  "  Though  thou  Israel,  ])lay  the  harlot, 
yet  let  not  Judah  oflfend."  So,  though 
wicked  men  run  into  sin,  yet  let  not  tlie 
spouse  of  Christ  defile  the  breasts  of  her 
virginity.  Sin  doth  ill  become  any  but 
doth  worse  become  professors.  Dung  is 
unhandsome  in  the  street ;  but  to  see  it  in 
the  temy)le,  how  offensive  is  it?  Leprosy 
in  the  foot  doth  ill,  but  to  see  a  leprous 
sore  in  the  face  is  much  worse ;  to  see  sin 
break  forth  in  them  who  have  a  face  of  re- 
ligion, is  most  to  be  abominated.  The  sins 
of  the  wicked  are  not  so  much  wondered 
at,  Dan.  xii.  10.,  "  The  wicked  shall  do 
wickedly."  It  is  no  wonder  to  see  a  tod 
sj)it  poison;  it  was  not  so  much  wondered 
to  see  Cain  or  Ahab  sin  ;  but  to  see  Lot's 
incest, — to  see  David's  hands  stained  with 
blood, — this  was  strange.  When  the  sun 
is  eclipsed,  every  one  stands  and  looks  upon 
it:  so  when  a  child  of  light  is  eclipsed  by 
scandalous  sin,  all  stand  and  gaze  at  tliis 
eclipse.  The  sins  of  God's  people  do,  in 
some  sense,  more  provoke  God  than  the 
sins  of  the  wicked.  We  read  "  of  the  pro- 
vokings  of  his  sons  and  daughters,"  Deut. 
xxxii.  19.  The  sins  of  the  wicked  anger 
God,  but  the  sins  of  his  peoj)le  grieve  liim. 
The  sins  of  God's  people  have  a  more  ma- 
lignant aspect,  and  are  of  a  blacker  dye, 
than  others ;  there  are  those  aggravations 
in  the  sins  of  God's  people,  as  are  not  to  be 
found  in  the  sins  of  the  unregenerate,  in 
eight  particulars. 

For,  1.  The  godly  have  something  which 
may  ponere  obicem,  restrain  them  from  sin. 
Wicked  men,  when  they  sin,  have  no  prin- 
ciple to  restrain  them ;  they  have  wind  and 


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OF  THE  SIXTH  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


tide  to  carry  them,  but  have  nothinjj^  to 
pull  them  back  from  sin  ;  but  a  child  of 
God  hath  a  principle  of  grace  to  give  check 
to  sin;  he  hath  the  impulses  of  (iod's  Spi- 
rit dissuading  him  from  evil ;  therefore,  for 
him  to  commit  sin,  is  far  worse  than  for 
others, —  this  is  to  sin  more  desperately, — it 
is,  as  if  a  woman  should  go  about  to  kill  the 
babe  in  her  womb.  Christian,  this  thou 
art  to  do,  when  thou  sinnest  presumptuous- 
ly, thou  dost  what  in  thee  lies  to  kill  the 
babe  of  grace  in  thy  soul. 

2.  The  sins  of  God's  people  are  greater 
than  others,  because  they  sin  against  more 
mercy.  This  is  like  a  weight  put  in  a 
scale,  it  makes  sin  weigh  heavier.  God  hath 
given  Christ  to  a  believer ;  he  hath  cut  him 
off  from  the  wild  stock  of  nature,  and  graf- 
ted him  into  the  true  olive  ;  and  for  him  to 
abuse  all  this  mercy,  it  is  to  out-do  the 
wicked,  and  to  sin  with  an  higher  aggrava- 
tion, because  it  is  to  sin  against  greater  love. 
How  was  Peter's  sin  enhanced  and  accent- 
ed, that  when  Christ  had  done  more  for  him 
than  others, — had  dropjied  some  of  the  holy 
oil  upon  him, — had  taken  him  into  the 
number  of  the  apostles, — had  carried  him 
up  into  the  mount  of  transfiguration,  and 
shewn  him  the  glory  of  heaven  in  a  vision, 
— that  Peter  should  deny  Christ  after  all 
this  mercy,  this  was  heinous,  and  could  not 
be  forgiven  but  by  a  miracle  and  prodigy 
of  love. 

3.  The  sins  of  the  godly  are  worse,  and 
have  this  aggravation  in  them  that  they  sin 
against  more  clear  illumination  than  the 
wicked,  Job  xxiv.  13.,  "  They  are  of  those 
that  rebel  against  the  light :"  light  is  here 
taken  figuratively  for  knowledge.  It  can- 
not be  denied,  but  the  wicked  sin  knowing- 
ly ;  but  the  godly  have  a  light  beyond 
them, — such  a  divine  penetrating  light,  as 
no  hypocrite  can  attain  unto ;  they  have 
better  eyes  to  see  sin  than  others;  and  for 
them  to  meddle  with  sin,  and  embrace  this 
dunghill,  how  must  this  needs  provoke  God, 
and  make  the  fury  rise  uj)  in  his  face  !  Oh 
therefore,  you  that  are  the  people  of  God, 
flei!  from  sin  ;  your  sins  are  more  enhanced, 
and  have  worse  aggravations  in  them  than 
the  sins  of  the  unregcnerate  ! 

4.  The  sins  of  the  godly  are  worse  than 
the  sins  of  the  unregcnerate,  for,  when  they 


sin,  it  is  against  great  experiences.  Tliey 
have  felt  the  bitterness  of  sin  in  the  pangs 
of  the  new-birth,  and  afterwards  God  hath 
spoken  peace,  and  they  have  had  an  experi- 
mental taste  how  '  sweet  the  Lord  is ;'  and 
yet,  after  these  experiences,  that  they  should 
touch  the  forbidden  fruit, — venture  upon  a  / 
presumptuous  sin, — how  doth  this  enhance 
and  aggravate  their  guilt ;  it  is  like  putting 
a  weight  more  in  the  scale  to  make  their  sin 
weigh  heavier.  The  wicked,  when  they  sin, 
never  tasted  the  sweetness  of  an  heavenly 
life, — they  never  knew  what  it  was  to  have 
any  smiles  from  God, — they  never  tasted 
any  thing  sweeter  tlian  corn  and  wine, 
therefore  no  wonder  if  they  sin  :  but  for  a 
child  of  God,  who  hath  had  such  love-to- 
kens from  heaven,  and  signal  ex})eriences 
from  God, — for  him  to  gratify  a  lust,  ho%v 
horrid  is  this  !  It  was  an  aggravation  of  So- 
lomon's sin,  that '  his  heart  was  turned  from 
the  Lord  God  of  Israel  which  bad  appeared 
to  him  twice,'  1  Kings  xi.  9. 

5.  The  sins  of  the  godly  are  greater  than 
others,  because  they  sin  against  their  son- 
ship.  \^Tien  wicked  men  sin,  they  sin  a- 
gainst  the  command  ;  but  when  the  godly 
sin,  they  sin  against  a  privilege,  they  abuse 
their  sonship.  The  godly  are  adopted  into 
the  family  of  heaven,  they  have  a  new  name. 
Is  it  a  light  thing  said  David  to  be  son-in- 
law  to  a  king  ?  So,  to  be  called  the  sons  of 
God,  to  be  heirs  of  the  promises,  is  no  small 
honour  ;  now,  for  such  to  run  into  an  open 
offence,  it  is  a  sinning  against  their  adop- 
tion ;  they  hereby  make  themselves  vile,  as 
if  a  king'  s  son  should  be  tumbling*  in  the 
mire,  or  lie  among  swine. 

6.  The  sins  of  the  godly  are  worse  than 
others,  because  they  are  committed  against 
more  vows  and  engagements.  They  have 
giA-en  up  their  names  to  God  ;  they  have 
bound  themselves  solemnly  to  God  by  oath, 
Ps.  cxix.  106.,  "  I  have  sworn  that  I  will 
keep  thy  righteous  judgments."  And  in 
the  supper  of  the  Lord  they  have  renewed 
tliis  sacred  vow  ;  and,  after  this,  to  run  in- 
to a  ])resumptuous  sin, — it  is  a  breacli  ol 
vow,  a  kind  of  perjury,  which  dies  the  sin 
of  a  crimson  colour. 

7.  Tiie  sins  of  the  godly  are  worse  than 
others,  because  they  bring  a  greater  re- 
proach upon  religion      For  the   wicked  to 


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601 


Bin,  there  is  no  otlier  expected  from  tliem ; 
swine  will  wallow  in  the  mire,  but  when 
sheep  do  so, — when  the  godly  sin, — th.at 
redounds  to  the  dishonour  of  the  gospel, 
2  Sam.  xii.  14.,  "  By  this  deed  thou  hast 
given  great  occasion  to  the  enemies  of  the 
Lord  to  bhaspheme."  A  stain  in  scarlet, 
every  one's  eye  is  upon  it :  for  the  godly  to 
sin,  it  is  like  a  spot  in  scarlet,  it  is  more 
taken  notice  of,  and  it  reflects  a  greater  dis- 
honour upon  the  w^ays  of  God.  When  the 
sun  is  eclipsed,  every  one  stands  and  looks 
upon  it,  so,  when  a  child  of  light  is  eclipsed 
by  scandalous  sin,  all  stand  and  gaze  at  this 
eclipse.  How  doth  the  gospel  suffer  by  the 
miscarriages  of  the  godly?  Their  blood 
never  can  wash  off  the  stain  that  they  bring 
upon  religion. 

8.  The  sins  of  the  godly  are  worse,  be- 
cause they  are  a  mean  to  encourage  and 
harden  wicked  men  in  sin.     If  the  wicked 
see  the  godly  to  be  loose  and  uncircumspect 
in  their  lives,  they  think  they  may  do  so 
too :  the  wicked  make  the  godly  their  pat- 
tern,  not  in  imitating  their   virtues,    but 
their  vices,  and  is  not  this  fearful  to  be  a 
mean  to  damn  others  ?    These  are  the  aff- 
gravations  of  tlie  sins  of  the   godly;  tliere- 
fore  you,  above  all  others,  beware  of  pre- 
sumptuous sin;  yt)ur  sins  wound  conscience, 
weaken  grace,  and  do  more  highly  provoke 
God  than  the   sins  of  others,  and  God  will 
be  sure  to  punish  you.     Whoever  escapes, 
you  shall  not,  Anios  iii.  2.,  "  You  only  liave 
I  known  of  all    the   families  of  the  earth, 
therefore  I  will  punish  you  for  all  your  in- 
iquities."    If  God  doth  not  damn  you,  yet 
he  may  send  you  to  hell  in  this  life  ;  he  may 
cause  such  agonies  and  tremblings  of  heart, 
that  you   will   be  a  terror  to  yourselves  ; 
you    may    draw    nigh   to    despair,  and   be 
ready   to  look   upon    yourselves    as  casta- 
ways. When  David  had  stained  himself  with 
adultery  and  murder,  he  complained  of  his 
'  broken  bones,*  Ps.  li.  8, — a  metaphor  to 
set  forth  the  grief  and  agony  of  his  soul ; 
he  lay  in  sore  desertion  three  quarters  of  a 
vear,  and  it  is  thought  he   never  recovered 
his  full  joy  to  his  dying  day.     Oh,  there- 
fore, you   who  belong  to  God  and  are  en- 
rolled in  his  family,  take  heed  of  blemish- 
ing your   profession  with  scandalous   sin ; 
vou  will   pay  dear  for  it !     Think  of  the 


])roken  bones :  tliough  God  doth  not  blot 
you  out  of  his  book,  yet  he  may  cast  you 
out  of  his  ])rescnce,  Ps.  li.  11.  He  may 
keep  you  in  long  desertion.  You  may  feel 
such  lashes  in  your  conscience,  that  you 
may  roar  out,  and  think  yourselves  half  in 
heli. 

So  much  for  tlie  first,  "  deliver  us  from 
evil :"  we  pray  to  be  delivered  from  evil,  in 
general,  that  is  sin. 

Secondly,  In  special.  "  Deliver  us  from 
evil."  We  pray  to  be  delivered  from  evil, 
under  a  threefold  notion.  1.  From  the  evil 
of  our  heart;  it  is  called  '  an  evil  heart,' 
Heb.  iii.  12.  2.  From  the  evil  of  Satan; 
he  is  called  "  the  wicked  one,"  ]Mat.  xiii. 
19.  3.  From  the  evil  of  the  world ;  it  is 
called  '  an  evil  world,'  Gal.  i.  4. 

1st,    In  this  petition,  "  deliver  us  from 
evil,"  we  pray  to  be  delivered  from  the  e\'il 
of  our  heart,  that  it  may  not  decoy  and  tre- 
pan us  into  sin.     The  heart  is  the  poisoned 
fountain  from  whence  all  actual  sins  flow, 
Mark.  vii.  21.,  "  Out  of  the  heart  proceed 
evil  thoughts,  fornications,  murders."    The 
cause  of  all  evil  lies  in  a  man's  own  breast, 
all  sin  begins  at  the  heart.     Lust  is  first 
conceived  in  the  heart,  and  then  it  is  mid- 
wifed  into  the  world.     Whence  conies  rash 
anger  ?  The  heart  sets  the  tongue  on  fire. 
The  heart  is  a  shop  or  work-house  where 
all  sin  is  contrived  and  hammered  out ;  how 
needful  therefore  is   this  prayer,  "  deliver 
us  from  evil,"  from  the  evil  of  our  hearts  ? 
The  heart  is  the  greatest  seducer,  therefore 
the  apostle  James  saith,    "  every   man  is 
drawn  away  of  his  own  lust,  and  enticed," 
James  i.  14.     The  devil  could  not  hurt  na, 
if  our  own  hearts  did  not  give  consent ,  all 
that  he  can  do  is,  to  lay  the  bait,  but  it  is 
our  fault  to  swallow  the  bait.  Olet  us  pray 
to  be  delivered   from   the  lusts  and  deceits 
of  our  own  heart !   "  Deliver  us  from  evil." 
Luther  feared  his  heart  more  than  the  pope 
or  cardinal  ;  and  it  was  Austin's  prayer,  li~ 
bera  me,  Domine,  a  meipso, — '  Lord  deliver 
me  from  mysidf.'    It  was  a  good  ad\  ice  one 
gave  to  his  friend,  Caveas  feipsum.    Beware 
of  the  bosom  traitor,  the  flesh.     The  heart 
of  a  man  is  the  Trojan  horse  out  of  which 
comes  a  whole  army  of  lusts. 

2dly,  In  this  petition,   "  deliver  us  from 
evil,"  we  pray  to  be  delivered  from  the  evil 

4  G 


602 


OF  THE  SIXTH  PETITION  IN  THE  LORDS  PRAYER. 


of  Satan.     He  is  '  the  evil  one,'  Mat.  xiii. 

Quest.  In  what  respect  is  Satan  the  wick- 
ed one  ? 

Ahs.  1.  He  was  the  first  inventor  of  evil, 
John  viii.  44.     He  plotted  the  first  treason. 

A.  2.  His  inclination  is  only  to  evil,  Eph. 
vi.  12. 

A.  3.  His  constant  practice  is  doing  evil, 
1  Pet.  V.  8. 

A.  4.  All  the  evils  and  mischiefs  that 
fall  out  in  the  world,  he  hath  some  hand  in 
them. 

(1.)  He  hinders  from  good,  Zech.  iii.  1., 
"  He  shewed  me  Joshua  the  high-priest 
standing  before  the  angel  of  the  Lord,  and 
Satan  standing  at  his  right-hand  to  resist 
him." 

(2.)  He  provokes  to  evil ;  he  put  it  into 
Ananias'  heart  to  lie,  Acts  v.  3.,  "  Why 
hath  Satan  filled  thine  heart  to  lie  to  the 
Holy  Ghost  ?"  The  devil  blows  the  fire  of 
lust  and  strife.  When  men  are  proud,  the 
old  serpent  hath  poisoned  them,  and  makes 
them  swell.  Thus  he  is  the  evil  one ;  and 
well  may  we  pray,  "  Lord,  deliver  us  from 
the  evil  one."  The  word  Satan  in  the  He- 
brew signifies  an  opponent  or  adversary. 

L  He  is  a  restless  adversary,  he  never 
sleeps  ;  spirits  need  no  sleep.  He  is  a  pe- 
ripatetic,— "  He  walks  about,"  1  Pet.  v.  8. 
And,  how  doth  he  walk  ?  not  as  a  pilgrim, 
but  as  a  spy ;  he  narrowly  observes  where 
lie  may  plant  his  pieces  of  battery  and 
make  his  assaults  with  most  advantage  a- 
gainst  us.  Satan  is  a  subtle  engineer ; 
there  is  no  place  that  can  secure  us  from 
Satiin's  assaults  and  inroads.  We  find  him 
while  we  are  praying,  hearing,  meditating. 
We  are  sure  of  his  company,  uncertain  how 
we  came  by  it. 

2.  Satan  is  a  puissant  adversary,  he  is 
armed  with  power.  He  is  called  '  the  strong 
man,'  Luke  xi.  2L  He  takes  men  captive 
at  his  pleasure,  2  Tim.  ii.  26.,  "  Who  are 
taken  captive  by  him  Jit  his  will," — wlio  arc 
taken  alive  by  him.  It  alludes  to  a  bird 
that  is  taken  alive  in  the  snare.  Thus  you 
see  he  is  in  the  evil  one.  The  devil's  work 
is  to  angle  for  men's  souls ;  he  lays  suitable 
baits  ;  he  allures  the  ambitious  man  with 
lionour, — the  covetous  man  with  riches,  he 
hooks  his  baits  with  silver, — he  allures  the 


lustful  man  with  beauty,  he  tempts  men 
to  Delilah's  lap  to  keep  them  from  Abra- 
ham's bosom.  The  devil  glories  in  the 
damnation  of  souls.  How  needful  then  is 
this  prayer,  "  Deliver  us  from  evil."  Lord, 
keep  us  from  the  evil  one  ;  though  Satan 
may  solicit  us  to  sin,  suffer  us  not  to  give 
consent ;  though  he  may  assault  the  castle 
of  our  hearts,  yet  let  us  not  deliver  up  the 
keys  of  the  castle  to  our  mortal  enemy. 

3dly,  In  this  petition,  "  Deliver  us  from 
evil,"  we  pray  to  be  delivered  from  the  evil 
of  the  world.  It  is  called  an  '  evil  world,' 
Gal.  i.  4.;  not  but  that  the  world  (as  God 
made  it)  is  good,  but  through  our  corrup- 
tion it  becomes  evil,  and  we  had  need  pray, 
deliver  us  from  an  evil  world. 

Quest.  In  what  sense  is  it  an  evil  world  ? 

Ans.  1.  As  it  is  a  defiling  world.  It  is 
like  living  in  an  infectious  air ;  it  requires 
an  high  degree  of  grace  to  "  keep  himself 
unspotted  from  the  world,"  James  i.  27. 
It  is  as  hard  to  live  in  the  world  and  not 
be  defiled,  as  to  go  much  in  the  sun,  and 
not  be  tanned. 

(1.)  The  opinions  of  the  world  are  defil- 
ing ;  that  a  little  religion  will  serve  the 
turn,  like  leaf-gold,  it  must  be  spread  but 
thin  ;  that  morality  runs  parallel  vniYi 
grace ;  that  to  be  zealous,  is  to  be  righ- 
teous over  much  ;  that  it  is  better  to  keep 
the  skin  whole  than  the  conscience  pure ; 
that  the  flesh  is  rather  to  be  gratified  than 
mortified.  These  opinions  of  the  world  are 
defiling. 

(2.)  The  examples  of  the  world  are  de- 
filing. Examples  have  a  great  force  in 
them  to  draw  us  to  evil. — Princeps  imperio 
magnus  examplo  major,  Princes  are  looking- 
glasses  which  we  dress  ourselves  by ;  if 
they  do  evil,  we  are  apt  to  imitate  them. 
Great  men  are  copies  we  set  before  us,  and 
usually  we  write  most  like  the  copy  when 
it  is  blotted.  There  is  a  great  proneness 
in  us  to  follow  the  examples  of  the  world  ; 
therefore  God  hath  put  in  a  caveat  against 
it,  Exod.  xxiii.  2.,  "  Thou  shalt  not  follow 
a  multitude  to  do  evil."  How  easily  are 
we  Imrried  to  sin,  when  we  have  the  tide 
of  natural  corruption,  and  the  wind  of  ex- 
am])le  to  carry  us  !  Lot  was  the  world's 
wonder ;  the  complexion  of  his  soul  kept 
pure  in  Sodom's  infectious  air.     The  river 


OF  THE  SIXTH  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


603 


of  Peru  In  America,  after  it  hath  run  into 
the  main  sea,  keeps  fresh,  and  doth  not 
mingle  witli  the  salt  waters  :  to  this  river 
might  Lot  be  compared,  whose  piety  kept 
fresh  in  Sodom's  salt  water.  Bad  exam- 
ples are  catching,  Ps.  cvi.  35.,  They  "  were 
mingled  among  the  heathen,  and  learned 
their  works."  Had  not  we  need  then  pray. 
Lord,  deliver  us  from  this  evil  world  ? 
Living  in  the  world  is  like  travelling  in  a 

diftv  road. 

A.  2.  It  is  an  evil  world,  as  it  is  an  en- 
snaring world.  The  world  is  full  of  snares. 
Company  is  a  snare, — recreations  are  snares, 
— oaths  are  snares, — riches  are  golden 
snares, — Opes  irritamenta  malorinn.  The 
apostle  speaks  of  "  the  lust  of  the  flesh,  the 
lust  of  the  eyes,  and  the  pride  of  life," 
1  Jolin  ii.  16.  The  lust  of  the  flesh  is 
beauty, — the  lust  of  the  eye  is  money, — 
the  pride  of  life  is  honour ;  these  are  the 
natural  man's  trinity.  In  mundo  splei^dor 
opum,  gloricB  mnjestas,  voluptatinn  illecehrcp, 
ab  ainore  Dei  nos  astraliimt.  The  world  is 
a  flattering  enemy  ;  whom  it  kisses,  it  oft 
betrays  ;  it  is  a  silken  halter  ;  the  pleasures 
of  the  world,  like  o])ium,  cast  men  into  the 
sleep  of  security.  Lysimachus  sold  his 
crown  for  a  draught  of  water  :  so  many 
part  with  heaven  for  the  world.  It  is  an 
ensnaring  world  :  the  king  of  Armenia  was 
sent  prisoner  to  queen  Cleopatra  in  goldon 
fetters, — too  many  are  enslaved  with  the 
world's  golden  fetters.  The  world  hewitcli- 
ed  Demas,  2  Tim.  iv.  10.  One  of  Christ's 
own  apostles  was  caught  with  a  silver  bait. 
It  is  hard  to  drink  the  wine  of  pros|)crity, 
and  not  be  giddy.  Thus  the  worhl,  through 
our  innate  corruption,  is  evil,  as  it  is  a 
snare,  1  Tim.  vi.  9.,  "  They  that  will  be 
rich,  fall  into  temptation,  and  a  snare."  If 
an  angel  were  to  live  here,  there  were  no 
danger  of  the  world's  ensnaring  him  be- 
cause he  hath  no  principle  within  to  receive 
the  temptation,  but  we  have  a  corru])t  prin- 
ciple that  suits  with  the  temj)tation,  and 
that  makes  us  always  in  danger. 

A.  3.  It  is  an  evil  world  as  it  is  a  dis- 
couraging world.  It  casts  scorn  and  re- 
proach upon  them  who  live  virtuously. 
What  !  Will  you  be  holier  than  others, 
wiser  than  your  ancestors  ?  The  world 
deals  with  the  professors  of  religion  as  San- 


called  *  cruel  mockinofs,' 
requires   a    great 


ballat  did  with  the  Jews  when  they  were 
building,  Neh.  iv.  1,  2.,  "  He  mocked  the 
Jews,  and  said,  Wliat  do  these  feeble  Jews  ? 
Will  they  fortify  themselves  ?  Will  they 
revive  the  stones  out  of  the  heaps  of  rub- 
bish that  are  burnt  ?"  So  the  wicked 
world  casts  out  squibs  of  reproach  at  the 
godly  :  What  !  Will  ye  build  for  heaven  ? 
What  needs  all  this  cost  ?  What  profit  is 
it  to  serve  the  Almighty  ?  Thus  the  world 
would  pluck  off  our  chariot-wheels  when 
we  are  driving  towards  heaven.     They  are 

^^,  Heb.  xi.  36.  It 
a  great  measure  of  sanctity  to 
withstand  the  discouragements  of  the  world, 
to  dance  among  serpents,  to  laugh  at  re- 
proaches, and  bind  them  as  a  crown  about 
our  head. 

A.  4.  It  is  an  evil  world,  as  it  is  a  dead- 
ning  world.  It  dulls  and  deadneth  the  af- 
fections to  lieavenly  objects.  The  world 
cools  holy  motions,  like  a  damp  in  a  silver 
mine  which  puts  out  the  light ;  earthly 
things  choke  the  seed  of  the  word.  A  man 
entangled  in  the  world  is  so  taken  up  about 
secular  concerns  that  he  can  no  more  mind 
the  things  above  than  the  earth  can  ascend, 
or  the  elephant  fly  in  the  air ;  and,  even 
such  as  have  grace  in  them,  yet,  wlicn  their 
affections  arc  belimed  with  the  earth,  they 
find  themselves  much  indisposed  to  medi- 
tation and  prayer  ;  it  is  like  swimming 
with  a  stone  about  the  neck. 

A.  .5.  It  is  an  evil  world,  as  it  is  a  ma- 
ligning world.  It  df»th  disgust  and  hate 
the  people  of  (lod,  John  xv.  19.,  "  Because 
ye  are  not  of  the  world  therefore  the  world 
hateth  you."  Hatred  is — as  Aristotle  saith 
— against  the  whole  kind.  Haman's  hatred 
was  against  the  seed  of  the  whole  Jews. 
When  you  can  find  a  serpent  without  a 
sting,  or  a  leopard  without  spots,  then  you 
may  expect  to  find  a  wicked  world  without 
hatred.  The  white  that  is  shot  at  is  piety, 
Ps.  xxxviii.  20,,  '•  They  are  mine  adversa- 
ries, because  I  follow  the  thing  that  is 
good."  The  world  pretends  to  hate  the 
godly  for  something  else,  but  the  ground  ot 
the  quarrel  is  holiness.  The  world's  ha- 
tred is  implacable  ;  anger  may  be  reconcil 
ed,  hatred  cannot ;  you  may  as  well  recon- 
cile heaven  and  hell,  as  the  two  seeds.  If 
the  world  hated  Christ,  no  wonder  it  hates 


OF  THE  SIXTH  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


u-s  Jolin  XV.  18.,  "The  world  hated  mc 
before  it  hated  you."  Why  should  any 
hate  Christ  ?  This  blessed  dove  had  no 
gall, — this  rose  of  Sharon  did  send  forth  a 
most  sweet  perfume  ;  but  this  shews  the 
world's  baseness,  it  is  a  Christ-hating  and 
a  saint-hating  world.  Had  not  we  need  to 
pray,  deliver  us  from  this  evil  world  ? 

A.  6.  It  is  an  evil  world,  as  it  is  a  deceit- 
ful world. 

(1.)  There  is  a  deceit  in  dealing,  Hos. 
xii.  7.,  "  He  is  a  merchant,  the  balances  of 
deceit  are  in  his  hand."  The  Hebrew 
word  signifies  both  to  deceive  and  oppress. 
He  who  dares  use  deceit,  will  not  spare  to 
oppress. 

(2.)  There  is  a  deceit  in  friendship : 
Prov.  XX.  6.,  "  But  a  faithful  man  who  can 
find  ?" 

■  Trila  freqvensqve  via  est  per  amici  fallere  nomen 


Some  use  too  much  courtship  in  friend- 
ship ;  they  are  like  trumpets  which  make  a 
great  noise,  but  within  they  are  hollow. 
Some  can  flatter  and  hate,  commend  and 
censure.  Mel  in  ore^  fel  in  corde.  Dis- 
sembled love  is  worse  than  hati'ed. 

(3.)  There  is  deceit  in  riches.  Mat.  xiii. 
22.,  "  The  deceitfulness  of  riches."  The 
world  makes  us  believe  it  will  satisfy  our 
desires,  and  it  dotb  but  increase  them ;  it 
makes  us  believe  it  will  stay  with  us,  and  it 
takes  wings,  Prov.  xxiii.  5. 

A.  7.  It  is  an  evil  world,  as  it  is  a  dis- 
quieting world.  It  is  full  of  trouble,  John 
xvi.  33.  The  world  is  like  a  bee-hive; 
when  we  have  tasted  a  little  honey,  we  have 
been  stung  with  a  thousand  bees.  St.  Ba- 
sil was  of  opinion,  that  before  the  fall,  the 
rose  did  grow  without  prickles  ;  but  now 
every  sweet  flower  of  our  life  hath  its 
prickles.  There  are  many  things  cause  dis- 
quiet :  loss  of  friends, — law-suits, — crosses 
in  estate ;  relations  are  not  without  their 
troubles, — some  are  trouhled  tliat  they  want 
children, — others  trouhled  tliat  they  have 
children  ;  the  world  is  a  vexing  vanity.  If 
a  man  be  poor,  be  is  despised  hy  the  rich  ; 
if  he  be  rich,  he  is  envied  by  the  poor.  If 
we  do  not  find  it  an  ensnaring  world,  we 
shall  find  it  an  afflicting  world  ;  it  hath 
more  in  it  to  wean  us  than  tempt  us.  The 
world  is  a  sea  where  we  are  tossed  upon 
the  surging  waves  of  sorrow,  and  often  in 


danger  of  shipwreck  ;  the  world  is  a  wilder 
ness  full  of  fiery  serpents.  What  storma 
of  persecution  are  raised  against  the  right- 
eous ?  2  Tim.  iii.  12.  The  wicked  are  briars, 
Mic.  vii.  4.,  where  Christ's  sheep  h>se  some 
of  their  golden  fleece.  Then  had  we  not 
need  pray,  Lord,  deliver  us  from  being  hurt 
hy  this  evil  world  ?  Why  should  we  love 
the  world  ?  Though  we  are  commanded  to 
love  our  enemies,  yet  this  enemy  we  must 
not  love,  1  John  ii.  15.,  "  Love  not  the 
world." 

I  have  been  all  this  while  opening  the 
first  sense  of  this  petition,  "  Deliver  us 
from  evil ;"  we  pray  to  be  delivered  from 
sin  in  general,  and  to  be  delivered  from 
evil  under  this  threefold  notion, — from  the 
evil  of  our  heart, — from  the  evil  of  Satan, — 
from  the  evil  of  the  world.  Ere  I  leave 
this,  let  me  insert  a 

Caution.  Not  that  our  abstaining  from, 
or  forbearing  the  external  acts  of  sin,  is  suf- 
ficient to  entitle  us  to  salvation:  but  when 
we  pray,  "  Deliver  us  from  evil,"  there  is 
more  implied  in  it,  namely,  that  we  make  a 
progress  in  holiness.  Being  divorced  from 
sin  is  not  enough,  unless  we  are  espoused  to 
virtue  ;  therefore  in  scripture  these  two  are 
joined,  Ps.  xxxiv.  14.,  "  Depart  from  evil, 
and  do  good,"  Bom.  xii.  9.  and  Isa.  i.  16., 
"  Cease  to  do  evil,  learn  to  do  well,"  2  Cor 
vii.  1.,  "  Let  us  cleanse  ourseh'es  from  all 
filthiness  of  flesh  and  spirit,  perfecting  ho- 
liness." Leaving  sin  is  not  enough,  unless 
we  embrace  righteousness.  VirtiUia  est  ma- 
gis  hnnesto  ogeri^  qnam  non  turpio.  As  it  is 
in  the  body,  it  is  not  enough  that  the  dis- 
ease be  stopped,  but  it  must  grow  in  health, 
so  it  is  in  the  soul,  it  is  not  enough  acts  of 
sin  be  forborne, — which  is  the  sto])ping  a 
disease — but  it  must  be  healthy,  that  is, 
grow  in  holiness. 

Use.  Which  reproves  those  who  labour 
only  to  6U])press  the  outward  acts  of  sin, 
but  do  not  press  on  to  lioliness ;  they  cease 
from  doing  evil,  but  do  not  learn  to  do 
well.  Their  religion  lies  only  in  negatives  ; 
they  glory  in  this,  that  they  are  given  to  no 
vice,  none  can  charge  them  with  any  foul 
miscarriages,  Luke  xviii.  11.,  "  God  I  thank 
thee,  that  I  am  not  as  other  men  are;  extor- 
tioners, unjust,  adulterers."  This  is  not  e- 
nough,  you  must  advance  a  step  further  in 


OF  THE  SIXTH  PETITION  IN  THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 


605 


solia  piety ;  it  is  not  enough  tliat  a  field  be 
not  sown  with  tares  or  hemlock,  but  it  must 
be  sown  with  good  seed.  Consider  uvo 
things  : 

1.  If  this  be  the  best  certificate  you  have 
to  shew  that  you  are  not  guilty  of  gross 
sins,  God  makes  no  account  of  you.  A 
piece  of  brass,  though  it  be  not  so  bad  as 
clay,  yet  not  being  so  good  as  silver,  it  will 
not  pass  for  current  coin  :  so  though  you 
are  not  grossly  profane,  yet  not  being  of 
the  right  metal,  wanting  the  stamp  of 
lioliness,  you  will  never  pass  current  in 
heaven. 

2.  A  man  may  abstain  from  evil,  yet  he 
may  go  to  hell  for  not  doing  good,  Mat. 
iii.  10.,  "  Every  tree  that  bringeth  not  forth 
good  fruit,  is  hewn  down,  and  cast  into  the 
fire."  Why  were  the  foolish  virgins  shut 
out  ?  they  had  done  no  hurt, — they  had  not 
broke  their  lamps, — yea,  but  their  fault  was, 
there  was  no  goodness  rn  them,  they  had  no 
oil  in  their  lamps.  Oh  therefore  let  us  not 
content  ourselves  in  being  free  from  gross 
acts  of  sin,  but  let  us  launch  forth  further  in 
holiness ;  let  us  cleanse  ourselves  from  all 
pollution,  '  perfecting  holiness.' 

Secondly^  "  Deliver  us  from  evil,"  that 
is,  from  temporal  evil.  AVe  pray  that  God 
will  either  prevent  temporal  evils,  or  deliver 
us  out  of  them. 

J.  We  pray  that  God  will  prevent  tem- 
poral evils ;  that  he  will  be  our  screen,  to 
stand  between  us  and  danger,  Ps.  vii.  1., 
"  Save  me  from  them  that  persecute  me." 
We  may  lawfully  pray  against  the  plots  of 
the  wicked,  that  they  may  prove  abortive, — 
that,  though  they  have  a  design  upon  us, 
they  may  not  have  their  desire  upon  us. 
Ps.  cxli.  9.,  "  Keep  me  from  the  snares 
which  they  have  laid  for  me." 

2.  We  pray  that  God  will  deliver  us  out 
of  temporal  evils, — that  he  will  remove  his 
judgments  from  us,  whether  famine,  sword, 
pestilence,  Ps.  xxxix.  10.,  "  Remove  thy 
stroke  away  from  me."     Yet  with  this 

Caution*.  We  may  pray  to  be  delivered 
from  temj)oral  evils  only  so  far  as  God  sees 
it  good  for  us.  We  may  pray  to  be  deliver- 
ed from  the  evil  of  sin  absolutely,  but  we 


must  pray  to  be  delivered  from  temporal 
evils  conditionally,  so  far  as  God  sees  it 
fitting  for  us,  and  may  stand  with  his 
glory. 

Use.  In  all  the  troubles  that  lie  upon  us, 
let  us  look  up  to  God  for  ease  and  succour. 
*'  Deliver  us  from  evil,"  Isa.  viii.  19., 
"  Should  not  a  people  seek  unto  their 
God?"  To  blame  then  are  the  papists,  who 
knock  at  the  wrong  door  ;  when  they  are 
in  any  trouble,  they  pray  to  the  saints  to 
deliver  them  ;  when  they  are  in  danger  of 
shipwreck,  they  pray  to  St.  Nicholas  ;  when 
they  are  in  the  fit  of  a  fever,  they  pray  to 
St.  Petronelle;  when  they  are  in  travail, 
they  pray  to  St.  Margaret.  How  unlawful 
it  is  to  invocate  saints  in  prayer,  I  will 
prove  from  one  sciipture,  Rom.  x.  14., 
"  Hv>w  then  shall  they  call  on  him  in  whom 
they  have  not  believed  ?"  We  may  pray 
to  none  but  such  as  we  believe  in  ;  but  we 
ought  not  to  believe  in  any  saint,  therefore 
we  may  not  j)ray  to  him.  The  papists  have, 
in  their  Lady's  psalter,  directed  their 
prayers  for  deliverance  to  the  virgin  Mary: 
"  Deliver  me,  O  Lady  !"  Benedicta  Doitnna, 
in  manibus  tuis  reposita  est  nostra  sains, — '  O 
thou  blessed  Lady,  in  thy  hands  our  salva- 
tion is  laid  up.'  But  "  Abraham  is  ignorant 
of  us,"  Isa.  Ixiii.  16:  the  saints  and  virgin 
Mary  are  ignorant  of  us.  To  pray  to  saints, 
is  idolatry  advanced  to  blasphemy.  Our 
Saviour  hath  taught  us  better,  in  all  our 
distresses  to  pray  to  God  for  a  cure,  "  De- 
liver us  from  evil."  lie  only  knows  what 
our  troubles  are,  and  can  give  us  help  from 
trouble  ;  lie  only  that  laid  the  burden  <»n, 
can  take  it  off.  David  went  to  God,  Ps. 
XXV.  17.,  "  ()  bring  thou  me  out  of  my  dis- 
tresses !"  (lod  can,  with  a  word,  heal,  Ps. 
cvii.  20.,  "  He  sent  forth  his  word,  and 
healed  them."  He  delivered  the  three  chil- 
dren out  of  the  fiery  furnace, — Joseph  out 
of  prison, — Daniel  out  of  the  lion's  deu  ; 
this  proves  him  to  be  God,  because  none  can 
deliver  as  he  doth,  Dan.  iii.  29.,  "  There  is 
no  other  God  that  can  deliver  after  this 
sort."  Let  us  then,  in  all  our  straits  and  ex- 
igencies,  seek  to  God,  and  say,  "  Deliver  us 
from  evil." 


END  OF  THE  AUTHOR's  LECTURES  ON  THE  CATECHISM. 


SERMONS  AND  TREATISES. 


SELECT    SERMONS. 


SERMON  I. 


Mat.  X.  16.,  "  Be  ye  therefore  wise  as  serpents^  and  harmless  as  doves'* 


1  HE  apostle  saith,  "  All  scripture  is  given 
by  inspiration,"  2  Tim.  iii.  16.  God's  word 
is  compared  to  a  lamp,  for  its  enlightening 
quality,  Ps.  cxix.  105.,  and  to  silver  refined, 
for  it*  enriching  quality,  Ps.  xii.  6.  Among 
other  parts  of  sacred  writ,  this,  in  the  text, 
is  not  the  least :  "  Be  ye  wise  as  serpents, 
and  harmless  as  doves."  This  is  the  speech 
of  our  blessed  SaAnour;  his  lips  were  a  tree 
of  life  which  fed  many;  his  works  were 
miracles  ;  his  words  were  oracles,  and  de- 
serve to  be  engraved  upon  our  hearts  as 
with  the  point  of  a  diamond.  This  is  a 
golden  sentence ;  "  Be  ye  wise  as  serpents, 
and  harmless  as  doves."  Our  Lord  Jesus, 
in  this  chapter,  1st,  Gives  his  apostles  their 
commission  ;  2dly,  Foretells  their  danger  ; 
3dly,  Gives  them  several  instructions. 

I.  Christ  gives  his  apostles  their  commis- 
sion. Before  they  went  abroad  to  preach, 
Christ  ordains  them,  ver  5.,  "  These  twelve 
Jesus  sent  forth."  Those  who  exercise  in 
the  ministerial  function  must  have  a  lawful 
call,  Ileb.  V.  4.,  "  No  man  takes  this  hon- 
our to  liimself,  but  he  that  is  called  of  God." 
Christ  gave  not  only  the  apostles  and  pro- 
phets a  call  to  their  office,  (who  were  ex- 
traordinary ministers)  but  even  "  pastors 
and  teachers,"  Eph.  iv,  11. 

Quest.  But  if  one  have  gifts,  is  not  this 
siifficic7it  to  the  ministerial  office  ? 

Ans.  No  :  As  grace  is  not  sufficient  to 
make  a  minister,  so  neither  is  gifts  ;  there- 
fore it  is  observable,  that  the  scripture  puts 
a  ditfcrence  between  gifting  and  sending, 
Rom.  X.  15.,  "  How  shall  they  preach  un- 
less they  be  sent  ?"  If  gifts  were  enough 
to  constitute  a  minister,  the  apostle  should 
have  said,   "  How  shall  they  preach  unless  j 


they  be  gifted?"  But  he  saith,  «  Unless 
they  be  sent :"  which  denotes  a  lawful  call, 
or  investiture  into  the  office.  The  attorney 
that  pleads  at  the  bar  may  have  as  good 
gifts  as  the  judge  that  sits  upon  the  bench  ; 
but  he  must  have  a  lawful  commission  be- 
fore he  sit  as  a  judge.  If  it  be  thus  in  mat- 
ters civil,  much  more  in  church-matters, 
which  are  of  higher  concern.  Those  there- 
fore who  usurj)  tlio  work  of  the  ministry 
without  being  solemnly  set  apart  for  it,  dis- 
cover more  ])rido  than  zeal,  and  thev  can 
expect  no  blessing,  Jer.  xxiii.  32.,  "  I  sent 
them  not,  nor  commanded  them;  therefore 
they  shall  not  profit  this  people  at  all,  saith 
the  Lord."  So  much  fi)r  the  first :  the  a- 
postles'  commission  ;  "  These  twelve  Jesus 
sent  forth." 

IL  Christ  foretells  their  danger,   v.  16., 
"  Behold  I  send  you  forth  as  sheep  in  the 
midst  of  wolves."     The  apostles  were  going 
about  a  glorious   work,   but  an  hazardous 
work  ;  they  would  meet  with  enemies  fierce 
and  savage  like  wolves.     As  all  that  will 
live  godly  in  Christ  shall  meet  with  suffer- 
ings,   so    commonly    Christ's    ambassadors 
encounter  the  deepest  trials.     Most  of  the 
apostles  died  by  the  hands  of  tyrants ;   Pe- 
ter was  crucified  with  his  head  downwards; 
Luke  the  evangelist  was  executed  on  an  o- 
live-tree  ;  John  was  cast  by  Domitian  into  a 
vessel  of  scalding  oil.    Maximinus  the  empe- 
ror— as  Eusebius   relates — gave  charge  to 
his  officers,  to  put  none  to  death  but  the 
governors  and  pastors  of  the  church.     The 
ministers  are    Christ's  nntcsignani,   his  en- 
sign-bearers to  carry  his  colours,   therefore- 
they  are  most  shot  at  ;  they  hold  forth  his 
truth,  Phil.  i.  IT.,  "  I  am  set  for  the  defence 

4  H 


GIO 


SELECT  SERMONS. 


of  the  gospel."  The  Greek  word,  x^aa/,  al- 
ludes to  a  soldier  that  is  set  in  the  forefront 
of  the  battle,  and  hath  all  the  bullets  flying 
about  his  ears.  The  minister's  work  is  to 
part  between  men  and  their  sins  ;  and  this 
causeth  opposition.  When  Paul  preached 
against  Diana,  all  the  city  was  in  an  up- 
roar. Acts  xix.  This  may  stir  up  prayer 
for  Christ's  ministers,  that  they  may  be  a- 
ble  to  withstand  the  assaults  of  the  enemy, 
2  Thess.  ili.  2. 

III.  Christ  gives  the  apostles  their  in- 
structions, whereof  this  in  the  text  was  one, 
"  Be  ye  wise  as  serpents,  and  harmless  as 
doves."  1.  The  exhortation,  "  Be  ye  wise ;" 
2.  The  simile,  "  as  serpents  ;"  3.  The  qua- 
lification of  this  wisdom, — a  wisdom  mixed 
with  innocency,  "  Harmless  as  doves." 

This  union  of  the  dove  and  the  serpent 
is  hard  to  find.  Mat.  xxiv.  45.,  "  Who  then 
is  a  wise  and  faithful  servant  ?"  On  which 
place,  saith  St.  Chrysoslom,  it  is  an  hard 
matter  to  find  one  faithful  and  wise.  Faith- 
ful, there  is  the  dove ;  wise,  there  is  the 
serpent :  'tis  hard  to  find  both.  If  one 
would  seek  for  a  faithful  man,  questionless 
he  may  find  many ;  if  for  a  wise  man,  he 
may  find  many  ;  but  if  he  seek  for  one  both 
wise  and  faithful,  this  is  rara  avis,  hard  to 
find,  yet  it  is  possible  though  not  common. 
Moses,  a  man  "  learned  in  all  the  wisdom 
of  the  Egyptians,"  Acts  vii.  22.,  there  was 
the  wisdom  of  the  serpent ;  and  the  meek- 
est man  alive,  Numb.  xii.  3.,  "  Now  the 
man  Moses  was  very  meek,  above  all  the 
men  which  were  upon  the  face  of  the  earth," 
there  was  the  innocency  of  the  dove.  Da- 
niel was  an  excellent  person,  Dan.  v.  14., 
"  Excellent  wisdom  is  found  in  thee,"  there 
was  the  prudence  of  the  serpent ;  and,  Dan. 
vi.  4.,  "  The  presidents  and  princes  souglit 
to  find  occasion  against  Daniel,  but  they 
could  find  no  occasion  nor  fault,"  behold 
here  the  innocency  of  the  dove.  Look  on 
St.  Paul,  Acts  xxiii.  6.,  "  When  Paul  per- 
ceived that  the  one  part  were  Sadducees, 
and  the  other  Pharisees,  he  cried  out,  I  am 
a  Pharisee;"  by  which  speech  Paul  got  all 
the  Pharisees  on  his  side  ;  here  was  the 
wisdom  of  the  serpent ;  and  v.  1 .,  "I  have 
lived  in  all  good  conscience  before  God  un- 
to this  day,"  here  was  the  innocency  of  tlie 
dove.     How  amiable  is  this,  tJie  union  of 


the  dove  and  serpent !  The  scripture  joins 
these  two  together,  "  meekness  of  wisdom," 
Jam.  iii.  13  ;  wisdom,  there  is  the  serpent* 
meekness,  there  is  the  dove.  This  beauti- 
fies a  Christian,  when  he  hath  the  serpent's 
eye  in  the  dove's  head.  We  must  haA^e  in- 
nocency with  our  wisdom,  else  our  wisdom 
is  but  craftiness  ;  and  we  must  have  wisdom 
with  our  innocency,  else  our  innocency  is 
but  weakness.  We  must  have  the  inno- 
cency of  the  dove,  that  we  may  not  circum- 
vent others  ;  and  we  must  have  the  wisdom 
of  the  serpent,  that  others  may  not  circum- 
vent us.  We  must  have  the  innocency  of 
the  dove,  that  we  may  not  betray  the  truth  ; 
and  the  wisdom  of  the  serpent,  that  we 
may  not  betray  ourselves.  In  short,  reli- 
gion without  policy,  is  too  weak  to  be  safe ; 
policy  without  religion  is  too  subtle  to  be 
good.  When  wisdom  and  innocency,  like 
Castor  and  Pollux,  appear  together,  they 
presage  the  soul's  happiness. 

Doctrine.   That  Christians  must  be  both 
wise  and  innocent. 

I  begin  with  the  first,  wise  ;  be  ye  "  wise 
as  serpents." 

1.  I  shall  speak  concerning  wisdom  in 
general.  Solomon  saith,  "  Wisdom  is  the 
principal  thing,"  Prov.  iv.  7.  It  is  better 
than  riches,  Prov.  iii.  13.,  "  Happy  is  the 
man  that  findeth  wisdom ;  for  the  merchan- 
dise of  it  is  better  than  the  merchandise  of 
silver."  If  the  mountains  were  pearl,  if  e- 
very  sand  of  the  sea  was  a  diamond,  they 
were  not  comparable  to  wisdom.  Without 
wisdom,  a  person  is  like  a  ship  without  a 
j)ilot,  in  danger  to  split  upon  rocks.  Job 
sets  forth  the  encomium  and  praise  of  wis- 
dom. Job.  xx\dii.  13,  18.,  "  The  price  of 
wisdom  is  above  rubies."  The  ruby  is  a 
precious  stone,  transparent,  of  a  red  fiery 
colour.  It  is  reported  of  one  of  the  kings 
of  India,  that  he  wore  a  ruby  of  that  big- 
ness and  splendour,  that  he  might  be  seen 
by  it  in  the  dark  :  but  wisdom  casts  a  more 
sparkling  colour  than  the  ruby,  it  makes 
us  shine  as  angels.  No  chain  of  pearl  you 
wear  doth  so  adorn  you  as  wisdom.  Wis- 
dom consists  chiefly  in  three  things  : 

(1.)   Knowledge  to  discern  wherein  hap- 
piness lies. 

(2.)   Skill  to  judge  what  will  be  the  fit- 
test means  to  conduce  to  it. 


CHRISTIAN  PRUDENCE  AND  INNOCENCY. 


611 


(3.)  Activity  to  prosecute  those  things 
which  will  certainly  accomplish  that  end. 
So  much  for  wisdom  in  general. 

2.  More  particularly  :  wisdom  is  various- 
ly distinguished.  'Tis  either  natural,  mo- 
ral, or  theological. 

(1.)  A  natural  wisdom,  which  is  seen  in 
findinjr  out  the  arcana  natura,  the  secrets 
of  nature.  Aristotle  was  by  some  of  the 
ancients  called  an  eagle  fallen  from  the 
clouds,  because  he  was  of  such  raised  in- 
tellectuals, and  had  so  profound  an  insiglit 
into  the  causes  of  things.  This  natural 
wisdom  is  adorning,  but  it  is  not  sufficient 
to  salvation.  St.  Ilierom  brings  in  Aristo- 
tle with  his  syllogisms,  and  Tully  with  his 
rhetoric,  crying  out  in  hell. 

(2.)  A  moral  wisdom,  whicli  consists  in 
two  things  malum  respuendo,  honum  eligendo. 
Moral  wisdom  lies  in  the  rejection  of  those 
things  which  are  prejudicial,  and  the  elec- 
tion of  those  things  which  are  beneficial ; 
this  is  called  prudence.  Knowledge  with- 
out prudence  may  do  hurt ;  many  a  man's 
wit  hath  undone  him,  for  want  of  wisdom. 

(3.)  A  theological  or  sacred  wisdom, 
which  is  our  knowing  of  God,  who  is  the 
supreme  and  sovereign  good.  Greece  was 
counted  the  eye  of  the  world,  for  wisdom  ; 
and  Athens  the  eye  of  Greece  ;  but  neither 
of  them  knew  God,  Acts  xvii.  23.,  "  I  found 
an  altar  with  this  inscription.  To  the  un- 
known God."  To  know  God,  in  whom  is 
both  verum  et  homtm,  truth  and  goodness, 
is  the  master-piece  of  wisdom,  1  C'hron. 
xxviii.  9.,  "  And  thou,  Solomon  my  son, 
know  thou  the  God  of  thy  father."  And 
this  knowledge  of  God  is  tlirough  Christ ; 
Christ  is  the  glass  in  which  the  face  of  God 
is  seen,  Col.  i.  15.  And  then  wc  know 
God  aright,  wlien  we  know  him  not  only 
with  a  knowledge  of  specuLation,  but  ap- 
propriation, Ps.  xlviii.  14.,  "  Tiiis  God  is 
OUR  God."  This  knowledge  of  God  is  the 
most  sublime  wisdom,  therefore  it  is  called, 
"  Wisdom  from  above,"  James  iii.  17. 

3.  But  to  come  nearer  to  the  text,  and 
speak  of  the  wisdom  of  the  serpent :  "  Be 
ye  wise  as  serpents." 

Quest.  But  must  we  in  every  thing  be  like 
the  serpent  ? 

Ans.  No :  our  Saviour  meant  not  that  in 
every  thing  we  should  imitate  the  serpent. 


I  shall  show  you,  1.  ^Vhcrein  we  should 
not  be  like  the  serpent ;  2.  Wherein  we 
should  be  like  the  serpent. 

1.  Whei'ein  we  should  not  be  like  the 
serpent. 

(1.)  The  serpent  eats  dust,  Tsa.  Ixv.  25., 
"  Dust  shall  be  the  serpent's  moat."  It 
was  a  curse  upon  the  serpent.  Thus  we 
should  not  be  like  the  serpent,  to  feed  im- 
moderately upon  earthly  things.  It  is  ab- 
surd for  him  that  hatli  an  heaven-born  soul, 
capable  of  communion  with  God  and  an- 
gels, to  eat  greedily  the  serpent's  meat ;  a 
Christian  hath  better  food  to  feed  on, — the 
heavenly  manna,  the  precious  promises,  the 
body  and  blood  of  Christ.  'Tis  counted  a 
miracle  to  find  a  diamond  in  a  golden 
mine  ;  and  it  is  as  great  a  miracle  to  find 
Christ,  the  pearl  of  price,  in  an  earthly 
heart.  The  lapwing  wears  a  little  coronet 
on  its  head,  yet  feeds  on  dung :  to  have  a 
crown  of  profession  on  the  head,  yet  feed 
inordinately  on  these  dunghill-comforts,  is 
unworthy  of  a  Christian.  W^hat  a  poor 
contemptible  thing  is  the  world  !  It  can- 
not fill  the  heart.  If  Satan  should  take  a 
Christian  np  to  the  top  of  the  pinnacle,  and 
shew  him  all  the  kingdoms  and  glory  of  the 
world,  wliat  could  lie  shew  him,  but  a  shew, 
a  pleasant  delusion  ?  There  is  a  lawful 
use  God  allows  of  these  outward  things, 
but  the  sin  is  in  the  excess.  The  bee  may 
suck  a  little  honey  from  the  leaf,  but  put 
it  in  a  barrel  of  honey,  and  it  is  drowned. 
The  wicked  are  thus  characterized,  Phil, 
iii.  19.,  "Who  mind  earthly  things."  They 
are  like  Saul,  "  hid  among  the  stuff."  We 
should  be  as  eagles  flying  aloft  towards 
heaven,  and  not  as  serpents,  creeping  upon 
the  earth,  and  licking  the  dust. 

(2.)  The  serpent  is  deceitful.  The  ser- 
pent useth  many  shifts,  and  glides  so  cun- 
ningly, that  we  cannot  trace  him.  Tliis 
was  one  of  those  four  things  which  wise 
Agur  could  not  find  out,  "  the  way  of  a 
serpent  upon  a  rock,"  Prov.  xxx,  19.  'Tis 
a  deceitful  creature  :  we  should  not  in  this 
sense  be  like  the  serpent,  for  deceitful- 
ness.  Naturally  we  too  much  resemble  the 
serpent  for  fraud  and  collusion,  Jer.  wi'i.  9., 
"  The  heart  is  deceitful  above  all  things.'* 
]st,  Deceit  towards  man  :  (1.)  To  dissem- 
ble friendship, — to  cover  malice  with  pre 


612 


SELECT  SERMONS. 


tences  of  love, — to  commend  ami  censure, 
to  flatter  and  hate, — a  Judas's  kiss,  and  a 
Joab's  sword, — mel  in  ore,  fel  in  corde.  (2.) 
To  dissemble  honesty  ;  to  pretend  just  deal- 
ing, yet  use  false  weights.  2dly,  Deceit 
towards  God  :  To  draw  nigh  to  God  with 
the  lips,  while  the  heart  is  far  from  him, — 
to  serve  God,  and  seek  ourselves, — to  pre- 
tend to  love  God,  and  yet  be  in  league  with 
sin, — we  should  not  in  this  sense  be  like 
the  serpent,  deceitful,  and  given  to  shifts. 
O  be  upright  !  Be  what  you  seem  to  be  ! 
God  loves  plainness  of  heart,  Ps.  li.  6.  The 
plainer  the  diamond  is,  the  more  it  spar- 
kles ;  the  plainer  the  heart  is,  the  more  it 
sparkles  in  God's  eye.  What  a  commen- 
dation did  Christ  give  Nathaniel  ?  John  i. 
47.,  "  Behold  an  Israelite  indeed,  in  whom 
there  is  no  guile." 

(3.)  The  serpent  cast  the  coat,  but  ano- 
ther new  coat  comes  in  the  room ;  in  this 
we  should  not  be  like  the  serpent,  to  cast 
the  coat,  to  cast  off  one  sin,  and  another  sin 
as  bad  come  in  the  room.  The  drunkard 
leaves  his  drunkenness,  because  it  impairs 
his  health,  his  credit,  his  purse,  and  falls 
to  the  sin  of  cozenage  ;  the  prodigal  leaves 
his  prodigality,  and  turns  usurer ;  this  is 
as  if  one  disease  should  leave  a  man,  and 
he  should  fall  into  another  as  bad, — his  a- 
gue  leaves  him,  and  he  falls  into  a  consump- 
tion. O  be  not  like  the  serpent,  that  casts 
one  coat  and  another  comes  !  This  is  like 
him  in  the  gospel,  that  had  one  devil  go 
out  of  him,  and  seven  worse  spirits  came 
in  the  room,  Mat.  xii.  45. 

(4.)  The  serpent  is  a  venomous  creature, 
it  is  full  of  poison,  Deut.  xxxii.  24.  In  this 
be  not  like  the  serpent.  It  is  said  of  wick- 
ed men,  their  poison  is  like  the  poison  of  a 
serpent,  Ps.  Iviii.  4.  What  is  this  poison  ? 
It  is  the  poison  of  malice.  Malice  is  the 
de^al's  picture.  Lust  makes  men  brutish, 
and  malice  makes  them  devilish.  Malice 
carries  in  it  its  own  punislvment ;  a  mali- 
cious man,  to  hurt  another,  will  injure 
himself.  Quintillian  speaks  of  one  who 
had  a  garden  of  flowers,  and  he  poisoned 
his  flowers  tliat  his  neighbour's  bees  suck- 
ing from  them  might  be  ]M)isoned,  and  die  : 
Oh  be  not  venemous  like  the  serpent ! 
Malice  is  ii.ental  murdor  ;  you  may  kill  a 
man,  and  never  touch  him,  1  John  ill.  15., 


"  Whosoever  hateth  his  brother  is  a  mur- 
derer," Malice  spoils  all  your  good  duties ; 
the  malicious  man  defiles  his  prayer, — poi- 
sons the  sacramental  cup, — he  eats  and 
drinks  his  own  damnation.  I  have  read  of 
one  who  lived  in  malice,  and  being  asked 
how  he  could  say  the  Lord's  prayer,  he  an- 
swered, "  I  leave  out  those  words,  '  As  we 
forgive  them  that  trespass  agsiinst  us.' " 
But  St.  Austin  brings  in  God  replying  thus 
to  him  :  "  Because  thou  dost  not  say  my 
prayer,  therefore  I  will  not  hear'  thine." 
The  malicious  man  is  not  like  to  enjoy  ei- 
ther earth  or  heaven  ;  not  the  earth,  for  the 
"  meek  shall  inherit  the  earth,"  Mat.  v.  5. ; 
nor  is  he  like  to  enjoy  heaven,  for  God 
"  will  beautify  the  meek  with  salvation," 
Ps.  cxlix.  4.,  so  that  the  malicious  man  is 
cut  off  both  from  earth  and  heaven. 

(5.)  The  serpent  is  given  to  hissing:  so 
it  is  said  of  the  basilisk.  In  this  be  not 
like  the  serpent  to  hiss  out  reproaches  and 
invectives  against  the  saints  and  people  of 
God ;  they  are  the  seed  of  the  serpent  that 
hiss  at  godliness.  The  Lord  will  one  day 
reckon  with  men  for  all  their  hard  speeches, 
Jude  15.  Lucian  was  such  an  one  who 
did  hiss  out  and  scoff  against  religion  ;  and 
as  a  just  judgment  of  God,  he  was  after- 
wards torn  in  pieces  by  dogs. 

(6.)  The  serpent  stops  her  ear :  it  is  an 
obstinate  deafness,  Ps.  Iviii.  4.,  "  They  are 
like  the  deaf  adder,  that  stoppeth  her  ear." 
In  this  be  not  like  the  serpent,  obstinately 
to  stop  your  ears  to  the  voice  of  God's  word. 
While  God  calls  you  to  repent  of  sin,  be 
not  as  the  basilisk  to  stop  your  ear,  Zech. 
vii.  11.,  "They  refused  to  hearken,  and 
stopped  their  ears,  that  they  should  not 
hear."  The  word  denounceth  threateninjrs 
against  sin  ;  but  many,  instead  of  being 
like  the  publican,  smiting  on  tlieir  breast, 
they  are  as  deaf  adders,  stopping  their  cars. 
If  you  shut  your  ear  against  God's  word, 
take  heed  God  doth  not  shut  heaven  against 
you;  if  God  cries  to  you  to  repent,  and 
you  will  not  hear,  when  you  cry  for  mercy, 
God  will  not  hear,  Zech.  vii.  13.,  "As  he 
cried  and  they  would  not  hear,  so  they 
cried  and  I  would  not  hear,  saitli  the  Lord 
of  hosts." 

(7.)  The  serpent  casts  her  coat,  but  keeps 
her  sling :  in  this  sense  be  not  like  the  ser- 


CHRISTIAN  PRUDENCE  AND  INNOCEXCY. 


CI3 


pent,  to  cast  off  the  outward  acts  of  sin, 
and  keep  the  U)vc  of  sin:    lie  whose  heart 
is  in   h)ve  witli  any  sin,  is  an    hy]K)crito. 
1.  A  man  may  forhoar  sin,  yet  retain  the 
love  of  it ;  lie  may  forbear  the  act  <)f  gross 
sin,  formidine  pccnce,  for  fear  of  hell,  as  a 
man  may  forbear  a  dish  he  loves,  for  fear 
it  should  bring  his  disease  upon  him,   the 
stone  or  gout.  2.  A  man  may  forsake  sin,  v(>t 
keep  the  love  of  sin ;  he   may  forsake  sin 
cither  out  of  policy  or  necessity.      \st,  Po- 
licy :  vice  will  impair  his  health,  eclipse  his 
credit,  therefore  out  of  policy,  he  will  for- 
sake it ;  or,  2dly,  Necessity  :  perhaps  he  can 
follow  the  trade  of  sin  no  longer, — the  a- 
dultercr  is  grown  old, — the  prodigal  poor, 
— either  the  purse  fails,    or   the   strength. 
Thus  a  man  may  refrain  the  act  of  sin,  yet 
retain  the  love  of  sin  ;  this  is  like  the  ser- 
pent, which  casts  her  coat,  but  keeps  her 
sting.     O  take  heed  of  this  !   Herein  be  not 
like  the  serpent ;  remember  that  saying  of 
Ilierom,  grovitis  est  peccatum  diligere  qiiam 
perpretare ;  it  is  worse  to  love  sin  than  to 
commit  it.  A  man  may  commit  sin  throufrh 
a  temptation,  or  out  of  ignorance,  and  when 
he  knows  it  to  be  a  sin,  he  is  sorry  for  it, 
but  he  that  loves  sin,  his  will  is  in  the  sin, 
and  that  aggravates  it,  and  is  like  the  dye 
which  makes  the  wool  of  a  crimson  colour. 

(8.)  Serpents  are  chased  away  with 
sweet  perfumes ;  the  perfume  of  harts-horn, 
or  the  sweet  odotir  of  the  styrax  will  drive 
the  serpent  away.  In  this  be  not  like  the 
serpent,  to  be  driven  away  with  the  sweet 
perfumes  of  holiness.  Carnal  hearts  are  for 
things  only  which  delight  the  senses;  they 
will  discourse  of  news  or  traffic,  here  they 
are  in  their  element;  but  let  a  man  bring 
with  him  the  sweet  perfume  of  religious 
discourse, — let  him  talk  of  Christ,  (»r  living 
by  faith, — this  spiritual  ])erfumc  drives 
them  away  :  Oh,  be  not  in  this  like  the  ser- 
pent !  How  do  you  think  to  live  with  the 
eaints  in  heaven,  that  cannot  endure  their 
company  here  ?  You  hate  the  sweet  savour 
of  their  ointments,  the  fragrant  perfume  of 
their  graces. 

(9.)  The  serpent  (as  is  noted  of  the  stel- 
lio,  a  kind  of  serpent)  doth  no  sooner  cast 
his  skin,  but  he  eats  it  up  again  :  in  this  be 
not  like  the  serpent  to  forsake  sin,  and  then 
take  it  up  again,  2  Pet.  ii.  22.,  "  It  is  hap- 


pened unto  them  according  to  the  true  pro- 
verb, "  The  dog  is  returned  to  his  own  vo- 
mit again."  Such  were  Demas  and  Julian. 
Many,  after  a  divorce,  espouse  their  sins  a- 
gain  ;  as  if  one's  ague  should  leave  him  a 
while,  and  then  come  again  ;  the  devil 
seemed  to  be  cast  out,  but  comes  the  second 
time  :  and,  the  end  of  that  man  is  worse 
than  his  beginning,  Luke  xi.  2G.,  because 
his  sin  is  greater  ;  he  sins  knowinffly  and 
wilfully,  and  his  damnation  will  be  greater. 

(10.)  Serpents  are  great  lovers  of  wine. 
Pliny,  who  writes  the  natural  history,  saith, 
"  If  serpents  come  where  wine  is,  they 
drink  insatiably."  In  this  be  not  like  the 
serpent :  though  the  scripture  allows  the 
use  of  wine,  I  Tim.  v.  23.,  yet  it  forbids  the 
excess,  Ejdi.  v.  18.,  "  Be  not  drunk  with 
wine  wherein  is  excess."  Be  not  like  the 
serpent  in  this  "  lovers  of  wine."  Because 
this  sin  of  drunkenness  doth  so  abound  in 
this  age,  I  shall  enlarge  something  more  on 
this  head.  It  is  said  of  the  old  world, 
"  They  did  eat,  they  drank,  till  the  flood 
came,"  Luke  xvii.  27.  Drinking  is  not  a 
sin,  but  the  meaning  is  they  drank  to  in- 
temperance, they  disordered  themselves 
with  drink;  and  God  let  them  have  li(juor 
enough,  first  they  were  drowned  in  wine, 
and  then  in  water. 

There  is  no  sin  which  doth  more  deface 
Cod's  image  than  drunkenness,  it  disguiseth 
a    person,    and    doth    even     unman    him; 
drunkenness  makes  him  have  the  throat  of  a 
fish,  the  bcilly  of  a  swine,  and  the  head  of  an 
ass  ;  drunkenness  is  the  shame  of  nature, 
the  extinguisher  of  reason,  the  shipwreck  of 
chastity,   and    the  murder   of  conscience; 
drunkenness  is   hurtful   for  the  body,  the 
cup  kills  more  than  the  cannon  ;  it  causeth 
dropsies,  catarrhs,  apoplexies  ;  drunkenness 
fills  the  eyes  with   fire,  and  the  legs  with 
water,  and  turns  the  body  into  an  hospital ; 
but  the  greatest  hurt  is  that  it  doth  to  the 
soul  ;  excess  of  wine  breeds  the  worm  of 
conscience.     The   dnuikard   is  seldom  re- 
claimed  by  repentance,  and  the  ground  of 
it  is  partiv,  because,  by  this  sin,  the  senses 
are  so  enchanted,  reason   so  im|)aired,   and 
lust  so  inflamed;  and  partly,  it  is  judicial, 
the  drunkard   being  so  besotted   with  this 
sin,  God  saith  of  him  as  of  Ephraim,  Hos. 
iv.  17.,  "  Ephraim  is  joined  to  idols,  let  him 


614 


SELECT  SERMONS. 


alone ;"  so,  tliis  man  is  joined  to  his  cups, 
'  let  liim  alone/  let  liim  drown  liimself  in 
liquor  till  he  scorch  himself  in  fire.  How 
many  woes  hath  God  pronouced  against  this 
sin,  Isa.  xxviii.  1.,  "  Wo  to  the  drunkards 
of  Ephraim  !"  Joel  i.  5.,  "  Howl  ye  drink- 
ers of  wine  !"  Dnuikenness  excludes  a  per- 
son from  heaven,  1  Cor.  vi.  10.,  "  Drunk- 
ards shall  not  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God  :" 
a  man  cannot  go  to  heaven  reeling.  King 
Solomon  makes  an  oration  full  of  invectives 
against  this  sin,  Prov.  xxiii.  29,  30.,  "  Who 
hath  wo  ?  Who  hath  contentions  ?  Who  hath 
bahbling  ?  Who  hath  redness  of  eyes  ?  they 
that  tarry  long  at  the  wine.  Who  hath  con- 
tentions ?"  Drink  when  abused,  breeds  quar- 
rels, itcauseth  duels.  'Who  hath  babbling?' 
When  one  is  in  drink,  his  tongue  runs,  he  will 
reveal  any  secrets  of  his  friend.  '  Who  hath 
redness  of  eyes  ?'  Redness  of  eyes  comes 
sometimes  from  weeping,  but  too  often  from 
drinking ;  and  what  is  the  issue  ?  v.  32.  At 
last,  the  wine  bites  like  a  serpent,  and  stings 
like  an  adder.  The  wine  smiles  in  the  glass, 
but  stings  in  the  conscience.  Drunkenness 
is  a  sin  against  all  the  ten  commandments. 
1.  Drunkenness  casts  off  the  true  God,  Hos. 
iv.  11.,  "  Wine  takes  away  the  heart:"  it 
takes  the  heart  off  from  God.  2.  It  makes 
the  belly  a  god,  Phil.  iii.  19.  To  this 
the  drunkard  pours  drink-offerings  ;  there 
is  a  breach  of  the  second  commandment. 
3.  The  drunkard  in  his  cups  takes  God's 
name  in  vain  by  his  oaths.  4  The  drunk- 
ard makes  no  difference  of  day ;  he  is  sel- 
dom sober  on  a  sabbath ;  he  on  that  day 
worships  Bacchus.  5.  The  drunkard  ho- 
nours neither  his  natural  fjithcr  nor  the 
magistrate  his  civil  father  ;  he  will  be  in- 
temperate though  the  laws  of  the  land  for- 
bid it.  6.  Tlie  drunkard  commits  murder. 
Alexander  killed  his  frieud  Clytus  when  he 
was  drunk,  for  whom  he  would  have  given 
half  his  kingdom  when  he  was  sober.  7.  The 
drunkard's  wine  proves  lust.  Austin  calls 
wine  fomentum  libidbiis, — the  inflamer  of 
lust.  Nwiquam  ego  ebrium  castum  putavi ; 
I  never  did  believe  a  drunken  man  to  be 
chaste,  saith  Hierom.  8.  The  drunkard  is 
a  thief;  he  spends  that  money  upon  his 
drunken  lust,  which  should  have  been  given  ! 
to  charitable  uses ;  so  he  robs  the  poor,  i 
9.  The  drunkard  is  a  slanderer ;  he  cares 


not,  when  he  is  on  the  ale-bench,  how  he 
doth  defame  and  belie  others  :  when  he 
hath  taken  his  full  cups,  he  is  now  fit  to 
take  a  false  oath.  10.  The  drunkard  sins  a- 
gainst  the  tenth  commandment ;  for  he  co- 
vets to  get  another's  estate,  by  circumven- 
tion and  extortion,  that  he  may  be  the  bet- 
ter able  to  follow  his  drunken  trade.  Thus 
he  sins  against  the  ten  commandments. 

If  this  sin  of  drunkenness  be  not  reform- 
ed, I  pray  God,  the  sword  be  not  made 
drunk  with  blood.  And  whereas  some  will 
go  to  shift  off  this  sin  from  themselves,  that 
they  are  no  drunkards,  because  they  liaA^e 
not  drunk  away  their  reason  and  senses, — 
they  ai"e  not  so  far  gone  in  drink  that  they 
cannot  go, — he  is  a  drunkard  in  the  scrip- 
ture-sense who  is  "  mighty  to  drink  wine," 
Isa.  V.  22.  He  is  a  drunkard,  saith  Solo- 
mon, that  tarries  long  at  the  wine,  Prov. 
xxiii.  30.  He  who  sits  at  it  from  morning 
to  night, — that  drinks  away  his  precious 
time,  though  he  doth  not  drink  away  his 
reason, — he  is  a  drunkard  that  drinks  more 
than  doth  him  good,  and  that,  though  he  be 
not  himself  drunk,  yet  he  makes  another 
drunk,  Hab.  ii.  15.,  "  Woe  to  him  that 
gives  his  neighbour  diink,  that  puttest 
thy  bottle  to  him,  and  makest  him  drunk- 
en !"  Oh,  I  beseech  you,  be  not  in  this  like 
the  serpent,  lovers  of  wine  !  This  I  fear  is 
one  cause  why  the  word  preached  doth  so 
little  good  to  many  in  this  city,  they  drink 
away  sermons;  they  do  as  the  hunted  deer 
when  it  is  wounded  runs  to  the  water  and 
drinks ;  so,  when  they  have  been  at  a  ser- 
mon, and  the  arrows  of  reproof  hath  wound- 
ed their  conscience,  they  run  presently,  and 
drink  away  those  convictions ;  they  steep 
the  sermon  in  wine  The  tavern-l)ell  doth 
more  hurt  than  the  sermon-bell  doth  good. 
Tlius  you  have  seen  wherein  we  should 
not  be  like  serpents. 

2.  Wherein  we  should  be  like  the  ser- 
pent, and  that  is  in  prudence  and  wisdom: 
"  be  ye  Avise  as  serpents."  The  serpent  is  a 
most  prudent  creature,  therefore  the  devil 
made  use  of  the  serpent  to  deceive  our  first 
parents,  because  it  was  such  a  subtle  crea- 
ture. Gen.  iii.  1.,  "  The  serpent  was  more 
subtle  than  any  beast  of  the  field."  There 
is  a  natural  wisdom  and  subtilty  in  every 
part  of  the  serpent,  and  we  should  labour 


CHRISTIAN  PRUDENCE  AND  INNOCENCY. 


615 


to   imitate    them,    and    be    "  wise  as  ser- 
pents." 

(I.)  The  serpent  hath  a  sul)tilty  in  liis 
eye,  he  hatli  a  singnhir  sharpness  of  sight ; 
therefore  among  the  Grecians,  a  serpent's 
eye  was  a  proverbial  speecli  for  one  of  a 
quick  understanding;  in  tliis  we  should  be 
like  the  serpent.  Get  the  serpent's  eye, 
have  a  quick  insight  into  the  mysteries  of 
the  Christian  religion.  Knowledge  is  the 
beauty  and  ornament  of  a  Christian,  Prov. 
xiv.  18.,  "  The  prudent  are  crowned  with 
knowledge."  Get  the  serpent's  eye,  be  di- 
vinely illuminated.  Faith  without  know- 
ledge is  presumption  ;  zeal  witliout  know- 
ledge is  passion,  Prov.  xix.  2.  Without 
knowledge,  the  heart  is  not  good ;  for  one 
to  say  he  hath  a  good  heart,  who  liath  no 
knowledge,  is  as  if  one  should  say  he  hath 
a  good  eye,  when  he  hath  no  sight.  In 
this  be  like  the  serpent,  of  a  quick  under- 
standing. 

(2.)  The  serpent  hath  a  prudence  and 
subtilty  in  his  ear ;  the  serpent  will  not  be 
deluded  with  the  voice  of  the  charmer,  but 
stops  its  ear :  in  this  we  must  be  "  wise  as 
serpents," — stop  our  ears  to  false  teachers 
who  are  the  devil's  charmers.  1.  We  must 
stop  our  ears  to  Arminian  teachers,  who 
place  the  chief  power  in  the  will,  as  if  that 
were  the  helm  that  turns  about  the  soul  in 
conversion,  1  Cor.  iv.  7.,  "  Who  maketh 
thee  to  differ  from  another  ?"  ILgo  me  ip- 
sum  discerno,  said  Grevincho\'ius,  I  have 
made  myself  to  differ.  Be  as  the  serpent, 
stop  your  ears  to  such  doctrine.  2.  We 
must  stop  our  ears  to  Socinian  teachers, 
who  raze  the  foundation  of  all  religion,  and 
deny  Christ's  divinity.  This  the  apostle 
calls  "a  damnable  heresy,"  2  Pet.  ii.  1. 
3.  We  must  stop  our  cars  to  Popish  teacli- 
ers,  who  teach  merit,  indulgencies,  tran- 
substantiation  ;  who  teach  that  the  pope  is 
the  head  of  the  church.  Christ  is  called 
*'  the  head  of  the  church,"  Eph.  v.  23.  :  for 
the  pope  to  be  head,  is,  to  make  the  cliurch 
monstrous,  to  have  two  heads.  Pojiish 
teachers  teach  the  peo|)le  nonsense  and 
blasphemy;  they  cause  tlie  people  to  pray 
without  understanding, — to  obey  witliout 
reason, — to  believe  without  sense;  it  is  a 
damnable  religion ;  therefore  worshi|)ping 
the  beast,   and  drinking  the  cup  of  God's 


indignation  are  put  together.  Rev.  xiv.  9. 
Oh,  in  this  be  "wise  as  serpents;"  stop 
your  cars  to  the  charming  of  false  teachers  ! 
(lod  hath  given  his  people  this  wisdom,  to 
stop  their  ears  to  heretics,  John  x.  5.,  "  A 
stranger  will  they  not  follow,  but  will  flee 
from  him." 

(3.)  The  serj)ent  hath  a  chief  care  to  de- 
fend his  licad, — a  blow  there  is  deadly  :  so 
in  this  we  should  "  be  wise  as  serpents  ;" 
our  chief  care  sliould  he  to  defend  our  head 
from  error.  The  phigue  in  the  head  is 
worst.  Loose  principles  breed  loose  prac- 
tices. If  the  liead  be  tainted  with  erro- 
neous opinions, — that  believers  are  free  a 
lege  morali, — that  there  is  no  resurrection, 
— that  \yc  may  do  evil  that  good  mav  come 
of  it, — what  sin  will  not  this  lead  to?  Oh 
keep  yotir  head  !  Error  is  a  spiritual  gan- 
grene, 2  Tim.  ii.  17.,  which  spreads,  and, 
if  not  presently  cured,  is  mortal.  Heresies 
destroy  the  doctrine  of  faith,  they  rend  the 
mantle  of  the  church's  peace,  and  eat  out 
tlie  heart  of  religion.  The  Gnostics,  as 
E|)lphanius  observes,  did  not  only  pervert 
the  judgment  of  their  proselytes,  but  brought 
them  at  last  to  corporeal  uncleanness :  er- 
ror damns  as  well  as  vice.  Vice  is  like 
killing  will)  a  pistol,  and  error  killing  with 
poison.  Oh  be  wise  as  serpents;  defend 
your  head  !  "  Be  ye  wise  as  serpents,  and 
harmless  as  doves."  Our  Savloiir  Christ 
here  commends  to  us  the  wisdom  of  the 
serpent,  and  the  innocency  of  the  dove. 
The  elect  are  called  wise  virgins,  Mat.  xxv. 
4. ;  virgins,  there  is  the  dove ;  wise,  there 
is  the  serpent.  We  must  have  innocency 
with  our  wisdom,  else  our  wisdom  is  hut 
craftiness ;  and  we  must  have  wisdom  witli 
our  innocency,  else  our  innocency  is  but 
weakness.  We  must  have  the  innocency 
of  the  dove,  that  we  may  not  circumvent 
others ;  and  we  must  have  the  wisd(»m  of 
the  serpent,  that  others  may  not  circum- 
vent us. 

This  union  of  the  dove  and  serpent  is 
hard  to  find,  but  it  Is  possible ;  Moses  was 
learned  in  all  the  wisdom  of  the  Egyptians, 
Acts  vii.  22. ;  there  was  the  prudence  of 
the  serpent ;  and  1  e  was  "  meek  above  all 
the  men  which  were  upon  the  face  of  the 
earth,"  Numb.  xli.  3. ;  there  was  the  inno- 
cency of  the  dove.     But  the  most  famous 


616 


SELECT  SERMONS. 


instance  of  wisflom  and  innocency  was  in 
our  Saviour :  wlicn  the  Jews  came  to  him 
with  an  ensnaring  question,  Mark  xii.  14., 
*'  Is  it  lawful  to  give  tribute  to  Caesar  or 
not  ?"  Christ  answers  wisely,  v.  17.,  "  Ren- 
der to  Caesar  the  things  that  are  Csesar's, 
and  to  God  the  things  that  are  God's," — de- 
ny not  Ciesar  his  civil  right,  nor  God  his 
religious  worship, — let  your  loyalty  be  mix- 
ed with  piety ;  here  he  shewed  the  wisdom 
of  the  serpent.  And  would  you  see  Christ's 
innocency  ?  1  Pet.  ii.  22.,  "  There  was  no 
guile  found  in  his  mouth ;  who,  when  he 
was  reviled,  reviled  not  again," — he  opened 
his  mouth  in  praying  for  his  enemies,  but 
not  in  reviling  them  ;  behold  here  the  inno- 
cency of  the  dove. 

The  second  thing  I  am  to  speak  of  is  the 
dove :  "  be  harmless  as  doves."  The  dove 
is  an  excellent  creature ;  it  was  so  accep- 
table, that  in  the  old  law,  God  would  have 
the  dove  offered  in  sacrifice.  The  Holy 
Ghost,  when  he  would  appear  in  a  visible 
shape,  assumed  the  likeness  of  a  dove,  Mat. 
iii.  16.  We  should  be  as  doves  in  three 
respects:  1.  In  respect  of  meekness;  2.  In 
respect  of  innocency ;  3.  In  respect  of  pu- 
rity. 

1.  In  respect  of  meekness.  The  dove  is 
the  emblem  of  meekness.  It  is  sine  felle^ 
without  gall;  we  should  be  as  doves  for 
meekness ;  we  must  avoid  unruly  passion, 
which  is  hrevis  insania,  a  short  frenzy  ;  we 
must  be  without  the  gall  of  bitterness  and 
revenge ;  we  must  be  of  mild  spirits,  pray- 
ing for  our  enemies :  so  Stephen,  Acts  vii. 
60.,  "  Lord,  lay  not  this  sin  to  their  charge." 
This  dove-like  meekness  is  the  best  jewel 
and  ornament  we  can  wear,  1  Pet.  iii.  4., 
"  The  ornament  of  a  meek  spirit,  which  is 
in  the  sight  of  God,  of  great  price."  Pas- 
sion doth  disguise,  meekness  adorns. 

2.  We  should  be  as  doves  for  innocency. 
The  innocency  of  the  dove  is  seen  in  two 
things:   1.  Not  to  deceive;   2.  Not  to  hurt. 

(1.)  Not  to  deceive.  The  dove  is,  as 
without  gall,  so  without  guile;  it  doth  not 
deceive  or  lie  at  the  catch  :  thus  we  sliould 
be  as  the  dove,  without  fraud  and  ciaft. 
There  a  is  holy  simplicity  commendable, 
Rom.  xvi.  IJ).,  "I  would  have  you  simple 
concerning  evil ;"  to  be  a  bungh-r  at  sin, 
not  to  have  the  art  to  beguile,  this  is  a  good 


simplicity;  as  Nathaniel  in  whose  spirit 
there  is  no  guile,  John  I.  47.  Where  al- 
most is  this  dove-like  innocence  to  be  found  ? 
We  live  in  an  age  wlierein  there  are  more 
foxes  than  doves  ;  persons  are  full  of  guile, 
they  study  nothing  but  fallacies,  so  that  one 
knows  not  how  to  deal  with  them,  Ps.  xii. 
2.,  "  With  a  double  heart  do  they  speak." 

(2.)  Not  to  hurt.  The  dove  hath  no 
horns  or  talons  to  hurt,  only  wings  to  de- 
fend itself  by  flight ;  other  creatures  are 
commonly  well-armed;  the  lion  hath  its 
paw,  the  boar  its  tusk,  the  stag  its  horns, 
but  the  dove  is  a  most  harmless  creature, 
it  hath  nothing  wherewith  to  oifend:  thur 
we  should  be  as  doves  for  harmlessness, — we 
should  not  do  wrong  to  others,  but  rather 
suffer  wrong.  Such  a  dove  was  Samuel, 
1  Sam.  xii.  3.,  "  Whose  ox  have  I  taken  ? 
or  whose  ass  have  I  taken  ?  or  whom  have 
I  defrauded  ?"  He  did  not  get  men's  es- 
tates into  his  hands,  or  raise  himself  upon 
the  ruins  of  others.  How  rare  is  it  to  find 
such  doves  !  Sure  they  are  flown  away  I 
How  many  birds  of  prey  are  there !  Micah 
vii.  2.,  "  They  all  lie  in  wait  for  blood,  they 
hunt  every  man  his  brother  with  a  net;'* 
these  are  not  doves,  but  vultures  ;  they 
travail  with  mischief,  and  are  in  pain  till 
they  bring  forth. 

3.  We  should  be  as  doves  for  purity. 
The  dove  is  the  emblem  of  purity  ;  it  loves 
the  purest  air,  it  feeds  on  pure  grain  ;  the 
raven  feeds  on  the  carcass,  but  the  dove 
feeds  pure.  Thus  let  us  be  as  doves  for 
sanctity.  Cleansing  ourselves  from  all  pol- 
lution both  of  flesh  and  spirit,  2  Cor.  vii.  1. 
Christ's  dove  is  pure,  Cant.  v.  2.,  "  My 
dove,  my  undefiled."  Let  us  keep  pure  a- 
mong  dregs,  1  Tim.  v.  22.,  "  Keep  thyself 
pure."  Better  have  a  rent  in  the  flesh, 
than  a  hell  in  the  conscience ;  the  dove  is  a 
chaste,  pure  creature ;  let  us  be  doves  for 
purity. 

Use  1.  See  here  the  nature  of  a  good 
Christian  ;  he  is  wise  and  innocent ;  he  hath 
so  much  of  the  serpent,  that  he  doth  not 
forfeit  his  discretion,  and  so  much  of  the 
dove,  that  he  doth  not  defile  his  conscience. 
A  godly  man  is  looked  upon  by  a  carnal 
eye  as  weak  and  indiscreet,  as  having  some- 
thing of  the  dove  but  nothing  of  the  ser- 
pent ;  to  believe  things  not  seen,  to  choose 


CHRISTIAN  PRUDENCE  AND  INNOCENCY. 


617 


sufFerinors  rather  than  sin,  this  is  counted 
folly  ;  but  the  world  is  mistaken  in  a  belie- 
ver,— he  hath  his  eyes  in  his  head, — he 
knows  what  he  doth, — he  is  prudent,  as 
well  as  holy ; — he  is  wise  that  finds  the 
pearl  of  price, — he  is  wise  that  provides  for 
eternity, — he  is  the  wisest  man  that  hath 
wit  to  save  his  soul, — he  is  wise  that  makes 
him  his  friend  who  shall  be  his  judge. 
The  p:odly  man  acts  both  the  politician  and 
the  divine ;  he  retains  his  ingenuity,  yet  he 
doth  not  p.art  with  his  integrity. 

Use  2.  Reproof.  It  reproves  them  who 
liave  too  much  of  the  serpent,  but  nothing 
of  the  dove,  Jer.  iv.  22.,  "  Wise  to  do  evil, 
but  to  do  good  they  have  no  knowledge  ;" 
these  are  like  the  devil,  who  retains  his  sub- 
tilty,  but  not  his  innocency.  1.  We  have 
many  in  this  age  like  the  serpent  for  craf- 
tiness, Dan.  viii.  25.,  "  Through  his  policy 
also  he  shall  cause  craft  to  prosper."  Men 
have  the  head-piece  of  subtilty,  but  want 
the  breast -plate  of  honesty;  they  are  wise 
to  contrive  sin,  to  forge  plots,  to  study  com- 
])liance,  rather  than  conscience ;  the  port 
they  aim  at,  is  preferment ;  the  compass 
they  sail  by,  is  policy ;  the  pilot  that  steers 
them,  is  Satan.  These  have  the  craftiness 
of  the  serpent,  "  Tliey  are  wise  to  do  evil." 
2.  They  are  like  tlie  serpent  for  mischief. 
You  know  the  fiery  serpents  did  sting  Is- 
rael :  these  have  the  sting  of  the  serpent, — 
they  have  a  sting  in  their  tongues,  stinging 
the  people  of  God  with  bitter  slanders  and 
invectives,  calling  them  factious  and  sedi- 
tious,— and  they  sting  with  their  indict- 
ments and  excommunications.  Gal.  iv.  29. 
Such  stinging  serpents  were  Nero,  Diocles»i- 
an,  and  Julian;  and  their  sj)irit  is  yet  alive 
in  the  world.  These  liave  too  much  of  the  ser- 
pent in  them,  but  nothing  of  the  dove,  2  Pet. 
ii.  3.,  "Their  damnation  slunibereth  not." 

Use  3.  Exhortation.  To  j)ut  in  j)ractice 
our  Saviour's  counsel  in  the  text,  join  the 
serpent  and  the  dove  together,  wisdom  and 
holiness  ;  here  lies  the  knot, — this  is  the 
great  difficulty, — to  unite  these  two  toge- 
ther, the  serpent  and  the  dove,  prudence 
and  innocency  ;  if  you  separate  these  two, 
you  spoil  all. 

Quest.  IVhercin  doth  a  Christian  join 
these  two  together,  the  serpent  and  the  duve^ 
nr*.'  /f>t>c*>    v!  holiness  ? 


Jns.  This  I  shall  answer  in  twelve  par- 
ticulars. 

1.  To  be  wise  and  innocent  consists  in 
this,  to  be  sensible  of  an  injury  yet  not  re- 
venge it.  A  Christian  is  not  a  stoic,  nor 
yet  a  fury:  he  is  so  wise,  that  he  knows 
when  an  injury  is  done  him  ;  but  so  holy, 
that  he  knows  how  to  pass  it  by  ;  this  is  a 
most  excellent  temper  of  soul, — I  had  al- 
most said,  angelical.  As  the  wind  doth  al- 
lay the  heat  of  the  air,  so  grace  doth  allay 
the  heat  of  revenge.  Moses  herein  shewed 
a  mixture  of  the  serpent  and  the  dove  : 
Minam  murmured  against  him,  Numb  xii. 
2.,  "  Hath  the  Lord  indeed  spoken  only  by 
Moses  ?"  is  he  the  only  prophet  to  declare 
God's  mind  to  us?  Moses  was  so  wise  as 
to  discern  her  pride  and  slighting  of  him  ; 
yet  so  meek  as  to  bury  the  injury.  When 
God  struck  her  with  leprosy,  he  prays  for 
her,  Numb.  xii.  13.,  "  Heal  her  now,  O 
God,  I  beseech  thee."  And  upon  his  pray- 
er, she  was  cured  of  her  leprosy.  A  good 
Christian  hath  so  much  wisdom  as  to  dis- 
cern his  enemy's  malice,  but  so  much  grace 
as  to  conquer  his  own ;  he  knows  it  is  the 
glory  of  a  man  to  pass  by  a  transgression, 
Prov.  xix.  11.  Though  a  Christian  hath 
so  much  prudence  as  to  vindicate  himself, 
yet  so  much  goodness  as  not  to  avenge 
himself.  Beliold  here  the  serpert  and  the 
dove  united,  sagacity  and  innocency. 

2.  The  mixing  wisdom  and  innocency  is 
seen  in  this,  to  be  humble,  but  not  base. 
Humility  is  part  of  the  dove's  innocency, 
1  Pet.  V.  5.,  "  Be  ye  clothed  with  humility." 
St.  Paul,  though  the  chief  of  the  aj)ostles, 
calls  himself  the  least  of  saints.  A  graci- 
ous soul  hath  low  thoughts  of  himself,  and 
carries  himself  lowly  toward  others;  but, 
though  he  be  humble,  lie  is  not  base  ;  though 
he  will  not  saucily  resist  his  superiors,  he 
will  not  sinfully  humour  them;  though  he 
will  not  do  such  j)roud  actions  as  to  make 
his  enemies  hate  him,  yet  he  will  not  do 
such  sordid  actions  as  to  make  them  des- 
pise him  ;  here  is  the  serpent  and  the  dove 
united.  A  good  Christian  is  so  humble  as 
to  oblige  others,  hut  not  so  unworthy  as  to 
disobey  God.  St.  Paul,  as  far  as  he  could 
with  a  good  conscience,  did  "  become  all 
things  to  all,    that   h»  miglit  save  some," 

1  Cor.ix.  2a.    22       but  he  would  not  brejilc 

4  I 


C18 


SELECT  SERMONS. 


a  commandincnt  to  gratify  any.  Wlien 
God's  glory  lay  at  stake  who  more  resolute 
llian  Paul?  Gal.  ii.  5.  The  tliree  children 
were  liumble,  tliey  gave  the  king  his  title 
of  lionour,  but  tliey  were  not  sordidly  titn- 
orous,  Dan.  iii.  18.,  "  Be  it  known  unto 
tliee,  O  king,  we  will  not  serve  thy  gods." 
Though  they  shewed  reverence  to  the  king's 
person,  yet  no  reverence  to  the  image  he 
had  set  up.  A  good  Christian  will  not  do 
any  thing  below  himself;  though  he  is  for 
obeying  of  laws,  yet  he  will  not  prostitute 
Limself  to  men's  lusts.  He  is  humble, — 
there  he  shews  the  innocency  of  the  dove ; 
but  not  base, — there  he  shews  the  wisdom 
of  the  serpent. 

3.  The  prudence  of  the  serpent  and  in- 
nocency of  the  dove  is  seen  in  this,  to  re- 
prove the  sin,  yet  love  the  person.  We  are 
commanded  to  reprove,  Lev.  xix.  17., 
"  Thou  shalt  not  hate  thy  brother  in  thy 
heart ;  thou  shalt  rebuke  him,  and  not  suf- 
fer sin  upon  him."  Not  to  reprove  sin  is 
to  approve  it ;  but  this  sword  of  reproof  is 
a  dangerous  weapon,  if  it  be  not  well-hand- 
led ;  to  reprove  and  yet  love  is  to  act  both 
the  serpent  and  the  dove. 

Quest.  Hoiv  may  a  Christian  so  reprove 
sin,  as  to  shew  love  to  the  person  ? 

Ans.  1.  In  taking  a  fit  season  to  reprove 
another ;  that  is,  when  his  anger  is  over. 
As,  when  God  did  rebuke  Adam,  he  came 
to  him,  "  in  the  cool  of  the  day,"  Gen.  iii. 
8. :  so,  when  we  are  to  reprove  any,  we  are 
to  come  to  them  when  their  spirits  are  more 
cool,  and  fit  to  I'eceive  a  reproof.  To  re- 
prove a  man  when  he  is  in  a  passion,  is  to 
give  strong  water  in  a  fever  ;  it  doth  more 
hurt  than  good.  By  observing  a  fit  season, 
we  shew  both  prudence  and  holiness, — we 
discover  as  well  discretion  as  aflFection. 

A.  2.  Reproving  sin  so  as  to  shew  love 
to  the  person  is  seen  in  this,  when,  though 
we  tell  him  plainly  of  his  sin,  yet  it  is  iu 
mild,  not  provoking  words,  2  Tim.  ii.  25., 
*'  In  meekness  instructing  those  that  oppose 
themselves."  Peter  tells  the  Jews  plainly 
of  their  sin  in  crucifying  Christ,  but  useth 
guasives  and  gospel-lenitives,  to  allure  and 
encourage  them  to  believe,  Acts  ii.  23., 
"  Ilim  ye  have  taken,  and  by  wicked  hands 
have  crucified  ;"  v.  38.,  "  Repent  and  be 
baptized  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  for  tiie 


remission  of  sin  :  for  the  promise  is  to  yoir, 
and  to  your  children."  Reproof  is  a  bitter 
pill,  and  hard  to  swallow,  tlierefore  we 
must  dip  it  in  sugar  ;  use  those  sweet  mol- 
lifying expressions,  that  others  may  see  love 
coming  along  with  the  reproof,  David  com- 
pares reproof  to  oil,  Ps.  cxli.  5. :  oil  sup- 
ples the  joints  when  they  are  hard  and  stiff; 
our  rej)roofs  being  mixed  with  the  oil  of 
compassion,  they  work  most  kindly,  and  do 
most  soften  stiff  obdurate  hearts. 

A.  3.  Reproving  sin,  yet  loA'e  to  the  per- 
son, is  when  the  end  of  our  reproof  is  not 
to  revile  him  but  to  reclaim  him.  While 
we  go  to  heal  men's  consciences,  we  must 
take  heed  of  wounding  their  names.  The 
chirurgeon,  in  opening  a  vein,  shews  both 
skill  and  love, — skill  in  not  cutting  an  ar- 
tery,— and  love,  in  letting  out  the  bad  blood; 
here  is  the  mixing  the  serpent  and  the  dove ; 
the  wisdom  of  the  serpent  is  seen,  in  not 
reproaching  the  sinner;  the  innocency  of 
the  dove  is  seen  in  reclaiming  him  from  sin. 

4.  Prudence  and  holiness  is  seen  in  this, 
to  "  know  what  we  should  do,  and  do  what 
we  know."  To  know  what  we  should  do, 
— there  is  the  wisdom  of  the  serpent ;  to  do 
what  we  know, — there  is  the  innocency  of 
the  dove,  John  xiii.  17.  Knowledge  is  a 
jewel  which  adorns  him  that  weai's  it ;  it  is 
the  enriching  and  bespangling  of  the  mind  ; 
knowledge  is  the  eye  of  the  soul,  to  guide 
it  in  the  right  way ;  but  this  knowledge 
must  be  joined  with  holy  practice  ;  to  sepa 
rate  practice  from  knowledge,  is  to  sepa- 
rate tlie  dove  from  the  serpent.  Many  il- 
luminated heads  can  discourse  fluently  in 
matters  of  religion,  but  they  do  not  live  up 
to  their  knowledge  ;  this  is  to  have  good 
eyes,  but  to  have  the  feet  cut  off;  they 
know  they  should  not  break  the  sabbath, 
they  sliould  not  defame  nor  defraud  :  but 
they  do  not  practise  wliat  they  know, — here 
tljey  separate  tlie  dove  from  the  serpent, 
virtue  from  knowledge.  How  vain  is  know- 
ledge without  ])raetice  !  as  if  one  should 
know  a  sovereign  medicine  and  not  apply 
it.  Satan  is  a  knowing  spirit,  he  liath  e- 
nough  of  the  serj)ent ;  but  that  which  makes 
him  a  devil  is,  lie  wants  the  dove,  he  doth 
not  practise  holiness. 

5.  To  mix  the  serpent  and  dove,  is  to 
keep    two    trades   going.      To   understand 


CHRISTIAN  PRUDENCE  AND  INNOCENCY. 


610 


worldly  afFiiirs, — there  is  the  wisdom  of  tlie 
Berpent ;  yet  not  ncfj^lect  the  soul, — there  is 
the  innocency  of  the  dove.  God  luith  said, 
*'  six  days  shalt  thou  labour,"  Exod.  xx.  9. 
Religion  did  never  grant  a  patent  to  idle- 
ness ;  there  is  a  lawful  care  to  be  had  about 
Bccular  things  ;  to  have  insight  into  one's 
calling  is  a  coinmondable  wisdom,  but  with 
this  wisdom  join  the  dove's  innocency ;  so 
follow  your  calling,  as  not  to  neglect  your 
soul.  The  soul  is  a  precious  thing,  it  would 
beggar  the  angels  to  give  half  the  price  of 
a  soul.  Our  greatest  care  should  be  to  get 
grace.  While  you  put  gold  in  your  bag, 
do  not  forget  to  put  oil  in  your  vessel. 
Trade  beyond  the  East  Indies  ;  drive  a  trade 
of  holiness.  "  This  merchandize  is  better 
than  the  merchandize  of  silver,"  Prov.  iii. 
14.  Live  in  a  calling,  but  especially  live 
by  faith  ;  look  to  the  providing  for  your  fa- 
milies, but  especially  to  the  saving  of  your 
souls.  The  soul  is  the  angelical  part,  the 
loss  of  this  can  never  be  made  up  again. 
God  (saith  Chrysostom)  hath  given  a  man 
two  eyes,  if  he  lose  one,  he  hath  another  ; 
but  he  hath  but  one  soul,  if  he  lose  that, 
it  is  irrecoverable,  it  can  never  be  made  up 
again.  Oh  unite  the  serpent  and  the  dove, 
— prudence  and  holiness  !  Use  the  world, 
but  love  your  soul ;  trade  on  earth,  but  be- 
ware of  breaking  in  your  trade  for  heaven. 
How  many  part  these  two,  the  serpent  and 
the  dove  ?  They  are  wise  for  the  world, 
but  fools  for  their  souls.  It  is  too  often 
seen,  that  men  pull  down  their  souls  to 
build  up  an  estate. 

6.  To  join  the  serpent  and  the  dove,  pru- 
dence and  innocency,  consists  in  this,  to 
know  how  to  give  counsel,  and  how  to  keep 
counsel.  He  hath  the  wisdom  of  the  ser- 
pent that  can  give  counsel ;  he  knows  how 
to  advise  another  in  difficult  cases,  and 
speak  a  word  in  due  season,  2  Sam.  \yn.  23., 
*'  The  counsel  of  Ahithophel  was  as  if  a 
man  had  inquired  at  the  oracle  of  God." 
But  this  is  not  enough  to  have  the  wisdom 
of  the  serpent,  in  being  able  to  give  coun- 
sel ;  but  there  must  be  the  innocency  of 
the  dove  too,  in  kee])ing  counsel.  If  a 
friend's  secret  be  imparted  to  us  unless  in 
case  of  blood  we  are  not  to  reveal  it.  A 
friend  is  n/fer  idem,  as  one's  own  soul, 
Deut.  xiii.  6.;  and  what  he  imparts  of  his 


heart  should  be  kept  under  lock  and  key, 
Prov.  XXV.  9,  10.,  "  Discover  not  a  secret  to 
another,  lest  he  that  hear  thee  put  thee  to 
shame,"  8:c.  To  disclose  a  friend's  secret, 
thouofh  it  be  not  treason,  it  is  treacherv,  it 
is  most  unchristian  ;  a  word  may  be  spoken 
in  secret,  which,  when  it  is  trumpeted  out, 
may  occasion  quarrels  or  law-suits.  lie 
that  cannot  keep  a  matter  committed  to 
him,  is  like  a  vessel  that  runs  out,  or  a  sick 
stomach  that  cannot  keep  the  meat,  but 
brings  it  up  again.  lie  that  publisheth  his 
friend's  secret,  doth  publish  his  own  shame. 

7.  To  mix  these  two,  prudence  and  ho- 
liness, is  to  know  the  seasons  of  grace,  and 
improve  them ;  to  know  the  seasons  of 
grace, — there  is  the  wisdom  of  the  serpent. 
It  is  wisdom  in  the  husbandman  to  know 
the  fit  time  for  pruning  of  trees,  sowing  of 
seed :  so  it  is  no  less  wisdom  to  know  the 
golden  seasons  of  grace ;  while  we  hear 
the  joyful  sound, — while  we  have  praying 
hours, — while  the  Spirit  of  God  blows  on 
our  hearts, — here  is  a  gale  for  heaven. 
The  day  of  grace  will  not  always  last ;  the 
shadows  of  the  evening  seem  to  be  stretch- 
ed out ;  things  look  as  if  the  gospel  tended 
a  pace  to  a  sun-setting  ;  be  wise  as  serpents, 
to  know  what  a  prize  is  put  in  your  hands. 
And  with  the  serpent  join  the  dove,  that  is, 
in  improving  the  seasons  of  grace.  The 
stork  and  turtle  not  only  know  their  season 
but  improve  it ;  they  approach  to  the  warm- 
er climate  against  the  spring,  saith  Pliny: 
here  is  the  serpent  and  doA'e  united,  know- 
ing and  improving  the  day  of  grace  ;  when 
we  profit  by  ordinances, — when  we  mix 
the  word  with  faith, — when  an  ordinance 
hath  stamped  holiness  upon  us,  as  the  seal 
leaves  its  print  upon  the  wax, — this  is  to 
improve  the  seasons  of  grace. 

8.  The  serpent  and  the  dove,  wisdom  and 
innocency,  is  to  be  moderate  vet  zealous. 
Moderation  is  good  in  some  cases,  Phil.  iv. 
5.,  "  Let  your  moderation  be  known  to  all." 

(1.)  Moderation  is  good  in  case  of  anger. 
When  the  passions  are  up,  moderation  sits 
as  queen  and  governess  in  the  soul  :  it  al- 
lays the  heat  of  passion.  Moderation  ia 
frcvnum  irfP,  the  bridle  of  anger. 

(2.)  IVIoderation  is  good  in  case  of  law- 
suits ;  so  the  Greek  word  for  moderation  is 
properly  taken.     If  there  be  a  dispute  in 


620 


SELECT  SERMONS. 


law  between  u8  and  others,  we  are  not  to 
take  the  extremity  of  tlje  law,  but  use  Chris- 
tian equity  and  mildness ;  nay,  for  peace's 
sake,  cedere  dejure,  rather  part  with  some 
of  our  right,  than  oppress  them  :  this  much 
honours  the  gospel. 

(3.)  Moderation  is  good  in  things  indif- 
ferent. Things  ought  not  to  be  rigorously 
imposed  on  God's  worship  which  are  not  of 
divine  injunction  ;  God  never  made  gover- 
nors of  the  church  to  be  like  ])ilots  of  a 
ship,  to  steer  men's  consciences  which  way 
they  please.  Moderation  and  Christian  for- 
bearance, in  things  indifferent,  would  much 
tend  to  the  peace  and  unity  of  the  church. 
All  this  moderation  is  commendable,  and 
shews  the  wisdom  of  the  serpent :  but  re- 
member to  join  the  dove  with  the  serpent, — 
we  must  so  exercise  moderation  as  withal 
to  cherish  zeal.  St.  Paul  in  some  things 
was  moderate,  he  did  not  press  circumci- 
sion. Acts  XV.  25.,  he  was  tender  of  laying 
a  yoke  upon  the  consciences  of  the  disci- 
ples ;  but  he  had  zeal  with  his  moderation ; 
when  he  saw  their  idolatry  at  Athens,  the 
fire  of  his  zeal  broke  forth.  Acts  xvii.  16., 
"  His  spirit  was  stirred  in  him."  It  was 
good  advice  Calvin  gave  to  Melancthon, 
that  he  should  not  so  affect  the  name  of 
moderate,  as  to  lose  all  his  zeal.  To  be 
cool  and  silent  when  God's  blessed  truths 
are  undermined  or  adulterated,  is  not  mo- 
deration, but  lukewarmness,  which  is  to 
God  a  most  hateful  temper,  Rev.  iii.  16., 
"  1  would  thou  wert  cold  or  hot ;"  and  any 
thing  but  luke-warm.  This  is  to  shew  pru- 
dence and  holiness,  when  we  are  moderate, 
yet  zealous. 

9.  To  unite  serpent  and  dove,  consists  in 
this,  when  we  defend  the  truth  by  argu- 
ment and  adorn  it  by  life  ;  defending  the 
truth  is  the  serpent's  wisdom  ;  an  intelli- 
gent Christian  can  convince  gainsayers. 
This  wisdom  of  the  seri)ent  was  eminently 
in  Stephen,  Acts  vi.  9,  10. :  "  There  arose 
certain  of  the  synagogue,  disputing  with  Ste- 
phen, and  they  were  not  able  to  resist  the 
wisdom  and  the  spirit  by  which  he  spake." 
We  read  in  the  acts  and  monuments  of  the 
church,  John  Fryth,  martyr,  being  opposed 
by  three  papists,  he,  like  another  Hercules, 
fiffhtinof  with  all  the  three  at  once,  did  by 
his  wisdom  so  convince  them,  that  one  of 


them  turned  from  popery  and  became  a 
zealous  protestant.  Herein  is  the  wisdom 
of  the  serpent,  not  only  to  love  them  that 
profess  the  truth,  but  silence  them  that  op- 
pose it.  But  with  this  wisdom  of  the  ser- 
pent, there  must  be  joined  the  innocency  of 
the  dove  ;  together  with  defending  the  truth 
by  argument,  there  must  be  adorning  it  by 
life.  Tit.  ii.  10.,  "  That  they  may  adorn  the 
doctrine  of  God  our  Saviour."  There  are 
some  who  can  dispute  for  the  truth,  but 
disgrace  it  by  their  bad  living ;  this  is  to 
act  both  the  serpent  and  the  dove,  when 
we  not  only  plead  for  the  truth,  but  walk 
in  the  truth,  like  Nazianzen,  of  whom  it 
was  said,  he  did  thunder  in  his  doctrine,  and 
lighten  in  his  conversation. 

10.  The  uniting  the  serpent  and  the  dove, 
is  to  be  serious  in  religion,  yet  cheerful. 
Seriousness  puts  the  heart  in  an  holy  frame, 
it  fixeth  it  on  God  ;  seriousness  is  to  the 
soul,  as  ballast  to  the  ship,  it  keeps  the  soul 
from  being  overturned  with  vanity ;  the 
heart  is  ever  best  when  it  is  serious.  But 
this  seriousness  in  religion  must  be  mixed 
with  cheerfulness;  cheerfulness  conduceth 
to  health,  Prov.  xvii.  22.  It  honours  re- 
ligion, it  proclaims  to  the  world  we  serve 
a  good  master ;  cheerfulness  is  a  friend  to 
grace,  it  puts  the  heart  in  tune  to  praise 
God,  Ps.  Ixxi.  21.  Uncheerful  Christians, 
like  the  spies,  bring  an  evil  report  on  the 
the  good  land  :  others  suspect  there  is  some- 
thing unpleasant  in  religion,  that  they  who 
profess  it  hang  their  harps  upon  the  wil- 
lows, and  walk  so  dejectedly.  Be  serious, 
yet  cheerful,  Phil.  iv.  4.,  '•  Rejoice  in  the 
Lord  alway."  Why  was  Christ  anointed, 
but  to  give  the  oil  of  joy  for  mourning  ? 
Isa.  xvi.  1.  Joy  is  as  well  a  fruit  of  the 
Spirit  as  faith,  Gal.  v.  22.  One  way  of 
grieving  the  Spirit,  saith  Heinsius,  is  by 
Christians'  uncheerful  walking ;  if  you 
would  render  the  gospel  lovely,  mix  the 
dove  and  the  serpent ;  be  serious,  yet  cheer 
ful  in  God. 

11.  The  uniting  of  the  serpent  and  the 
dove,  wisdom  and  holiness,  consists  in  this, 
when  we  so  lay  up  as  we  lay  out.  It  is  a 
duty  to  provide  for  our  charge,  1  Tim.  v. 
8.,  '*  If  any  man  provide  not  for  his  own,  he 
is  woi'se  than  an  infidel."  To  lay  up  for 
our  farailv, — here  is  the  wisdom  of  the  ser- 


ox  BECOMING  A  NEW  CREATURE. 


621 


pent ;  but  we  must  lay  out  i'ov  tJic  poor 
too, — here  is  the  mixture  of"  the  dove,  1  Tim. 
vi.  17,  18.,  "Charg:c  tluMU  tliat  arc  rich  in  the 
world,  that  they  do  good,  that  tlicy  be  rich 
in  good  works."  The  poor  uiau  is  as  it  were 
an  altar,  if  we  bring  our  alms  and  lay  upon 
it,  with  such  sacrifices  God  is  well  jileased. 
Faith,  though  it  hath  sometimes  a  trembling 
band,  it  must  not  have  a  withered  hand, 
but  must  stretch  forth  itself  to  works  of 
mercy  ;  there's  nothing  lost  by  charitable- 
ness, Prov.  xi.  25.,  "  The  liberal  soul  shall 
be  made  fat,"  Ps.  xli.  1.,  "  Blessed  is  he 
that  considereth  the  poor,  thou  wilt  make  all 
bis  bed  in  his  sickness."  While  men  do  so 
rememl)er  their  family,  that  tiiey  do  not  for- 
get the  poor,  they  shew  both  prudence  and 
piety  ;  they  unite  the  serpent  and  the  dove. 
12.  The  serpent's  wisdom  and  the  dove's 
innoccncy  is  seen  in  this, — so  to  avoid  dan- 
ger, as  not  to  commit  sin, — to  preserve  our 
liberty,  yet  keep  our  integrity.  There  is  a 
sinful  escaping  danger,  namely,  when  we  are 
called  to  suffer  for  the  truth,  and  we  decline 
it;  but  there  is  an  escaping  danger  without 
sin  ;  as  thus,  when  we  do  not  betray  our- 
selves into  the  enemies'  hands  by  rashness, 
nor  yet  betray  the  truth  by  cowardice.    We 


have  a  pattern  of  this  in  our  Saviour  ;  ho 
avoided  liis  enemies  in  one  place,  that  he 
might  prcich  the  gospel  in  another,  Luke 
iv.  29,  30.,  "  They  led  him  unto  the  brow 
of  the  hill,  that  they  might  cast  him  down 
headlong;  but  he  passing  through  the 
midst  of  them,  went  his  way," — there  was 
Christ's  wisdom  in  not  betraying  himself  to 
his  enemy  ;  and  v.  43.,  "  I  must  preach  the 
kingdom  of  God  to  other  cities  also," — ■ 
there  was  his  holiness.  Christ's  securing 
of  himself  was  in  order  to  the  j)reaching  of 
the  gospel.  This  is  to  mix  prudence  and 
innocency,  when  we  so  avoid  danger  as  we 
do  not  commit  sin. 

Thus  I  have,  as  briefly  and  as  clearly  as 
I  could,  shown  you  how  we  must  unite 
these  two,  the  serpent  and  the  dove,  pru- 
dence and  holiness.  For  want  of  couDlin"- 
these  two  together  religion  doth  much  suf- 
fer in  the  Christian  world.  "  What  Christ 
hath  joined  together,  let  no  man  put  asun- 
der." Observe  these  two,  prudence  and 
holiness ;  here  is  the  serpent's  eye  in  the 
dove's  head.  AVlien  these  two,  wisdom  and 
innocency — like  Castor  and  Pollux — ap- 
pear together,  they  presage  much  good  and 
happiness  that  will  befal  a  Christian. 


SERMON  II. 


11  CoR.  V.  17.  "  There/ore^  if  any  man  he  in 

passed  away,  behold  all 

In  this  scripture  consists  the  essence  and 
soul  of  religion.     I  note  here  two  things. 

Is/,  That  the  true  definition  of  a  Chris- 
tian is  to  be  in  Christ.  "  If  any  man  be  in 
Christ."  He  may  be  in  the  church  visible, 
yet  not  in  Christ ;  it  is  not  to  be  baptized 
into  Christ's  name,  makes  a  true  Christian  : 
but  to  be  in  Christ,  that  is  to  be  grafted  in- 
to him  by  faith.  And  if  to  be  in  Christ 
makes  a  Christian,  then  there  are  but  icw 
Christians.  Many  are  in  Christ  nominally, 
not  re.ally  ;  they  are  in  Christ  by  profession, 
not  by  mystical  union.  Are  they  in  Christ 
that  do  not  know  him  ?  Are  they  in  Christ 
who  persecute  them  that  are  in  Christ  ? 
Sure  such  an  holy  head  as  Christ  will  dis- 
claim such  spurious  members. 


Christy  he  is  a  new  creature  ;   old  things  are 
things  are  became  new." 

2d,  That  whosoever  is  in  Christ,  is  a  new- 
creature.  For  illustration,  I  shall  shew,  1. 
What  a  new  creature  is;  2.  What  kind  of 
work  it  is. 

1.  What  a  new  creature  is.  It  is  a  se- 
cond birth  added  to  the  first,  John  iii.  3.  It 
may  be  thus  described:  it  is  a  supernatu- 
ral work  of  God's  Spirit,  renewing  and 
transforming  the  heart  into  the  divine  like- 
ness. 

(1.)  The  efficient  cause  of  the  new  crea- 
ture, is  the  Holy  Ghost ;  no  angel  or  arch- 
angel is  able  to  produce  it,  AVho  but  God 
can  alter  the  hearts  of  men,  and  turn  stones 
into  flesh  ?  If  the  new  creature  was  not 
produced  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  then  the  great- 
est glory  in  a  man's  conversion  would  be 


622 


SELECT  SERMONS. 


long  to  himself;  but  this  glory  God  will 
not  give  to  another.  The  turning  of  the 
will  to  God  is  from  God,  Jer.  xxxi.  19., 
"  After  I  was  turned,  I  repented." 

(2.)  The  organical  cause  or  instrument 
by  which  the  new  creature  is  formed,  is  the 
word  of  God,  James  i.  18.,  "  Of  his  own 
will  begat  he  us,  by  the  word  of  truth." 
The  word  is  the  seed,  out  of  which  springs 
the  flower  of  the  new  creature. 

(3.)  The  matter  of  which  the  new  crea- 
ture consists  is,  the  restoring  God's  image 
lost  by  the  fall. 

Quest.  But  doth  God  in  the  new  creature, 
give  a  new  soul  ? 

Ans.  No :  he  doth  not  bestow  new  facul- 
ties, but  new  qualities.  As  in  the  altering 
of  a  lute,  the  strings  are  not  new,  but  the 
tune  is  mended:  so,  in  the  new  creature,  the 
substance  of  the  soul  is  not  new,  but  is  new 
tuned  by  grace  ;  the  heart  that  before  was 
proud,  is  now  humble ;  the  eyes,  that  be- 
fore were  full  of  lust,  are  now  full  of  tears. 
Here  are  new  qualities  infused. 

2.  What  kind  of  work  the  new  creature 
is. 

(1.)  The  new  creature  is  a  work  of  di- 
vine power ;  so  much  it  imports,  because 
it  is  a  creation.  The  same  power  which 
raised  Christ  from  the  grave,  goes  to  the 
production  of  the  new  creature,  Eph.  i.  20. 
It  is  a  work  of  greater  power  to  produce 
the  new  creature,  than  to  make  a  Avorld. 
It  is  true,  in  respect  to  God,  all  things  are 
alike  possible  to  him;  but,  as  to  our  appre- 
hension, it  requires  a  greater  power  to  make 
a  new  creature,  than  to  make  a  world,  for, 

1.  When  God  made  the  world,  he  met 
with  nc  opposition ;  but  when  God  is  about 
to  make  a  new  creature,  he  meets  with  op- 
position ;  Satan  opposeth  him,  and  the 
heart  opposeth  him. 

2.  It  cost  God  nothing  to  make  the  world, 
but  to  make  the  new  creature  costs  him 
something ;  Christ  himself  was  fain  to  be- 
come man.  In  making  the  world,  it  was 
but  speaking  a  word  ;  but  in  making  of  the 
new  creature,  it  cost  Christ  the  shedding 
of  his  blood. 

3.  God  made  the  world  in  six  days ;  but 
he  is  carrying  on  the  new  creature  in  us 
all  our  lives  long.  The  new  creature  is 
but  begun  here,  it  is  not  perfected  or  drawn 


in  all  its  orient  colours  till  it  come  to  hea 
yen. 

(2.)  The  new  creature  is  a  work  of  free- 
grace.  There  is  nothing  in  us  to  move 
God  to  make  us  anew ;  by  nature  we  are 
full  of  pollution  and  enmity,  yet  now  God 
forms  the  new  creature.  Behold  the  ban- 
ner of  love  displayed  !  The  new  creature 
may  say,  "  By  tiie  grace  of  God  I  am  what 
I  am."  In  the  creation  we  may  see  the 
strength  of  God's  arm  ;  in  the  new  crea- 
ture we  may  see  the  working  of  God's  how- 
els.  Tiiat  God  should  consecrate  any  heart, 
and  anoint  it  with  grace,  is  an  act  of  pure 
love;  that  he  should  pluck  one  out  of  the 
state  of  nature,  and  not  another,  must  be 
resolved  into  free-grace.  Mat.  xi.  26.,  "  E- 
ven  so,  Father,  for  so  it  seemed  good  in  thy 
sight."  This  will  increase  tlie  saint's  tri- 
umphs in  heaven,  that  the  lot  of  free-grace 
should  fall  upon  them,  and  not  on  others. 

(3.)  The  new  creature  is  a  work  of  rare 
excellency.  A  natural  man  is  a  lump  of 
earth  and  sin,  God  loathes  him,  Zech.  xi.  8., 
but  upon  the  new  creature  is  a  spiritual 
glory,  as  if  we  should  see  a  piece  of  clay 
turned  into  a  sparkling  diamond,  Cant.  iii. 
6.,  "  Who  is  this  that  cometh  out  of  tJie 
wilderness,  like  pillars  of  smoke  perfumed 
with  'myrrh  and  frankincense  ?"  That  is 
the  natural  man  coming  out  of  the  wilder- 
ness of  sin,  perfumed  with  all  the  graces  of 
the  Spirit.  The  new  creature  must  needs 
be  glorious,  for  it  partakes  of  the  divine  na- 
ture, 2  Pet.  i.  4.  A  soul  beautified  with 
holiness,  is  like  the  firmament  bespangled 
with  glittering  stars ;  it  is  God's  lesser  hea- 
A'en,  Isa.  Ivii.  15.  In  the  incarnation,  God 
made  himself  in  the  image  of  man, — in  the 
new  creation,  man  is  made  in  the  image  of 
God;  by  our  being  creatures,  we  are  the 
sons  of  Adam, — by  being  new  creatures, 
we  are  the  members  of  Christ.  Reason 
makes  one  live  the  life  of  a  man, — the  new 
creature  makes  him  live  the  life  of  God  ;  a 
new  creature  excels  the  rational  nature, 
and  equals  the  angelical.  It  is  excellent  to 
hear  of  Christ's  being  crucified  for  us,  but 
more  excellent  to  have  Christ  formed  in  us. 

Concerning  the  new  creatui'e,  I  shall  lay 
down  two  positions. 

Vst  Position.  That  it  is  not  in  the  powef 
of  a  natural  man  to  convert  himself;  be- 


ON  BECOMING  A  NEW  CREATURE. 


G23 


cause  it  is  a  new  croatioii.  As  we  cannot 
make  ourselves  creatures,  so  not  new  crea- 
tures. 

Qi;i:sT.  But  why  doth  God  command  us 
to  convert  ourselves,  if  we  hove  no  power  ? 
Ezok.  xviii.  31.,  Make  you  a  new  heart. 

Aus.  1.  ^^'e  onee  liad  ])ower.  God  pave 
us  a  stock  of  liolincss,  Imt  we  lost  it.  If  a 
master  pve  liis  servant  money  to  employ 
in  his  service,  and  he  waste  and  embezzle 
it,  may  not  the  master  require  his  money 
of  him  ?  Though  we  have  lost  our  power 
to  obey,  God  hath  not  lost  his  rij^ht  to  com- 
mand. 

A.  2.  Thou(jh  men  cannot  convert  them- 
selves, and  make  themselves  new  creatures, 
vet  tliey  mav  do  more  than  tliev  do  in  a 
tendency  to  it ;  they  may  avoid  temptations, 
they  may  read  the  word;  the  same  feet 
that  carry  them  to  a  l)lay,  will  carry  them 
to  a  sermon  ;  they  may  implore  divine 
grace.  But  they  do  not  what  they  are  a- 
ble  ;  they  do  not  im])rove  the  jwwer  of  na- 
tui-e  to  the  utmost,  and  put  God  to  the  trial 
whether  he  will  give  grace. 

A.  3.  God  is  not  wanting  to  them  who 
seek  to  him  for  grace.  Deus  volentihus  non 
deest.  He  is  willing  to  put  to  his  helping 
liand.  With  his  command  there  goes  a  pro- 
mise, Ezek.  xviii.  31.,  "  Make  you  a  new 
heart ;"  and  there  is  a  promise,  Ezek. 
xxxvi.  26.,  "  A  new  heart  also  will  I  give 
you. 

2d  Position.  When  God  converts  a  sin- 
ner, he  doth  more  than  use  a  moral  per- 
suasion, for  conversion  is  a  new  creation, 
Eph.  iv.  2i.  The  Pelagians  talk  much  of 
free-will ;  they  say,  "  The  will  of  man  is 
by  nature  asleep,  and  conversion  is  nothing 
but  the  awakening  a  sinner  out  of  sleep, 
which  is  done  by  moral  ]>ersuasion."  But 
man  is  by  nature  dead  in  sin,  Eph.  ii.  1. 
And  God  must  do  more  than  awaken  him, 
he  must  enliven  him  before  he  be  a  new 
creature. 

1st  Use.  Terror  to  such  as  are  not  new 
creatures.  Such  as  are  still  growing  upon 
the  stock  of  old  Adam,  who  continue  in 
their  sins,  and  are  resolved  so  to  do,  these 
are  in  the  gall  of  bitterness,  and  are  the 
most  miserable  creatures  that  ever  God 
made,  except  the  devils.  These  stand  in 
the  place  where  all  God's  arrows  fly ;  these 


are  the  centre  where  all  God's  curses  meet. 
An  unregenerate  jn-rson  is  like  one  in  debt 
that  is  in  fear  to  be  arrested  ;  he  is  every 
hour  in  fear  to  be  arrested  by  death,  and 
carried  jirisoner  to  hell.  Can  that  traitor 
be  hajipy,  who  is  fed  by  his  prince  in  pri- 
son, only  to  be  kept  alive  for  execution  ? 
God  feeds  the  wicked  as  prisoners,  they  are 
reserved  for  the  day  of  wrath,  2  Pet.  ii.  9. 
How  should  this  fright  men  out  of  their 
natural  condition,  and  make  them  restless 
till  they  are  new  creatures. 

2d  Use.  Trial.  Whether  we  are  new 
creatures  ;  our  salvation  depends  upon  it. 

I.  I  shall  shew  you  the  counterfeits  of 
the  new  creature,  or  that  which  seems  to 
be  the  new  creature,  and  is  not. 

I.  Natural  honesty,  moral  virtue,  pru- 
dence, justice,  liberality,  temperance, — these 
make  a  glorious  shew  in  the  eye  of  the 
world,  but  differ  as  much  from  the  new 
creature  as  a  meteor  frwm  a  star.  Morali- 
ty indeed  is  commendable,  and  it  were  well 
if  there  were  more  of  it ;  this  our  Saviour 
loves,  Mark  x.  21.,  "  Then  Jesus  beholding 
him,  loved  him."  It  was  a  love  of  compas- 
sion, not  election.  INIorality  is  but  nature 
at  best,  it  doth  not  amount  to  grace.  There 
is  nothing  of  Christ  in  morality  ;  and  that 
fruit  is  sour  which  grows  not  on  the  root 
Christ.  Moral  actions  are  done  out  of  a 
vain-glorious  humour,  not  any  respect  to 
God's  glory.  The  apostle  calls  the  heathen 
magistrates  unjust,  1  Cor.  vi.  1.  While 
they  were  doing  justice  in  their  civil  courts, 
they  were  unjust  ;  their  virtues  became 
vices,  because  faith  was  wanting,  and  they 
did  all  to  raise  them  trophies  for  their  own 
])raise  and  fame.  So  that  morality  is  but 
the  wild  olive  of  nature,  it  doth  not  amount 
t()  grace.  Heat  water  to  the  highest  de- 
gree, you  cannot  make  wine  of  it,  it  is  wa- 
ter still :  so,  let  morality  be  raised  to  the 
highest,  it  is  nature  still, — it  is  but  old  Adam 
put  in  a  better  dress.  I  may  say  to  a  cIntI 
man,  "  yet  lackest  thou  one  thing,"  Mark 
X.  21.  Moral  virtue  may  stand  with  the 
hatred  of  godliness.  A  moral  man  doth  as 
much  hate  holiness,  as  he  doth  vice.  The 
Stoics  were  moralists,  and  had  sublime  no- 
tions about  virtue,  yet  were  the  deadliest 
enemies  St.  Paul  had.  Acts  xvii.  18.  So 
that  this  is  a  counterfeit  jewel. 


624 


SELECT  SERMONS. 


2.  Reliirious  education  is  not  the  new 
creature.  Education  doth  much  cultivate 
and  refine  nature ;  education  is  a  good  wall 
to  plant  the  vine  of  grace  against,  but  it  is 
not  grace.  King  Jehoash  was  good  as  long 
as  Ilia  uncle  Jehoiada  lived  ;  but  when  Je- 
lioiada  died,  all  Jehoash's  religion  was  hur- 
ried in  his  uncle's  grave,  2  Kings  xii.  2. 
Have  not  we  seen  many  who  have  been 
trained  up  religiously  under  their  parents, 
and  were  very  hopeful,  yet  these  fair  blos- 
soms of  hope  have  been  blown  off,  and  they 
have  lived  to  be  a  shame  to  their  friends  ? 

3.  A  form  of  godliness  is  not  the  new 
creature.  Every  bird  that  hath  fine  fea- 
thers, hath  not  sweet  flesh  ;  all  that  shine 
with  the  golden  feathers  of  profession,  are 
not  saints,  2  Tim.  iii.  5.,  "  Having  a  form 
of  godliness,  but  denying  the  power."  What 
is  a  lifeless  form  ?  Formality  is  the  ape  of 
piety  ;  formalists  may  perform  all  the  ex- 
ternal parts  of  religion, — pray,  fast,  give 
alms.  Whatever  duties  a  believer  doth  in 
sincerity,  the  same  may  a  formalist  do  in 
hypocrisy.  How  devout  were  the  Phari- 
sees !  How  humble  was  Ahab  !  what  a 
reformer  was  Jehu  !  Yet  this  was  but  a 
formal  shew  of  religion.  Daedalus,  by  art, 
made  images  to  move  of  themselves,  inso- 
much that  people  thought  they  were  living  r 
formalists  do  so  counterfeit,  and  play  a  de- 
votion, that  others  think  they  are  living 
saints  ;  they  are  religious  mountebanks. 

4.  Every  change  of  opinion  doth  not  a- 
mouiit  to  the  new  creature;  man  may  change 
from  error  to  truth,  yet  be  no  new  creature  ; 
liere  is  a  change  in  the  head,  but  not  in  the 
heart ;  one  may  be  orthodox  in  liis  judg- 
ment, yet  not  cordially  embrace  the  gospel ; 
}je  may  be  no  papist,  yet  no  true  believer. 
He  who  is  changed  only  in  opinion,  is  but 
almost  a  Christian,  and  shall  be  but  almost 
saved. 

5.  Every  sudden  passion,  or  stirring  of 
the  affections,  is  not  the  new  creature. 
There  may  be  affections  of  sorrow ;  some, 
upon  the  reading  the  history  of  Christ's 
])assion,  may  be  ready  to  weep,  but  it  is 
only  a  natural  tenderness,  which  relents  at 
any  tragical  sight.  Affections  of  desire 
may  be  stirred,  John  vi.  34.,  "  Lord,  ever- 
more give  us  this  bread  :"  but  these  basely 
deserted  Christ,  and  would  walk  no  more 


with  liim,  V.  66.  Many  desire  heaven  but 
will  not  come  up  to  the  price.  Affections 
of  joy  may  be  stirred.  In  the  parable,  the 
second  sort  of  hearers  are  said  to  "  receive 
the  word  with  joy,"  Mat.  xiii.  20.  What 
was  this  but  to  liave  the  affections  moved 
with  delight  in  hearing  !  Yet,  that  this 
did  not  amount  to  the  new  creature,  is 
plain,  \st,  Because  those  hearers  are  said  to 
have  no  root.  2c?,  Because  they  fell  away, 
V.  21.  King  Herod  did  hear  John  the  Bap- 
tist gladly;  he  was  much  affected  with  John's 
preaching;  where  then  was  the  defect? 
Why  was  not  Herod  a  new  creature  ?  The 
reason  was,  because  Herod  was  not  reform- 
ed by  the  Baptist's  preaching;  his  affections 
were  moved,  but  his  sin  was  not  removed. 
Many  have  sweet  motions  of  heart,  and 
seem  to  be  much  affected  with  the  word, 
but  their  love  to  sin  is  stronger  than  their 
love  to  the  word  ;  therefore  all  their  good  af- 
fections prove  abortive,  and  come  to  nothing. 

6.  One  may  have  trouble  for  sin,  yet  not 
be  a  new  creature.  Trouble  of  spirit  may 
appear,  while  God's  judgments  lie  upon 
men  ;  when  these  are  removed,  their  trou- 
ble ceaseth,  Ps.  Ixxviii.  34,  36.,  "  When  he 
slew  them,  then  they  sought  him  ;  never- 
theless they  did  flatter  hira  with  their 
mouths."  Metal  that  melts  in  a  furnace, 
take  it  out  of  the  furnace,  and  it  returns  to 
its  former  hardness :  many  in  time  of  sick- 
ness seem  to  be  like  melted  metal.  What 
weeping  and  wringing  of  hands  !  What 
confessions  of  sin  will  they  make  !  Do  not 
these  look  like  new  creatures  ?  But  as 
soon  as  they  recover,  they  are  as  bad  as 
ever ;  their  pangs  go  off  again,  and  it  never 
comes  to  a  new  birth. 

7.  A  man  may  have  the  Spirit,  yet  not 
be  a  new  creature.  The  apostle  supposcth 
a  case,  that  one  might  be  made  partaker  of 
the  Holy  Ghost,  yet  fall  away,  Heb.  vi.  4, 
A  man  may  have  some  slight  transient 
work  of  the  Spirit,  but  it  doth  not  go  to 
the  root ;  he  may  have  the  common  gifts 
of  the  Spirit  but  not  the  special  grace ;  he 
may  have  the  Spirit  to  convince  him,  not 
to  convert  liim  ;  the  light  he  hath  is  like  a 
winter-sun,  which  hath  little  or  no  influ- 
ence,— it  doth  not  make  him  more  holy ; 
he  hath  the  motions  of  the  Spirit,  but  walks 
after  the  flesh. 


ON  BECOMING  A  NEW  CREATURE. 


G25 


8.  Every  abstaiiiinjj  from  sin  is  not  the 
new  creature.  This  ahstaininp^  may  be,  Isf, 
From  restraining^  frrace,  not  renewinf^  jrrace: 
as  God  withliekl  Laban  from  liintinp;  Jacob, 
Gen.  xxxi.  24.  Tlie  Lord  may  restrain 
men  from  sin,  by  tlie  terror  of  a  natural 
conscience.  Conscience  stands  as  the  an- 
gel with  a  drawn  sword,  and  saith,  "  Do 
not  this  evil."  Men  may  be  frighted  from 
sin,  but  not  divorced.  2d,  Men  may  ab- 
stain from  sin  for  a  while,  and  then  return 
to  it  again  ;  as  Saul  left  off  pursuing  David, 
for  some  time,  and  then  hunted  him  again. 
This  is  like  a  man  that  holds  his  breath 
under  water,  and  then  takes  breath  again, 
Jer.  xxxiv.  15,  10.,  "  Ye  were  now  turned, 
and  had  done  right  in  my  sight :  But  ye 
turned  and  polluted  my  holy  name."  3dy 
Men  may  leave  gross  sin,  and  yet  live  in 
more  spiritual  sins, — leave  drunkenness,  and 
live  in  pride, — leave  uncleanness,  and  live 
in  malice.  Tlie  Pharisee  boasted  he  was  no 
adulterer,  but  he  could  not  say  he  was  not 
proud  or  superstitious  ;  here  he  left  gross 
sin,  and  lived  in  spiritual  sins.  4th,  Men 
may  leave  sin  partially, — abstain  from  some 
sins,  not  all, — they  feed  some  sin  in  a  cor- 
ner. Herod  left  many  sins,  but  one  sin  he 
lived  in,  viz.  incest.  All  this  doth  not  a- 
mount  to  the  new  creature. 

II.  I  shall  shew  you  wherein  the  essence 
of  the  new  creature  consists. 

Is^,  In  general.  To  the  constituting  of 
the  new  creature  there  must  be  a  great 
change  wrought.  He  who  is  a  new  crea- 
ture, is  not  the  same  man  he  was.  He  is  of 
another  spirit,  Numb.  xiv.  24.,  "  My  ser- 
vant Caleb,  because  he  had  another  spirit." 
When  the  harlot,  Lais,  came  to  one  of  her 
old  acquaintance  after  he  was  converted, 
and  tempted  him  to  sin.  Ego  non  sum  ego, 
saith  he,  "  I  am  not  the  same  man."  When 
one  becomes  a  new  creature,  there  is  such 
a  visible  change  that  all  may  see  it;  there- 
fore it  is  called  a  change  "  from  darkness  to 
light,"  Acts  xxvi.  18.  Paul,  a  persecutor, 
when  converted,  was  so  altered  that  all  who 
saw  him,  wondered  at  Iiim  and  could  scarce 
believe  that  he  was  the  same.  Acts  ix.  21.: 
as  if  another  soul  had  lived  in  the  same  body. 
Mary  Magdalene,  an  unchaste  sinner,  when 
once  savingly  wrought  upon,  what  a  peni- 
tent creature  did  she  become  !     Her  eyes, 


that  were  enticements  to  lust,  she  takes  pe- 
nance of  them,  and  washed  Christ's  feet 
with  her  tears  ;  her  hair,  which  she  was  so 
proud  of,  and  which  was  a  net  to  entangle 
her  lovers,  she  now  takes  penance  of  it, 
and  wii)es  Christ's  feet  with  it.  Thus  the 
new  creature  makes  a  visible  change.  Such  , 
as  are  the  same  as  they  were,  as  vain  and 
proud  as  ever,  here  is  no  new  creature  to 
to  be  seen  :  for  then  a  mighty  change  would 
appear,  1  Cor.  vi.  11.,  "And  such  were 
some  of  you,  but  ye  arc  washed,  but  ye  are 
sanctified,"  &c. 

But  every  change  doth  not  evidence  the 
new  creature.  1.  There  is  a  change  from 
one  extreme  to  another, — from  a  prodigal 
to  an  usurer, — from  a  Turk  to  a  Papist.  \ 
This  is  as  if  one  should  recover  of  one  dis- 
ease, and  die  of  another.  2.  Tiiere  is  an 
outward  change,  which  is  like  the  washing 
of  a  swine.  Ahab  was  much  changed  to 
outward  view,  when  he  "  rent  his  clothes, 
and  put  on  sackcloth,"  1  Kings  xxi.  27., 
insomuch  that  God  stands  and  wonders  at 
him:  "  Seest  thou  how  Ahab  Inimbletli 
himself?"  Yet,  for  all  this,  he  was  but  an 
hypocrite. 

Quest.    What  change  then  is  that  ivhkh  is 
requisite  in  the  neiv  creature  ? 

Ans.  It  is  an  inward  change,  a  change  of 
heart.  Though  the  lieai't  be  not  new-made, 
it  is  new-moulded,  Jer.  iv.  It.,  Wash  thy 
heart,  O  Jerusalem.  Ahab's  clothes  were 
rent,  but  not  his  hearl.  ,  The  outward 
change  will  do  no  good  without  the  in-, 
ward  ;  what  will  become  of  thorn  then,  who 
have  not  so  much  as  an  outward  change? 
Thus  you  see  in. general,  that,  in  the  pro- 
duction of  the  new  creature,  there  must  be 
a  change. 

2dhj,  More  particularly.  The  change  in 
the  new  creature  consists  in  two  things, 
and  ihoy  are  both  set  down  in  the  text  : 
"  old  things  are  passed  away  ;  behold  all 
things  are  become  new." 

1.  "  Old  things  are  passed  away."  Old 
pride,  old  ignorance,  old  malice;  the  old 
house  must  be  pulled  down  ere  you, can  set 
up  a  new. 

Obj.  But  if  all  ohl  things  must  pass  aivay^ 
then  there  are  no  new  creatures.  IVIio  can  be- 
quite  freed  from  sin  ?  Doth  not  Paul  com-^ 
plain  of  a  body  of  death? 

4K 


626 


SELECT  SF.RMOWS. 


Jtiff.  We  must  know  tliat  the  change 
wrought  in  the  new  creature,  tliough  it  be 
a  thorougli  change,  yet  it  is  not  a  perfect 
chano-e :  sin  will   remain.     As   there   is   a 

•  1  •  1 

principle  of  grace,  so  of  corruption  ;  like 
wine  and  water  mixed,  there  is  in  the  re- 
generate flesh  as  well  as  spirit.  Here  a 
question  ariseth. 

Quest.  I/sin  in  the  regenerate  is  not  quite 
done  away,  then  how  far  must  one  put  off  the 
old  man,  that  he  may  be  a  new  creature  ? 

Ans.  1.  There  must  be  a  grieving  for 
the  remains  of  corruption,  Rom.  vii.  24., 
"  O  wretched  man  that  I  am,  who  shall 
deliver  me  from  this  body  of  death  ?"  Paul 
did  not  cry  out  of  his  sufferings,  his  being 
beaten  Avith  rods,  shipwrecked,  stoned  ; — 
but,  like  the  bird  of  paradise — he  bemoan- 
ed himself  for  sin.  In  the  new  creature 
there  must  be  quotidianus  miigitus, — a  daily 
mourning  for  the  indwelling  presence  of 
corruption  ;  a  child  of  God  doth  not  wear 
sin  as  a  gold  chain,  but  as  a  fetter. 

A.  2.  In  the  new  creature  there  must  be 
a  detestation  of  old  things,  as  one  would 
detest  a  garment  in  which  is  the  plague. 
It  is  not  enough  to  be  angry  with  sin  ;  but 
we  must  hate  it,  Ps.  cxix.  163.,  "  I  hate 
and  abhor  lying."  Hatred  is  the  highest 
degree  of  enmity ;  and  we  must  hate  sin 
not  only  for  its  hurtful  effect,  but  its  loath- 
some nature ;  as  one  hates  a  toad  for  its 
poisonous  quality. 

A.  3.  In  the  new  creature  there  is  an  op- 
position against  all  old  things  ;  a  Christian 
not  only  complains  of  sin,  but  fights  against 
it.  Gal.  v.  17. 

Quest.  But  may  not  a  natural  man  oppose 
si7i  ? 

Ans.  Yes  ;  but  there  is  a  great  difference 
between  his  opposing  sin,  and  the  new 
creature's  opposing  it. 

l.s^,  Tliere  is  a  difference  in  the  manner 
of  opposition,  1.  Tlie  natural  man  opposeth 
sin,  only  for  the  shame  of  it,  as  it  eclipseth 
his  credit:  but  the  new  creature  opposeth  sin 
for  the  filth  of  it, — it  is  the  spirit  of  mischief, 
— it  is  like  rust  to  gold,  or  as  a  stain  to  beau- 
ty. 2.  The  natural  man  doth  not  oppose  all 
sin.  (1.)  He  doth  not  oppose  inward  sins; 
he  fights  against  such  sins  as  are  against 
the  light  of  a  natural  conscience,  but  not  a- 
gainst  heart-sins, — the  first  risings  of  vain 


tnoughts, — the  stirrings  of  anger  and  con- 
cupiscence,— the  venom  and  impurity  of 
his  nature.  (2.)  He  doth  not  oppose  gos- 
pel sins, — pride, — unbelief, — hardness  of 
heart, — spiritual  barrenness;  he  is  not 
troubled,  that  he  can  love  God  no  more. 
(3.)  He  opposeth  not  complexion-sins,  such 
as  the  bias  of  his  heart  carries  him  morrj 
strongly  to,  as  lust  or  avarice ;  he  saith  of 
his  constitution-sins,  as  Naaman,  2  Kings 
V.  18.,  "  In  this  thing,  the  Lord  pardon 
thy  servant."  But  the  new  creature  oppos- 
eth all  kinds  of  sin  :  as  he  that  hates  a  ser- 
vant, hates  all  kinds  of  serpents,  Ps.  cxix. 
104.,  *'  I  hate  every  false  way." 

2d/y,  There  is  difference  between  the  na- 
tural man's  opposing  sin,  and  the  new  crea- 
ture's opposing  sin,  in  regard  of  the  mo- 
tives. A  natural  man  opposeth  sin,  from 
carnal  motives, — to  stop  the  mouth  of  con- 
science, and  to  prevent  hell.  But  the  new 
creature  opposeth  sin  upon  more  noble  mo- 
tives,— out  of  love  to  God,  and  fear  of  dis- 
honouring the  gospel. 

A.  4.  In  the  new  creature  there  is  mor- 
tifying old  corrupt  lusts,  Gal.  v.  24.,  "  Tliey 
that  are  Christ's  have  crucified  the  flesh.'* 
The  new  creature  is  said  to  be  "  dead  indeed 
unto  sin,"  Rom.  vi.  11.  He  is  dead  as  to 
the  love  of  sin,  that  it  doth  not  bewitch  : 
and  as  to  the  power  of  it,  that  it  doth  not 
command.  The  new  creature  is  continually 
crucifying  sin  ;  some  limb  of  the  old  Adam 
every  day  drops  off;  though  sin  doth  not  die 
perfectly,  it  dies  daily.  A  gracious  soul 
thinks  he  can  never  kill  sin  enough  ;  he 
deals  with  sin  as  Joab  with  Absalom,  2  Sam. 
xviii.  14.,  "  He  took  three  darts  in  his 
hand  and  thrust  them  through  the  heart  of 
Absalom."  So,  with  the  three  darts  of  faith, 
prayer,  aud  repentance,  a  Christian  thrusts 
through  the  bod5'  of  sin  ;  he  never  thinks 
this  Absalom  is  enough  dead. 

Try  then,  if  we  have  this  first  sign  of  the 
new  creature,  "  old  things  are  passed  a- 
way."  There  is  a  grieving  for  siu,  a  de- 
testing it,  an  opposing  it,  a  mortifying  it , 
this  is  the  passing  away  of  old  things,  though 
not  in  a  legal  sense,  yet  in  an  evangelical ; 
and  though  it  be  not  to  satisfaction,  yet  it 
is  to  acceptation. 

2.  The  second  trial  of  the  new  creature, 
is  "  all  things  are  become  new."     Then  wa 


ON  BECOMING  A  NEW  CREATURE 


627 


creature  is  new  all  over ;  {jracc,  though  it 
be  but  in  part,  yet  it  is  in  every  part.  By 
nature  every  branch  of  the  soul  is  defiled 
with  sin,  as  every  part  of  wormwood  is  bit- 
ter ;  so,  in  rcfjenoration,  every  part  of  the 
soul  is  replenished  with  grace,  therefore 
grace  is  called  the  "  new  man,"  Eph.  iv. 
24.  Not  a  new  eye,  or  a  new  tongue,  but 
a  new  man, — there  are  new  dispositions, 
new  principles,  new  aims, — "  all  things  are 
become  new." 

(1.)  In  the  new  creature  there  is  a  new 
understanding,  Eph.  iv.  23.,  "  Be  ye  re- 
newed in  the  spirit  of  your  mind."  The 
first  thing  a  limner  draws  in  a  picture  is  the 
eye  :  when  God  newly  limns  us,  and  makes 
us  new  creatures,  the  first  thing  he  draws 
in  our  souls  is  a  new  eye  :  the  new  crea- 
ture is  enlightened  to  see  that  which  he 
never  saw  before.  1.  He  knows  Christ  af- 
ter another  manner.  An  unconverted  man, 
by  the  light  of  common  grace,  may  believe 
Christ  to  be  the  Son  of  God :  but  the  new 
creature  knows  Christ  after  another  guise, 
manner,  so  as  to  esteem  him  above  all,  to 
adore  him,  to  touch  him  by  faith,  to  fetch 
an  healing  virtue  from  him.  2.  The  new 
creature  knows  himself  better  than  he  did. 
Wlien  the  sun  shines  into  a  room,  it  dis- 
covers all  the  dust  and  cobwebs  in  it :  so, 
when  the  light  of  the  Spirit  shines  into  the 
heart,  it  discovers  that  corruption  which 
before  lay  hid ;  it  shews  a  man  his  own 
vileness  and  nothingness,  Job  xl.  4.,  "  Be- 
hold, I  am  vile."  A  wicked  man  blinded 
with  self-love,  admires  himself;  like  Nar- 
cissus, that  seeing  his  own  shadow  upon 
the  water,  fell  in  love  with  it.  Saving- 
knowledge  works  self-abasement:  "Lord, 
thou  art  in  heaven,  and  I  am  in  hell  "  said 
a  martyr.  Hath  this  day-star  of  knowledge 
shined  on  our  mind  ? 

(2.)  The  new  creature  is  renewed  in  his 
conscience.  The  conscience  of  a  natural 
man  is  either  blind,  or  dumb,  or  seared  ; 
but  conscience  in  the  new  creature  is  re- 
newed. Let  us  examine,  doth  conscience 
check  for  sin?  The  least  hair  makes  the 
eye  weep;  and  the  least  sin  makes  con- 
science smite.  How  did  David's  heart 
smite  him  for  cutting  off  the  lap  of  Saul's 
garment !  A  good  conscience  is  a  star  to 
guide,  a  register  to  record,  a  judge  to  de- 


termine, a  witness  to  accuse  or  excuse;  if 
conscience  doth  all  these  offices  right,  then 
it  is  a  renewed  conscience,  and  speaks 
peace. 

(3.)  In  the  new  creature  the  will  is  re- 
newed. An  old  bowl  may  have  a  new  bias 
put  into  it :  the  will  having  a  new  bias  of 
gi'ace  put  into  it,  is  strongly  carried  to 
good.  The  will  of  a  natural  man  opposeth 
God ;  when  the  wind  goes  one  way  and  the 
tide  another,  then  there  is  a  storm  :  so  it  is 
when  God's  will  goes  one  way  and  ours  a- 
nothcr.  But  when  our  will  iroes  with 
God's,  as  the  wind  with  the  tide,  then  there 
is  a  sweet  calm  of  peace  in  the  soul, — the 
sanctified  will  answers  to  God's  will,  as  the 
echo  to  the  voice,  Ps.  xxvii.  8.,  "  ^Vlien 
thou  saidst,  seek  ye  my  face,  my  heart  said 
unto  thee,  thy  face.  Lord,  will  I  seek."  And 
the  will  being  renewed,  like  the  priimnn  mo- 
bile, it  carries  all  the  affections  along  with  it 

(4.)  The  new  creature  hath  a  new  con- 
versation. Grace  alters  a  man's  walk  ;  be- 
fore he  walked  proudly,  now  humbly ;  be- 
fore loosely,  now  holily;  he  makes  the 
word  his  rule,  and  Christ's  life  his  pattern, 
Phil.  iii.  20.,  "  Our  conversation  is  in 
heaven."  As  a  ship  that  is  sailing  east- 
ward, there  comes  a  gale  of  wind  and  blows 
it  westward  :  so,  before  a  man  did  sail  hell- 
ward,  and  on  a  sudden  the  Spirit  of  God 
comes  upon  him,  and  blows  him  heaven- 
ward ;  here  is  a  new  conversation.  It  was 
a  speech  of  Oecolampadius,  "  I  would  not 
speak  nor  do  any  thing  that  I  thought  Jesus 
Christ  would  not  approve  of,  if  he  were  here 
corporally  present."  \V1iere  there  is  cir- 
cumcision of  heart,  there  is  circumspection 
of  life;  if  we  find  it  thus,  that  "  all  things 
are  become  new,"  then  we  are  new  crea- 
tures, and  shall  go  to  the  new  Jerusalem 
when  we  die. 

3d  Use.  Exhortation.  Labour  to  be  new 
creatures  :  nothing  else  will  avail  us,  Gal. 
vi.  15.,  "  Neither  circumcision  availeth  any 
thing,  nor  uncircumcision,  but  a  new  crea- 
ture." We  are  for  new  things;  we  love 
new  fashions,  and  why  not  new  hearts  ? 
but  people  are  full  of  prejudices  against  the 
new  creature. 

Ob  J.  \.  If  we  are  new  creatures,  there 
must  be  so  much  strictness  in  religion,  so 
much  praying  and  watching,  as  discourogeth 


C28 


SELECT  SERMONS. 


Ans.  1.  Is  there  any  thing  excellent  to  , 
be  obtained  without  labour  ?  What  pains  is  j 
taken  in  scarchinji^  for  a  vein  of  silver,  or 
seeking  for  pearl  ?  Men  cannot  have  the 
world  without  labour ;  and  would  they 
have  salvation  so?  2.  The  labour  in  reli- 
gion bears  no  proportion  with  the  reward. 
What  are  a  few  tears  shed,  to  a  weight  of 
glory  ?  The  soldier  is  content  to  wrestle 
with  difficulties,  and  undergo  a  bloody  fight, 
for  a  glorious  victory.  In  all  labour  for 
heaven  there  is  profit :  it  is  like  a  man  that 
digs  in  a  golden  mine,  and  carries  away  all 
the  gold. 

3.  Men  take  more  pains  to  go  to  hell ; 
what  pains  doth  an  ambitious  man  take  to 
climb  to  the  pinnacle  of  honour?  Tullia 
road  over  the  dead  body  of  her  father  to  be 
made  queen.  How  doth  the  covetous  man 
tire  himself,  break  his  sleep,  and  his  peace, 
to  get  the  world?  Thus  some  men  take 
more  pains  in  the  service  of  sin,  than  oth- 
ers do  in  pursuit  of  holiness.  Men  talk  of 
pains  in  religion  ;  when  God's  Spirit  comes 
into  one  it  turns  labour  into  delight.  It 
was  Paul's  heaven  to  serve  God,  Rom.  vii. 
22.  The  ways  of  wisdom  "  are  ways  of 
pleasantness,"  Prov.  iii.  17.  It  is  like  walk- 
ing among  beds  of  spices,  which  cast  forth 
a  sweet  perfume. 

Obj.  2.  But  if  we  leave  our  old  company, 
and  become  new  creatures,  we  shall  be  exposed 
to  many  reproaches. 

Ans.  Who  are  they  that  speak  evil  of  re- 
ligion but  sucb  as  are  evil  ?  Male  de  me  lo- 
quunter,  sed  mail,  said  Seneca.  Besides,  is 
it  not  better  that  men  reproacb  us  for  being 
good,  than  that  God  damn  us  for  being 
wicked  !  Mat.  v.  11.,  "  Blessed  are  ye  when 
men  shall  revile  you."  Stars  are  never  the 
less  glorious  though  they  have  ugly  names 
given  them,  as  the  bear  and  the  dragon. 
A  saint's  reproaches  are  like  a  soldier's  scars, 
honourable,  1  Pet.  iv.  14.,  "  If  ye  are  re- 
proached for  the  name  of  Christ,  the  Spirit 
of  God  and  of  glory  rests  upon  you." 
While  men  clip  your  credit  to  make  it  weigh 
lighter,  they  make  your  crown  heavier. 

Having  iinswerc'd  these  objections,  I  come 
now  to  resume  the  exhortation  :  above  all 
things  labour  to  be  new  creatures. 

Motives.     \st.^  In  this  true  Christianity 
oth  consist.     It  is  not  baptism  makes  a 


Christian  :  many  are  no  better  than  bapti- 
zed heathens.  The  essential  part  of  reli- 
gion lies  in  the  new  creature,  Rom.  ii.  29., 
"  Circumcision  is  that  of  the  heart."  Ev- 
ery thing  hath  a  name  from  the  better  part. 
We  call  a  man  a  reasonable  creature,  be- 
cause of  his  soul,  which  is  the  more  noble 
part :  so  one  is  called  a  Christian,  because 
he  acts  from  a  principle  of  the  new  crea- 
ture, which  the  carnal  man  doth  not. 

2dly,  It  is  the  new  creature  fits  us  for 
communion  with  God  ;  we  cannot  converse 
with  God  till  then.  Birds  cannot  converse 
with  men  unless  they  had  a  rational  nature 
put  into  them,  nor  can  men  converse  with 
God,  unless,  being  made  new  creatures, 
they  partake  of  the  divine  nature.  Com- 
munion with  God  is  a  mystery  to  most ; 
every  one  that  hangs  about  the  court  doth 
not  speak  with  the  king :  all  that  meddle 
with  holy  duties,  and,  as  it  were,  hang  a- 
bout  the  court  of  heaven,  have  not  commu- 
nion with  God.  It  is  only  the  new  crea- 
ture enjoys  God's  presence  in  ordinances, 
and  sweetly  converses  with  him  as  a  child 
with  a  Father. 

^dly,  The  necessity  of  being  new  crea- 
tures. 

1.  Till  then  we  are  odious  to  God,  Zech. 
xi.  8.,  "  My  soul  loathed  them."  A  sinner 
is  to  God  worse  than  a  toad  ;  a  toad  hath 
no  poison,  but  what  God  hath  put  into  it  : 
but  a  sinner  hath  that  which  the  devil  hath 
put  into  him,  Acts  v.  3.,  "  AVliy  hath  Satan 
filled  thy  heart  to  lie  ?"  A  wicked  man  is 
possessed  with  an  evil  spirit,  one  man  is 
possessed  with  the  devil  of  pride,  another 
with  the  devil  of  malice, — this  must  needs 
make  persons  odious  to  God,  to  be  possess- 
ed with  the  devil.  Thus  it  is  till  we  be- 
come new  creatures. 

2.  Till  we  are  new  creatures,  our  duties 
are  not  accepted  with  God  ;  they  are  but 
wild  grapes.  1.  Because  God  accepts  no 
man,  but  where  he  sees  his  image.  The 
new  creature  is  called  the  renewing  of  God's 
image,  Eph.  iv.  24.  When  they  brought 
Tamarlane  a  j)ot  of  gold,  he  asked  wliat 
stamp  it  had  on  it,  and  wlien  he  saw  the 
Roman  stamp  on  it,  he  refused  it :  so,  if 
God  doth  not  see  his  own  stamp  and  image 
on  the  soul,  he  rejects  the  most  specious 
services.     2.   Duties  of  religion  are  not  ac- 


ON  BECOMING  A  NEW  CREATURE. 


629 


ceptcd  witliout  tlie  new  creatiiro,  because 
there  is  tliat  wanting  which  sliouhl  make 
them  a  sweet  savour  to  God,  The  lioly  oil 
for  tlic  tabernacle  was  to  be  made  of  seve- 
ral spices  and  ingredients,  Exod.  xxx.  23 : 
now,  if  any  of  these  spices  had  been  left 
out,  it  had  not  been  pleasing.  The  unre- 
generate  man  leaves  out  the  chief  spice  in 
his  duties,  and  that  is  faith.  And,  Ileb. 
xi.  6.,  "  Without  faith  it  is  impossible  to 
please  God."  Paith  lays  hold  on  Christ, 
and  so  is  accepted. 

3.  Such  as  are  not  new  creatures,  but 
grow  upon  the  stock  of  old  Adam,  get  no 
benefit  by  ordinances ;  they  are  to  them, 
as  dioscordium  in  a  dead  man's  mouth ; 
they  lose  their  virtue  ;  nay,  not  oidy  ordi- 
nances do  them  no  good,  but  hurt.  It 
were  sad,  if  all  a  man  did  eat  should  turn 
to  poison.  The  word  preached  is  a  "  sa- 
vour of  death;"  it  is  not  healing,  but  har- 
dening; nay  Christ  himself  is  accidentally 
a  "  rock  of  offence,"  1  Pet.  ii.  8.  The  wic- 
ked stumble  at  a  Saviour,  and  suck  death 
from  tl>e  tree  of  life. 

4.  Without  being  new  creatures,  we 
cannot  arrive  at  heaven.  Rev.  xxi.  27., 
*'  There  shall  in  nowise  enter  into  it  any 
thing  that  defileth."  Heaven  is  not  like 
Noah's  ark,  that  received  clean  and  unclean. 
A  sinner  is  compared  to  swine,  2  Pet.  ii.  22., 
and  shall  a  swinish  creature  tread  upon  the 
golden  pavement  of  heaven  ?  Indeed  the 
frogs  came  iiito  king  Pharaoh's  court,  but 
in  heaven  there  is  no  entertainment  for  such 
vermin.  It  is  only  the  new  creature  quali- 
fies us  for  glory :  this  consecrates  the  heart, 
and  only  the  pure  in  heart  shall  see  God. 
The  new  creature  elevates  the  soul,  as  the 
loadstone  elevates  the  iron.  A  soul  renew- 
ed by  grace,  is  fit  to  ascend  to  the  heaven- 
ly glory. 

Atlily.,  The  excellency  of  the  new  crea- 
ture :  l.s/.  The  nobility.  2d,  The  immorta- 
lity. 1.  The  nobility.  The  new  creature 
letch eth  its  pedigree  from  heaven  ;  it  is 
born  of  God  ;  (lod  counts  none  else  of  the 
blood  royal ;  it  ennobles  a  man's  spirit ;  he 
as|)ires  after  the  favour  of  (iod,  and  looks 
no  lower  than  a  crown.  The  new  creature 
raiseth  one  to  honour ;  he  excels  the  prin- 
ces of  the  earth,  Ps.  Ixxxix.  27.,  and  is  fel- 
low-commoner with   angels.     2.   The   im- 


mortality. The  new  creature  is  begotten 
of  the  incorruptible  seed  of  the  word,  and 
never  dies  ;  ii  lasts  as  long  as  the  soul,  ag 
angels,  as  heaven.  God  hath  laid  out  much 
cost  upon  it,  and  if  it  perish,  he  should  lose 
.ill  his  cost.  When  Xerxes  destroyed  all 
the  temples  in  Greece,  he  caused  the  tem- 
ple of  Diana  to  be  preserved  for  its  beauti- 
ful structure  ;  the  new  creature  is  God's 
temple,  adorned  with  all  the  graces,  which 
he  will  not  suffer  to  be  demolished.  Rich- 
es take  wings,  king's  crowns  tumble  in  the 
dust ;  nay,  some  of  the  graces  may  cease  : 
faith  and  hope  shall  be  no  more,  but  the 
new  creature  abideth  for  ever,  1  John  ii. 
27. 

hthbf,  The  misery  of  the  unrejrenerate 
creature;  dying  so,  I  may  say  so  of  him, 
as  Christ  said  of  Judas,  Mark.  xiv.  21., 
"  Good  were  it  for  that  man  if  he  had  never 
been  born."  Better  have  been  a 'toad,  a 
serpent,  any  thing,  if  not  a  new  creature ; 
the  old  siimer  must  go  into  old  To])het,  Isa. 
xxx.  33.  Damned  caitiffs  will  have  noth- 
ing to  ease  their  torments, — not  one  drop 
of  honey  in  all  their  gall.  In  the  sacrifice 
of  jealousy  there  was  no  oil  put  to  it.  Numb. 
V.  In  hell  there  is  no  oil  of  mercv  put  to 
the  sufferjjigs  of  the  damned  to  lenify  them. 

Therefore  get  out  of  the  wild  olive  of  na- 
ture :  labour  to  be  new  creatures,  lest  you 
curse  yourselves  at  last.  A  sinful  life  will 
cause  a  despairing  death. 

Quest.  IV hat  shall  we  do  to  be  new  crea~ 
tares  ? 

Ans.  1,  Wait  on  the  ordinances.  The 
preaching  of  the  word  is  the  seed  of  which 
the  new  creature  is  formed ;  this  is  the 
trumpet  which  must  make  the  dead  in  sin 
come  out  of  their  grave. 

A.  2.  Pray  earnestly  for  the  new  crea- 
ture :  "  Lord,  thou  hast  made  me  once, 
make  me  again  ;  what  shall  I  do  with  this 
old  heart  ?  It  defiles  all  it  toucheth." 
Urge  God  with  his  promise,  Ezek.  xxxvi. 
26.,  "  A  new  heart  also  will  I  give  you." 
Say,  "  Lord,  I  am  as  the  dry  bones,  but 
thou  didst  cause  breath  to  come  into  them, 
Ezek.  xvii.  10.  Do  the  same  to  me: 
breathe  a  supernatural   life  of  grace  into 


me. 


4th  Use.  Tliank fulness.     Let  such  as  are 
new  creatures  stand  upon  mount  Gerizim, 


630 


SELECT  SERMONS. 


blessing  and  praising  God  ;  ascribe  all  to 
ibe  riclies  of  God's  love  ;  set  the  crown  up- 
on the  head  of  free  grace.  God  hath  done 
more  for  you  than  if  he  had  made  you 
kings  and  queens  ;  though  you  have  not  so 
much  of  the  world  as  others,  you  are  hap- 
pier than  the  greatest  monarchs  vipon  earth; 
and,  I  dare  say,  you  would  not  change  with 
them.  The  apostles  seldom  speak  of  the 
new  creation,  but  they  join  some  thankful 
praises   with   it,   1  Pet.  i.  3.,   "  Blessed  be 


God,  Avho,  according  to  his  abundant  mer- 
cy, hatli  begotten  us  again  to  a  lively  hope.'* 
Col.  i.  12.,  "  Giving  thanks  to  the  Father, 
who  hath  made  us  meet  for  the  inheritance 
in  light."  The  new  creature  is  a  sign  of 
election,  a  badge  of  adoption.  What  dis- 
tinguishing love  is  this,  that  God  should 
make  any  of  us  new  creatures,  when  he 
hath  left  the  greatest  part  of  the  world  to 
perish  in  their  sins  !  Such  as  are  patterns 
of  mercy,  should  be  trumpets  of  praise. 


'  SERMON  III. 

James  iii.  6.  "  And  the  tongue  is  ajire,  a  world  of  iniquity.'* 


Jl  he  apostle  James  in  this  scripture,  de- 
scribes the  evil  of  the  tongue,  "  The  tongue 
is  a  fire,  a  world  of  iniquity." 

1.  "  It  is  a  fire."  It  burns  with  intem- 
perate heat ;  it  causeth  the  heat  of  conten- 
tion ;  it  sets  others  in  a  flame. 

2.  "  A  world  of  iniquity."  It  was  at  first 
made  to  be  an  organ  of  God's  praise,  but  it 
is  become  an  instrument  of  unrighteousness. 
All  the  members  of  the  body  are  sinful,  as 
there  is  bitterness  in  every  branch  of  worm- 
wood, but  the  tongue  is  excessively  sinful, 
■*'  full  of  deadly  poison,"  v.  8. 

Doctrine.  The  tongue,  though  it  be  a 
little  member,  yet  it  hath  a  world  of  sin  in 
it ;  the  tongue  is  an  unruly  evil.  1  sluill 
shew  you  some  of  the  evils  of  the  tongue. 

1.  The  evil  tongue  is  the  silent  tongue  ; 
it  is  wholly  mute  in  matters  of  religion  ;  it 
never  speaks  of  God  or  of  heaven,  as  if  it 
cleaved  to  the  roof  of  the  mouth.  Men  are 
fluent  and  discoursive  enough  in  other 
things,  but  in  matters  of  religion  their  lips 
are  sealed  up.  If  we  come  into  some  peo- 
ple's company,  we  do  not  know  what  reli- 
gion they  are  of,  whether  Jews  or  Maho- 
metans, for  they  never  speak  of  Christ ; 
they  are  like  the  man  in  the  gospel,  who 
was  possessed  with  a  dumb  spirit,  Mark  ix. 
17. 

2.  The  evil  tongue  is  the  earthly  tongue  ; 
men  talk  of  nothing  but  the  world,  as  if  all 
their  hopes  were  here,  and  they  looked  for 
an  eai*thly  eternity ;  these  have  earthly 
minds,  John  iii.  31.,  "He  that  is  of  the 
earth,  speaketh  of  the  earth." 


3.  The  evil  tongue  is  the  hasty  or  angry 
tongue ;  they  have  no  command  of  passions, 
but  are  carried  away  with  them,  as  a  cha- 
riot with  wild  horses.  I  know  there  is  an 
holy  anger,  when  we  are  angry  with  sin  : 
Christ  had  this  anger  when  they  made  the 
temple  a  place  of  merchandise,  John  ii.  15. 
That  anger  is  without  sin,  which  is  against 
sin ;  but  that  is  an  evil  tongue,  which  is 
presently  blown  up  into  exorbitant  passion ; 
this  '  tongue  is  set  on  fire  from  hell.'  A 
wrathful  spirit  is  unsuitable  to  the  gospel ; 
it  is  a  gospel  of  peace,  and  its  author  is  the 
Prince  of  Peace,  and  it  is  sealed  by  the 
Spirit,  who  came  in  the  form  of  a  dove,  a 
meek  peaceable  creature.  Thou  who  art 
given  much  to  ])assion,  whose  tongue  is 
often  set  on  fire,  take  heed  thou  dost,  not 
one  day  in  hell  desire  a  drop  of  water  to 
cool  thy  tongue. 

4.  The  evil  tongue  is  the  vain  tongue, 
that  vents  itself  in  idle  words  :  Ps.  x.  7., 
"  Under  his  tongue  is  vanity."  A  vain 
tongue  shews  a  light  heart ;  a  good  man's 
words  are  Aveighty  and  ])rudent ;  his  li])s 
are  as  a  tree  of  life  to  feed  many  ;  his 
sj)eech  is  edifying,  Prov.  x.  20.,  "  The 
tongue  of  the  just  is  as  choice  silver."  But, 
Prov.  XV.  2.,  "  The  mouth  of  fools  pours 
out  foolishness:"  How  many  idle  away  the 
day  of  grace  in  frivolous  discourses  ?  A 
wise  man's  words  are  like  gold,  weighty, 
and  will  sink  into  the  hearts  of  others  ;  but 
the  words  of  many  are  light  and  featli(>ry 
and  will  make  no  imjiression.  Mat.  xii.  30. 
"  Every  idle  word  that  men  shall  speak, 


THE  EVIL  TONGUE. 


631 


tliey  sliall   give  an  account  thereof  in  tlic 
day  of  jiulgmont." 

5.  The  evil  toiipruo  is  the  censorious 
tongue,  James  iv.  12.,  "  Wlio  art  thou  that 
judgest  another  ?"  Some  make  it  a  part 
of  their  religion  to  judge  and  censure  <>- 
thers ;  they  do  not  imitate  their  graces, 
but  censure  their  failings  ;  sucli  an  <»nc  is 
an  hypocrite  ;  this  c(»mes  from  pride.  AVcre 
men's  hearts  more  humhle,  their  tongiu's 
would  he  more  charitahle.  The  censurer 
sits  in  the  chair  of  pride,  and  passcth  sen- 
tence u]K)n  another,  and  doth  reprohate 
him  ;  this  is  to  usurp  (lod's  ])rert)gative, 
and  take  his  work  out  of  his  hands ;  it  is 
God's  work  to  judge,  not  ours.  He  who 
spends  his  time  in  censuring  others,  spends 
but  little  time  in  examining  himself;  he 
doth  not  see  his  own  faults.  There  is  not 
a  greater  sign  of  hypocrisy,  than  to  be  over 
hasty  in  judging  and  censuring  persons. 

6.  Tlie  evil  tongue  is  the  slanderous 
tongue,  Ps.  1.  20.,  "  Thou  sittest  and  slan- 
derest  thy  own  mother's  son."  Slandering 
is  when  we  speak  to  the  prejudice  of  ano- 
ther, and  speak  that  which  is  not  true. 
Worth  and  eminency  ai*e  commonly  blast- 
ed by  slander  ;  holiness  itself  is  no  shield 
from  slander:  "John  Baptist  came  neither 
eating  nor  drinking,  yet  they  say  he  hath 
a  devil,"  Mat.  xi.  Come  and  let  us  smite 
him  with  the  tongue.  A  slanderer  wounds 
another's  fame,  and  no  ])hysician  can  heal 
these  wounds.  The  sword  doth  not  make 
so  deep  a  wound  as  the  tongue.  The  Greek 
word  for  slanderer,  signifies  devil.  Some 
think  it  is  no  great  matter  to  belie  and  de- 
fame another  ;  but  know,  this  is  to  act  the 
j)art  of  a  devil.  The  slanderer's  tongue  is 
a  two-edged  sword,  it  wounds  two  at  once ; 
while  the  slanderer  wounds  another  in  his 
name,  he  wounds  himself  in  his  conscience. 
This  is  contrary  to  scripture,  James  iv.  1 1., 
"  Speak  not  evil  one  of  another."  God 
tiikes  this  ill  at  our  hands,  to  speak  evil  of 
others,  especially  such  as  are  eminently  ho- 
ly, and  help  to  bear  up  the  honour  of  reli- 
gion :  Num.  xii.  8.,  "  Were  ye  not  afraid 
to  speak  against  my  servant  Moses  ?"  Wiiat ! 
my  servant  who  hath  wrought  so  many  mi- 
racles,— whom  I  have  spoken  with  in  the 
mount  face  to  face, — were  not  ve  afraid  to 
Bpeak    against    hi;n  ?     So    will    God    say, 


Take  heed  of  this,  it  is  a  fein  our  nature  is 
very  prone  to ;  and  remember,  it  is  no  less 
sin  to  rob  another  of  his  good  name,  than 
to  steal  his  goods  or  wares  out  of  his  shop. 

7.  The  evil  tongue  is  the  unclean  tongue, 
that  vents  itself  in  filthy  and  scurrilous 
words,  Ejih.  iv.  29.,  "  Let  no  corrupt  com- 
munication proceed  out  of  your  mouth" 
A  sign  of  a  great  distemper,  that  the  fever 
is  hii>:Ii,  when  the  tongue  is  black  :  a  siirn 
men's  hearts  are  very  evil,  when  such  black 
words  come  from  them. 

8.  The  evil  tongue  is  the  lying  tongue, 
Col.  iii.  9.,  "  Lie  not  one  to  another."  The 
Cretians  were  noted  for  liars;  Tit.  i.  12., 
"  The  Cretians  are  aUvay  liars."  It  be- 
comes not  Chrisiians  to  be  Cretians.  No- 
thing is  more  contrary  to  God  than  a  lie  : 
it  shews  much  irreligion  ;  lying  is  a  sin 
that  doth  not  go  alone,  it  ushers  in  other 
sins.  Absalom  told  his  father  a  lie,  that 
he  was  going  to  pay  his  vow  at  Hebron, 
2  Sam.  XV.  7.,  and  this  lie  was  a  preface 
to  his  treason.  Lying  is  such  a  sin,  as 
takes  away  all  society  and  converse  with 
men ;  how  can  you  have  converse  with 
him,  that  you  cannot  trust  a  word  he  saith  ? 
It  is  a  sin  so  sordid,  that  when  the  liar  is 
convicted,  he  is  ashamed.  God's  children 
have  this  character,  they  are  "  children  that 
will  not  lie,"  Isa.  l.xiii.  8.,  the  new  nature 
in  them  will  not  suffer  them.  The  liar  is 
near  a-kin  to  the  devil,  and  the  devil  \vill 
shortly  claim  kindred  with  him,  John  viii. 
44.,  "  The  devil  is  a  liar,  and  the  father  of 
it."  lie  seduced  our  first  parents  by  a  lie, 
Gen.  iii.  4.  How  doth  this  sin  incense 
God  ?  He  struck  Ananias  dead  for  telling 
a  lie.  Acts  v.  5.  The  furnace  of  hell  is 
heated  to  throw  liars  into.  Rev.  xxii.  15., 
"  ^^  ithout  are  dogs,  and  sorcerers,  and 
whosoever  loveth  and  maketh  a  lie." 

9.  The  evil  tongue  is  the  flattering  tongue, 
that  will  speak  fair  to  one's  face,  but  will 
defame,  Prov.  xxvi.  24-.,  "  He  that  hateth, 
dissembleth  with  his  lips."  When  he  speak- 
eth  fair,  believe  him  not ;  dissembled  love 
is  worse  than  hatred.  Some  can  commend 
and  reproach,  flatter  and  hate, — honey  in 
their  mouths,  but  a  sting  of  malice  in  their 
hearts :  better  are  the  wounds  of  a  friend, 
than  the  kisses  of  such  an  enemy.  Hierora 
saith,  "  the  Arian  faction  pretended  friend- 


632 


SELECT  SERMONS. 


fihip ;  they  (saitli  he)  kissed  my  hands,  but 
slandered  me  and  souglit  my  ruin."  Ma- 
ny have  dissembling  tongues,  they  can  say, 
your  servant,  and  lay  snares,  Pro  v.  xxix. 
5.,  "A  man  that  flattereth  his  neighbour, 
epreadeth  a  net  for  his  Icet."  You  oft 
think  you  have  a  friend  in  your  bosom,  but 
he  proves  a  viper.  To  dissemble  love  is  no 
better  than  to  lie ;  for  there  is  a  p'retence 
of  that  love  which  is  not.  Many  are  like 
Joab,  2  Sam.  xx.  9.,  "  And  Joab  said  to 
Amasa,  art  thou  in  health,  my  brother? 
And  he  took  him  by  the  beard  to  kiss  him, 
and  he  smote  him  in  the  fifth  rib  that  he 
died."  For  my  part,  I  must  question  his 
truth  towards  God,  that  will  flatter  and  lie 
to  his  friend.  God  will  bring  such  an  one  to 
shame  at  last,  Prov.  xxvi.  26.,  "  Whose  ha- 
tred is  covered  by  deceit,  liis  wickedness  shall 
be  shewed  bifore  the  wliole  congregation." 

10.  The  evil  tongue  is  tlie  tongue  given 
to  boasting,  James  iii.  a.,  "  The  tongue  is 
a  little  member,  and  boasteth  great  things." 
There  is  an  holy  boasting,  Ps.  xliv.  8.,  "  In 
(lod  we  boast  all  the  dav,"  when  we  tri- 
um])h  in  his  ])ower  and  mercy  :  but  it  is 
a  sinful  boasting,  when  men  display  their 
trophies,  boast  of  their  own  worth  and  emi- 
nency,  that  others  may  admire  and  cry 
them  up ;  a  man's  self  is  his  idol,  and  he 
loves  to  have  this  idol  Avorshippcd,  Acts  v. 
36.,  "  There  arose  up  Theudas,  boasting 
himself  to  be  somebody."  Sinful  boasting 
is  when  men  boast  of  their  sins,  Ps.  Hi.  1., 
*'  Why  boastest  thou  thyself  in  mischief, 
O  mighty  man  ?"  Some  boast  how  wicked 
they  have  been  ;  how  many  they  have  made 
drunk  ;  how  manv  thev  have  deflowered  : 
as  if  a  beggar  sliould  boast  of  his  sores  ;  or 
a  thief  boast  of  being  burnt  in  the  hand  ; 
such  as  boast  of  their  sinful  exploits,  will 
have  little  cause  to  rejoice,  or  hang  up  their 
trophies  when  they  come  to  hell. 

11.  The  evil  tongue  is  the  swearing 
tongue.  Mat.  v.  34.,  "  Swear  not  at  all." 
The  scripture  allows  an  oath  for  the  ending 
of  a  controversy,  and  to  clear  the  truth, 
Heb.  vi.  16. ;  but  in  ordinary  discourse  to 
use  an  oath,  and  so  to  take  God's  name  in 
vain,  is  sinful.  Swearing  may  be  called 
"  the  unfruitful  works  of  darkness,"  there 
is  neither  pleasure  nor  proiit  in  it :  it  is 
like  an  hook  the  fish  comes  to  without  a 


bait,  Jer.  xxiii.  10.,  "  Because  of  swearing 
the  land  mourneth."  Some  think  it  the 
grace  of  their  speech  ;  but,  if  God  will  reck- 
on with  men  for  idle  words,  what  will  he 
do  for  sinful  oaths  ? 

Ob  J.  But  it  is  only  a  petty  oath,  they 
swear  by  their  faith  ? 

Ans.  Sure  they  which  have  so  much 
faith  in  their  mouth,  have  none  in  their 
heart.  "  But  it  is  my  custom  :"  Is  this  an 
excuse,  or  an  aggravation  of  the  sin  ?  If 
a  malefactor  should  be  arraigned  for  rob- 
bing, and  he  should  say  to  the  judge,  spare 
me,  it  is  my  custom  to  rob  on  the  highway  ; 
the  judge  would  say,  thou  shalt  the  rather 
die.  For  every  oath  thou  swearest,  God 
puts  a  drop  of  wrath  into  his  vial. 

Obj.  But — viay  some  think — what  though 
now  and  then  I  swear  an  oath  ?  Words  are 
hut  wind. 

Ans.  But  they  are  such  a  wind  as  will 
blow  thee  into  hell,  without  repentance. 

12.  The  railing  tongue  is  an  evil  tongue : 
this  is  a  plague-sore  breaking  out  at  the 
tongue,  when  we  give  opprobrious  language. 
When  the  dispute  was  between  the  archan- 
gel and  the  devil  about  the  body  of  Moses, 
Jude,  ver.  9.,  "  The  archangel  durst  not 
bring  a  railing  accusation  against  him,  but 
said,  the  Lord  rebuke  thee."  The  archangel 
durst  not  rail  against  the  devil.  Railing  oft 
ends  in  reviling,  and  so  men  bring  them- 
selves into  a  premunire,  and  are  "in  dan- 
ger of  hell  fire,"  Mat.  v.  22. 

J  3.  The  seducing  tongue  is  an  evil  tongue. 
The  tongue  that  by  fine  rhetoric  decoys 
men  into  error,  Rom.  xvi.  18.,  "By  fair 
speeches  deceive  the  hearts  of  tlie  simjde.** 
A  fair  tongue  can  put  off  bad  wares  ;  error 
is  bad  ware,  which  a  seducing  tongue  can 
put  off.  The  deceit  lies  in  this ;  a  smooth 
tongue  can  make  error  look  so  like  truth, 
that  you  can  hardly  know  them  asunder ; 
as  thus,  in  justification,  Christ  bears  infi- 
nite love  to  justified  persons;  this  is  a  glo- 
rious truth,  but  under  this  notion,  the  An- 
tinomian  presseth  libertinism  ,-  believers 
may  take  more  liberty  to  sin,  and  God  sees 
no  sin  in  them.  Thus,  by  crying  up  justi- 
fication, they  destroy  sanctification  ;  hero 
is  tiie  seducing  tongue ;  and  error  is  as 
dangerous  as  vice ;  one  may  die  by  poisou 
as  well  as  by  a  pistol. 


THE  EVIL  TONGUE 


G33 


14.  The  evil  tongue  is  the  cruel  tongue, 
that  speaks  to  the  wounding  tlie  hearts  of 
others.  The  tongue  is  made  almost  in  the 
fashion  of  a  sword  ;  and  the  tongue  is  sharj) 
as  a  sword,  Ps.  Ivii.  4.,  "  Their  tongue  is  a 
Kharp  sword."  Kind,  loving  words  should 
1)0  s])<)ken  to  such  as  are  of  a  heavy  heart, 
Joh  vi.  14.,  "  To  him  that  is  afflicted  ])ity 
shouhl  be  shown."  Healing  words  are  fit- 
test for  a  broken  heart :  but  that  is  a  cruel, 
unmerciful  tongue,  which  speaks  such 
words  to  the  afflicted,  as  to  cut  them  to  the 
heart,  Ps.  IxLv.  26,,  "  They  talk  to  the 
grief  of  those  whom  thou  hast  wounded." 
Hannah  was  a  woman  of  a  troubled  spirit, 
1  Sam.  i.  10.  "  She  was  in  bitterness  of 
soul,  aiid  wept  sore."  And  now  Eli,  ver. 
14.,  "  S:ud  unto  her,  how  long  wilt  thou 
be  drunken  ?  Put  away  thy  wine  from  thee." 
This  word  was  like  pouring  vinegar  into 
the  wound.  When  Job  was  afflicted  with 
God's  hand,  his  friends,  instead  of  comftu't- 
ing  him,  told  him  he  was  an  hypocrite. 
Job  xi.  2.  These  were  cutting  words, 
which  went  to  his  heart :  instead  of  giving 
him  cordials  in  his  fainting,  they  use  cor- 
rosives. This  is  to  lay  more  weight  upon 
a  dviuff  man. 

15.  The  e\'il  tongue  is  the  mui'muring 
tongue,  Jude  16.,  "  These  are  murmurers." 
^lurmuring  is  discontent  breaking  out  at 
the  lips  ;  men  quarrel  with  God,  and  ta.\ 
his  providence  as  if  he  had  not  dealt  well 
with  them.  Why  should  any  murmur  or 
be  discontented  at  their  condition  ?  Doth 
God  owe  them  any  thing  ?  Or,  can  they 
deserve  any  thing  at  his  hands?  O,  how 
uncomely  is  it  to  murmur  at  providence  ! 
It  is  fittest  for  a  Cain  to  be  wroth  with 
God,  Gen.  iv.  6.  (1.)  Murmuring  proceeds 
from  unbelief.  When  men  distrust  God's 
promise,  then  they  murmur  at  his  })rovi- 
dence,  Ps.  CA'i.  24,  25.,  "  They  believed 
not  his  word,  but  murmured."'  When  faith 
grows  low,  then  passion  grows  high.  (2.) 
JNIurmuring  proceeds  from  pride.  Men 
think  they  have  deserve<l  better  ;  and,  be- 
cause they  are  crossi  d,  therefore  they  utter 
discontented  expressions  against  (iod.  He 
who  is  humble  bears  any  thing  from  God  ; 
he  knows  his  punishment  is  less  than  his 
ein,  therefore  saith,  "  I  will  bear  the  indig- 
nation of  the  Lord,"    Micah  vii.  9.     But 


pride  raises  discontent;  and  hence  comea 
murmurings.  Murmuring  is  a  sin  that 
God  cannot  bear,  Numb.  xiv.  27.,  "  How 
long  shall  I  bear  with  this  evil  congregation 
that  murmur  against  me  ?"  The  munnurer 
discovers  much  ingratitude;  a  murmuring 
tongue  is  always  an  unthankful  tongue ; 
he  considers  not  how  much  he  is  a  debtor 
to  free  grace,  and  whatever  he  hath  is  more 
than  God  owes  him  ;  he  considers  not  that 
his  mercies  outweigh  his  afflictions  ;  tliere's 
more  honey  than  wormwood  in  his  cup ; 
he  considers  not  what  God  hath  done  for 
him,  more  than  such  as  are  better  than  he ; 
he  hath  the  finest  of  wheat,  when  others 
feed,  as  Daniel,  on  pulse.  The  murmurer, 
I  say,  doth  not  consider  this ;  but,  because 
he  is  crossed  in  some  small  matter,  he  re- 
pines against  God.  O  ingratitude  !  Israel, 
though  they  had  manna  from  heaven,  to 
satisfy  their  hunger,  angel's  food,  yet  mur- 
mured for  want  of  quails  ;  not  content  that 
God  should  supply  their  want,  but  must 
satisfy  their  lust  too.  O  unthankful  !  Is- 
rael's murmuring  cost  many  of  them  their 
lives,  1  Cor.  x.  10.,  "  Neither  murmur  ye, 
as  some  of  them  did,  and  were  destroved 
of  the  destroyer."  Their  speeches  were 
venomous,  .and  God  punished  them  with 
venomous  serpents. 

16.     Tiie    evil     tongue    is    the    scofflng 
tongue.      The  scoffer  sits  in  the  chjiir  of 
scorners,  and  derides  religion  ;  surelv  the 
devil  hath  Uiken  great  possession  of  men, 
when  they  have  arrived  at  such  a  degree  of 
sin,  as  to  scoff  at  holiness.      It  was  foretold 
as  a  sin  of  the  last  times,    2   Pet.  iii.   3., 
"  There  shall  come  in  the  last 'days  scof- 
fers."    Some  scoff  at  the  authority  of  scrip- 
ture, the  Deity  of  Christ,  the  immortality 
of  the  soul ;  this  is  the  worst  sort  of  tongues 
When  men  have  laid  aside  the  veil  of  mo- 
desty,   and   their    consciences    are   seared, 
then   they  fall  a  scoffing  at  religion  ;  and 
when  once  tliey  are  come  to  this,  their  case 
is  dcKperate  ;  no  rej)roofs  will  reclaim  them; 
tell   them  of  their  sin,  and  they  will   liate 
you  the  more,   Prov.  ix.  8.,   "  Reprove  not 
a  scorner,  lest  he  hate  thee."      Such  a  man 
is  on  the  threshold  of  damnation. 

1 7.  The  evil  tongue  is  the  tongtie  given 
to  cursing,  Ps.  x.  7.,  *'  His  mouth  is  full  of 
cursing  :"  a  wishing  some  gieat  evil  to  be- 

4L 


634 


SELECT  SERMONS. 


fal  anotlier ;  cursing  is  the  scnm  tliat  boils 
off  from  a  mcked  heart.  Tliough  it  is 
true,  the  curse  causeless  shall  not  come, — 
it  is  not  in  man's  power  to  make  another 
cursed, — yet  to  wish  a  curse  is  a  fearful  sin. 
If  to  hate  our  brother  be  murder,  1  John 
iii.  15. ;  then  to  curse  him,  which  is  the 
highest  degree  of  hatred,  must  needs  be 
murder.  To  use  an  execration  or  curse, 
is  for  a  man  to  do  what  in  him  lies,  to  damn 
another.  Some  wish  a  curse  upon  them- 
selv'es:  so  the  Jews,  "his  blood  be  upon 
us,"  &c.  And  so  do  your  "  God  damn- 
me's,"  as  if  damnation  did  not  come  fast 
enough,  Ps.  cix.  17.,  "  As  he  loved  cursing 
so  let  it  come  to  him." 

18.  The  evil  tongue  is  the  unjust  tongue ; 
that  will  for  a  piece  of  money  open  its 
mouth  in  a  bad  cause.  The  lawyer  hath 
Iwgitam  venahm,  a  tongue  that  will  be  sold 
for  money,  Ps.  Ixxxii.  2.,  "  How  long  will 
you  judge  unjustly  ?"  Some  will  plead  any 
cause,  though  never  so  bad  :  though  it  ap- 
pears the  deeds  are  forged,  the  witnesses 
bribed,  there's  perjury  in  the  cause;  yet 
they  will  plead  it.  When  a  man  pleads  a 
bad  cause  he  is  the  devil's  attorney  :  as  God 
hates  false  weights,  so  a  false  cause.  Bet- 
ter be  born  dumb,  than  open  one's  mouth 
in  a  bad  cause.  O  what  times  are  we  in  ! 
Many  pervert  justice,  and,  for  enriching 
themselves,  overthrow  a  righteous  cause; 
these  are  worse  than  they  that  rob,  for  they 
fleece  men's  estates  under  a  colour  of  law, 
and  ruin  them  under  a  pretence  of  doing 
justice. 

Use  1.  Branch  1.  See  what  a  blow  we 
liave  sustained  by  the  fall ;  it  hath  put  out 
of  frame  the  whole  course  of  nature.  O- 
riginal  sin  hath  diffused  itself  as  a  poison 
into  all  the  members  of  the  body  ;  it  hath 
made  the  eye  unchaste, — the  hands  full  of 
bribes, — amongst  the  rest  it  hath  defiled 
the  tongue,  "  it  is  a  world  of  iniquity." 
That  which  was  made  to  be  the  organ  of 
(jod's  pniise,  is  become  a  wea|)on  of  un- 
righteousness. 

Branch  2.  If  there  be  so  much  evil  in 
the  tongue,  what  is  the  heart  ?  If  the  stream 
be  so  full  of  water,  how  full  of  water  is  the 
fountain?  If  there  be  a  world  of  iniquity 
in  the  tongue,  how  many  worlds  of  sin  are 
there  iu  the  heart  ?  Ps.  v.  9.     "  Their  in- 


wai-d  part  is  very  wickedness."  If  the 
tongue,  which  is  the  outward  part,  be  so 
wicked,  the  inward  part  is  very  wickedness, 
Ps.  Ixiv.  6.,  "  The  heart  is  deep  ;"  it  is 
such  a  deep  as  cannot  be  fathomed  ;  deep 
pride,  hypocrisy,  atheism.  The  heart  is 
like  the  sea,  where  is  the  leviathan,  and 
creeping  things  innumerable,  Ps.  civ.  If 
the  skin  hath  boils  of  leprosy  in  it,  how 
much  corruption  is  in  the  blood  ?  If  the 
tongue  be  so  bad,  how  diabolical  is  the 
heart  ?  It  is  the  heart  sets  the  tongue  a- 
work  :  "  Out  of  the  abundance  of  the  heart 
the  mouth  speaketh  :"  There  are  the  seeds 
of  all  atheism  and  blasphemy,  INIat.  xv.  19, 
20.,  "  Out  of  the  heart  proceed  evil  thoughts, 
murders,  adulteries ;  these  defile  a  man." 
If  a  branch  of  wormwood  be  so  bitter,  tlien 
how  bitter  is  the  root  ?  O,  what  a  root  of 
bitterness  grows  in  a  man's  heart !  Some 
say  they  have  good  hearts  ;  but  if  the  tongue 
be  so  bad,  what  is  the  heart  ?  If  I  see  a 
smoke  come  out  of  the  top  of  a  chimney, 
what  a  fire  burns  within  ?  Prov.  vi.  12,  14., 
"  A  wicked  man  walketh  with  a  froward 
mouth ;  frowardness  is  in  his  heart."  So- 
lomon shews  the  reason  why  the  mouth  is 
so  froward,  "  Frowardness  is  in  his  heart." 
The  heart  is  a  store-house  of  wickedness, 
therefore  called  the  "  evil  treasure  of  the 
heart,"  Mat.  xii.  35.  Original  righteous- 
ness was  a  good  treasure,  but  we  were  rob- 
bed of  that ;  and  now  there  is  an  evil  trea- 
sure of  sin.  The  word  treasure,  denotes 
plenty  ;  to  shew  the  fulness  and  abundance 
of  sin  that  is  in  the  heart.  The  heart  is 
a  lesser  hell,  which  is  a  matter  of  deep  hu- 
miliation ;  the  heart  is,  like  the  Egyptian 
temples,  full  of  spiders  and  serpents. 

Use  2.  Of  reproof.  It  reproves  such  as 
abuse  their  tongues  in  all  manner  of  e\\\ 
sjieaking,  lying,  slandering,  rash  anger. 
The  heart  is  a  vessel  full  of  sin,  and  the 
tongue  sets  it  abroach.  O  how  fast  do 
men's  tongues  gallop  in  sin  !  They  say, 
they  give  God  their  hearts  ;  but  let  the  de- 
vil take  possession  of  their  tongues,  Ps.  xii. 
4.,  "  Our  lips  are  our  own,  who  is  the  Lord 
over  us  ?"  Who  hath  any  thing  to  do  with 
our  words?  Who  shall  control  us?  Who 
is  our  lord  ?  Tliere  is  no  engine  the  devil 
makes  more  use  of  than  the  tongue  ;  what 
enors,    contentions,    impieties,    have  been 


THE  EVIL  TONGUE. 


C35 


j)ropaixatc(l  tins  way,  to  tlie  dishonour  of 
tlie  High  God!  David  calls  his  toiif^iic  his 
plory,  Ps.  Ivii.  8.,  "  Awake  my  glory." 
Why  did  he  call  his  tonf;ue  his  priory,  but 
because  hv  it  he  did  set  forth  (iod's  gflory 
in  praising  him?  But  a  wicked  man's 
tongue  is  not  his  glory,  but  his  shame  ; 
with  his  tongue  he  wounds  the  glory  of 
God  ;    "  it  is  set  on  fire  of  hell." 

Use  3.  C(mfutation.  Branch  1.  It  con- 
futes the  Catharists  and  Perfectists,  that 
plead  for  perfection  in  this  life.  If  the 
tongue  hath  so  many  evils  in  it,  how  are 
they  perfect  ?  Prov.  xx.  9.,  "  Who  can  say, 
J  have  made  my  heart  clean,  I  am  pure 
from  sin  ?"  He  makes  a  challenge  to  all 
the  world.  But  the  Perfectist  saith,  he  is 
pure  from  sin  :  like  Isidore  the  monk,  Non 
habeo  Domine,  quod  mihi  ignoscos :  I  have 
nothing,  Lord,  for  thee  to  pardon.  If  pure 
and  perfect,  then  they  put  Christ  out  of  of- 
fice, he  hath  nothing  to  do  for  them  as  an 
advocate,  they  have  no  need  of  his  inter- 
cession :  but.  Heel.  vii.  20.,  "  There  is  not 
a  just  man  upon  earth,  that  doth  good,  and 
sinneth  not ;"  how  proud  and  supercilious 
are  they  who  hold  they  are  perfect,  when 
tJjc  holiest  men  alive,  at  some  time  or  other, 
offend  in  their  tongues  ?  There  is  no  per- 
fection on  this  side  the  grave. 

Branch  2.  It  confutes  the  Arminians, 
those  patrons  of  free-will :  they  say,  they 
have  power  to  their  own  salvation, — they 
can  change  their  heart.  The  apostle  saith, 
"  the  tongue  can  no  man  tame,"  James  iii. 
8.  If  they  cannot  bridle  their  tongue,  how 
can  they  conquer  their  will  ?  If  they  can- 
not master  this  little  member,  how  can  they 
change  their  nature  ? 

Use  4.  Caution.  Take  heed  to  your 
tongue;  have  a  care  that  ye  offend  not 
with  your  tongue,  Ps.  xxxiv.  14.,  "  Keep 
thy  tongue  from  evil."  Ps.  xxxix.  1.,  "I 
said,  I  will  take  heed  to  my  ways,  that  I 
sin  not  with  my  tongue."  An  hard  lesson  ! 
Pambas  said  he  was  above  twenty  years 
learning  that  scripture,  not  to  offend  with 
liis  tongue.  The  tongue  is  an  unruly  mem- 
ber ;  (iod  hath  set  a  double  hedge  before 
the  tongue,  the  teeth  and  lips,  to  keep  it 
within  its  bounds,  that  it  do  not  speak 
vainly.  O  look  to  your  tongue  !  When  a 
city  is  besieged,  he  that  keeps  the  gates  of 


the  city,  keeps  the  whole  city  safe ;  so  if 
yoji  keep  the  gates  or  doors  of  your  mouth, 
you  keep  your  whole  soul. 

Rules  for  the  well  ordering  and  regulating 
your  irords,  or  the  governing  of  your  tongue, 
thfit  you  do  nut  dishonour  God  thrrcicith, 

1st  Rule.  If  you  would  have  better 
tongues,  laboin-  for  better  hearts.  It  is  the 
heart  hath  inlhuMice  upon  the  tongue.  If 
the  heart  be  vain  and  carthlv,  the  tonirue 
will  be  so;  if  the  heart  be  holy,  the  tongue 
will  be  so.  Look  to  thy  heart,  get  a  better 
heart,  and  a  better  tongue. 

Quest.  How  shall  I  get  my  heart  bettered  ? 

Ans.  Get  a  principle  of  grace  infused. 
Grace  is  like  the  salt  cast  into  the  spring; 
grace  changeth  the  heart,  and  sanctifies  all 
the  members  of  the  body, — it  sanctifies  the 
eyes,  and  makes  them  chaste, — it  sanctifies 
the  tongue,  and  makes  it  meek  and  calm. 
When  the  Holy  Ghost  came  upon  the  apos- 
tles, "  they  began  to  speak  with  other 
tongues,"  Acts  ii.  4 :  when  God's  Spirit 
comes  on  a  man  with  a  saiictifvinor  work, 
he  speaks  with  another  tongue  ;  the  speech 
is  heavenly.  Grace  makes  the  heart  serious, 
and  that  cures  the  levity  of  the  tongue ; 
when  the  heart  is  serious,  the  words  are 
savoury. 

2d  Rule.  If  vou  would  not  sin  in  vour 
tongue,  call  to  mind  how  you  have  former- 
ly offended  in  your  tongue,  and  that  will 
make  you  more  watchful  for  the  future. 
Have  not  you  spoken  words  that  have  sav- 
oured of  discontent  or  envy  ?  Have  not  you 
been  guilty  of  censtning  and  slandering  ? 
Have  not  you  been  disgusted  with  passion? 
Hath  not  your  tongue  out-run  your  discre- 
tion ?  Have  not  you  spoken  words  that  you 
have  been  sorry  for  afterwards,  and  have 
caused  either  shame  or  tears?  O  observe 
former  failings,  how  you  have  sinned  in 
yom-  tongue,  and  that  will  be  a  good  help 
for  the  future  !  David  certainly  made  a  cri- 
tical observation  upon  some  of  his  words, 
wherein  he  had  offended  :  words  of  pride, 
Ps.  XXX.  6.,  "  In  my  prosperity  I  said,  I 
shall  never  be  moved."  And,  Ps.  cxvi.  11., 
"  I  said  in  my  haste  all  men  are  liars;" 
even  Samuel,  and  all  the  j)rophets  who  pro- 
mised me  the  kingdom,  they  are  all  liars; 
and  I  shall  <lie  before  I  can  come  to  enjoy 
it.     David  having  observed  how  he  had  of- 


636 


SELECT  SERMONS. 


Fended  in  liis  tongue,  lie  is  more  careful  of 
liis  words,  and  made  a  strict  vow  with  him- 
self, that  he  would  look  better  to  them,  Ps. 
xxxix.  1.,  "I  said,  I  will  tiike  heed  to  my 
ways,  that  I  sin  not  with  my  tonc^ue." 
Look  to  the  former  slips  of  your  tonfrue, 
and  how  you  have  by  your  words  provoked 
God,  and  that  will  be  a  good  means  to 
make  you  more  cautious  for  the  future.  A 
mariner  that  hath  twice  touched  upon  a 
rock,  and  been  like  to  be  cast  away,  Avill 
be  more  careful  how  he  comes  there  again. 
3d  Rule.  Watch  your  tongue  :  most  sin 
is  committed  for  want  of  watchfulness. 
As  the  tongue  hath  a  double  fence  set  about 
it,  so  it  had  need  have  a  double  watch. 
The  tongue,  when  it  is  let  loose,  will  be 
ready  to  speak  loosely ;  watch  it,  lest  it 
run  beyond  its  bounds  in  frothy  and  sinful 
discourse,  Prov.  xxx.  32.,  *'  If  thou  hast 
thought  evil,  lay  thy  hand  upon  thy  mouth  :" 
that  is — say  some — lay  thy  hand  upon  tJiy 
mouth,  in  token  of  repentance.  But  it 
may  bear  another  sense  :  if  thou  hast  thought 
evil,  if  angry  malicious  thoughts  come  into 
thy  mind,  lay  thy  hand  upon  thy  mouth  to 
stop  thy  lips,  that  thy  thoughts  come  not 
into  words. 

4th  Rule.  If  you  would  not  offend  in 
your  tongue,  ponder  your  words  well  before 
you  speak,  Eccl.  v.  2.,  "  Be  not  rash  with 
thy  mouth."  Some  speak  vainly,  because 
inconsiderately ;  they  do  not  weigh  their 
words  before  they  speak  them.  A  talkative 
man  doth  not  mind  his  words,  but  gives 
his  tongue  liberty;  he  may  speak  not  only 
unadvisedly,  but  unholily,  and  give  just 
offence. 

5th  Rule.  If  you  would  not  offend  in 
your  tongue,  pray  to  God  to  guard  your 
tongue,  Ps.  cxli.  3.,  "  Set  a  watch,  O  Lord, 
before  my  mouth."  Set  not  about  this 
work  in  your  own  strength,  but  implore 
God's  help ;  "  the  tongue  can  no  man 
tame,"  James  iii.  8.  But  God  can  tame 
it;  therefore  go  to  him  by  prayer;  pray, 
*  Lord,  set  a  watch  before  tlie  door  of  my 
lips ;'  keep  me,  that  I  may  speak  no- 
thing to  grieve  thy  Spirit,  or  that  may  tend 
to  thy  dishonour. 

6th  Rule.  If  you  would  be  kept  from 
evil  speaking,  inure  your  tongues  to  good 
speaking.     If  you  would  not  have  tlie  cask 


haA'e  a  bad  scent,  put  good  liquor  into  it ; 
so,  if  you  would  not  have  your  tongue  run 
out  sinfully,  let  it  be  used  to  good  discourse; 
speak  often  one  to  another  of  Christ,  and 
the  things  pertaining  to  the  kingdom  of 
God.  The  spouse's  lips  di'opped  as  an  ho- 
ney-comb, Cant.  iv.  11. 

Motives.  To  beware  of  tongue  sins. 

1st  Motive.  If  you  have  no  care  of  your 
tongue,  all  your  religion  is  vain,  James  i. 
2  ".  "  If  any  man  among  you  seem  to  be 
religious,  and  bridleth  not  his  tongue,  this 
man's  religion  is  vain."  Many  an  one  will 
hear  the  word,  and  make  a  profession  of 
religion,  but  cares  not  what  liberty  he  takes 
in  his  tongue,  to  reproach  and  vilify  others : 
this  man's  religion  is  vain  ;  that  is,  1.  He 
hath  no  religion,  his  religion  is  but  a  shew 
or  pretence.  2.  It  is  vain,  because  it  is 
ineffectual ;  it  hath  not  that  force  upon 
him  as  religion  ought. 

2d  Motive.  The  tongue  discovers  much 
of  the  heart ;  such  as  the  tongue  is,  such 
commonly  the  heart  is.  A  lascivious  tongue 
shews  a  lustful  heart ;  an  earthly  tongue  a 
covetous  heart ;  a  murmuring  tongue  a  dis- 
contented heart.  Tlie  tongue  is  oft  a  com- 
mentary upon  the  heart. 

3d  Motive.  To  allow  ourselves  in  the 
abuse   of  the  tongue,    cannot    stand   with 


grace. 


I  know  a  good  man  may  sometimes 
speak  unadvisedly  with  his  lips;  he  may 
fly  out  in  words,  be  in  a  passion,  but  he 
doth  not  allow  himself  in  it;  when  his  pas- 
sion is  over,  he  weeps,  Rom.  ^ni.  15.,  "that 
which  I  do,  I  allow  not :"  but,  for  a  man 
to  allow  himself  in  sin,  censuring,  slander- 
ing, dropping  words  like  coals  of  fire  ;  sure 
it  is  not  consistent  with  grace. 

4th  ISIotive.  The  sins  of  the  tong*ie  are 
very  defiling,  James  iii.  6.,  The  tongue  de- 
fileth.     Defiling  to  one's  self,  and  chiefly 


defiling 


to    others.     The    tongue    conveys 


poison  into  the  ear  of  another;  sometimes 
bv  false  suggestions,  raising  prejudices  in 
the  mind  of  another  against  such  a  person; 
sometimes  by  jiassionate  speeches,  the  spirit 
of  another  is  j)rovoked. 

5th  Motive.  The  sins  of  the  tongue  are 
provoking  to  God,  and  prejudicial  to  us. 
\.  Provoking  to  God  ;  Ps.  cvi.  33.  Moses 
s]>ake  unadvisedly  with  his  lips ;  what  was 
this    unadAdsed    speech?    Numb,    xx     10., 


NOT  BEING  WEARY  IN  WELL-DOING. 


037 


"  Hear  now,  yc  rebels;  mu5?t  we  fetch  you 
water  out  of  this  rock  ?"  Though  he  were 
a  faA'ourite,  and  God  had  spoken  with  liiin 
face  to  face,  yet  God  pivos  him  a  check  for 
it ;  it  turned  his  smile  into  a  frown.  2. 
Prejudicial  to  us ;  Moses'  rash  speech  shut 
him  out  of  Canaan ;  it  may  shut  us  out  of 
heaven,  of  which  that  was  but  a  type.  Ori- 
gen  notes,  he  had  sinned  most  in  his  tongue ; 
and  God  punished  him  most  in  his  tonjj;ue. 

6th  Motive.  He  who  offends  not  in  his 
tongue,  is  a  perfect  man  ;  an  high  expres- 
sion ;  "  if  any  man  offend  not  in  word,  tlic 
same  is  a  perfect  man  ;"  that  is,  attains  to 
a  very  high  degree,  in  the  highest  form  of 
Christ's  school.  A  prudent  man,  or  an  up- 
right man  ;  or  comparatively,  in  comparison 
of  others,  such  as  have  not  gotten  the  con- 
quest over  their  passions,  he  is  far  above 
them,  and,  in  comparison  of  them,  he  is  a 
perfect  man  ;  such  an  one  was  holy  Cran- 
mer,  that  could  not  be  pi'ovokcd  by  the  ill 
carriage  of  others,  but  I'cquited  injuries 
with  kindness. 

7th  Motive.  You  must  give  an  account 
to  God,  as  well  of  your  speeches,  as  your 


actions,  Mat.  xii.  36.,  "  Every  idle  word 
that  men  shall  speak,  they  shall  give  an  ac- 
count thereof  in  the  day  of  judgment;" 
words  of  no  account,  will  have  an  heavy 
account.  And,  if  God  will  reckon  with 
men  for  every  idle,  angry  word,  then,  what 
will  he  do  for  sinful  oaths  ?  "  Oh  that  my 
words  were  now  written  !"  Job  xix.  23. 
Truly,  if  many  people's  words  were  written, 
they  would  be  ashamed  of  them.  And,  let 
me  tell  you,  your  words  are  written  :  Rev. 
XV.  "  The  books  were  opened."  In  the 
book  of  God's  remembrance  all  your  words 
are  written  ;  you  had  need  then  be  careful 
you  offend  not  with  your  tongue ;  God 
writes  down  all  you  speak,  and  you  must 
give  an  account  to  him.  When  Latimer 
heard  the  pen  going  behind  the  liangings, 
he  was  careful  in  his  answers  ;  and  let  mo 
tell  you,  as  your  words  are,  such  will  vour 
sentence  be  ;  when  the  books  are  opened, 
God  will  proceed  with  you  in  judicature, 
according  to  your  words  ;  by  your  words 
you  shall  be  saved  or  condemned  :  Mat.  xii. 
37.,  "  By  thy  words  thou  shalt  be  justified, 
and  by  thy  words  thou  shalt  be  condemned." 


SERMON  IV. 

Gal.  vi.  9.     "  And  let  us  not  be  weary  in  well-doing  :  for  in  due  season  we  shall  reap^  if  we 

faint  not." 


In  the  verses  before  the  text,  the  apostle 
had  laid  down  a  proposition,  "  What  a  man 
soweth  that  shall  he  reap,"  ver.  7. ;  he  that 
sows  in  sin  shall  reap  in  sorrow ;  he  that 
sows  the  seeds  of  grace  shall  reap  glory ; 
there  is  the  proposition.  In  the  text,  the  a- 
postle  makes  the  application.  Let  us  not 
be  weary  in  well-doing.  We  that  have 
sown  the  good  seed  of  repentance,  and  an 
holy  life,  "  Let  us  not  be  weary ;  for  in 
due  season  we  shall  reap,  if  we  faint  not." 

I.  A  Dehortation  :  "  Let  us  not  be  wea- 
ry." 

II.  The  argument :  '  We  shall  reap  in 
due  season.' 

L  A  Dehortation;  "  Let  us  not  be  weary." 
Where  there  is,  1.  Something  implied, — 
that  we  are  apt  to  be  weary  in  well-doing. 
2.  Something  expressed, — that  we  ought 
not  to  be  weary  in  well-doing. 


1.  The  thing  implied,  that,  we  are  apt 
to  be  weary  in  well-doing.  This  weariness 
is  imt  from  the  regenerate  part,  but  the 
fleshly ;  as  Peter's  sinking  in  the  water, 
was  not  from  the  faith  in  him,  but  the  feiu-; 
this  weariness  in  a  Christian  course  is  oc- 
casioned from  four  things  : 

(1.)  From  the  revilings  of  the  world, 
Ps.  Ixxi.  10.,  "  My  enemies  speak  against 
me."  Innocency  is  no  shield  against  re- 
proach. But  why  should  this  make  us 
weary  of  well-doing  ?  Did  not  Jesus  Christ 
undergo  reproach  for  us,  when  the  Jews 
put.  a  crown  of  thorns  on  him,  and  bowed 
the  knee  in  scorn  ?  Is  it  any  dishonoin*  to 
us  to  be  reproached  for  doing  that  which  is 
good  ?  Is  it  any  disparagement  to  a  virgin 
to  be  reproached  for  her  beauty  and  chasti- 
ty ?  Our  reproaches  for  Christ,  we  should 
bind  as  a  crown  about  our  head.     Now  a 


633 


SELECT  SERMONS. 


Spirit  of  glory  rests  upon  vis,  1  Pet.  iv.  14., 
"  If  vc  be  rcproaclicd  for  tlie  name  of  Christ, 
liappy  are  ye  ;  for  the  Spirit  of  God  and  of 
plory  rcstctli  upon  you."  liegium  eat  bene 
face.re.  et  male  audire.  He  that  clips  our 
credit  to  make  it  weigh  lighter,  makes  our 
crown  heavier. 

(2.)  That  which  is  apt  to  occasion  wea- 
riness in  well-doing,  is  the  present  suffer- 
ings we  are  exposed  to,  2  Cor.  iv.  8.,  "  We 
are  troubled  on  every  side."  But  why 
should  this  make  us  weary  in  well-doing? 
Is  hot  our  life  a  warfare  ?  It  is  no  more 
strange  to  meet  with  sufferings  in  religion, 
than  for  a  mariner  to  meet  with  storms,  or 
a  soldier  to  meet  with  bullets.  Do  not  we 
consider  upon  what  terms  we  are  entered 
into  religion  ?  Did  not  we  vow  in  baptism 
to  fight  under  Christ's  banner  ?  Doth  not 
our  Lord  tell  us,  we  must  take  "  up  the 
cross  and  follow"  him  ?  Mat.  xvi.  24.  Is 
not  this  part  of  the  legacy  Christ  hath  be- 
queathed us?  John  xvi.  33.  We  would 
partake  of  Christ's  glory  but  not  of  his  suf- 
fei-ings  :  besides,  doth  not  many  a  man  suf- 
fer for  his  sins?  Do  not  men's  lusts  bring 
tlicra  to  an  untimely  end  ?  Do  men  suffer 
for  their  sins,  and  do  we  think  much  to 
suffer  for  Christ?  How  did  St.  Paul  rejoice 
in  sufferinjrs  ?  2  Cor.  vii.  4.  How  did  he 
glory  in  it?  "  As  a  woman  that  is  proud 
of  her  ievvels,"  Chrysostome.  Why  should 
sufferings  make  us  faint?  who  would  not 
be  willing  to  tread  upon  a  few  thorns,  that 
is  going  to  a  kingdom. 

(3.)  That  which  is  apt  to  occasion  wea- 
riness in  well-doing,  is  the  deferring  of  the 
reward.  We  are  apt  to  be  discouraged  and 
grow  weary,  if  we  have  not  what  we  desire 
presently ;  we  are  all  for  present  pay. 
But  consider,  1.  Our  work  is  not  yet  done  ; 
we  have  not  yet  finished  the  faith  :  the  ser- 
rant  doth  not  receive  his  pay  till  his  work 
be  done.  Even  Christ's  reward  was  refer- 
red till  he  had  done  his  work  ;  when  he 
had  completed  our  redemption,  and  said  u- 
pon  the  cross,  "  It  is  finished,"  then  he  en- 
tered into  glory.  2.  God  defers  the  reward, 
to  make  heaven  more  Avelcome  to  us.  Af- 
ter all  our  praying,  weeping,  suffering,  liow 
sweet  will  the  joys  of  paradise  taste  ! 

(4.)  That  which  is  apt  to  occasion  wea- 
riness in  well-doing,  is  the  greatness  and 


difficulty  of  a  Christian's  work  ;  but  why 
should  this  make  us  weary  ?  Difficulty 
whets  a  generous  mind  ;  the  soldier's  life 
hath  its  difficulties,  but  they  raise  his  spi- 
rits the  more ;  he  loves  to  encounter  liaixl- 
ship,  and  will  endure  a  bloody  fight  for  a 
golden  harvest.  Besides,  where  is  the  least 
principle  of  grace,  it  renders  the  way  of  re- 
ligion, easy  and  pleasant.  When  the  load- 
stone draws,  it  is  easy  for  the  iron  to  move  : 
When  God's  Spirit  draws  we  move  in  the 
way  of  religion  with  facility  and  delight. 
Christ's  service  is  freedom.  Ps.  cxix.  45., 
"  I  will  walk  at  liberty."  To  serve  God, 
to  love  God,  to  enjoy  God,  is  the  sweetest 
liberty  in  the  world.  Besides,  while  we 
serve  God,  we  gratify  ourselves ;  as  he 
who  digs  in  a  mine,  while  he  sweats,  he 
gets  gold ;  while  we  glorify  God,  we  pro- 
mote our  own  glory. 

II.  The  second  thing  expressed  is,  that 
we  should  not  grow  weary  in  a  Christian 
course, — we  should  not  tire  in  our  race, — 
"  Let  us  not  be  weary  in  well-doing."  The 
Greek  word,  to  be  weary,  signifies,  to  shrink 
back,  as  cowards  in  war  ;  let  it  not  be  thus 
with  us  ;  let  us  not  shrink  back  from  Christ's 
colours,  Heb.  iv,  14.,  "  Let  us  hold  fast  our 
profession:*'  We  must  not  only  hold  forth 
our  profession,  but  hold  fast  our  profession. 
The  crown  is  not  given  to  him  that  fights, 
but  to  him  that  overcomes. 

Use  1st.  Of  reproof.  It  reproves  such 
as  are  weary  of  well-doing.  These  are 
falling  stars,  2  Tim.  iv.  10.  Demas  forsook 
God,  and  afterwards  became  a  priest  in  an 
idol  temple,  Dorotheus.  Hos.  viii.  3.,  "  Is- 
rael hath  cast  off  the  thing  that  is  jrood." 
Many  have  thrown  off  Christ's  livery ;  they 
have  left  off  an  holy  course  of  life ;  they 
have  turned  to  worldliness  or  wantonness, 
Gal.  y.  7.,  "  Ye  did  ran  well,  who  did  hin- 
der you  ?"  Why  did  you  tire  in  your  race  .* 
2  Pet.  ii.  21.,  "  It  had  been  better  for  them 
not  to  have  known  the  way  of  rigliteous- 
ness,  than  after  they  have  known  it  to  turn 
from  the  holy  commandment." 

Use  2d.  Exhortation  :  "  Let  us  not  be 
weary  in  well-doing."     Consider, 

1.  The  way  of  religion  is  of  good  report ; 
Ileb.  xi.  2.  By  faith  "  the  elders  obtained 
a  good  report."  Shall  we  be  weary  of  that 
which  is  our  credit  ?  If  indeed  the  Christian 


NOT  BEING  WEARY  IN  WELL-DOING. 


639 


rtligion  were  a  tiling  th.nt  would  bring 
Kliamc  or  loss — as  the  ways  of  sin  do — then 
we  had  cause  to  desert  it,  and  grow  weary 
of  it;  but  it  brings  honour;  Prov.  iv.  !)., 
"  She  shall  give  to  thy  head  an  ornament 
of  grace."  Why  then  should  we  be  weary 
of  well-doing  ? 

2.  The  beauty  of  a  Christian  is  to  hold 
on  in  piety  without  being  weary  :  Acts  xxi. 
16.,  "  Mnason  of  Cyprus,  an  old  disciple." 
It  is  a  beautiful  siglit  to  see  silver  hairs 
crowned  with  golden  virtue.  The  beauty 
of  a  thing  is  when  it  comes  to  be  finished  , 
the  beauty  of  a  picture  is,  when  it  is  drawn 
out  in  its  full  lineaments,  and  laid  in  its  o- 
rient  colours  ;  the  beauty  of  a  Christian  is, 
when  he  hath  finished  his  faith,  2  Tim.  iv.  7. 
It  was  the  glory  of  the  church  of  Thyatira, 
she  kept  her  best  wine  till  last,  Rev.  ii.  19., 
"  I  know  thy  works,  and  the  last  to  be 
more  than  the  first." 

3.  Sucli  as  are  weary  of  well-doing  it  is 
a  sign  they  never  acted  in  religion  from 
choice,  or  from  a  principle  of  faith,  but 
from  the  external  spring  of  applause  or  pre- 
ferment, so  that,  when  these  fail,  their 
seeming  goodness  ceaseth. 

4.  God  is  never  weary  of  doing  us  good  ; 
therefore  we  should  not  be  weary  of  serving 
him.  A  king  that  is  continually  obliging 
his  subjects  by  gifts  and  gratitudes,  those 
subjects  have  no  cause  to  be  weary  of  ser- 
ving their  prince. 

5.  If  we  grow  weary,  and  throw  off  re- 
ligion, we  make  all  we  have  done  null  and 
void ;  Ezek.  xviii.  24.,  "  When  the  righteous 
turneth  away  from  his  righteousness,  all 
his  righteousness  that  he  hath  done  shall 
not  be  mentioned."  lie  who  hatli  been 
serving  God,  and  doing  angel's  work,  if 
once  he  grows  weary  and  desists,  he  unra- 
vels all  his  work,  and  missetli  of  the  re- 
compense of  reward.  He  that  runs  half  a 
race,  and  then  tires,  loseth  the  garland  ! 
O  what  folly  is  it  to  do  well  a  whih*,  and 
by  apostacy  to  undo  all  !  As  if  a  limner 
with  a  pencil  should  draw  a  fair  picture, 
and  then  come  with  his  sponge  and  wipe  it 
out  again. 

6.  Consider  the  examples  of  such  as  have 
continued  their  progress  unweariably  in  a 
Christian  course.  The  apostle  sets  before 
our  eyes  a  cloud  of  witnesses;  Ileb.  xii.  1;, 


"  Being  compassed  about  with  so  great  a 
cloud  of  witnesses,  let  us  run  the  race  that 
is  set  before  us  :"  let  us  run  it  with  swift- 
ness and  constancy.  How  many  noblo 
martyrs  and  confessors  of  old,  have  walked 
in  the  ways  of  God,  though  they  have  been 
strewed  with  thorns?  They  scorned  prefer- 
ments, laughed  at  imprisonments,  and  their 
love  to  Christ  burned  hotter  than  the  fire. 
Polycarp,  when  he  came  before  the  proron- 
feul,  and  he  bade  him  deny  Christ,  replied, 
"  I  have  served  Christ  these  eicrhtv-six 
years,  and  he  hath  not  once  hurt  me,  and 
shall  I  deny  him  now?"  Tertullian  saith, 
such  was  the  constancy  of  the  primitive 
saints,  that  the  persecutors  cried  out, 
"  What  a  misery  is  this,  that  we  are  more 
weary  in  tormenting,  than  they  are  in  en- 
during torment  !"  Let  us  tread  in  their 
steps,  who  through  faith  and  patience  in- 
herit the  promises. 

7.  It  will  be  our  comfort  on  our  death- 
bed, to  review  a  well-spent  life.  It  was 
Augustin's  wish,  that  he  might  have  a  quiet 
easy  death.  If  any  thing  make  our  pillow 
easy  at  death,  it  will  be  this,  that  we  have 
been  unwearial)le  in  God's  work  ;  this  will 
be  a  death-bed  cordial.  Did  you  ever  know 
any  repent  at  death  that  they  had  been  too 
holy?  Many  have  repented  that  they  have 
ftdlowed  the  world  too  much,  not  that  they 
have  prayed  too  much,  that  they  have  re- 
pented too  much.  What  hath  made  death 
sweet,  but  that  they  have  "  finished  their 
course,  and  kept  the  faith." 

8.  Think  of  the  great  reward  we  shall 
have,  if  we  do  not  give  over,  or  grow 
weary,  and  that  is,  glory  and  immortality. 

1.  This  glory  is  ponderous;  it  is  called  a 
"  weiglit  of  glory,"  2  Cor.  iv.  17.  The 
weight  adds  to  tlie  worth  ;  the  weightier 
a  crown  of  gold  is,  the  more  it  is  worth. 

2.  It  is  satisfying,  Ps.  xvii.  15.,  "  I  shall  be 
satisfied  when  I  awake,  with  thy  likeness." 
This  glory  will  abundantly  recoinjiense  all 
our  labours  and  sufferings.  The  jny  of 
harvest  will  make  amends  for  all  the  labour 
in  sowin"-.  O  what  harvest  shall  the  saints 
reap  !  It  will  he  always  reaping  time  in 
heaven;  and  this  reaping  will  be  in  due 
season ;  so  the  .ipostle  saith  in  the  text, 
"  We  shall  reap  in  due  season."  The  hus- 
bandman doth   not  desire  to  reap  till  the 


640 


SELECT  SERMONS. 


season  ;  lio  will  not  reap  liis  corn  while  it 
is  green,  but  wlien  it  is  ripe ;  so  we  shall 
reap  tlie  reward  of  p,lory  in  due  season  ; 
when  our  work  is  done, — when  our  sins 
are  purged  out, — when  our  graces  are  come 
to  their  full  growth, — then  is  the  season  of 
reaping ;  therefore  let  us  not  be  weary  of 
well-doing,  but  hold  on  in  prayer,  reading, 
and  all  the  exercises  of  religion  ;  we  shall 
"  reap  in  due  season,  if  we  faint  not."  To 
keep  us  from  fainting,  know,  that  the  re- 
ward promised  is  very  near,  Rom.  xiii.  11., 
*'  Our  salvation  is  nearer  than  when  we 
believed."  We  are  but  within  a  few  days 
march  of  the  heavenly  Canaan  ;  it  is  but  a 
few  more  prayers  and  tears  shed,  and  we 
shall  be  perfect  in  glory  :  as  that  martyr, 
Dr.  Taylor  sai<J,  "  I  have  but  one  stile 
more  to  go  over,  and  I  shall  be  at  my  Fa- 
ther's house."  Stay  but  a  while,  Christi- 
ans, and  your  trouble  sball  be  over,  and 
your  coronation -day  shall  come.  Christ 
who  is  the  oracle  of  truth  hath  said,  "  sure- 
ly I  come  quickly,"  Rev.  xxii.  20.  And 
yet  death's  coming  is  sooner  than  Christ's 
personal  coming,  and  then  begins  tlie  saint's 
blessed  jubilee. 

Quest.  JVhaf  means  shall  we  use,  that  tee 
may  not  wax  weary  in  a  Christian  course. 

AnsA.  Let  us  shake  off  spiritual  sloth; 
sloth  saith,  "  there  is  a  lion  in  the  way." 
He  who  is  slothful,  will  soon  grow  weary  ; 
he  is  fitter  to  lie  on  his  couch,  than  to  run 
a  race.  It  is  a  strange  sight,  to  see  a  busy 
devil,  aTid  an  idle  Christian. 

Ans.  2.  If  we  would  not  grow  weary,  let 


us  pray  for  persevering  grace.  It  was  Da- 
vid's prayer,  Ps.  cxix.  117.,  "Hold  thou 
me  up,  and  I  shall  be  safe;"  and  it  was 
Bcza's  prayer,  "  Lord,  perfect  what  thou 
hast  begun  in  me."  That  we  may  hold  on 
a  Christian  course,  let  us  labour  for  throe 
persevering  graces.  Faith  keeps  from  faint- 
ing; faith  gives  a  substance  to  things  not 
seen,  and  makes  them  to  be  as  it  were  pre- 
sent, Heb.  xi.  As  a  perspective  glass  makes 
those  things  which  are  at  a  distance  neai 
to  the  eye,  so  dotli  faith  :  heaven,  and  glo- 
ry seem  near.  A  Christian  will  not  be 
weary  of  service,  that  hath  the  crown  in 
his  eye.  The  second  persevering  grace  is 
hope.  Hope  animates  the  spirits  :  it  is  to 
the  soul  as  cork  to  the  net,  which  keeps  it 
from  sinking.  Hope  breeds  patience,  and 
patience  breeds  perseverance.  Hope  is 
compared  to  an  anchor,  Heb.  vi.  19.  The 
Christian  never  sins,  but  when  he  casts  a- 
way  his  anchor.  The  third  persevering 
grace  is  love.  Love  makes  a  man  that  he 
is  never  weary.  Love  may  be  compared 
to  the  rod  of  myrtle  in  the  traveller's  hand, 
which  refresheth  him,  and  keeps  him  from 
being  weary  in  his  journey.  He  who  loves 
the  world,  is  never  weary  of  following  the 
world  ;  he  who  loves  God  will  never  be 
weary  of  serving  him  ;  that  is  the  reason 
Avhy  the  saints  and  angels  in  heaven  are 
never  weary  of  praising  and  worshipping 
God ;  because  their  love  to  God  is  perfect, 
and  love  turns  service  into  delight.  Get 
the  love  of  God  in  your  hearts,  and  you 
will  run  in  his  ways,  and  not  be  weary. 


SERMON  V. 


James  iv.  17.     "  To  him  that  hnoweth  to  do  good,  and  doth  it  not,  to  him  it  is  sin.'* 


X  HE  apostle,  in  the  former  verses,  had 
met  with  a  sin  common  in  those  days,  a 
sinful  boasting  among  men,  ver.  13,  14., 
*'  Go  to  now,  ye  that  say,  to-day  or  to-mor- 
row, we  will  go  into  such  a  city,  and  buy 
and  sell,  and  get  gain  ;  whereas  you  know 
not  what  shall  be  on  the  morrow," — you 
may  be  in  your  graves  before  to-morrow, — 
"  for  what  is  your  life  ?  It  is  even  a  vap- 
our."    A  vapour  being  an  exhalation,   it 


cannot  continue  long :  as  it  is  raised  by  the 
sun  so  it  is  dispersed  by  the  wind ;  such  is 
your  life, — a  vapour, — a  short  breath, — a 
flying  shadow, — it  appears  for  "  a  little 
time,  and  then  vanisheth."  Well  might 
they  say,  what  need  we  be  taught  such  a 
plain  lesson  ?  Who  knows  not  all  this,  that 
life  is  a  vapour,  and  that  we  ought  not  to 
boast  what  we  will  do  to-morrow  ?  The  a- 
pbstle  seems  in  the  text  to  meet  with  them 


ON  KNOWING  GOD  AND  DOING  GOOD. 


G4t 


by  w.iy  of  answer,  do  ye  know  all  this  ? 
Then  the  {jrcator  is  your  sin  that  you  do  it 
not,  "  to  him  that  knowoth  to  do  p)od,  and 
doth  it  not,  to  him  it  is  sin."  I  shall  only 
explain  this  phrase,  "  to  him  it  is  sin  ;'' 
that  is,  it  is  an  heinous  sin, — it  is  sin  with 
a  witness;  every  infirmity,  every  thiiif; 
that  falls  short  of  the  rule  is  sin,  much 
more,  that  whieh  contradicts  the  rule. 
This  man's  sin  hath  an  emj)hasis,  it  is  a 
crimson  sin,  and  it  sliall  have  a  p^reater  pu- 
nishment; he  that  '"  knew  his  Lord's  will, 
and  (11(1  it  not,  shall  he  heaten  with  many 
strij)es,"  Luke  xii.  47.  If  he  that  sins  \g- 
norantly  be  damned,  then  he  that  sins 
knowingly  shall  be  double  damned. 

L  Doctrine  implied,  that  we  ought  to 
know  to  do  good  ;  know  our  duty. 

2.  That  we  ought  not  only  to  know  to 
do  good,  but  to"  do  it. 

3.  Tliat  he  that  knoweth  to  do  good,  and 
doth  it  not,  is  of  all  others  the  most 
guilty. 

L  Doctrine  implied,  that  we  ought  to 
know  to  do  good  ;  we  ought  to  be  well-in- 
formed of  those  things  which  are  to  be  done 
by  us,  in  order  to  salvation.  The  word 
written  is  a  rule  of  knowledge,  and  the 
word  preached  is  a  commentary  upon  the 
word  written  ;  and  both  of  them  are  to  en- 
rich our  understanding,  and  to  nurse  us  up 
in  the  knowledge  of  that  which  is  good. 

The  reasons  why  we  should  know  to  do 
good,  are, 

1.  Knowledge  is  our  lamp  and  star  to 
guide  us  in  the  truth.  It  shews  us  what 
we  are  to  do,  and  what  we  are  to  leave  un- 
done. If  we  do  not  know  that  which  is 
good,  we  can  never  practise  it. 

2.  Knowledge  is  the  foundation  of  all 
grace :  of  faith, — "  They  that  know  thy 
name,  will  put  their  trust  in  thee,"  Ps.ix.  10.; 
and  of  love, — Phil.  i.  9.,  "  This  I  pray, 
that  your  love  may  abound  yet  more  and 
more,  in  knowledge  ;"  and  of  perseverance, 
— the  apostle  joins  these  two,  such  as  are 
unlearned,  will  be  unstable. 

3.  The  chief  work  in  conversion  consists 
in  knowledge,  Rom.  xii.  2.,  "  Be  ye  trans- 
formed by  the  renewing  of  your  mind." 
The  mind  being  renewed,  the  man  is  trans- 
"ormed.  The  first  part  of  God's  image 
consists  in  knowledge,  Col.  iii.  10. 


4.  There  is  nothing  in  religion,  though 
never  so  excellent,  can  do  us  good  \\'ithout 
knowledge. 

Use.  See  how  necessary  it  is  to  get  the 
knowledge  of  what  is  good  ;  it  ushers  in 
salvation,  1  Tim.  ii.  4.  Ignorance  of  God 
is  the  cause  of  all  sin,  Jer.  ix.  3.  Igno- 
rance of  God  damns,  Hos.  iv.  6.  It  is  sad 
to  be  ignorant  in  gospel-times;  but  many. 
alas  !  do  not  oidy  not  know  God,  but  thej 
are  not  willing  to  know,  Jer.  ix.  6.,  "  They 
refuse  to  know  me,  saith  the  Lord." 

II.  Doctrine.  That  we  ought  not  only 
to  know  to  do  good,  but  to  do  it.  This  the 
apostle  implies,  "  to  him  that  kno\ys  to  do 
good,  and  doth  it  not ;"  he  implies,  that  he 
who  knows  to  do  good  should  do  it ;  the 
end  of  knowledge  is  practice.  Search  from 
one  end  of  the  Bible  to  the  other,  and  you 
will  find,  that  it  is  the  practical  part  of  re- 
ligion is  chiefly  intended.  The  crown  is 
not  set  upon  the  head  of  knowledge,  but 
practice.  Rev.  xxii.  14.,  "  Blessed  are  they 
that  do  his  commandments,  that  they  may 
have  right  to  the  tree  of  life." 

Use  1.  It  shews  us  wherein  most  Chris- 
tians are  defective  in  the  times  of  gospel, 
viz.  In  the  doing  part  of  religion,  they 
know  how  to  do  good,  but  do  it  not.  They 
know  they  should  abstain  from  evil  and 
pursue  holiness ;  but  though  they  know 
this,  yet  they  do  it  not. 

(1.)    They    know    they    should   abstain 
from  evil.     Thus  they  know  they  should 
not  swear.  Mat.  v.  34.,  "  Swear  not  at  all ;" 
yet  they  do  it ;  they  are  more  free  of  their 
oaths   than   their  alms.     They    know  un- 
cleanness  to  be  a  sin ;    th«at  it  wjustes  the 
body,    wounds    the    conscience,    blots    the 
name,  and  damns  the  soul.   Gal.  v.  19.,  yei 
they  will  go  on  in  that  sin,  and  for  a  cup 
of  pleasure,  drink  a  sea  of  wrath.     They 
know  drunkenness  to  be  a  sin  ;  that  it  doth 
make  them  like  beasts,    takes  away  their 
reason,   unfits  them  for  happiness,  for  they 
cannot  think  on  going  reeling  to  heaven  ; 
they  know  that  God  is  ])reparing  a  cup  fop 
the  drunkard.  Rev.  xvi.  19.,  yet  for  all  that, 
they    will     not    leave    their    drunken    fits. 
Men  know  that   rash   censuring   is  a  sin, 
James  iv.  1 1.,  "  Speak  not  evil  one  of  ano- 
ther,   brethren ;"    yet    they  are    guilty   of 
this ;    they  will  not  swear,   but  they  wili 

4  M 


642 


SELECT  SERMONS. 


Blander,  and  speak  to  tlie  prejudice  of  oth-  I 
ers  ;  they  can  never  make  tliem  recompense 
for  this  :  no  physician  can  heal  the  wounds  i 
of  the  tongue.  Thus  they  know  that  cov- 
etonsness  is  a  sin,  yea,  the  root  of  all  evil ; 
vet  the  world  enfjrosseth  all  their  time  and 
thoughts  ;  they  thirst  after  gold  more  than 
grace,  and  lahour  more  to  have  a  full  purse 
than  a  good  conscience.  They  know  they 
should  not  vent  their  passions,  Jam.  i.  26., 
"  If  any  man  among  you  seems  to  be  reli- 
gious, and  bridleth  not  his  tongue,  this 
man's  religion  is  vain."  Origen  observes 
of  the  rich  man  in  the  gospel,  he  had  no 
water  to  cool  his  tongue  :  he  had  sinned 
most  in  his  tongue,  therefore  was  punished 
most  in  it.  How  unworthy  is  it  for  men 
to  have  their  eyes  and  hands  lifted  up  to 
heaven,  and  their  tongues  set  on  fire  from 
hell ;  at  one  time  praying,  and  another  time 
cursing  ?  How  can  such  pray  in  a  family, 
that  are  possessed  with  an  angry  devil  ? 
Thus  men  know  they  should  abstain  from 
evil,  but  they  do  it  not. 

(2.)  They  know  they  should  pursue  ho- 
liness, but  they  do  it  not.  They  know  they 
should  read  the  word,  sanctify  the  sabbath, 
use  holy  conference,  pray  in  their  families, 
redeem  the  time,  walk  circumspectly  ;  they 
know  to  do  good,  but  do  it  not. 

Quest.  Whence  is  it  that  men  know  to  do 
good,  yet  do  it  not  ? 

Ans.  It  is  for  want  of  sound  conviction. 
Men  are  not  thoroughly  convinced  of  the 
necessity  of  pi-actical  godliness ;  they  think 
there  is  a  necessity  of  knowledge,  because 
else  there  is  no  salvation ;  they  will  get 
some  notions  of  Christ,  that  he  is  a  Saviour, 
and  has  satisfied  divine  justice,  and  they 
hope  they  believe  in  him.  Well  then ;  we 
tell  them  that  faith  and  obedience  go  toge- 
ther: then  God  is  merciful,  and  though 
they  are  not  so  good  as  they  should  be,  yet 
free  grace  will  save  them.  Thus  men  con- 
tent themselves  with  general  notions  of  re- 
ligion, but  are  not  convinced  of  the  practi- 
cal part  of  godliness. 

A.  2.  Men  know  to  do  good,  yet  do  it 
not,  because  they  arc  not  awakened  out  of 
their  spiritual  sloth.  It  is  easy  to  get  the 
knowledge  of  a  truth,  to  give  assent  to  it, 
to  commend  it,  to  profess  it ;  but  to  digest 
knowledge  into  practice,  is  the  difhculty. 


A.  3.  Men  know  to  do  good,  but  do  it 
not,  through  incredulity  ;  they  are  in  part 
atheists.  Did  they  believe  that  sin,  was  so 
bitter,  that  wrath  and  hell  followed  it,  would 
they  not  leave  off  their  sins?  Did  they  be- 
lieve that  to  do  the  will  of  God  was  a  pri- 
\'ilege, — religion  was  their  interest, — that 
there  is  joy  in  the  way  of  godliness,  and 
heaven  at  the  end, — would  they  not  espouse 
holiness  ?  But  people,  though  they  have 
some  slight  transient  thoughts  of  these 
things,  yet  they  are  not  brought  to  the  be- 
lief of  them  ;  therefore  though  they  know 
to  do  good,  yet  they  do  it  not.  The  reason 
why  there  are  so  few  doers  of  the  word,  is, 
because  there  are  so  few  believers. 

A.  4.  Men  know  to  do  good,  but  do  it 
not,  because  the  knowledge  in  their  head 
never  Avorks  into  their  hearts ;  it  doth  not 
quicken  them,  nor  warm  their  affections 
with  love  to  the  truth. 

A.  5.  Men  knoAV  to  do  good,  but  do  it 
not,  because  of  prcjudicate  opinion.  The 
things  to  be  done  in  religion  are  judged  to 
be  too  strict  and  severe  ;  they  restrain  sin 
too  much,  or  they  press  too  much  to  holi- 
ness. 

A.  6.  Men  know  to  do  good,  yet  do  it 
not,  because  they  love  their  sin  more  than 
they  love  the  word,  Hos.  iv.  8.,  "  Tiiey  set 
their  heart  on  their  iniquity."  Some  con- 
tent themselves  with  liaA'ing  moans  of  know- 
ledge, Judges  xvii.  13.,  "  Then  said  Micah, 
now  know  I  that  the  Lord  will  do  me  good, 
seeing  I  have  a  Levite  to  my  priest."  But 
what  is  one  the  better  to  know  what  physic 
he  should  take,  if  he  doth  not  take  it. 

Use  2.  Of  exhortation.  Let  me  beseech 
you  all  who  have  been  hearers  of  the  word, 
and  have  gotten  a  great  measure  of  know- 
ledge, that,  as  you  know  to  do  good,  you 
would  do  it.  This  is  the  soul  of  religion. 
Luther  says,  I  had  rather  do  the  will  of 
God,  than  be  able  to  work  miracles.  1st, 
To  do  what  you  know,  evidenceth  your  re- 
lation to  Christ.  You  count  it  an  honour 
to  be  near  allied  to  the  crown,  but  it  is 
more  honour  to  be  a-kin  to  Christ.  2rf/y, 
To  know  to  do  good,  and  do  it,  sets  a 
crown  upon  the  gospel,  Rom.  XA-i.  19., 
"  Your  obedience  is  come  abroad  unto  all 
not  your  knowledge,   but  your  obe- 


men 


dience.     To  know  to  do  good,   and  not  to 


ON  KNOWING  GOD  AND  DOING  GOOD. 


G43 


do  it,  hardens  others  in  sin,  sc.andalizcth 
religion,  and  makes  people  ready  to  turn 
atheists.  When  some  of  the  Spaniards 
came  to  Hispaniola,  the  Spaniards'  carriage 
being  loose  and  profane,  the  Indians  asked 
them,  What  God  they  served  ?  They  ans- 
wered, The  God  of  heaven.  The  Indians 
rejtlied,  Sure  your  God  is  not  a  good  God 
that  hath  such  b.id  servants.  Thus  to  know 
to  do  good,  yet  do  it  not,  puts  a  scar  in  the 
face  of  religion,  and  brings  an  evil  report 
upon  it ;  but  to  do  what  we  know,  trum- 
])ets  fortli  tiie  fame  of  the  gospel,  and  makes 
them  that  oppose  it,  to  admire  it.  3(//?/,  To 
know  to  do  good  and  to  do  it,  entitles  you 
to  blessedness.  Jam.  i.  25.,  "  He  shall  be 
blessed  in  his  deed  :"  not  for  the  deed,  but 
in  the  deed. 

III.  Doctrine.  That  lie  who  knoweth  to 
do  good,  and  doth  it  not,  is  of  all  others  the 
most  guilty  ;  to  him  it  is  sin,  crimson  sin  ; 
that  is,  it  is  heinous  sin,  capital  sin,  sin  em- 
j)hatically,  sin  with  a  witness,  and  punished 
with  a  vengeance. 

Quest.  What  is  it  to  sin  presumptuously  ? 

Ans.  To  sin  presumptuously,  is  to  sin  a- 
gainst  the  light  which  shines  in  a  man's 
conscience,  i.  e.  a  man  is  convinced  those 
things  he  doth  are  sin.  Conscience  saith, 
O  do  not  this  great  evil !  Conscience,  like 
the  chenibims,  hath  a  flaming  sword  in  its 
band  to  affright  and  deter  the  sinner ;  yet 
he  will  pluck  the  forbidden  fruit.  This  is 
to  sin  presumptuously.  This  sin  is  highly 
aggravating,  for  two  reasons  :  (1.)  Because 
sinning  presumptuously  against  conscience, 
is  after  counsels,  admonitions,  warnings. 
Such  an  one  cannot  say,  he  was  never  told 
of  his  sin ;  he  hath  had  ministers  rising  up 
early,  who  hath  told  him  what  a  damnable 
thing  sin  was,  yet  he  would  venture  on  ;  so 
that  now  he  hath  no  excuse,  John  xv.  22., 
"  Now  you  have  no  cloak  for  your  sin." 
(2.)  It  is  an  aggravation  to  sin  presumptu- 
ously against  conscience,  when  it  is  after 
afflictions.  After  God  hath  made  him  hear 
the  voice  of  the  rod,  he  hath  made  him  to 
feel  sin  bitter,  to  read  his  sin  in  his  punish- 
ment, yet  he  sins;  his  sin  was  following 
evil  company,  and  God  hath  punished  him 
for  it;  he  hath  almost  wasted  his  estate 
with  riotous  living,  or  lie  hath  almost  drunk 
himself  blind,  yet  he  will  not  leave  his  sin  ; 


his  sin  was  uncleanness,  and  his  body  is 
dise;ised,  and  full  of  noxious  humours;  yet 
though  he  feels  the  smart  of  sin,  he  retains 
the  love  of  sin.  Here  is  an  aggravation  of 
sin,  2  Chron.  xxviii.  22.,  "  In  the  time  of 
his  distress,  did  he  trespass  yet  more  against 
the  Lord  :   this  is  that  king  Ahaz." 

Use  3.  To  know  what  is  good,  yet  not  to 
do  it,  is  to  sin  presumptuously, — is  full  of 
obstinacy  and  pertinaciousness  ;  it  is  so,  be- 
cause men  can  say  nothing  for  their  sins, 
can  bring  no  reason,  they  make  no  defence 
for  themselves,  yet  they  are  resolved  to  hold 
fast  their  iniquity,  like  those,  Jer.  xviii.  12., 
"  And  they  said,  there  is  no  hope,  but  we 
will  walk  after  our  own  devices,  and  we 
\v\\\  every  one  do  after  the  imagination  of 
his  own  Qv{\  heart." 

Use  4.  Take  heed  of  presumptuous  sin. 
If  God  hath  been  so  terrible  against  sins  of 
infirmity  and  passion,  as  we  see  in  Moses 
and  Uzziah :  O  how  fierce  will  his  anger 
be  against  the  presumptuous  sinner  !  Better 
never  have  known  the  ways  of  God,  than 
to  know  and  not  to  do  them  !  Oh  !  as  you 
love  your  souls,  Uike  heed  of  this. 

1.  Presumptuous  sins  are  desperate  sins, 
because  they  are  committed  with  much  pre- 
meditation and  forethought.  The  presump- 
tuous sinner  doth  not  sin  unawares,  but  he 
doth  project  and  cast  in  his  mind  how  to 
bring  his  sin  about,  as  Joseph's  brethren 
did  in  betraying  him,  as  JutUis  did  in  be- 
traying Christ,  and  as  those  Jews  did  that 
laid  wait  for  Paul. 

2.  Presumptuous  sins  are  desperate,  be- 
cause they  are  accompanied  with  pride. 
The  sinner  who  knows  the  mind  of  God, 
yet  will  act  contrary  to  itf  says,  like  Pha- 
raoh, "  Who  is  the  Lord  that  I  should  obey 
him  ?" 

3.  Presumptuous  sins  are  desperate,  be- 
cause they  are  accompanied  with  impuden- 
cy.  Such  sinners  are  hardened,  fearless, 
and  without  shame.  Like  Judas,  they  are 
hardened ;  though  woes  be  pronounced  a- 
gainst  them,  they  will  sin  ;  they  are  with- 
out fear  like  the  leviathan,  Job  xli.  33.,  and 
they  have  sinned  away  shame  ;  Zeph  iii.  5., 
"  TJie  unjust  knoweth  no  shame,"  he  hath 
a  forehead  of  brass.  Nay,  some  are  so  far 
from  blushing,  that  they  glory  in  their 
shame,  Phil.  iii.  ID. 


644 


SELECT  SERMONS. 


4.  To  sm  presumptuously,  to  know  what 
is  good,  yet  not  to  do  it,  is  heinous,  because 
it  is  ingratitude;  it  is  an  high  abuse  of 
God's  kindness ;  and  God  cannot  endure, 
of  all  things,  to  have  his  kindness  abused. 
God's  kindness  is  seen  in  tliis  tliat  lie  hath 
acquainted  the  sinner  witli  his  mind  and 
will, — that  he  liath  not  only  instructed  him, 
but  persuaded  him, — made  mercy  stoop  and 
kneel  to  the  sinner, — he  hath  wooed  him 
with  nis  Spirit,  that  he  would  flee  from  sin, 
and  pursue  holiness ;  kindness  is  seen  in 
this,  that  God  hath  spared  the  sinner  so 
long,  and  not  struck  him  dead  in  the  act  of 
sin ;  kindness  in  this,  that  though  the  sin- 
ner liath  sinned  against  his  conscience,  yet 
now,  if  he  will  repent  of  sin,  God  will  re- 
pent of  his  judgments,  and  mercy  shall  be 
held  forth,  Jer.  iii.  I.,  "  Thou  hast  played 
the  harlot  with  many  lovers ;  yet  return  a- 
gain  to  me,  saith  the  Lord."  But  the  sin- 
ner is  of  a  base  spirit ;  he  is  not  melted 
with  all  this  love;  but  his  heart  like  clay 
hardens  under  the  sun.  Here  is  an  appa- 
rent abuse  of  God's  kindness;  and  God 
cannot  endure  to  have  his  kindness  abused. 
The  vulture  draws  sickness  from  perfumes; 
BO  the  sinner  contracts  wickedness  from  the 
mei'cy  of  God.     Here  is  high  ingratitude. 

5.  To  sin  presumptuously, — to  know 
what  is  good,  yet  not  to  do  it, — is  a  con- 
tempt done  to  God.  He  cares  not  whether 
God  be  pleased  or  not,  he  will  have  his  sin. 
Theref<n*e  the  presumptuous  sinner  is  said 
to  reproach  God,  Numb.  xv.  30.,  "  The 
soul  that  doth  ought  presumptuously,  the 
same  reproaclu^th  the  Lord ;"  he  reproach- 
eth  tlie  Lord,  though  not  explicitly,  yet  in- 
lerprctatively ;  by  his  presumptuous  sin 
makes  as  if  God  was  either  ignorant,  and 
did  not  know  his  wickedness ;  or  impotent, 
and  was  not  able  to  punish  him.  How  hor- 
rid is  this  !  there  is  a  kind  of  blaspliemy 
against  God  in  every  presumptuous  sin. 

(>.  To  sin  presum])tuously, — to  know 
what  is  good  yet  not  to  do  it, — is  a  bold 
contest  with  God,  a  daring  of  God  to  punish. 
The  man  that  sins  against  conscience  pre- 
sumptuously, and  will  not  be  reclaimed, 
doth  in  effect  say,  what  care  I  for  the  com- 
mandment? It  shall  be  no  check  upon  me. 
but  I  will  go  on  in  sin,  and  let  God  do  his 
worst.     A  godly  man  is  said   to  fear  the 


commandment,  Prov.  xiii.  13.  He  dares 
not  sin,  because  the  law  of  God  stands  in 
his  way :  but  the  presumptuous  sinner  doth 
not  value  the  commandment;  he  will  sin 
in  spite  of  God's  law.  O  desperate  mad- 
ness, to  dare  God  to  his  face  !  1  Cor.  x.  22., 
"  Do  we  provoke  the  Lord  to  jealousy? 
Are  we  stronger  than  he?"  Good  reason 
tiien  we  should  take  heed  of  presumptuous 
sin,  since  it  is  so  heinous  and  desperate  ! 
"  To  him  that  knows  to  do  good,  yet  doth 
it  not,  to  him  it  is  sin ;"  it  is  sin  with  a 
witness. 

Use  5.  Trial.  Let  us  examine  if  we  are 
not  guilty  of  sinning  thus  presumptuously, 
knowing  to  do  good,  yet  not  to  do  it. 
(L)  Is  it  not  to  sin  presumptuously,  when 
we  live  in  the  total  neglect  of  duty  ?  We 
know  we  ought  to  pray  in  our  families,  yet 
do  it  not.  To  live  in  the  neglect  of  family 
duties,  is  not  this  to  sin  presumptuously? 
(2.)  Is  it  not  to  sin  presumptuously,  when 
we  will  venture  upon  the  same  sins  which 
we  condemn  in  others  ?  Rom.  ii.  I.  Thou 
(Christian)  condemnest  another  for  pride, 
and  yet  thou  livest  in  that  sin  thyself.  A 
father  condemns  his  son  for  swearing,  yet 
he  himself  swears  :  the  master  reproves  his 
servant  for  being  drunk,  yet  he  himself 
will  be  drunk.  Is  not  this  to  sin  presump- 
tuously, to  live  in  those  sins  which  we  con- 
demn in  others?  (3.)  Do  not  they  sin  pre- 
sumptuously against  conscience,  who  will 
sin  in  spite  of  heaven  ?  Though  they  see 
the  judgments  of  God  executed  on  others, 
yet  will  adventure  on  the  same  sins  ? 
Dan.  V.  22.,  "  And  thou  his  son,  O  Bel- 
shazzar,  hast  not  humbled  thy  heart,  though 
thou  k  newest  all  this  :"  that  is,  thou  saw- 
est  the  judgments  I  inflicted  on  thy  father. 
(4.)  Do  not  they  sin  presumptuously,  they 
know  to  do  good,  yet  do  it  not,  who  labour 
to  stifle  the  convictions  of  their  conscience, 
and  will  not  let  conscience  speak  freely  to 
them  ?  This  the  scripture  calls,  "  Holding 
the  truth  in  unrighteousness,"  Rom.  i.  18. 
(5.)  Do  not  they  sin  presumptuously,  who 
after  they  have  felt  the  smart  of  sin,  it  hath 
bred  a  worm  in  their  conscience,  a  moth 
in  their  estate;  yet,  after  all  this,  they  a- 
gain  embrace  their  sins. 

That  I  may  shew  you  what  you  have  to 
fear,  and  that  I  may  beat  you  off  from  pre- 


ON  KNOWLXG  GOD  AND  DOING  GOOD. 


645 


sumptuous  sins,  let  tlicsc  tilings  be  serioiis- 
ly  laid  tolieait:  \sf,  These  j)resumj)tuous 
sins,  do  much  harden  the  heart.  These 
are  two  of  the  greatest  blessings,  a  sound 
judgment  and  a  soft  heart ;  but  sinning 
presumptuously  and  knowingly  doth  con- 
geal the  heart, — it  doth  both  waste  the  con- 
science and  sear  it,  1  Tim.  iv.  2.  By  sin- 
ning knowingly,  a  person  gets  a  custom  of 
sin  ;  and  the  custom  of  sinning  takes  away 
the  sense  of  sinning,  Eph.  iv.  19.,  "  Being 
past  feeling."  Tell  the  presumptuous  sin- 
ner, there  are  treasures  of  wrath  laid  up 
for  him,  he  feai's  not ;  his  heart  is  like  a 
piece  of  marble  or  adamant  that  will  take 
no  impression.  When  men  know  to  do 
good,  yet  do  it  not,  their  hearts  are  harden- 
ed insensibly,  and  that  is  dangerous. 

2d,  Such  as  sin  presumptuously,  or  they 
who  know  to  do  good,  yet  do  it  not,  are 
self-condemned,  Tit.  iii.  11.  The  sinner 
knows  in  his  conscience  he  is  guilty ;  that 
he  hath  sinned  against  warnings,  education, 
conviction ;  therefore  his  own  heart  does 
and  must  condemn  him.  And  when  God 
judges  and  condemns  him,  he  will  clear  his 
judge,  Ps.  li.  4. 

3d,  Presumptuous  sins  make  deep  wounds 
in  the  soul.  They  lead  to  despair,  and  des- 
pair is  the  agony  of  the  soul.  Spira,  in 
despair,  was  like  a  living  man  in  hell ;  des- 
pair did  suck  out  his  marrow  and  vital 
blood ;  it  made  him  a  very  anatomy.  The 
sinner  goes  on  stubbornly,  yet  his  foolish 
heart  tells  him  all  will  be  well ;  but,  when 
God  begins  to  set  his  sins  in  order  be- 
fore him,  and  conscience,  which  was  before 
like  a  lion  asleep,  begins  to  be  awakened 
and  roars  upon  him,  and  he  sees  death 
and  hell  before  him,  now  his  heart  fiiinls, 
his  presumption  is  turned  to  despair,  and 
he  cries  out  as  Cain,  Gen.  iv.  13.,  ''  My  pu- 
nishment is  greater  than  I  can  bear."  Now 
the  sinner  begins  to  think  with  himself  thus: 
I  would  have  my  sins  and  I  had  them  ;  and 
now  I  have  the  wrath  of  God  upon  them  ; 
O  how  foolish  was  I  to  refuse  instruction  ! 
But  it  is  too  late  now;  the  mercy-seat  is 
quite  covered  with  clouds  ;  I  am  shut  out 
from  all  hopes  of  mercy;  my  wounds  are 
such,  that  the  balm  of  Gilead  will  not  heal. 
The  more  presumption  in  the  time  of  life, 
the  more  despair  at  the  hour  of  death. 


4t/i,  To  know  to  do  good  and  not  to  do 
it,  to  sin  presumptuously,  God  may,  in 
just  judgment,  leave  such  an  one  to  himself. 
It  is  a  terrible  thing,  when  God  shall  say, 
thou  hast,  by  thy  jiresumptuous  sin,  af- 
fronted me,  and  jjrovoked  me  to  my  face ; 
therefore  I  will  give  thee  up  to  thine  own 
heart,  thou  shalt  sin  still  ;  seeintr  thou  wilt 
be  filthy,  thou  shalt  be  filthy  still. 

5fh,  To  know  what  is  good,  yet  not  to 
do  it;  to  sin  presumptuously,  is  a  great 
degree  of  the  sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost 
Such  as  sin  presumptuously,  sin  wilfully 
Though  presumj)tion  is  not  final  apostacy, 
yet  it  comes  very  near  to  it ;  and  a  little 
matter  more  will  make  thee  so  guilty,  that 
there  remains  no  more  sacrifice  for  sin. 
To  sin  presumptuously  against  light,  may 
in  time  bring  on  malice  and  despite  to  the 
Spirit;  as  it  was  with  Julian,  who  threw 
up  his  dagger  in  the  air,  as  if  he  would  be 
revenged  on  God.  When  once  it  is  come 
to  this,  there  is  but  one  step  lower  a  man 
can  fall,  and  that  is  into  hell. 

6th,  There  is  little  hope  for  such  as  know 
to  do  good,  yet  do  it  not, — know  what  is  e- 
vil,  but  will  not  forbear.  There  were  sa- 
crifices for  sins  of  ignorance,  but  no  sacri- 
fices for  sins  of  presumption,  Numb.  xv.  30. 
Indeed  presumptuous  sinners  hope  all  will 
be  well,  Prov.  xiv.  16.,  "  The  fool  rageth 
and  is  confident."  Such  a  fool  is  spoken 
of,  Deut.  xxix.  19.,  "When  he  heareth  the 
words  of  this  curse,  he  blesseth  himself  iu 
his  heart  saying,  I  shall  have  peace,  though 
I  walk  in  the  imagination  of  my  heart,  to 
add  drunkenness  to  thirst :  the  Lord  will 
not  spare  him,  but  the  anger  and  jealousy 
of  the  Lord  shall  smoke  against  that  man." 

7t/t,  Such  as  sin  presumptuously,  that 
know  to  do  good,  yet  do  it  not,  know  what 
is  evil,  yet  will  not  forbear  if,  God  refuseth 
all  their  services,  whether  reading,  heaiuig, 
j)raying,  or  communicating.  God  abhors 
their  sacrifice,  Isa.  i.  15.,  "When  you  make 
many  prayers,  I  will  not  hear;  your  hands 
are  full  of  blood."  And  Hos.  viii.  13., 
"  They  sacrifice  flesh  for  the  sacrifices  of 
mine  offerings ;  but  the  Lord  accepted  them 
not:  now  will  he  remeniher  their  iniquities, 
and  visit  their  sins."  Thus  you  see  what 
cause  you  have  to  tremble,  who  are  guilty 
in  this  kind:   you  see  your  misery 


€46 


SELECT  SERMONS. 


Besides  all  that  hath  been  said,  consider 
these  two  things.  1.  You  that  sin  pre- 
sumptuously,— that  know  to  do  good  and 
do  it  not, — that  know  wliat  is  evil,  yet 
will  not  forbear, — you  cannot  sin  so  cheap 
as  others ;  though  sin  will  cost  every  one 
dear,  yet  it  will  cost  you  dearer.  You  go 
directly  against  conscience ;  and  if  tliere 
be  either  justice  in  heaven,  or  fire  in  hell, 
you  shall  be  sure  to  be  punished.  2.  You 
who  sin  presumptuously,  cannot  take  so 
much  pleasure  in  your  sin  as  another  may 
have.  One  whose  conscience  is  less  en- 
lightened, though  his  sin  will  be  bitter  to 
him  afterwards,  yet  at  present  he  may  roll 
it  as  honey  under  his  tongue,  and  find  plea- 
sure in  it :  but  you  that  sin  against  your 
knowledge,  you  cannot  haA-e  so  much  plea- 
sure in  sin  as  he,  for  conscience  will  put 
forth  a  sting,  and  all  the  threatenings  of 
the  word  will  set  themselves  in  battle  array 
against  you,  so  that  you  can  have  no  quiet. 
And  that  trouble  thou  feelest  now  in  thy 
conscience,  is  but  the  beginning  of  sorrow. 

Quest.  JVhat  shall  we  do,  that  we  maij 
not  sin  presumptuously  against  conscience  ? 

Ans.  1.  Takeheedof  little  sins  ;  though — 
to  speak  properly — there  are  no  such  things 
as  little  sins,  no  little  treason,  but  compar- 
atively, one  sin  may  be  lesser  than  another. 
Take  heed  of  little  sins.  The  frequent 
committing  of  lesser  sins,  will  prepare  for 
greater.     A  lesser  distemper  of  the  bodv, 


if  it  be  let  alone,  prepares  for  a  greater  dis- 
temper; being  unjust  in  a  little,  prepares 
for  being  unjust  in  much,  Luke  xvi.  10 
Such  as  were  at  first  more  modest,  yet  by 
accustoming  themselves  to  lesser  sins,  by 
degrees  their  sins  have  grown  up  to  a  grea- 
ter height;  jail  sins  have  begun  at  little 
sins. 

A.  2.  If  you  would  not  sin  presumptu- 
ously, viz.  Knowingly  and  wilfully,  then 
reverence  the  dictates  of  conscience ;  get 
conscience  w^ll-informed  by  the  word,  as 
you  set  your  watch  by  the  sun,  and  then 
be  ruled  by  it ;  do  nothing  against  con- 
science. If  conscience  saith  do  such  a 
thing,  though  never  so  unpleasing,  set  upon 
the  duty.  When  conscience  saith,  Take 
heed  of  such  a  thing  ?  come  not  near  the 
forbidden  fruit.  Conscience  is  God's  depu- 
ty or  proxy  in  the  soul ;  the  voice  of  con- 
science is  the  voice  of  God ;  do  not  trifle 
with  cliecks  of  conscience,  lest  God  suffer 
thee  to  hai'den  in  sin,  and  by  degrees  come 
to  presumptuous  sin. 

A.  3.  Labour  to  have  your  knowledge 
sanctified.  Men  sin  against  their  know- 
ledge, because  their  knowledge  is  not  sanc- 
tified. Sanctified  knowledge  works  upon 
the  soul  ;  it  inclines  us  to  do  good ;  it  makes 
us  flee  from  sin  ;  sanctified  knowledge  is 
like  a  breast jdate,  which  keeps  the  arrow 
of  presumptuous  sin  from  entering. 


SERMON  VI. 

Col.  iii.  II.  "  But  Christ  is  all  in  all" 

V  HE  philosopher  saith  every  science  takes 
its  dignity  from  the  ol)ject ;  the  more  noble 
the  object,  the  more  rare  the  knowledge. 
Hence  it  is,  that  Jesus  Christ  l)einp-  the 
most  sublime  and  glorious  object,  that 
knowledge  which  leads  us  to  C'lnist  must 
needs  be  most  excellent;  it  is  called  "  the 
excellency  of  the  knowledge  of  (  luist  " 
Phil.  iii.  8.  So  sweet  is  this  knowledtie, 
that  St.  Paul,  "  determined  to  know  no- 
ihing  but  Christ,"  1  Cor.  ii.  2.  And  in- 
deed what  needed  he  to  know  more  ?  for 
"  Christ  is  all  in  all."  In  the  text  tliere  is 
a  negation  and  an  assumption  :  something 


the  apostle  sets  down  privatively,  and  some-- 
thing  j)(>sitively. 

l.s/,  Privatively.  St.  Paul  tells  the  Col- 
lossians  what  will  not  avail  them,  "  neither 
circumcision,  nor  uncircumcision  availeth," 
&c.  Circumcision  was  a  great  privilege ; 
it  was  a  badge  and  cognizance  to  distinguish 
the  people  of  God  from  those  who  were  ex- 
leri  and  foreign  ;  it  was  a  pail  between  the 
garden  enclosed,  and  the  common.  The 
people  of  circumcision  were  a  people  of 
(iiod's  circumspection, — they  were  under 
his  eye,  and  his  wing, — they  were  his 
household  family;  rather  than  they  should 


CHRIST  ALL  IN  ALL. 


G47 


want,  God  would  miike  tho  heavens  a  gra- 
nary, and  rain  down  manna  upon  them, — 
lie  wouhl  set  the  rock  abroach,  and  make 
it  a  lively  spring.  How  glorious  was  cir- 
cumcision !  Rom.  ix.  4,  5.  What  rich 
Jewels  hung  upon  Israel's  crown  !  But  in 
matters  of  salvation,  all  this  was  nothing, 
*'  neither  circumcision  nor  uncircumcision," 
&c.  From  whence  we  may  observe,  that 
external  privileges  commend  no  man  to 
God ;  whether  wise,  or  rich,  or  noble,  this 
doth  not  set  us  off  in  God's  eye,  1  Cor.  i.  26. 
God  sees  not  as  man  sees.  We  are  taken 
with  beauty  and  parts, — these  things  avail 
not  with  God;  God  lays  his  left  hand 
upon  these,  as  Jacob  did  upon  Manasseh, 
Gen.  xlviii.  14.  God  often  passeth  by  those 
who  cast  a  greater  splendour  and  lustre  in 
the  world,  and  looks  upon  them  of  an  infe- 
rior alloy;  the  reason  is,  "  that  no  flesh 
should  glory  in  his  presence,"  1  Cor.  i.  29. 
If  God  should  graft  his  grace  only  upon  wis- 
dom and  parts,  some  would  be  ready  to  say, 
my  wisdom,  or  my  eloquence,  or  my  nobility 
hath  saved  me;  therefore  "not  many  wise, 
not  many  noble  are  called."  God  will  have 
no  priding  or  vaunting  in  the  creature. 

Use.  Rest  not  in  outward  privileges  or 
excellencies, — these  are  no  stocks  to  graft 
the  hopes  of  salvation  upon, — many  of 
Christ's  kindred  went  to  hell.  Paul  is  cal- 
led "  the  servant  of  the  Lord,"  Rom.  i.  1. 
And  James  is  called  "  the  brother  of  the 
Lord,"  Gal.  i.  19.  It  is  better  to  be  tlie 
servant  of  the  Lord,  than  the  brother  of 
the  Lord.  The  virgin  Mary  was  saved, 
not  as  she  was  the  mother  of  Christ,  but  as 
she  was  the  daughter  of  faith  ;  it  is  grace, 
not  blood  gives  the  precedency  ;  an  heart 
that  hath  Christ  formed  in  it,  is  God's  de- 
light, and  this  brings  me  to  the  next. 

2d,  The  apostle  sets  down  something  po- 
sitively ;  but  "  Christ  is  all  in  all ;"  in 
which  words  there  is, 

1.  The  subject,  Christ.  His  name  is 
sweet,  it  is  "  as  ointment  poured  forth," 
Cant.  i.  3.  It  was  Job's  wish,  "  O  that  my 
words  were  now  written  !  that  they  were 
graven  with  an  iron  pen  and  lead  in  the 
rock  f«»r  ever  !"  Job  xix.  23,  2i.  And  it 
is  my  wish,  O  that  this  name — this  sweet 
name — of  Christ,  were  now  written, — that 
it  were  graven  with  the  pen  of  the  Holy 


Ghost  in  our  hearts  for  ever.  The  name  of 
Christ  hath  in  it,  saith  Chrysostora,  a  thou- 
sand treasuries  of  joy. 

2.  The  predicate,  "  all  in  all."  Christ  is 
all  fulness, — all  sweetness, — he  is  all  that 
is  imaginable, — all  that  is  desirable  ;  he  who 
hath  Christ,  can  have  no  more,  for  "  Christ 
is  all." 

The  ])roposition  out  of  the  words,  is, 
that  Jesus  Christ  is  the  quintessence  of  all 
good  things,  "  he  is  all." 

1.  Sometimes  faith  is  said  to  be  all, 
Gal.  v.  G.  Nothing  availeth  but  faith  ; 
faith  is  all,  as  it  is  an  instrument  to  lay 
hold  on  Christ,  whereby  we  are  saved ;  as 
a  man  is  saved  by  catching  hold  on  a  bough. 

2.  Sometimes  the  new  creature  is  said  to 
be  all.  Gal.  vi.  15.  Nothing  availeth  "  but 
anew  creature;"  the  new  creature  is  .'dl,  as 
it  qualifies  and  fits  for  glory  ;  "  without 
holiness  no  man  shall  see  the  Lord," 
Heb.  xii.  14.  It  is  a  saying  of  Chrysostom, 
at  the  day  of  judgment  God  will  ask  that 
question,  as  our  Saviour  did.  Mat.  xxii.  20., 
"  Whose  is  this  image  and  superscription." 
So  will  God  say.  Whose  image  is  this  ?  If 
thou  canst  not  shew  him  his  image  consist- 
ing in  holiness,  he  will  reject  thee ;  thus 
the  new  creature  is  all. 

3.  Here  in  the  text  Christ  is  said  to  be 
all ;     but    in    what    sense    is    Christ    all  ? 
(1.)    Christ  is  all  by  way  of  eminency;   all 
good  things  are  eminently  to  be  found  in 
him,  as  the  sun  dotii  virtually  contain  in  it 
the  light  of  the  lesser  stars.     (2.)    Christ  is 
all,   by  way  of  derivation  ;   all  good  things 
are  transmitted  and  conveyed  to  us  thronijh 
Christ ;  jis  vour  rich  commodities,   iewels 
and   spices   come  by  sea,  so  all   heavenly 
blessings  sail  to  us  through  the  red  sea  of 
Christ's   blood,   Rom.   xi.   36.,    "  Through 
him  and  to  him  are  all  things."     Christ  is 
that  sj)iritual  pij)e,    through  which  the  gol- 
den  oil   of  mercy   empties   itself  into   the 
soul.     Christ  must  needs  be  all,   for   "  in 
him  dwelleth  all  the  fulnessof  the  (iodhead," 
Col.  ii.  9.      He  hath  a  partnership  with  God 
the  Father,  John  xvi.  15.,  "All  things  that 
the  Father   hath   are  mine;"   so  that  there 
is  enough  in  him  to  scatter  all  our  fears, — 
to  remove  all   our  burdens, — to  suj»ply  hU 
our  wants;  there  can  be  no  defect  in  that 
which  is  infinite. 


648 


SELECT  SERMONS. 


Use  1st,  Information.  And  it  hath  six 
brandies,  ist,  It  shows  us  the  glorious 
fuhicss  of  Jesus  Christ ;  "  he  is  all  in  all." 
Christ  is  a  panoply,  a  magazine  and  store- 
house of  all  spiritual  riches;  you  may  go 
with  the  bee  from  flower  to  flower,  and 
suck  here  and  there  a  little  sweetness,  but 
you  will  never  have  enough  till  you  come 
to  Christ,  for  he  is  "  all  in  all." 

Now  in  particular,  Christ  is  all  in  six 
respects:    (1.)    Christ  is   all  in  regard  of 
righteousness.     1  Cor.  i.  30.,  "  He  is  made 
to  us  righteousness."     The  robe  of  inno- 
cency,  like  the  vail  of  the  temple,  is  rent 
asunder,   ours  is  a  ragged   righteousness. 
Isa.  Ixiv.  6.,   "  Our  righteousness  is  as  fil- 
thy rags."     As  under  rags  the  naked  body 
is  seen ;  so  under  the  rags  of  our  righteous- 
ness,  the  body  of  death  is  seen  ;   we  can 
defile  our  duties,  but  they  cannot  justify 
us ;  but  Christ  is  all  in  regard  of  righteous- 
ness.    Rom.  X.  4.,  "  Christ  is  the  end  of 
the  law  for  righteousness  to  every  one  that 
believeth :"  that  is,  through  Christ  we  are 
as  righteous  as  if  we  had  satisfied  the  law 
in  our  own  persons.     Jacob  got  the  bles- 
sing in  the  garment  of  his  elder  brother: 
so  in  the  garment  of  Christ  our  elder  bro- 
ther, we  obtain  the  blessing  ;   Christ's  righ- 
teousness is  a  coat  woven  without  seam. 
"  We  are  made  the  righteousness  of  God 
in  him."     (2.)  Christ  is  all   in   regard  of 
sanctification.      1  Cor.  i.  30.,  "  He  is  made 
to  us  sanctification."     Sanctification  is  the 
spiritual  enamel  and  embroidery  of  the  soul ; 
it  is  nothing  else  but  God's  putting  upon 
us  the  jewels  of  holiness, — the  angels  glory 
by  it, — we  are  made  as  the  king's  daughter, 
«  all  glorious  within,"  Ps.  xlv.  13.     This 
doth  tune  and  prepare  the  soul  for  heaven ; 
it  turns  iron  into  gold ;   it  makes  the  heart 
which  was  Satan's  picture,  Christ's  epistle. 
The  virgins,  Esth.  ii.  12.,  had  their  '  days 
of  puriHcation  ;'  they  were  first  to  be  per- 
fumed and  anointed,  and  then  they  were  to 
stand  before  the  king;  we  must  have  the 
anointing  of  God,   1  John  ii.  27.,   and  be 
perfumed   with   the  graces  of   the   Spirit, 
those  sweet  odours  ;  and  then  we  shall  stand 
before  the  King  of   heaven.     There  must 
be  first  our  days  of  purification  before  our 
days  of  glorification.     What  a  blessed  work 
is  this  !  a  soul  beautified  and  adorned  with 


grace,  is  like  the  firmament  bespangled 
with  glittering  stars.  O  what  a  metamor- 
phose is  there  !  I  may  allude  to  that  Cant, 
iii.  6.  So,  who  is  this  that  comes  out  of 
the  wilderness  of  sin,  perfumed  with  all  the 
graces  of  the  Spirit  ?  Holiness  is  the  signa- 
ture and  engraving  of  God  upon  the  soul. 
But  whence  is  this  ?  Christ  is  all ;  he  is 
made  to  us  sanctification ;  he  it  is  that 
sends  his  Spirit  into  our  hearts  to  be  a  re- 
finer's fire,  to  burn  up  our  dross,  and  make 
our  graces  sparkle  like  gold  in  the  furnace  ; 
Christ  ariseth  upon  the  soul  "  with  healing 
in  his  wings,"  Mai.  iv.  2.  He  heals  the 
understanding,  and  saith,  "  let  there  be 
light ;"  he  heals  the  heart  by  dissolving  the 
stone  in  his  blood ;  he  heals  the  will,  by 
filing  off"  its  rebellion.  Thus  he  is  all  in 
regard  of  sanctification.  (3.)  Christ  is  all 
in  regard  of  divine  acceptance.  Eph.  i.  6. 
He  hath  made  us  favourites — so  Chrysos- 
tom  and  Theophylact  render  it ;  through 
Christ  God  is  propitious  to  us,  and  takes 
all  we  do  in  good  part.  A  wicked  man 
being  out  of  Christ,  is  out  of  favour ;  as 
his  ploughing  is  sin,  Prov.  xxi.  4.,  so  his 
praying  is  sin,  Prov.  xv.  8.  God  will  not 
come  near  him,  his  breath  is  infectious ; 
God  will  hear  his  sins,  and  not  his  prayers  ; 
but  now  in  Christ  God  accepts  us,  Eccl. 
ix.  7.  As  Joseph  did  present  his  brethren 
before  Pharaoh,  and  brought  them  into  fa- 
vour with  the  king.  Gen.  xlvii.  2 ,  so  the 
Lord  Jesus  cai'ries  the  names  of  the  saints 
upon  his  breast,  and  presents  them  before 
his  Father,  so  bringing  them  into  repute 
and  honour  ;  through  Christ  God  will  treat 
and  parley  with  us,  he  speaks  to  us,  as  Isa. 
Ixii.  4.  Through  the  red  glass  every  thing 
appears  of  a  red  colour  ;  through  the  blood 
of  Christ  we  look  of  a  sanguine  complexion, 
ruddy  and  beautiful  in  God's  eyes.  (4.) 
Christ  is  all  in  regard  of  divine  assistance; 
a  Christian's  strength  lies  in  Christ :  Phil, 
iv.  13.  Whence  is  it  a  Christian  is  able  to 
do  duty,  to  resist  temptation,  but  through 
Christ's  strengthening?  Whence  is  it  that 
a  sparkle  of  grace  lives  in  a  sea  of  corrup- 
tion, the  storms  of  persecution  blowing, 
hut  that  Christ  holds  this  sparkle  in  the 
hollow  of  his  hand  ?  Whence  is  it  that  the 
roaring  lion  hath  not  devoured  the  saints, 
but  that  the  Lion  of  the  tribe  of  Judah  hath 


CHRIST  ALL  IN  ALL. 


649 


defended  tliem  ?   Clirist  not  only  gives  us 
our   crown   but   our   sliield ;    lie   not   only 
gives  us  our  garland  when  we  overcome, 
but  our  strength   whereby   we   overcome, 
Rev.  xii.  II.,   "  They  overcame  him — that 
is,    the   .iccuser  of  the    brethren — by   the 
blood  of  the  Lamb."     Christ  keeps  the  fort- 
royal  of  grace  that   it  be  not  blown  up ; 
Peter's  shield  was  bruised,  but  Christ  kept 
it  that  it  was  not  broken.     "  I  have  prayed 
for  thee  that  thy  faith  fail  not,"  Luke  xxii. 
32.,  tluit  it  be  not  in  a  total  eclipse.     The 
crown  of  all  the  saints'  victories  must  be 
set  upon  the  head  of  Christ,  Rom.  viii.  38. 
Write  the  name  of  Michael  upon  all  your 
conquests.     (5.)  Clirist  is  all  in  regard  of 
pacification  ;  when  conscience  is  in  an  ago- 
ny, and  burns  as  hell  in  the  sense  of  God's 
wrath  ;  now  Christ  is  all,  he  pours  the  balm 
of  his  blood  into  these  wounds, — he  maketh 
the  storm  a  calm.     Christ  doth   not  only 
make  peace  in  the  court  of  heaven,  but  in 
the  court  of  conscience  ;  he  not  only  makes 
peace  above  us,  but  within  us,  John  xvi. 
Saith  Cyprian,  all  our  golden  streams  of 
peace  flow  from  this  fountain.     John  xiv. 
27.,  "  Peace  I  leave  with  you,  my  pe.ice  I 
give  unto  you."     Jesus  Christ  not  only  pur- 
chased peace  for  us,  but  speaks  peace  to  us  ; 
he  is  called  the  "  Prince  of  peace,"  Isa.  ix.  6. 
Thus  Christ  is  all  in  regard  of  pacification, 
he  makes  peace  for  us,  and  in  us ;  this  ho- 
ney and  oil   flow  out   of  the   rock  Christ. 
(6.)  Christ  is  all  in  regard  of  remuneration  ; 
he  it  is  that  crowns  us  after  all  our  labours 
and  sufferings;  he  died  to  advance  us;  his 
lying  in  the  wine-press,  was  to  bring  us  into 
the  wine-cellar ;  he  is  gone  before,  to  take 
possession  of  heaven  in  the  name  of  all  be- 
lievers. '   Heb.  vi.  20.,   "  Whither  the  fore- 
runner   is    for   us    entered,    even    Jesus." 
Christ  is  gone  to  bespeak  a  place  for  the 
saints,    John    xiv.    2.     He    makes   heaven 
ready  for  them,  and  makes  them  ready  for 
heaven.     Thus   Christ  is  all  in  regard   of 
remuneration.     Rev.   xxii.    12.,    "   lichohl, 
I  come  quicklv,    and   my  reward    is   with 
me." 

Use  2d,   If  Christ  be  all,  it  shews  what  a 
vast  disproportion  there  is  between  C-hrist 
and  tlie  creature;   there  is  as  iiiueh  differ-  , 
ence  as  between  ens  and  nihil ;  Christ  is  all  I 
in  all,  and  the  creature  is  nothing  at  all.  ' 


Prov.  xxiii.  5.,  "  Wilt  thou  set  thine  eyes 
on  that  which  is  not?"  The  creature  is  a 
nonentity  ;  though  it  hath  a  physical  exist- 
ence, yet  considered  theologically,  it  is  no- 
thing ;  'tis  but  a  gilded  shadow,  a  pleasant 
fancy ;  when  Solomon  had  sifted  up  the 
finest  flour,  and  distilled  the  sjiirit  of  all 
created  excellency,  here  is  the  result,  "  all 
WAS  VANITY,"  Eccl.  ii.  II.  We  read  the 
eartli  in  the  creation  was  void.  Gen.  i.  2. : 
so  are  all  earthly  comforts  void, — they  are 
void  of  that  which  we  think  is  in  them, — 
they  are  void  of  satisfaction, — therefore 
they  are  compared  to  wind,  IIos.  xii.  1. 
A  man  can  no  more  fill  his  heart  with  the 
world,  than  he  can  fill  his  belly  with  the 
air  he  draws  in.  Now  the  creature  is  said 
to  be  nothing,  in  a  threefold  sense. 

1.  It  is  nothing  to  a  man  in  trouble  of 
spirit ;  if  the  spirit  be  wounded,  outward 
things  will  no  more  give  ease  than  a  crown 
of  gold  will  cure  the  headach. 

2.  The  creature  is  nothing  to  a  man  that 
hath  heaven  in  his  eye ;  when  St.  Paul  had 
seen  that  light  shining  from  heaven,  sur- 
passing the  glory  of  the  sun.  Acts  xxvi.  13., 
though  his  eyes  were  open,  "  he  saw  no 
man,"  Acts  ix.  8.  :  so  he  that  hath  the  glory 
of  heaven  in  his  eye,  is  blind  to  the  world, 
he  sees  nothing  in  it  to  allure  him,  or  make 
him  willing  to  stay  here. 

3.  The  creature  is  nothing  to  one  that 
is  dying.  A  man  at  the  hour  of  death  is 
most  serious,  and  is  able  to  give  the  truest 
verdict  of  things ;  now  at  such  a  time  the 
world  is  nothing,  'tis  in  an  eclipse;  the  sor- 
row of  it  is  real,  but  the  joy  imaginary.  O 
then  what  a  vast  difference  is  there  be- 
tween Clirist  and  the  creature  !  Christ  is 
"  all  in  all,"  and  the  creature  notliing  at 
all ;  yet  how  many  damn  their  souls  for  no- 
thing? 

4.  It  shews  whither  the  soul  is  to  go  in 
the  want  of  all.  (lo  to  Christ  who  is  all  in 
all.  Dost  thou  want  grace  ^  (lo  to  Christ. 
Col.  ii.  3.,  "  In  whom  are  hid  all  the  trea- 
sures of  wisdom  and  knowledge."  Cliiist 
is  the  great  Lord  treasurer;  go  then  to 
Christ.  Say,  "  Lord,  I  am  indigent  of 
grace,  but  in  thee  are  all  my  fresh  springs, 
fill  my  cistern  from  thy  Kpring.  Lord,  I 
am  blind,  thou  liiist  eye-salve  to  anoint  me  ; 
I  am  defiled  thou  hast  water  lo  cleance  me; 

4]S 


650 


SELECT  SERMONS. 


my  lieart  is  liard.  thou  liast  blood  to  soften 
me ;  I  am  empty  of  grace,  bring  thy  fulness 
to  iny  emptiness."  In  all  our  spiritual 
wants,  we  should  repair  to  Christ,  as  Ja- 
cob's sons  did  to  their  brother  Joseph  :  "  He 
opened  all  the  store-houses,"  Cen.  xli.  5G., 
and  "  gave  to  his  brethren  corn  and  provi- 
sion for  the  way,"  Gen.  xlii.  25.  Thus  the 
Lord  hath  made  Christ  our  Joseph,  Col.  ii. 
3.,  "  In  whom  are  hid  all  treasures."  O 
then,    sinners,    make  out  to  Christ ;  he  is 

*  all  in  all ;'  and  to  encourage  you  to  go  to 
liim,  remember  there  is  in  him  not  only  ful- 
ness, but  freeness.  "  O  every  one  that 
thirsteth,  come  ye  to  the  waters  !"  Christ 
is  not  only  full  as  the  honey-comb,  but  he 
drops  as  the  honey-comb. 

5.  If  Christ  be  all,  see  here  the  Chris- 
tian's inventory,  how  rich  is  he. that  hath 
Christ !  He  hath  all  that  may  make  him 
completely  happy.  Plutarch  reports  th.at 
the  wife  of  Phocion  being  asked  where  her 
jewels  were,  she  answered,  "  My  husband, 
and  his  triumphs  are  my  jewels  !"  so,  if  a 
Christian  be  asked,  where  are  his  riches, 
he  will  say,  "  Christ  is  my  riches."  A  true 
saint  cannot  be  poor  ;  if  you  look  into  his 
house,  perhaps  he  hath  scarce  a  bed  to  lie 
on,  1  Cor.  iv.  11.,  "Even  to  this  present 
hour,  we  both  hunger  and  thirst,  and  are 
naked,  and  have  no  certain  dwelling-place." 
Come  to  many  a  child  of  God,  and  bid  him 
make  liis  will,  he  saith  as  Peter,  Acts  iii.  6., 
"  Silver  and  gold  have  I  none :"  yet  he  can 
at  the  same  time  make  his  triumph  with 
the  apostle,  2  Cor.  vi.  10.,  "  As  having  no- 
thing, yet  possessing  all;"  he  hath  Christ 
V  ho  is  all.  When  a  believer  can  call  no- 
tliing  his,  he  can  say  all  is  his.  The  tabei'- 
nacle  was  covered  with  badgers'  skins, 
Exod.  XXV.  5.,  yet  most  of  it  was  of  gold  : 
so  a  saint  may  have  a  poor  covering,  rag- 
ged  clothes,    but  he   is  inlaid   with   gold, 

*  Christ  is  formcil  in  liis  heart,'  and  so  he 
is  all  glorious  within. 

6.  How  could  a  Christian  sit  down  satis- 
fied with  Christ !  '  Christ  is  all.'  What 
though  he  wants  other  things,  is  not  Christ 
enough  ?  If  a  man  hath  sunshine,  he  doth 
not  complain  he  wants  the  light  of  a  can- 
dle; hath  he  not  enough  who  hath  '  the  un- 
searchable riches  of  Christ  ?'  I  have  read 
of  a  godly  man,  who  being  blind,  his  friend 


asked  him  if  lie  was  not  troubled  for  the 
wajit  of  his  sight ;  he  confessed  he  was  ; 
"  Why,"  saith  his  friend,  "  are  you  troubled 
because  vou  want  that  which  flies  have, 
when  you  have  that  which  angels  have  ?" 
So  I  say  to  a  Christian,  Why  art  thou  trou- 
bled for  wanting  that  which  a  reprobate 
has,  when  thou  hast  that  which  the  glori- 
fied saints  have?  Tliou  hast  Christ  with 
all  his  perquisites  and  royalties  !  Suppose 
a  father  should  deny  his  son  furniture  for 
his  house,  but  should  settle  all  his  land  upon 
him,  had  he  any  cause  to  complain  ?  If  God 
denies  thee  a  little  furniture  in  the  Avorld, 
but  in  the  mean  time  settles  his  land  upon 
thee,  he  gives  thee  the  field  wherein  the 
pearl  of  price  is  hid,  hast  thou  any  cause  to 
I'epine  ?  a  Christian  that  wants  necessaries, 
yet  having  Christ,  he  hath  the  one  thing 
needful.  Col.  ii.  10.,  "  Ye  are  complete  in 
him."  What  !  complete  in  Christ,  and  not 
content  with  Christ  ?  Luther  saith,  the  ^ea 
of  God's  mercy  should  swallow  up  our  par- 
ticular afflictions  ;  surely  this  sea  of  God's 
love  in  giving  us  Christ,  should  drown  all 
our  complaints  and  grievances;  let  the 
Christian  take  the  harp  and  the  viol,  and 
bless  God. 

7.  If  Christ  be  all,  see  the  deplorable 
condition  of  a  Christless  person  ;  he  is  poor, 
he  is  worth  nothing.  Rev.  iii,  17.,  "  Thou 
art  wretched,  miserable  an<l  ])oor,"  &c. 
The  sadness  of  a  man  that  wants  Christ, 
will  appear  in  these  seven  particulars. 

(1.)  He  hath  no  justificuition.  AVhat  a 
glorious  thing  is  it  when  a  poor  sinner  is 
absolved  from  guilt,  and  is  declared  to  be 
rectus  in  curia  !  hut  this  privilege  flows  from 
Christ ;  all  pardons  are  sealed  in  his  blood, 
Acts  xiii.  31).,  "  By  him  all  that  believe  are 
justified  ;"  so  that  he  who  is  out  of  Christ 
is  unjustified ;  the  guilt  of  sin  cleaves  to 
him;  he  must  be  responsible  to  justice  in 
his  own  person,  and  the  curse  stands  in  full 
force  against  the  sinner. 

(2.)  He  that  wants  Christ,  wants  the 
beauty  of  holiness;  Jesus  Christ  is  a  living 
spring  of  grace,  John  i.  Ik,  "Full  of  grace 
and  truth."  Now  a  Christless  person,  is  a 
graceless  person,  he  hath  not  one  shred  of 
holiness.  The  scions  must  first  be  ingraft- 
ed into  the  stock,  before  it  can  receive  sap 
and  influence  from  the  root;  we  must  first 


CHRIST  ALL  IN  ALli. 


651 


be  inprafted  into  Christ,  before  we  can  "  of 
his  fulness  receive  grace  for  grace,"  JoJin 
i.  16.  A  man  out  of  Christ  is  red  witli 
guilt,  and  black  with  fdth  ;  lie  is  an  unhal- 
lowed person,  and  dying  in  that  condition, 
is  rendered  incapable  of  seeing  God,  Ileb. 
xii.  14. 

(3.)  He  that  wants  Clirist,  hatli  no  true 
nobility;  it  is  through  Christ  that  we  are 
a-kin  to  God, — of  the  blood-royal  of  hca- 
ven  ;  it  is  through  Christ  that  "  God  is  not 
asliamed  to  be  called  our  God,"  Ileb.  xi.  16. 
But  out  of  Christ  we  are  looked  upon  as 
ignoble  persons;  the  traitcu's'  blood  runs  in 
our  veins  ;  a  man  out  of  Christ  is  base  born  ; 
whoever  is  his  natural  father,  the  devil  is 
his  spiritual  father,  John  iv.  48. 

(4.)  lie  that  wants  Christ,  wants  his 
freedom;  John  viii.  36.,  "  If  the  Son  make 
you  free,  you  shall  be  free  indeed."  A  man 
out  of  Christ,  is  a  slave,  when  he  sins  most 
freely. 

(5.)  He  that  wants  Christ,  hath  no  abi- 
lity for  service  ;  lie  is  as  Samson,  when  his 
locks  Avere  cut, — his  strength  is  gone  from 
hinv — he  wants  a  vital  principle, — lie  can- 
not walk  with  God, — he  is  like  a  dead  mem- 
ber in  the  body,  that  hath  neither  strength 
nor  motion,  John  xv.  5.,  "  Without  me  ye 
can  do  nothing."  The  organs  will  make  no 
sound,  unless  you  blow  in  them  :  so  unless 
Christ  by  his  Spirit  breathe  in  the  soul,  it 
cannot  make  any  harmony,  or  put  forth 
strength  to  any  holy  action. 

(6.)  He  that  wants  Christ,  hatl>  no  con- 
solation ;  Christ  is  called  "  the  consolation 
of  Israel,"  Luke  ii.  25.  A  Christlcss  soul 
is  a  comfortless  soul ;  how  can  such  an  one 
have  comfort  when  lie  comes  to  die?  He  is 
in  debt,  and  hath  no  surety  ;  his  wounds 
bleed,  and  he  hath  no  physician  ;  lie  sees 
the  fire  of  God's  wrath  approaching,  and 
liath  no  screen  to  keep  it  off;  lie  is  like  a 
ship  in  a  tempest ;  sickness  begins  to  make 
a  tempest  in  his  body,  and  sin  to  make  a 
tempest  in  his  conscience,  and  he  hath  no 
where  to  put  in  for  harbour ;  oh  the  terror 
and  anguish  of  such  a  man  at  the  hour  of 
death  !  Isa.  xiii.  8.,  "  Their  face  shall  be  as 
flames;" — an  elegant  exjiression.  The  mean- 
ing is,  such  fear  and  horror  shall  seize  upon 
sinners  in  the  evil  dav,  that  their  counte- 
nances  shall  change  and  be  as  pale  as  a 


flame.  What  are  all  the  comforts  of  the 
world  to  a  dying  sinner  ?  He  looks  upon 
his  friends,  but  they  cannot  comfort  him ; 
bring  his  bags  of  gold  and  silver,  they  are 
as  smoke  to  sore  eyes,  it  grieves  him  to  part 
with  them  ;  bring  him  music,  what  comfort 
is  the  harp  and  viol  to  a  condemned  man  ? 
There  is  in  Spain  tarantulas,  venomous 
spiders,  and  those  who  are  stung  with  them, 
are  almost  dead,  but  are  cured  with  music  ; 
but  those  that  die  without  Christ,  who  is 
the  consolation  of  Israel,  are  in  such  liell- 
ish  pangs  and  agonies,  that  no  music  is 
able  to  cure  them. 

(7.)  He  that  wants  Christ,  hatli  no  sal- 
vation. Eph.  V.  23.,  "  He  is  the  Saviour 
of  the  body  ;"  he  saves  none  but  those  who 
are  members  of  liis  body  mystical ;  a  strong 
scripture  against  the  doctrine  of  universal 
redemption ;  Christ  leaped  into  the  sea  of 
his  father's  wrath,  only  to  save  his  spouse 
from  drowning  ;  "  he  is  the  Saviour  of  the 
body  ;"  so  that  those  who  die  out  of  Christ, 
are  cut  off  from  all  hopes  of  salvation. 

Use  3r/,  It  reproves  them  who  busy 
themselves  about  other  things  with  a  ne- 
glect of  Christ :  Isa.  Iv.  2.,  "  Wherefore  do 
you  spend  money  for  that  which  is  not 
bread,  and  your  labour  for  that  which  sa- 
tisfieth  not  ?"  If  you  get  all  the  world, 
you  are  but  golden  beggars  without  Christ. 
The  physician  finds  out  noxious  diseases, 
but  is  ignorant  of  soul-diseases;  and  while 
he  gets  receipts  to  cure  others,  he  neglects 
the  receipt  of  Christ's  blood  to  cure  himself. 
The  lawyer  while  he  clears  other  men's 
titles  to  their  land,  he  himself  wants  a  title 
to  Christ.  The  tradesman  is  busied  in  buy- 
ing and  selling,  but  neglects  to  trade  for  the 
pearl  of  price ;  like  Israel,  who  went  uj)  and 
down  to  gather  straw,  or  like  the  loadstone, 
that  draws  iron  to  it,  but  refuseth  gold. 
Those  who  mind  the  world,  so  as  to  ne- 
glect Christ,  their  work  is  but  spider-work. 
Hah,  ii.  13.,  "  Is  it  not  of  the  Lord  of  hosts 
that  the  jieople  shall  labour  in  the  fire,  and 
weary  themselves  for  very  vanity  ?" 

1.  If  Christ  be  all,  then  set  a  high  valu- 
ation upon  Jesus  Christ,  1  Peter  ii.  7.,  "To 
you  whicli  believe,  he  is  preci(uis,"  If  there 
were  a  jewel  which  contained  in  it  the 
worth  of  all  jewels,  would  you  not  prize 
that.'*  Such  a  jewel  is  Christ;  so  precious 


652 


SELECT  SERMONS. 


is    lie,    tliat   St.   raul    counted    all    tilings 
"  dunfr,"    tliat    lie    "  might   win    Clirist," 
Piiil.  iii.  8.     O  tlijit  I  could  raise  the  ap- 
preciation of  Jesus  Christ !    Prize  Christ  a- 
bove  your  estates,   above    your  relations ; 
that  man  doth  not  deserve  Christ  at   all, 
who  doth  not  prize  Christ  above  all.     Jesus 
Christ    is    an    incomprehensible    blessing ; 
whatever  God  can  require  for  satisfaction, 
or  can  desire  for  salvation,   is  to  be  found 
in  Christ;  O  then  let  him  be  the  highest  in 
our  esteem  !   No  writing  shall  please  me, 
saith    St.   Bernard,   if   I   do   not  read   the 
name  of  Christ  there.     The  name  of  Christ 
is  the  only  music  to  a  Christian's  ear,  and 
the  blood  of  Christ  is  the  only  cordial  to  a 
Christian's  heart. 

2.  If  Jesus  Christ  be  all,  then  make  sure 
of  Christ ;  never  leave  trading  in  ordinan- 
ces, till  you  have  gotten  this  pearl  of  price. 
In  Christ  there  is  the  accumulation  of  all 
good  things ;  O  then  let  not  your  souls  be 
quiet,  till  this  bundle  of  myrrh  lie  between 
your  breasts  !  Cant.  i.  13.  In  other  things 
we  strive  for  property, —  this  house  is  mine, 
these  jewels  are  mine, — and  why  is  not 
this  Christ  mine?  There  are  only  two 
words  which  will  satisfy  the  soul.  Deity 
and  property  :  q}iid  est  Deus,  non  est  mens  ? 
saith  Austin.  What  was  it  better  for  the 
old  world  they  had  an  ark,  as  long  as  they 
did  not  get  into  the  ark  ?  And  that  I  may 
persuade  all  to  get  Christ,  let  me  shew  you 
what  an  enriching  blessing  Christ  is. 

(1.)  Christ  is  a  supreme  good  ;  put  what 
you  will  in  the  balance  with  Christ,  he  doth 
infinitely  outweigh.  Is  life  sweet  ?  Christ 
is  better.  He  is  the  life  of  the  soul.  Col. 
iii.  4.,  "  his  loving-kindness,  is  better  than 
life,"  Ps.  Ixiii.  3.  Are  relations  sweet? 
Christ  is  better.  He  is  the  friend  that 
"  sticks  closer  than  a  brother." 

(2.)  Christ  is  a  suilicient  good;  he  who 
hath  Christ,  needs  no  more ;  he  who  hath 
the  ocean,  needs  not  the  cistern.  If  one 
had  a  manuscript  that  contained  all  man- 
ner of  learning  in  it,  having  all  the  arts 
and  sciences,  he  need  look  in  no  other 
book,  so  he  that  hath  Christ,  needs  look  no 
further.  Christ  gives  grace  and  glory,  Ps. 
Ixxxiv.  11.  The  one  to  cleanse  us,  the 
other  to  crown  us  ;  as  Jacob  said,  "  It  is 
enough,  Joseph  my  son  is  yet  alive,"  Gen. 


xlv.  28.  So  he  that  hath  Christ,  may  say, 
it.  is  enough,  Jesus  is  yet  alive. 

(3.)  Christ  is  a  suitable  good;  in  him 
dwells  all  fulness.  Col.  i.  19.  He  is  what- 
ever the  soul  can  desire,  &c.  Christ  is 
i  beauty  to  adorn,  gold  to  enrich,  balm  to 
heal,  bread  to  strengthen,  wine  to  comfort, 
salvation  to  crown  ;  if  we  are  in  danger, 
Christ  is  a  shield  ;  if  we  are  disconsolate, 
he  is  a  sun  ;  he  hath  enough  in  his  ward- 
robe abundantly  to  furnish  the  soul. 

(4.)  Christ  is  a  sanctifying  good,  he 
makes  every  condition  happy  to  us,  he 
sweetens  all  our  comforts,  and  sanctifies  all 
our  crosses. 

1.  Christ  sweetens  all  our  comforts;  he 
turns  them  into  blessings ;  health  is  bless- 
ed ;  estate  is  blessed,  relations  are  blessed. 
Christ's  love  is  as  the  pouring  sweet  water 
on  flowers,  which  makes  them  cast  a  more 
fragrant  perfume.  A  wicked  man  cannot 
have  that  comfort  in  outward  things  which 
a  godly  man  hath ;  he  may  possess  more, 
but  he  enjoys  less  ;  he  who  hath  Christ  may 
say,  this  mercy  is  reached  to  me  by  the 
hand  of  my  Saviour,  this  is  a  love-token 
from  him,  an  earnest  of  glory. 

2.  Christ  sanctifies  all  our  crosses,  they 
shall  be  medicinal  to  the  soul ;  they  shall 
work  sin  out,  and  work  grace  in.  God's 
stretching  the  strings  of  his  viol,  is  to  tune 
it,  and  make  the  music  better  :  Christ  sees 
to  it  that  his  people  lose  nothing  in  the  fur- 
nace but  their  drossy  impurities. 

(5.)  Christ  is  a  rare  blessing,  there  are 
but  iew  that  have  him  ;  the  best  things 
when  they  grow  common,  begin  to  be 
slighted ;  when  silver  was  in  "  Jerusalem 
as  stones,"  1  Kings  x.  27.,  it  was  apt  to  be 
trod  upon  ;  Christ  is  a  jewel  that  iew  are 
enriched  with,  which  may  both  raise  our 
esteem  of  him,  and  quicken  our  pursuit 
after  him ;  those  to  whom  God  hath  given 
both  the  Indies,  he  hath  not  given  them 
Christ ;  they  have  the  fat  of  the  earth,  but 
not  the  dew  of  heaven  ;  and  among  us  Pro- 
testants, many  who  hear  of  Christ,  but  few 
that  have  him.  Read  Luke  iv.  25.  There 
are  manv  in  this  citv  who  have  Christ 
sounded  in  their  ears,  but  few  who  have 
Christ  ft)rmed  in  their  hearts.  O  how 
should  we  labour  to  be  of  this  few  !  They 
who  are  Christians,  should  be  restless. 


CHRIST  ALL  IN  ALL. 


653 


(6.)  Christ  is  a  select  choice  good.  God 
shews  more  love  in  giving  us  Christ,  than 
in  giving  us  crowns  and  kingdoms,  (iod 
may  give  us  other  things,  and  li;ite  us ;  but 
in  giving  Christ  to  a  man,  he  gives  him  the 
blessings  of  the  throne.  What  though 
others  have  a  crutch  to  lean  on,  if  thou  hast 
a  Christ  to  lean  on  ?  Abraham  sent  away 
the  sons  of  the  concubines  with  gifts,  but 
*  he  gave  all  he  had  to  Isaac,'  Gen.  xxv. 
God  may  send  away  others  with  a  little 
gold  and  silver  ;  but  if  he  gives  thee  Christ, 
he  gives  thee  all  that  ever  he  hath ;  for 
*'  Christ  is  all,  and  in  all." 

(7.)  Christ  is  such  a  good,  as  without 
which  nothing  is  good ;  without  Christ 
health  is  not  good,  it  is  fuel  for  lust ; 
riches  are  not  good,  they  are  golden  snares  ; 
ordinances  are  not  good,  though  they  are 
good  in  themselves,  yet  not  good  to  us, — 
they  profit  not, — they  are  as  breasts  with- 
out milk,  as  bottles  without  wine, — nay, 
they  are  not  only  a  dead  letter,  but  a  sa- 
vour of  death;  without  Christ,  they  will 
damn  us ;  for  want  of  Christ,  millions  go 
loaded  to  hell  with  ordinances. 

(8.)  Clirist  is  an  enduring  good  ;  other 
things  are  like  the  lamp,  which  while  it 
shines  it  spends,  the  heavens  "  shall  wax 
old  like  a  garment,"  Ps.  cii.  26.  But  Je- 
sus Christ  is  a  permanent  good,  with  him 
are  durable  riches,  Prov.  viii.  18.  They 
last  as  long  as  eternity  itself  lasts. 

(9.)  Christ  is  a  diffusive  communicative 
good ;  he  is  full,  not  only  as  a  vessel,  but 
as  a  spring,  he  is  willing  to  give  himself  to 
us.  Now  then  if  thei*e  be  all  this  excel- 
lency in  Jesus  Christ,  it  may  make  us  am- 
bitiously desirous  of  an  interest  in  him. 

Quest.  But  how  shall  I  get  a  part  in 
Christ  ? 

Ans.  1.  See  your  need  of  Christ,  know 
that  you  are  undone  without  him.  How 
obnoxious  are  you  to  God's  eye  !  how  odi- 
ous to  his  nature  !  how  obnoxious  to  his 
justice  !  O  sinner,  how  near  is  the  sergeant 
to  arrest  thee  !  The  furnace  of  hell  is  heat- 
ing for  thee,  and  what  wilt  thou  do  without 
Christ?  It  is  only  the  Lord  Jesus  can 
stand  as  a  screen  to  keep  off  the  fire  of 
God's  wrath  from  burning  thee.  Tell  me 
then,  is  there  not  need  of  Christ  ? 

A.  2.  Be  importunate  after  Christ,  "  Lord, 


give  me  Christ,  or  I  die  !"  As  Achsah 
said  to  her  father  Caleb,  Josh.  xv.  19., 
"  Tiiou  hast  given  me  a  south  hind,  give 
me  also  sj)rings  of  water  :"  so  should  a  poor 
soul  say,  "  Lord,  thou  hast  given  me  an  e- 
state  in  the  world,  but  this  south  land  will 
not  quench  my  thirst,  give  me  also  springs 
of  water;  give  me  those  living  sj)riiig8 
which  run  iti  my  Saviour's  blood  ;  thou 
hast  said,  '  Let  him  that  is  athirst  come, 
and  whosoever  will  let  him  take  the  water 
of  life  freely,'  Rev.  xxii.  17,  18.  Lord, 
I  thirst  after  Jesus  Christ,  nothing  but 
Christ  will  satisfy  me ;  I  am  dead,  I  am 
damned  without  him,  O  give  me  this  wa- 
ter of  life  !" 

A.  3.  Be  content  to  have  Christ,  as  Christ 
is  offered,  a  Prince  and  a  Saviour,  Acts  v. 
31.  Be  sure  you  do  not  compound  or  in- 
dent with  Christ.  Some  would  have  Christ 
and  their  sins  too.  Is  Christ  all,  and  will 
you  not  part  with  something  for  this  all  ? 
Christ  would  have  you  part  with  nothing 
but  what  will  damn  you,  if  you  keep,  name- 
ly, your  sins.  There  are  some  bid  fair  for 
Christ,  they  will  part  with  some  sins,  but 
keep  a  reserve.  Doth  that  man  think  he 
shall  have  Christ's  love  that  feeds  sin  in  a 
corner  ?  O  part  with  all  for  him  who  is  all  ! 
Part  with  thy  lusts,  nay  thy  life  if  Cliris^^ 
calls.  It  exhorts  us  not  only  to  get  Christ, 
but  to  labour  to  know  that  we  have  Christ, 
John  ii.  3.,  "  Hereby  ye  do  know  that  we 
know  him."  This  reflex  act  of  faith  is  more 
than  the  direct  act.  Some  divines  call  it 
the  perception,  or  sensible  feeling  of  faith. 
Now  concerning  this  knowledge  that  Christ 
is  ours — which  is  the  same  with  assurance 
— I  shall  lay  down  these  four  coroHaries 
or  conclusions : 

First,  That  this  knowledge  is  feasible, — 
it  maybe  had,  1  John  v.  13.,  "These  things 
have  I  written  to  you  that  believe,  that  ye 
may  know  ye  have  eternal  life,  and  that  ve 
may  believe  on  the  name  of  the  Son  of 
God." 

1.  Why  else  doth  God  hid  us  make  our 
"  calling  and  election  sure,"  2  Pet.  i.  10.,  it 
assurance  may  not  be  had  ?  and  to  "  prove 
ourselves,  whether  we  are  in  the  faith," 
2  Cor.  xiii.  5.,  if  we  cannot  come  to  this 
knowledge  that  Christ  is  ours  ? 

2.  What  are  all  the  signs  which  the  scrip- 


654 


SELECT  SERMONS. 


ture  gives  of  a  man  in  Christ  but  so  many 
ciphers,  if  the  knowledge  of  this  interest 
mav  not  be  had  ?  I  John  iii.  14.  and  John 
iv.'lS. 

3.  There  are  some  duties  enjoined  in 
scripture  which  to  perform  is  utterly  im- 
possible, if  the  knowledge  of  an  interest 
in  Christ  be  not  attainable  ;  we  are  bid  '  to 
rejoice  in  God,'  Phil,  iv,  4.  And  '  to  re- 
joice in  tribulation,'  1  Pet.  iv.  13.  How 
can  he  rejoice  in  suffering,  who  doth  not 
know  whether  Christ  be  his  or  not  ? 

4.  Why  hath  Christ  promised  to  send  the 
Comforter,  John  xiv.  16.,  whose  very  work 
it  is  to  bring  the  heart  to  this  assurance,,  if 
assurance  that  Christ  is  ours  may  not  be  had? 

5.  Some  of  the  saints  have  arrived  at 
this  certainty  of  knowledge  ;  therefore  it 
may  be  had.  Job  knew  that  his  Redeemer 
lived.  Job  xix.  25.  And  St.  Paul  had  this 
assurance,  2  Tim.  i.  12.,  Gal.  ii.  20.  Yea, 
may  some  say,  Paul  was  an  eminent  be- 
liever, a  Christian  of  the  first  magnitude, 
no  wonder  if  he  had  this  jewel  of  assurance  ! 
nay,  but  the  apostle  speaks  of  it  as  a  case 
incident  to  other  believers,  Rom.  viii.  35., 
"  Who  shall  separate  us  from  the  love  of 
Christ  ?"  He  doth  not  say,  "  Who  shall  se- 
parate me  ?"  but  us  !  so  that  by  all  it  ap- 
pears that  a  believer  may  come  to  spell  out 
his  interest. 

Caution  1.  Not  that  the  saints  have  al- 
ways the  same  certainty,  or  that  they  have 
such  an  assurance  as  excludes  all  doubtings 
and  conflicts;  there  will  be  flowings  and 
ebbings  in  their  comforts,  as  well  as  in  their 
graces.  Was  it  not  so  in  David  ?  Some- 
times we  hear  him  say,  God's  loving-kind- 
ness was  before  his  eyes,  Ps.  xxvi.  3.  As 
it  is  a  proverbial  speech,  "  I  have  such  a 
thing  in  my  eye,  I  see  it  just  before  me." 
But  at  another  time,  "  Where  are  thy  for- 
mer loving-kindnesses?"  Ps.  Ixxxix.  49. 
These  doubtings  and  convulsions  God  suf- 
fers in  his  children  sometimes,  that  they 
may  long  the  more  for  heaven,  where  they 
shall  have  a  constant  spring-tide  of  joy. 

Caution  2.  Not  that  all  believers  have  the 
same  assurance.  1.  Assurance  is  rather 
the  fruit  of  faith,  than  faith  :  now  as  the 
root  of  the  rose  or  tulip  may  be  alive,  where 
the  flower  is  not  visible,  so  faith  may  live 
in  the  heart,  where  the  flower  of  assurance 


doth  not  appear.  2.  Assurance  is  difficult 
to  be  obtained ;  it  is  a  rare  jewel,  but  hard 
to  come  bv  ;  not  many  Christians  have  this 
jewel.  Go^  sees  it  good  sometimes  to  with- 
draw assurance  from  his  people,  that  they 
may  walk  humbly.  Satan  doth  what  he 
can  to  way-lay  and  obstruct  our  assurance ; 
he  is  called  '  the  red  dragon,'  Rev.  xii.  3. 
If  he  cannot  blot  a  Christian's  evidence, 
yet  sometimes  he  casts  such  a  mist  before 
his  eyes,  that  he  cannot  read  his  evidence , 
the  devil  envies  that  God  should  have  uny 
glory,  or  the  soul  any  comfort.  That  we 
want  assurance,  the  fault  for  the  most  is 
our  own ;  we  walk  carelessly,  neglect  our 
spiritual  watch,  let  go  our  hold  of  promises, 
comply  with  temptations  ;  no  wonder  then 
if  we  walk  in  darkness,  and  are  at  such  a 
loss,  that  we  cannot  tell  whether  Christ  be 
ours  or  not.  Assurance  is  very  sweet ; 
this  wine  of  paradise  cheers  the  heart. 

Assurance  is  very  useful,  it  will  put  us 
upon  service  for  Christ.  (1.)  It  will  put 
us  upon  active  obedience.  Assurance  will 
not — as  the  Papists  say — breed  security  in 
the  soul,  but  agility  ;  it  will  make  us  mount 
up  with  wings,  as  eagles,  in  holy  duties  ; 
faith  makes  us  living,  assurance  makes  us 
lively ;  if  we  know  that  Christ  is  ours,  we 
shall  never  think  we  can  love  him  enough, 
or  serve  him  enough,  2  Cor.  v.  14.,  "  The 
love  of  Christ  constrains  us."  (2.)  Assu- 
rance will  put  us  upon  passive  obedience, 
Rom.  V.  3,  5.,  "  We  glory  in  tribulation, 
because  the  love  of  God  is  shed  abroad  in 
our  hearts."  Mr.  Fox  speaks  of  a  woman 
in  Queen  Mary's  days,  who  when  the  ad- 
versaries threatened  to  take  her  husband 
from  her,  she  answered,  "  Christ  is  my 
husband ;"  when  they  threatened  to  take 
away  her  children,  she  answered,  "  Christ 
is  better  to  me  than  ten  sons  ;"  when  they 
threatened  to  take  away  all  from  her,  saith 
she,  "  Christ  is  mine,  and  you  cannot  take 
away  him  from  me."  No  wonder  St.  Paul 
was  willing  to  be  bound  and  die  for  Christ, 
Acts  xxi.  13. ;  when  he  knew  that  Christ 
loved  him,  and  had  given  himself  for  him, 
Gal.  iii.  20.  Though  I  will  not  say,  Paul 
was  proud  of  his  chain,  yet  he  was  glad  of 
it,  he  wore  it  as  a  chain  of  pearl. 

Quest.  But  how  shall  I  get  this  jewel  of 
assurance  ? 


CHRIST  ALL  IN  ALL. 


655 


Ans.  1.  Make  duty  familiar  to  you.  When 
the  spouse  sought  Christ  diligently,  she 
found  him  joyfully,  Cant.  iii.  4. 

A.  2.  Preserve  the  virginity  of  conscience. 
When  the  ghiss  is  full  you  will  not  pour 
wine  into  it,  but  when  it  is  empty  :  so  when 
the  soul  is  cleansed  from  the  love  of  every 
sin,  now  God  will  pour  in  the  sweet  wine 
of  assurance,  Hob.  x.  22.,  "  Let  us  draw 
near  in  full  assurance  of  faith,  having  our 
hearts  sprinkled  from  an  evil  conscience." 

A.  3.  Be  much  in  the  actings  of  faith ; 
the  more  active  the  child  is  in  obedience, 
the  sooner  he  hath  his  father's  smile;  if 
faith  be  ready  to  die.  Rev.  iii.  2.  If  it  be 
like  armour  hung  up,  or  like  a  sleepy  habit 
in  the  soul,  never  look  for  assurance. 

A.  4.  If  Chi'ist  be  all,  then  make  him  so 
to  you.  (].)  Make  Christ  all  in  your  un- 
derstanding, be  ambitious  to  know  nothing 
but  Christ,  1  Cor.  ii.  2.  What  is  it  to  have 
knowledge  in  physic  ?  To  be  able  with  Es- 
culapius  and  Galen  to  discourse  of  the  caus- 
es and  symptoms  of  a  disease,  and  what  is 
proper  to  a])ply,  and  in  the  mean  time  to  be 
ignorant  of  the  healing  under  Christ's 
wings  ?  \Miat  is  it  to  have  knowledge  in 
astronomy,  to  discourse  of  the  stars  and 
planets,  and  to  be  ignorant  of  Christ,  that 
bright  morning-star  which  leads  to  heaven  ? 
What  is  it  to  have  skill  in  a  shon,  and 


Ig- 


norant of  that  commodity  which  doth  both 
enrich  and  crown  ?  What  is  it  to  be  versed 
in  music,  and  to  be  ignorant  of  Christ, 
whose  blood  makes  atonement  in  heaven, 
and  music  in  the  conscience  ?  What  is  it  to 
know  all  the  stratagems  of  war,  and  to  be 
ignorant  of  '  the  Prince  of  peace  ?'  .0  make 
Christ  all;  be  willing  to  know  nothing  but 
Christ;  though  you  may  know  other  things 
in  their  due  place,  yet  know  Christ  in  the 
first  place ;  let  the  knowledge  of  Jesus 
Christ  have  the  pre-eminence  ;  as  the  sun 
among  the  lesser  ])lancts.  This  is  the 
crowning  knowledge,  Prov.  xiv.  18.,  "  The 
prudent  are  crowned  with  knowledge."  We 
cannot  know  ourselves  unless  we  know 
Christ,  he  it  is  who  lights  us  into  our  hearts 
and  shews  us  the  spots  of  our  souls,  where- 
by we  abhor  ourselves  in  dust  and  ashes. 
Christ  shews  us  our  own  vacuity  and  indi- 
gency ;  and  until  we  see  our  own  emptiness, 
we  are  not  fit  to  be  filled  with  the  golden 


oil  of  mercy.  We  cannot  know  God,  but 
through  Christ,  2  Cor.  iv.  6.  (2.)  Make 
Christ  all  in  your  affections.  Desire  nothing 
but  Christ;  he  is  the  accumulation  of  all 
good  things.  "  Ye  are  complete  in  him," 
Col.  ii.  10.  Christ  is  the  Christian's  ])erfec- 
tion  ;  what  should  the  soul  desire  less? 
What  can  it  desire  more  ?  Love  nothinir  bu* 
Christ ;  love  is  the  choicest  affection, — it  is 
the  richest  jewel  the  creature  hath  to  be- 
stow,— O  if  Christ  be  all,  love  him  better 
than  all  !  Consider  \st,  If  you  love  other 
things,  when  they  die,  your  love  is  lost ; 
but  Christ  lives  for  ever  to  requite  your 
love.  2d,  You  may  love  other  things  in  the 
excess,  but  you  cannot  love  Christ  in  the 
excess.  Zd,  When  you  love  other  things, 
you  love  that  which  is  worse  than  your- 
selves ;  if  you  love  a  fair  house,  a  pleasant 
garden,  a  curious  picture,  these  things  are 
worse  than  yourselves  ;  if  I  would  love  any 
thing  more  intensely  and  ardently,  it  should 
be  something  which  is  better  than  myself, 
and  that  is  Jesus  Christ.  He  who  is  all, 
let  him  have  all :  give  him  your  love  who 
desires  it  most,  and  deserves  it  best. 

(3.)  Make  Christ  all  in  your  abilities,  do 
all  in  his  strength,  Eph.  vi.  10.,  "  Be  strong 
in  the  Lord,  and  in  the  power  of  his  might." 
When  you  are  to  resist  a  tontation,  to  mor- 
tify a  corruption,  do  not  go  out  in  your  own 
strength,    but   in   the   strength   of  Christ: 
"  Be  strong  in  the  Lord."     Some  go  out 
to  duty  in  the  strength  of  parts,  and  go  out 
against  sin  in  the   strength  of  resolution, 
and  they  came  home  foiled.     Alas  !  \\\v.\i 
are  our  resolutions,  but  like  the  green  witlis 
which  did  hind  Samson  !  A  sinful  heart  u  ill 
soon  break  these  ;  do  as  David  when  he  was 
to  go  up  against  Goliah  ;  saith  he,  "  I  come 
to  thee  in  the  name  of  the  Lord."     So  say 
to  thy  Goliah  lust,   I  come  to  tliee  in    the 
name  of  Christ.     Then  we  conquer,  when 
the  Lion  of  the  tribe  of  Judah  marches  be- 
fore us. 

(4.)  Make  Christ  all  in  your  aims  ;  do  all 
to  his  glory,  1  Pet.  iv.  II. 

(5.)  Make  Christ  all  in  your  affiance; 
trust  to  none  but  Christ  for  salvation  ;  the 
Paj)ists  make  Christ  something  but  not  all. 
And  is  there  not  naturally  a  f;j)ice  of  po- 
pery in  our  hearts?  We  would  be  grafting 
happiness  upon  the  stock  of  our  own  righ- 


656 


SELECT  SERMONS. 


teousness.  "  Every  man,"  saith  Luther, 
"  is  born  with  a  pope  in  his  Ijeart."  O 
make  Christ  all  in  regard  of  recumbency ; 
let  him  be  your  city  of  refuge  to  flee  to, 
and  your  ark. 

(6.)  Make  Christ  all  in  your  joy.  Gal. 
vi.  14.,  "  God  forbid  that  I  should  glory, 
save  in  the  cross  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ," 
Luke  i.  47.  O  Christian,  hast  thou  seen 
the  Lord  Jesus  ?  hath  this  morning-star 
shined  into  thy  lieart  with  its  enlightening, 
quickening  beams?  Then  rejoice  and  be 
exceeding  glad.  Shall  others  rejoice  in  the 
world ;  and  will  not  you  rejoice  in  Christ  ? 
How  much  better  is  he  than  all  other 
things?  It  reflects  disparagement  upon 
Christ  when  his  saints  are  sad  and  droop- 
ing. Is  not  Christ  yours,  what  would  you 
have  more? 

Ob  J.  \st,  But,  saith  one,  "  I  am  low  in 
the  world,  and  that  takes  off  the  chariot- 
wheels  of  my  joy,  and  makes  me  drive  hea- 
vily." 

Ans.  But  hast  thou  not  Christ  ?  And  is 
Christ  all  ?  Ps.  xvi.  5,  6. 

Qbj.  2d,  If  indeed  I  knew  Christ  were 
mine,  tlien  I  could  rejoice ;  but  how  shall  I 
know  that? 

Jns.  1.  Is  thy  soul  filled  with  pantings 
after  Christ  ?  Dost  thou  desire  as  well  wa- 
ter out  of  Christ's  side  to  cleanse  thee,  as 
blood  out  of  his  side  to  save  thee  ?  These 
sighs  and  groans  are  stirred  up  by  the  Spirit 
of  God ;  by  the  beating  of  this  pulse,  judge 
of  the  life  of  faith  in  thee. 


A.  2.  Hast  thou  given  up  thyself  by  an 
universal  subjection  to  Christ  ?  this  is  a 
good  sign  that  Christ  is  thine. 

A.  3.  Be  thankful  for  Christ;  God  hath 
done  more  for  you  in  giving  you  Christ, 
than  if  he  had  set  you  with  the  princes  of 
the  earth,  Ps.  cxiii.  8.,  or  had  made  you 
angels  ;  or  had  given  you  the  whole  world. 
In  short,  God  cannot  give  a  greater  gift 
than  Christ ;  for  in  giving  Christ  he  gives 
himself  to  us;  and  all  this  calls  aloud  for 
thankfulness. 

Use  ult.  Here  is  a  breast  of  comfort  to 
every  man  that  hath  Christ,  "  Christ  is  all ;" 
it  is  good  lying  at  this  fountain-head.  When 
a  Christian  sees  a  deficiency  in  himself, 
he  may  see  an  all-sufficiency  in  his  Saviour. 
"  Happy  is  that  people  whose  God  is  the 
Lord  !"  Ps.  cxliv.  ult.  That  servant  needs 
not  want  who  hath  his  master's  full  purse 
at  command :  he  needs  not  want  who  hath 
Christ,  for  "  Christ  is  all  and  in  all."  What 
though  the  fig-tree  doth  not  flourish,  if 
thou  hast  Christ  the  tree  of  life,  and  all 
fruit  growing  there  ?  In  the  hour  of  death, 
a  believer  may  rejoice  ;  when  he  leaves  all, 
he  is  possessed  of  all.  As  Ambrose  said 
to  his  friend,  "  I  fear  not  death,  because  I 
have  a  good  Lord,"  so  may  a  godly  man 
say,  "  I  fear  not  death,  because  I  have 
a  Christ  to  go  to ;  death  will  but  carry  me 
to  that  torrent  of  divine  pleasure  which 
runs  at  his  right  hand  for  evermore."  I 
will  end  with  that,  1  Thess.  iv.  18.  "  Wliere- 
fore,  comfort  one  another  with  these  words." 


SERMON  VII. 


Phil.  iv.  9. 


Those  things  which  you  have  both  learned,  and  received,  and  heard,  and 
seen  in  me,  do,  and  the  God  of  peace  shall  be  with  you." 


What  the  particular  reason  of  my  choice 
of  this  scripture  this  day  is,  if  you  com- 
pare my  present  situation, f  with  the  in- 
tent of  the  apostle,  in  these  words,  you 
M'ill  easily  understand.  These  words  of 
the  apostle,  being  part  of  the  close  of  his 

f  This  sermon  was  preached  by  Mr.  Watson  on  the  eve  of 
I  i?  ejectment  from  the  rectorship  of  St.  Stephens,  Walbrook, 
,ci  nonconf"'''nity,  after  the  restoration. 


epistle  to  the  Philippians,  are  his  vale- 
diction or  farewell  to  them  :  It  is  not  un- 
known to  you,  that  I  must  now  be  parted 
fi'om  you ;  and  I  have  pitched  on  this 
scripture,  to  be  the  close  of  my  twenty  years 
ministry  among  you.  God  hath  sent  me 
among  you  to  be  a  builder;  and  I  have 
chosen  this  text,  to  be  a  hammdr  to  fasten 
and  drive  home  those  nails  of  instruction 


FAREWELL  DISCOURSE  ON  HIS  EJECTION. 


657 


and  consolation,  wliich  I  have  been  so  long 
endeavouring  to  enter  into  yon.  God  hath 
sent  me  among  you  as  a  fisherman  ;  and  I 
have  cliosen  these  words  to  be  as  the  clos- 
ing of  the  net.  Behold  !  rnce  more  the 
net  is  spread,  and  I  am  now  making  my 
last  draught;  and  O  that  it  might  have  the 
same  good  speed  as  Peter's  last  had,  Luke 
V.  6.  It  would  then  pay  the  charges,  though 
the  net  brake.  God  hath  sent  me  among 
you  as  an  husbandman,  to  plough,  and  to 
sow ;  and  I  am  now  come  to  cover  what 
hath  been  sown.  What  is  my  aim  in  preach- 
ing, let  it  be  yours  in  hearing:  O  that  both 
preacher  and  hearers  might  heartily  join  in 
this  desire  !  This  once  more,  God  speed  the 
plough.     In  this  desire  and  hope  I  drive  on. 

In  the  text  observe,  a  precept, — a  pro- 
mise,— an  entail  of  the  promise  on  the  pre- 
cept. In  tlie  precept  we  have,  1st,  An  act, 
"  do."  2r/,  An  object,  "  The  things  that 
youhavelearned,  received,  heard,  and  seen." 
The  promise  is  in  these  words,  "  the  God 
of  peace  shall  be  with  you."  The  entail 
of  the  promise  on  the  precept  you  have  in 
the  connective  particle  "  and,"  which  knits 
them  np  together.  Do  the  work,  and  have 
the  reward ;  obey  the  precept,  and  enjoy 
the  promise ;  "  do  what  you  have  received 
and  heard,  and  the  God  of  peace  shall  be 
with  you."  Be  careful  of  the  former,  and 
be  not  careful  about  the  latter ;  if  the  pre- 
cept be  performed,  the  promise  shall  be 
made  good. 

DocT.  I.  Christians  mnst  be  learners,  be- 
fore they  can  be  doers.  "  What  you  have 
learned,  that  do." 

DocT.  2.  He  hath  learned  well,  that  hath 
learned  to  do  well. 

DocT.  3.  Christians'  eyes,  as  well  as  their 
ears,  may  help  them  on  in  religion  ;  or,  the 
holy  examples  of  ministers  should  be  living 
sermons  to  people.  "  What  you  have  seen 
in  me."  Therefore  the  apostle  exhorts, 
Phil.  iii.  IT.,  "  Mark  them  which  so  walk, 
as  you  have  us  for  an  example  ;"  and  I  Cor. 
xi.  1.,  Be  ye  followers  of  me,  as  I  am  of 
Christ ;"  that  is,  either,  I  have  been  a  fol- 
lower of  Christ,  be  ye  therefore  followers 
of  me ;  or  else,  be  ye  followers  of  me  as 
far  forth  as  I  have  been  a  follower  of 
Christ.  Those  ministers  may  go  off  the 
stage  with  honour  and  comfort,  who  have 


left  behind  them  the  good  seed  of  sound 
doctrine,  and  the  good  savour  of  an  holy 
cxarnple.  For  my  own  part,  what  my  doc- 
trine and  manner  of  life  hath  been  among 
you,  you  are  witnesses,  and  God  also. 
And,  however,  I  have  great  reason  to  judge 
and  condemn  myself  before  the  Lord,  and 
to  bewail  it,  that  my  cimversation  hath  been 
less  examj)lary  and  useful,  than,  O  that  it 
had  been  !  yet  I  go  off  from  you,  with  this 
testimony  upon  my  heai't,  that  I  have  not 
been  of  those  who  bind  heavy  burdens,  and 
lay  them  on  other  men's  shoulders,  but  will 
not  touch  them  with  one  of  their  fingers, 
but  my  endeavour  hath  been,  to  press  on 
my  own  soul,  and  hold  out  in  my  own  prac- 
tice, that  word  of  life  which  I  have  preached 
to  you  ;  and  therefore  am  bold,  in  this  sense, 
to  exhort  you,  in  the  words  of  the  apostle, 
"  Be  ye  followers  of  me,"  as  far  forth  as 
you  have  seen  me  a  follower  of  Christ. 

DocT.  4.  Godly  ministers,  when  they  are 
parting  from  their  people,  would  fain  leave 
God  behind  them.  Though  it  be  not  un- 
usual, when  the  Lord  sends  them  away, 
he  goes  with  them  ;  God  and  his  messen- 
gers, do  not  seldom  take  their  farewell  of 
people  together ;  yet  their  earnest  desire  is> 
that  though  they  must  away,  yet  the  Lord 
would  stay. 

DocT.  5.  Faithful  ministers  woixld  be 
messengers  of  peace,  going,  as  well  as  com- 
ing. 

As  the  apostles'  first  words  were  to  be, 
"  Peace  be  unto  you,"  so  some  of  this  a- 
postle's  last  words  were,  "  the  God  of  peace 
shall  be  with  you." 

DocT.  6.  Whenever  ministers  part  witn 
their  people,  if  they  can  but  leave  godliness 
in  them,  they  shall  certainly  leave  God  with 
them.  Or,  those  that  obey  the  gospel, 
whatsoever,  or  whomsoever  they  want,  shall 
ever  be  in  a  peaceful  and  blessed  condition. 

"  These  things  do,"  that  is,  live  in  the 
practice  and  power  of  that  doctrine  of  god- 
liness "  which  you  have  received  and 
heard,"  and  then  fear  not,  "  the  God  of 
peace  shall  be  witl»  you." 

This  doctrine,  I  shall  fully  prove  to  you, 
after  I  have  premised,  First,  that  the  doctrine 
which  I  have  preached  to  you  is  the  doc- 
trine of  ffodliness  ;  the  sum  whereof  take  in 
these  four  particulars  :     . 

40 


658 


SELECT  SERMONS. 


1.  Tliat  Jesus  Christ,  wTio  came  into  the 
world  to  save  sinners,  came  also  to  sanctify 
and  pure:e  tlicm  from  their  sins. 

2.  That  those  that  helieve  in  Jesus,  must 
he  careful  to  maintain  good  works,  or  to 
live  a  godly  life. 

3.  That  this  godliness  is  not  such  a  slight, 
and  easy,  and  empty  thing,  as  the  mistaken 
world  imagine;  hut  stands  in  an  exact  con- 
formity of  the  whole  man,  heart  and  life, 
to  the  whole  Avill  of  God. 

4.  That  as  whosoever  helieves  not  in  Je- 
sus, so  whosoever  is  short  of  this  true  sincere 
godliness,  cannot  be  saved. 

This  is  the  sum  of  that  doctrine,  which 
I  have  preached  unto  you  ;  which  being  the 
eternal  truth  of  God,  I  herein  embark  my 
whole  soul  and  life,  desiring  to  be  found  in 
that  same  Jesus,  and  to  be  found  walking 
in  that  same  way  of  righteousness  which 
I  have  declared  unto  you. 

Secondly,  that  my  design  and  aim,  in 
preaching  this  doctrine  to  you,  hath  been, 
to  begot  in  you,  and  through  the  influence 
and  assistance  of  the  eternal  Spirit,  to  bring 
vou  to  this  true  godliness.     I  have  travail- 
ed in  birth  with  you  that  Christ  might  be 
formed  in  you, — that   I  might  leave   you 
possessors    and   partakers    of  that    grace, 
which   accompanies    salvation, — that  your 
faith   might   stand   not  in   the   wisdom  of 
men,  but  in  the  power  of  God, — that  your 
repentance  might  be  repentance  unto  life, 
not  to  be  repented  of, — that  you  might  o- 
bey  from  the  heart,  that   form  of  doctrine 
that  hath  been   delivered  unto  you, — that 
you  might  stand  complete  in  all  the  will  of 
God; — that  you  might  be  holy,   and  harm- 
less, the  children  of  God  without  rebuke, 
in  the  midst  of  a  crooked  generation,  a- 
mongst  whom  you  must  shine  as  lights  in 
the  world,  holding  forth  the  word  of  life, — 
that  being  rooted  and  grounded  in  love,  you 
might  comprehend  with  all  saints,  what  is 
the  height,   and    depth,   and  length,    and 
breadth,  and  might  know  the  love  of  Christ, 
which    passeth    knowledge,    and   be  filled 
with  all  the  fulness  of  God  ;  to  this   end 
have  I  taught  every  one,  and  warned  every 
one,  that   I  might  present   you  perfect  in 
Christ  Jesus. 

Thirdly,  that  as  far  forth  as  the  success 
hath   answered  my  design  and  aim   upon 


any  of  your  souls,  so  far  fortli  stand  yon  en- 
titled to  this  glorious  promise  in  the  text, 
"  the  God  of  peace  shall  be  with  you." 
Look  how  many  souls  there  are  amongst 
you,  that  live  in  the  power  and  obedience 
of  those  truths  you  have  received:  to  so 
many  can  I,  with  confidence,  give  this 
farewell  of  the  apostle,  without  ifs,  or 
ands, — "  the  God  of  peace  shall  be  with 
you."  To  whomsoever  the  Lord  hath  been 
a  God  of  grace,  to  them  will  he  be  a  God 
of  peace.  Whoever  amongst  you,  hath 
this  God  of  grace  dwelling  and  ruling  in 
you,  shall  certainly  find  this  God  of  peace, 
dwelling  and  abiding  with  you. 

These  things  premised,  I  shall  now  give 
you  the  full  proof  of  the  doctrine,  in  the 
following  reasons.  The  doctrine  you  re- 
member is, — those  that  obey  the  gospel, 
whatsoever,  or  whomsoever  they  want, 
shall  ever  be  in  a  peaceful  and  blessed  con- 
dition.    The  reasons  are, 

1st,  The  God  of  peace  shall  be  with  them. 

2d,  If  God  be  with  them,  all  things, 
whatsoever  befal  them,  shall  make  for  their 
good. 

Reason  1st.  The  God  of  peace  shall  be 
with  them  ;  these  things  do,  live  in  the  o- 
bedience  of  the  holy  doctrine  which  you 
have  received,  and  the  God  of  peace  shall 
be  with  you.  This  glorious  promise  is 
pregnant  with  all  the  blessings  that  heaven 
and  earth  can  afford.  If  you  ask,  why, — 
what  is  there  in  it  ?  I  demand  of  you,  what 
is  there  in  God?  God  is  in  the  promise; 
all  that  is  in  God  is  here  assured  to  the 
godly.  The  philosophers  of  old  attained  to 
some  glimmerings  of  the  excellencies  that 
are  in  God,  by  these  three  ways. 

L  Per  viamnegatioyiis,  concelxing  of  h\m 
as  a  Being  removed  from  all  things  signify- 
ing imperfection  :  as  ignorance,  impotence, 
iniquity,  corruptibility,  composition,  alter- 
ation, or  any  limits  or  bounds  of  his  es- 
sence, power  and  glory. 

2.  Per  vimn  causalitatis,  conceiving  of 
him  as  the  fountain  of  all  other  beings  : 
and  thence  concluding,  that  whatsoever  ex^ 
cellencies  or  perfections  are  scattered  up 
and  down  in  the  whole  creation,  are  all  u- 
nited  in  him  from  whom  they  had  their  o- 
riginal. 

3.  Per  viam  eminenti(^,  by  way  of  excel- 


FAREWELL  DISCOURSE  ON  HIS  EJECTION. 


659 


loncy ;  so  tliat  wh.itever  perfection,  what- 
ever goodness,  is  to  be  found  in  any  crea- 
ture, tliough  it  be  not  to  be  found  in  God, 
fiirmaliter,  yot  there  is  that  in  him — he  be- 
itiiT  tlie  first  cause  of  ail — that  doth  infin- 
itely,  superabundantly  answer  them  all. 
Thoujjh  there  be  not  the  same  specific  ex- 
cellencies in  hiui,  nor  those  very  pleasures 
and  delights  issuing  from  him,  which  the 
creatures  vichl,  vet  there  are  such  excel- 
lencies,  such  perfections,  as  transcend  and 
surpass  them  all.  The  scriptures  tell  us 
more  positively  and  plainly,  that  God  is  al- 
mighty, omniscient,  omnipresent,  infinite, 
eternal,  unchangeable,  all-sufficient,  holy, 
righteous,  gracious, — the  portion,  the  pro- 
tection, the  rewardcr,  yea,  the  exceeding 
great  reward  of  them  that  diligently  seek 
him.  And  this  is  he  that  is  in  the  promise. 
God  is  in  the  promise.  I  must  not  enlarge 
in  this  spacious  field ;  I  shall  keep  nearer 
the  text,  and  shall  confine  myself  to  these 
four  particulars  : 

1.  God  is  in  the  promise,  as  the  God  of 
peace,  as  the  author  and  bestower  of  peace. 
The  greatest  of  blessings  is  the  blessing  of 
peace ;  peace  hath  all  blessings  included  in 
it.  It  hath  possession,  fruition,  and  secu- 
rity ;  it  hath  plenty,  pleasure,  and  safety  ; 
where  there  is  no  peace,  there  is  no  securi- 
ty for  the  holding,  nor  opportunity  of  en- 
joying what  we  have.  Whatever  we  have, 
we  have  it  as  if  we  had  it  not.  Peace  is 
the  greatest  of  blessings.  Peace  with  God 
is  the  most  glorious  of  peace.  What  is 
there  that  is  excellent,  what  is  there  that 
is  desirable,  that  is  not  comprehended  in 
this  peace  with  God  ?  Wliere  there  is  peace, 
there  is  pardon  ;  guilt  cannot  consist  with 
this  peace ;  "  being  justified  by  faith,  we 
have  peace  with  God."  Where  there  is 
peace,  there  is  grace  and  holiness  ;  "  There 
is  no  peace,  saith  my  God,  to  the  wicked." 
Where  there  is  peace,  there  is  love  and 
good  will.  As  love,  so  peace  is  the  union 
of  hearts.  "  The  God  of  peace  is  with 
you,"  signifies  no  less  than  this, — the  Al- 
mighty God  bears  you  good  will.  These 
two, — peace  and  good  will, — are  twins  : 
"  on  earth  peace,  good  will  towards  men." 
Where  there  is  peace,  there  is  life,  ever- 
lasting life  ;  internal,  is  the  seed  of  eternal 
peace.     This    peace    is   a   portion, — peace 


with  God  is  our  possession  of  the  God  of 
peace  ;  this  peace  is  a  sanctuary, — if  the 
God  of  peace  be  with  us,  the  peace  of  God 
will  keep  our  hearts. 

Christians,  in  the  world  you  must  have 
trouble  :  suppose  you  have,  yet  in  him  you 
shall  have  peace,  who  hath  overcome  the 
world  ;  Isa.  xxvi.  3.,  "  Thou  wilt  keep  him 
in  perfect  peace,"  (in  peace,  peace,  as  it  is 
in  the  original)  "  whose  mind  is  stayed  on 
thee ;"  Ps.  Ixxxv.  8.,  "  I  will  hear  what  the 
Lord  God  will  speak  ;  he  will  speak  peace 
to  his  people,  and  to  his  saints."  What  a 
clattering  is  there  in  the  world  !  What  tu- 
mults and  commotions  are  raised  about  the 
followers  of  Christ,  as  if  the  world  were 
falling  about  their  ears  !  The  devil  speaks 
wrath  ;  evil  men  speak  death  and  bonds  to 
them ;  breathing  out  threatenings,  reproach- 
es, persecutions  against  them.  In  the  midst 
of  all  this  fearful  noise,  I  will  hearken, 
saith  the  Psalmist,  what  the  Lord  God  will 
speak.  Whatsoever  men  or  devils  speak, 
I  will  hearken,  if  the  Lord  God  speaks  at 
the  same  rate.  O  no,  he  will  speak  peace 
to  his  saints  !  Let  the  sons  of  contention  do 
what  they  can,  the  sons  of  Ciod  shall  be 
sons  of  peace ;  they  shall  live  in  peace, 
they  shall  die  in  peace,  they  shall  dwell  in 
peace  for  ever.  Isa.  xxxii.  17,  18.,  "  The 
work  of  righteousness  shall  be  peace,  and 
the  effect  of  righteousness  shall  be  quietness 
and  assurance  for  ever.  And  my  people 
shall  dwell  in  a  peaceable  habitation,  and 
in  sure  dwellings,  and  in  quiet  resting-pla- 
ces." O  how  great  is  the  peace  that  they 
have  who  love  thy  law  !  Christians,  fear 
not  to  follow  God ;  let  not  that  sad  word, 
nor  the  fulfilling  of  it,  scare  you  out  of  your 
duty,  "  All  that  will  live  godly  in  Christ 
Jesus,  shall  suffer  persecution."  What  if 
they  do ;  whilst  you  arc  able  to  say,  I  am 
persecuted,  but  I  have  peace ;  I  am  poor, 
but  I  have  peace ;  in  a  prison,  but  I  have 
peace  ;  in  a  wilderness,  but  I  have  peace ; 
though  all  the  world  be  against  me,  God  is 
at  peace,  my  soul  is  in  peace,  what  discour- 
agement should  all  that  l)e  to  you  ? 

2.  He  that  is  the  God  of  peace  is  the  God 
of  power.  He  promises  peace,  and  he  pro- 
mises no  more  than  he  can  perform.  He 
can  create  peace,  he  can  make  their  ene- 
mies to  be  at  peace  with  them.     He  can 


660 


SELECT  SERMONS. 


mal<e  a  Icagrue  for  tliem  with  the  beasts  of 
the  field,  with  the  lions,  with  the  wolves, 
with  the  most  brutish  among  the  people. 
He  can  say  to  the  proud  winds  and  waves, 
"  Peace,  be  still,"  and  tliey  obey  him. 
He  can  give  them  rest  from  the  days  of  ad- 
versity ;  he  can  give  them  rest  in  the  days 
of  adversity  ;  he  can  give  his  beloved  sleep 
upon  the  points  of  swords  and  spears. 

3.  He  that  is  the  God  of  peace,  is  the 
God  of  patience.  This  is  my  great  fear, 
that  though  God  gives,  yet  I  shall  break 
my  peace.  The  God  of  peace  with  me  ! 
Oh  !  this  is  he  whom  I  dishonour,  and  dis- 
oblige daily,  by  my  distrusts,  discontents, 
impatiences,  murmurings  ;  and  what  peace 
to  such  an  heart  ?  what  peace,  so  long  as 
such  unbelief, — so  much  iniquity  as  I  find 
daily  within  me,  remains  upon  me  ?  Will 
he,  with  whom  no  iniquity  can  dwell,  dwell 
in  that  heart,  where  there  is  so  much  ini- 
quity, by  which  he  is  provoked  every  day  ? 
But  he  that  is  the  God  of  peace,  is  also  the 
God  of  patience :  who  though  he  will  not 
bear  the  iniquities  of  his  adversaries,  yet  he 
will  bear  much  with  the  infirmities  of  his 
people :  Ps.  Ixxxix.  30,  &c.,  "  If  his  chil- 
dren forsake  my  law,  and  walk  not  in  my 
judgments  ;  if  they  break  my  statutes,  and 
keep  not  my  commandments  :  then  will  I 
visit  their  transgressions  with  a  rod,  and 
their  iniquities  with  stripes.  Nevertheless, 
my  loving-kindness  will  I  not  utterly  take 
from  liim,  nor  suffer  my  faithfulness  to  fail." 

4.  He  that  is  the  God  of  peace,  is  the 
God  of  hope.  I  have  no  peace  in  possession, 
whatever  there  be  in  the  promise.  I  live 
in  the  fire, — am  born  a  man  of  contention. 
What  likelihood  is  there  that  I  should  ever 
live  to  see  a  good  day  ?  My  comforts  are 
broken,  my  estate  is  lost,  my  liberty  is  gone ; 
friends  I  have  none,  enemies  I  have  many, 
and  mighty  ;  I  dwell  in  Mesech,  I  have  my 
habitation  in  the  tents  of  Kedar  ;  I  am  for 
peace,  they  are  for  war ;  wherever  I  look, 
round  about  me,  before  me,  behind  me,  on 
the  right  hand,  or  on  the  left,  all  speaks 
trouble  and  terror  to  me.  I  have  no  peace. 
What,  nor  no  hope  of  peace,  neither  ? 
Where  is  thy  God,  man  ?  hast  thou  a  God 
in  thee,  and  yet  no  hope  in  thee  ?  The  God 
of  peace,  and  yet  no  peace !  tlie  God  of 
hope,  and  yet  no  hope  !  "  the  God  of  hope 


will  yet  fill  thee  with  joy  and  peace  in  be- 
lieving," Rom.  XV.  13.  "  Why  art  thou 
cast  down,  O  my  soul,  and  why  art  thou 
disquieted  within  me?  hope  in  God,  for  I 
shall  yet  praise  him,  who  is  the  health  of 
my  countenance,  and  my  God,"  Ps.  xliii.  5. 
The  God  of  hope  will  open  a  window  of 
hope  in  the  darkest  times,  a  door  of  hope 
in  the  most  desperate  cases.  The  God  of 
hope  will  bear  up  the  spirits  of  his  saints, 
in  hope  against  hope ;  and  this  hope  will 
never  disappoint  them.  It  shall  never  be 
said,  there  is  no  peace,  there  is  no  hope, 
till  it  can  be  said  there  is  no  God  in  Israel. 

But  how,  or  in  what  sense,  is  it  to  be  un- 
derstood, that  this  God  of  peace  will  be  with 
us? — I  answer  in  three  particulars: 

1.  The  heart  of  God  will  be  with  you. 
Joseph's  blessing, — "  the  good  will  of  him 
that  dwelt  in  the  bush," — will  be  thy  por- 
tion, Deut.  xxxiii.  16.  What  was  that 
bush  ?  the  church  or  Israel  of  God.  What 
case  was  the  bush  in  ?  'twas  all  on  a  light 
fire  ;  'twas  all  in  a  flame.  Who  was  it  that 
dwelt  in  the  bush?  God  Avas  in  the  bush  ; 
and  that  kept  it  from  consuming,  though 
not  from  burning.  Tlie  good  will  of  this 
God  shall  be  with  thee, — his  love,  his  fa- 
vour, his  care.  '•  I  love  them  that  love  me," 
Prov.  viii.  17.  "  The  Lord  loveth  the 
righteous,"  Ps.  cxlvi.  8.  The  love  of  God 
is  the  womb  of  all  good.  Hence  sprang 
'  the  morning-star ;'  from  the  love  of  God 
came  the  Son  of  God ;  hence  came  that 
'  womb  of  the  morning,'  the  blessed  gospel, 
which  is  so  big  with  glorious  grace,  with 
light,  life,  pardon,  peace,  glory,  immortali- 
ty ;  from  the  love  of  God  came  the  glorious 
gospel  of  God.  '  The  upper  springs,'  all 
spiritual  and  heavenly  blessings, — '  the 
nether  springs,'  all  earthly  and  outward 
blessings, — do  all  rise,  and  bubble  up  out 
of  this  fountain,  the  love  of  God.  The  pre- 
cious things  of  heaven, — the  precious  fruits 
brought  forth  by  the  sun, — the  precious 
fruits  put  forth  by  the  moon, — the  chief 
things  of  the  ancient  mountains, — the  pre- 
cious things  of  the  lasting  hills, — the  pre- 
cious things  of  the  earth,  and  the  fulness 
thereof, — all  these  flow  in  with  "  the  good 
will  of  him  that  dwelt  in  the  bush."  Love 
is  all.  The  apostle  tells  us,  our  love  to  God 
is  "  the  fulfilling  of  the  law,"  that  is,  it  will 


FAREWELL  DISCOURSE  ON  HIS  EJECTION. 


6G1 


brinof  fortli  all  tliat  to  God,  all  that  duty 
and  obedience,  which  the  law  requires.  I 
may  tell  you,  that  God's  love  to  us  is  tlie 
fulfillinfr  of  the  gospel,  that  is,  it  will  pour 
down  all  that  upon  us,  it  will  do  all  that 
for  us,  which  the  gospel  promises.  Look 
over  the  whole  gospel, — read  and  study 
every  precious  leaf  and  line  of  that  blessed 
booh, — and  if  there  be  enough  in  all  that  to 
make  thee  blessed,  and  to  encourage  thee 
on  in  thy  holy  course,  all  this  is  thine. 
Thou  hast  that  love  of  God  with  thee,  which 
will  fulfil  the  gospel;  there  shall  not  one 
jot  or  tittle  fail  thee  of  all  that  the  gospel 
promises.  "  The  zeal  of  the  Lord  of  hosts 
will  perform  this,"  Isa.  ix.  7. 

2.  The  help  of  God  will  be  with  you,  the 
Lord  will  be  your  helper  in  the  day  of  your 
distress.     Heb.  xiii.  5,  6.,  "  He  hath  said, 
I  will  never  leave  thee,  nor  forsake  thee." 
So  that  we  may  boldly  say,  "  The  Lord  is 
my  helper,  I  will  not  fear  what  man  can  do 
unto  me."     He  hath  said,  "  I  will  not  leave 
thee  ;"  and  therefore  we  may  say,  "  I  will 
not  fear."     He  hath  said,  "  I  will  be,"  and 
therefore  we  may  boldly  say,  "  The  Lord 
is  my  helper."     He  hath  said,  He  will  not 
forsake,  he  will  help ;  and  who  is  he  that 
shall  say.  There  is  no  help  for  thee  in  thy 
God.     There's  no  man,  whose  case  may  not 
be  so  desperate  as  to  be  above  all  human 
help.     If  he  should  cry  out,  as  the  woman 
to  the  king  of  Israel,  "  Help,  O  king  !"  the 
king  must  answer,   "  If  the  Lord  do  not 
help  thee,  whence  shall  I  help  thee?"     If 
he  should  cry  out,  Help,  O  man  of  God  ! 
the  man  of  God  must  answer,  "  If  the  Lord 
do  not  help  thee,  whence  shall  I  help  thee  ?" 
If  he  cry  out,  Help,  O  my  friends  !  my  wit, 
my  policy,  my  purse, — all  those  must  an- 
swer,— "  If  the   Lord    do    not    help    thee, 
whence  sliall  we  help  thee  ?"  But  what  case 
is  there,   wherein  an   "  Help^  Lord!"  will 
not  do  ?     Foolish  men  count  their  case  des- 
perate,   when    they    come   to   their   "  (iod 
help;"  that's  an  usual  expression  to  set  forth 
the  extremity  and  helplessness  of  any  man's 
case.     When  we  see  men  even  lost  in  any 
misery,  and  their  case  even  utterly  hope- 
less,— then   to   signify   our   sense  of  such 
men's  lost  condition,   we  cry   out,    "  God 
help  that  man  !   God  help  that  woman,  they 
are  lost  creatures  !"     Ay,  but  if  men  did 


understand  and  consider  wliat  the  help  of 
the  Lord  is,  they  would  see  there  could  be 
no  case  so  desperate,  but  an  "  Help,  Lord  !" 
might  recover  all,  1  Sam.  xxx.  0.,  When 
David  was  greatly  distressed,  and  all  was 
gone,  "  he  encouraged  himself  in  the  Lord 
his  God."     Consider  here  two  things  : 

(1.)  What  his  cafee  then  was.  He  was  in 
great  distress ;  he  had  lost  all  that  ever  he 
had  ;  his  spoils  that  he  had  taken  were  all 
gone,  his  corn,  and  his  cattle,  his  wives  and 
his  city  were  all  lost, — he  had  not  an  habi- 
tation in  all  the  world, — he  had  nothing  left 
him  but  a  poor  army,  and  these  were  worse 
than  lost, — they  were  even  ready  to  fall 
upon  him.  "  The  people  spake  of  stoning 
him,  but  he  encouraged  himself  in  the  Lord 
his  God." 

(2.)  WHiat  the  event  hereupon  was.  Wliy 
God  helped  him  to  all  he  had  again  ;  ver.  19., 
"  There  was  nothing  lacking  to  them,  nei- 
ther small  nor  great,  neither  sons  nor 
daughters  ;  neither  spoil,  nor  any  thing  they 
had  taken  :  David  recovered  all."  Hence 
note,  that  a  Christian  when  he  hath  lost  all, 
hath  yet  a  God  to  go  to  at  last.  Whilst  a 
Christian  hath  a  God  to  go  to,  his  case  is 
never  desperate ;  let  him  but  encourage 
himself  in  his  God,  and  all  will  be  recover- 
ed. Sinners,  triumph  not  over  the  poor 
people  of  God.  When  they  are  at  their 
worst, — when  they  are  brought  as  low  as 
your  pride  and  malice  can  lay  them, — 
though  they  should  be  stript  naked,  and  left 
destitute  of  all  their  comforts, — though  all 
the  world  should  ride  on  their  backs,  and 
tread  on  their  necks,  yet  rejoice  not  against 
them  ;  though  they  fall  they  shall  arise ; 
when  they  are  at  their  worst,  there  is  still 
help  for  them  in  their  God. 

3.  The  presence  of  the  Lord  shall  be  with 
them.  Whithersoever  they  may  be  scatter- 
ed, they  shall  not  be  scattered  from  their 
God.  That  promise  maile  to  Moses,  Exod. 
xxxiii.  14.,  "  My  presence  shall  go  with 
thee,"  belongs  to  all  the  Israel  of  (iod. 
"  My  presence;"  in  the  original,  'tis,  "  my 
face  ;'  in  the  Septuagint,  "  myself  shall  go 
mth  thee." 

The  presence  of  God  is  either  general,  or 
special. 

Bv  his  general  presence,  he  is  every  where, 

1.  Per  essentia/n,  he  fills  all  things. 


6C2 


SELECT  SERMONS. 


2.  Per  cognitionem,  Le  beholds  all  things. 

3.  Per  sustentationem,  he  upholds  all 
things. 

4.  Per  dominium^  he  governs  all  things. 
But  to  let  this  pass,   as  not  so  proper  to 

our  purpose. 

2.  There  is  his  special  or  gracious  pre- 
sence, whereby  he  manifests  himself  to  be 
with  his  people. 

(1.)  In  some  visible  and  standing  tokens 
of  his  presence  ;  as  in  those  extraordinary, 
the  pillars  of  the  cloud  and  of  the  fire  ;  and 
in  those  ordinary,  the  ark  and  the  temple 
of  old,  and  the  ordinances  of  the  gospel  now. 

(2.)  In  some  inward  influences  and  irra- 
diations upon  the  heart  of  liis  people. 

(3.)  In  some  visible  and  signal  effects 
of  his  presence ;  whereof  there  are  very 
many.  There  are,  amongst  others,  these 
two  notable  effects  of  God's  gracious  pre- 
sence, which  his  people,  by  virtue  of  this 
promise,  may  witli  confidence  expect, — con- 
duction, covering.  They  shall  be  led  in 
their  way ;  and  they  shall  be  hid  in  their 
way. 

l5^,  Conduction.  The  Lord  will  be  witli 
them,  to  lead  them  and  guide  them  in  the 
way  that  they  should  go,  Ps.  xxv.  9.,  "  The 
meek  will  he  guide  in  judgment,  the  meek 
will  he  teach  his  way."  Ps.  cvii.  7.,  "  He 
led  them  forth  by  the  right  way,  tl»at  tliey 
might  go  to  a  city  of  Iiabitation."  Ps.  v.  8., 
*'  Lead  me,  O  Lord,  in  tliy  righteousness, 
because  of  mine  enemies  ;  muke  thy  way 
straight  before  my  face."  Tlie  Lord  leads 
his  people  in  tlu>ir  way,  chiefly  by  his  word, 
which  is  a  liglit  to  their  feet,  and  a  lantern 
to  their  paths;  pnd  sometimes  also  by  liis 
providences,  hedging  up  all  by-ways,  and 
leaving  but  one  way  open  to  them,  that 
hath  the  least  appearance  of  the  way  of 
God  ;  so  ordering  the  matter,  that  any  other 
way  that-is  before  them,  looks  with  too  foul 
a  face  to  leave  any  doubt  ujmn  them,  whe- 
ther that  be  the  way  of  God  or  not.  It  is 
never  uncomfortable  to  the  people  of  God, 
while  they  see  their  way  before  them  ; 
doubts  about  their  way,  are  more  perplex- 
ing than  dangers  in  their  M'Jiy.  When  they 
know  what  God  would  have  them  do, 
they  can  cheerfully  trust  him  for  any  thing 
they  are  like  to  suffer.  Dost  thou  meet 
with  wolves  or  lions  in  thy  way  ?  thou  may- 


est  bless  God  it  is  there  thou  meetest  them, 
it  would  be  ill  meeting  them  elsewhere. 

2d,  Covering  or  protection  in  their  way : 
Ps.  xxxi.  20.,  "  Thou  shalt  hide  them  in 
the  secret  of  thy  presence,  from  the  pride 
of  man  ;  thou  shalt  keep  them  secretly  in 
a  pavilion,  from  the  strife  of  tongues." 
"  Thou  shalt  hide  them  in  thy  presence,"  or 
"  face;"  thy  light  shall  be  their  dark  place 
to  cover  them  ;  "  thou  art  my  hiding-place," 
Ps.  xxxii.  7.  "  In  the  secret  of  thy  pre- 
sence;" the  saint's  hiding-place  is  a  secret : 
such,  where  neither  the  pride  of  man  can 
find  them,  nor  can  they  understand  what 
it  is.  Reproaches  shall  not  find  them,  per- 
secutions shall  not  find  them,  whose  souls 
are  hid  in  God ;  they  are  not  found,  when 
they  are  found ;  they  are  hid  when  they 
seem  to  lie  most  open,  and  most  exposed  to 
men's  will  and  lust.  Sinners  do  not  under- 
stand what  refuge  the  saints  have  in  God. 
It  is  a  great  secret,  a  mystery  to  them ;  as 
the  joy  of  the  saints,  the  comforts  of  the 
saints,  are  a  secret — a  stranger  shall  not 
meddle  with  his  joy — so  is  their  safety  of 
security ;  they  do  not  understand  what  kind, 
or  how  great  security ;  wliat  sure,  nor  what 
sweet  repose  the  saints  find  in  God.  The 
secret  of  God's  presence  is  a  sure  and  a 
sweet  resting-place  for  all  his  saints ;  but 
how  sure,  and  how  sweet,  no  man  knows, 
but  they  that  enjoy  it.  The  secret  intima- 
tions of  the  care  of  God  for  them, — of  his 
everlasting  kindness  to  them, — of  his  go- 
verning hand,  in  all  that  befalls  them, 
working  it  to  their  greater  good, — the  se- 
cret supports  and  refreshings  darted  in,  as 
the  beams  of  his  countenance, — their  se- 
cret sense  that  their  head,  their  main  part 
is  in  safety,  though  they  have  bruises  in 
their  heel, — will  yield  such  rest  in  the  day 
of  greatest  adversity,  as  men  can  neither 
see,  nor  take  from  them.  The  ])illar  of  the 
cloud  interposed,  did  both  hinder  the  E- 
gyptians'  pursuit,  and  hid  from  their  eyes, 
the  comfort  of  that  light  which  shined  upon 
the  camp  of  Israel.  Moses  knew  what  the 
comfort  of  God's  presence  meant,  when  lie 
sai<l,  Exod.  xxxiii.  15.,  "  If  thy  presence  go 
not  with  us,  carry  us  not  up  hence."  It  is 
(if  considered)  a  great  word;  Israel  was 
then  in  a  wilderness  ;  among  wild  beasts, — 
among  briers  and  thorns, — in  a  weary  pil- 


FAREWELL  DISCOURSE  ON  HIS  EJECTION. 


CG3 


grimagc, — but  they  had  God  amoiii;  tliciii. 
The  Lord  was  carrying  tliem  to  Canaan, 
the  land  of  their  rest,  a  land  flowing  with 
milk  and  honey;  but  Moses  prays,  "  li"  thy 
presence  go  not  with  us,  carry  us  not  up 
hence."  We  had  ratlier  be  where  we  are, 
in  a  wilderness  with  (Jod,  than  go  to  Ca- 
naan, and  leave  our  God  behind  us.  If  thy 
presence  go  with  us,  we  are  willing  to  go  ; 
when  thou  wilt,  whither  thou  wilt,  which 
way  thou  wilt ;  though  by  the  tents  of 
Edoniites,  Ishmaelites,  IMoabites,  Hagar- 
enes  ;  though  through  the  armies  of  Ana- 
kims,  Zamzummims  ;  we  will  go  any  where, 
so  God  go  with  us.  The  absence  of  God 
makes  a  Canaan  worse  than  a  wilderness  : 
the  ]»rcsence  of  God  makes  a  wilderness 
better  than  a  Canaan.  And  this  presence 
of  God  shall  be  the  lot  of  all  his  saints. 

Ilcasun  2d.  If  God  be  with  you,  all  shall 
make  for  you  ;  all  providential  occurrences 
and  events  whatsoever, — all  difficulties, 
straits,  disasters,  disappointments  whatso- 
ever, that  may  come  upon  you,  shall  make 
for  your  good,  Rom.  viii.  31.,  "  If  God  be 
with  us,  who  can  be  against  us  ?"  Who  can 
be  against  us  ?  that  is,  none  can  be  against 
us  ;  or  if  any  be,  yet  those  that  are  against 
you  shall  be  for  you  :  Gen.  xlii.  36.,  "  Jo- 
seph is  not,  and  Simeon  is  not,  (said  old 
Jacob)  and  must  Benjamin  away  too  !  all 
these  things  are  against  me  :"  but  yet  as 
old  as  lie  was,  he  lived  to  see  all  making 
for  him :  Rom.  viii.  28.,  "  We  know  all 
things  shall  work  together  for  good  to  those 
that  love  God."  This  is  such  a  promise, 
as,  if  it  were  thoroughly  believed,  would 
set  our  feet  on  the  necks  of  all  our  fears 
and  dangers  ;  and  will  j)rove  the  truth  of 
Samson's  riddle,  "  Out  of  the  eater  came 
meat,  and  out  of  the  strong,  sweetness." 
Now  because  there  is  so  great  encourage- 
ment to  godliness  in  it,  I  shall  spend  the 
more  time  in  enlarging  upon  it;  and  shall 
sliovv, 

1a/,  What  those  things  are  which  are  e- 
specially  intended  in  that  compreliensive 
term  "  all  things." 

2d,  \\liat  that  good  is,  which  these  things 
shall  work  to. 

3df  To  whom  these  tilings  shall  work  for 
good. 

4/A,  How  these  things  shall  work  forgood. 


5//(,  That  they  shall   undoubtedly  work 
for  good  to  them  that  love  God. 

l.sV,  Wliat  those  things  are,  which  are 
especially  intended,  in  that  comprehensive 
term,  "  all  things."  Some  there  are,  as 
Augustine  with  others,  who  •  understand 
it  universally,  of  all  things  whatsoever, 
whether  good  or  evil, — extending  it  even 
to  the  sins  of  the  saints.  It  is  true,  God 
doth  often  bring  good  out  of  these  evils  ; 
making  use  of  former  sins  to  be  forces  a- 
gainst  future.  Tliere  is  nothing  that  doth 
make  the  sinner  more  weary  and  wary  of 
sin,  than  sin  itself;  the  review  of  what  we 
have  done,  doth  ofteiicst  fright  us  from 
doing  so  any  more.  When  you  look  back 
on  sin,  and  see  its  face — for  sin  carries  its 
face  on  its  back-  you  will  fear  it  the  more, 
whenever  you  meet  it  again.  There  is  no 
argument  doth  more  effeetually  humble  and 
break  the  heart,  and  make  it  more  fearful 
and  watchful  against  sin,  than  the  shame 
and  the  smart  of  those  sins  we  have  fallen 
by.  This  is  true,  God  doth  often  make 
this  use  of  sin,  to  be  its  own  cure  ;  and 
therefore  it  is  not  seldom  seen,  that  the 
chief  of  sinners  have  come  to  be  the  chief 
of  saints.  Yet,  besides,  that  this  is  not  the 
subject-matter  that  the  ajiostle  is  hear  treat- 
ing of,  let  those  that  bring  sin  within  the 
comjiass  of  this  promise,  and  make  this  to 
run  into  the  sense  of  it, — that  even  all  the 
sins  of  the  saints  shall  work  for  their  good, 
— let  such  tell  us,  how,  or  in  what  \\av  it 
is  imaginable,  that  the  sinful  decays  of  such 
who  backslide  from  (iod,  and  never  recover 
to  their  former  life  and  vigour,  but  live  and 
die  in  a  languishing  state  of  soul, — let  them 
tell  us,  how  such  sins  can  be  inuigined  to 
work  for  their  good  :  till  then,  we  must  enter 
our  dissent  from  this  interpretation.  This 
then  is  not  the  sense  of  the  promise,  that  all 
sins  shall  work  together  for  good.  And  yet  if 
it  were,  it  would  be  but  a  poor  argument,  to 
take  the  more  liberty  to  sin,  because  God 
will  turn  it  to  good;  this  would  be  even  as 
rational,  as  for  a  man  to  tear  his  flesh, 
break  his  bones,  jiluck  out  his  eyes,  burn 
his  house,  &c.  because  God  will  turn  all  his 
suffering  to  good  :  he  is  little  better  than 
mad,  that  would  not  conclude  such  a  man 
out  of  his  wits. 

Others  restrain  it  to  the  evil  things  tha 


[^ai 


SELECT  SERMONS. 


befall  the  s.iinis,— not  tlie  turpia,  but  the 
trisda, — their  sufferings  and  afflictions  ;  to 
that  vanity,  and  those  vexations,  they  are 
in  bondage  under,  and  under  which,  with 
the  whole  creation,  they  groan  and  travail 
in  pain,  waiting  for  their  redemption,    of 
which  the  apostle  had  been  treating  in  the 
former  part  of  the  chapter.    And  yet  while 
they   pitch   the   sense,   especially  on   such 
things  as  these,  they  grant  it  may  be  extend- 
ed to  all  other  things,  sin  only  excepted ; 
ad  omnes  res^  creaturas,  eventus,  turn  secundos, 
turn  adversos :    to   all   things  and   events, 
whether  prosperous  or  afflicting.     So  Pa- 
raeus  with  others. 

And  these  I  take  to  have  hit  the  right. 
All  heavy  things,— all    the  sufferings  and 
afflictions  of  the  saints, — and  not  only  these, 
but  all  things  else  whatsoever,  that  in  the 
whole  course  of  Providence  be  their  lot  or 
portion, — all    the    dealings    of    God   with 
them, — all  the  dispensations  of  Providence 
towards  them, — shall  all  work  for  their  good. 
2d,  What  is  that  good,  which  these  things 
work  to  the  saints;  or  in  what  sense  all 
things  may  be  said  to  work  good  to  them. 
The  sense  in  general  is  this :    They  shall 
all  work  to  their  welfare, — they  shall  all 
happen  to  them  for  the  better, — there  shall 
nothing  befall  them,  but  one  time  or  other, 
they  shall  have  reason  to  say,  "  It  was  well 
for   me,  that  it  was  thus  with   me."     The 
wisdom  and  goodness  of  God   did   cut  out 
such  portions  continually  for  me,   did  lead 
me  through  such  a  series  and  succession  of 
cases  and  events,  which  though  I  could  not 
understand,  yet  now  I  see  that  every  con- 
dition,  every  contingency  and  occurrence 
of  my  life,  through   which  Providence  led 
me,  was  useful,   and  could  not  well  liave 
been  wanted,  but  it  would  have  been  the 
worse  for  me.     Thus  in  the  general. 

Particularly,  for  the  fuller  understanding 
what  good  it  is  that  all  things  work  to, 
consider,  that  there  is  a  twofold  good  of 
tJ>e  saints ;  such  as  they  obtain  and  enjoy, 
whilst  they  are  in  via,  in  their  way  or 
course  ;  or  such  as  they  shall  obtain  when 
they  are  in  termino,  when  they  are  gotten 
to  the  end  of  their  way,  when  they  are 
come  to  their  place.     Or   thus  ;  there  is  a 


1.  Temporal  good,  or  our  bona  corporis^ 
the  outward  good  things  of  this  life,  wliich 
may  serve,  and  please,  and  delight  us  in 
these  days  of  our  pilgrimage  ;  which  may 
abide  with  us,  and  attend  us  to  our  graves, 
but  there  will  take  their  leave  of  us. 

2.  Spiritual  good,  or  our  bona  animcB,  and 
those  are  either,  1.  External,  as  the  ordi- 
nances of  God, — the  light,  liberties,  and  pri- 
vileges of  the  gospel, — the  society,  and  com- 
munion of  saints,  and  our  peaceful  and 
plentiful  enjoying  of  them.  2.  Internal,  as 
spiritual  grace,  faith,  love,  hope,  patience, 
&c. 

3.  Eternal  good,  or  that  glory  and  joy, — 
that  everlasting  rest  and  peace, — the  pos- 
session of  that  inheritance  incorruptible, 
and  undefiled,  that  is  resreved  in  heaven  for 
us.     Now  here  note  these  things. 

(1.)  That  our  bona  corporis,  our  outward 
good  things,  are  only  good  for  us,  as  they 
are  conducible  ad  bonnm  spirituolis,  to  the 
good  of  our  souls.     The  bona  vice,  are  only 
good  in  the  event,  when  they  tend  to  the 
bonum  patrice.     This  world  is  but  a  nursery 
for  eternity ;  we  are  planted  in  this,  in  order 
to  our  transplanting  into  the  other  world  ; 
and  whatever  we  have  here,  is  either  good 
or  evil,  according  to  the  respect  that  it  bears 
to  hereafter.    As  far  forth  as  our  immortal 
part  is  improved  by  these  perishing  things, 
so  far  forth  only,  are  tliey  good  for  us.    He 
that  hath  this  world's  goods,  and  is  not  here- 
by made  more  rich  towards  God, — he  who 
prospers  in  this  world,  and  yet  his  soul  doth 
not  prosper, — much  more,  lie  whose  world- 
ly fulness  becomes  the  emptiness  and  lean- 
ness of  his  soul,^-are  these  good  things  good 
for  him  ?     Is  he  in  prosperity  upon  a  true 
account,  whose  soul  prospers  not?     It  is 
not  ever  good  to  prosper  in  the  world  ;  it 
cannot  be  universally  said  it  is  good  to  be 
rich,  it  is  good  to  be  in  health,  it  is  g-ood  to 
be  in  honour,   it  is  good  to  be  at  liberty ; 
the  contrary  may  sometimes  be  true ;  it  is 
good  to  be  poor,  to  be  sick,  to  be  in  disgrace, 
to  be  in  bonds  ;  the  necessity  of  our  souls 
doth  not  seldom  reqtiire  it ;  tlien  alone  is  it 
good  to  be  full,  and  to  abound,   Avhen  our 
outward  abundance  furthers  our  spiritual 
welfare.     Christians,  could  we  receive  this 


threefold  good  of  the  saints,  temporal,  sj)i-    trutli,  that  our  outward  good  things  are  only 
ritual,  eternal.  1  good  for  us,  as  far  forth  as  they  conduce 


FAREWELL  DISCOURSE  OX  HIS  EJECTION. 


C65 


to  our  spiritual  good, — could  we  receive  this 
truth,  and  live  under  the  power  of  it, — what 
a  different  judgment  should  we  then  have 
of  all  these  worldly  matters,  from  what  we 
have  ?  And  how  strangely  would  the  course 
of  the  world  he  then  changed  ?  Would  there 
then  he  such  violent  and  eager  pursuing 
these  carnal  things  ?  Would  there  then  be 
such  whining,  and  complaining,  and  mur- 
muring at  every  cross  providence  ?  We 
should  then  say,  this  may  be  good  for  me  ; 
good  for  my  soul,  how  sad  soever  it  looks. 

(2.)  That  external  spiritual  good  things, 
the  ministry,  and  ordinances  of  the  gospel, 
&c.  are  so  far  good  to  us,  as  they  conduce 
to  our  eternal  spiritual  good ;  and  they  be- 
ing ordinarily  so,  it  must  be  concluded,  that 
ordinarily  it  is  good  for  us,  that  we  en^oy 
them,  and  be  not  deprived  of  them.  God 
may  see  the  cutting  Christians  short  of 
those  privileges,  and  liberties,  to  be  some- 
times needful  for  them  ;  and  then  even  this 
also  makes  for  theii'  good :  whereof  more 
anon. 

(3.)  That  our  inward  spiritual  good,  is 
good  for  us,  so  far  forth  as  it  tends  to  our 
eternal  good :  and  therefore  gface  is  ever 
good  for  us.  It  is  ever  true  it  is  good  to  be 
holy,  good  to  be  humble,  to  be  in  the  fear 
of  God,  and  to  flourish  in  his  grace.  We 
may  have  too  much  money,  too  much  cre- 
dit, but  we  can  never  have  too  much  grace. 
Our  greatest  flourishing  and  fruitfulness  in 
grace,  will  certainly  abound  to  our  more 
full  reward. 

(4.)  Note,  that  this  is  the  plain  sense,  and 
meaning  of  the  promise,  "  all  things  shall 
v/ork  for  good,"  that  is,  whatsoever  befalls, 
shall  certainly  promote  our  internal  and  e- 
ternal  welfare ;  and  as  far  forth  as  the  out- 
ward j)rivileges  of  the  gospel,  ye;i,  and  the 
good  things  of  this  life,  conduce  towards 
this,  all  shall  work  for  these  also.  If  it  be 
good  for  us  to  be  rich, — if  it  be  good  f»>r  us 
to  be  in  honour, — good  for  us  to  be  at  liber- 
ty,— g(»od  for  our  souls, — good  in  rofrrencc 
to  our  eternal  state, — if  it  be  good  for  us 
that  we  enjoy  tlie  ministry  of  tlie  gospel, — 
there  shall  nothing  befall  us,  that  shall  liin- 
der ;  there  shall  be  nothing  wanting  to  us, 
that  might  further  this  our  good. 

The  sum  is,  that  all  providential  dispen- 
sations  shall  be  so  ordered,  that  we   shall 


want  nothing  but  what  it  is  better  to  want 
than  have  ;  we  shall  suffer  nothing  but  what 
we  cannot  well  be  without,  but  what  the 
good  of  our  souls  requires;  and  that  which 
we  do  possess,  and  that  which  we  do  suffer, 
shall  not  fail  of  bringing  about  its  end,  the 
advancing  our  eternal  good. 

And  if  this  be  the  meaning,  what  a  glo- 
rious promise  is  this  ?  What  can  any  ra- 
tional man  desire  more  ?  Nothing  slijill  be- 
fall him  but  shall  be  for  his  good:  he  shall 
be  deprived  or  kept  short  of  nothing,  but 
what  he  had  better  be  without  than  have, 
lie  that  is  unsatisfied  with  this  ])roinise,  it 
is  either  from  lust  or  unbelief;  either  he 
doth  not  believe  that  God  is  true  and  will 
perform  this  word,  or  else  it  is  because  his 
lustmustbe  satisfied,  though  with  the  denial 
of  his  reason  and  interest.  He  that  desires 
an  estate  in  the  world,  ease,  pleasure,  liber- 
ty, or  any  thing  else  upon  any  other  terms, 
but  as  they  may  be  for  his  real  good,  hath 
as  much  lost  his  wits  as  his  faith ;  and  he 
that  will  take  upon  him  to  know  what  is 
good  for  him,  better  than  God,  may  as  well 
take  upon  him  to  govern  the  world.  You 
may  with  as  good  reason,  desire  a  fever,  or 
a  dropsy,  that  you  may  have  the  j)leasuro 
of  your  drink  ;  as  for  the  pleasures  that  car- 
nal things  would  bring  you  in,  to  desire 
them,  when  they  would  be  a  snare  to  your 
souls. 

3r/,  To  whom  these  things  shall  work  for 
good  ;  to  them  that  love  God,  to  them  that 
are  called  according  to  his  pur])ose,  —  to 
the  people  of  God  who  you  see,  are  here 
described  by  their  election  and  vocati(»n, 
"  the  called  according  to  his  purj)ose,"  and 
their  sanctification,  "  they  that  love  (lod." 
Love  (iod,  and  you  will  live  in  the  obedi- 
ence of  his  whole  will.  These  are  the  jieo- 
ple,  to  whom  the  promise  is  made  ;  prove 
your  calling  and  election, — prove  your  sanc- 
tification,— and  you  may  write  your  names 
in  this  glorious  j)romise ;  "  all  things  shall 
work  for  your  good."  To  those  that  are 
rebels,  and  reprobates  from  God,  all  things 
shall  work  together  for  evil.  Whilst  things 
hurtful  work  together  for  good  to  the  saints  ; 
all  good  things  work  together  for  the  hurt 
of  sinners;  their  peace  hurts  them,  their 
plenty  hurts  them,  their  ])leasure  hurts 
them  ;   vea,   both  their  prosperity  and  ad- 

4.  P 


666 


SELECT  SERMONS. 


versity,  their  plenty  and  their  poverty,  their 
pleasure  and  their  trouble,  their  honour  and 
disgrace,  everything  that  befalls  them,  turns 
to  their  prejudice;  their  prosperity  destroys 
them  ;  their  table  is  their  snare  ;  their  plea- 
sures are  their  plagues;  and  their  very  pu- 
nishments are  turned  into  sin  ;  every  thing 
that  befalls  them,  heightens  and  hardens 
them  in  their  wickedness,  and  ripens  them 
for  vengeance.  God  is  not  with  them,  and 
therefore  nothing  prospers  with  them.  God 
is  with  his  saints,  and  therefore  nothing 
comes  amiss  to  them,  but  all  for  their  great- 
er advantage.  Christians,  this  is  your  por- 
tion, and  your  peculiar,  wherein  the  men 
of  this  world  shall  neither  partake  with  you, 
no^  be  ever  able  to  deprive  you  of  it ! 

Ath,  How  all  things  shall  work  for  their 
good ;  in  special,  how  shall  the  evil  things, 
the  sufferings  of  this  life  be  for  their  good  ? 
How  can  this  be  ?  Must  we  disbelieve  our 
senses,  lay  down  our  reason,  ere  we  can  be- 
lieve the  scriptures  ?  Must  we  call  evil 
good,  and  good  evil  ?  Must  we  count  dark- 
ness light,  and  light  darkness?  Is  pleasure 
pain,  and  pain  pleasure  ?  Is  loss  gain,  and 
gain  loss  ?  Is  ease  torment,  and  torment 
ease  ?  Doth  religion  make  things  cease  to  be 
what  they  are,  and  to  be  what  they  are  not  ? 
or  at  least,  must  we  believe,  that  darkness 
is  the  mother  of  light,  that  good  is  the 
daughter  of  evil  ?  Can  we  gather  grapes  of 
thorns,  or  figs  of  thistles  ?  Can  darkness 
give  light,  or  death  itself  bring  forth  life  ? 
Must  we  say,  that  contraries  no  longer  de- 
stroy, but  produce  each  other,  and  tliat  the 
womb  l)rings  forth  its  own  destruction  ? 
How  can  these  things  be  ? 

But  must  God  give  a  reason  of  his  ac- 
tions, or  else  they  are  not?  Though  evil 
cannot  bring  good, — darkness  cannot  bring 
forth  light, — yet,  cannot  God  bring  forth 
good  out  of  evil,  liglit  out  of  darkness  ? 
Though  darkness  cannot  l)riiig  forth  light, 
■ — evil  cannot  bring  forth  good, — by  a  na- 
tural causation  ;  yet,  cannot  (lod  make  evil 
an  occasion  of  good  ?  Though  it  do  not  work 
efficiently,  yet  can  it  not  work  objectively 
neither  to  it  ?  Though  the  torment  the  me- 
dicine puts  men  to,  be  not  ease,  yet  may  it 
not  work  towards  ease  ?  May  not  the  storm, 
though  it  help  not,  yet  hasten  the  laboui-er 
oa  his  work,   the   traveller   on   his   way  ? 


May  not  the  darkness  of  the  niffht,  make 
more  diligent  in  the  day?  May  not  sickness 
teach  men  more  temperance,  and  poverty 
more  frugality  ? 

But  to  proceed  more  distinctly :  How 
can  the  saints'  evil  things  work  to  their 
good?  That  they  do  so,  cannot  be  denied, 
unless  we  will  deny,  not  only  scripture,  but 
common  sense,  and  experience :  but  how 
comes  it  to  pass  ? 

I  answer,  in  four  particulars  : 

1.  The  afflictions  and  tribulations  of  the 
saints  are  the  way  that  leads  them  on  to 
the  possession  of  that  good  which  God  hath 
intended  to  them ;  afflictions  are  the  way 
of  the  kingdom  ;  the  cross  is  the  way  to 
the  crown  :  Acts  xiv.  22.,  "  Through  many 
tribulations  we  must  enter  into  the  king- 
dom of  God."  Ps.  Ixvi.  11,  12.,  "  Thou 
broughtest  us  into  the  net ;  tliou  hast  laid 
affliction  upon  our  loins ;  thou  hast  caused 
men  to  ride  over  our  heads ;  we  went 
through  fire  and  water ;  thou  broughtest 
us  into  a  wealthy  place."  Observe  it :  their 
troubles  are  their  way  to  their  triumph, — 
their  very  falling  into  the  net,  their  way  to 
escape.  Their  enemies  boast :  "  Escape  ! 
Arise  !  yes,  let  them  free  themselves  with 
such  hopes  while  they  will,  we  have  them 
sure  enough  ;  we  have  them  under  foot ; 
we  have  them  in  the  net ;  if  this  be  their 
way,  we  will  keep  them  in  their  way  long 
enough ;  now  we  have  them  down,  they 
shall  not  be  able  to  rise."  Ay,  but  yet  it 
appears,  through  all  this  the  Lord  led  them 
forth  into  a  wealthy  place.  The  highway 
of  the  proud  is  not  their  more  ready  way 
to  the  dust,  than  the  dust  of  saints  is  their 
sure  way  to  honour.  When  Israel  were  to 
goto  Canaan,  they  must  take  the  brick-kilns, 
the  Red  Sea,  the  wilderness,  Jordan,  in 
their  way :  could  any  one  have  imagined, 
that  the  bondage,  the  straits  they  were  un- 
der, the  doubling  their  tasks,  the  cruelty  of 
their  task-masters,  their  enclosure  at  the 
Red  Sea,  did  mean  any  good  to  them  ?  yet, 
how  fell  it  out  at  last  ?  their  darkest  dis- 
pensations had  light  in  their  latter  end ; 
tlieir  greatest  bondage  led  on  to  their  great- 
est liberty.  Every  cross  providence,  is  a 
step  to  the  accomplishment  of  the  promise  ; 
the  wheel  is  ever  moving  on  to  its  end ;  it 
moves  still  forwards,  even  when  it  seeais 


FAREWELL  DISCOURSE  ON  HIS  EJECTIOX. 


667 


to  go  quite  backwards  :  as  tlie  river,  by  its 
many  turnings  and  windings,  forwards  and 
backwards,    is   still  in    motion  to  the  sea, 
when  it  seems  to  be  running  quite  contrary. 
Christians,    if  ever   the    salvation   of  God 
Beems  to  be  removed  farther  oft'  from  you, — 
if  the  work  of  God  should  at  any  time  seem 
to  go  backwards, — if  cross   winds  should 
turn  the  whole  course,  so  that  you  appear 
rather  to  be  marching  back  to  Egypt,  than 
on   to   Canaan, — yet    be   not   discouraged ; 
though  your  way  be  an  unlikely  and  un- 
promising way,  though  you  be  led  about 
forwards  and  backwards,  yet  still  you  are 
making  on  ;    though  the  lesser  wheels  be 
never  so  cross  and  contrary  in  their  mo- 
tions, yet  the  great  wheel  is  still  moving 
right  on  to   your  blessed  and   hoped  end. 
God  intends  your  good  ;  your  spiritual  good 
here,  your  eternal  good  hereafter ;  and  be- 
lieve it  now,  for  he  will  let  you  see  it  here- 
after,   that  those  very  things  which  most 
threaten  your  miscarriage,  and  a  total  abor- 
tion of  your  hopes,  are  made  all  to  concur 
to  the  bringing  them  about,  and  to  your 
more  full  and  speedy  possession  of  them. 
Note  further  here  two  things  : 
(1.)  All   things    work:    not   they   shall 
work,  de  futuro, — but  de  presenti,  they  do 
work.     As  the  apostle  says,  "  The  mystery 
of  iniquity,"  so  we  may  say,  the  mystery  of 
the  saints'  redemption  "doth  already  work  ;" 
the  work  is  already  on  the  wheel,  and  every 
wheel  is  in   its  motion  for  you ;  not  only 
your  brethren,  the  saints  and  angels,  who 
are  all  praying  for  your  peace,  and  seeking 
your   good, — but   your   enemies    also,    the 
dragon,  with  all  his  armies, — are  at  work 
for  you ;  all  the  councils  of  this  world,  are 
already  sitting  upon  tlie  very  matter ;  God 
hath  called  them  together  for  this  purpose, 
— the    pope,    with    all    his    conclave, — the 
Jesuits,   priests,   monks  and  friars,  with  all 
their  convent, — yea,  the  devil,   with  all  his 
conclave  of  hell,   are  all  at  work  for  the 
good  of  saints.     It  is  true,  they  mean  not, 
nor  intend  any  such   thing,    their  designs 
are  against  you  ;  they  count  they  are  wor- 
king for  themselves  ;  as  it  is  said  concern- 
ing tlie   Assyrian,   Isa.  x.  6,   7.      God  sent 
hini  forth  upon  a  design  of  his  own,  to  ex- 
ecute his  counsel,  in  the  punishing  of  hypo 


nevertheless,  he  meaneth  not  so,  nor  doth 
his  heart  think  so  ;  the  Assyrian  minds  not 
what  God's  design  is,  but  follows  his  own 
design,  — figjits  for  himself,  and  spoils  for 
liinist'lf, — but  (jod's  design  is  still  carried  on 
by  him,  though  he  thinks  not  of  it. 

All  the  events  in  the  world  are  driving 
the  same  way  ;  every  disease  or  infirmity 
that  comes  upon  you, — every  loss  that  you 
sustain, — every  scort"  or  reproach  that  you 
suffer, — the  shame  in  your  faces,  the  sorrow 
of  your  hearts,  the  torment  in  your  Ixnvels, 
the  aches  in  your  bones, — are  all  working 
your  good.  All  the  changes  of  your  con- 
ditions,— your  fair  weather  and  your  foul,^ 
your  sunshine  and  your  clouds, — your  plen- 
ty and  your  wants, — your  eases  and  your 

pains, — your  liberties  and  your  prisons, 

are  all  making  for  you  ;  your  good  is  al- 
ready working  by  all  these  things.  See, 
Christians,  what  an  harvest  of  blessednesa 
is  growing  up  to  you,  out  of  this  promise. 
The  seed  is  already  sowing, — your  good  ia 
already  working, — God  is  at  work,  the 
whole  creation  is  at  work, — men  and  angels, 
— good  men  and  bad  men, — friends  and  e- 
nemies, — heaven,  and  earth,  and  hell, — are 
already  engaged  to  work  your  good. 

(2.)  They  work  together,  that  is,  as  soma 
understand    it,    they    work    together   with 
God.     All  these  second  causes  work  togeth- 
er with  the  first  cause:  or  as  others,  they 
work  together  amongst  themselves.     There 
is  such  a  concatenation  and  concentring  of 
all  these  second  causes,  in  the  same  design, 
that    however   they   seem    to    thwart,    and 
cross,  and  destroy  some  of  them,   what  the 
others  build  and  advance,   yet  they  are  all 
united  in  their  end ;  they  jointly  contribute 
to  the  weal  of  the  saints.     Though,    if  I 
mistake  not,  this  latter  be  the  best  sense  of 
the  two  :  yet  I  know  no  reason,  why  both 
may  not  be  understood.      In  the  hand,   and 
under   the    conduction    of   providence,    all 
these  lower  things  concur  and  co-operate 
in  the  good  of  the  church.     By  the  way, 
observe  what  an   harmony  there  is  in  all 
the  works  of  providence.      The  most  cross 
and  thwarting  occurrences  do  all  conspire, 
and  go  hand   in   hand,   to  bring  about  the 
same  end.     As  the  diff"ering  virtues  of  va- 
rious drugs  do  all  concur  to  make  up  the 


crites,  to  purge  out  the  chalf  from  the  wheat,  j  medicine  :  as  the  differing  sounds  of  several 


668 


SELECT  SERMONS. 


strings  or  instruments,  do  ultogetlier  make 
up  the  melody:  as  the  differing  colours  in 
a  picture,  the  dark  as  well  as  the  brighter, 
do  jointly  contribute  to  the  beauty  of  the 
piece :  no  less  do  the  most  contrary,  and 
contradictory  actions  and  events,  both  make 
up  the  beauty  of  providence,  and  jointly 
subserve  that  one  end,  to  which,  by  an  un- 
seen hand,  and  an  all-seeing  eye,  they  are 
directed  and  intended. 

2.  The  evil  things  that  befall  the  saints, 
come  upon  them  to  keep  out  worse  things. 
Wherever  the  cross  comes,  if  it  had  not 
come,  something  worse  might.  The  cross 
may  be  a  means  to  secure  from  the  curse ; 
the  curse  was  slain  on  the  cross  of  Christ, 
and  our  cross  also  hath  its  use,  to  the  de- 

We 


(( 


livering  us  from  it :  1  Cor.  xi.  32. 
are  chastened  of  the  Lord,  that  we  should 
not  be  condemned  with  the  world,"  Perisu7n 
nisi  periise?n, — I  had  died,  if  I  had  not  suf- 
fered. It  is  more  men's  cases,  besides  his 
that  spake  it ;  it  is  no  bad  exchange  to 
have  a  cross  instead  of  a  curse. 

3.  The  evil  things  of  the  saints  prepare 
them  for  bettor  things  ;  that  they  may  work 
good  for  them,  they  are  working  them  to 
good;  working  out  their  sin  and  iniquity, 
wearying  tliem  of  sin,  Hosea  ii.  6.,  "  I  will 
liedge  up  her  way  with  thorns,  then  shall 
she  say,  I  will  return."  Sin  brought  in 
afflictions  into  the  world,  and  afflictions  help 
to  carry  sin  out ;  the  cross,  to  which  sin 
was  once  nailed,  is  now  nailed  to  sin  ;  the 
saints  can  seldom  be  meddling  with  sin,  but 
they  find  it  too  heavy  for  them.  Our  Lord 
beats  the  devil  with  his  own  weapons ;  by 
those  very  means  purging  his  saints,  by 
which  he  endeavoins  to  pollute  them  ;  mak- 
ing those  very  persecutions,  by  which  he 
labours  to  force  them  from  holiness,  to  fix 
them  in  it.  Christians,  comfort  your  hearts ; 
those  floods  that  are  cast  against  you,  shall 
but  wash  you  the  whiter,  and  make  you 
more  meet  to  be  partakers  of  the  inheritance 
of  the  saints  in  light ;  your  purgatory  pre- 
pares you  for  your  Paradise.  No  unclean 
thing  must  enter  in  thither ;  and  you  are 
not  like  to  be  made  so  clean,  as  by  falling 
into  the  hands  of  the  unclean.  The  saints 
never  look  so  well,  like  sheep  come  from 
the  washing,  as  when  they  come  up  from  tlie 
pots,  their  very  black  makes  tliem  comely. 


O  Christians  !  what  a  comfort  would  it  be, 
if  your  experiences  might  come  in,  and  sea, 
to  this  truth  ;  if  you  could  say,  thus  it  hath 
been  with  me  ;  "  Before  I  was  afflicted  I 
went  astray :"  I  was  proud,  and  vain,  and 
wanton,  and  slothful,  and  caj'nal,  "  but  now 
have  I  kept  thy  word." 

Sinners,  whatever  your  mind  be,  in  per- 
secuting the  saints,  never  think  to  debauch 
them  by  it;  if  that  be  your  aim,  you  mis- 
take your  course  ;  the  living  spark  which 
God  hath  kindled  in  them  will  not  be  blown 
out,  but  be  blown  up,  by  your  puffing  at 
it ;  the  dirt  you  cast  upon  them,  doth  but 
scour  them  the  brighter.  You  take  the 
best  course  you  can  to  keep  them  closer  to  the 
Lord,  and  his  way ;  the  warm  sun  will  more 
hazard  the  loss  of  their  garments,  than  the 
blustering  wind  ;  let  them  alone,  the  Spirit 
of  the  Lord  within  them  will  be  too  hard 
for  hell,  with  all  its  black  regiments,  and 
will  not  only  secure  them,  but  advance 
them  yet  higher,  by  all  their  assaults. 
These  stars  shine  the  brightest,  when  the 
night  is  darkest :  when  you  have  done  your 
worst,  it  will  be  the  better  with  them  ; 
though  they  will  not  thank  you,  yet  they 
will  thank  God  for  what  they  have  suffered 
by  you.  If  this  be  your  aim,  to  make  them 
like  yourselves,  you  may  set  your  hearts  at 
rest,  and  give  over  such  a  vain  attempt ; 
your  fury  is  like  to  do  as  little  to  force 
them,  as  your  virtues  are  to  invite  them  to 
a  compliance  with  you.  Your  faces  are  too 
foul  to  draw  them  into  your  love,  and  yet 
not  fierce  enough  to  drive  them  into  your 
fear.  Satan,  try  thy  utmost  strength  and 
skill, — and  if  thou  losest  not  by  thine  own 
play  at  last, — if  thou  findest  not  the  poor 
people  of  God  gotten  nearer  heaven,  by  thy 
attempts  of  plucking  them  down  to  hell, — 
then  let  thy  lies  be  believed  before  the 
everlasting  gospel ! 

Christians,  make  me  not  ashamed  in  this 
same  confident  boasting  of  you  ;  yea,  con- 
tradict not  your  God,  by  suffering  your- 
selves to  be  corrupted  by  evil  men.  The 
Lord  himself  hath  adventured  deep  upon 
your  integrity  and  steadfastness.  Tlie  ho- 
nour of  his  truth  and  faithfulness  lies  at 
stake,  he  hath  said,  that  "  tiiey  shall  not 
be  afraid  of  any  evil  tidings,  their  heart  is 
fixed,   trusting  in  the  Lord,"   Ps.  cxii.  7 


FAREWELL  DISCOURSE  ON  HIS  EJECTION. 


GG9 


lie  hath  said,  "  By  this  sliall  their  itiiquity 
be  purged,  and  tliis  sliall  he  all  the  Iruit, 
to  take  away  their  sin."  God  hath  said, 
"  All  things  shall  work  together  for  good 
to  them."  They  shall  not  be  the  worse, 
but  the  better,  for  all  that  befalls  them  ; 
tlu'v  shall  love  me  and  my  holy  ways  the 
more  ;  they  shall  cleave  unto  me  the  closer  ; 
they  shall  be  made  more  pure,  and  more 
tender,  by  all  they  suffer  for  righteousness 
sake  ;  they  shall  love  conscience,  and  their 
integrity,  and  faithfulness  to  it,  never  the 
worse,  for  that  it  hath  cost  them  so  dear ; 
but  shall  prize  it  the  more,  and  be  the  more 
wary  and  tender,  how  they  pollute  and  turn 
aside  from  it.  God  hath  ventured  deep  on 
you,  make  not  him  a  liar ;  the  devil  and  his 
instruments  will  be  ready  to  say,  concern- 
ing you,  as  once  he  did  to  the  Lord 
concerning  his  servant  Job:  "Put  them 
into  our  ))ower,  let  us  have  the  handling  of 
them  a  while,  and  thou  shalt  quickly  see, 
what  truth  there  is  in  them,  or  what  trust 
there  is  to  them ;  they  will  curse  thee  to 
thy  face, — they  will  deny  thee  to  thy 
face, — they  will  eat  their  own  words, — 
thev  will  be  ashamed  of  their  God,  their 
godliness  and  confidence."  Let  God  be 
true.  Christians,  and  the  devil  a  liar;  be 
living  commentaries  on  this  blessed  text ; 
let  the  world,  and  their  black  prince  see, 
that  they  cannot  make  you  miserable,  be- 
cause they  cannot  make  you  sinners  like 
themselves  ;  that  you  are  still  the  more  up- 
right, for  falling  into  the  hands  of  a  crooked 
generation ;  let  them  see,  that  though  your 
God  will  not  suffer  you,  yet  you  are  con- 
tented to  serve  him  for  nothing  !  That 
though  his  hedge  be  removed  from  you,  yet 
vour  heart  is  not  removed  from  him,  be 
able  to  say,  "  Though  all  this  be  come  upon 
us,  our  heart  is  not  turned  back  ;  neither 
have  we  declined  thy  wjiy."  Let  your 
standing  and  increasing  in  tlie  grace  of 
God,  and  abounding  in  the  works  of  right- 
eousness, be  a  standing  witness  for  God  in 
the  world,  and  a  seal  to  his  scriptures,  and 
in  special  to  the  glorious  truth  of  this  text. 
4.  The  evil  things  of  the  saints,  prepare 
better  things  for  them  ;  their  sufferings  go 
into  their  reward :  "  As  the  sufferings  of 
Christ  abound  in  us,  so  our  consolation  also 
aboundeth    by    Christ."      Every   suffering 


comes  with  a  comfort  in  its  belly;  and  the 
sweet  is  so  great  as  swa!h»ws  up  the  bitter; 
it  is  an  hundred  fold  that  the  saints  jrain 
by  all  their  losses  in  this  life,  but  how  great 
shall  their  reward  be  in  heaven  !  2  Cor.  iv 
17.,  "  Our  light  affliction,  which  is  hut  for 
a  moment,  worketh  for  us  a  far  more  ex- 
ceeding and  eternal  weight  of  glory."  They 
shall  not  only  have  weight  for  weight, — 
measure  for  measure, —  their  load  of  glory 
for  their  load  of  sufferings, — hut  tlu'V  shall 
have  over-weight,  over-measure  ;  good  mea- 
sure, pressed  down,  heaped  togetlier,  and 
running  over,  shall  then  be  given  unto 
them :  according  to  their  deep  i)overty, 
shall  be  the  height  of  their  riches  ;  accord- 
ing as  their  blackness  hath  been  in  their 
houses  of  bondage,  shall  be  their  briglitness 
in  the  land  of  promise  ;  "  for  all  thy  shame 
thou  shalt  have  double," — *lie  double  of  thy 
reproach  in  renown,  the  double  of  thy  tears 
in  triumphs  ;  all  thy  bottled  tears  shall  be 
returned  in  flagons  of  joy,  yea,  in  rivers  of 
eternal  pleasure. 

By  this  time,  Christians,  you  see  what 
glory  there  is  in  this  good  word  :  "  All 
things  shall  work  together  for  good  to  them 
that  love  God."  And  that  none  may  have 
the  face  to  say  all  this  is  but  conceit,  I 
shall,  in  the  next  place,  bring  in  clear  and 
undeniable  evidence,  that  it  is  certainly  and 
unquestionably  so  as  hath  been  said :  and 
therefore  know, 

5^//,  That  all  things  do,  and  shall  cer- 
tainly work  '  for  good  to  them  that  love 
God.'  This,  (besides  the  testimony  of  the 
scripture,)  I  shall  make  evident  from  these 
three  propositions : 

1 .  There  is  a  Divine  providence  that  go- 
verns the  world. 

2.  The  design  of  providence  is  the  ac- 
complishment of  the  good  purpose  and  pro- 
mise of  God. 

3.  The  providence  of  God  shall  never  fail 
of  accomplishing  its  end. 

\.  There  is  a  Divine  providence  which 
governs  the  world.  The  Ej)icureans,  who 
deny  providence,  and  leave  all  on  chance 
and  fortune,  may  as  well  deny  that  there  is 
a  God,  which  yet  they  are  ashamed  to 
stand  to.  Of  Epicurus  himself  it  was  said, 
Que7n  nihil  jmdenduin  pudet^  pudet  tamen 
Deum  negare. 


670 


SELECT  SERMONS. 


It  can  be  no  way  reconcileable  to  the  in- 
finite wisdom  of  God,  who  made  this  glori- 
ous fabric,  with  the  various  creatures  there- 
in, either  not  to  determine  them  to  their 
ends,  or  else  to  take  no  care  for  their  ac- 
complishing those  ends  they  are  determined 
to.  The  whole  current  of  scripture  is  so 
plain  in  these  matters,  that  he  that  runs 
may  read.  Let  the  following  scriptures,  a- 
mongst  others,  be  considered  :  Ps.  xcvii.  1., 
"  The  Lord  reigneth,  let  the  earth  rejoice, 
let  the  isles  be  glad."  Ps.  clxv.  15,  16., 
"  The  eyes  of  all  wait  upon  thee,  and  thou 
givcst  them  their  meat  in  due  season  :  thou 
openest  thy  hand,  and  satisfiest  the  desires 
of  every  living  thing."  Ps.  xxxvi.  6., 
"  Thou  preservest  man  and  beast."  Ps. 
Ixxv.  6,  7.,  "  Promotion  cometh,  neither 
from  the  east,  nor  from  the  west,  nor  from 
the  south  ;  but  God  is  the  judge,  he  putteth 
down  one,  and  setteth  up  another."  Amos 
iii.  6.,  "  Shall  there  be  evil  in  a  city,  and 
the  Lord  hath  not  done  it?"  Ps.  xvii.  13, 
14.,  "  Deliver  my  soul  from  the  wicked, 
which  is  thy  sword  ;  from  men  which  are 
thy  hand."  The  confessions  of  those  infi- 
dels, Nebuchadnezzar  and  Darius  speak  the 
same  :  Dan.  iv.  35.,  "  All  the  inhabitants 
of  the  earth  are  reputed  as  nothing,  and  he 
doeth  according  to  his  will,  in  the  army  of 
heaven,  and  among  the  inhabitants  of  the 
earth  ;  and  none  can  stay  his  hand,  or  say 
unto  him.  What  doest  thou  ?"  Dan.  vi.  26., 
"  I  make  a  decree,  that  in  every  dominion 
of  my  kingdom,  men  tremble,  and  fear,  be- 
fore the  God  of  Daniel ;  for  he  is  the  living 
God,  and  steadfast  for  ever ;  and  his  king- 
dom that  which  shall  not  be  destroyed; 
and  his  dominion  shall  be  even  to  the  end  : 
lie  delivereth  and  rcscueth,  and  he  worketh 
Kigns  and  wonders  in  heaven  and  earth  ; 
who  hath  delivered  Daniel  from  the  power 
of  the  lions." 

But  more  distinctly,  the  Lord  governs 
all  inanimate  and  sensitive  creatures  in  their 
actions ;  he  orders  the  stars  in  their  courses. 
The  stars  in  their  coui'ses  he  made  to  ficrht 
against  Sisera.  He  governs  the  winds  and 
the  floods  ;  he  bringeth  forth  the  winds  out 
his  treasures,  he  rides  upon  the  wings  of 
the  wind.  He  maketh  the  clouds  his  cha- 
riots, he  sitteth  on  the  floods  ;  the  thunder, 
and  the  hail,  and  the  rain,  and  the  frosts. 


are  all  at  his  command.  He  giveth  snow 
like  wool,  and  scattereth  the  hoar-frost  like 
ashes.  He  casteth  forth  the  ice  like  mor- 
sels :  he  sets  bounds  to  the  sea,  wliich  it 
shall  not  pass;  the  birds  of  the  air,  the 
beasts  of  the  field,  the  fishes  of  the  sea,  yea, 
the  stones  and  dust  of  the  earth,  are  all  at 
his  beck. 

More  especially,  he  rules  and  governs 
the  men  of  this  world.  He  sits  in  all  the 
councils  of  men,  though  they  see  him  not; 
he  orders  all  their  decrees  :  there  is  no  de- 
cree can  pass  unless  God  gives  his  vote. 
He  rules  in  all  the  actions  of  men ;  even 
those  things  that  are  acted  through  our 
improvidence  come  not  to  pass  without  the 
providence  of  God.  He  rules  in  all  the 
changes  that  are  in  the  world ;  he  changes 
the  times  and  the  seasons;  he  changes 
kingdoms  and  governments ;  he  removeth 
kings,  and  setteth  up  kings :  he  makes 
war,  and  creates  peace  ;  he  bendeth  the  bow, 
and  breaketh  the  bow,  and  cutteth  the  spear 
in  sunder,  and  burnetii  the  chariots  in  the 
fire  ;  peace  and  war,  health  and  sickness, 
plenty  and  famine,  life  and  death,  are  all  the 
disposurcs  of  his  hand.  He  orders  all  the 
events  and  causalities  of  the  world  :  even 
from  the  greatest  to  the  smallest.  With- 
out him  not  a  sparrow  shall  fall,  nor  a  hair 
of  the  head  shall  perish  ;  though  there  be  to 
men,  yet  to  the  Lord  there  are  no  causali- 
ties or  contingencies.  But  all  things  come 
to  pass  according  as  his  hand  and  counsel 
had  before  determined. 

2.  The  design  of  providence — as  it  re- 
spects the  elect — is  the  accomplishment  of 
God's  good  purpose  and  promise.  Provi- 
dence governs  the  world,  and  the  purpose 
and  promise  governs  providence.  All  the 
works  of  providence  have  rationem  medioi-wn 
adfincm.  God  doth  nothing  in  Aain  ;  it  is 
not  consistent  with  the  wisdom  of  God  to 
do  any  thing  for  nothing.  God  would  have 
his  people  look  farther  than  to  the  things 
that  are  before  them,  because  all  those 
things  have  a  farther  aspect  themselves.  All 
the  works  of  providence  have  a  double  as- 
pect; they  look  backward  to  the  purpose 
and  promise,  and  they  look  forward  to  the 
end  for  which  they  are ;  as  they  look  back- 
ward, so  they  have  truth  in  them,  exactly 
answering  the  purpose  and  promise   from 


FAREWELL  DISCOURSE  ON  HIS  EJECTION. 


671 


wliich  they  liavc  their  birtli.  As  tliey  look 
forward  to  their  eiid,  so  tliey  luivc  good  iu 
them,  Jiiid  tliJit  good — their  subservience  to 
tlieir  end, — is  the  reason  of  their  being. 
Here  note  two  things. 

(1.)  That  the  subserviency  of  things  to 
tlicir  end,  is  the  goodness  of  them ;  if  the 
end  be  good,  the  means  must — as  such — be 
good  also  ;  if  what  God  hath  purposed  and 
promised  be  good,  then  all  things  that  fall 
in  between,  having  the  respect  of  means 
to  their  accomplishment,  must  upon  that 
account  be  good.  If  our  crosses  and  af- 
flictions do  subserve  the  bringing  about 
of  God's  good  will  and  good  word,  we  must 
say  concerning  them,  '  good  are  the  works 
of  the  Lord.'  It  is  not  how  any  thing  looks 
or  feels  at  present,  but  what  it  means,  and 
to  what  it  tends.  If  the  potion  be  bitter, 
and  yet  it  tends  to  health, — if  the  messen- 
ger be  ill-looked  and  ill-favoured,  and  yet 
come  upon  a  good  errand, — you  may  bid 
liim  w^elcome.  And  thus  all  the  pro\'i- 
dences  of  God  are  good.  If  you  should  ask 
of  any  providence,  Wherefore  art  thou 
come  ?  comest  thou  peaceably  ?  comest  thou 
for  good  ?  they  must  all  answer,  yes,  peace- 
ably ;  for  good,  and  no  hurt.  'Tis  but  to 
help  all  that  good  into  thy  hand  which  hath 
been  in  the  heart,  and  hath  proceeded  out 
of  the  mouth  of  thy  God  that  loves  thee. 
There  is  not  a  messenger  of  Satan  that 
comes  to  buffet  thee  but  is  also  a  messenger 
from  God  that  comes  to  thee  for  good.  The 
verv  thorns  in  thy  flesh  shall  serve  thee  for 
plasters,  thine  eye-sores  shall  be  thine  eye- 
Balve,  and  thy  very  maladies  thy  medicines. 

(2.)  Tliat  this  relative  goodness  of  all  the 
works  of  providence,  is  the  reason  of  their 
bcinc.  Therefore  God  doth  what  he  doth, 
that  hereby  he  may  do  what  he  hath  said 
and  intended.  I  do  not  say  that  the  reason 
of  God's  taking  this  or  that  means,  is  al- 
ways from  any  thing  in  itself,  or  for  its  na- 
tural tendency  to  such  an  end  above  any 
thing  else  ;  God  hath  his  choice  of  means, 
he  can  choose  liere  or  there  at  ]tl<>asure, 
can  make  use  of  what  he  will  to  serve  his 
design  ;  but  the  reason  why  tilings  are,  is 
this,  God  in  hif5  wisdom,  saw  their  ordina- 
bility  to  this  good  end,  aiid  thereupon  in 
his  providence,  he  orders  and  brings  them 
to  pass.     So  that  no\\,  whatever  befalls  a 


Christian,  lie  hath  this  to  allay  and  take  oft 
the  grievousness  and  sharpness  of  it ;  this 
had  never  been,  but  for  the  good  will  and 
good  word  of  the  Lord  to  me.  The  Lord 
God  hath  said  he  will  bless  me,  and  do  me 
good  ;  he  will  heal  me,  and  sanctify,  and 
save  me,  and  now  he  is  about  it ;  by  this, 
he  Is  working  that  salvation  for  me.  Chris- 
tians, you  have  no  reason  to  say,  if  the  Lord 
be  with  me,  why  am  I  thus  ?  why  so  poor, 
why  so  pained,  why  so  persecuted,  so  scorn- 
ed and  trampled  upon  ?  sure,  if  the  Lord 
had  meant  my  good,  it  would  have  been 
better  than  it  is  with  me ;  no,  no,  'tis  be- 
cause the  Lord  is  with  thee,  and  means 
thee  well,  that  he  deals  in  this  manner  with 
thee.  The  design  of  his  providence  to- 
wards thee,  is  the  accomplishment  of  his 
promise. 

3.  The  providence  of  God  shall  never  fail 
of  accomplishing  its  end.  There  is  nothing 
wanting  that  might  give  us  the  fullest  as- 
surance hereof.     For, 

(1.)  The  providence  of  God  hath  power 
with  it.  He  is  the  Almighty  that  hath  pro- 
mised ;  he  that  ruloth  in  the  earth  dwelleth 
in  the  heaven,  and  doth  whatsoever  he  will. 
Our  God  is  in  heaven,  and  doth  whatso- 
ever he  will.  "  I  will  work,  and  who  shall 
let  it?"  Isa.  xliii.  13.  "  Who  can  stay  his 
hand,  or  say  to  him,  what  doest  thou?" 
AVere  it  not  for  our  unbelief,  our  case  would 
be  still  the  same,  in  greatest  difficulties,  as 
when  the  coasts  are  most  clear.  We  mifrht 
say  of  difficulties,  as  the  Psalmist  of  dark- 
ness ;  '  there  is  no  darkness  with  thee,  to 
thee  the  day  and  night  are  both  alike.' 
Difficulties  are  no  difliculties  with  thee,  nor 
is  there  difference  betwixt  hard  and  easy 
He  can  save  with  many  or  with  few  ;  and 
with  none  as  well  as  with  some.  We  once 
read  he  had  too  many,  but  never  that  ho 
had  too  t'cw^  to  bring  about  his  work.  O 
how  do  we  disparage  the  power  of  (lod, 
when  our  difficulties  make  us  doubt  .''  Is 
he  God,  and  not  man  ?  Is  he  spirit  and  not 
flesh  ?  Wherefore  .then  dost  thou  doubt  ? 
\\'liatever  God  hath  said  he  can  do  :  be- 
lieve he  is  a  (iod,  and  thou  wilt  never  say, 
how  can  these  things  be? 

(2  )  The  ])rovidcnce  of  God  hath  wisdonn 
with  it.  He  is  the  only  wise,  he  is  the  all- 
wise  God.     "  The  Lord  knoweth   how  to 


672 


SELECT  SERMONS. 


deliver  tlie  godly  out  of  temptations,"  2  Pet. 
ii.  9.  He  knoweth  what  is  good  for  his 
saints,  and  when  it  will  be  in  season  ;  he 
understandeth  what  is  proper  and  pertinent 
to  every  case  ;  wliat  is  proper  toevery  pur- 
pose, to  every  people,  to  every  person,  and 
for  every  season  ;  he  knows  when  it  is  a 
season  to  abate,  and  when  to  exalt, — vj'^hen 
to  afflict,  and  when  to  deliver, — when  to 
pat  on  the  yoke,  and  when  to  take  oflF 
the  yoke, — when  to  pull  down,  and  when 
to  build  up ;  every  thing  is  beautiful  in 
its  season.  If  mercies  come  out  of  season, 
mercies  would  be  no  mercies  ;  and  if  trou- 
bles come  in  their  season,  troubles  should 
be  no  troubles  ;  he  knows  the  best  method 
and  means  to  his  end;  the  fittest  means; 
he  sees  sometimes,  the  unfittest  to  be  the 
fittest;  the  most  unlikely  unpromising 
means,  do  often  best  serve  God's  end. 
Christians,  if  you  would  receive  every  dis- 
pensation, as  coming  from  the  hands  of  the 
wise  Ciod  ;  you  would  never  quarrel  with 
your  lot,  nor  say  of  any  thing  that  befalls, 
I  might  be  happy,  but  this  stands  in  my 
way.  If  you  would  give  God  leave  to  be 
wiser  tliau  you,  you  would  say  wherever 
you  are,  it  is  good  for  me  to  be  here,  this  is 
my  way  to  my  rest. 

(3.)  The  providence  of  God  hath  faith- 
fulness with  it,  Ps.  XXV.  10.,  "  All  the  paths 
of  the  Lord  are  mercy  and  truth  to  them 
that  keep  his  covenant  and  his  testimonies," 
Ps.  cxi.  8.  His  works  are  done  in  truth. 
God's  works  may  be  said  to  be  done  in  truth 
in  a  double  sense.  In  reality,  in  fidelity. 
1st,  In  reality,  not  in  species,  or  in  shew 
only,  for  (iod's  comforts  are  comforts  in- 
deed; God's  salvation,  is  salvation  indeed. 
The  devil  will  come  with  his  gifts,  com- 
forts, and  deliverances,  but  they  are  for  the 
most  part  but  spectra  like  himself, — shows 
and  apparitions, —  quite  another  thing  than 
that  they  seem  to  be ;  sinners'  comforts, 
deliverances,  enjoyments,  wherewith  the 
devil  feeds  them,  do  leave  them  in  as  poor 
a  case,  and  worse  than  they  found  them. 
You  will  never  thank  the  devil  for  his  kind- 
nesses when  you  have  proved  them  what 
they  are.  If  you  do  not  find  yourselves 
as  fast  bound  in  the  midst  of  all  your  li- 
berties; if  you  be  not  wrapped  up  in  as  many 
sorrows,  after  all  the  joys  he  hath  procured 


to  you  ;  if  the  glittering  glories,  the  glorying 
pleasures  he  entices  you  by,  and  entertains 
you  with,  prove  not  trash  and  dirt,  and  mere 
lies  in  the  end,  then  say,  the  devil  hath  for- 
gotten his  trade  of  lying;  the  devil's  works 
will  be  even  like  himself,  false  and  deceit- 
ful. But  God  is  true,  and  all  his  works  are 
done  in  truth.  2d,  In  fidelity  ;  his  works 
are  according  to  his  word,  1  Kings  viii.  24., 
"  Thou  hast  spoken  with  thy  mouth,  and 
hast  fulfilled  with  thine  hand,"  "  in  thy 
faithfulness  thou  hast  afflicted  me,"  Ps. 
cxix.  75.  Not  only  in  thy  faithfulness  thou 
hast  saved  me,  in  thy  faithfulness  thou  hast 
comforted  me,  in  thy  faithfulness  thou  hast 
succoured  me;  but  in  thy  faithfulness  thou 
hast  afflicted  me ;  in  thy  faithfulness  thou 
hast  humbled,  and  broken  me,  and  cast  me 
down.  The  promise  of  God  is,  that  we  shall 
want  nothing ;  we  shall  neither  want  his 
staff  nor  his  rod, — neither  comforts  nor 
crosses, — neither  joys  nor  sorrows;  we  can- 
not well  want  either,  and  we  shall  want 
neither,  because  God  is  faithful.  You  may 
not  only  write  down  with  the  apostle,  "  God 
is  faithful,  and  will  not  suffer  you  to  be 
tempted  above  that  which  ye  are  able  to 
bear."  But  you  may  write  also,  God  is 
faithful,  and  will  not  suffer  you  to  fall  in 
temptation.  When  it  is  seasonable,  your 
hearts  shall  be  glad ;  and  if  need  bo,  for  a 
season,  you  shall  be  in  heaviness.  God  is 
faithful,  he  will  ever  be  true  to  himself, 
and  therefore  to  you  :  2  Tim.  ii.  13.,  "  He 
abideth  faithful,  he  cannot  deny  himself." 
Should  he  be  false  to  his  people,  he  cannot 
be  true  to  himself,  to  his  purpose  and  pro- 
mise ;  his  word  is  not  yea  and  nay.  God  is 
not  as  a  man,  that  he  should  lie,  or  the  son 
of  man,  that  he  should  repent, — that  he 
should  say,  and  unsay, — that  he  should 
say,  and  not  do, — you  may  write  God's  name 
upon  every  word  he  hath  spoken,  you  may 
write  his  name, — I  AM, — upon  all  that  he 
hath  said  :  It  shall  be. 

Now  Christians,  put  these  three  particu- 
lars together,  and  if  you  cannot  spell  out 
the  conclusion  out  of  them,  the  provi- 
dence of  God  will  certainly  accomplish  his 
good  purpose  and  promise  concerning  you, 
you  are  of  little  understanding  as  well  as 
of  little  faith.  If  God  governs  the  world, 
and  nothing  comes  tq  pass  but  by  his  pro- 


ELL  DISCOURSE  ON  HIS  EJECTION. 


673 


vidence ;  if  providence  governs  according 
to  God's  purpose  and  promise,  providence 
cannot  fail  of  accomplishing  both.  If  God 
be  almighty  and  can, —  if  God  be  wise  and 
knows  how, — if  God  be  faithful  and  true, — 
let  the  devil  if  he  can  Avith  all  his  sophistry 
evade  the  conclusion,  that  he  will  certainly 
do  all  that  good  for  you,  which  he  hath 
purposed  and  promised.  If  God  be  not 
able  to  perform,  he  is  not  almighty  ;  if  he 
mistake  his  way,  if  he  use  impertinent,  im- 
proper means,  he  is  not  the  all-wise  God. 
If  he  do  not  actually  perform  what  he  is 
able,  and  knows  how  to  do,  when  he  hath 
Baid  it,  he  ceases  to  be  the  true  God :  so 
that  the  matter  is  brought  plainly  to  this 
issue ;  if  God  be  God,  if  God  be  the  all- 
wise  God,  if  God  be  the  true  and  faithful 
God,  this  word  which  he  hath  spoken,  "  All 
things  shall  work  together  for  good  to  those 
that  love  God,"  shall  not  fail  of  its  accom- 
plishment in  its  season.  Having  thus 
proved  the  doctrine,  I  ^hall  add  a  few 
words  by  way  of  caution. 

Catdion  1.  Limit  not  the  Lord  to  your 
time  and  way.  God  will  make  good  his 
word,  but  you  must  give  him  leave  to  take 
his  own  season.  "  He  that  believeth  shall 
not  make  haste."  Believe  God,  but  do  not 
prejudge  nor  precipitate,  lest  you  fall  into 
temptation.  Put  no  more  into  the  promise, 
neither  for  matter  nor  circumstance,  than 
God  hath  put  in  it ;  put  not  that  into  the 
promise,  which  God  hath  not  put  in  it,  lest 
you  miss  and  come  short  of  that  which  God 
hath  put  in  it.  Let  others'  mistakes  and  mis- 
carriages be  warnings  to  you.  Till  God 
hath  manifestly  said,  do  you  not  say, 
"  This  is  the  time."  Build  not  your  con- 
fidence on  conjectures,  your  faith  on  the 
strongest  presumptions,  lest  your  faith 
prove  but  a  fancy,  and  your  confidence  I 
your  confusion ;  make  not  the  promise  of 
God  of  none  effect,  by  looking  for  its  ef- 
fect out  of  season.  Believe  not  yourselves 
into  infidelity.  Consider,  Acts  i.  7.,  "  It 
is  not  for  you  to  know  the  times  and  the 
seasons,  which  God  hath  put  in  his  own 
power."  Study  the  word,  and  its  com- 
mentary, the  works  of  God ;  but  be  sober 
in  your  conclusions. 

This  you  may  safely  depend  upon,  and 
tins  will  be  enough,  if  you  have  no  more. 


God  will  make  good  his  word  to  you,  sooner 
or  later, — in  one  time  or  other, — in  one 
way  or  other;  in  the  best  time,  in  the  best 
way,  in  the  appointed  time ;  the  vision 
sliall  speak,  and  shall  not  lie;  Ilab.  ii.  3., 
"  Though  it  tarry,  wait  for  it ;  because  it 
will  surely  come,  and  will  not  tarry."  At 
least,  at  the  end  of  the  days,  when  you  shall 
stand  in  your  lot,  when  you  shall  be  gotten 
on  the  banks  of  Canaan,  and  shall  thence 
look  back  on  the  promises  and  providences 
of  God,  you  shall  see  and  say,  God  is  faith- 
ful, there  hath  not  failed  one  word,  of  all 
that  he  hath  promised.  Now  I  understand, 
though  once  I  could  not,  how  every  wheel 
was  turning,  every  instrument  was  moving, 
every  event  was  working  towards  my  good 
and  everlasting  welfare. 

2.  Let  not  your  expectation  cause  an 
abortion.  Let  not  your  looking  for  mercy 
hinder  the  working  of  your  affliction.  It 
is  not  seldom — and  the  Lord  grant  it  be 
not  too  common  a  case — that  our  door  of 
hope  becomes  a  door  of  sin.  We  do  not 
set  ourselves  with  that  seriousness  to  hum- 
ble, to  purge  ourselves  from  our  iniquities, 
as  we  would  do,  did  we  apprehend  our  case 
more  desperate ;  our  fears  and  our  sorrows 
have  not  their  kindly  work  upon  us,  our 
hope  hinders  it.  We  might  have  been  more 
broken-hearted,  had  it  not  been  for  our 
hopes  of  building  up  ;  as  it  is  with  a  person 
who  conceives  himself  to  be  dying,  he  then 
falls  to  praying  and  repenting,  and  setting 
his  heart  in  order,  because  he  must  die  ; 
but  upon  a  little  hope  of  recovery, — he  lay* 
by  his  dying  thoughts  and  preparations. 

Christians,  whenever  you  are  under  af- 
flictions, take  heed  that  your  expectation 
of  deliverance  to  be  near  put  it  not  so 
much  the  farther  off.  Watch  narrowly 
over  yourselves,  and  look  diligently  to  it, 
that  your  hope  of  redemption  do  not  harden 
your  hearts,  nor  hinder  your  humiliation 
and  repentance.  Hope  in  God,  and  wait 
for  the  promise  of  his  coming;  but  know, 
that  till  the  rod  hatli  d<»no  its  work,  it  is  not 
like  in  mercy  to  he  laid  by  ;  and  it  is  bet- 
ter to  be  continued  in  the  furnace,  than  to 
be  brought  forth  with  your  dross  unpurged 
away. 

By  the  way,  learn  hence  two  things. 

L   Rejoice  in  this  promise  of  God.    Hath 

4Q 


G74 


SELECT  SERMONS. 


tlie  Lord  put  in  thy  name  here :  let  thine 
heart  say,  it  is  enough.  Be  more  joyful 
in  tliis,  tliat  God  hath  thus  undertaken  tlie 
care  of  thee,  than  if  God  had  Avholly  put 
thee  to  thine  own  hand, — giving  thee  power 
to  lielp,  and  liberty  to  choose  for  thyself. 
In  what  wilt  thou  rejoice,  if  not  in  this, 
that  the  whole  creation  is  engaged  to  do 
thee  a  kindness,  to  help  thee  into  the  posses- 
sion of  thy  God  ?  Thou  mayest  now  not  on- 
ly submit  to,  but  thankfully  embrace  every 
providence,  knowing  up(m  what  errand  it 
comes  to  thee ;  for  good,  and  not  for  hurt. 
Thou  mayest  now  triumph,  not  only  in  the 
consternations,  but  in  the  triumphs  of  thine 
enemies.  Whether  they  ride  over  thy 
back,  or  thou  tread  upon  their  neck,  'tis 
all  one,  the  issue  will  be  the  same.  Thy 
troubles  and  thy  consolations  differ  only  in 
their  countenance :  with  whatever  grim 
face  thy  afflictions  look,  there  are  smiles 
under :  learn  to  see  through  them,  and 
thou  mayest  see  light  on  the  farther  side. 
Believe  this  word,  thou  mayest  read  it 
written  upon  every  thing  that  befalls  thee  : 
there's  no  messenger  that  comes,  but  brings 
this  promise  in  his  hand,  '  Even  this  shall 
work  for  good.'     Read  it,  and  rejoice. 

2.  Lay  thyself  down  quietly  under  it. 
No  more  perplexing  or  distracting  cares, 
what  shall  become  of  thee, — no  more  un- 
warrantable shifting  for  thyself, — let  God 
alone.  Shift  not  for  thyself,  lest  God  leave 
thee  to  thine  own  shifts.  Let  not  the  vio- 
lence of  evil  men  disturb  thy  peace,  or  pro- 
voke thee  to  unpeaceableness.  Whatever 
provocations  thou  mayest  have,  avenge  not 
thyself,  neither  give  place  unto  wrath,  mur- 
muring, or  fears.  In  thy  patience  possess 
thy  soul,  thy  God,  and  his  good  word  ;  thy 
strength  is  to  sit  still.  Stand  still  and  see 
the  salvation  of  God  ;  thou  hast  nothing  to 
do  but  to  be  holy  ;  let  that  be  thine  only 
care ;  thy  God  will  sec  to  it  thou  shalt  be 
happy;  he  is  faithful  that  hath  promised. 
Love  God,  and  leave  thyself  and  thy  whole 
interest  in  this  blessed  word,  "  All  things 
shall  work  to  thee  for  good." 

By  this  time  you  see  something  of  the 
^•iches  of  this  promise.  God  is  in  the  pro- 
mise,— the  God  of  peace,  the  God  of  power, 
the  God  of  patience,  the  God  of  hope,  the 
}ieart  of  God,  the  help  of  God,  the  presence 


of  God, — by  virtue  whereof,  all  that  ever 
befalls  them  shall  work  for  their  good. 
Methinks  the  hearing  of  this  promise  open- 
ed, should  set  your  souls,  and  all  that  is 
within  you  a  crying  out,  "  O  that  this  were 
my  portion  !  Wherever  my  lot  do  fall,  as 
to  outward  things,  though  in  a  prison, 
though  in  a  desert,  though  on  a  dunghill, 
let  the  lot  of  my  soul  lie  in  this  promise, 
'  The  God  of  peace  shall  be  with  you.' " 
Why  brethren,  will  you  take  up  with  god- 
liness ?  You  have  learned,  and  received, 
and  heard  the  word  of  the  Lord,  the  word 
of  faith,  the  word  of  righteousness  and 
holiness ;  will  you  hearken  to,  will  you 
obey  these  words?  "  These  things  do,  and 
the  God  of  peace  shall  be  with  you."  O 
what  foolish  creatures  are  we,  that  ever 
we  should  be  afraid  of  religion, — afraid  of 
holiness, — afraid  to  own,  obey,  and  follow 
God  and  his  holy  ways  !  What  unreason 
able  fears  are  these,  to  those  that  believe 
the  scriptures?  If  the  scriptures  be  true, 
this  is  the  only  way,  this  following  God  in 
holiness,  to  put  yourselves  out  of  all  dan- 
ger, to  put  yourselves  into  the  heart,  arms, 
presence  and  protection,  of  the  Almighty 
God  of  heaven  and  earth.  O  that  I  could 
persuade  you  in  thither,  and  there  leave 
you  !  If  you  are  once  in  the  Lord's  arms, 
you  are  safe  enough,  into  whatever  hands 
you  fall. 

Christians,  my  business  Avhilst  I  have 
been  with  you,  hath  been  to  bring  you  to 
God,  to  espouse  you  to  Christ;  and  you 
that  have  already,  or  will  yet,  at  last,  be 
persuaded  to  give  your  consent,  and  will 
give  me  leave  to  make  up  the  match,  I  can 
give  you  assurance  that  he  will  shortly  come 
and  make  up  the  marriage  ;  and  must  say 
to  you,  as  Naomi  to  Ruth,  Ruth  iii.  12, 
"  Sit  still,  my  daughter,  till  thou  see  how 
the  matter  will  fall ;  for  the  man  will  not 
be  in  rest,  till  he  have  finished  the  thing 
this  day."  Sit  still.  Christians,  till  you  see 
how  matters  will  fall ;  and  however  they 
fall,  know,  your  Lord  will  not  be  in  rest, 
till  he  have  finished  this  thing,  and  brought 
you  home,  to  be  with  him  where  he  is.  I 
am  now  parting  from  you  in  this  confidence, 
that,  however,  after  a  few  days  I  shall  see 
your  faces  no  more  in  this  world  ;  yet  I 
shall  shortly  meet  you  in  the  bride-chamber 


FAREWELL  DISCOURSE  ON  HIS  EJECTION. 


G75 


of  glory,  where  we  shall  ever  be  with  the 
Lord. 

Bi'Ioved  in  the  Lord,  I  must  now  leave 
you,  but  give  me  leave  ere  I  go,  to  deal 
freely  with  you,  and  yet  a  little  further,  in 
the  close  of  my  day,  this  once  more  to  open 
my  heart  to  you ;  and  to  tell  you, 

I.  What  my  parting  fears. 

II.  What  my  parting  wishes  for  you  are, 
which  I  carry  upon  my  spirit. 

I.  My  parting  fears,  I  go  off  from  you 
with,  are  especially  these  : 

1.  I  am  afraid,  that  there  are  many  of 
you,  upon  whom  I  have  bestowed  my  la- 
bour in  vain ;  I  am  afraid  that  I  have  in- 
Btructed  you  in  vain,  exhorted,  persuaded, 
beseeched,  and  reproved  you  in  vain.  It 
was  the  apostle's  case,  and  his  fear,  con- 
cerning the  Galatians,  chap.  iv.  11.  It  is 
my  grief,  that  when  I  would  have  no  more 
to  speak,  but  an  healing  word,  a  comfort- 
ing word,  I  must  yet  drop  down  a  bitter 
word  on  some  of  you ;  that  when  I  would 
Bpeak  only  from  Mount  Gerizzim,  I  must 
yet  again  speak  to  some  from  Mount  Ebal ; 
that  when  I  would  leave  a  blessing  behind 
me  upon  you  all,  I  am  like  to  leave  some 
bound  under  a  curse.  It  is  grievous  to  me 
thus  to  speak,  yet  for  the  discharge  of  my 
duty,  and  for  your  own  necessity,  bear  with 
me.  I  am  afraid,  that  whilst  I  have  been 
preaching  to  you,  of  an  incorruptible  crown, 
of  an  everlasting  rest,  a  kingdom  of  joy  and 
glory,  I  am  afraid  there  are  many  of  you, 
that  have  no  part  nor  lot  m  this  matter,  but 
are  still  in  the  gall  of  bitterness,  and  bond 
of  iniquity.  "  If  the  gospel  be  hid,  it  is  hid 
to  them  that  are  lost."  And  are  there  none 
among  you,  from  whom  this  gospel  is  hid, — 
hid  as  to  the  light  of  it, — hid  .as  to  the  sav- 
ing power  and  efficacy  of  it  ?  I  am  afraid 
there  is  many  a  blind  eye,  many  a  hard  heart, 
many  a  spirit  still  in  prison,  under  the  power 
of  their  lusts  and  brutish  sensuality :  I  am 
afraid  there  are  many  such  among  you  ; 
and  are  not  you  afraid  so  too  ?  O  that  you 
were  ! 

2.  I  have  a  greater  fear  than  this  ;  I  am 
afraid  of  some  of  you,  that  not  only  all  my 
past  labours,  but  this  last  will  be  lost  also. 
Those  that  stand  it  out  to  their  last  day,  do 
usually  stand  it  out  in  their  last  day.     Bles- 

d  be   God  that  there  are  amongst  you, 


those  over  whom  my  soul  Ls  comforted,  to 
whom  I  can  speak  in  the  words  of  the  apos- 
tle, Rom.  vi.  17.,  "  God  be  th.anked,  that 
ye  were  the  servants  of  sin  ;  but  ye  have 
obeyed  from  the  heart,  that  form  of  doctrine 
that  hath  been  delivered  unto  you  ;  and 
being  now  made  free  from  sin,  you  are  be- 
come the  servants  of  righteousness."  O 
that  I  could  thus  speak  !  O  that  I  could 
thus  rejoice  over  you  all  !  But,  as  the  apos- 
tle said  to  the  Corinthians,  2  Cor.  xii.  20., 
"  I  fear  lest  when  I  come,  I  shall  find  you 
such  as  I  would  not."  So  must  I  say,  with 
a  grieved  heart ;  I  fear,  that  now  I  am  going, 

1  shall  leave  you  such  as  I  would  not.  1 
would  not  leave  one  blind  person,  one  vain 
person,  one  loose  liver,  not  one  unbeliever, 
or  impenitent,  amongst  you  all.  O  what 
a  good  day  would  this  day  of  my  departure 
be  !  What  light  would  there  be  in  this  dark 
evening,  wore  it  thus  with  you  !  If  I  might 
see  you  all  recovered  out  of  the  snares  of 
thede\nl, — every  man's  eyes  opened, — every 
man's  fetters  off, — every  man's  prison  bro- 
ken, and  his  soul  escaped  from  that  deadly 
bondage, — if  every  poor  deadly  creature  a- 
mong  you,  who  yet  lies  bound  hand  and 
foot  in  his  grave-clothes,  might  now  at  last 
stand  up  from  the  dead,  and  live  the  life  ot 
God, — this  would  be  mine  and  your  great 
rejoicing  !  But  O  I  fear  with  this  apostle, 

2  "Cor.  xii.  21.,  "  My  God  will  humble  me," 
and  grieve  me,  and  afllict  me,  to  see  in  what 
a  woful  plight  I  must  leave  divers  of  you  ! 

O  ye  sons  of  the  night, — you  poor,  igno- 
rant, and  dark  souls,  upon  whom  the  light 
hath  shined,  but  your  darkness  comprchen- 
dcth  it  not, — O  yon  poor  obstinate,  and  har- 
dened souls,  upon  whom  I  have  been  plough- 
ing as  upon  rocks,  and  hewing  as  upon  a- 
damants, — who  still  remain  under  as  great 
hardness,  as  if  no  dew  nor  rain  had  ever 
fallen  on  you, — O  you  poor,  half-baked,  al- 
most Christians,  that  have  taken  up  your 
standin  yourpresent  attaimnents, — my  soul 
is  under  great  fears,  and  must  weep  in  se*. 
cret  for  you,  whilst  my  tongue  must  hence- 
forth be  silent !  O  every  sotil,  that  is  with- 
out fear  of  himself,  my  soul  is  afraid  for 
you :   the  fearless  soul  is  in  a  fearful  state ! 

Sinners,  let  my  fears  be  your  fears.  What, 
is  there  such  astonishing  guilt  upon  you, — • 
and  yet  not  afraid?   Such  a  dreadful  roll 


676 


SELECT  SERMONS. 


writ  against  you, — and  yet  not  afraid  ?  So 
many  sabbaths,  sermons,  warnings  lost,  and 
never  to  be  recalled  ;  nor  any  assurance  left 
of  one  sermon,  or  warning  more, — and  yet 
not  afraid  ?  Sucli  a  subtile  devil,  such  a  de- 
ceitful heart,  such  a  tempting  world,  that 
you  have  to  deal  withal:  such  a  black  and 
bottomless  pit,  into  which  you  are  falling, — 
and  yet  not  afraid  ?  O  what  stocks  and  stones 
hath  the  gospel  to  deal  withal ! 

Beloved,  I  have  laboured  much  with  you, 
both  publicly,  and  from  house  to  house,  to 
bring  you  under  a  due  fear  and  jealousy  of 
j^ourselves  ;  but  hitherto  your  hearts  have 
been  too  hard  for  me.  O  yet  for  trembling 
hearts  ;  tremble  and  sin  not ;  fear  and  pray, 
fear  and  hope,  fear  and  repent ;  "  Work  out 
your  salvation  with  fear  and  trembling." 
O  if  my  fears  were  once  become  your  fears ; 
your  fears  would  become  my  hopes  !  O  what 
a  day-spring  of  hopes  would  arise  from  the 
shaking  of  secure  hearts  !  These  fears  would 
be  as  the  thicker  darkness,  forerunners  of 
the  break  of  day. 

II.  My  parting  wishes,  and  desires  for  you 
are, 

1.  That  the  good  seed  which  hath  been 
sown  amongst  you  were  well-rooted  in  every 
heart ;  I  wish  that  my  twenty  years'  minis- 
try among  you  may  not  be  lost  labour  to 
any  one  of  your  souls. 

2.  I  wish  that  your  next  seedsman  may 
be  more  skilful  and  successful;  that  the 
good  Lord  will  provide  you  a  man,  that  may 
teach  you  in  wisdom,  gain  you  in  love,  lead 
you  on  to  life,  by  an  holy  example  ;  and  if 
the  Lord  grant  you  this  mercy,  I  wish  that 
such  an  one  may  be  dearly  prized,  and 
cheerfully  accepted  by  you.  God  keep  this 
flock  from  a  ravening  wolf,  and  a  deceitful 
shepherd  ! 

3.  I  wish  that  there  may  be  no  root  of 
bitterness  springing  up  amongst  you  ;  that 
there  be  no  divisions  or  contentions,  but 
that  you  may  live  in  peace  and  love,  that 
the  God  of  peace  and  love  may  be  with  you. 

4.  I  wish  that  this  place,  where  so  much 
good  seed  hath  been  sown,  may  become  a 
fruitful  field ;  that  the  fruits  of  faith  and 
repentance,  the  fruits  of  righteousness  and 
holiness  may  be  in  you  and  abound  ;  tliat 
you  may  be  neither  barren,  nor  unfruitful ; 
that  religion,  in  the  power  and  practice  of 


it,  may  so  visibly  flourish,  in  the  several 
persons,  in  the  several  families  of  this  con- 
gregation, that  they  that  go  by  may  see  and 
say,  "  This  is  the  field  which  the  Lord  hath 
blessed." 

3.  I  wish,  that  whatever  clouds  may  at 
any  time  gather  over  you,  may  not  fall  down 
in  a  withering  storm,  or  a  sweeping  flood, 
but  may  pass  away  in  a  mist,  or  dissolve 
into  a  fruitful  dew  ;  that  no  persecutions  or 
temptations  may  ever  carry  you  down  the 
stream  with  evil  men,  nor  blight  any  hope- 
ful beginnings,  that  are  budding  forth  in 
any  of  your  souls.  If  tribulation  should  be 
any  of  your  lots,  I  wish  it  may  not  be  to 
you  as  the  hail  of  Egypt,  but  as  the  dew  of 
Hermon.  I  wish  you  a  joyful  harvest,  that 
you  may  reap  in  eternity,  what  hath  been 
sown  in  time  ;  may  you  now  sow  in  righ- 
teousness, and  hereafter  reap  in  mercy , 
may  every  one  that  is  now  sowing  in  tears, 
for  ever  reap  in  joy ;  may  you  that  go  on 
your  way  weeping,  bearing  precious  seed, 
return  with  joy  and  bring  your  sheaves  with 
you  ;  may  the  showers  of  this  day  be  the 
watering  of  your  seed,  that  it  may  spring 
up  to  eternal  life. 

Brethren,  my  heart's  desire  for  you  all 
is,  that  you  may  be  saved  ;  and  if  there  be 
any  persons  that  bear  evil  will  to  me,  my 
particular  wish  for  them  is,  the  good-will 
of  him  that  dwelt  in  the  bush,  be  those 
men's  portion  for  ever.  These  are  some  of 
my  wishes  for  you  ;  will  you  join  your  wish- 
es with  mine  ;  will  you  turn  your  wishes 
into  prayers,  and  let  this  be  your  prayer, 
"  The  Lord  grant  thee  thine  heart's  desire, 
and  fulfil  all  thy  mind  !" 

Brethren,  do  I  wish  you  any  harm  in  all 
this  ?  If  not, — if  it  be  to  be  wished  that  the 
word  of  Christ  were  rooted  in  your  hearts, 
and  your  souls  thereby  rooted  in  the  grace 
of  God, — if  it  be  to  be  wished,  that  your 
lust  were  rooted  out,  your  sins  dead  and 
dried  up,  your  foot  gotten  out  of  the  snare, 
your  souls  brought  into  the  fold,  your  fruits 
of  righteousness  and  holiness  abounding 
and  growing  up  to  eternal  life, — if  all  this 
be  to  be  wished,  then  give  in  your  votes 
with  mine ;  wish  and  pray, — pray  and  press 
on, — press  on,  and  wait, — for  the  accom- 
plisliment  of  this  grace  in  you  all.  I  tell 
you  again,  I  wish  you  well ;  and  not  only  I. 


FAREWELL  DISCOURSE  ON  HIS  EJECTION. 


u  I 


but  the  Lord  God  liath  sent  me  to  you. 
The  Lord  Jesus  wishes  you  well ;  he  wishes 
and  woos,  woos  and  weeps,  weeps  and  dies, 
that  your  souls  might  live,  and  be  blessed 
for  ever.  He  hath  once  more  sent  me  to 
you,  even  to  the  worst  amongst  you,  to  tell 
you  from  him,  that  he  is  unwilling  you 
should  perish  ;  that  he  hath  a  kindness  for 
you  in  his  heart,  if  you  will  accept  it;  he 
liatli  blood  and  bowels  for  you, — blood  to 
expiate  your  guilt,  to  wash  away  your  filth, 
> — and  bowels  to  offer  you  the  benefit  of  his 
blood;  with  this  wish,  *  O  that  it  w^ere 
theirs  !  O  that  they  would  hearken  and  ac- 
cept !'  Only  I  must  add,  that  the  Lord  hath 
two  sorts  of  wishes  concerning  sinners,  the 
first  is,  '  O  that  they  would  hearken  !'  O 
that  they  would  come  in,  be  healed,  and  be 
saved,  Deut.  v.  29.  This  wish  is  an  olive 
branch  that  brings  good  tidings,  and  gives 
great  hopes  of  peace  and  mercy. 

His  last  wish  is,  '  O  that  they  had  heark- 
ened, that  they  had  accepted  !'  Ps.  Ixxxi. 
13.,  "  O  that  my  people  had  hearkened  to 
me  !"  Luke  xix.  42.,  "  If  thou  hadst  known, 
evea  thou,  in  this  thy  day,  the  things  that 
concern  thy  peace."  This  wish  hath  no- 
thing but  dread  and  death  in  it ;  it  is  the 
black  flag  hung  out,  that  proclaims  eter- 
nal wars.  The  sense  is,  Israel  had  once  a 
fair  time  of  it, — a  time  of  love,  a  time  of 
grace,  a  time  of  peace, — O  that  they  had 
hearkened  then,  that  they  had  known  the 
things  that  concern  their  peace  !  But  wo, 
wo  to  them,  it  is  now  too  late,  the  door  is 
shut,  the  season  is  over,  the  day  is  past ! 
"  But  now  they  are  hid  from  thine  eyes." 

There  are  three  deadly  darts  in  this  wish, 
— "  O  that  thou  hadst  !" — It  includes  in  it 
these  three  cutting  words,  Thou  hast  not: 
Thou  mightest:  Thou  shalt  not  for  ever. 

L  There  is  this  in  it.  Thou  hast  not. 
What  have  I  not?  Why,  "  thou  hast  not 
known  the  things  that  belong  to  thy  peace." 
Thou  hast  had  the  door  of  glory,  the  gate 
of  heaven  open  to  thee,  and  hast  been  called 
for,  and  invited  in,  but  thou  hast  lost  tiie 
opportunity.  Thou  knewest  not  when  thou 
wert  well-offered,  nor  wouldest  take  notice 
what  a  day  was  before  thee,  what  a  prize 
was  in  thine  hand.  Thy  peace,  the  gospel 
of  peace,  the  Prince  of  peace,  a  kingdom  of 
peace  was  set  open,  offered,  and  brought 


home  to  tlty  doors,  but  thou  hadst  so  many 
other  matters  to  look  after,  that  thou  took- 
est  no  notice  of  it,  but  hast  lot  it  slip.  There 
is  one  dart,  '  Thou  hast  not  known.'  There 
is  a  gospel  gone, — there  is  a  Christ  gone,— 
there  is  a  soul,  a  kingdom  lost ! 

2.  There  is  this  in  it,  '  Thou  mightest.'  O 
that  thou  hadst?  Why,  might  I?  Yes  thou 
mightest,  if  thou  wouldest  thou  mightest. 
Thy  God  did  not  mock  thee,  when  he 
preached  peace  to  thee  ;  he  was  willing,  and 
wished  it  thine  ;  if  thou  wouldest  thou 
mightest  have  made  it  thine  own ;  but 
whilst  he  would  thou  wouldest  not.  There 
is  another  dart,  '  I  miglit  have  known.'  I 
have  none  to  thank  but  myself  for  the  loss ; 
mine  undoing  was  mine  own  doing.  There 
are  no  such  torments  as  when  the  soul  flies 
upon    itself  and    takes    revenge  on  itself. 

0  the  gashes  that  such  self-reflections 
make  !  Soul,  how  camest  thou  in  hither 
into  all  this  misery  ?  O  it  is  of  myself,  my- 
self, that  my  destruction  is.  The  door  was 
open,  and  I  was  told  of  it,  and  was  bid  come 
in,  but  I  would  not.  That  I  am  lost  and 
undone,  was  not  my  fate,  which  I  could 
not  avoid,  but  my  fault  and  my  folly.  It 
seems  to  give  some  ease  of  our  torment 
when  we  can  shift  off  the  fault.  It  was  not 
I,  but  the  woman,  said  Adam ;  It  was  not 
I,  but  the  serpent,  said  the  woman.  It 
that  had  been  true,  it  would  have  given 
ease,  as  well  as  serve  for  an  excuse.  This 
thought  (it  was  mine  own  doing)  tears  tiie 
very  caul  of  the  heart.  O  I  have  none  to 
blame  but  myself;  mine  own  foolish  and 
froward  heart.  This  is  my  ignorance,  this 
is  my  unbelief,  this  is  my  wilfulness,  my 
lust,  and  my  j)leasures,  and  my  idols,  that 

1  was  ruiinin^j^  after,  that  have  hronght  mo 
under  this  dreadful  loss.  It  was  my  own 
doing. 

3.  There  is  this  in  it,  '  Thou  shalt  not 
for  ever.'  O  that  thou  hadst !  Why,  may 
I  not  yet  ?  Is  there  no  hope  of  recovering 
the  op|)ortunity?  not  one  word  more,  not 
one  hour  more,  may  not  the  sun  go  one  de- 
ffree  backw  ard  ?  No,  no,  it  is  too  late, — too 
late, — thou  hast  had  thy  day ;  from  hence- 
forth no  more  for  ever.  There  is  the  last 
dart,  time  is  j)ast ;  there  is  the  death,  the 
hell,  the  anguish,  the  worm  that  shall  gnaw 
to  eternitv  !  This  one  word,  '  time  is  past,* 


678 


SELECT  SERMONS. 


Bets  all  hell  a  roaring  ;  and  when  it  is  once 
Bpoken  to  a  sinner  on  earth,  there  is  hell 
begun.  Go  thy  way  wretch,  fill  up  thy 
measure,  and  fall  into  thy  place  !  The  gos- 
pel hath  no  more  to  say  to  thee,  but  this 
one  word  :  "  Because  I  have  called,  and 
thou  refusedst;  I  have  stretched  out  my 
liand,  and  thou  regardedst  not ;  but  hast  set 
3,t  nought  all  my  counsels,  and  wouldest 
none  of  my  reproofs  :  I  also  will  laugh  at 
t^hy  calamities,  and  mock  when  thy  fear 
cometh  ;  when  thy  fear  cometh  as  desola- 
tion, and  thy  destruction  cometh  as  a  whirl- 
wind ;  when  distress  and  anguish  cometh 
upon  thee.  Then  shalt  thou  call,  but  I  will 
not  answer,  thou  shalt  seek  me  early,  but 
shalt  not  find  me." 

Beloved,  my  hopes  are — and  I  am  not 
able  to  say,  but  that  you  are  yet  under  the 
^rst  wish — '  O  that  they  would  !'  Christ 
is  yet  preaching  you  to  faitli,  and  sends  his 
wish  along  with  his  word,  "  O  that  they 
%vould  believe  !"  Christ  is  yet  preacliing 
repentance  and  conversion  to  you,  and 
wishes,  "  O  that  they  would  repent  !"  tliat 
they  would  be  converted  ;  and  to  this  wish 
of  my  Lord,  my  soul,  and  all  that  is  within 
me,  says  Amen.  Brethren,  will  you  yet 
again  say  your  Lord  nay  ?  Shall  Christ  have 
his  wish  ?  shall  your  servant  for  Jesus' 
sake,  shall  /have  my  wish?  will  you  now 
at  last  consent  to  be  sanctified,  and  to  be 
saved  ?  Let  me  have  this  wish,  and  I  dare 
promise  you  from  the  Lord,  you  shall  have 
yours,  even  whatever  your  soul  can  desire. 
Brethren,  tiiis  once  hear,  this  once  be  pre- 
vailed upon  ;  }>c  content  that  your  lusts  be 
Tooted  out,  and  your  Lord  planted  into 
your  souls.  Be  content  to  be  pardoned, 
content  to  be  converted,  content  to  be  sav- 
ed. This  once  hear,  lest  if  you  now  refuse, 
ye  no  more  be  persuaded  with,  '  O  that  they 
would  !'  but  be  for  ever  confonnded  with, 
*  O  that  they  had  !'  Lest  all  our  wishes,  and 
wooings  of  you  be  turned  into  weepings  and 
mournings  over  you ;  this  once  hear ;  O  that 
you  would  ! 

I  heartily  thank  you,  for  your  good  wish- 
es, and  good-will  towards  me ;  for  your 
willing  and  cheerful  entertainment  of  my 
person,  and  attendance  on  my  ministry ; 
and  particularly  for  your  passionate  desire 
of  my  longer  stay  among  you.     Which  de- 


sire, if  God  had  not,  my  soul  could  not  have 
denied  you.  Though  the  Almighty — to 
whose  pleasure  it  is  meet  that  we  all  sub- 
mit— hath  said  nay  to  that  wish  of  yours, 
yet  let  your  souls  say  Amen,  to  this  last  of 
mine,  that  the  Lord  God  would  dwell  among 
you,  and  in  you,  both  now  and  for  ever. 

And  having  thus  finished  my  labours  a- 
mong  you,  I  shall  now  close  up  with  this 
double  account. 

L  Of  my  discharge  of  my  ministry  in 
this  place. 

2.  Of  my  deprival.  And  shall  so  com- 
mit you  to  God,  and  to  the  word  of  his 
grace,  which  is  able  to  build  you  up,  and 
to  give  you  an  inheritance  amongst  all  them 
that  are  sanctified. 

1.  Of  my  discharge  of  my  ministry. 
What  my  doctrine  and  manner  of  life  hath 
been,  is  known  to  you ;  and  what  my  aim 
and  intent  hath  been,  is  known  to  God. 
The  searcher  of  hearts,  knows  that  it  is  the 
salvation  of  souls  that  hath  been  the  mark 
at  which  I  have  levelled.  My  way  hath 
been  to  use  all  plainness,  that  I  might  be 
made  manifest  in  your  consciences.  Weak- 
nesses, and  infirmities,  both  natural  and 
sinful — the  Lord  pardon  it — I  have  had 
many.  I  am  sensible  that  much  more  might 
have  been  done,  both  in  public  and  in  pri- 
vate, had  it  not  been  for  a  weakly  bod}'', 
and  a  slothful  heart.  I  rej)cnt  that  I  have 
had  no  more  zeal  for  God,  no  more  com- 
passion to  souls ;  I  repent  that  I  haA-e  been 
no  more  constant  and  imjiortunate  with 
you,  about  the  matters  of  eternity.  O  eter- 
nity, eternity  !  that  thou  wert  no  more  jn 
the  heart  and  lips  of  the  j)reacher,  in  the 
hearts  and  ears  of  the  hearers  ! 

But  while  I  thus  judge  myself  for  my 
failings,  blessed  be  God,  I  have  a  witness  in 
my  conscience,  and  I  hope  in  yours  also, 
that  I  have  not  shunned  to  declare  to  you 
tlie  whole  counsel  of  God.  Brethren,  I  call 
heaven  and  earth  to  witness  this  day,  that 
I  have  set  before  you  life  and  death,  good 
and  evil,  and  have  not  ceased  from  day  to 
dav,  to  warn  you  to  choose  life,  and  tha* 
good  way  that  leads  to  it ;  and  to  escape 
for  youi"  lives  from  the  way  of  sin  and 
<leatli  !  O  remember  the  many  instructions 
I  have  given  you, — the  many  arguments 
whereby    I    have    striven   with    you, — the 


FAREWELL  DISCOURSE  ON  HIS  EJECTION. 


C79 


many  pravcrs  tluitliave  been  offered  uj)  for    are  imposed  on  us,  as  the  condition  of  our 


the  f;nidin<^  and  gaining  your  souls  into  the 
patli  of  life,  and  the  turning  your  feet  out 
of  the  way  of  destruction.  O  might  I  be 
able  to  give  this  testimony  concerning  you 
all  at  my  departure  ;  "  they  have  trodden  in 
tlie  right  path  ;  they  have  chosen  the  good 
part  that  shall  not  be  taken  from  them  !" 

Brethren,  beloved,  with  whom  I  have 
travailed  in  birth,  that  Christ  might  be 
formed  in  you,  I  must  shortly  give  up  my 
account  in  a  more  solemn  assembly,  will 
you  help  me  to  give  it  up  with  joy,  by 
shewing  your  souls  before  the  Lord,  as  the 
seals  of  my  ministry  ?  Every  sincere  con- 
vert among  you  will  be  a  crown  of  rejoic- 
ing to  me  in  that  day.  So  let  me  rejoice, 
and  let  my  joy  be  the  joy  of  you  all. 

What  shall  I  say  more  ?  If  there  be 
any  consolation  iti  Christ,  if  any  comfort 
of  love,  any  bowels  and  mercy, — if  the 
glory  of  the  Eternal  God,  the  honour  of 
the  everlasting  gospel,  the  safety  of  your 
immortal  souls,  the  incorruptible  crown, 
the  exceeding  eternal  weight  of  glory  weigh 
any  thing  with  you, — then,  once  more,  let 
me  beseech  you  by  all  tliis,  to  hearken  to 
that  word  of  the  gospel,  which  God  hath 
spoken  to  you  by  me. 

2.  Of  my  deprival.  The  most  glorious 
morning  hath  its  evening;  the  hour  is 
come  wherein  the  sun  is  setting  upon  not 
a  few  of  the  prophets  ;  the  shadows  of  the 
evening  are  stretched  forth  upon  us  ;  our 
dav  draws,  our  work  seems  to  be  at  an  end. 
Our  pulpits  and  places  must  know  us  no 
more.  This  is  the  Lord's  doing,  let  all  the 
earth  keep  silence  before  him. 

It  is  not  a  light  thing  for  me,  brethren, 
to  be  laid  aside  from  the  work,  and  cast 
out  of  the  vineyard  of  the  Lord  ;  and  it 
must  be  something  of  weight  that  must 
Kup])ort  under  so  severe  a  doom.  I  know 
there  are  not  a  few  that  will  add  to  the 
affliction  of  the  afflicted,  by  telling  the 
world  it  is  their  own  fault,  they  might  pre- 
vent it  if  they  wotild.  Whether  this  be  so 
or  no,   God   knoweth,   and   lot  the  Lord  be 


continuing  our  ministration  ;  which  how 
lawful  and  expedient  soever  they  seem  in 
the  judgment  of  many,  yet  have  the  most 
specious  arguments  that  plead  for  them, 
left  me  utterly  dissatisfied  in  my  conscience 
about  them.  I  must  profess  before  God, 
angels,  and  men,  that  my  non-submission 
is  not  from  any  disloyalty  to  authority,  nor 
from  pride,  humour,  or  any  factious  dispo- 
sition, or  design  ;  but  because  I  dare  not 
contradict  my  light,  nor  do  any  thing  con- 
cerning which  my  heart  tells  me,  the  Lord 
says,  do  it  not. 

After  all  my  most  impartial  inquiries, — 
after  all  my  seeking  counsel  from  the  Lord, 
— after  all  my  considering,  and  consulting 
with  men  of  all  persuasions  about  these 
matters, — I  find  myself  so  far  short  of  sa- 
tisfaction, that  I  am  plainly  put  to  this 
choice,  to  part  with  my  ministry  or  my 
conscience.  I  dare  not  lie  before  God  and 
the  world  ;  nor  come  and  tell  you,  I  ap- 
prove, I  allow,  I  heartily  consent,  to  what 
1  neither  do  nor  can  ;  but  must  choose  ra- 
ther, that  my  ministry  be  scaled  up  by  my 
sufferings,  than  lengthened  out  by  a  lie, 
through  the  grace  of  Ciod,  tliough  men  do, 
vet  my  heart  shall  not  reproach  me  while 
I  live.  "  If  our  heart  condemn  us,  God  is 
greater  than  our  liearts  and  knoweth  all 
things."  But  however,  though  I  must  now 
no  longer  act  as  a  minister,  I  shall,  through 
the  grace  of  God,  endeavour  poaceablv,  and 
patiently,  to  suffer  as  a  Christian.  I  sh(»uld, 
to  testifv  mv  obedience  to  authority,  have 
become  all  things  to  all  men,  to  the  utter- 
most that  I  could,  with  any  clearness  of 
heart  :  but  since  matters  stand  so,  I  must 
lose  my  ]»lace,  or  my  ])eace,  I  cheerfully 
suffer  myself  to  be  thrust  off  the  stage. 

And  now  welcome  the  cross  of  C  hrist, — 
welcome  reproach, — welcome  poverty,  scorn 
and  contempt,  or  whatever  else  may  bcrall 
me  on  this  account  !  This  morning  I  had 
a  flock,  and  you  had  a  pastor  ;  but  now,  be- 
hohl  a  pastor  without  a  flock, — a  flock 
without  a  shepherd  !      This  morning  I   had 


judge  Blessed  be  God,  whatever  be,  this  an  house,  but  now  I  have  none  !  This 
is  not  laid  to  our  charge  as  the  reason  of  j  morning  I  had  a  living,  but  now  I  have 
our  seclusion,  either  insufficiency  or  scan-  none  !  "The  Lord  hath  given,  and  the 
dal  !  Lord  hath  taken  away.  Blessed  be  the  name 

You  are  not  ignorant  what  things  there    of  the  Lord." 


680 


ART  OF  DIVINE  CONTENTMENT. 


Beloved,  1  am  sensible  of  many  weak- 
nesses and  disadvantages  I  am  under,  which 
may  render  a  suffering  state  the  harder  to 
be  borne;  help  me  by  your  prayers,  and 
not  me  only,  but  all  my  brethren  also,  with 
whom  my  lot  must  fall ;  "  Pray  for  us  : 
for  we  trust  that  we  have  a  good  conscience, 
in  all  things  willing  to  live  honestly."  Pray, 

1.  That  God  would  make  our  silence 
speak,  and  preach  the  same  holy  doctrine 
that  we  have  preached  Avith  our  lips. 

2.  That  he  would  give  supports  answera- 
ble to  our  sufferings  ;  that  he  who  comfort- 
eth  those  that  are  cast  down,  will  also  com- 
fort his  servants  that  are  cast  out. 

3.  That,  according  to  our  earnest  expec- 
tation, and  our  hope,  as  always,  so  now  al- 


so, Christ  may  be  magnified  in  us,  whether 
it  be  by  life  or  by  death. 

And  thus,  brethren,  I  bid  you  all  fare- 
well, in  the  words  of  the  apostle,  2  Cor. 
xiii.  11.,  "Finally,  brethren,  farewell.  Be  j 
perfect,  be  of  good  comfort,  be  of  one  mind, 
live  in  peace;  and  the  God  of  love  and 
peace  shall  be  with  you."  "  And  the  God  of 
peace,  that  brought  again  from  the  dead 
our  Lord  Jesus,  that  great  Shepherd  of 
the  sheep,  through  the  blood  of  the  ever- 
lasting covenant,  make  you  perfect  in  every 
good  work  to  do  his  will,  working  in  you 
that  which  is  well-pleasing  in  his  sight, 
through  Jesus  Christ;  to  whom  be  glory, 
for  ever  and  ever.     Amen." 


THE  ART  OF  DIVLVE  CONTENTMENT. 

Phil.  iv.  11.  "  I  have  learned,  in  whatsoever  state  I  am,  therewith  to  be  content,'* 


Chap.  I.  The  Introduction  to  the 
Text. 

X  HESE  words  are  brought  in  by  way  of 
prolepsis,  to  anticipate  and  prevent  an  ob- 
jection. The  apostle  had,  in  the  former 
verses,  laid  down  many  grave  and  heaven- 
ly exhortations ;  among  the  rest,  "  to  be 
careful  for  nothing,"  ver.  6.  Not  to  exclude, 
1.  A  prudential  care;  for,  he  that  provideth 
not  for  his  own  house,  "  hath  denied  the 
faith,  and  is  worse  than  an  infidel,"  1  Tim. 
v.  8.  Nor,  2.  A  religious  care ;  for,  we 
must  give  all  "  diligence  to  make  our  call- 
ing and  election  sure,"  2  Pet.  i.  10.  But, 
3.  To  exclude  all  anxious  care  about  the 
issues  and  events  of  things ;  "  take  no 
thought  for  your  life,  what  you  shall  eat," 
Mat.  vi.  25.  And  in  this  sense  it  should 
be  a  Christian's  care  not  to  be  careful.  The 
word  careful  in  the  Greek  comes  from  a 
prmitive,  that  signifies  '  to  cut  the  heart  in 
pii>ces,'  a  soul-dividing  care;  take  heid  of 
this.  We  are  bid  to  "  commit  our  way  un- 
to the  Lord,"  Ps.  xxxvii.  5.  The  Hebrew 
word  is,  '  roll  thy  way  upon  the  Lord.'  It 
is  our  work  to  cast  away  care,  1  Pet.  v.  7. 
And  it  is  God's  work  to  take  care.  By 
our  imraoderacy  we  take  his  work  out  of 


his  hand.  Care,  when  it  is  eccentric,  either 
distrustful  or  distracting,  is  very  dishon- 
ourable to  God;  it  takes  away  his  provi- 
dence, as  if  he  sat  in  heaven  and  minded 
not  what  became  of  things  here  below ;  like 
a  man  that  makes  a  clock,  and  then  leaves 
it  to  go  of  itself.  Immoderate  care  takes  the 
heart  off  from  better  things ;  and  usually 
while  we  are  thinking  how  we  shall  do  to 
live,  we  forget  how  to  die.  Care  is  a  spi- 
ritual canker  that  doth  waste  and  dispirit ; 
we  may  sooner  by  our  care  add  a  furlong 
to  our  grief  than  a  cubit  to  our  comfort. 
God  doth  threaten  it  as  a  curse,  "  They 
shall  eat  their  bread  with  carefulness," 
Ezek.  xii  19,  Better  fast  than  eat  of  that 
bread.     "  Be  careful  for  nothing." 

Now,  lest  any  one  should  say,  yea,  Paul 
thou  ])rcachest  that  to  us  which  thou  hast 
scarce  learned  thyself, — hast  thou  learned 
not  to  be  careful  ?  the  apostle  seems  tacitly 
to  answer  that,  in  the  words  of  the  text 
"  I  have  learned,  in  whatever  state  I  am, 
therewith  to  be  content :"  A  speech  worthy 
to  be  engraven  upon  our  hearts,  and  to  be 
written  in  letters  of  gold  upon  the  crowns 
and  diadems  of  princes. 

The  text  doth   branch  itself  into  these 
two  general  parts. 


ART  OF  DIVINE  CONTENTMENT. 


mh 


I.  Tlic  sclioljir,  Paul ;   "  I  have  learned." 

II.  The  lesson;  "in  every  state  to  be 
content." 

Chap.  II.  The  First  Branch  of  the 
Text,  the  Scholar,  with  the  First 
Proposition. 

I  begin  with  the  first :  The  scholar,  and 
his  proficiervcy, — "  I  have  learned."  Out 
of  which  I  shall  by  the  bye,  observe  two 
things  by  way  of  paraphrase.  1.  The  a- 
postle  doth  not  say,  I  have  heard,  that  in 
every  estate  I  should  be  content :  but,  I 
Itave  learned.  Whence  our  first  doctrine, 
tliat  it  is  not  enough  for  Christians  to  hear 
their  duty,  but  they  must  learn  their  duty. 
It  is  one  thing  to  hear,  and  another  thing 
to  learn  ;  as  it  is  one  thing  to  eat,  and  ano- 
ther thing  to  concoct.  St.  Paul  was  a  prac- 
titioner. Christians  hear  much,  but  it  is  to 
be  feared,  learn  little.  There  were  four 
sorts  of  ground  in  the  parable,  Luke  viii. 
5. ;  and  but  one  good  ground :  an  emblem 
of  this  truth,  many  hearers,  but  few  lear- 
ners. There  are  two  things  which  keep 
us  from  learning. 

1.  Slighting  what  we  hoar.  Christ  is 
the  pearl  of  price ;  when  we  disesteem  this 
pearl,  we  shall  never  learn  either  its  value, 
or  its  virtue.  The  gospel  is  a  rare  myste- 
ry ;  in  one  place,  Acts  xx.  24.,  it  is  called 
*  the  gospel  of  grace;'  in  another,  1  Cor. 
iv.  4-.,  '  the  gospel  of  glory ;'  because  in  it, 
as  in  a  transparent  glass,  the  glory  of  God 
is  resplendent.  But  he  that  hath  learned 
to  contemn  this  mystery,  will  hardly  ever 
learn  to  obey  it ;  he  that  looks  upon  the 
things  of  heaven  as  things  by  the  bye,  and 
perhaps  the  driving  of  a  trade,  or  carrying 
on  some  politic  design  to  be  of  greater  im- 
portance, this  man  is  in  the  high  road  to 
damnation,  and  will  hardiv  ever  learn  the 
things  of  his  peace.  Who  will  learn  that 
which  he  thinks  is  scarce  worth  learning  ? 

2.  Forgetting  what  we  hear.  If  a  sclio- 
lar  have  his  rules  laid  before  him,  and  he 
forgets  them  as  fast  as  he  reads  them,  he 
v\'ill  never  learn,  James  i.  25.  Aristotle 
calls  the  memory  the  scribe  of  the  soul  ; 
and  Bernaid  calls  it  the  stomach  of  the 
soul,  because  it  hath  a  retentive  faculty, 
and  turns  heavenly  food  into  blood  and 
spirits ;  we  have  great  memories  in  other 


things,  we  remember  that  wliich  is  vain. 
Cyrus  could  remember  the  name  of  ever> 
soldier  in  his  huge  army.  We  remembe". 
injuries:  this  is  to  fill  a  precious  cabinet 
with  dung;  but,  quoin  facilis  oblivio  honi? 
as  llierom  saith,  how  soon  do  we  forget 
the  sacred  truths  of  God  ?  We  are  apt  to 
forget  three  things:  our  faults, — our  friends, 
— our  instructions.  Many  Christians  are 
like  sieves  ;  put  a  sieve  into  the  water,  and 
it  is  full ;  but  take  it  forth  of  the  water,  and 
all  runs  out:  so,  while  they  arc  hearing  of 
a  sermon,  they  remember  something;  but 
like  the  sieve  out  of  the  water,  as  soon  as 
they  are  gone  out  of  the  church,  all  is  for- 
gotten. "  Let  these  sayings,  (saith  Christ) 
sink  down  into  your  ears,"  Luke  ix.  44. 
In  the  original  it  is,  '  put  these  sayings  into 
your  ears,'  as  a  man  that  would  hide  a  jewel 
from  being  stolen,  locks  it  up  safe  in  his 
chest.  Let  them  sink:  the  word  must  not 
fall  only  as  dew  that  wets  the  leaf,  but  as 
rain  which  soaks  to  the  root  of  the  tree, 
and  makes  it  fructify.  O  how  often  doth 
Satan,  that  fowl  of  the  air,  pick  up  the  good 
seed  that  is  sown  ! 

Use.  Let  me  put  you  upon  a  serious  trial. 
Some  of  you  have  heard  much, — you  have 
lived  forty,  fifty,  sixty  years  under  the  bles- 
sed trumpet  of  the  gospel, — what  have  you 
learned  ?  You  may  have  heard  a  thousand 
sermons,  and  vet  not  learned  one.  Search 
your  consciences. 

1.  You  have  heard  much  against  sin  : 
are  vou  hearers  ;  or  are  vou  scholars  ?  I  low 
many  sermons  have  you  heard  against  co- 
vetousness,  that  it  is  the  root,  on  which 
pride,  idolatry,  treason  do  grow  ?  2  Tim.  iv. 
2.  and  4.  One  calls  it  a  metropolitan  sin  ; 
it  is  a  complex  evil,  it  doth  twist  a  great 
many  sins  in  with  it.  There  is  hardly  any 
sin,  but  covetousness  is  a  main  ingredient 
into  it;  and  yet  are  you  like  the  two  daugh- 
ters of  the  horse-leech,  that  cry,  *'  Give  ! 
give  !"  How  much  have  you  heard  against 
rash  anger,  that  it  is  a  short  frenzy, — a  dry 
drunkenness, — that  it  rests  in  the  bnsoiu 
of  fools, — and  upon  the  least  occasion  do 
your  spirits  begin  to  take  fire  ?  How  much 
have  you  heard  against  swearing  ?  It  '\h 
Christ's  express  mandate,  "  swear  not  at 
all,"  Mat.  V.  34.  This  sin  of  all  others 
may  be  termed  the  unfruitful  work  of  dark* 

4R 


682 


ART  OF  DIVINE  CONTENTMENT. 


iiess,  Eph.  V.  11.  It  is  neither  sweetened 
with  pleasure,  nor  enriched  with  ])rofit,  the 
usual  vermilion  wherewith  Satan  doth  paint 
sin.  Swearing  is  forbidden  with  a  subpoena. 
While  the  swearer  shoots  his  oaths,  like 
flying  arrows  at  God  to  pierce  his  glory, 
God  shoots  *'  a  flying  roll"  of  curses  against 
him,  Zech,  v.  2.  And  do  you  make  your 
tongue  a  racket  by  which  you  toss  oaths  as 
tennis-balls  ?  Do  you  sport  yourselves  with 
oaths,  as  the  Pliilistines  did  with  Samson, 
which  will  at  last  pull  the  house  about  your 
ears  ?  Alas  !  How  have  they  learned  what 
sin  is,  that  have  not  learned  to  leave  sin  ! 
Doth  he  know  what  a  viper  is,  that  will 
play  with  it. 

2.  You  have  heard  much  of  Christ :  have 
you  learned  Christ?  The  Jews,  as  Jerom 
saith,  carried  Christ  in  their  Bibles,  but  not 
in  their  heart ;  their  sound  "  went  into  all 
the  earth,"  Rom.  x.  18.  The  prophets  and 
apostles  were  as  trumpets,  whose  sound 
went  abroad  into  the  world ;  yet  many 
thousands  who  heard  the  noise  of  these 
trumpets,  had  not  learned  Christ,  "  they 
have  not  all  obeyed,"  ver.  16. 

(1.)  A  man  may  know  much  of  Christ, 
and  yet  not  learn  Christ :  the  devils  knew 
Christ,  Mat.  i.  24. 

(2.)  A  man  may  preach  Christ,  and  yet 
not  learn  Christ,  as  Judas  ai>d  the  pseudo- 
apostles,  Phil.  V.  15. 

(3.)  A  man  may  profess  Christ,  and  yet 
not  learn  Christ :  there  are  many  ])rofessors 
in  the  world  that  Christ  will  profess  against. 
Mat.  vii.  22,  23. 

Quest.    JVhat  is  it  then  to  learn  Christ  ? 

Ans.  I.  To  learn  Christ  is  to  be  made 
like  Christ,  to  liave  the  divine  characters  of 
his  holiness  engraven  upon  our  hearts.  "  We 
all  with  open  face,  beholding  as  in  a  glass 
the  glory  of  the  Lord,  are  changed  into  the 
same  image,"  2  Cor.  iii.  18.  There  is  a  me- 
tamorphosis made;  a  sinner,  viewing  Christ's 
image  in  the  glass  of  the  gospel,  is  trans- 
formed into  that  image.  Never  did  any 
man  look  upon  Christ  with  a  s])i ritual  eye, 
but  he  went  away  quite  changed.  A  true 
saint  is  a  divine  landscape  or  pictiue,  where 
all  the  rare  beauties  of  Ciirist  are  lively 
pourtrayed  and  drawn  forth  ;  he  hath  the 
pame  spirit,  the  same  judgment,  the  same 
will,  with  Jesus  Christ. 


A.  2.  To  learn  Christ,  is  to  believe  m 
him  ;  "  My  Lord,  and  my  God,"  John  xx 
28. :  when  we  do  not  only  credere  Deum,  but 
in  Deum  ;  which  is  the  actual  application 
of  Christ  to  ourselves,  and  as  it  were  the 
spreading  of  the  sacred  medicine  of  his 
blood  upon  our  souls.  You  have  heard 
much  of  Christ,  and  yet  cannot  with  an 
humble  adherence  say,  "  My  Jesus  ;"  be  not 
offended  if  I  tell  you,  the  devil  can  say  his 
creed  as  well  as  you. 

A.  3.  To  learn  Christ,  is  to  love  Christ. 
When  we  have  Bible-conversations,  our  life 
like  rich  diamonds  cast  a  sparkling  lustre 
in  the  church  of  God,  Phil.  i.  IT.,  and  are, 
in  some  sense,  parallel  with  the  life  of 
Christ,  as  the  transcript  with  the  original. 
So  much  for  the  first  notion  of  the  word. 

Chap.  IIL  Concerning  the  Second  Pro- 
position. 

IL  This  word,  "  I  have  learned,"  is  a 
word  imports  difficulty, — it  shews  how 
hardly  the  apostle  came  by  contentment  of 
mind, — it  was  not  bred  in  nature.  St.  Paul 
did  not  come  naturally  by  it,  but  he  had 
learned  it.  It  cost  him  many  a  prayer  and 
teal',  it  was  taught  him  by  the  Spirit. 
Whence  our  second  doctrine  :  Good  things 
are  hard  to  come  by.  The  business  of  re- 
ligion is  not  so  facile  as  most  do  imagine. 
"  I  have  learned,"  saith  St.  Paul.  Lideed 
you  need  not  learn  a  man  to  sin,  this  is  na- 
tural, Ps.  Iviii.  3.,  and  therefore  facile,  it 
comes  as  water  out  of  a  spring.  It  is  an 
easy  thing  to  be  wicked ;  hell  will  be  taken 
without  storm  ;  but  matters  of  religion  must 
be  learned.  To  cut  the  flesh  is  easy,  but 
to  prick  a  vein,  and  not  cut  an  artery  is 
hard.  The  trade  of  sin  needs  not  to  be 
learned,  but  the  art  of  divine  contentment 
is  not  achieved  without  holy  industry:  "  I 
have  learned."  There  are  two  pregnant 
reasons,  why  there  must  be  so  much  study 
and  exercitation : 

1.  Because  spiritual  things  are  against 
nature.  Every  thing  in  religion  is  antipodes 
to  nature.  There  are  in  religion  two  things, 
credeiida  et  facienda,  and  both  are  against 
nature. —  I.  Credenda,  matters  of  faith  :  as, 
for  men  to  be  justified  by  the  righteousness 
of  another, — to  become  a  fool  that  he  may 
be  wise, — to  save  all  by  losing  all, — this  is 


ART  OF  DIVINE  CONTENTMENT 


083 


against  nature. — 2.  Facicyida,  matters  of 
practire  :  as,  (1.)  Selt-tlenial, — for  a  man 
to  deny  his  own  wisdom,  and  see  liiniself 
blind, — bis  own  will,  and  have  it  melted 
into  the  will  of  CJod, — plnelunfi^  out  the 
right  eye,  beheading  and  crucifying  that 
sin  which  is  the  favourite,  and  lies  nearest 
to  the  heart, — for  .a  man  to  be  dea<l  to  the 
world,  and  in  the  midst  of  want  to  abound, 
— for  him  to  take  up  the  cross,  and  follow 
Christ,  not  only  in  golden,  but  in  bloody 
paths, — to  embrace  religion,  when  it  is 
dressed  in  night-clothes,  all  the  jewels  of 
honour  and  preferment  being  pulled  of, — 
this  is  against  nature,  and  therefore  must  be 
learned.  (2.)  Self-examination ;  for  a  man 
to  take  his  heart — as  a  watch — all  in  pieces, 
— to  set  up  a  spiritual  inquisition,  or  court 
of  conscience,  and  traverse  things  in  his 
own  soul, — to  take  David's  candle  and  lan- 
tern, Ps.  cxix.  105.  and  search  for  sin, — 
nay,  as  judge,  to  pass  the  sentence  upon 
himself,  2  Sam.  xxxiv.  17.,  this  is  against 
nature,  and  will  not  easily  be  attained  to 
without  learning.  (3.)  Self-reformation.  To 
see  a  man,  as  Caleb,  of  another  spirit,  walk- 
ing antipodes  to  himself,  the  current  of  his 
Jfe  altered,  and  running  into  the  channel 
of  religion, — this  is  wholly  against  nature. 
When  a  stone  ascends,  it  is  not  a  natural 
motion,  but  a  violent ;  the  motion  of  the 
soul  heaven- ward  is  a  violent  motion,  it 
must  be  learned  ;  flesh  and  blood  is  not 
skilled  in  these  things  ;  nature  can  no  more 
cast  out  nature,  than  Satan  can  cast  out 
Satan. 

2.  Because  spiritual  things  are  above  na- 
ture. There  are  some  things  in  nature 
that  are  hard  to  find  out,  as  the  cause  of 
things,  which  are  not  learned  without  study. 
Aristotle,  a  great  philosopher — whom  some 
have  called  an  eagle  fallen  from  the  clouds 
— yet  could  not  find  out  the  motion  of  the 
river  Eurij)us,  and  therefore  threw  himself 
into  it ;  what  then  are  divine  things,  which 
.ire  in  sphere  above  nature,  and  beyond  all 
human  dis(|uisition, — as  the  Trinity, — the 
hvpostatieal  union, — the  mvsterv  of  faith  to 
believe  against  hope  ?  Only  God's  Spirit 
can  light  our  candle  here.  The  apostle 
ui'.^s  these  "the  deep  things  of  (Jod,"  1  Cor. 
ii.  10.  The  gospel  is  full  of  jewels,  but 
they  arc  locked  up  from  sense  and  reason. 


The  angels  in  heaven  are    searching    into 
these  sacred  depths,  1  Pet,  i.  22. 

Uxe.  Let   us    beg    the  Spirit  of  God  to 
teach  us  ;  we  must  be  diviiiitus  edocti  ;   the 
eunuch  could  read,  but  he  could  not  under- 
stand, till  Piiilip  j(»in('d   himself  to  his  cha- 
ri(»t,  Acts  viii.  29.      God's  Sj)irit  must  join 
himself  to  our  chariot  ;  he  must   teach,  or 
we  cannot  learn.      "  All   thy  children   shall 
be    taught   of  the  Lord,"    Isa.   liv.    13.     A 
man  may  read  the  figure  on  the  dial,  but  he 
cannot  tell  how  the  day  goes,   unless   the 
sun  shines  upon  the  dial  :   we  may  read  the 
Bible  over,  but  we  cannot  learn  to  purj)ose, 
till  the  Spirit  of  God  shine  into  our  hearts, 
2  Cor.  iv.  6.    O  implore  this  blessed  Spirit ! 
It  is  God's  prerogative-royal  to  teach.     "  I 
am  the  Lord  thy  God,  which  teacheth  thee 
to  profit,"  Isa.  xlviii.   17.     Ministers  may 
tell  us  our  lesson,   God  only  can  teach  ns  ; 
Ave  have  lost  both  our  hearing  and  eye-sight, 
therefore   are    very  unfit   to    learn.     Ever 
since  Eve  listened  to  the  serpent,  we  have 
been   deaf:  and  since  she    looked    on    the 
the  tree  of  knowledge  we  have  been  blind  ; 
but  when  God  comes  lO  teach,  he  removes 
these  impediments,  Isa.  xxxv.  5.     We  are 
naturally  dead,   Eph.  ii.    1,,   who  will  go  a- 
bout  to    teach  a  dead    man  ?    Yet,  behold, 
God  undertakes  to  make  dead  men  to  un- 
derstand   mysteries  !     God    is    the    grand 
teacher.  This  is  the  reason  the  word  preach- 
ed works  so  differently  upon  men  ;  two  in  a 
pew, — the  one  is  wrought  uj)on  effectually, 
— the  other  lies  at  the  ordinances  as  a  dead 
child  at  the  breast,   and  gets  no  nourish- 
ment.    Wiiat  is  the  reason  ?   Because  the 
heavenly  gale  of  the  Spirit  blows  upon  one, 
and    not   upon    the    other;    one    hath    the 
anointing  of  God,   which   teacheth  him  all 
things,  1  J(»hn  ii.  27.,  the  other  hath  it  not. 
(iod's  Spirit  speaks  sweetly,  hut  irresistil)Iy. 
In  that  heavenly  doxology,  none  could  sing 
the  new  song,  but  those  who  were  sealed 
in  their  foreheads.  Rev.  xiv.  2.,  rej)rohate9 
could  not  sing  it.     Tliose  that  are  skilful 
in    the   mysteries   of  salvation,   must  have 
the  seal  of  tlie  Spirit  upon   them.      Let  us 
make  this  our  prayer  :   Lord,   breathe  thy 
Spirit  into  thy  word;  and  we  have  a  pro- 
mise,   which    may    add    wings    to    prayer, 
Luke  xi.  13.,  "  If  ye  then  being  evil  know 
how  to  give  good  gifts  unto  your  children 


cs-t 


ART  OF  DIVINE  CONTENTMENT. 


lnovv  much  more  shall  your  heavenly  Fatlier 
give  the  Holy  Spirit  to  them  ihat  ask  him? 
And  thus  much  of  the  first  part  of  the 
text,  the  scliolar,  which  I  intended  only 
as  a  short  gloss  or  paraphrase. 

Chap.  IV.  The  Second  Branch  of  the 
Text,  the  Lesson  itself,  with  the 
Proposition. 

II.  I  come  to  the  second,  which  is  the 
main  thing,  the  lesson  itself;  "  in  whatso- 
ever state  I  am,  therewith  to  he  content." 
Here  was  a  rare  piece  of  learning  indeed, 
and  is  certainly  more  to  be  wondered  at  in 
St.  Paul,  that  lie  knew  how  to  turn  himself 
to  every  condition,  than  all  the  learning  in 
the  world  besides,  which  hath  been  so  ap- 
plauded  in  former  ages,  by  Julius  Caesar, 
Ptolemy,  Xenophon,  the  great  admirers  of 
learning.  The  text  hath  but  few  words  in 
it,  "  in  every  state  content ;"  but  if  that  be 
true,  which  once  Fulgentius  said,  that  the 
most  golden  sentence  is  ever  measured  by 
brevity  aud  suavity,  then,  this  is  a  most 
accomplished  speech, — here  is  magnum  in 
varvo.  The  text  is  like  a  precious  jewel, 
little  in  quantity,  but  gi-eat  in  worth  and 
val  ue. 

The  main  proposition  I  shall  insist  upon, 
is  this,  that  a  gracious  spirit  is  a  contented 
spirit.  The  doctrine  of  contentment  is  very 
superlative,  aud  till  we  have  learned  this, 
we  have  not  learned  to  be  Christians. 

1.  It  is  an  hard  lesson.  The  angels  in 
heaven  had  not  learned  it ;  they  were  not 
contented.  Though  their  estates  was  very 
glorious,  yet  they  were  still  soaring  aloft, 
and  aimed  at  somethinp;  higher,  Jude,  ver. 
6.,  "  The  angels  which  kept  not  their  first 
estate."  They  kept  not  their  estate,  because 
they  were  not  contented  with  their  estate. 
Our  first  parents,  clothed  with  the  Avhite 
robe  of  innocency  in  paradise,  had  not 
learned  to  be  content ;  they  had  aspiring 
hearts,  and  thinking  their  human  nature  too 
low  and  home-spun,  would  be  crowned  with 
the  Deity,  and  "  be  as  gods,"  Gen.  iii.  5. 
Though  they  had  the  choice  of  all  the  trees 
of  the  garden,  yet  none  would  content  them 
but  the  tree  of  knowledge,  which  they  sup- 
posed would  have  been  as  eye-salve  to  have 
made  them  omniscient.  O  then,  if  this  les- 
son was  so  hard  to  learn  in  innocency,  how 


hard  shall  we  find  it,  who  are  clogged  with 
corruption  ! 

2.  It  is  of  universal  extent,  it  concerns 
all.  Is^,  It  concerns  rich  men.  One  would 
think  it  needless  to  press  those  to  content- 
ment whom  God  hath  blessed  with  great 
estates,  but  rather  persuade  them  to  be 
humble  and  thankful;  nay,  but  I  say,  be 
content.  Rich  men  have  their  discontents 
as  well  as  others  ;  as  appears,  ( 1  )  AVhen 
thoy  have  a  great  estate,  yet  they  are  dis- 
contented that  they  have  no  more;  they 
would  make  the  hundi'ed  talents  a  thousand. 
A  man  in  wine,  the  more  he  drinks,  the 
more  he  thirsts  :  covctousness  is  a  dry  drop- 
sy; an  earthly  heart  is  like  the  grave,  that 
is  "never satisfied,"  Prov.  xxx.  16.  There- 
fore I  say  to  you,  rich  men,  be  content. 
(2.)  Rich  men,  if  we  may  suppose  them  to 
be  content  with  their  estates — which  is  sel- 
dom— yet,  though  they  have  estate  enough, 
they  have  not  honour  enough  ;  if  their  barns 
are  full  enough,  yet  their  turrets  are  not 
high  enough.  They  would  be  somebody 
in  the  world,  as  Theudas,  "  who  boasted 
himself  to  be  somebody,"  Acts  v.  36.  They 
never  go  so  cheerfully  as  when  the  wind  of 
honour  and  apydause  fills  their  sails  ;  if  this 
wind  be  down,  they  are  discontented.  One 
would  think  Hainan  had  as  much  as  his 
proud  heart  could  desire  ;  he  was  set  above 
all  the  princes, — advanced  upon  the  pinna- 
cl(!  of  honour,  to  be  the  second  man  in  the 
kingdom,  Esth.  iii.  1., — yet  in  the  midst  of 
all  his  pomp,  because  Mordecai  would  not 
uncover  and  kneel,  he  is  discontented,  ver. 
2.,  and  full  of  wrath,  ver.  5.,  and  there  was 
no  way  to  assuajje  this  pleurisy  of  revenge, 
but  by  letting  all  the  Jews'  blood,  and  of- 
fering them  up  in  sacrifice.  The  itch  of 
honour  is  seldom  allayed  without  blood ; 
therefore  I  say  to  you  rich  men,  be  content. 
(3.)  Rich  men,  if  we  may  suppose  them 
to  be  content  with  their  honour  and  majr- 
nificent  titles,  yet  they  have  not  always 
contentment  in  their  relati<ms.  She  that 
lie*?  in  the  bosom,  may  sometimes  blow  the 
coals  ;  as  Job's  wife,  mIio  in  a  pet  would 
have  him  fall  out  with  God  himself,  "  Curse 
God,  and  die."  Sometimes  children  cause 
discontent.  How  often  is  it  seen  that  the 
mother's  milk  doth  nourish  a  vij)er  ?  and 
that  he  that  once  sucked  her  breast,  goes 


ART  OF  DIVINE  CONTENTMENT. 


G85 


about  to  suck  her  blood  ?  Parents  do  often 
of  p^rapcs  gather  thorns,  and  of  figs  tliistlcs. 
Children  are  sweet-briar ;  like  the  rose, 
which  is  a  fragrant  flower,  but,  as  Basil 
saith,  it  hath  its  prickles.  Our  relative 
comforts  are  not  all  pure  wine,  but  mixed  ; 
they  have  in  them  more  dregs  than  spirits, 
and  are  like  that  river  Plutarch  speaks  of, 
where  the  waters  in  the  nu>rning  run  sweet, 
but  in  the  evening  run  bitter.  We  have 
no  charter  of  exemption  granted  us  in  this 
life ;  therefore  rich  men  had  need  be  called 
upon  to  be  content. 

2(//y,  The  doctrine  of  contentment  con- 
cerns poor  men.  You  that  do  suck  so  li- 
berally from  the  breasts  of  providence,  be 
content ;  it  is  an  hard  lesson,  therefore  it 
had  need  be  set  upon  the  sooner.  How 
hard  is  it  whenthelivelihood  is  even  gone, — 
a  great  estate  boiled  away  almost  to  not'iing, 
then  to  be  contented.  The  means  of  sub- 
sistence is  in  scripture  called  our  life,  be- 
cause it  is  the  very  sinews  of  life.  The 
woman  in  the  gospel  spent  "  all  her  living 
upon  the  physicians,"  Luke  viii.  43., — in 
the  Greek  it  is,  she  spent  her  whole  life  upon 
the  physicians,  because  she  spent  her  means 
by  which  she  should  live.  It  is  much  when 
poverty  hath  clipped  our  wings  then  to  be 
content;  but,  though  hard,  it  is  excellent; 
and  the  apostle  here  had  "  learned  in  every 
state  to  be  content."  God  had  brought  St. 
Paul  into  as  groat  variety  of  conditions  as 
ever  we  read  of  any  man,  and  yet  he  was 
content ;  else  sure  he  could  never  have  gone 
through  it  with  so  much  cheerfulness^.  See 
into  what  vicissitudes  this  blessed  apostle 
was  cast :  "  we  are  trouhled  on  every  side," 
2  Cor.  iv.  8.,  there  was  the  sadness  of  liis 
condition ;  "  but  not  distressed,"  there  was 
his  content  in  that  condition  :  "  we  are 
perplexed,"  there  is  his  affliction  ;  "  but 
not  in  despair,"  there  is  his  contentiition. 
And,  if  we  read  a  little  further,  2  Cor.  vi. 
4,  5.,  "  In  afflictions,  in  necessities,  in  dis- 
tresses, in  stripes,  in  imprisonments,  in  tu- 
mults," &c.  There  is  his  trouble  :  and  be- 
hold his  content,  ver.  10.,  "  As  having 
nothing,  yet  possessing  all  things,"  When 
the  apostle  was  driven  out  of  all,  yet  in  re- 
gard of  that  sweet  contentment  of  mind — 
which  was  like  music  in  his  sou) — he  pos- 
sessed all.     We  read  a  short  map  or  history 


of  his  sufferings,  2  Cor.  xi.  23,  2'1-,  25., 
"  In  prisons  more  fre(juent,  in  deaths  oft," 
&c.  Yet  behold  the  blessed  frame  and  tem- 
per of  his  spirit,  "  I  have  learned,  in  what- 
soever state  I  am,  therewith  to  be  content." 
Which  way  soever  providence  did  blow,  he 
had  such  heavenly  skill  and  dexter  it  v,  that 
he  knew  how  to  steer  his  course.  For  his 
outward  estate  he  was  indiflerent ;  he  could 
be  either  on  the  top  of  Jacob's  ladder,  or 
the  bottom  ;  he  could  sing  either  p/acentia 
or  locrymcc — the  dirge  or  the  anthem, — he 
could  be  any  thing  that  God  would  have 
him  :  "  I  know  how  to  want,  and  how  to 
abound."  Here  is  a  rare  pattern  for  us  to 
imitate.  Paul,  in  regard  of  his  faith  and 
courage,  was  like  a  cedar,  he  could  not  be 
stirred ;  but  for  his  outward  conditiim,  he 
was  like  a  reed  bending  every  way  with  the 
wind  of  providence.  When  a  prosperous 
gale  did  blow  upon  him,  he  could  bend  with 
that,  "  I  know  how  to  be  full ;"  and  wjjen 
a  boisterous  gust  of  affliction  did  blow,  he 
could  bend  in  humility  with  that,  "I  know 
how  to  be  hungry."  St.  Paul  was — as  Ar- 
istotle speaks — like  a  die  that  hath  four 
squares,  throw  it  which  way  you  will,  it 
falls  upon  a  bottom  ;  let  God  throw  the 
apostle  which  way  he  would,  he  fell  upon 
this  bottom  of  contentment.  A  contented 
spirit  is  like  a  watch  :  though  you  carry  it 
up  and  down  with  you  yet  the  spring  of  it 
is  not  shaken,  nor  the  wheels  out  of  order, 
but  the  watch  keej)s  its  perfect  moti(hi,  so  it 
was  with  St.  Paul,  though  (Jod  carried  him 
into  various  conditions,  yet  he  was  not  lift 
up  with  the  one,  nor  cast  down  with  the 
other;  the  spring  of  his  heart  was  not  bro- 
ken, the  wheels  of  his  affections  were  not 
disordered,  but  kept  their  constant  motion 
towards  heaven  ;  still  content.  The  ship 
that  lies  at  anchor  may  sometimes  be  a 
little  shaken,  but  never  sinks ;  flesh  and 
blood  may  have  its  fears  and  discjuiets,  hut 
grace  doth  clu'ck  them  ;  a  Christian,  having 
cjist  anchor  in  heaven,  his  heart  never  sinks; 
a  gracious  spirit  is  a  coJitented  spirit. 
This  is  a  ran;  art.  Paul  did  not  ic-ini  it 
at  the  feet  of  (iaiualiel.  "  I  am  instruet«'d," 
ver.  11.  I  am  initiated  into  this  holy  mvs- 
tery ;  as  if  he  had  said,  I  have  gotten  tlie 
divine  art, — I  have  the  knack  of  it ;  (iod 
must  make  us  right  artists.     If  we  should 


G8G 


ART  OF  DIVINE  CONTENTMENT. 


put  some  men  to  an  art  tliat  they  are  not 
skilled  in,  how  unfit  would  they  be  for  it  ? 
Put  an  husbandman  to  limning  or  drawing 
pictures,  what  strange  work  would  he  make  ? 
This  is  out  of  his  sphere.  Take  a  limner 
that  is  exact  in  laying  of  colours,  and  put 
him  to  plough,  or  set  him  to  planting  or 
grafting  of  trees,  this  is  not  his  art,  he  is 
not  skilled  in  it ;  bid  a  natural  man  live  by 
faith,  and  when  all  things  go  cross,  be  con- 
tented, you  bid  him  do  what  he  hath  no 
skill  in,  you  may  as  well  bid  a  child  guide 
the  stern  of  a  ship ;  to  live  contented  upon 
God  in  the  deficiency  of  outward  comforts, 
is  an  art  which  "  flesh  and  blood  hath  not 
learned  :"  nay,  many  of  God's  own  children, 
who  excel  in  some  duties  of  religion,  when 
they  come  to  this  of  contentment,  how  do 
they  bungle  ?  They  have  scarce  commenced 
masters  of  this  art. 

Chap.  V.    The  resolving  of  sOx^e 
Questions. 

For  the  illustration  of  this  doctrine,  I 
shall  propound  these  questions. 

Quest.  1.  JVIiether  a  Christian  may  not 
besefisible  of  his  condition,  and  yet  be  contented  ? 

Ans.  Yes  ;  for  else  he  is  not  a  saint,  but 
a  stoic.  Rachel  did  well  to  weep  for  her 
children,  there  was  nature  ;  but  her  fault 
was,  she  refused  to  be  comforted,  there  was 
discontent.  Christ  himself  was  sensible, 
wlieu  he  sweat  great  drops  of  blood,  and 
said,  "  Father,  if  it  be  possible,  let  this  cup 
pass  from  me,"  Mat.  xxvi  39.,  yet  he  was 
contented,  and  sweetly  submitted  his  will  : 
"  Nevertheless,  not  as  I  will,  but  as  thou 
wilt."  The  apostle  bids  us  Immble  our- 
selves "  under  the  mighty  hand  of  God," 
1  Pet.  v.  6.,  which  we  cannot  do  unless  we 
are  sensible  of  it. 

Quest.  2.  Whether  a  Christian  may  not  lay 
open  his  grievances  to  God,  and  yet  be  con- 
tented ? 

Ans.  Yes  ;  "  Unto  thee  have  I  opened  my 
cause,"  Jer.  xx.  12.;  and  David  poured  out 
his  complaint  before  the  Lord,  Ps.  cxlii.  2. 
We  may  cry  to  God,  and  desire  him  to  wi-ite 
down  all  our  ijijuries.  Shall  not  the  child 
complain  to  his  father  ?  When  any  burden 
is  upon  the  spirit,  prayer  gives  vent,  it  eas- 
eth  the  heart.  Hannah's  spirit  was  bur- 
dened ;  "  I  am,"  says  she,  "  a  woman  of  a 


sorrowful  spirit,"  1  Sam.  i.  15.  Now  hav- 
ing prayed,  and  wept,  slie  went  away,  and 
was  no  more  sad ;  only  here  is  the  differ- 
ence between  a  holy  complaint  and  a  dis- 
contented complaint ;  in  the  one  we  com- 
plain to  God,  in  the  other  we  complain  ol 
God. 

Quest.  3.  What  is  it  properly  that  coil' 
tentment  doth  exclude  ? 

Ans.  There  are  thi-ee  things  which  con- 
tentment doth  banish  out  of  its  diocese,  and 
which  can  by  no  means  consist  with  it. 

1.  It  excludes  a  vexatious  repining:  this 
is  properly  the  daughter  of  discontent :  "  I 
mourn  in  my  complaint,"  Ps.  Iv.  2.  He 
doth  not  say  I  murmur  in  my  complaint. 
Murmuring  is  no  better  than  mutiny  in  the 
heart :  it  is  a  rising  up  against  God.  ^\lien 
the  sea  is  rough  and  unquiet,  is  casts  forth 
nothing  but  foam  :  when  the  lieart  is  dis- 
contented, it  casts  forth  the  foam  of  anger, 
impatience,  and  sometimes  little  better  than 
blasphemy.  Murmuring  is  nothing  else 
but  the  scum  which  boils  off  from  a  discon- 
tented heart. 

2.  It  excludes  an  uneven  discomposure : 
when  a  man  saith,  I  am  in  such  straits,  that 
I  know  not  how  to  evolve  or  get  out,  I  shall 
be  undone, — when  his  head  and  heart  are 
so  taken  up,  that  he  is  not  fit  to  pray  or 
meditate,  &c.  he  is  not  himself;  just  as  when 
an  army  is  routed,  one  man  runs  this  way, 
and  another  that, — the  army  is  put  into 
disorder, — so  a  man's  thoughts  run  up  and 
down  distracted.  Discontent  doth  dislocate 
and  unjoint  the  soul,  it  pulls  off  the  wheels. 

3.  It  excludes  a  childish  despondency ; 
and  this  is  usually  consequent  upon  the  o- 
ther.  A  man  being  in  an  hurry  of  mind, 
not  knowing  which  way  to  extricate,  or 
wind  liimself  out  of  the  present  trouble, 
begins  succumhere  oneri,  to  faint  and  sink 
under  it.  For  care  is  to  the  mind  as  a  bur- 
den to  the  back,  it  loads  the  spirits,  and, 
with  overloading,  sinks  them.  A  despon- 
dent spirit  is  a  discontented  spirit. 

Chap.  VI.  Shewing  the  Nature  of 
Contentment. 

Having  answered  these  questions,  I  shall 
in  the  next  place,  come  to  describe  this 
contentment. 

It  is  a  sweet  temper  of  spirit,  whcreb/  a 


ART  OF  DIVINE  CONTENTMENT. 


687 


Christian  carries  liimself  in  an  equal  poise 
in  every  condition.  Tlic  nature  of  this  will 
appear  more  clear  in  these  three  aphorisms. 

1.  Contentment  is  a  divine  thingf,^it  be- 
comes ours,  not  by  acquisition,  but  infu- 
sion ;  it  is  a  slip  taken  off  from  the  tree  of 
life,  and  planted  by  the  Spirit  of  God  in  the 
Koul ;  it  is  a  fruit  that  grows  not  in  the  gar- 
den of  philosophy,  but  is  of  an  heavenly 
birth ;  it  is  therefore  very  observable  that 
contentment,  is  joined  with  godliness,  and 
goes  in  equipage,  "  but  godliness  with  con- 
tentment is  great  gain,"  1  Tim.  vi.  6.  Con- 
tentment being  a  consequent  of  godliness, 
or  concomitant,  or  both,  I  call  it  divine,  to 
contradistinguish  it  to  that  of  contentment, 
which  a  moral  man  may  arrive  at.  Hea- 
thens have  seemed  to  have  this  content- 
ment, but  it  was  only  the  shadow  and  pic- 
tui'e  of  it, — the  beryl,  not  the  true  diamond ; 
theirs  was  but  civil,  this  is  sacred;  theirs  was 
only  from  principles  of  reason,  this  of  reli- 
gion; theirs  was  only  lighted  at  nature's 
torch,  this  at  the  lamp  of  scripture.  Reason 
may  a  little  teach  contentment,  as  thus: 
whatever  my  condition  be,  this  is  that  I  am 
born  to ;  and  if  Fmeet  with  crosses,  it  is  but 
catholic  misery  ;  all  have  their  share,  why 
therefore  should  I  be  troubled  '^  Reason  may 
suggest  this  ;  and  indeed,  this  may  be  rather 
constraint;  but  to  live  securely  and  cheerful- 
ly upon  God  in  the  abatement  of  creature 
supplies,  religion  can  only  bring  this  into 
the  soul's  exchequer. 

2.  Contentment  is  an  intrinsical  thing ; 
it  lies  within  a  man  ;  not  in  the  bark,  but 
tiie  root.  Contentment  hath  both  its  foun- 
tain and  stream  in  the  soul.  The  beam 
hath  not  its  light  from  the  air ;  the  beams 
of  comfort  which  a  contented  man  hath,  do 
xiot  arise  from  foreign  comforts,  but  from 
within.  As  sorrow  is  seated  in  the  spirit, 
"  the  heart  knoweth  its  own  bitterness," 
Prov.  xiv.  10.:  so  contentment  lies  within 
the  soul,  and  doth  not  depend  upon  exter- 
nals. Hence  I  gather,  that  outward  trou- 
bles cannot  hinder  this  blessed  contentment; 
it  is  a  spiritual  thing,  and  ariseth  from  sj)i- 
ritual  grounds,  viz.  the  ajjprehension  of 
God's  love.  When  there  is  a  temj)est  with- 
out, there  may  be  music  within  ;  a  bee  may 
sting  through  the  skin,  but  it  cannot  sting 
to  the  heart ;    outward   afflictions   cannot 


sting  to  a  Christian's  ]>eart,  where  content- 
ment lies.  Thieves  may  plunder  us  of  Ou** 
money  and  plate,  but  not  of  this  pearl  of 
contentment,  unless  we  are  willing  to  j)ait 
with  it,  for  it  is  locked  up  in  the  cabinet  of 
the  heart ;  the  soul  which  is  possessed  of 
this  rich  treasure  of  contentment,  is  liku 
Noah  in  the  ark,  that  can  sing  in  the  midst 
of  a  deluge. 

3.  Contentment  is  an  habitual  thinfr,  ic 
shines  with  a  fixed  light  in  the  firmament 
of  the  soul.  Contentment  doth  not  appear 
only  now  and  then,  as  some  stars  which  are 
seen  but  seldom ;  it  is  a  settled  temper  of 
the  heart.  One  action  doth  not  denomi- 
nate ;  he  is  not  said  to  be  a  liberal  man, 
that  gives  alms  once  in  his  life ;  a  covetous 
man  may  do  so ;  but  he  is  said  to  be  liberal, 
that  is,  "given  to  hospitality,"  Rom.  xii.  13., 
that  is,  who  upon  all  occasions  is  willinir  to 
relieve  the  necessities  of  the  poor ;  so  he  is 
said  to  be  a  contented  man  that  is  given  to 
contentment.  It  is  not  casual  but  constant. 
Aristotle,  in  his  rhetoric,  distinguisheth  be- 
tween colours  in  the  face  that  arise  from 
passion,  and  those  which  arise  from  com- 
plexion ;  the  pale  face  may  look  red  when 
it  blusheth,  but  this  is  only  a  passion  ;  he  is 
said  properly  to  be  ruddy  and  sanguine, 
who  is  constantly  so,  it  is  his  comj)lexion. 
He  is  not  a  contented  man,  who  is  so  upon 
an  occasion,  and  perhaps  when  he  is  pleas- 
ed, but  who  is  so  constantly,  it  is  the  habit 
and  complexion  of  his  soul. 

Chap.  VH.  Reasons  pressing  to  Holy 
Contentment. 

Having  opened  the  nature  of  content- 
ment, I  come  next  to  lay  down  some  rea- 
sons or  arguments  to  contentment,  which 
may  jneponderate  with  us. 

Tlie  first  is,  God's  ])recept.  It  is  cliarged 
upon  us  as  a  duty:  "  he  content  with  such 
things  as  you  have,"  Heh.  xiii.  .'5.  The  same 
God,  who  hath  bid  us  believe,  hath  bid  us  be 
content;  if  we  obey  not,  we  run  ourselves 
into  a  spiritual  j>reinunire.  God's  word  is  a 
sufllcient  warrant;  it  hath  authority  in  it, 
and  must  be  a  supersedeas,  or  sacred  sj)eli 
to  discontent.  Ipse  dixit  was  enougli  among 
Pytliagoras's  scholars :  "  Be  it  enacted,"  in 
the  royal  style.  God's  word  must  be  the 
star  that  guides,   and  his  will  the  weight 


ess 


ART  OF  DIVINE^  CONTENTMENT. 


that  moves  our  obedience ;  liis  will  is  si  law, 
and  hath  majesty  enou<Tli  in  it  to  captivate 
ris  into  obedience ;  our  hearts  must  not  be 
more  unquiet  than  the  raging  sea,  which  at 
his  word  is  stilled,  Mat.  viii.  26. 

The  second  reason  enforcing  content- 
rrent,  is,  God's  promise  :  for  he  hath  said, 
"  I  will  never  leave  thee,  nor  forsake  thee," 
Heb.  xiii.  5.  Here  God  hath  engaged  him- 
self, under  hand  and  seal  for  our  necessary 
provisions.  If  a  king  should  say  to  one  of 
his  subjects,  I  will  take  care  for  thee ;  as 
long  as  I  have  any  crown-revenues,  thou 
shalt  be  provided  for ;  if  thou  art  in  dan- 
ger, I  will  secure  thee, — if  in  want,  I  will 
supply  thee;  would  not  that  subject  be  con- 
tent ?  Behold,  God  hath  here  made  promise 
to  the  believer,  and  as  it  were  entered  into 
bond  for  his  security,  "  I  will  never  leave 
thee  ;"  shall  not  this  charm  down  the  de- 
vil of  discontent  ?  "  Leave  thy  fatherless 
children  with  me,  I  will  preserve  them  a- 
live,"  Jer.  xlix.  11.  Methinks  I  see  the 
godly  man  on  his  death-bed  much  discon- 
tented, and  hear  him  complaining  what  will 
become  of  my  wife  and  children  when  I  am 
dead  and  gone  ?  They  may  come  to  pover- 
ty :  saith  God,  "  trouble  not  thyself,  be  con- 
tent, I  will  take  care  of  thy  children  ;  and 
let  thy  widow  trust  in  me."  God  hath  made 
a  promise  to  us,  that  he  will  not  leave  us, 
and  hath  entailed  the  promise  upon  our  wife 
.ind  children ;  and  will  not  this  satisfy  ? 
True  faith  will  take  God's  single  bond, 
without  calling  for  witnesses. 

Be  content,  by  virtue  of  a  decree.  What- 
ever our  condition  be,  God  the  umpire  of 
the  world  hath  from  everlasting  decreed  that 
condition  for  us,  and  by  his  providence  or- 
dered all  appertinaiices  thereunto.  Let  a 
Christian  often  think  with  himself,  who 
hath  placed  me  here,  whether  I  am  in  a 
high  sj)here,  or  in  a  lower.  Not  chance  or 
fortune,  as  the  purblind  heathens  imagined  ; 
no,  it  is  the  wise  God  that  hath  by  his  pro- 
vidence fixed  me  in  this  orb.  We  must  act 
fhat  scene  which  God  would  have  us  ;  say 
not,  such  an  one  hath  occasioned  tliis  to 
me  ;  look  not  too  much  at  the  under-wheel. 
We  read  in  Ezekiel,  of  "  a  wheel  within  a 
wheel,"  Ezek.  i.  16.  God's  decree  is  the 
cause  of  the  turning  of  the  wheels,  and  his 
orovidence  is  the  inner-wheels  that  move 


all  the  rest.     God's  providence  is  that  helm 
which  turns  about  the  whole  ship  of  the  uni- 
verse.    Say  then,  as  holy  David,  "  I  was 
dumb,    I   opened  not  my  mouth,   because 
thou,  Lord,  didst  it,"  Ps.  xxxix.  9.     God's 
providence  — which  is  nothing  else  but  the 
carrying  on  of  his  decree — should  be  a  sm- 
persedeas  and  counterpoise  against  discon- 
tent ;  God  hath  set  us  in  our  station,  and 
he   hath   done  it  in    wisdom.     We    fancy 
such  a  condition  of  life  is    good  for    us ; 
whereas  if  we  were  our  own  carvers,  we 
should  often  cut  the  worst  piece.     Lot,  be- 
ing put  to  his   choice,  did  choose  Sodom, 
Gen.  xiii.  11.     Which  soon  after  was  burn- 
ed with  fire.     Rachel  was  very  desirous  of 
children,    "   Give   me  children    or  I  die," 
Gen.  XXX.  1.:     And  it  cost  her  her  life  in 
bringing  forth  a  child.     Abraham  was  ear- 
nest for  Lshmael,  "  O  that  Ishmael   might 
live  before  thee!"  Gen.  xvii.   18.     But  he 
had  little  comfort  either  of  him  or  liis  seed  ; 
he  was  born  a  son  of  strife,  his  hand  was 
against  every  man,  and  every  man's  hand 
against  him.  The  disciples  wept  for  Christ's 
leaving  the  world,  they  chose  his  corporeal 
presence  :  whereas  it  was  best  for  them  that 
Christ  should  be  gone,  for  else  "  the  Com- 
forter would  not  come,"  John  xvi.  7.     Da- 
vid chose  the   life  of  his  child,  "  he  wept 
and  fasted  for  it,"  2  Sam.  xii.  16.     Where- 
as if  the  child  had  lived,  it  would  have  been 
a  perpetual  monument  of  his  shame.     We 
stand  oft  in  our  own  light;  if  we  should, 
sort,    or   parcel  out  our  own  comforts,  we 
should  hit  upon  the  wrong.     Is  it  not  well 
for  the  child,  that  the  parent  doth  choose 
for  it  ?     Were  it  left  to  itself,  it  would  per- 
haps choose  a  knife  to  cut  its  own  finger. 
A  man  in  a  paroxysm  calls  for  wine,  which 
if  he  had,  it  were  little  better  than  poison , 
it  is  well  for  the  patient,  that  he  is  at  the 
physician's  appointment.  The  consideration 
of  a  decree  determining,  and  a  providence 
disposing  of  all  things  that  fall  out,  should 
work  our  hearts  to  holy  contentment.     Tiie 
wise  God  hath  ordered  our  condition  ;    if 
he  sees  it  better  for  us  to  abound,  we  shall 
abound  ;  if  he  sees  it  better  for  us  to  want, 
we  shall  want ;  be  content  to  be  at  God's 
disposal. 

God  sees,  in  his  infinite  wisdom,  the  same 
condition  is  not  convenient    for   all ;  that 


ART  OF  DIVINE  CONTENTMENT. 


C89 


which  is  good  for  one,   may  ])e  bad  for  a-  I  man  ;  discontent  is  a  frcttiiip^  linmoiir,  wliich 


nothcr ;    one    season    of  weatlier    will  not 
serve  all  men's  occasions, — one  needs  sun- 
shine, another  rain  ;  one  condition  of  life 
will   not  fit  every  man,   no  more  than  one 
suit  of  apparel  will  fit  everybody  :  prosperity 
is  not  fit  fi>r  all,  nor  yet  adversity.     If  one 
man  be  brought  low,  perhaps  he  can  bear 
it  better  ;  lie  liath  a  greater  stock  of  grace, 
— more  faith  and  ])atience, — he  can  "  ga- 
tlier  grapes  of  thorns,"  pick  some  comfort 
out  of  the  cross, — every  one  cannot  do  this. 
Another  man  is  seated  in  an  eminent  place 
of  dignity  ;  he  is  fitter  for  it ;  perhaps  it  is 
a  place  requires  more  parts   of  judgment, 
which  every  one  is  not  capable  of;  perhaps 
he  can  use  his  estate  better, — he    hath  a 
public  heart  as  well  as  a  public  place.    The 
wise  God  sees  that  condition  to  be  bad  for 
one,  which  is  good  for  another ;  hence  it  is 
lie  placeth  men  in  different  orbs  and  spheres  ; 
some  higher,  some  lower.     One  man  de- 
sires health,  God  sees  sickness  is  better  for 
him  ;  God  will  work  he.'ilth  out  of  sickness, 
by  bringing  the  body  of  death,  into  a  con- 
sumption.     Another  man   desires    libertv, 
God  sees  restraint  better  for  him ;  he  will 
work   his  liberty  by   restraint;    when    his 
feet  arc  bound,  his  heart  shall  be  most  en- 
larged.    Did  we  believe  this,  it  would  give 
a  check  to  the  sinful  disputes  and  cavils  of 
our  hearts:  shall   I  be  discontented  at  that 
which  is  enacted  by  a  decree,  and  ordered  by 
a  providence  ?  Is  this  to  be  a  child  or  a  rebel  ? 

Chap.  VIII.  Use  I.  Shewing  how  a  Chris- 
tian MAY  MAKE  HIS  LiFE  COMFORTABLE. 

It  shews  how  a  Christian  may  come  to 
lead  a  comfortable  life,  even  an  heaven  up- 
on earth,  be  the  times  what  they  will  :  viz. 
by  Christian  contentment,    Prov.    xv.    13. 


<lri('s  the  brains,  wastes  the  sj)irits,  corrodes 
and  eats  out  the  comfort  of  life ;  discontent 
makes  a  man  that  he  doth  not  enjoy  what 
he  doth  possess.  A  drop  or  two  of  vinegar 
will  sour  a  whole  glass  of  wine.  Let  a 
man  have  the  atlluence  and  confluence  of 
worldly  comforts,  a  drop  or  two  of  discon 
tent  will  imbitter  and  poison  all.  Comfort 
depends  upon  contentment ;  Jacob  went 
halting,  when  the  sinew  upon  tl«!  liollow  ot 
his  thigh  shrank:  so,  when  the  sinew  of 
contentment  begins  to  shrink,  we  go  halt- 
ingin  our  comforts.  Contcntation  is  as  neces- 
sary to  keep  the  life  comfortable,  as  oil  is  ne- 
cessary to  keep  the  lamp  burning;  the  clouds 
of  discontent  do  often  drop  the  showers 
of  tears.  Would  we  have  comfort  in  our 
lives  ?  We  may  have  it  if  we  will.  A  Chris- 
tian may  carve  out  what  condition  he  will 
to  himself.  Why  dost  tlioii  complain  of 
thy  troubles  ?  It  is  not  trouble  that  trou- 
bles, but  discontent;  it  is  not  the  water 
without  the  ship,  but  the  water  that  gets 
within  the  leak,  which  drowns  it ;  it  is 
not  outward  affliction  that  can  make  the 
life  of  a  Christian  sad, — a  contented  mind 
would  sail  above  these  waters, — but  when 
there's  a  leak  of  discontent  open,  and  trou- 
ble gets  into  the  heart,  then  it  is  disquieted 
and  sinks.  Do  therefore  as  the  mariners, 
pump  the  water  out,  and  stop  the  spiritual 
leak  in  thy  soul,  and  no  trouble  cjiu  hurt 
thee. 

Chap.  IX.    Use  II.  A  Check  to  the  Dis- 
contented Christian. 

Here  is  a  just  reproof  to  such  as  are  dis 
contented   with  their  condition.      This  dis- 
ease is  almost  epidemical.     Some  not  con- 
tent with  the  callinjr  which  God  hath  set 


The  comfort  of  life  doth  not  stand  in  hav-  i  them   in,  must  be  a  step  higher,   from  the 

"  man's  plough  to  the  throne:  who  like  the  spider 
ill  the  Proverbs,  will  "  take  hold  with  her 
hands,  and  is  in  kings  jialaces,"  Prov.  xxx. 
28.  Others  from  tlic  shop  to  the  pulpit, 
Numb.  xii.  2.  They  would  be  in  the  tem- 
ple of  honour,  before  they  are  in  the  tem- 
ple of  virtue  ;  who  step  into  Moses'  chair,, 
without  Aaron's  bells  and  pomegranates 
like  apes,  which  do  most  shew  their  de- 
formity wlieii  they  are  climbing.  Is  it  not 
enough  that  God  hath  bestowed  gifts  upon 

4  S 


ing  much  ;  it  is  Christ's  maxim, 
life  consisteth  not  in  the  .ibundance  of  the 
things  which  he  doth  possess,"  Luke  xii.  15. ; 
but  it  is  in  being  contented.  Is  not  the  bee 
as  well-contented  with  feeding  on  the  dew, 
or  sucking  from  a  flower,  as  the  ox  that 
grazeth  on  the  mountains?  Contentment 
lies  within  a  man,  in  the  heart ;  and  the 
way  to  be  comfortable,  is  not  by  having  our 
barns  filled,  but  our  minds  quiet.  The 
contented  man,  saith  Seneca,  is  the  happy 


GOO 


ART  OF  DIVINE  COXTEXTMEXT. 


men,  in  private  to  edify  ;  that  he  hath  en- 
riched them  with  many  mercies  ?  But, 
*'  Keek  ye  the  priesthood  also  ?"  Numb.  xvi. 
10.  What  is  this  but  discontent  arising 
from  high-flown  pride?  These  do  secretly 
tax  the  wisdom  of  God,  that  he  hath  not 
screwed  them  up  in  their  condition  a  peg 
higher.  Every  man  is  complaining  that 
liis  estate  is  no  better,  though  he  seldom 
complains  that  his  heart  is  no  better.  One 
man  commends  this  kind  of  life,  another 
commends  that ;  one  man  thinks  a  country- 
life  best,  another  a  city-life ;  the  soldier 
thinks  it  best  to  be  a  merchant, — and  the 
merchant  to  be  a  soldier.  Men  can  be  con- 
tent to  be  any  thing  but  what  God  would 
have  them.  How  is  it  that  no  man  is  con- 
tented ?  Very  few  Christians  have  learned 
St.  Paul's  lesson  :  neither  poor  nor  rich 
know  how  to  be  content,  they  can  learn  any 
thing  but  this. 

1.  If  men  are  poor,  they  learn  to  be,  1. 
envious ;  they  malign  those  that  are  above 
them.  Another's  prosperity  is  an  eye-sore. 
When  God's  candle  shines  upon  their  neigh- 
bour's taliernacle,  this  light  offends  them. 
In  the  midst  of  wants  men  can,  in  this 
sense,  abound,  viz.  in  envy  and  malice ;  an 
envious  eye  is  an  evil  eye.  2.  They  learn 
to  be  querulous,  still  complaining,  as  if 
God  had  dealt  hardly  with  them, — they  are 
ever  telling  their  wants, — they  want  this 
and  that  comfort, — whereas  tlieir  greatest 
want  is  a  contented  spirit.  Those  that  are 
well  enough  content  with  their  sin,  yet  are 
not  content  with  their  condition. 

2.  If  men  are  rich,  they  learn  to  be  co- 
vetous ;  thirsting  insatiably  after  the  world, 
and  by  unjust  moans  scraping  it  together  ; 
their  "  right  hand  is  full  of  bribes,"  as  the 
Psalmist  expreescth  it,  Ps.  xxvi.  10.  Put 
a  good  cause  in  one  scale,  and  a  piece  of 
gold  in  the  other,  and  the  gold  weighs  hea- 
viest. There  are,  saith  Solomon,  four  things 
that  say,  "  It  is  not  enough,"  Prov.  xxx. 
15.  I  may  add  a  fifth,  viz.  The  heart  of 
a  covetous  man.  So  that  neither  poor  nor 
rich  know  how  to  be  content.  Never  cer- 
tainly since  the  creation  did  this  sin  ot  dis- 
content reign  or  rather  rage  more  than  in 
our  times  ;  never  was  God  more  dishonour- 
ed ;  you  can  hardly  speak  with  any,  but 
the  passion  of  his  tongue  betrays  the  dis- 


content of  liis  heart,  es'ery  one  lisns  out 
Ins  trouDle,  and  here  even  tne  stamme»'int5 
tongue  speaks  too  freely  and  tluentiy.  if 
we  have  not  what  we  desir*',  God  shall  not 
have  a  good  look  from  us,  but  presently 
we  are  sick  of  discontent,  ana  readv  to  d\e 
out  of  an  humour.  If  God  will  not  forgive 
the  people  of  Israel  for  their  lusts,  thev  bid 
him  take  their  lives;  they  must  have  quails 
to  their  manna.  Ahab,  thoujih  a  kingf — 
and  one  would  think  his  crown-lands  liad 
been  sufficient  for  him — yet  is  sullen  and 
discontented  for  Naboth's  vineyard.  Jonah 
though  a  good  man  and  a  propliet,  yet  ready 
to  die  in  a  pet,  Jon.  iv.  8.  And  because 
God  killed  his  gourd,  kill  me  too,  saith  he. 
Rachel,  "  give  me  children,  or  I  die  ,"  she 
had  many  blessings,  if  she  could  have  seen 
them,  but  wanted  this  contentation.  God 
will  supply  our  wants,  but  must  he  satisfy 
our  lusts  too?  Many  are  discontented  for 
a  very  trifle ;  another  hath  a  better  dress, 
a  richer  jewel,  a  newer  fashion.  Nero, 
not  content  with  his  empire,  was  troubled 
that  the  musician  had  more  skill  in  playing 
than  he.  How  fantastic  are  some,  that 
pine  away  in  discontent  for  the  want  of 
those  things,  which  if  they  had,  would  but 
render  them  more  ridiculous  ! 

Chap.  X.   Use  HI.    A  Suasive  to  Con- 
tentment. 

It  exhorts  us  to  labour  for  contentation  ; 
this  is  that  which  doth  beautify  and  be- 
spangle a  Christian,  and  as  a  spiritual  em- 
broidery, doth  set  him  off  in  the  eyes  of 
the  world. 

Ob  J.  But  methinks  I  hear  some  bitterly 
complaining^  and  saying  to  me,  Alas  !  how 
is  it  possible  to  be  contented  ?  "  Tke  Lord 
hath  made  my  chain  heavy"  Lam.  iii.  7. 
'  He  hath  cast  me  into  a  very  sad  condition.* 

Ans.  There  is  no  sin,  but  labours  either 
to  hide  itself  under  some  mask ;  or,  if  it 
cannot  be  concealed,  then  to  vindicate  it- 
self by  some  apology.  This  sin  of  discon- 
tent I  find  very  witty  in  its  apologies,  which 
I  shall  first  discover,  and  then  m.ike  a  re- 
ply. We  must  lay  it  down  as  a  rule,  that 
discontent  is  a  sin  ;  so  that  all  the  pre- 
tences, and  apologies  wherewith  it  labours 
to  justify  itself,  are  but  the  painting  and 
dressing  of  a  strumpet. 


ART  OF  DIVINE  COXTENTMEXT. 


C9l 


The  first  apolog^y  wliicli  discontent  makes 
is  tins  ;  I  have  lost  a  cliild.  Paulina,  upon 
the  loss  of  her  children,  was  so  possessed 
wit!)  a  spirit  of  sadness,  that  she  had  like 
to  have  entombed  herself  in  her  own  dis- 
cojitent ;  our  love  to  relations  is  oftentimes 
more  than  our  love  to  religion. 

Reply  1.  We  must  be  content,  not  only 
when  God  gives  mercies,  but  when  he  Uikes 
away.  If  we  must  "  in  every  thing  give 
thanks,"  1  Thess.  v.  18.  Then  in  nothing 
be  discontented. 

lU'ply  2.  Perhaps  God  hath  taken  away 
the  cistern,  that  he  may  give  you  the  more 
of  the  spring  ;  he  hath  darkened  the  star- 
litrht,  that  vou  may  have  more  sun-light, 
(iod  intends  you  shall  have  more  of  him- 
self, and  is  not  he  better  than  ten  sons? 
Look  not  so  much  upon  a  temporal  loss,  as 
a  spiritual  gain  ;  the  comforts  of  the  world 
run  dregs ;  those  which  come  out  of  the 
granary  of  the  promise,  are  pure  and  sweet. 

Reply  3.  Your  child  was  not  given  but 
lent.  "  I  have,  saith  Hannah,  lent  my  son 
to  the  Lord,"  1  Sam.  i.  28.  She  lent  him  ! 
The  Lord  hath  lent  him  to  her.  Mercies 
are  not  entailed  upon  us,  but  lent;  what  a 
man  lends  he  may  call  for  again  when  he 
])leases.  God  hath  put  out  a  child  to  thee 
a  while  to  nurse ;  wilt  thou  be  displeased 
if  he  take  his  child  home  again  ?  O  be 
not  discontented  that  a  mercy  is  taken  a- 
way  from  you,  but  rather  be  thankful  that 
it  was  lent  you  so  long. 

Reply  4.  Suppose  your  child  to  be  taken 
from  you,  cither  he  was  good  or  bad ;  if 
he  was  rebellious,  you  have  not  so  much 
parted  with  a  child,  as  a  burden ;  you 
grieve  for  that  which  might  have  been  a 
greater  grief  to  you  ;  if  he  was  religious, 
then  remember,  he  "  is  taken  away  from 
the  evil  to  come,"  Isa.  Ivii.  1.,  and  placed 
in  his  centre  of  felicity.  This  lower  region 
is  full  of  gross  and  hurtful  vai>ours ;  how 
happy  are  those  who  are  mounted  into  the 
celestial  orbs  !  the  righteous  are  taken  away, 
— in  the  original  it  is,  he  is  gathered;  a 
wicked  child  is  cut  off,  but  the  pious  child 
is  gathered.  Even  as  we  see  men  gather 
flowers,  and  candy  them,  and  preserve  them 
by  them,  so  hath  God  gathered  thy  child  as 
a  sweet  flower  that  he  may  candy  it  with 
glory,    and  preserve  it  by  him  for  ever. 


Why  then  should  a  Christian  be  discontent- 
ed ?  Why  should  Ite  weep  excessively  ? 
"  Daughters  of  Jerusalem  weep  not  for  me, 
but  weep  for  yourselves,"  Luke  xxiii.  28. 
So,  could  we  hear  our  children  speaking  to 
us  out  of  heaven,  they  would  say,  Weep 
not  for  us  who  are  happy  ;  we  lie  upon  a 
soft  pillow,  even  in  the  bosom  of  Christ; 
the  Prince  of  Peace  is  embracing  us  and 
kissing  us  with  the  kisses  of  his  lips  ;  be 
not  troubled  at  our  preferment, — "  weep 
not  for  us,"  but  weep  for  yourselves,  who 
are  in  a  sinful  sorrowful  world  ;  you  are 
in  the  valley  of  tears,  but  we  are  on  the 
mountain  of  spices  ;  we  have  gotten  to  our 
harbour,  but  you  are  still  tossing  upon  the 
waves  of  inconstancy.  O  Christian  !  be 
not  discontented  that  thou  hast  parted  with 
such  a  child ;  but  rather  rejoice  that  thou 
hadst  such  a  child  to  part  with.  Break 
forth  into  thankfulness.  What  an  honour 
is  it  to  a  parent  to  beget  such  a  child,  that 
while  he  lives  increaseth  the  joy  of  the  glo- 
rified angels,  Luke  xx.  10.,  and  when  he 
dies  increaseth  the  number  of  the  glorified 
saints. 

Reply  5.  If  God  hath  taken  away  one  ot 
your  children,  he  hath  left  you  more,  he 
might  have  spripped  you  of  all.  He  took 
away  Job's  comforts,  his  estate,  his  chil- 
dren ;  and  indeed  his  wife  was  left,  but  as 
a  cross.  Satan  made  a  bow  of  this  rib — as 
Chrysostom  speaks — and  shot  a  temptation 
by  her  at  Job,  thinking  to  have  him  shot 
to  the  heart ;  "  curse  God  and  die  ;"  but 
Job  had  upon  him  the  breast-plate  of  inte- 
grity ;  and  though  his  children  were  taken 
away,  yet  not  his  graces;  still  he  is  eon- 
tent,  still  he  blesseth  God.  O  think  how 
many  mercies  you  still  enjoy ;  yet  your 
base  hearts  arc  more  discontented  at  one 
loss,  than  thankful  for  an  hundred  mercies  ! 
(lod  hath  ))lucked  one  bunch  of  grapes 
from  you  ;  but  how  many  precious  clusters 
are  left  behind  ? 

Ob  J.  But  if  was  mt/  only  child. — the  staff 
of  my  agf", — the  »eed  of  my  comfort, — and  the 
only  blossom  out  of  which  my  ancient  family 
did  grow. 

Ans.  1.  God  hath  promisee/  you — if  vou 
belong  to  him — "  a  name  netter  ttian  ot' 
sons  and  daughters,"  Isa.  Ivi.  5.  Is  he 
dead  that  should  have  been  the  monument 


692 


ART  OF  DIVINE  CONTENTMENT. 


to  liave  kept  up  the  name  of  a  family  .'' 
God  liath  given  you  a  new  name,  he  hath 
written  your  name  in  tlie  book  of  life ;  be- 
hold your  spiritual  heraldry ;  here  is  a 
name  that  cannot  be  cut  off. 

A.  2.  Ilath  God  taken  away  thy  only 
child  ?  He  hath  given  thee  his  only  Son  : 
this  is  a  happy  exchange.  What  needs  he 
complain  of  losses,  that  hath  Chi-ist  ?  He 
is  his  Father's  brightness,  Heb.  i.  3.  His 
riches,  Col.  ii.  9.  His  delight,  Ps.  xlii.  1. 
Is  there  enough  in  Christ  to  delight  the 
heart  of  God  ?  and  is  there  not  enough  in 
him  to  ravish  us  with  holy  delight.  He  is 
wisdom  to  teach  us, — righteousness  to  ac- 
quit us, — sanctification  to  adorn  us, — he  is 
that  royal  and  princely  gift, — he  is  the 
bread  of  angels, — the  joy  and  triumpli  of 
saints, — he  is  all  in  all.  Col.  iii.  10.  Why 
then  art  thou  discontented?  Though  thy 
child  be  lost,  yet  thou  hast  him  for  whom 
all  things  are  loss. 

Heply  7.  Let  us  blush  to  think  that  na- 
ture should  outstrip  grace.  Pulvillus,  an 
heathen,  when  he  was  about  to  consecrate 
a  temple  to  Jupiter,  and  news  was  brought 
him  of  the  death  of  his  son,  would  not  de- 
sist from  his  enterprize,  but  with  much 
composure  of  mind  gave  order  for  decent 
burial. 

The  second  apology  that  discontent  makes, 
is,  I  have  a  great  part  of  my  estate  strange- 
ly melted  away,  and  trading  begins  to  fail. 
God  is  pleased  sometimes  to  bring  his  chil- 
dren very  low,  and  cut  them  short  in  their 
estate  ;  it  fares  with  them  as  with  that  wi- 
dow, who  had  nothing  in  her  house,  "  save  a 
pot  of  oil,"  2  Kings  iv.  2.  But  be  content. 
Heply  1.  God  hath  taken  away  your  e- 
state,  but  not  your  portion.  This  is  a  sa- 
cred paradox,  honour  and  estate  are  no  jiart 
of  a  Christian's  jointure ;  they  are  rather 
luxuries  than  essentials,  and  are  extrinsical 
and  foreign ;  therefore  the  loss  of  those 
cannot  denominate  a  man  miserable,  still 
the  portion  remains  ;  "  the  Lord  is  my  por- 
tion, saith  my  soul,"  Lam,  iii.  2i.  Suppose 
one  were  worth  a  million  ot  money,  and  he 
should  chance  to  lose  a  pin  off  his  sleeve, 
this  is  no  part  of  his  estate,  nor  can  we  say 
he  is  undone  ;  the  loss  of  sublunary  com- 
forts is  not  so  much  to  a  Christian's  portion, 
as  the  loss  of  a  pin  is  to  a  million.     "  These 


things  shall  be  added  to  you,"  Mat.  ^^.  33 
Adjtcie7itur,  they  shall  be  cast  in  as  overplus 
When  a  man  buys  a  piece  of  cloth  he  hath 
an  inch  or  two  given  in  to  the  measure  ; 
now,  though  he  lose  his  inch  of  cloth,  yet 
lie  is  not  undone,  for  still  the  whole  piece, 
remains  ;  our  outward  estate  is  not  so  much 
in  regard  of  the  portion,  as  an  inch  of  cloth 
is  to  the  whole  piece  ;  why  then  should  a 
Christian  be  discontented,  when  the  title  to 
his  spiritual  treasure  remains  ?  A  thief 
may  take  away  all  the  money  that  I  have 
about  me,  but  not  my  land  ;  still  a  Chris- 
tian hath  a  title  to  the  land  of  promise. 
Mary  hath  chosen  the  better  part,  whicli 
shall  not  be  taken  from  her. 

Reply  2.  Perhaps,  if  thy  estate  had  not 
been  lost,  thy  soul  had  been  lost ;  outward 
comforts  do  often  quench  inward  heat. 
God  can  bestow  a  jewel  upon  us,  but  we 
fall  so  in  love  with  it,  that  we  forget  him 
that  gave  it.  What  pity  is  it  that  we  should 
commit  idolatry  with  the  creature  !  God  is 
forced  sometimes  to  drain  away  an  estate  : 
the  plate  and  jewels  are  often  cast  over- 
board to  save  the  passenger.  Many  a  man 
may  curse  the  time  that  ever  he  had  such  an 
estate,  it  hath  been  an  enchantment  to  draw 
away  his  heart  from  God.  "  They  that 
will  be  rich,  fall  into  a  snare."  Art  thou 
troubled  that  God  hath  prevented  a  snare  ? 
Riches  are  thorns,  Mat.  xiii.  7.  Art  thou 
angry  because  God  hath  pulled  away  a 
thorn  from  thee  ?  Riches  are  compared  to 
"  thick  clay,"  Hab.  ii.  6.  Perhaps  thy  af- 
fections, which  are  the  feet  of  the  soul, 
might  have  stuck  so  fast  in  this  golden 
clay,  that  they  could  not  have  ascended  up 
to  heaven.  Be  content ;  if  God  dam  up  our 
outward  comforts,  it  is,  that  the  stream  of 
our  love  may  ruJi  faster  another  way. 

Brply  3.  If  your  estate  be  small,  yet  God 
can  bless  a  little.  'Tis  not  how  much  mo- 
ney we  have,  but  how  much  blessing.  He 
that  often  curseth  the  bags  of  gold,  can 
bless  the  meal  in  the  barrel,  and  the  oil  in 
the  cruise.  What  if  thou  hast  not  the  full 
flesh-pots?  Yet  thou  hast  a  promise,  "I 
will  abundantly  bless  her  provision,"  Ps. 
cxxxii.  15.,  aiul  then  a  little  goes  a  great 
way.  Be  content  thou  hast  the  dew  of  a 
blessing  distilled;  a  dinner  of  green  herbs, 
where  love  is,  is  sweet;  1  may  add,  whore 


ART  OF  DIVINE  COXTKXTMEXT. 


C93 


the  love  of  God  is.  Another  may  have 
more  estate  than  y<>ii»  hut,  more  care  ; 
more  riches,  less  rest ;  more  revenues,  hut 
with  all  more  occasions  of  expense  ;  he  hath 
a  greater  inheritance,  yet  perhaps  God  doth 
not  give  "  him  power  to  eat  thereof,"  Eccl. 
vi.  2.  He  hath  the  dominion  of  his  estate, 
not  the  use  ;  he  holds  more  hut  enjoys  less  ; 
in  a  word,  thou  hast  less  gold  than  he,  per- 
haps less  guilt. 

Reply  4.  You  did  never  so  thrive  in  your 
spiritual  trade;  your  heart  was  never  so 
low,  as  since  your  condition  was  low ;  you 
were  never  so  poor  in  spirit,  never  so  rich 
in  faith.  You  did  never  run  the  ways  of 
God's  commandments  so  fast  as  since  some 
of  your  golden  weights  were  taken  off.  You 
never  had  such  trading  for  heaven  all  your 
life  ;  this  is  uberrimns  questus.  You  did  ne- 
ver make  such  adventures  upon  the  pro- 
mise as  since  you  left  off  your  sea-adven- 
tures. This  is  the  best  kind  of  merchan- 
dize. O  Christian,  thou  never  hadst  such 
incomes  of  the  Spirit,  such  spring-tides  of 
joy ;  and  what  though  weak  in  estate,  if 
strong  in  assurance  ?  Be  content :  what 
you  have  lost  one  way,  you  have  gained 
another. 

Reply  5.  Be  your  losses  what  they  will 
in  this  kind,  remember  in  every  loss  there 
is  only  a  suffering,  but  in  every  discontent 
there  is  a  sin,  and  one  sin  is  worse  than  a 
thousajid  sufferings.  What  f  Because  some 
of  my  revenues  are  gone,  shall  I  part  with 
some  of  my  righteousness  ?  Shall  my  faith 
and  patience  go  too  ?  Because  I  do  not 
possess  an  estate,  shall  I  not  therefore  pos- 
sess my  own  spirit?  O  learn  to  be  content. 

The  third  apology  is,  it  is  sad  with  me 
in  my  relations  :  where  I  should  find  most 
comfort,  there  I  have  most  grief.  Tliis  a- 
pology  or  objection  hrancheth  itself  into 
two  particulars,  whereto  I  shall  give  a  dis- 
tinct reply. 

\st.  My  child  goes  on  in  rebellion  ;  I  fear 
I  have  brought  forth  a  child  for  the  devil. 
It  is  indeed,  sad  to  think,  that  hell  sjiould 
be  paved  with  the  skulls  of  any  of  our  chil- 
dren ;  and  certainly  the  ])angs  of  grief  which 
the  mother  hath  in  this  kind,  are  worse  than 
her  pangs  of  travail ;  but  though  you  ought 
to  be  humbled,  yet  not  discontented  :  for, 
consider, 


ilrpjy  1.  You  may  pick  something  out  of 
your  child's  undutifulness  ;  the  child's  sin 
is  sometimes  the  ])arent's  sermon  ;  the  un- 
dutifulness of  children  to  us,  may  be  a  me- 
mento to  put  us  in  mind  of  our  undutiful- 
ness once  to  God.  Time  was  when  we  were 
rebellious  children  ;  how  long  did  our  heart 
standout  as  garrisons  against  God  ?  How 
long  did  he  parley  with  us  and  beseech  us, 
ere  we  would  yield  ?  He  walked  in  the  ten- 
derness of  his  heart  towards  us,  but  we 
walked  in  the  frowardness  of  our  hearts  to- 
wards him;  and  since  grace  hath  been 
planted  in  our  souls,  how  njuch  of  the  wild 
olive  is  still  in  us?  How  many  motions  of 
the  Spirit  do  we  daily  resist?  How  many 
unkindnesses  and  affronts  have  we  put  upon 
Christ  ?  Let  this  open  a  spring  of  repen- 
tance; look  upon  your  cliild's  rebellions 
and  mourn  for  your  own  rebellion. 

Reply  2.  Though  to  see  him  undutiful  is 
your  grief,  yet  not  always  your  sin.  Hath 
a  parent  given  the  child,  not  only  the  milk 
of  the  breast,  but  "  the  sincere  milk  of  the 
word  ?"  1  Pet.  ii.  2.  Hast  thou  seasoned 
his  tender  years  with  religious  education? 
Thou  canst  do  no  more  ;  parents  can  only 
work  knowledge,  God  must  work  grace; 
they  can  only  lay  the  wood  together,  it  is 
God  must  make  it  burn ;  a  parent  can  only 
be  a  guide  to  shew  his  child  the  way  to  hea- 
ven, the  Spirit  of  God  must  be  a  loadstone 
to  draw  his  heart  into  that  way.  "  Am  I 
in  God's  stead — saith  Jacob — who  hath 
withheld  the  fruit  of  the  womb?"  Gen. 
XXX.  2.  Can  I  give  children  ?  So,  is  a  pa- 
rent in  God's  stead  to  give  grace  ?  Who 
can  helj)  it,  if  a  child  having  the  light  of 
conscience,  scri|)ture,  education,  these  three 
torches  in  his  hand,  vet  runs  wilfiillv  into 
the  deep  ponds  of  sin  ?  ^Wcp  for  thy  child, 
jiray  for  hiui ;  but  do  not  sin  for  him  by  dis- 
content. 

Re])ly  3.  Say  not,  yon  have  brought  forth 
a  child  for  the  devil;  God  can  reduce  him; 
he  hath  ])roinise(l  to  "  turn  the  heart  of  the 
cliiKlren  to  tlieir  fathers,"  Mai.  iv.  6,  And 
"  to  open  springs  of  grace  in  the  desert," 
Isa.  XXXV.  6.  When  thy  child  is  going  full 
sail  to  the  devil,  (iod  can  blow  with  a  con- 
trary wind  of  his  Spirit,  and  alter  his  course. 
When  Paul  was  breathing  out  persecution 
against  the  saints,  and  was  sailing  hell-ward, 


CO  4 


ART  OF  DIVINE  CONTENTMENT. 


God  turns  liim  anotlier  way  ;  before  he  was 
going  to  Damascus,  God  sends  liim  to  Ana- 
nias ;  before  a  persecutor,  now  a  preacher. 
Though  our  cliiklren  are  for  the  present 
fallen  into  the  devil's  pond,  God  can  turn 
them  from  the  power  of  Satan,  Acts  xxiv. 
16,  and  bring  them  in  the  twelfth  hour. 
Monica  was  weeping  for  her  son  Augus- 
tine: at  last  God  gave  him  in  upon  prayer, 
and  he  became  a  famous  instrument  in  the 
church  of  God. 

2.  The  second  branch  of  the  objection  is, 
but  my  husband  takes  ill  courses ;  where  I 
looked  for  honey,  behold  a  sting. 

Ans.  It  is  sad  to  have  the  living  and  the 
dead  tied  together;  yet,  let  not  your  heart 
fret  with  discontent ;  mourn  for  his  sins, 
but  do  not  murmur.     For, 

Reply  1.  God  hath  placed  you  in  your 
relation,  and  you  cannot  be  discontented 
but  you  quarrel  with  God.  What  !  For 
every  cross  that  befals  us,  shall  we  call  the 
infinite  wisdom  of  God  in  question  ?  O  the 
blasphemy  of  our  hearts  ! 

Reply  2.  God  can  make  you  a  gainer  by 
your  husband's  sin  ;  perhaps  you  had  never 
been  so  good,  if  he  had  not  been  so  bad. 
The  fire  burns  hottest  in  the  coldest  climate. 
God  often  by  a  divine  anti peri  stasis  turns 
the  sins  of*  others  to  our  good,  and  makes 
our  maladies  our  medicines.  The  aiore 
profane  the  husband  is,  oft  the  more  holy 
the  wife  grows  ;  the  more  earthly  he  is,  the 
more  lieavenly  she  grows ;  God  makes 
sometimes  the  htjsband's  sin  a  spur  to  the 
wife's  grace.  His  exorbitances  are  as  a 
pair  of  bellows  to  blow  up  the  flame  of  her 
zeal  and  devotion  the  more.  Is  it  not  thus  ? 
Doth  not  thy  husband's  wickedness  send 
thee  to  prayer  ?  Thou  perhaps  hadst  never 
prayed  so  much,  if  he  had  not  sinned  so 
much.  His  deadness  quickens  thee  the 
more,  the  stone  of  his  heart  is  an  hammer 
to  break  thy  heart.  The  apostle  saith,  "  the 
unbelieving  wife  is  sanctified  by  the  believ- 
ing husband,"  1  Cor.  vii.  14.  But  in  this 
sense,  the  believing  wife  is  sanctified  by 
the  unbelieving  husband, — she  grows  bet- 
ter,— his  sin  is  a  whetstone  to  her  grace, 
and  a  medicine  for  her  security. 

The  next  apology  that  discontent  makes 
is,  but  my  friends  have  dealt  very  unkindly 
ti^ith  me,  and  proved  false. 


A71S.  It  is  sad,  when  a  friend  proves  like 
a  brook  in  summer.  Job.  vi.  15.  The  tra- 
veller being  parched  with  heat,  comes  to 
the  brook,  hoping  to  refresh  himself, — but 
the  brook  is  dried  up, — yet  be  content. 

Reply  1.  Thou  art  not  alone,  others  of 
the  saints  have  been  betrayed  by  friends ; 
and  when  they  have  leaned  upon  them, 
they  have  been  as  a  foot  out  of  joint.  This 
was  true  in  the  type  David,  Ps.  Iv.  12,  13, 
14,  "  It  was  not  an  enemy  reproached  me, 
but  it  was  thou,  O  man,  my  equal,  my 
guide,  and  my  acquaintance ;  we  took  sweet 
counsel  together  ;"  and  in  the  antitype 
Christ,  he  was  betrayed  by  a  friend ;  and 
why  should  we  think  it  strange  to  have  the 
same  measure  dealt  out  to  us  as  Jesus  Christ 
had  ?  "  The  servant  is  not  above  his  mas- 
ter." 

Reply  2.  A  Christian  may  often  read  his 
sin  in  his  punishment :  hath  not  he  dealt 
treacherotisly  with  God?  How  oft  hath 
he  grieved  the  Comforter,  broken  his  vows, 
and  through  unbelief  sided  with  Satan  a- 
gainst  God  ?  How  oft  hath  he  abused  love, 
taken  the  jewels  of  God's  mercicvS,  and 
made  a  golden  calf  of  them,  serving  his 
own  lusts?  How  oft  hath  he  made  the  free 
grace  of  God,  which  would  have  been  a 
bolt  to  keep  out  sin,  rather  a  key  to  open 
the  door  to  it  ?  These  wounds  hath  the  Lord 
received  in  the  house  of  his  friends,  Zech. 
xiii.  6.  Look  upon  the  unkindness  of  thy 
friend,  and  mourn  for  thy  own  unkindness 
against  God :  shall  a  Christian  condemn 
that  in  another,  which  he  hath  been  too 
guilty  of  himself? 

Reply  3.  Hath  thy  friend  proved  treach- 
erous ?  Perhaps  you  did  repose  too  much 
confidence  in  him.  If  you  lay  more  weight 
upon  a  house  than  the  pillars  will  bear,  it 
must  needs  break.  God  saith,  "  trust  ye 
not  in  a  friend,"  Mic.  vii.  5.  Perhaps  you 
did  put  more  trust  in  him,  than  you  did 
dare  to  put  in  God.  Friends  are  as  Venice- 
glasses  ;  we  may  use  them,  hut  if  we  lejm 
too  hard  upon  them,  they  will  break  ;  be- 
hold matter  of  humility,  but  not  of  sullen- 
ncss  and  discontent. 

Reply  4.  You  have  a  friend  in  heaven 
who  will  never  fail  you  ;  "  there  is  a  friend 
— saith  Solomon — that  sticketh  closer  than 
a  brother;"  Prov.  xviii.  24.     Such  a  friend 


ART  OF  DIVINE  CONTENTMENT. 


695 


IK  Ciod  :  he  is  vcrv  studious  and  inquisitive 
in  our  honalf:  lie  liatli  a  dfbatiiijr  with  him- 
Rj'If. — a  consulting^  and  projcotintj  how  he 
may  do  jis  ^ood  :  he  is  the  best  tViciul  which 

'  inav  e^ive  contentment  in  the  midst  of  all 
discourtesies  of  friends. 

Consider,  1.  lie  is  a  lovinjr  friend.  "  God 
is  love,"  1  John  iv.  16.  Hence  he  is  said 
sometimes  to  enfjrave  us  on  the  "  palm  of 
his  hand,"  Isa.  xlix.  16.  That  we  may  ne- 
ver ho  out  of  his  eye,  and  to  "  curry  us  in 
liis  bosom,"  Isa.  xl.  11.  Near  to  his  heart. 
There  is  no  stf)p  or  stint  in  his  love;  but 
as  the  river  Nilus,  it  overflows  all  the  banks ; 
Ills  love  is  .IS  f;u*  beyond  our  thouo^hts,  as 
it  is  above  our  deserts.     O  the  infinite  love 

•of  God,  in  jjivinor  the  Son  of  his  love  to  be 
made  flesh,  which  was  more  than  if  all  the 
anijels  had  been  made  worms  !  (iod  in  g'iv- 
ing  Christ  to  us  jjave  his  very  heart  to  us ; 
here  is  love  penciled  out  in  all  its  glory, 
and  engraven  as  with  the  '  point  of  a  dia- 
mond.' All  other  love  is  hatred  in  compa- 
rison of  the  love  of  our  Friend. 

2.  lie  is  a  careful  friend  ;  "  he  careth 
for  you,"  ]  Pet.  v.  7.  (1.)  He  minds  and 
transacts  our  business  as  his  own,  he  ac- 
counts his  people's  interests  and  concern- 
ments as  his  interest.  (2.)  He  provides  for 
us,  grace  to  enrich  us,  glory  to  ennoble  us. 
It  was  David's  complaint,  "  no  man  careth 
for  my  soul,"  Ps.  cxlii.  4.  :  a  Christian  hath 
a  friend  that  cares  for  him. 

3.  He  is  a  prudent  friend,  Dan.  ii.  20. 
A  friend  may  sometimes  err  through  igno- 
rance or  mistake,  and  give  his  friend  poison 
instead  of  sugar ;  but  "  God  is  wise  in 
heart,"  Job.  ix.  4.  He  is  skilful  as  well  as 
faithful ;  he  knows  what  our  disease  is,  and 
what  physic  is  most  proper  to  apply ;  he 
knows  what  will  do  us  good,  and  what 
wind  will  be  best  to  carry  us  to  heaven. 

4.  He  is  a  faithful  friend,  Deut.  vii.  9, 
10.  And  he  is  faithful,  1.  In  his  ])romises, 
*'  in  hope  of  eternal  life  which  God  that 
cannot  lie  hath  promised,"  Tit.  i.  2.  (iod's 
people  are  "  children  that  will  not  lie," 
Isa.  Ixiii.  8.  But  God  is  a  God  that  can- 
not lie;  he  will  not  deceive  the  faith  of  his 
people:  nay,  he  canned:  he  is  called  '  the 
Truth,' — he  can  as  well  cease  to  he  God  as 
cease  to  be  true.  The  Lord  may  sometimes 
change  his  promise — a^  when  he  converts 


a  tempond  promise  into  a   spiritual — but 
he  can  never  break  his  promise. 

5.  He  is  a  compassionate  friend,  hence 
in  scripture  we  read  of  the  yearning  of  his 
bowels,  Jer.  xxxi.  20.     God's  friendship  is 

I  nothing  else  but  compassion  ;  for  there  is 
naturally  no  affection  in  us  to  desire  hia 
friendship,  nor  no  goodness  in  us  to  deserve 
it ;  the  loadstone  Is  in  himself.  When  wo 
were  full  of  blood,  he  was  full  of  bowels  ; 
when  we  were  enemies,  he  sent  an  embas- 
sage of  peace ;  when  our  hearts  were  turn- 
ed back  from  God,  his  heart  was  turned 
towards  us.  O  the  tenderness  and  sympa- 
thy of  our  Friend  in  heaven  !  We  ourselves 
have  some  relentings  of  heart  to  those  which 
are  in  misery;  but  it  is  God  who  begets  all 
the  mercies  and  bowels  that  are  in  us, 
therefore  he  is  called  "  the  Father  of  mer- 
cies," 2  Cor.  i.  3. 

6.  He  is  a  constant  friend.  "  His  compas- 
sions fail  not,"  Lam,  iii.  22.  Friends  do 
often  in  adversity  drop  off  as  leaves  in  au- 
tumn. Amici  circa  sartaginem,  as  Plutarch 
saith;  these  are  rather  flatterers  than  friends. 
Joab  was  for  a  time  faithful  to  king  David's 
house  ;  he  went  not  after  Absalom's  trea 
son  ;  but  within  a  while  proved  false  to  the 
crown,  and  Avent  after  the  treason  of  Ado 
nijah,  1  Kings  i.  7.  God  is  a  friend  for 
ever:  "  having  loved  his  own  which  were 
in  the  world,  he  loved  them  to  the  end," 
John  xiii.  1.  What  tliough  I  am  despised  ? 
yet  God  loves  me.  What  though  my  friends 
cast  me  off?  yet  God  loves  me;  he  loves  to 
the  end,  and  there  is  no  end  of  that  love. 
This  methinks,  in  case  of  discourtesies  and 
uiikindncsscs,  is  enough  to  charm  down 
discontent. 

The   next   apology  is,   I  am   tinder  great 
reproaches.     Let  not  this  discontent  :  for, 

Heplij  1.  It  is  a  sign  there  is  some  good  in 
thee;  saith  S(XTates,  wliat  evil  have  I  (hme, 
that  this  bad  man  commends  me  ?  The  ap- 
plause of  the  wicked  usually  denotes  some 
evil,  and  their  censure  imjMtrts  s(»me  good, 
Ps.  xxxviii.  20.  David  wept  and  fasted, 
and  that  was  turned  to  his  "  rej)roach,"  Ps 
Ixix.  10.  As  we  must  pass  to  heaven 
through  the  pikes  of  suflfV'ring,  so  through 
the  clouds  of  reproach. 

Jieplij  2.   If  your  reproach  be  for  Gud,  as 
David's  was,  "  for  thy  sake  I  have  borne 


GOG 


ART  OF  DIVINE  CONTENTMENT. 


reproacli,"  Ps.  Ixix.  7.,  then  it  is  rather 
matter  of  triumph,  than  dejection.  Christ 
doth  not  say,  when  you  are  reproached  be 
discontented  ;  but  rejoice.  Mat.  v.  12.  Wear 
your  reproach  as  a  diadem  of  honour,  for 
jjow  a  spirit  of  "  glory  and  of  God  rests 
upon  you,"  1  Pet.  iv.  14.  Put  your  re- 
proaches into  the  inventory  of  your  riches  ; 
so  did  Moses,  Heb.  xi.  26.  Jt  should  be  a 
Christian's  ambition  to  wear  his  Saviour's 
livery,  though  it  be  sprinkled  with  blood 
and  sullied  with  disgrace. 

Meply  3.  God  will  do  us  good  by  re- 
proach :  as  David  of  Shimei  his  cursing, 
"  it  may  be  the  Lord  will  requite  me  good 
for  his  cursing  this  day,"  2  Sara.  xvi.  12. 
This  puts  us  upon  searching  our  sin.  A 
child  of  God  labours  to  read  his  sin  in  every 
stone  of  reproach  that  is  cast  at  him  ;  be- 
sides, now  we  have  an  opportunity  to  exer- 
cise patience  and  humility. 

Reply  4.  Jesus  Christ  was  content  to  be 
reproached  for  us ;  he  despised  the  shame 
of  the  cross,  Heb.  xii.  2.     It  may  amaze  us 
to  think  that  he  who  was  God  could  en- 
dure to  be  spit  upon,  to  be  crowned  with 
thorns,  in  a  kind  of  jeer ;  and  when  he  was 
ready  to  bow  his  head  upon  the  cross,  to 
have  the  Jews  in  scorn,  wag  their  lieads 
and  say,  "  he  saved  others,  himself  he  can- 
not save."     The  shame  of  the  cross  Avas  as 
much  as  the  blood  of  the  cross  ;  his  name 
was  crucified  before  his  body.     The  sharp 
arrows  of  reproach  that  the  world  did  shoot 
at  Christ,  went  deeper  into  his  heart  than 
the  spear ;  his  suffering  was  so  ignominious, 
that  as  if  the  sun  did  blush  to  behold,  it 
withdrew  its  bright  beams,  and  masked  itself 
with  a  cloud  ;  (and  Mell  it  might  when  the 
Sun  of  Righteousness  was  in  an  eclipse;) 
all  this  contumely  and  reproach  did  the  God 
of  glory  endure  or  rather  despise  for   us. 
O  then  let  us  be  content  to  have  our  names 
eclipsed  for  Christ ;  let  not  reproach  lie  at 
our  heart,  but  let  us  bind  it  as  a  crown  about 
our  head  !   Alas,  what  is  reproach  ?   This  is 
but  small  shot,  how  will   men  stand  at  the 
mouth  of  a  cannon  ?  These  who  are  discon- 
tented at  a  reproach,  will  be  offended  at  a 
faggot. 

lieply  5.  Ts  not  many  a  man  contented 
to  suffer  reproach  for  maintaining  his  lust? 
And  shall  not  we  for  maintaining  the  truth  ? 


Some  glory  in  that  whicb  is  their  shame, 
Phil.  iii.  19.  And  shall  we  be  ashamed  of 
that  which  is  our  glory  ?  Be  not  troubled 
at  these  petty  things.  He  whose  heart  is 
once  divinely  touched  with  the  loadstone 
of  God's  Spirit,  doth  account  it  his  honour 
to  be  dishonoured  for  Christ,  Acts  xv.  4. 
And  doth  as  much  despise  the  world's  cen- 
sure, as  he  doth  their  praise. 

Repbj  6.  We  live  in  an  age  wherein  men 
dare  reproach  God  himself.  The  divinity 
of  the  Son  of  God  is  blasphemously  re- 
proached by  the  Socinian  ;  the  blessed  Bi- 
ble is  reproached  by  the  Antiscripturist,  as 
if  it  were  but  a  legend  of  lies,  and  every 
man's  faith  a  fable ;  the  justice  of  God  is 
called  to  the  bar  of  reason  by  the  Armini-* 
ans  ;  the  wisdom  of  God  in  his  providen- 
tial actings,  is  taxed  by  the  Atheist ;  the 
ordinances  of  God  are  decried  by  the  Fa- 
milists,  as  being  too  heavy  a  burden  for 
a  free-born  conscience,  and  too  low  and  car- 
nal for  a  sublime  seraphic  spirit ;  the  ways 
of  God,  which  have  the  majesty  of  holiness 
shining  in  them,  are  calumniated  by  the 
profane;  the  mouths  of  men  are  open  a- 
gainst  God,  as  if  he  were  an  hard  master, 
and  the  path  of  religion  too  strict  and  se- 
vere. If  men  cannot  give  God  a  good  word, 
shall  we  be  discontented  or  troubled  that 
they  speak  hardly  of  us  ?  Such  as  labour  to 
bury  the  glory  of  religion,  shall  we  wonder 
that  "  their  throats  are  open  sepulchres," 
Rom.  iii.  13.,  to  bury  our  good  name  ?  O 
let  us  be  contented,  while  we  are  in  God's 
scouring-house,  to  have  our  names  sullied  a 
little  ;  the  blacker  we  seem  to  be  here,  the 
brighter  shall  we  shine  when  God  hath  set 
us  u])on  the  celestial  shelf. 

The  sixth  apology  that  discontent  makes, 
is  disrespect  in  the  world.  I  have  not  that 
esteem  from  men  as  is  suitable  to  my  quali- 
ty and  grace.  And  doth  this  trouble  ?  Con- 
sider, 

Reply  1.  The  world  is  an  unequal  judge; 
as  it  is  full  of  change  so  of  partiality.  The 
world  gives  her  respects,  as  she  doth  her 
ydaces  of  preferment;  more  by  favour  often, 
than  desert.  Hast  thou  the  ground  of  real 
worth  in  thee?  That  is  best  worth  that 
is  in  him  that  hath  it;  honour  is  in  him 
tliat  giv.'s  it ;  better  deserve  respect,  and 
not  liave  it,  than  have  it  and  not  deserve  it. 


ART  OF  DIVINE  CONTENTMENT. 


G97 


Reply  2.  Iliist  tliou  grace  ?  God  respects 
thee,  and  liis  judgment  is  best  worth  priz- 
ing. A  believer  is  a  person  of  honour,  be- 
ing born  of  God.  Since  tliou  wast  precious 
in  mine  eyes,  "  thou  hast  been  lionourahle, 
and  I  have  h>ved  thee,"  Isa.  xliii.  4.  Let 
the  w()rhl  think  wliat  they  will  of  you  ; 
perhaps  in  their  eyes  you  are  a  cast-away, — 
in  God's  eyes,  a  dove.  Cant.  ii.  14., — a 
spouse,  Cant.  v.  1., — a  jewel,  Mai.  iii.  17. 
Others  account  you  the  dregs  and  off- 
scouring  of  the  world,  1  Cor.  iv.  14. ;  but 
God  will  give  whole  kingdoms  for  your 
ransom,"  Isa.  xliii.  3.  Let  this  content : 
no  matter  with  what  oblique  eyes  I  am 
looked  upon  in  the  world,  if  I  am  recta  in 
curia,  God  thinks  well  of  me.  It  is  better 
that  God  approve,  than  man  applaud.  The 
world  may  put  us  in  their  rubric  and  God 
put  us  in  his  black  book.  What  is  a  man 
the  better  that  his  fellow-prisoners  com- 
mend him,  if  his  judge  condemn  him  ?  O 
labour  to  keep  in  with  God, — prize  his 
love  !  Let  my  fellow-subjects  frown,  I  am 
contented,  being  a  favourite  of  the  king  of 
heaven. 

Ihply  3.  If  you  are  a  child  of  God,  you 
must  look  for  disrespect.  A  believer  is  in 
the  world,  but  not  of  the  world  ;  we  are 
here  in  a  pilgrim  condition,  out  of  our  own 
country,  therefore  must  not  look  for  the  re- 
spects and  acclamations  of  the  world  ;  it  is 
sufficient  that  we  shall  have  honour  in  our 
own  country,  Heb.  xiii.  14.  It  is  dangerous 
to  be  the  world's  favourite. 

Reply  4.  Discontent  arising  from  disre- 
spect, savours  too  much  of  pride  ;  an  hum- 
ble Christian  hath  a  lower  ojHuion  of  him- 
self than  others  can  have  of  him.  He  that 
is  taken  up  about  the  thoughts  of  his  sins, 
and  how  he  liath  provoked  God,  cries  out, 
as  Agur,  "  I  am  more  brutish  than  any 
man,"  Prov.  xxx.  2.  And  therefore  is  con- 
tented, though  he  be  set  among  "  the  dogs 
of  my  flock,"  Job  xxx.  1.  'riiough  he  he 
low  in  the  thought  of  others,  yet  he  is 
thankful  that  he  is  not  laid  in  "  the  lowest 
hell,"  Ps.  Ixxxvi.  13.  A  proud  man  sets 
an  high  value  upon  himself;  and  is  angry 
with  others,  because  they  will  not  come  up 
to  his  price.  Take  heed  of  pride  !  O  had 
others  a  window  to  look  into  their  breast —  j 
ba   Crates  once  expressed   it — or  did  thy  j 


heart    stand    where    thy    face    doth,    thou 
wouldst  wonder  to  have  so  much  respect. 

The  next  apology  is,  I  meet  with  very 
great  sufferings  for  the  truth.      Consider, 

Reply  1.  Your  sufferings  are  not  so  great 
as  your  sins  :  put  these  two  in  the  balance, 
and  see  which  weighs  heaviest ;  where  sin 
lies  heavy,  sufferings  lie  light.  A  carnal 
spirit  makes  more  of  his  sufferings,  and  less 
of  his  sins ;  lie  looks  upon  one  at  the  great 
end  of  the  perspective,  but  upon  the  other 
at  the  little  end  of  the  persj)ective.  The 
carnal  heart  cries  out,  take  away  the  frogs: 
but  a  gracious  heart  cries  out,  "  take?  a\\  ay 
the  iniquity,"  2  Sam.  xxiv.  10.  The  one 
saith,  never  any  one  suffered  as  1  have  done  ; 
but  the  other  saith,  never  one  sinuc  <1  as  I 
have  done,  Micah  vii.  7. 

Reply  2.  Art  thou  under  sufferings  :  thou 
hast  an  opportunity  to  shew  the  valour  and 
constancy  of  thy  mind  Some  of  (ioil's 
saints  would  have  accounted  it  a  great  fa- 
vour to  have  been  honoured  with  martyr- 
dom. One  said,  "  I  am  in  prison  till  I  be 
in  prison."  Thou  countest  that  a  trouble, 
which  others  would  have  worn  as  an  ensign 
of  their  glory. 

Reply  3.  Even  those  who  have  gone  only 
upon  moral  principles,   have  shewn   nnieli 
constancy  and  contentment  in  their  suffer- 
ings.    Curtius,  being  bravely  mounted  and 
in  armour,  threw  himself  into  a  great  gulf, 
that  the  city  of  Kome  might,  aeeor<ring  to 
the  oracle,  be  delivered  from  the  pestilence; 
ami  we,  having  a  divine  oracle,  "  that  they 
who  kill  the  body  cannot  hurt  the  soul,"  shall 
we  not  with  much  constancy  and  patience 
devote   ourselves    to    injuries    for    religion, 
and   ratiier  suffer   for   the    truth    tlian    tlie 
truth  sutTer  for  us?     The  Decii  among  the 
Romans,  vowed  themselves  to  death,  that 
their  legions  and  soldiers  might  be  crown- 
ed with  the  honour  of  the  viet«»ry.     O  what 
should  we  be  content  to  suff*  r,  to  make  tlie 
truth   victorious  !      Regulus   lun  iiig  sworn 
that  he  would  return  to  Carthage — though 
he  knew  there  was  a  furnace  heating  for 
him  there — yet  not  «laring  to  infringe  his 
oath,  he  did  adventure  to  go;   we  then  who 
are  Christians,  having  made  a  vow  to  (  lirist 
in    baptism,    and   so  often   renewt d    in   the 
blessed  sacrament,   should  with  much  cou- 

teutation  rather  choose  to  sutler,  l!  an  vio- 

4   T 


698 


ART  OF  DIVINE  CONTENTMENT. 


late  our  sacred  oath.  Thus  the  blessed 
martyrs,  with  what  courage  and  cheerful- 
ness did  they  yield  up  their  souls  to  God  ? 
And  when  the  fire  was  set  to  their  bodies, 
yet  their  spirits  were  not  at  all  fired  with 
passion  or  discontent.  Though  others  hurt 
the  body,  let  them  not  the  mind  through 
discontent ;  shew  by  your  heroic  courage, 
that  you  are  above  those  troubles  which  you 
cannot  be  without. 

The  next  apology  is,  the  prosperity  of 
the  wricked.  I  confess  it  is  so  often,  that 
the  evil  enjoy  all  the  good,  and  the  good 
endure  all  the  e\i\ ;  David,  though  a  good 
man,  stumbled  at  this,  and  had  like  to  have 
fallen,  Ps.  Ixxiii.  2.  Well,  be  contented, 
for  remember, 

Bcply  1.  These  are  not  the  only  things, 
nor  the  best  things  ;  they  are  mercies  with- 
out  the   pale ;   these  are  but  acorns   with 
which  God  feeds  swine ;  ye  who  are  believ- 
ers have  more  choice  fruit, — the  olive,  the 
Domegranate, — the  fruit  which  grows  on  the 
true  vine  Jesus  Christ ;  others  have  the  fat 
of  the  earth,  you  have  the  dew  of  heaven;  they 
have  a  south-land,  you  have  those  springs 
of  living   water    which   are   clarified   with 
Christ's  blood,  and  indulcerated  with  his  love. 
Reply  2.    To  see  the  wicked  flourish  is 
matter  rather  of  pity  than  envy  :  it  is  all  the 
heaven  they  must  have.     "  Wo  to  you  that 
are  rich,  for  ye  have  received  your  consola- 
tion,"  Luke   vi.   24.     Hence    it  was    that 
David  made  it  his  solemn  prayer,  "  Deliver 
me    from    the   wicked,    from    men    of  the 
world,  which  have  their  portion  in  this  life, 
and  whose  belly  thou  fillest  with  thy  hid 
treasure,"   Ps.  xvii.  15.     The  words   (me- 
thinks)  are  David's  litany ;    from   men  of 
the  world,  which  have  their  portion  in  this 
life,  "  good  Lord,  deliver  me."     When  the 
wicked  have  eaten  of  their  dainty  dishes, 
there  comes  in  a  sad  reckoning  which  will 
spoil  all.     The  world  is  first  musical  and 
then  tragical ;  if  you  would  have  a  man  fry 
and  blaze  in  hell,  let  him  have  enough  of 
the  fat  of  the  earth.     O  remember,  for  e- 
very  sand  of  mercy  that  runs  out  of  the 
wicked,  God  puts  a  drop  of  wrath  into  liis 
vial  !     Therefore  as  that  soldier  said  to  his 
fellow,    "  Do  you   envy  my  grapes  ?    they 
cost  me  dear,  1  must  die  for  them,"  so  I  say, 
Do  you  envy  the  wicked?    Alas  their  pros- 


perity is  like  Haman's  banquet  before  exe- 
cution.    If  a  man  were  to  be  hanged,  woidd 
one  envy  to  see  him  walk  to  the  gallows 
through  pleasant  fields   and  fine  galleries, 
or  to  see  him  go  up  the  ladder  in  clothes 
of  gold?    The  wicked  may  flourish  in  their 
bravery  a  while  ;  but,  when  they  flourish 
as  the  grass,   *'  it  is,  that  they  shall  be  de- 
stroyed for  ever,"  Ps.  xcii.  7.     The  proud 
grass  shall  be  mown  down.     W^hatever  a 
sinner  enjoys,  he  hath  a  curse  with  it,  Mai. 
ii.  2.,  and  shall  we  envy?     What  if  poison- 
ed bread  be  given   the   dogs  ?     The  long 
furrows  in  the  backs  of  the  godly  have  a 
seed  of  blessing  in  them,  when  the  table  of 
the  wicked  becomes  a  snare,  and  their  hon- 
our their  halter. 

The  next  apolog}'^  that  discontent  makes 
for  itself,  is,  the  evils  of  the  times.  The 
times  are  full  of  heresy  and  impiety,  and 
this  is  that  which  troubles  me.  This  apo- 
logy consists  of  two  branches,  to  which  I 
shall  answer  in  specie  ;  and, 

Branch  1.  The  times  are  full  of  heresy 
This  is  indeed  sad ;  when  the  dcA^il  cannot 
by  violence  destroy  the  church,  he  endea- 
vours to  poison  it ;  when  he  cannot  with 
Samson's  fox-tails  set  the  corn  on  fire,  then 
he  sows  tares ;  as  he  labours  to  destroy 
the  peace  of  the  church  by  division,  so  the 
truth  of  it  by  error ;  we  may  cry  out  with 
Seneca,  vere  vivivuis  in  temporum  fecihuSy 
we  live  in  times  wherein  there  is  a  sluice 
open  to  all  novel  opinions,  and  every  man's 
opinion  is  his  Bible.  Well ;  this  may  make 
us  mourn,  but  let  us  not  murmur  through 
discontent :  consider, 

Beply.  1.  Error  makes  a  discovery  of  men. 
Bad  men  ;  error  discovers  such  as  are  taint- 
ed and  corrupt.  When  the  leprosy  brake 
forth  in  the  forehead,  then  was  the  leper 
discovered.  Error  is  a  spiritual  bastard ; 
the  devil  is  the  father,  and  pride  the  mother  ; 
you  never  knew  an  erroneous  man  but  he 
was  a  proud  man.  Now,  it  is  good  that 
such  men  should  be  laid  open,  to  the  intent, 
First,  that  God's  righteous  judgment  upon 
them  may  be  adored,  2  Thcss.  ii.  12.  Se- 
condly, that  others,  who  are  free,  be  not  in 
fected.  If  a  man  have  the  plague,  it  is  well 
it  breaks  forth  ;  for  my  part,  I  would  avoid 
an  heretic,  as  I  would  avoid  the  devil,  fo 
he  is  sent  on  his  errand.     I  appeal  unto 


ART  OF  DIVINE  CONTENTMENT. 


GOO 


you;  if  there  were  a  tavern  in  this  city, 
where  under  a  pretence  of  selling  wine, 
many  liogsheads  of  poison  were  to  be  sold, 
were  it  not  well  that  otliers  sliould  know  of 
it,  that  tlicy  might  not  buy  ?  It  is  good  that 
tliose  that  have  poisoned  opinions  should  be 
known,  that  the  people  of  God  may  not  come 
near  either  the  scent  or  taste  of  that  poi- 
son. 

2.  Error  is  a  touch-stone  to  discover 
good  men  :  it  tries  the  gold.  "  There  must 
be  heresies,  that  they  which  are  approved, 
may  be  made  manifest,"  1  Cor.  xi.  19. 
Thus  our  love  to  Christ,  and  zeal  for  truth 
doth  appear.  God  shews  who  are  the  liv- 
ing fish,  viz.  such  as  swim  against  the 
stream  ;  who  are  the  sound  sheep,  viz.  such 
as  feed  in  the  green  pastures  of  the  ordi- 
nances ;  who  are  the  doves,  viz.  such  as  live 
in  the  best  air,  where  the  spirit  breathes; 
God  sets  a  garland  of  honour  upon  these, 
"  These  are  they  which  came  out  of  great 
tribulation,"  Rev.  vii.  14.  So  these  are 
they  that  have  opposed  the  errors  of  the 
times,  these  are  they  that  have  preserved 
the  virginity  of  their  conscience,  who  have 
kept  their  judgment  sound  and  their  heart 
soft.  God  will  have  a  trophy  of  honour 
set  upon  some  of  his  saints,  they  shall  be 
renowned  for  their  sincerity,  being  like  the 
cypress,  which  keeps  its  greenness  and 
freshness  in  the  winter-season. 

Beply  2.  Be  not  sinfully  discontented,  for 
God  can  make  the  errors  of  the  church  ad- 
vantageous to  truth.     Thus  the   truths  of 
God  hath  come  to  be  more  beaten  out  and 
confirmed ;    as  it  is  in  tlie  law,   one   man 
laying  a  false  title  to  a  piece  of  land,  the 
true  title  hath  by  this  means  been  the  more 
searched  into  and  ratified ;  some  had  never 
so  studied  to  defend  the  truth  by  scripture, 
if  others  had  not  endeavoured  to  overthrow 
it  by  sophistry  ;  all  the  mists  and  fogs  of 
error  that  have  risen  out  of  the  bottomless 
pit,  have  made  the  glorious  Sun  of  truth  to 
shine  so  much  the  brighter.     Had  not  Arius 
and  Sabellius  broached  their  damnable  er- 
ror, the  truth  of  those  questions  about  the 
Messed  Trinity  had  never  been  so  discussed 
and  defended  by  Athanasius,  Augustine,  and 
others  ;  had  not  the  devil  brouffht  in  so  much 
of   his  princely    darkness,    the    champions 
for  truth  had  never  run  so  fast  to  scripture 


to  light  their  lamps.  So  that  God  with  a 
'  wheel  within  a  wheel,  over-rules  these  things 
wisely,  and  turns  them  to  the  best.  Truth 
is  an  heavenly  plant,  that  settles  by  shak- 
ing. 

lieply  3.  God  raiseth  the  price  of  his 
truth  the  more  ;  the  very  shreds  and  filings 
of  truth  are  venerable.  When  there  is  much 
counterfeit  metal  abroad,  we  prize  the  true 
gold  the  more;  pure  wine  of  truth  is  never 
more  precious,  than  when  unsound  doctrines 
are  broached  and  vented. 

Reply  4.  Error  makes  us  more  thankful 
to  God  for  the  jewel  of  truth.  When  you 
see  another  infected  with  the  plague,  how 
thankful  are  you  that  God  hath  freed  you 
from  the  infection  ?  When  we  see  others 
have  the  leprosy  in  the  head,  how  thankful 
are  we  to  God  that  he  hath  not  given  iis 
over  to  believe  a  lie  and  so  be  damned  ?  It 
is  a  good  use  that  may  be  made  even  of  the 
error  of  the  times  when  it  makes  us  more 
humble  and  thankful,  adoring  the  free  grace 
of  God,  who  hath  kept  us  from  drinking  of 
that  deadly  poison. 

Branch  2.  The  second  branch  of  the  apo- 
logy that  discontent  makes,  is,  the  impiety  of 
the  times.  I  live  and  converse  among  the 
profane.  "  O  that  I  liad  wings  like  a  dove, 
for  the  nwould  I  fly  away  and  be  at  rest,"  Ps. 
Iv.  6.  It  is  indeed  sad,  to  be  mixed  with  the 
wicked.  David  beheld  "  transgressors  and 
was  grieved,"  Ps.  cxix.  58.;  and  Lot  (who 
was  a  bright  star  in  a  dark  night)  was  vex- 
ed, or,  as  the  word  in  the  original  may  bear, 
wearied  out  with  the  unclean  conversation 
of  the  wicked,  2  P»'t.  ii.  T.  lie  made  the 
sins  of  Sodom  spears  to  pierce  his  own  soul : 
we  ought,  if  there  be  any  spark  of  divine 
love  in  us,  to  be  very  sensible  of  the  sins  of 
others,  and  to  have  our  hearts  bleed  for 
them  ;  yet  let  us  not  break  forth  into  mourn- 
ing or  discontent,  knowing  that  God  in  his 
providence  hath  permitted  it,  and  surely  not 
without  some  reasons  ;  for, 

lieply  1.  The  Lord  makes  the  wicked 
an  hedge  to  defend  the  godly  ;  the  wise  God 
often  makes  those  who  are  wicked  and 
peaceable,  a  means  to  safeguard  his  people 
from  those  who  are  wicked  and  cruel.  The 
king  of  Babylon  kept  Jeremiah,  and  gave 
special  order  for  his  looking  to,  that  he  did 
want   nothing,    Jer,   xxxix.    11,   12.      God 


700 


ART  OF  DIVINE  CONTENTMENT. 


Bometimes  mal<es  brazen  sinners  to  be  bra- 
zen walls  to  defend  liis  peo])le. 

liephf  2.  God  dotli  not  iriterline  and 
mingle  the  wicked  with  the  godly,  that  the 
godly  may  be  a  means  to  save  the  wicked  ; 
such  is  the  beauty  of  holiness  that  it  hath  a 
magnetical  force  in  it  to  allure  and  draw 
even  the  wicked.  Sometimes  God  makes  a 
believing  husband  a  means  to  convert  an 
unbelieving  wife,  and  e  contra.  "  What 
knowest  thou,  O  wife,  whether  thou  shalt 
save  thy  husband  ?  or  how  knowest  thou, 

0  man,  whetlier  thou  slialt  save  thy  wife  ?" 

1  Cor.  vii.  16.  The  godly  living  among  the 
wicked,  by  their  prudent  advice  and  pious 
example,  have  won  them  to  the  embracing 
of  religion  ;  if  there  were  not  some  godly  a- 
mong  the  wicked,  how  in  a  probable  way, 
without  a  miracle,  can  we  imagine  that  the 
wicked  should  be  converted?  those  who  are 
now  shining  saints  in  heaven,  sometimes 
served  diverse  lusts,  Tim.  iii.  3.  Paul  once 
a  persecutor;  Augustine  once  a  manichee; 
Lutlier  once  a  monk ;  but  by  the  severe  and 
lioly  carriage  of  the  godly,  were  converted 
to  the  faith. 

The  next  apology  that  discontent  makes, 
is,  lowness  of  parts  and  gifts ;  I  cannot 
(saith  the  Christian)  discourse  with  that  flu- 
ency, nor  pray  with  that  elegancy,  as  others. 

JRejily  1.  Grace  is  beyond  gifts ;  thou 
comparest  thy  grace  with  another's  gifts, 
there  is  a  vast  difference ;  grace  without 
gifts  is  infinitely  better  than  gifts  without 
grace.  In  religion,  the  vitals  are  best ; 
gifts  are  a  more  extrinsical  and  common 
work  of  the  Spirit,  which  is  incident  to  re- 
probates ;  grace  is  a  more  distinguisliing 
work,  and  is  a  jewel  hung  only  upon  the 
elect.  Hast  thou  the  seed  of  God,  the  holy 
anointing  ?     Be  content. 

1.  Thou  say  est,  Tliou  canst  not  dis- 
course with  that  fluency  as  others. 

Ans.  Experiments  in  religion  are  beyond 
notions,  and  impressionsbeyond expressions. 
Judas  (no  doubt)  could  make  a  learned  dis- 
course of  Christ,  but  well-fared  the  woman 
in  the  gospel  that  felt  virtue  coming  out  of 
liim,  Luke  viii.  47.,  a  sanctified  heart  is  bet- 
ter than  a  silver  tongue.  There  is  as  much 
difference  between  gifts  and  graces,  as  be- 
tween a  tulip  painted  on  the  wall,  and  one 
growing  in  the  garden. 


2.  Tliou  sayest,  thou  canst  not  pray  with 
that  elegancy  as  others.  j 

Ana.  Prayer  is  a  matter  more  of  the  ' 
heart  than  the  head.  In  prayer  it  is  not 
so  much  fluency  prcA'ails,  as  ferA'cncy, 
James  v.  16.;  nor  is  God  so  much  taken 
with  the  elegancy  of  speech,  as  the  efficacy 
of  the  Spirit.  Humility  is  better  than  vo- 
luhilily;  here  the  mourner  is  the  orator; 
sighs  and  groans  are  the  best  rhetoric. 

Reply  2.  Be  not  discontented,  for  God 
doth  usually  proportion  a  man's  parts  to 
the  place  to  which  he  calls  him;  some  are 
set  in  an  higher  sphere  and  function,  their 
place  requires  more  parts  and  abilities ; 
but  tlie  most  inferior  member  is  useful  in 
its  place,  and  shall  have  a  power  delegated 
for  the  discharge  of  its  peculiar  office. 

The  next  apology  is,  the  troubles  of  the 
church.  Alas,  my  disquiet  and  discontent 
is  not  so  much  for  myself,  as  the  public  !' 
The  churcli  of  God  suffers. 

Ans.  I  confess  it  is  sad,  and  we  ought 
for  this  '  to  hang  our  harps  upon  the  wil- 
lows,' Ps.  cxxxvii.  He  is  a  wooden  h>g  in 
Christ's  body,  that  is  not  sensible  of  t]:e 
state  of  the  body.  As  a  Christian  must  not 
be  proud  flesh,  so  neither  dead  flesh.  Vv  Jun 
the  church  of  God  suffers,  he  must  symjia 
thise  ;  Jeremiah  wept  for  the  virgin  dauj^h 
ter  of  Sion.  We  must  feel  our  lireljircn's 
hard  cords  through  our  soft  beds.  In  music, 
if  one  string  be  touched,  all  the  rest  sound  : 
when  God  strikes  upon  our  brethren,  our 
"  bowels  must  sound  like  an  harp,"  Isa. 
xvi.  11.  Be  sensible,  but  give  not  way  to 
discontent.     For  consider, 

lleply  1.  God  sits  at  the  stern  of  liis 
church,  Ps.  xlvi.  5.  Sometimes  it  is  a  ship 
tossed  upon  the  waves,  "  O  thou  afflicted 
and  tossed  !"  Isa.  liA'.  11.  But  cannot  God 
bring  this  ship  to  haven,  though  it  meet 
with  a  storm  upon  the  sea?  This  ship  in 
the  gospel  was  tossed  because  sin  was  in 
it ;  but  it  was  not  overwhelmed,  because 
Christ  was  in  it.  Clirist  is  in  the  ship  of  , 
this  church,  fear  not  sinking;  tlie  church's 
anchor  is  cast  in  heaven.  Do  not  we  think 
God  loves  his  church,  aiul  takes  as  much 
care  of  it  as  we  can  ?  The  names  of  the, 
twelve  tribes  were  on  Aaron's  breast,  signi- 
fying how  near  to  God's  heart  his  people 
are ;  they  are  his  portion,  Deut.  xxvii.  9., 


ART  OF  DIVINE  CONTENTMENT. 


701 


and  shall  that  be  lost  ?  His  glory,  Isa.  xlvi. 
13.,  and  shall  that  be  finally  eclipsed  ?  No 
certainly.  God  can  deliver  his  church,  not 
only  from,  but  by  opposition  ;  the  church's 
pangs  shall  help  forward  her  deliverance. 

lieplij  2.  God  hath  always  ])ropagated  re- 
ligion by  sufferings.  The  foundation  of 
the  church  hath  been  laid  in  blood,  and 
these  sansruine  showers  have  ever  made 
it  more  fruitful.  Cain  put  the  knife  to 
Abel's  throat,  and  ever  since  the  church's 
veins  have  bled :  but  she  is  like  the  vine, 
livhich  by  bleeding  grows,  and  like  the  palm- 
tree,  which  may  have  this  motto,  percussa 
resurgit, — the  more  weight  is  laid  upon  it, 
the  higher  it  riseth.  The  holiness  and  pa- 
tience of  the  saints,  under  their  persecu- 
tions, hath  much  added  both  to  the  growth 
of  religion,  and  the  crown.  Basil  and  Ter- 
tullian  observe  of  the  primitive  martyrs, 
that  divers  of  the  heathens  seeing  their 
zeal  and  constancy  turned  Christians  :  re- 
ligion is  that  Phoenix  which  hath  always 
revived  and  flourished  in  the  ashes  of  holy 
men.  Isaiah  sawn  asunder, — Peter  cruci- 
fied at  Rome  with  his  head  downwards, — 
Cyprian,  bishop  of  Carthage,  and  Polycarp 
of  Smyrna,  both  martyred  for  religion, — 
yet  evermore  the  truth  hath  been  sealed  by 
blood,  and  gloriously  dispersed  ;  whereupon 
Julian  did  forbear  to  persecute,  tion  ex  de- 
mentia sed  invidia ;  not  out  of  pity,  but  envy, 
because  the  church  grew  so  fast,  and  mul- 
tiplied, as  Nazianzen  well  observes. 

The  twelfth  apology  that  discontent  makes 
for  itself,  is  this,  it  is  not  my  trouble  that 
troubles  me,  but  it  is  my  sins  that  do  dis- 
quiet and  discontent  me. 

Ans.  Be  sure  it  be  so  ;  do  not  prevaricate 
with  God  and  thy  own  soul ;  in  true  mourn- 
ing for  sin  when  the  present  suffering  is 
removed,  yet  the  sorrow  is  not  removed. 
But  suppose  the  apology  be  real,  that  sin  is 
the  ground  of  your  discontent;  yet  I  an- 
swer, a  man's  disquiet  about  sin  may  be  be- 
yond its  bounds,  in  these  three  cases. 

1.  When  it  is  disheartening,  that  is, 
when  it  sets  up  sin  above  mercy.  If  Israel 
had  only  pored  upon  their  sting,  and  not 
looked  up  to  the  brazen  serpent,  they  had 
never  been  healed.  That  sorrow  for  sin 
which  drives  us  away  from  God,  is  not 
without  sin,  for  there  is  more  despair  in  it 


than  remorse ;  the  soul  hath  so  many  tears 
in  its  eyes,  th.it  it  cannot  see  Christ.  Sor- 
row, as  sorrow,  doth  not  save,  that  were  to 
make  a  Christ  of  our  tears,  but  is  useful,  as 
it  is  preparatory  in  the  soul,  making  sin 
vile,  and  Christ  precious.  O  look  up  to  the 
brazen  serpent,  the  Lord  Jesus  !  A  sight 
of  his  blood  will  revive,  the  plaster  of  his 
merits  is  broader  than  our  sore.  It  is  Sa- 
tan's policy,  either  to  keep  us  from  seeing 
our  sins,  or,  if  we  will  needs  see  them  that 
we  may  be  swallowed  up  of  sorrow,  2  Cor. 
ii.  7.,  either  he  would  stupify  us,  or  af- 
fright us  ;  either  keep  the  glass  of  the  law 
from  our  eyes,  or  else  pencil  out  our  sins 
in  such  crimson  colours,  that  we  may  sink 
in  the  quicksands  of  despair. 

2.  When  sorrow  is  indisposing,  it  un- 
tunes the  heart  for  prayer,  meditation,  holy 
conference ;  it  cloisters  up  the  soul.  This 
is  not  sorrow  but  rather  sullenness,  and 
doth  render  a  man  not  so  much  penitential 
as  cynical. 

3.  When  it  is  out  of  season.  God  bids 
us  rejoice,  and  we  hang  our  harps  upon 
the  willows  ;  he  bids  us  trust  and  we  cast 
ourselves  down,  and  are  brought  even  to 
the  margin  of  despair.  If  Satan  cannot 
keep  us  from  mourning,  he  will  be  sure  to 
put  us  upon  it  when  it  is  least  in  season. 
A^Hien  God  calls  us  in  a  special  manner  to 
be  thankful  for  mercy,  and  put  on  our 
white  robes,  Satan  will  be  putting  us  into 
mourning,  and  instead  of  a  garment  of 
praise,  clothe  us  thus  with  a  spirit  of  heavi- 
ness ;  so  God  loseth  the  acknowledgment 
of  mercy,  and  we  the  comfort.  If  thy  sor- 
row hath  tuned  and  fitted  thee  for  Christ, — 
if  it  hath  raised  in  thee  high  prizings  of  liim, 
strong  hungerings  after  him,  sweet  delight 
in  him, — this  is  as  much  as  God  requires, 
and  a  Christian  doth  but  sin  to  vex  and  tor- 
ture himself  further  upon  tlie  rack  of  his 
own  discontent. 

And  thus  I  hope  I  have  answered  tlie 
most  material  objections  and  apologies 
which  this  sin  of  discontent  doth  make  for 
itself.  I  see  no  reason  why  a  Christian 
should  be  discontented,  unless  for  his  dis- 
content. Let  me,  in  the  next  place,  pro- 
pound sometliing  which  may  be  both  as 
a  loadstone  and  a  whet-stone  to  contenta- 
tion. 


702 


ART  OF  DIVINE  CONTENTMENT. 


Chap.  XL   Divine  Motives  to  Content- 
ment. 

And  so  I  proceed  to  the  arguments  or 
motives  that  may  quicken  to  contentment. 

Sect.  I.  The  Jirst  argument  to  contentation. 

I.  Consider  the  excellency  of  it.  Con- 
tentment is  a  flower  that  doth  not  grow  in 
every  garden:  it  teacheth  a  man  how  in 
the  midst  of  want  to  abound.  You  would 
think  it  were  excellent  if  I  could  prescribe 
a  receipt  or  antidote  against  poverty:  but 
behold  here  is  that  which  is  more  excellent, 
for  a  man  to  want,  and  yet  have  enough, 
this  alone  contentment  of  spirit  doth  bring. 
Contentation  is  a  remedy  against  all  our 
trouble,  an  alleviation  to  all  our  burdens, 
it  is  the  cure  of  care.  Contentation,  though 
it  be  not  properly  a  grace  (it  is  rather  a 
disposition  of  mind,)  yet  in  it  there  is  a 
happy  temperature  and  mixture  of  all  the 
graces :  it  is  a  most  precious  compound, 
which  is  made  up  of  faith,  patience,  meek- 
ness, humility,  &c.  which  are  the  ingre- 
dients put  into  it.  Now  there  are  in  spe- 
cies these  seven  rare  excellencies  in  con- 
tentment. 

\st  Excellency.  A  contented  Christian 
carries  heaven  about  him :  for,  what  is 
heaven,  but  that  sweet  repose  and  full  con- 
tentment that  the  soul  shall  have  in  God  ? 
In  contentment  there  is  the  first  fruits  of 
heaven.  There  are  two  things  in  a  con- 
tented spirit,  which  make  it  like  heaven. 
(1.)  God  is  there;  something  of  God  is  to 
be  seen  in  that  heart.  A  discontented 
Christian  is  like  a  rough  tempestuous  sea ; 
Avhen  the  water  is  rough  you  can  see  no- 
thing there;  but  when  it  is  smooth  and 
serene,  then  you  may  behold  your  face  in 
the  water,  Prov.  xxvii.  19.  When  the 
heart  rageth  through  discontent,  it  is  like  a 
rough  sea,  you  can  see  nothing  there,  un- 
less passion  and  murmuring;  there  is  no- 
thing of  God,  nothing  of  heaven  in  that 
heart :  but  by  virtue  of  contentment,  it  is 
like  the  sea  when  it  is  smooth  and  calm, 
there  is  a  face  shining  there  ;  you  may  see 
something  of  Christ  in  that  heart,  a  repre- 
sentation of  all  the  graces.  (2.)  Rest  is 
there.  O  what  a  sabbath  is  kept  in  a  con- 
tented heart !  Wliat  an  heaven  !  A  con- 
tented Christian  is  like  Noah  in  the  ark ; 


though  the  ark  were  tossed  with  waves, 
Noah  could  sit  and  sing  in  the  ark.  The 
soul  that  is  gotten  into  the  ark  of  content- 
ment, sits  quiet,  and  sails  above  all  the 
waves  of  trouble ;  he  can  sing  in  this  spi- 
ritual ark  ;  the  wheels  of  the  chariot  move, 
but  the  axle-tree  stirs  not ;  the  circumfer- 
ence of  the  heavens  is  carried  about  the 
earth,  but  the  earth  moves  not  out  of  its 
centre.  When  we  meet  with  motion  and 
change  in  the  creatures  round  about  us,  a 
contented  spirit  is  not  stirred  nor  moved 
out  of  its  centre.  The  sails  of  a  mill  move 
with  the  wind,  but  the  mill  itself  stands 
still, — an  emblem  of  contentment ;  when 
our  outward  estate  moves  with  the  wind  of 
providence,  yet  the  heart  Js  settled  through 
holy  contentment ;  and  when  others  are 
like  quick-silver,  shaking  and  trembling 
through  disquiet,  the  contented  spirit  can 
say,  as  David,  "  O  God  my  heart  is  fixed," 
Ps.  Ivii.  7.  Wiat  is  this  but  a  piece  of 
heaven  ? 

2d  Excellency.    Whatever  is  defective  in 
the  creature  is  made  up  in  contentment. 
A  Christian  may  want   the  comforts  that 
others  have,  the  land,  and  possessions ;  but 
God  hath  instilled  into  his  heart  that  con- 
tentment which  is  far  better  :  in  this  sense 
that  is  true  of  our  Saviour,   "  he  shall  re- 
ceive a  hundred  fold,"  Mat.  xix.  29.     Per- 
haps he  that  ventured  all  for  Christ,  never 
hath  his  house  or  land  again  :  aye,  but  God 
gives  him  a  contented  spirit,  and  this  breeds 
such  joy  in  the  soul,  as  is  infinitely  sweeter 
than  all  his  houses  and  lands  which  he  left 
for  Christ.     It  was  sad  with  David  in  re- 
gard  of  his  outward    comforts,   he  being 
driven — as  some  think — from  his  kingdom, 
yet  in  regard  of  that  sweet  contentment  he 
found  in  God,  he  had  more  comfort   than 
men  use  to  have  in  the  time  of  harvest  and 
vintage,  Ps.  iv.  7.     One  man  hath  house 
and  lands  to  live  upon,   another  hath  no- 
thing,  only  a  small  trade ;   yet  even  that 
brings  in  a  livelihood.     A  Christian  may 
have  little  in  the  world,  but  he  drives  the 
trade  of  contentment ;  and  so  he  knows  as 
well  liow  to  want,   as  to  abound.     O  the 
rare  art,  or  rather  miracle  of  contentment ! 
Wicked  men  are  often  disquieted  in  the  en . 
joyment  of  all  things  ;  the  contented  Chris- 
tain  is  well  in  the  want  of  all  things. 


ART  OF  DIVINE  CONTENTMENT. 


703 


Quest.  But  how  comes  a  Christian  to  he 
contented  in  the  dejiciency  of  outward  com- 
forts ? 

Ans.  A  Christian  finds  contentment  dis- 
tilled out  of  the  breasts  of  the  promises. 
He  is  poor  in  purse,  but  rich  in  promise. 
There  is  one  promise  brings  much  sweet 
contentment  into  tlie  soul :  "  They  that 
seek  the  Lord  shall  not  want  any  good 
thing,"  Ps.  xxxiv.  10.  If  the  thing  we  de- 
sire be  good  for  us,  we  shall  have  it ;  if  it 
be  not  good,  then  the  not  liaving  is  good 
for  us.  The  resting  satisfied  with  the  pro- 
mise gives  contentment. 

3rf  Excellency.  Contentment  makes  a 
man  in  tune  to  serve  God ;  it  oils  the  wheels 
of  the  soul  and  makes  it  more  agile  and 
nimble ;  it  composeth  the  heart,  and  makes 
it  fit  for  prayer,  meditation,  &c.  How 
can  he  that  is  in  a  passion  of  grief,  or  dis- 
content, "  attend  upon  the  Lord  with- 
out distraction  ?"  1  Cor.  vii.  35.  Content- 
ment doth  prepare  and  tune  the  heart. 
First  you  prepare  the  viol,  and  wind  up  the 
strings,  ere  you  play  a  fit  of  music :  when  a 
Christian's  heart  is  wound  up  to  this  hea- 
venly frame  of  contentment,  then  it  is  fit 
for  duty.  A  discontented  Christian  is  like 
Saul,  when  the  e\\\  spirit  came  upon  hira  : 
O  what  jarrings  and  discords  doth  he  make 
in  prayer  !  When  an  army  is  put  into  a  dis- 
order, then  it  is  not  fit  for  battle  ;  when  the 
thoughts  are  scattered  and  distracted  about 
the  cares  of  this  life,  a  man  is  not  fit  for 
devotion.  Discontent  takes  the  heart  wholly 
off  from  God,  and  fixeth  it  upon  the  pre- 
sent trouble,  so  that  a  man's  mind  is  not 
upon  his  prayer,  but  upon  his  cross.  Dis- 
content doth  disjoint  the  soul ;  and  it  is  im- 
possible now  that  a  Cliristian  should  go  so 
steadily  and  cheerfully  in  God's  service.  O 
Low  lame  is  his  devotion  !  The  discontent- 
ed person  gives  God  but  a  half-duty,  and 
his  religion  is  nothing  but  bodily  exercise, 
it  wants  a  soul  to  animate  it.  David  would 
not  offer  that  to  God  which  cost  him  *'  no- 
thing," 2  Sam.  xxiv.  24.  Where  tliere  is 
too  much  worldly  care,  there  is  too  little 
spiritual  cost  in  a  duty.  „iThe  discontented 
person  doth  his  duties  by  halves;  he  is  just 
like  Ephraim — "  a  cake  not  turned,"  Hos. 
vii.  8.  He  is  a  cake  baked  on  one  side, — 
he  gives  God  the  outside  but  not  the  spi- 


ritual part ;  his  lieart  Is  not  in  duty, — lie  is 
baked  on  one  side,  but  tne  other  side  dough  ; 
and  what  profit  is  there  of  such  raw  indi- 
gested services  ?  He  that  gives  God  only 
the  skin  of  worship,  what  can  he  expect 
more  than  the  shell  of  comfort?  Contenta- 
tion  brings  the  heart  into  frame,  and  then 
only  do  we  give  God  the  flower  and  spirits 
of  a  duty,  when  the  soul  is  composed.  Now 
a  Christian's  heart  is  intent  and  serious. 
There  are  some  duties  which  we  cannot 
pei'form  as  we  ought  without  contentment : 
as,  (1.)  To  rejoice  in  God.  How  can  he 
rejoice  that  is  discontented?  He  is  fitter 
for  repining,  than  rejoicing.  (2.)  To  be 
thankful  for  mercy.  Can  a  discontented 
person  be  thankful  ?  He  can  be  fretful,  not 
thankful.  (3.)  To  justify  God  in  his  pro- 
ceedings, Ezra.  ix.  13.  How  can  he  do  this 
who  is  discontented  with  his  condition? 
He  will  sooner  censure  God's  wisdom,  than 
clear  his  justice.  O  then,  how  excellent  is 
contentation,  which  doth  prepare,  and  as  it 
were,  string  the  heart  for  duty?  Indeed 
contentment  doth  not  only  make  our  du- 
ties lively  and  agile,  but  acceptable.  It  is 
this  that  puts  beauty  and  worth  into  them ; 
for  contentment  settles  the  soul.  Now,  as 
it  is  with  milk,  when  it  is  always  stirring, 
you  can  make  nothing  of  it,  but  let  it  settle 
a  while,  and  then  it  turns  to  cream  :  when 
the  heart  is  over-much  stirred  with  disquiet 
and  discontent,  you  can  make  nothing  of 
those  duties.  How  thin,  how  fleeting  and 
jejune  are  they  !  But  Avhen  the  heart  is 
once  settled  by  holy  contentment,  now  there 
is  some  worth  in  our  duties,  now  they  turn 
to  cream. 

4/A  Excellency.  Contentment  is  the  spi- 
ritual arch,  or  pillar  of  the  soul ;  it  fits  a 
man  to  bear  burdens;  he  whose  lieart  is 
ready  to  sink  under  the  least  sin,  by  virtue 
of  this  hath  a  spirit  invincible  under  suffer- 
ings. A  contented  Christian  is  like  the  ca- 
momile, the  more  it  is  trodden  upon  the 
more  it  grows  ;  as  physic  works  diseases  out 
of  tlie  body,  so  doth  contentment  work 
trouble  out  of  the  heart.  Thus  it  argues, 
"  If  I  am  undei  reproach,  God  can  vindi- 
cate me;  if  I  am  in  want,  God  can  relieve 
me."  "  Ye  shall  not  see  wind,  neither  shall 
ye  see  rain,  yet  that  Aalley  shall  be  filled 
with  water,"  2  Kings  iii.  17.     Thus  holy 


704 


ART  OF  DIVINE  CONTENTMENT. 


contentment  keeps  the  heart  from  fainting. 
In  the  autumn,  when  the  fruit  and  leaves 
are  blown  off,  still  there  is  sap  in  the  root : 
when  there  is  an  autumn  upon  our  external 
felicity,  the  leaves  of  our  estate  drop  off, 
still  there  is  the  sap  of  contentment  in  the 
heart ;  and  a  Christian  hath  life  inwardly, 
when  his  outward  comforts  do  not  blossom. 
The  contented  heart  is  nev^er  out  of  heart. 
Contentation  is  a  golden  shield,  that  doth 
beat  back  discouragements.  Humility  is 
like  the  lead  to  the  net  which  keeps  the 
soul  down  when  it  is  rising  through  pas- 
sion ;  and  contentment  is  like  the  cork 
which  keeps  the  heart  up  when  it  is  sink-^ 
ing  through  discouragements.  Content- 
ment is  the  great  under-prop ;  it  is  like  the 
beam  which  bears  whatever  weight  is  laid 
upon  it;  nay,  it  is  like  a  rock  that  breaks 
the  waves.  It  is  strange  to  observe  the 
eame  affliction  lying  upon  two  men,  how 
differently  they  carry  themselves  under  it. 
Tlie  contented  Christian  is  like  Samson, 
that  carried  away  the  gates  of  the  city  upon 
his  back,  Jud.  xvi.  3.,  he  can  go  away  with 
his  cross  cheerfully,  and  makes  nothing  of 
it;  the  other  is  like  Issachar,  couching 
down  under  his  burden.  Gen.  xlix.  14.  The 
reason  is,  the  one  is  content,  and  that  breeds 
courage  :  the  other  discontented,  and  that 
breeds  fainting.  Discontent  swells  the 
grief,  and  grief  breaks  the  heart.  When 
this  sacred  sinew  of  contentment  begins  to 
shrink,  we  go  limping  under  our  afflictions ; 
we  know  not  what  burdens  God  may  exer- 
cise us  witli ;  let  us  therefore  preserve  con- 
tentment ;  as  is  our  contentment,  such  will 
be  our  courage.  David  with  his  five  stones 
and  his  sling  defied  Goliah,  and  overcame 
him.  Get  but  contentment  into  the  slinsr 
of  your  heart;  and  with  this  sacred  stone 
you  may  both  defy  the  world  and  conquer 
it;  you  may  break  those  afflictions,  which 
else  would  break  you. 

btli  Excellency.  Contentment  prevents 
many  sins  and  tentations. 

Firsf^  It  prevents  many  sins.  Where 
there  wants  contentment,  there  wants  no 
sin  ;  discontentedness  with  our  condition  is 
a  sin  that  doth  not  go  alone,  but  is  like  the 
first  link  of  the  chain  which  draws  all  the  o- 
ther  links  along  with  it.  In  particular,  there 
are  two  sins  which  contentation  prevents : 


(1.)  Impatience.  Discontent  and  impa- 
tience are  two  twins :  "  this  evil  is  of  the 
Lord,  why  should  I  wait  on  the  Lord  any 
longer  ?"  2  Kings  vi.  33.  As  if  God  were 
so  lied,  that  he  must  give  us  the  mercy  just 
when  we  desire  it.  Impatience  is  no  small 
sin  ;  as  will  appear  if  you  consider  whence 
it  ariseth. —  \st,  It  is  for  want  of  faith. 
Faith  gives  a  right  notion  of  God  ;  it  is  an 
intelligent  grace ;  it  believes  that  God's 
wisdom  tempers,  and  his  love  swoetens  all 
ingredients  ;  this  works  patience  :  "  Shall  I 
not  drink  the  cup  which  my  Father  hath 
given  me  ?"  Impatience  is  the  daughter  of 
infidelity.  If  a  patient  have  an  ill  opinion 
of  the  physician,  and  conceits  that  he  comes 
to  poison  him,  he  will  take  none  of  his  re- 
ceipts. When  we  have  a  prejudice  against 
God,  and  conceit  that  he  comes  to  kill  us, 
and  undo  us,  then  we  storm  and  cry  out, 
like  a  foolish  man — it  is  Cln-ysostom's  simile 
— that  cries  out.  Away  with  the  plaster  ! 
though  it  be  in  order  to  a  cure  ;  is  it  not 
better  that  the  plaster  smart  a  little,  than 
the  wound  fester  and  rankle  ? — 2^/,  Impa- 
tience is  for  want  of  love  to  God.  We  will 
bear  his  reproofs  whom  we  love  not  only 
patiently,  but  thankfully,  "  Love  thinketh 
no  evil,"  1  Cor.  xiii.  .'3.  It  puts  the  fairest, 
and  most  candid  gloss  upon  the  actions 
of  a  friend,  '  Love  covers  evil.'  If  it  wave 
possible  for  God  in  the  least  manner  to  err 
— which  were  blasphemy  to  think — love 
would  cover  that  error ;  love  takes  every 
thing  in  the  best  sense,  it  makes  us  bear 
any  stroke,  "  It  endureth  all  things,"  1  Cor. 
xiii.  7.  Had  we  love  to  God,  we  should 
have  patience.  3g^,  Impatience  is  for  want 
of  humility.  An  impatient  man  was  never 
humbled  under  the  burden  of  sin  ;  he  that 
studies  his  sins, — the  numberless  number 
of  them, — hoAV  they  are  twisted  together, 
and  sadly  accented, — is  patient  and  saith, 
"  I  will  bear  the  indignation  of  the  Lord, 
because  I  have  sinned  against  him,"  Mic. 
vii.  9.  The  greater  noise  drowns  the  les- 
ser ;  when  the  sea  roars  the  rivers  are  still ; 
he  that  lets  his  thoughts  expatiate  about 
sin,  is  both  silent  and  amazed,  he  wonders 
it  is  no  worse  with  him.  How  great  then 
is  this  sin  of  impatience  !  And  how  excel-» 
lent  is  contentation,  which  is  a  supersedeas 
or  counterpoise  against  this  sin  ?  The  c 


ART  OF  DIVINE  CONTENTMENT. 


705 


tented  Christian  belicvingtliat  God  doth  all 
in  love,  is  patient,  and  hath  not  one  word 
to  say,    unless   to  justify  God,   Ps.   li.  4. 
That  is  the  sin  that  contentation  prevents. 
(2.)   It  prevents  murmuring,  a  sin  which 
is  a  degree  higher  than   the   otlier ;   mur- 
muring  is  quarrelling  with  God,  and  en- 
veighing  against  him,   "  they  spake  against 
God,"  Numb.  xxi.  5.     The  murmurer  saith 
interpretatively,    that  God   hath   not   dealt 
well  with  him,  and  he  hath  deserved  better 
from   him.     The  murmurer  chargeth   God 
with  folly ;  this  is  the  language,  or  rather 
blasphemy  of  a    murmuring    spirit, — God 
might  have  been  a  wiser  and  better  God. 
The  murmurer  is  a  mutineer.     The  Israel- 
ites are  called  in  the  same  text  murmurers 
and  rebels,    Numb.  xvii.  10.     And  is   not 
rebellion  as  the  sin  of  witchcraft  ?     Thou 
that  art  a  murmurer  art  in  the  account  of 
God  as  a  witch,  a  sorcerer,  as  one  that  deals 
with  the  devil.     This  is  a  sin  of  the  first 
magnitude.     Murmuring  oft  ends  in  curs- 
ing :  Micah's  mother  fell  to  cursing  when 
the    talents   of    silver    were    taken    away, 
Judges  xvii.  2.,  so  doth  the  murmurer  when 
a  part  of  his  estate   is  taken   away  ;  our 
murmuring  is  the  devil's  music  ;  this  is  that 
sin  which  God  cannot  bear :    •'  how  long 
shall    1    bear   with   this  evil   congregation 
which  murmur  against  me  ?"  Numb.  xiv.  7. 
It  is  a  sin  which  whets  the  sword  against 
a    people.      It    is    a   land-destroying   sin ; 
"  neither  murmur  ye  as  some  of  them  also 
murmured,  and  were  destroyed  of  the  de- 
stroyer," 1  Cor.  X.  10.     It  is  a  ripening  sin 
this ;  without   mercy   it   will   hasten  Eng- 
land's funerals.     O  then  how  excellent  is 
contentation,  which  prevents  this  sin  !     To 
be  contented,  and  yet  murmur,  is  a  sole- 
cism :  a  contented  Christian  doth  acquiesce 
in  his  present  condition,  and  doth  not  mur- 
mur, but  admire.     Herein  appears  the  ex- 
cellency of  contentation  ;  it   is  a  spiritual 
antidote  against  sin. 

Scco?ii//i/,  Contentment  prevents  many 
temptations  ;  discontent  is  a  devil  that  is 
always  tempting.  \sf,  It  puts  a  man  upon 
indirect  means.  He  that  is  poor  and  dis- 
contented, will  attempt  any  thing;  he  will 
go  to  the  devil  for  riclies  ;  he  that  is  proud 
and  discontented,  will  hang  himself,  as  A- 
hithophel  did  when  his  counsel  was  rejected. 


Satan  takes  great  advantage  of  our  discon- 
tent ;  he  loves  to  fish  in  these  troubled  wa- 
ters.    Discontent  doth  both  eclipse  reason 
and  weaken  faith  ;  and  it  is  Satan's  policy; 
he  doth  usually  break  over  the  hedge  where 
it  is  weakest.     Discontent  makes  a  breach 
in  the  soul,  and  usually  at  this  breach  the 
devil   enters  by  a  temptation,  and  storms 
the  soul.     How  easily  can  the  devil  by  his 
logic  dispute  a  discontented  Christian  into 
sin  ?     He  forms  such  a  syllogism  as  this, 
"  He  that  is  in  want  must  study  self-pre- 
servation.   But  you  are  now  in  want,  there- 
fore you  ought  to  study  self-preservation." 
Hereupon,  to  make  good  his  conclusion,  he 
tempts  to  the  forbidden  fruit,   not  distin- 
guishing between  what  is  needful,  and  what 
is  lawful.     "  What?"  saith  he,  "  dost  thou 
want  a  livelihood  ?     Never  be  such  a  fool 
as  starve  ;  take  the  rising  side  at  a  venture, 
be  it  good  or  bad ;  '  eat  the  bread  of  deceit, 
drink  the  wine  of  violence.'  "    Thus  you  see 
how  the  discontented  man  is  a  prey  to  that 
sad  tentation,  Prov.  xxx.  9.,   to  steal   and 
take  God's  name  in  vain.     Contentment  is 
a  shield  against  tentation  ;  for  he  that   is 
contented,  knows  as  well  how  to  want  as 
to  abound.     He  will  not  sin  to  get  a  living ; 
though  the  bill  of  fare  grows  short,  he  is 
content.     He  lives  as  the  birds  of  the  air 
upon  God's  providence,  and  doubts  not  but 
he  shall  have  enough  to  pay  for  his  passage 
to  heaven.     2d,  Discontent  tempts  a  man  to 
atheism  and  apostacy.     Sure   there   is  no 
God   to   take   care  of  things    here    below. 
Would  he  suffer  them  to  be  in  want  who 
"  have  walked  mournfully  before  the  Lord 
of  hosts  ?"   Mai.  iii.  14.,   saith   discontent. 
Throw  off  Christ's  livery,  desist  from  thy 
religion  !     Thus  Job's   wife   being  discon- 
tented with  her  condition,  saith  to  her  hus- 
band, "  Dost  thou  still  retain  thy  integrity  ?" 
Job  ii.  9.     As  if  she  had  said,   "  Dost  thou 
not  see,  Job,  what  is  become  of  all  thy  re- 
ligion ?     '  Thou  fearest  God  and  eschewest 
evil,'  and  what  art  thou  the  better  ?     See 
how  God  turns  his  hand  against  thee;  he 
hath  smitten  they  in  tiiy  body,  estate,  rela- 
tions, and   'dost  thou  still  retain  thy  inte- 
grity?'    What!  still  devout?     Still  weep 
and  pray  before  him  ?     Thou  fool,  cast  off 
religion,  turn  atheist  !"     Here  was  a  sore 
tentation  that  the  devil  did  hand  over  to 

4U 


706 


ART  OF  DIVINE  CONTENTMENT. 


Job  by  bis  discontented  Avife ;  only  bis 
grace,  as  a  golden  shield,  did  ward  off  the 
blow  from  his  heart :  "  Thou  speakest  as 
one  of  the  foolish  women."  "  What  profit 
is  it,"  saitb  the  discontented  person,  "  to 
serve  the  Almighty  ?  Those  that  never 
trouble  themselves  about  religion,  are  the 
prosperous  men,  and  I  in  the  mean  Avhile 
suffer  want :  as  good  give  over  driving  the 
trade  of  religion,  if  this  be  all  my  reward." 
This  is  a  sore  tentation,  and  oft  it  prevails ; 
atheism  is  the  fruit  that  grows  out  of  the 
blossom  of  discontent.  O  then,  bebold  the 
excellency  of  contentment  !  It  dotb  repel 
this  tentation.  "  If  God  be  mine,"  saitb 
the  contented  spirit,  "  it  is  enough  ;  though 
I  have  no  lands  or  tenements,  his  smile 
makes  heaven  ;  bis  loves  are  better  than 
wine;  better  is  the  gleaning  of  Epbraim 
than  the  vintage  of  Abiezer,  Judges  viii.  2. 
I  have  little  in  hand,  but  mucb  in  hope  ; 
my  livelihood  is  short,  but  this  is  his  pro- 
mise, "  even  eternal  life,"  1  John  ii.  25. 
I  am  persecuted  by  malice :  but  better  is 
persecuted  godliness,  than  prosperous  wic- 
kedness." Thus  divine  contentment  is  a 
spnitual  antidote  both  against  sin  and  ten- 
tation. 

Gth  Excellency.     Contentment  sweetens 
every  condition.     Christ  turned  the  water 
into  wine ;  so  contentment  turns  the  waters 
of  Marab  into  spiritual  wine.     Have  I  but 
little  ?     Yet  it  is  more  than  I  can  deserve 
or  challenge.     This  modicum  is  in  mercy  ; 
it  is  the  fruit  of  Christ's  blood, — it  is  the 
legacy  of  free  grace  ;  a  small  present  sent 
from  a  king  is  highly  valued, — this  little  I 
have  is  with  a  good  conscience.     It  is  not 
stolen  waters ;  guilt  hath  not  muddied  or 
poisoned  it ;  it  runs  pure.     This  little  is  a 
pledge  of  more ;  this  bit  of  bread  is  an  ear- 
nest of  that  bread  which  I  shall  eat  in  the 
kinjrdom  of  God.     This  little  water  in  the 
cruise  is  an  earnest  of  that  heavenly  nectar 
which  shall  be  distilled  from  the  ti'ue  vine. 
Do  I  meet  with  some  crosses  ?  my  comfort 
IS,  if  they  be  heavy,  I  have  not  far  to  go  ; 
I  shall  but  carry  my  cross  to  Golgotlia  and 
there  I  shall  leave  it;  my  cross  is  light  in 
regard  of  the  weight  of  glory.     Hath  God 
taken  away  my  comforts  from  me  ^     It  is 
well,  the  Comforter  still  abides.     Thus  con 
tentment,  as  an  honey-comb,  drops  sweet- 


ness into  every  condition.  Discontent  is  a 
leaven  that  sours  every  comfort ;  it  puts 
aloes  and  wormwood  upon  the  breast  of  the 
creature ;  it  lessens  every  mercy,  it  trebles 
every  cross ;  but  the  contented  spirit  sucks 
sweetness  from  every  flower  of  proA-idence  ; 
it  can  make  a  treacle  of  poison.  Conten- 
tation  is  full  of  consolation. 

1th  Excellency.  Contentment  hath  this 
excellency,  it  is  the  best  commentator  upon 
providence  ;  it  makes  a  fair  interpretation 
of  all  God's  dealings.  Let  the  providence 
of  God  be  never  so  dark  or  bloody,  content- 
ment doth  construe  them  ever  in  the  best 
sense.  I  may  say  of  it,  as  the  apostle  of 
charity,  "  it  thinketh  no  evil,"  1  Cor.  xiii. 
5.  Sickness  (sailh  contentment)  is  God's 
furnace  to  refine  his  gold,  and  make  it 
sparkle  the  more ;  the  prison  is  an  oratory, 
or  house  of  prayer.  What  if  God  melts  a- 
way  the  creature  from  it?  He  saw  per- 
haps my  heart  grew  so  much  in  love  with 
it ;  had  I  been  long  in  that  fat  pasture  I 
should  have  surfeited,  and  the  better  my 
estate  had  been,  the  worse  my  soul  would 
have  been.  God  is  wise;  he  hath  done 
this  either  to  prevent  some  sin  or  to  exer- 
cise some  grace.  What  a  blessed  frame  of 
heart  is  this  !  A  contented  Christian  is  an 
advocate  for  God  against  unbelief  and  im- 
patience ;  whereas  discontent  takes  every 
thing  from  God  in  the  worst  sense  ;  it  doth 
implead  and  censure  God  :  This  o\\\  I  feel 
is  but  a  symptom  of  greater  evil :  God  is 
about  to  undo  me :  The  Lord  hath  brought 
us  hither  into  the  wilderness  to  slay  us. 
Numb.  XX.  4.  The  contented  soul  takes 
all  well ;  and  when  his  condition  is  ever  so 
bad,  he  can  say,  "  truly  God  is  good,"  Ps. 
Ixxiii.  1. 

Sect  II.  The  second  argument  to  coMent- 
ment. 

A  Christian  hath  that  which  may  make 
him  content.  1.  Hath  not  God  given  thee 
Christ  ?  In  him  there  are  "  unsearchable 
riches,"  Eph.  iii.  8.  He  is  such  a  golden 
mine  of  wisdom  and  grace,  that  all  the 
saints  and  angels  can  never  dig  to  the  bot- 
t(un.  As  Seneca  said  to  his  friend  Polybi- 
us.  Never  complain  of  thy  hard  fortune  as 
long  as  Cffisar  is  thy  friend :  so  I  say  to  a 
believer,  Never  complain  as  long  as  Christ 
is  thy  friend ;  he  is  an  enriching  pearl,  a 


ART  OF  DIVINE  CONTENTMENT. 


707 


sparkling  dlamontl ;  the  infinite  lustre  of 
liis  merits  makes  us  shine  in  God's  eyes, 
Eph.  i.  7.  In  him  there  is  both  fulness 
and  sweetness;  he  is  unspeakably  good. 
Screw  up  your  thoughts  to  the  highest  pin- 
nacle,— stretch  them  to  the  utmost  period, 
— let  them  expatiate  to  their  full  latitude 
and  extent, — yet  they  fall  infinitely  short 
of  these  ineffable  and  inexhaustible  treasures 
which  are  locked  up  in  Jesus  Christ :  and 
is  not  here  enough  to  give  the  soul  content  ? 
A  Christian  that  wants  necessaries,  yet  hav- 
ing Christ,  he  hath  the  "  one  thing  needful." 


2.  Thy  soul  is  exercised  and  enamelled 
with  the  ffi'aces  of  the  Spirit,   and  is  not 


here  enough  to  give  contentment  ?  Grace 
is  of  a  divine  birth, — it  is  the  new  planta- 
tion,— it  is  the  flower  of  the  heavenly  pa- 
radise,— it  is  the  embroidery  of  the  Spirit. 
It  is  the  seed  of  God,  1  John  iii.  9.  It  is 
the  sacred  unction,  1  John  ii.  20.  It  is 
Christ's  portraiture  in  the  soul ;  it  is  the 
very  foundation  on  which  the  superstruc- 
ture of  glory  is  laid.  O,  of  what  infinite 
value  is  grace  !  What  a  jewel  is  faith  ! 
Well  may  it  be  called  "  precious  faith," 
2  Pet.  i.  1.  What  is  love,  but  a  divine 
sparkle  in  the  soul  ?  A  soul  beautified  with 
grace,  is  like  a  room  richly  hung  with  ar- 
ras, or  tapestry,  or  the  firmament  bespangled 
with  glittering  stars.  These  are  the  "  true 
riches,"  Luke  xvi.  11.  which  cannot  stand 
with  reprobation.  And  is  not  here  enough 
to  ffive  the  soul  contentment?  What  arc 
all  other  things  but  like  wings  of  a  butter- 
fly, curiously  painted?  But  they  defile  our 
fingers.  Earthly  riches,  saith  Augustine, 
are  full  of  poverty;  so  Indeed  they  are. 
For,  1.  They  cannot  enrich  the  soul :  of- 
tentimes under  silken  apparel  there  is  a 
thread-bare  soul.  2.  These  are  corrupti- 
ble :  "  riches  are  not  for  ever,"  as  the  wise 
man  saith,  Prov.  xxvii.  24.  Heaven  is  a 
place  where  gold  and  silver  will  not  go ; 
a  believer  is  rich  towards  God,  Luke  xii.  21. 
Why  then  art  thou  discontented  ?  Hath  not 
God  given  thee  that  which  is  better  than 
the  world  ?  What  if  he  doth  not  give  thee 
the  box,  if  he  gives  thee  the  jewel  ?  What 
if  he  denies  thee  farthings,  if  he  pays  thee 
in  a  better  coin  ?  He  gives  thee  gold,  viz. 
spiritual  mercies.  What  if  the  water  in 
the  bottle  be  spent  ?  Thou  hast  enough  in 


the  fountain.  What  need  he  complain  of 
the  world's  emptiness,  that  hath  God's  ful- 
ness ?  The  Lord  is  my  portion,  saith  David, 
Ps.  xvi.  5.  Then  let  the  lines  fall  where 
they  will, — in  a  sick-bed  or  prison, — I  will 
say,  "  the  lines  are  fallen  unto  me  in  plea- 
sant places  ;  yea,  I  have  a  goodly  heritage." 

3.  Art  thou  not  heir  to  all  the  promises? 
Hast  thou  not  a  reversion  of  heaven  ? 
When  thou  lettcst  go  thy  hold  of  natural 
life,  art  thou  not  sure  of  eternal  life  ?  Hath 
not  God  given  thee  the  earnest  and  first 
fruits  of  glory  ?  Is  not  here  enough  to  work 
the  heart  to  contentment  ? 

Sect.  III.   The  third  argument  is, 

Be  content,  for  else  we  confute  our  own 
prayers.  We  pray,  "  thy  will  be  done  :" 
it  is  the  will  of  God  that  we  should  be  in 
such  a  condition, — he  hath  decreed  it,  and 
he  sees  it  best  for  us, — why  then  do  we 
murmur,  and  are  discontented  at  that  which 
we  pray  for  ?  Either  we  are  not  in  good 
earnest  in  our  prayer,  which  argues  hypo- 
crisy ;  or  else  we  contradict  ourselves, 
which  argues  folly. 

Sect.  IV.  The  fourth  argument  to  content- 
ment is, 

Because  now  God  hath  his  end,  and  Sa- 
tan misseth  of  his  end. 

1.  God  hath  his  end.  God's  end  in  all 
his  cross  providences  is  to  bring  the  heart 
to  submit  and  be  content ;  and  indeed  tliis 
plcaseth  God  much, — he  loves  to  see  his 
children  satisfied  with  that  portion  he  doth 
carve  and  allot  them, — it  contents  him  to 
see  us  contented  ;  therefore  let  us  acquiesce 
in  God's  providence,  now  God  hath  his  end. 

2.  Satan  misseth  of  his  end.  The  end 
why  the  devil  though  by  God's  permission 
did  smite  Job  in  his  body  and  estate,  was 
to  perplex  his  mind  ;  he  did  vex  his  body 
on  purpose  that  he  might  (lisquiet  his  spi- 
rit. He  hoped  to  bring  Job  into  a  fit  of 
discontent,  and  then  that  he  would  in  a 
passion  break  forth  against  God.  But  Job 
beinjr  so  well-contented  \^ith  his  condition 
as  that  he  falls  to  blessing  of  God,  he  did 
disappoint  Satan  of  his  hope,  "  the  devil 
will  cast  some  of  you  into  prison,"  Rev.  ii. 
10.  Why  doth  the  devil  throw  us  into  pri- 
son ?  It  is  not  so  much  the  hurting  our 
body,  as  the  molesting  our  mind,  that  he 
aims  at;  he  would  imprison  our  conten 


708 


ART  OF  DIVINE  CONTENTMENT. 


ment,  and  disturb  tlie  regular  motion  of 
our  souls,  this  is  his  design.  It  is  not  so 
much  the  putting  us  into  a  prison,  as  tlie 
putting  us  into  a  passion,  tliat  he  attempts; 
but  by  holy  contentation,  Satan  loseth  his 
prey,  he  misseth  of  his  end.  The  devil  hath 
often  deceiv  ed  us ;  the  best  way  to  deceive 
him,  is  by  contentation  in  the  midst  of  ten- 
tation ;  our  contentment  will  discontent  Sa- 
tan. O,  let  us  not  gratify  our  enemy  ! 
Discontent  is  the  devil's  delight ;  now  it  is 
as  he  would  have  it,  he  loves  to  warm  him- 
self at  the  fire  of  our  passions.  Repentance 
is  the  joy  of  the  angels,  and  discontent  is 
the  joy  of  the  devils ;  as  the  devil  danccth 
at  discord,  so  he  sings  at  discontent.  The 
fire  of  our  passions  makes  the  devil  a  bon- 
fire ;  it  is  a  kind  of  heaven  to  him  to  see  us 
torturing  ourselves  with  our  own  troubles : 
but  by  holy  contentment,  we  frustrate  him 
of  his  purpose,  and  do  as  it  were  put  him 
out  of  countenance. 

Sect.  V.  The  fifth  argument  is, 
By  contentment  a  Christian  gains  a  vic- 
tory over  himself.  For  a  man  to  be  able  to 
rule  his  own  spirit,  this  of  all  others  is  the 
most  noble  conquest.  Passion  denotes 
weakness ;  to  be  discontented  is  suitable  to 
flesh  and  blood ;  but  to  be  in  every  state 
content, — reproached,  yet  content, — impri- 
soned, yet  content, — this  is  above  nature  ; 
this  is  some  of  that  holy  valour  and  chival- 
ry v^hich  only  a  divine  spirit  is  able  to  in- 
fuse. In  the  midst  of  the  affronts  of  the 
world  to  be  patient,  and  in  the  changes  of 
the  world  to  have  the  spirit  calmed,  this  is 
a  conquest  worthy  indeed  of  the  garland  of 
lionour.  Holy  Job,  divested  and  turned 
out  of  all,  leaving  his  scarlet,  and  embra- 
cing the  dunghill,  (a  sad  catastrophe  !)  yet 
liad  learned  contentment.  It  is  said,  "  he 
fell  down  upon  the  ground  and  worshipped," 
Job  i.  20.  One  would  have  thousrht  he 
should  have  fallen  upon  the  ground  and 
blasj)hcmed  !  No,  he  fell  and  worshipped. 
He  adored  God's  justice  and  holiness.  Be- 
hold the  strength  of  grace  !  here  Avas  an 
Iniinble  submission,  yet  a  noble  conquest ; 
lie  got  the  victory  over  himself.  It  is  no 
great  matter  for  a  man  to  yield  to  his  own 
passions,  this  is  facile  and  femenine  ;  but  to 
content  himself  in  denying  of  himself,  this 
is  sacred. 


Sect.  VI.  T7ie  sixth  great  argument  to 
work  the  heart  to  contentment,  is 

The  consideration  that  all  God's  provi- 
dences, how  cross  or  bloody  soever,  shall  do 
a  believer  good ;  "  and  we  know  that  all 
things  work  together  for  good  to  them  that 
love  God,"  Rom.  viii.  28.  Not  only  all  good 
things,  but  all  evil  things  work  for  good  • 
and  shall  we  be  discontented  at  that  which 
works  for  our  good  ?  Suppose  our  troubles 
are  twisted  together,  and  sadly  accented  : 
what  if  sickness,  poverty,  reproach,  law- 
suits, &c.  do  unite  and  muster  their  forces 
against  us?  All  shall  work  for  good;  our 
maladies  shall  be  our  medicines  ;  and  shall 
we  repine  at  that  which  shall  undoubtedly 
do  us  good  ?  "  Unto  the  upright  there  ari- 
seth  light  in  darkness,"  Ps.  cxii.  4.  Afflic- 
tion may  be  baptized  Marah  ;  it  is  bitter, 
but  physical.  Because  this  is  so  full  of 
comfort,  and  may  be  a  most  excellent  cath- 
olicon  against  discontent,  I  shall  a  little  ex- 
patiate. 

Quest.  It  will  be  inquired  how  the  evils  of 
affliction  icorkfor  good  ? 

Ans.  Several  ways. 

First,  They  are  disciplinary;  they  teach 
us.  The  psalmist  having  very  elegantly 
described  the  church's  trouble,  Ps.  Ixxiv. 
prefixeth  this  title  to  the  psalm,  Maschil, 
which  signifies  a  psalm  giving  instruction  ; 
that  which  seals  up  instruction,  works  for 
good.  God  puts  us  sometimes  under  the 
black  rod ;  but  it  is  virga  disciplinaris,  a 
rod  of  discipline  ;  "  Hear  ye  the  rod,  and 
who  hath  apj)ointed  it,"  Mic.  vi.  9.  God 
makes  our  adversity  our  university.  Af- 
fliction is  a  preacher  ;  "  Blow  the  trumpet 
in  Tekoa,"  Jer.  vi.  1.  The  trumpet  was 
to  preach  to  the  peo])le,  as  appears  ver.  8., 
"  Be  thou  instructed,  O  Jerusalem."  Some- 
times God  sjK'aks  to  the  minister  to  lift  up 
his  voice  like  a  trumpet,  Isa.  Iviii.  ].,  and 
here  lie  speaks  to  the  trumpet  to  lift  up  its 
voice  like  a  minister.  Afflictions  teacli  us, 
\st,  Humility.  Commonly  p''osj)erous,  and 
proud,  corrections  are  God's  corrosives  to 
eat  out  the  proud  flesh.  Jesus  Christ  is  the 
lily  of  tlie  vallies.  Cant.  ii.  1.  He  dwells 
in  an  humble  heart :  God  brings  us  into  the 
valley  of  tears,  that  he  may  bring  us  into 
the  valley  of  humility  ;  "  remembering  mv 
affliction  and  my  misery,    the  wormwood 


ART  OF  DIVINE  CONTENTMENT. 


709 


and  the  gall ;  my  soul  liatli  them  still  in  re- 
membrance, and  is  Innnbled  in  me,"  Lam. 
iii.   19,    20.     When  men  are  grown  high, 
God  hath  no  better  way  with  them,  than  to 
brew  them  up  a  cup  of  wormwood.     Afflic- 
tions are  compared  to  thorns,  Hos.  ii.  6. 
God's  thorns  are  to  prick  the  bladder  of 
pride :  Suppose  a  man  run  at  another  with 
a  sword  to  kill  him,— accidently,   it  only 
lets  out  his   imposthume, — this  doth  him 
good.     God's  sword  is  to  let  out  the  impos- 
thume of  pride ;  and  shall  that  which  makes 
us  humble,  make  us  discontented?  2d,  Af- 
flictions teach  us  repentance ;  "  thou  hast 
chastised  me,  and  I  was  chastised.     I  re- 
pented ;  and  after  I  was  instructed,  I  smote 
upon  my  thigh,"    &c.   Jer.   xxxi.    18,    19. 
Repentance  is  the  precious  fruit  that  grows 
upon  the  cross.     When  the  fire  is  put  un  • 
der  the  still,  the  water  drops  from  the  ros- 
es ;  fiery  afflictions  make  the  waters  of  re- 
pentance drop  and  distil   from  the  eyes; 
and  is  here  any  cause  of  discontent?   Sd, 
Afflictions  teach  us  to  pray  better,   "  they 
poured  out  a  prayer  when  thy  chastening 
was  upon  them,"   Isa.  xxvi.    16.     Before, 
they  would  say  a  prayer  ;  now  they  poured 
out  a  prayer.     Jonah   was   asleep  in   the 
ship,  but  awake  and  at  prayer  in  the  whaled 
belly.  When  God  puts  under  the  fire-brands 
of  affliction,  now  our  hearts  boil  over  the 
more  ;  God  loves  to  have  his  children  pos- 
sessed with  a  spirit  of  prayer.     Never  did 
David,  the  sweet  singer  of  Israel,  tune  his 
harp  more  melodiously,  never  did  he  pray 
better,  than  when  he  was  upon  the  waters. 
Thus  afflictions  do  indiscipline;  and  shall 
we  be  discontent  at  that  which  is  for  our 

good  ? 

Secondly,  Afflictions    are  probatory,  Ps. 
Ixvi.   10,    11.     Gold  is  not  the   worse   for 
being  tried,  or  corn  for  being  fanned.     Af- 
fliction is  the  touchstone  of  sincerity, — it 
tries  what  metal  we  are  made  of;  affliction 
is  God's  fan  and  his  sieve.     It  is  good  that 
men  be  known ;  some  serve  God  for  a  live- 
rv, — thev  «i*e  like  the  fisherman,  that  makes 
use  of  the  net,  only  to  catch  the  fish, — so 
they  go  a-fishing  with  the  net  of  religion, 
only  to  catch  preferment :  affliction  discov- 
ers these.     The  Donatists  went  to  the  Goths 
when  the  Arians  prevailed  :  hypocrites  will 
fail  in  a  storm,— true  grace  holds  out  in  the 


winter-season.  Tliat  is  a  pi ecious  faith 
which,  like  the  stars,  shines  brightest  in  the 
darkest  night.  It  is  good  that  our  graces 
should  be  brought  to  trial ;  thus  we  have 
the  comfort,  and  the  gospel  the  honour,  and 
why  then  discontented  ? 

Thirdly,    Afflictions    are    expurgatory ; 
these  evils  work  for  our  good,  because  they 
work  out  sin,  and  shall  I  be  discontented 
at  this  ?     What  if  I  have  more  trouble,  if 
I  have  less  sin  ?   The  brightest  day  hath  its 
clouds ;  the  purest  gold  its  dross ;  the  most 
refined  soul  hath  some  lees  of  corruption. 
The  saints  lose  nothing  in  the  furnace  but 
what  they  can  well  spare, — their  dross  ;  is 
not  this  for  our  good  ?     Why  then  should 
we  murmur?  "  I  am  come  to  send  fire  on  the 
earth,"   Luke.  xii.   49.     Tertullian  under- 
stands it  of  the  fire  of  affliction.    God  makes 
this  like  the  fire  of  the  three  children  which 
burned  only  their  bonds  and  set  them  at  liber- 
ty in  the  furnace:  so  the  fire  of  affliction  serves 
to  burn  the  bonds  of  iniquity.     "  By  this 
therefore  shall  the  iniquity  of  Jacob  be  pur- 
ged :  and  this  is  all  the  fruit,  to  take  away 
his  sin,"  Isa.  xxvii.  9.    When  affliction  or 
death  comes  to  a  wicked  man,  it  takes  away 
his  soul ;  when  it  comes  to  a  godly  man,  it 
only  takes  away  his  sin  ;  is  there  any  cause 
why  we  should  be  discontented  ?  God  steeps 
us  in  the  brinish  waters  of  affliction  that  he 
may  take  out  our  spots.     God's  people  are 
his  husbandry,   1  Cor.  iii.  9.,  the  ploughing 
of  the  ground  kills  the  weeds,  and  the  har- 
rowing of  the  earth  breaks  the  hard  clods  : 
God's  ploughing  of  us  by  affliction,  is  to  kill 
the  weeds  of  sin  ;  his  harrowing  of  us  is  to 
break  the  hard  clods  of  impenitency  that  the 
heart  may  be  the  fitter  to  receive  the  seeds  of 
grace ;  and  if  this  be  all,  why  should  we  be 
discontented  ? 

Fourthly,  Afflictions  do  both  exercise  and 
increase  our  grace.  U/,  They  exercise 
grace:  affliction  doth  breathe  our  graces; 
every  thing  is  most  in  its  excellency  when 
it  is  most  in  its  exercise.  Our  grace,  though 
it  cannot  be  dead,  yet  it  may  be  asleep,  and 
hath  need  of  awakening.  What  a  dull  thing 
is  the  fire  when  it  is  hid  in  the  embers,  or 
the  sun  when  it  is  masked  with  a  cloud?  A 
sick  man  is  living,  but  not  lively  ;  afflictions 
quit-ken  and  excite  grace.  God  doth  not 
love  to  see  grace  in  the  eclipse.     Now  faith 


710 


ART  OF  DIVINE  CONTENTMENT. 


puts  forth  its  purest  and  most  noble  acts  in 
times  of  affliction  :  God  makes  the  fall  of  the 
leaf  the  spring  of  our  graces.  What  if  we 
are  more  passive,  if  graces  be  more  active. 
2d,  Afflictions  do  increase  grace ;  as  the 
wind  serves  to  increase  and  blow  up  the 
flame,  so  dotli  the  windy  blasts  of  affliction 
augment  and  blow  up  our  graces;  grace 
spends  not  in  the  furnace,  but  it  is  like  the 
widow's  oil  in  the  cruise,  wliich  did  increase 
by  pouring  out.  The  torcli,  when  it  is 
beaten  burns  brightest,  so  doth  grace  when 
it  is  exercised  by  sufferings.  Sharp  frosts 
nourish  the  good  corn,  so  do  sharp  afflic- 
tions grace.  Some  plants  grow  better  in 
the  shade  than  in  the  sun, — as  the  bay  and 
the  cypress, — the  shade  of  adversity  is  bet- 
ter for  some  than  the  sun-shine  of  prosperi- 
ty. Naturalists  observe  that  the  col  wort 
thrives  better  when  it  is  watered  with  salt 
water  than  with  fresii,  so  do  some  thrive 
better  in  the  salt  water  of  affliction;  and 
shall  we  be  discontented  at  that  which 
makes  us  grow  and  fructify  more? 

FiftJiIy,  These  afflictions  do  bring  more 
of  God's  immediate  presence  into  the  soul. 
When  we  are  most  assaulted,  we  shall  be 
most  assisted;  "  I  will  be  with  him  in 
trouble,"  Ps.  xci.  15.  It  cannot  be  ill  with 
that  man  with  whom  God  is,  by  his  power- 
ful presence  in  supporting,  and  his  graci- 
ous presence  in  sweetening  the  present  trial. 
God  will  be  with  us  in  trouble,  not  only  to 
behold  us,  but  to  uphold  us,  as  he  was  with 
Daniel  in  the  lion's  den,  and  the  three  chil- 
dren in  the  fiery  furnace.  AVhat  if  we 
liave  more  trouble  than  others,  if  we  have 
more  of  (iod  with  us  than  others  have  ? 
We  never  have  sweeter  smiles  from  God's 
free  than  when  the  world  beoins  to  look 
strange;  thy  statutes  have  been  my  song, — 
where?  Not  when  1  was  upon  the  throne, — 
but  "  in  the  liouse  of  my  jjilgrimage,"  Ps. 
cxix.  54.  We  read,  the  Lord  was  not  in  the 
wind,  nor  in  the  earthquake,  nor  in  the  fire, 
1  Kings  xix.  11.  But  in  a  meta])horical 
and  spiritual  sense  :  Avhen  the  wind  of  af- 
fliction blows  upon  a  believer,  God  is  in  the 
wind;  when  the  fire  of  affliction  kindles 
upon  him,  God  is  in  tlie  fire,  viz.  to  sancti- 
fy, to  support,  to  sweeten.  If  God  be  « ith 
us,  the  furnace  shall  be  turned  into  a  festi- 
val, the  prison  into  a  paradise,  the  earth- 


quake into  a  joyful  dance.  O  why  should 
I  be  discontented,  when  I  have  more  of 
God's  company  ! 

Sixthly,  These  evils  of  affliction  are  for 
good,  as  they  bring  with  them  certificates 
of  God's  love,  and  are  evidences  of  his  spe- 
cial favour.  Affliction  is  the  saints'  live- 
ry ;  it  is  a  badge  and  cognizance  of  honour; 
that  the  God  of  glory  should  look  upon  a 
worm,  and  take  so  much  notice  of  him,  as 
to  afflict  him  rather  than  lose  him,  is  an 
high  act  of  favour.  God's  rod  is  a  sceptre 
of  dignity.  Job  calls  God's  afflicting  of  us, 
his  magnifying  of  us,  Joo  vii.  17.  Some 
men's  prosperity  hath  been  their  shame, 
when  others'  afflictions  have  been  their 
crown. 

Seventhly,  These  afflictions  work  for  our 
good,  because  they  work  for  us  a  far  more 
exceeding  weight  of  glory,  2  Cor.  iv.  17. 
That  which  works  for  my  glory  in  heaven, 
works  for  my  good.  We  do  not  read  in 
scripture  that  any  man's  honour  or  riches 
do  work  for  him  a  weight  of  glory,  but  af- 
flictions do  ;  and  shall  a  man  be  discontent- 
ed at  that  which  v/orks  for  his  glory  ?  The 
heavier  the  weight  of  affliction,  the  hea- 
vier the  weight  of  glory  ;  not  that  our  suf- 
ferings do  merit  glory,  (as  the  papists  do 
wickedly  gloss,)  but  though  they  are  not 
causa,  they  are  via, —  they  are  not  the  cause 
of  our  crown,  yet  they  are  the  way  to  it, — 
and  God  makes  us,  as  he  did  our  captain, 
"  perfect  through  sufferings,"  Heb.  ii. 
10.  And  shall  not  all  this  make  us  con- 
tented with  our  condition  ?  O  I  beseech 
you,  look  not  upon  the  evil  of  affliction,  but 
the  good  !  Afflictions  in  scripture  are  call- 
ed '  visitations,'  Job  vii.  18.  The  word  in 
the  Hebrew,  to  visit,  is  taken  in  a  good  sense, 
as  well  as  a  bad :  God's  afflictions  are  but 
friendly  visits.  Behold  here  God's  rod,  like 
Aaron's  rod  blossoming ;  and  Jonathan's 
rod,  it  hath  honey  at  the  end  of  it.  Poverty 
shall  starve  out  our  sins  ;  the  sickness  of  the 
body  cures  a  sin-sick  soul ;  O  then,  instead 
of  murmuring  and  being  discontented,  bless 
the  Lord  !  Hadst  thou  not  met  with  such 
a  rub  in  the  way,  thou  mightest  have  gone 
to  jjell  and  never  stopped. 

Sect.  VII.  The  seventh  argument  to  conten- 
tation. 

The  next  argument  to  contentment  is, 


ART  OF  DIVINE  CONTENTMENT. 


711 


consider  tlie  evil  of  discontent.  Mal-con- 
tent  hath  a  mixture  of  grief  and  anger  in  it, 
and  both  these  must  needs  raise  a  storm  in 
the  soul.  Have  you  not  seen  the  posture 
of  a  sick  man?  Sometimes  he  will  sit  up 
on  his  bed,  by  and  by  he  will  lie  down,  and 
when  he  is  down  he  is  not  quiet ;  first  he 
turns  on  the  one  side  and  then  on  the  other ; 
he  is  restless;  this  is  just  the  emblem  of  a 
discontented  spirit.  The  man  is  not  sick, 
yet  he  is  never  well ;  sometimes  he  likes 
such  a  condition  of  life  but  is  soon  weary ; 
and  then  another  condition  of  life ;  and 
when  he  hath  it  yet  he  is  not  pleased  ;  this 
is  an  evil  under  the  sun.  Now  the  evil  of 
discontent  appears  in  three  things. 

Evil  \sL  The  sordidness  of  it  is  unwor- 
thy of  a  Christian. 

1.  It  is  unworthy  of  his  profession.  It 
was  the  saying  of  an  heathen,  bear  thy  con- 
dition quietly, — nosce  te  esse  hominem,  'know 
thou  art  a  man  :'  so  I  say,  bear  thy  condi- 
tion contentedly,  nosce  te  esse  Chrislianum, 
— '  know  thou  art  a  Christian.'  Thou  pro- 
fessest  to  live  by  faith, — what  ?  and  not  con- 
tent ?  Faith  is  a  grace  that  doth  substan- 
tiate things  not  seen,  Heb.  xi.  1.  Faith 
looks  beyond  the  creature,  it  feeds  upon 
promises ;  faith  lives  not  by  bread  alone  ; 
when  the  water  is  spent  in  the  bottle,  faith 
knows  Avhither  to  have  recourse  ;  now  to 
see  a  Christian  dejected  in  the  want  of  visi- 
ble supplies  and  recruits,  where  is  faith  ? 
"  O,"  saith  one,  "  my  estate  in  the  world 
is  down."  Ay,  and  which  is  worse,  thy 
faith  is  down.  Wilt  thou  not  be  contented 
unless  God  let  down  the  vessel  to  thee,  as 
he  did  to  Peter,  "  wherein  were  all  man- 
ner of  beasts  of  the  earth,  and  fowls  of  the 
air?"  Acts.  x.  12.  Must  you  have  the  first 
and  second  course?  This  is  like  Thomas, 
"  unless  I  put  my  finger  into  the  print  of 
the  nails,  1  will  not  believe,"  John  xx.  25.: 
so,  unless  thou  hast  a  sensible  feeling  of  out- 
ward comforts,  thou  wilt  not  be  content. 
True  faith  will  trust  God  where  it  cannot 
trace  him,  and  will  adventure  upon  God's 
bond  though  it  hath  nothing  in  view.  You 
who  are  discontented  because  you  have  not 
all  you  would,  let  me  tell  you,  either  your 
faith  is  a  nonentity,  or  at  best  but  an  embryo; 
it  is  a  weak  faith  that  must  have  stilts  and 
crutches  to  support  it.     Nay,  discontent  is 


not  only  below  faith,  but  below  reason 
why  are  you  discontented  ?  Is  it  because 
you  are  dispossessed  of  such  comforts  ? 
Well,  and  have  you  not  reason  to  guide 
you?  Doth  not  reason  tell  you  that  you 
are  but  tenants  at  will  ?  And  may  not 
God  turn  you  out  w^hen  he  pleases  ?  You 
hold  not  your  estate  jVe,  but  gratia;  not 
by  juridical  right,  but  upon  favour  and 
courtesy. 

2.  It  is  unworthy  of  the  relation  we  stand 
in  to  God.  A  Christian  is  invested  with  the 
title  and  privilege  of  sonship,  Eph  i.  5. 
He  is  an  heir  of  the  promise.  O  consider 
the  lot  of  free-grace  is  fallen  upon  thee, — 
thou  art  nearly  allied  to  Christ,  and  of  the 
blood  royal, — thou  art  advanced  in  some 
sense,  above  the  angels ;  "  why  art  thou, 
being  the  king's  son,  lean  from  day  to  day?" 
2  Sam.  xiii.  4.  Why  art  thou  discontent- 
ed ?  O,  how  unworthy  is  this  !  As  if  the 
heir  to  some  great  monarch  should  go  pin- 
ing up  and  down  because  he  may  not  pick 
such  a  flower. 

Evil  2d.  Consider  the  sinfulness  of  it ; 
which  appears  in  three  things,  (I.)  The 
causes;  (2.)  The  concomitants;  (3.)  The 
consequences  of  it. 

(1.)  It  is  sinful  in  the  causes,  which  are 
these. 

1.  Pride.  He  that  thinks  highlv  of  his 
deserts,  usually  esteems  meanly  of  his  con- 
dition :  a  discontented  man  is  a  proud  man, 
he  thinks  himself  better  than  others,  there- 
fore finds  fault  with  the  wisdom  of  God, 
that  he  is  not  above  others.  Thus  the  thing 
formed,  saith  to  him  that  formed  it,  "  AVIiy 
hast  thou  made  me  thus  ?"  Rom.  ix.  20. 
Why  am  I  not  higher  ?  Discontents  are  no- 
thing else  but  the  estuations,  and  boilings 
over  of  pride. 

2.  Tlie  second  cause  of  discontent  is,  en- 
vy, which  Augustine  calls  the  sin  of  the 
devil.  Satan  envied  Adam  the  glory  of 
paradise,  and  the  robe  of  innocency  :  he 
that  envies  what  his  neighbour  hath,  is 
never  contented  with  that  portion  which 
God's  providence  doth  parcel  out  to  him. 
As  envy  stirs  up  strife,  (this  made  the  Ple- 
beian faction  so  strong  among  the  Romans) 
so  it  creates  discontent :  the  envious  man 
looks  so  much  upon  the  blessings  which  an- 
other enjoys,  that  he  cannot  see  his  own 


i 


712 


ART  OF  DIVINE  CONTENTMENT. 


mercies,  and  so  dotli  continually  vex  and 
torture  himself.  Cain  envied  that  his  bro- 
ther's sacrifice  was  accepted,  and  his  re'ject- 
ed ;  hereupon  he  was  discontented,  and 
presently  murderous  thoughts  began  to  a- 
rise  in  his  heart. 

3.  The  third  cause  is  covetousness.  This 
is  a  radical  sin.  Whence  are  vexing  law- 
suits, but  from  discontent  ?  and  whence  is 
discontent,  but  from  covetousness  ?  Covet- 
ousness and  contentedness  cannot  dwell  in 
the  same  heart.  Avarice  is  an  heluo,  that 
is  never  satisfied.  The  covetous  man  is 
like  Behemoth,  "  behold  he  drinketh  up  a 
river,  he  trusteth  that  he  can  draw  up  Jor- 
dan into  his  mouth,"  Job  xl.  23.  '  There 
are  four  things  (saith  Solomon)  say  not,  it 
is  enough.'  I  may  add  a  fifth,  the  heart  of 
a  covetous  man  ;  he  is  still  craving.  Cove- 
tousness is  like  a  wolf  in  the  breast,  which 
is  ever  feeding ;  and  because  a  man  is  not 
satisfied,  he  is  never  content. 

4.  The  fourth  cause  of  discontent  is, 
jealousy,  which  is  sometimes  occasioned 
through  melancholy,  and  sometimes  mis- 
apprehension. The  spirit  of  jealousy  caus- 
eth  this  evil  spirit.  "  Jealousy  is  the  rage 
of  a  man,"  Prov.  vi.  34.  And  oft  this  is 
nothing  but  suspicion  and  fancy  :  yet  such 
as  creates  real  discontent. 

5.  The  fifth  cause  of  discontent  is  dis- 
trust, which  is  a  great  degree  of  Atheism. 
The  discontented  person  is  ever  distrustful. 
The  bill  of  provision  grows  low ;  I  am  in 
these  straits  and  exigencies,  can  God  help 
me  ?  "  Can  he  prepare  a  table  in  the  wil- 
derness ?"  Sure  he  cannot.  My  estate  is 
exhausted,  can  God  recruit  me  ?  My  friends 
are  gone,  can  (iod  raise  me  up  more  ?  Sure 
the  arm  of  his  power  is  shrunk.  I  am  like 
the  dry  fleece,  can  any  water  come  upon 
this  fleece?  "  If  the  Lord  would  make  win- 
dows in  heaven,  might  this  thing  be?" 
2  Kings  vii.  2.  Tims  the  anchor  of  hope, 
and  the  shield  of  faith,  being  cast  away, 
the  soul  goes  pining  up  and  down.  Dis- 
content is  nothing  else  but  the  echo  of  un- 
belief: and  remember,  distrust  is  worse  than 
distress. 

(2.)  Discontent  is  evil  in  the  concomi- 
tants of  it,  wliich  are  two. 

1.  Discontent  is  joined  with  a  sullen 
melancholy      A  Christian  of  a  right  tem- 


u , 


per  should  be  ever  cheerful  in  God  ;  "  servo 
the  Lord  with  gladness,"  Ps.  c.  2.  A  siofn 
the  oil  of  grace  hath  been  poured  into  the 
heai't  when  the  oil  of  gladness  shines  in  the 
countenance.  Cheerfulness  credits  reli 
gion ;  how  can  the  discontented  person  be 
cheerful?  Discontent  is  a  dogged,  sullen 
humour ;  because  we  have  not  what  we  de- 
sire, God  shall  not  have  a  good  word  or 
look  from  us ;  as  the  bird  in  the  cage,  be- 
cause she  is  pent  up,  and  cannot  fly  in  the 
open  air,  therefore  beats  herself  against  the 
cage,  and  is  ready  to  kill  herself.  Thus  that 
peevish  prophet ;  "  I  do  well  to  be  angry 
even  unto  death,"  Jonah  iv.  9. 

2.  Discontent  is  accompanied  with  un- 
thankfulness  ;  because  we  have  not  all  we 
desire,  we  never  mind  the  mercies  which 
we  have.  We  deal  with  God  as  the  widow 
of  Sarepta  did  with  the  prophet :  the  pro- 
phet Elijah  had  been  a  means  to  keep  her 
alive  in  the  famine, — for  it  was  for  his 
sake,  that  her  meal  in  the  barrel,  and  her 
oil  in  the  cruise  failed  not, — but  as  soon  as 
ever  her  son  dies,  she  falls  into  a  passion, 
and  begii^s  to  quarrel  with  the  prophet : 
"  What  have  I  to  do  with  thee,  O  thou  man 
of  God?  Art  thou  come  to  call  my  sin  to 
remembrance,  and  slay  my  son  ?"  1  Kings 
xvii.  18.  So  ungratefully  do  we  deal  with 
God:  we  cannot  be  contentto  receive  mercies 
from  God,  but  if  he  doth  cross  us  in  the  least 
thing,  then,  through  discontent,  we  grow 
touchy  and  impatient,  and  are  ready  to  fly 
n])on  God  ;  thus  God  loseth  all  his  mercies. 
We  read  in  scripture  of  the  thank-offering, 
2  Chron.  xxix.  31.  The  discontented  per- 
son cuts  Go<l  short  of  this  ;  the  Lord  loseth 
his  thank-offering.  A  discontented  Chris- 
tian repines  in  t!ie  midst  of  mercies,  as  A- 
dam  who  sinned  in  the  midst  of  paradise. 
Discontent  is  a  spider  that  sucks  the  poison 
of  untliaiikfiilness  out  of  the  sweetest  flower 
of  (Tod's  blessing,  and  is  a  devilish  chyniis- 
try  that  extracts  dross  out  of  the  most  re- 
fined gold.  The  discontented  penson  thinks 
every  thing  he  doth  for  God  too  much,  and 
every  thing  God  doth  for  him  too  little. 
O  what  a  sin  is  unthankfulness  !  It  is  an 
accumulative  sin.  What  Cicero  said  of  par- 
ricide, I  may  say  of  ingratitude  :  "  there 
are  many  sins  bound  uj)  in  this  one  sin.'* 
It  is  a  voluminous  wickedness ;  and  how 


ART  OF  DIVINE  CONTENTMENT. 


713 


full  of  this  sin  is  discontent  ?  A  discontent- 
ed Christian,  because  he  liath  not  all  the 
■ft'orld,  therefore  dishonours  God  with  the 
mercies  which  he  hatli.  God  made  Eve 
outof  Adam's  rib,  to  be  an  helper — as  Chry- 
Bostom  saith — but  the  devil  hath  made  an 
arrow  of  this  rib,  and  shot  Adam  to  the 
heart :  s^o  doth  discontent  take  the  rib  of 
God's  mercy,  and  ungratefully  shoot  at 
him, — estate,  liberty  shall  be  employed  a- 
gainst  God.  Thus  it  is  oftentimes.  Behold 
then  how  discontent  and  ingratitude  are 
interwoven  and  twisted  one  within  the  o- 
ther  :  thus  discontent  is  sinful  in  its  conco- 
mitants. 

(3.)  It  is  sinful  in  its  consequences,  which 
are  these. 

1.  It  makes  a  man  very  unlike  the  Spirit 
of  God.  The  Spirit  of  God  is  a  meek  Spi- 
rit. The  Holy  Ghost  descended  in  the  like- 
ness of  a  dove.  Mat.  iii.  16.  A  dove  is  the 
emblem  of  meekness  ;  a  discontented  spirit 
is  not  a  meek  spirit. 

2.  It  makes  a  man  like  the  devil.  The 
devil  being  swelled  with  the  poison  of  envy 
and  malice,  is  never  content:  just  so  is  the 
mal-content.  The  devil  is  an  unquiet  spi- 
rit, he  is  still  '  walking  about,'  1  Pet.  v.  8. 
It  is  his  rest  to  be  walking.  And  herein  is 
the  discontented  person  like  him  ;  for  he 
goes  up  and  down  vexing  himself,  '  seeking 
rest,  and  finding  none ;'  he  is  the  devil's 
picture. 

3.  Discontent  disjoints  the  soul,  it  un- 
tunes the  heart  for  duty.  "  Is  any  among 
you  affli-cted,  let  him  pray,"  Jam.  v.  13. 
But,  is  any  man  discontented?  How  shall 
he  pray  ?  "  Lift  up  holy  hands  witliout 
wrath,"  1  Tim.  ii.  8.  Discontent  is  full  of 
wrath  and  passion:  the  mal-content  cannot 
lift  up  pure  hands  ;  he  lifts  up  leprous  hands, 
he  poisons  his  prayers  ;  will  God  accept  of 
a  poisoned  sacrifice  ?  Chrysostom  compares 
prayer  to  a  fine  garland  ;  those,  saith  he, 
that  make  a  garland,  their  hands  had  need 
to  be  clean  ;  prayer  is  a  precious  garland, 
the  heart  that  makes  it  had  need  to  be  clean. 
Discontent  throws  poison  into  the  spring, 
which  was  death  among  the  Romans,  dis- 
content puts  the  heart  into  a  disorder  and 
mutiny,  and  such  an  one  cannot  serve  the 
Lord  "  without  distraction.' 

4.  Discontent  sometimes   unfits  for  the 


very  use  of  reason.  Jonah,  in  a  passion  of 
discontent,  spake  no  better  than  blasplicmy 
and  nonsense  :  "  I  do  well  (said  he)  to  be 
angry  even  unto  death,"  Jonah  iv.  9. 
What  ?  To  be  angry  with  God  !  And  to 
die  for  anger  !  Sure  he  did  not  know  well 
what  he  said.  When  discontent  Iransjiorts, 
then,  like  Moses,  we  speak  tuiadviscdly  with 
our  lips.  This  humour  doth  even  suspend 
the  very  acts  of  reason. 

5.  Discontent  doth  not  only  disquiot  a 
man's  self,  but  those  who  are  near  him. 
This  evil  spirit  troubles  families,  ])ari.shes, 
&c.  If  there  be  but  one  string  out  of  tune, 
it  spoils  all  the  music.  One  discontented 
spirit  makes  jarrings  and  discords  among 
others.  It  is  this  ill-humour  that  breeds 
quarrels  and  law-suits.  Whence  are  all 
our  contentions,  but  for  want  of  contenta- 
tion  ?  "  From  whence  come  wars  and  figlii- 
ings  among  you  ?  Come  they  not  hence, 
even  of  your  lusts  ?"  James  iv.  L  In 
particular  from  the  lust  of  discontent. 
Why  did  Absalom  raise  a  war  against  his 
father,  and  would  have  taken  off  not  only 
his  crown,  but  his  head  ?  Was  it  ncH  his 
discontent  ?  Absalom  would  be  king.  Wjiy 
did  Ahab  stone  Naboth  ?  was  it  not  discon- 
tent about  the  vineyard  ?  Oli  this  devil  of 
discontent  !  Thus  you  have  seen  the  sinful- 
ness of  it. 

Evil  3d.  Consider  the  simplicity  of  if.  1 
may  say,  as  the  Psalmist,  "surely  they  are 
disquieted  in  vain  :"  Ps.  xxxix,  6.  AVhich 
appears  thus, 

1.  Is  it  not  a  vain  simple  thing  to  hn 
troubled  at  the  loss  of  that  which  is  in  it«i 
own  nature  perishing  and  changeable  ?  God 
hath  put  a  A-icissitude  into  the  creature; 
all  the  world  rings  changes  ;  and  for  me  to 
meet  with  inconstancy  here, — to  lose  q 
friend,  estate, — to  be  in  a  constant  fluctua- 
tion,— is  no  more  than  to  see  a  flower  wither 
or  a  leaf  drop  off  in  autumn  ;  there  is  an 
autumn  upon  every  comfort,  a  fall  of  tho 
leaf;  now  it  is  extreme  folly  to  he  discon- 
tented at  the  loss  of  those  things  which  are 
in  their  own  nature  loseable.  Wjiat  Solo- 
mon saith  of  riches,  is  true  of  all  things  un- 
der the  sun,  '  they  take  wings,'  Noah's 
dove  brought  an  olive-branch  in  its  mouth, 
but  presently  flew  out  of  the  ark,  and  never 
returned  more  :  such  a  comfort  brino-s  to 

4X 


714 


ART  OF  DIVINE  CONTENTMENT. 


us  lionev  in  its  mouth,  but  it  liath  wings  ; 
and  to  what  purpose  should  we  be  troubled, 
unless  we  had  wings  to  fly  after  and  over- 
take it  ? 

2.  Discontent  is  a  heart-breaking  :  "  By 
sorrow  of  the  heart,  the  spirit  is  broken," 
Prov.  XV.  13.  It  takes  away  the  comfort 
of  life.  There  is  none  of  us  but  may  have 
many  mercies  if  we  can  see  them  ;  now  be- 
cause we  have  not  all  we  desire,  therefore 
we  will  lose  the  comfort  of  that  which  we 
have  already.  Jonah  having  his  gourd 
smitten — a  withering  vanity — was  so  dis- 
contented, that  he  never  thought  of  his  mi- 
raculous deliverance  out  of  the  whale's  bel- 
ly ;  he  takes  no  comfort  of  his  life,  but 
wisheth  that  he  might  die.  What  folly  is 
this  ?  We  must  have  all  or  none  ;  herein 
we  are  like  children,  that  throw  away  the 
piece  which  is  cut  them  because  they  may 
have  no  bigger.  Discontent  eats  out  the 
comfort  of  life.  Besides,  it  were  well  if  it 
were  seriously  weighed  how  prejudicial  this 
is  even  to  our  health  ;  for  discontent,  as  it 
doth  discruciate  the  mind,  so  it  doth  pine 
the  body.  It  frets  as  a  moth  ;  and  by  wast- 
ing the  spirits,  weakens  the  vitals.  The 
pleurisy  of  discontent  brings  the  body  into 
a  consumption  ;  and  is  not  this  folly  ? 

3.  Discontent  does  not  ejise  us  of  our 
burden,  but  it  makes  the  cross  heavier,  A 
contented  spirit  goes  cheerfully  under  its 
affliction.  Discontent  makes  our  grief  as 
unsupportable  as  it  is  unreasonable.  If  the 
leg  be  well,  it  can  endure  a  fetter  and  not 
complain :  but  if  the  leg  be  sore,  then  the 
fetters  trouble.  Discontent  of  mind  is  the 
sore  that  makes  the  fetters  of  affliction 
more  grievous.  Discontent  troubles  us 
more  than  the  trouble  itself,  it  steeps  the 
affliction  in  wormwood.  When  Christ  was 
upon  the  cross,  the  Jews  brought  him  gall 
and  vinegar  to  drink,  that  it  might  add  to 
his  sorrow.  Discontent  brings  to  a  man 
in  affliction,  gall  and  vinegar  to  drink  ;  this 
is  worse  than  the  affliction  itself.  Is  it  not 
folly  for  a  man  to  embitter  his  own  cross  ? 

4.  Discontent  spins  out  our  troubles  the 
longer.  A  Christian  is  discontent  because  he 
is  in  want,  and  therefore  he  is  in  want,  be- 
cause he  is  discontented;  he  murmurs  because 
he  is  afflicted,  and  therefore  he  is  afflicted,  be- 
cause he  murmurs.     Discontent  doth  delay 


and  adjourn  our  mercies.  God  deals  here- 
in with  us,  as  we  use  to  do  with  our  chil- 
dren ;  when  they  are  quiet  and  cheerful, 
they  shall  have  any  thing ;  but  if  we  see 
them  cry  and  fret,  then  we  withhold  from 
them, — we  get  nothing  from  God  by  our 
discontent  but  blows ;  the  more  the  child 
struggles,  the  more  it  is  beaten, — when  we 
struggle  with  God  by  our  sinful  passions, 
he  doubles  and  trebles  his  strokes ;  God 
will  tame  our  curst  hearts.  What  got  Is- 
rael by  their  peevishness  ?  They  were  with- 
in eleven  days  journey  of  Canaan  ;  and  now 
they  were  discontented  and  began  to  mur- 
mur, God  leads  them  a  march  of  forty  years 
long  in  the  wilderness.  Is  it  not  folly  for 
us  to  adjoiu-n  our  own  mercies?  Thus  you 
have  seen  the  evil  of  discontent.  I  have 
been  long  upon  this  argument ;  but  nunquam 
nimis  dicitur,  quod  mmquam  satis  dicitur. 

Sect.  8.   The  eighth  argument  to  contenta- 
tion. 

The  next  argument  or  motive  to  content- 
ment is  this,  why  is  not  a  man  content 
with  the  competency  which  he  hath  ?  Per- 
haps if  he  had  more  he  would  be  less  con- 
tent; covetousness  is  a  dry  drunkenness. 
The  world  is  such  that  the  more  we  have 
the  more  we  crave  ;  it  cannot  fill  the  heart 
of  man,  Wlien  the  fire  burns,  how  do  you 
quench  it  ?  Not  by  putting  oil  on  the  flame, 
or  laying  on  more  wood,  but  by  withdraw- 
ing the  fuel.  When  the  appetite  is  inflam- 
ed after  riches,  how  may  a  man  be  satisfied  ? 
Not  by  having  just  what  he  desires,  but  by 
withdrawing  the  fuel,  &c.  Moderating  and 
lessening  his  desires.  He  that  is  contented 
has  enough.  A  man  in  a  fever  or  dropsy 
thirsts  ;  how  do  you  satisfy  him  ?  Not  by 
giving  him  liquid  things,  Avhich  will  inflame 
his  thirst  the  more ;  but  by  removing  the 
cause,  and  so  curing  the  distemper.  The 
way  for  a  man  to  be  contented,  is  not  by 
raising  his  estate  higher,  but  by  bringing 
his  heart  lower. 

Sect.  9.  The  ninth  argument  to  contenta- 
tion. 

The  next  argument  to  contentment  is 
the  shortness  of  life.  It  is  '  but  a  A'^apour,' 
saith  James,  Jam.  iv.  14-.  Life  is  a  wheel 
ever-running.  The  poets  painted  time  with 
wings  to  shew  the  volubility  and  swiftness 
of  it.     Job  compares  it  to  a  swift  post,  Job 


ART  OF  DIVINE  CONTENTMENT. 


715 


ix.  25. ; — our  life  rides  post — and  to  a  day, 
not  a  year.  It  is  indeed  like  a  day.  In- 
fancy is  as  it  were  the  day-break, — youth 
is  the  sun-rising, — full  growth  is  the  sun 
in  the  meridian, — old  age  is  sun-setting, — 
sickness  is  the  evening, — then  comes  the 
iiiglit  of  death.  IIow  quickly  is  this  day 
of  life  spent  !  Oftentimes  this  sun  goes 
down  at  noon-day  ;  life  ends  before  the 
evening  of  old  age  comes.  Nay,  sometimes 
the  sun  of  life  sets  presently  after  sun-rising. 
Quickly  after  the  dawning  of  infancy  the 
night  of  death  approaches.  O,  how  short 
is  the  life  of  man  !  The  consideration  of 
the  brevity  of  life  may  work  the  heart  to 
contentment.  Reinember  thou  art  to  be 
liere  but  a  day ;  thou  hast  but  a  short  way 
to  go,  and  what  needs  a  long  provision  for 
a  short  way  ?  If  a  traveller  hath  but  e- 
nough  to  bring  him  to  his  journey's  end  he 
desires  no  more.  We  have  but  a  day  to 
live,  and  perhaps  we  may  be  in  the  twelfth 
hour  of  the  day  ;  why  if  God  gives  us  but 
enough  to  bear  our  charges,  till  night,  it  is 
sufficient,  let  us  be  content.  If  a  man  had 
the  lease  of  an  house,  or  farm,  but  for  two 
or  three  days,  and  he  should  fall  a  building 
and  planting,  would  he  not  be  judged  very 
indiscreet  ?  So,  when  Ave  have  but  a  short 
time  here,  and  death  calls  us  presently  off 
the  stage,  to  thirst  immoderately  after  the 
world,  and  pull  down  our  souls  to  build  up 
an  estate,  it  is  an  extreme  folly.  There- 
fore, as  Esau  said  once,  in  a  profane  sense, 
concerning  his  birth-right,  "  Lo,  I  am  at 
the  point  to  die,  and  what  profit  shall  this 
birth-right  do  me  ?"  so  let  a  Christian  say 
in  a  religious  sense,  "  Lo,  I  am  even  at  the 
point  of  death,  my  grave  is  going  to  be 
made,  and  what  good  will  the  world  do 
me  ?  If  I  have  but  enough  till  sun-setting, 
I  am  content." 

Sect.  10.  Tlie  tenth  argument  to  contenta- 
tion. 

The  tenth  argument  or  motive  to  con- 
tentment is,  consider  seriously  the  nature 
of  a  prosperous  condition.  There  are  in  a 
prosperous  estate  three  things. 

1.  Plus  molesticB, — more  trouble.  Many 
who  have  abundance  of  all  things  to  enjoy, 
yet  have  not  so  much  content  and  sweet- 
ness in  their  lives,  as  some  that  go  to  their 
hard  labour.     Sad,  solicitous  thoughts  do 


often  attend  a  prosperous  condition.  Care 
is  the  malufi  <j:etuus,  or  evil  spirit  which 
haunts  the  rich  man,  and  will  not  suffer 
him  to  be  quiet.  When  his  chest  is  full  of 
gold,  his  heart  is  full  of  care,  either  how  to 
manage,  or  how  to  increase,  or  how  to  se- 
cure what  he  hath  gotten.  O  the  troubles 
and  j)erplexities  that  do  attend  prosperity  ! 
The  world's  high  seats  are  very  uneasy  ; 
sunshine  is  pleasant,  but  sometimes  it 
scorcheth  with  its  heat ;  the  bee  gives  honey, 
but  sometimes  it  stings :  prosperity  hath 
its  sweetness  and  also  its  sting;  'compe- 
tency with  contentment  is  far  more  eligi- 
ble.' Never  did  Jacob  sleep  better  than 
when  he  had  the  heavens  for  his  canopy, 
and  a  hard  stone  for  his  pillow.  A  larire 
voluminous  estate  is  but  like  a  long  trailing 
garment,  which  is  more  troublesome  than 
useful. 

2.  In  a  prosperous  condition  there  is  plus 
pericuU, — more  danger ;  and  that  two  ways  : 

First,  ex  parte  ipsius, — in  respect  of  a 
man's  self.  The  rich  man's  table  is  oft  his 
snare  ;  he  is  ready  to  ingulf  himself  too 
deep  in  these  sweet  waters.  In  this  sense 
it  is  hard  to  know  how  to  abound.  It  must 
be  a  strong  brain  that  bears  heady  wine ; 
he  had  need  have  much  wisdom  and  grace, 
that  knows  how  to  bear  an  high  condition ; 
either  he  is  ready  to  kill  himself  with  care, 
or  to  surfeit  himself  with  luscious  delights. 

0  the  hazard  of  honour,  the  damage  of  dig- 
nity !  Pride,  security,  rebellion,  are  the 
three  worms  that  breed  of  plenty,  Deut. 
xxxii.  15.  The  pastures  of  prosperity  are 
rank  and  surfeiting.  How  soon  are  we 
broken  upon  the  soft  pillow  of  ease  ?  Pros- 
perity is  often  a  trumpet  that  sounds  a  re- 
treat, it  calls  men  off  from  the  pursuit  of 
religion.  Tlie  sun  of  prosperity  oft  dulls 
and  ])uts  out  the  fire  of  zeal ;  how  many 
souls  hath  the  pleurisy  of  abundance  killed  ? 
They  that  "  will  be  rich,  fall  into  snares," 

1  Tim.  vi.  9.  The  world  is  birdlime  at  our 
feet,  it  is  full  of  golden  sands,  but  they  are 
quick-sands.  Prosj)crity,  like  smooth  Ja- 
cob, will  supplant  and  betray ;  a  great  e- 
state,  without  much  vigilancy,  will  be  a 
thief  to  rob  us  of  heaven  ;  such  as  are  upon 
the  pinnacle  of  honour  are  in  most  danger 
of  falling. 

A  lower  estate  is   less  hazardous ;   the 


716 


ART  OF  DIVINE  CONTENTMENT. 


little  pinnace  rides  safe  by  the  shore,  when 
the  gallant  ship  advancing  witli  its  mast 
and  top-sail,  is  cast  away.     Homo  rictus  in 
paridiso,  victor  in  stercore.     Adam  in  ])ara- 
dise  was  overcome,  when  Job  on  the  dung- 
hill was  a  conqueror.      Samson  fell  asleep 
in  Delilah's  lap  :   some  have  fallen  so  fast 
asleep  on  the  lap  of  ease  and  plenty,  that 
they  have  never  awaked  till  they  have  been 
in  hell.     The  world's  fawning  is  worse  than 
its  frowning,   and  it  is  more  to  be  feared 
when    it    smiles    than    when    it    thunders. 
Prosperity,  in  scripture,  is  compared  to  a 
candle.   Job  xxix.  3.,    "  When   his   candle 
shined   upon  my  head."     How  many  have 
burnt  their  wings  about  this  candle  !     Se- 
getem  uhertas  nimia  sternit ;  rami  onerefran- 
guntur ;  ad  matiiritatem  non  perverdt  nimicB 
foocunditas, — the  corn  being  OA-er-ripe,  sheds; 
and  fruit,  when  it  mellows,  begins  to  rot ; 
when  men  do  mellow  with  the  sun  of  pros- 
perity, commonly  their  souls  begin  to  rot 
in  sin.     "  How  hardly  shall  they  that  have 
riches   enter  into  the   kingdom   of  God  !" 
Luke  xviii.  24.     His  golden  weights  keep 
him   from   ascending  up  the  hill  of  God ; 
and  shall  we  not  be  content,  though  we  are 
placed  in  a  lower  orb  ?     What  if  we  are  not 
in  so  much  bravery  and  gallantry  as  others  ? 
We  are  not  in  so  much  danger ;  as  we  want 
the  honour  of  the  world,  so  the  temptations. 
O  the  abundance  of  danger  that  is  in  abun- 
dance !  We  see,  by  common  experience,  that 
lunatics,  when  the  moon  is  declining,  and 
in  the  wane,  are  sober  enough,  but  when  it 
is  full  they  are  wild  and  more  exorbitant : 
when  men's  estates  are  in  the  wane,  they 
are  more   serious  about   their  souls,   more 
liumble,  but  when  it  is  the  full  of  the  moon, 
and  they  have  abundance,  then  their  hearts 
begin  to  swell  with  their  estates,  and  are 
scarce  themselves.     Those  that  write  con- 
cerning the  several  climates,  observe,  that 
guch  as  live  in  the  northern  parts  of  the 
world,  if  yon  bring  them  into  the  south  part, 
they  lose  their  stomachs,  and  die  quicklv ; 
but  those  that  live  in  the  more  southern 
and  hot  climates,  bring  them  into  the  north, 
and   their  stomachs    mend,    and   they   are 
long-lived  ;  give  me  leave  to  apply  it.  Bring 
a  man  from  the  cold,  starving  climate  of 
poverty,  into  the  hot  southern  climate  of 
prosperity,  and  he  begins  to  lose  his  appe- 


tite to  good  things,  he  grows  weak,  and  a 
thousand  to  one  if  all  his  religion  doth  not 
die ;  but  bring  a  Christian  from  the  south 
to  the  north, — from  a  rich  flourisliing  e- 
state  into  a  jejune  low  condition, — let  him 
come  into  a  more  cold  and  hungry  air, — • 
and  then  his  stomach  mends,  he  hath  a  bet- 
ter ajipetite  after  heavenly  things,  he  hun- 
gers more  after  Christ,  he  thirsts  more  for 
grace,  he  eats  more  at  one  meal  of  the  bread 
of  life,  than  at  six  before  ;  this  man  is  now 
like  to  live  and  hold  out  in  his  religion. 
Be  content  then  with  a  modicum  ;  if  you 
have  but  enough  to  pay  for  your  passage 
to  heaven,  it  sufficeth. 

2.  A  prosperous  condition  is  dangerous 
in  regard  of  others.  A  great  estate,  for  the 
most  part,  draws  envy  to  it.  Gen.  xxvi.  12, 
13,  14.,  whereas  in  little  there  is  quiet. 
David  a  shepherd  was  quiet,  but  David  a 
a  courtier  was  pursued  by  his  enemies  ;  en- 
vy cannot  endure  a  superior ;  an  envious 
man  knows  not  how  to  Wve  but  upon  the 
ruins  of  his  neighbours  ;  he  raiseth  himself 
higher  by  bringing  others  lower.  Pros- 
perity is  an  eye-sore  to  many.  Such  sheep 
as  have  most  wool  are  soonest  fleeced.  The 
barren  tree  gi'ows  peaceably  ;  no  man  med- 
dles with  the  ash  or  willow,  but  the  apple- 
tree  and  the  damasin  shall  have  many  rude 
suitors.  O  then  be  contented  to  carry  a 
lesser  sail !  He  that  hath  less  revenues 
hath  less  envy  ;  such  as  bear  the  fairest 
frontispiece,  and  make  the  greatest  shew  in 
the  world,  are  the  white  for  envy  and  ma- 
lice to  shoot  at. 

3.  A  prosperous  condition  hath  in  it  a 
greater  reckoning ;  every  man  must  be  re- 
sponsible for  his  talents.  Thou  that  hast 
great  possessions  in  the  world,  dost  thou 
trade  thy  estate  for  God's  glory?  Art  thou 
rich  in  good  works  ?  Grace  makes  a  pri- 
vate person  a  common  good.  Dost  thou 
disburse  thy  money  for  public  uses  ?  It  is 
lawful,  in  this  sense,  to  put  out  our  money 
to  use.  O  let  us  all  remember  an  estate  is 
a  depositum, — we  are  but  stewards  ;  and 
our  Lord  and  Master  Avill  ere  long  say, 
"  give  an  account  of  your  stewardsjiip  ;" 
the  greater  our  estate,  the  greater  our  charge, 
tlie  more  our  revenues,  the  more  our  reck- 
onings. You  that  have  a  lesser  mill  going 
in  the  world,  be  content :  God  will  expect 


ART  OF  DIVINE  CONTENTMENT. 


717 


less  from  you,  where  he  hath  sowed  more 
Bparingly. 

Sect.  11.  The  eleventh  argumait  to  con- 
tffitation. 

Tlie  eleventh  argument  is  the  example  of 
those  who  have  been  eminent  for  con  ten  ta- 
tion.  Examples  are  usually  more  forcible 
than  precepts.  Abraham  being  called  out 
to  hot  service,  and  such  as  was  against  flesh 
and  blood,  was  content.  God  bid  him  offer 
up  his  son  Isaac,  Gen.  xxii.  2.  This  was 
great  work  :  Isa<ic  was  /i/ius  seiiectufis,  the 
son  of  his  old  age ;  Jilius  cle/ectioriis,  the  son 
of  his  love  ;  Jiliifs  promisi,  the  son  of  the 
promise;  Christ  the  Messiah  was  to  come 
of  his  line,  "  In  Isaac  shall  thy  seed  be 
called ;"  so  that  to  offer  up  Isaac  seemed 
not  only  to  oppose  Abraham's  reason,  but 
his  faith  too ;  for,  if  Isaac  die,  the  world — 
for  oujiht  he  knew — must  be  without  a  Me- 
diator.  Besides,  if  Isaac  be  sacrificed,  was 
there  no  other  hand  to  do  it  but  Abraham's  ? 
Must  the  father  needs  be  the  executioner  ? 
I^Iust  he  that  was  the  instrument  of  gi^^ng 
Isaac  his  being,  be  the  instrument  of  taking 
it  away  ?  Yet  Abraham  doth  not  dispute 
or  hesitate,  but  believes  '  against  hope,'  and 
is  content  with  God's  prescription  :  so,  when 
God  called  him  to  leave  his  country,  Ileb. 
xi.  8.,  he  was  content.  Some  would  have 
argued  thus:  "What!  Leave  my  friends, 
my  native  soil,  my  brave  situation,  and  go 
turn  pilgrim  ?"  Abraham  is  content.  Be- 
sides Abraham  went  blindfolds,  "  he  knew 
not  whither  he  went."  God  held  him  in 
suspense  ;  he  must  go  wander  he  knows  not 
where  ;  and  when  he  doth  come  to  the  place 
God  hath  laid  out  for  him,  he  knows  not 
what  oppositions  he  shall  meet  with  there. 
The  world  doth  seldom  cast  a  favourable 
aspect  upon  strangers,  Gen.  xxxi.  15.  Yet 
he  is  content,  and  obeys,  "  he  sojourned  in 
the  land  of  promise,"  Ileb.  xi.  9.  Behold 
a  little  his  pilgrimage.  First,  he  goes  to 
Charran,  a  city  in  Mesopotamia.  AVhon  he 
had  sojourned  there  awhile,  his  fatlier  dies. 
Then  he  removed  to  Sichem,  then  to  Beth- 
lehem in  Canaan  ;  there  a  famine  ariseth  ; 
then  he  went  down  to  Egypt ;  after  that  he 
returns  into  Canaan.  When  he  comes  there, 
it  is  true  he  had  a  promise,  but  he  found 
nothing  to  answer  expectation  ;  he  had  not 
there  one  foot  of  land,  but  was  an  exile. 


In  this  time  of  his  sojourning  he  buried  his 
wife :  and  as  for  his  dwellings,  he  had 
no  sumptuous  buildings,  but  led  his  life 
in  poor  cottages :  all  this  was  enough 
to  have  broken  any  man's  heart.  Abra- 
ham might  think  thus  with  liimself :  "  Is 
this  the  land  I  must  possess  ?  here  is  no 
probability  of  ,iny  good  ;  all  things  are  a- 
gainst  me."  V/ell,  is  he  discontented  ?  No ; 
God  saith  to  him,  "  Abraham,  go,  leave  thy 
country,"  and  this  word  was  enoutrh  to  lead 
him  all  the  world  over  ;  he  is  presently  upon 
his  march.  Here  was  a  man  had  learned 
to  be  content.  But  let  us  descend  a  little 
lower,  to  heathen  Zeno,  of  whom  Seneca 
speaks,  who  had  once  been  very  rich,  hear- 
ing of  a  shipwreck,  and  that  all  his  goods 
were  drowned  at  sea  :  "  Fortune,"  saitli  he, 
(he  spake  in  an  heathen  dialect)  "  hath 
dealt  with  me,  and  would  have  me  now 
study  philosophy."  He  was  content  to 
change  his  course  of  life,  to  leave  off  being 
a  merchant,  and  turn  a  philosopher.  And 
if  a  heathen  said  thus,  shall  not  a  Christian 
much  more  say,  when  the  world  is  drained 
from  him,  Jubit  Deus  mundiim  derelinqucre 
et  Christum  expeditua  seqni, — God  woula 
have  me  leave  off  following  the  world,  and 
study  Christ  more,  and  how  to  get  to  hea- 
ven ?  Do  I  see  an  heathen  contented,  and  a 
Christian  disquieted  ?  How  did  heathens 
vilify  those  things  which  Christians  did 
magnify  ?  Though  they  knew  not  God,  or 
what  true  happiness  meant ;  yet,  they  would 
speak  very  sublimely  of  a  numen  or  deity, 
and  of  the  life  to  come,  as  Aristotle  and 
Plato  ;  and  for  those  elysian  delights,  which 
they  did  but  fancy,  they  undervalued  and 
contemned  the  things  here  below  !  It  was 
the  doctrine  tliey  taught  their  scliolars.  and 
which  some  of  them  j.ractised,  that  tlu>y 
should  strive  to  be  contented  witli  a  little ; 
they  were  willing  to  make  an  exchange,  and 
have  less  gold,  and  more  learning ;  and  shall 
not  we  be  content  tlien  to  have  less  of  the 
world,  so  we  may  have  more  of  Christ? 
IMay  not  Christians  blush  to  see  the  healliens 
content  with  a  viaticum,  so  mucli  as  would 
recruit  nature;  and  to  see  themsehes  so 
transported  with  the  love  of  earthly  things, 
that  if  they  begin  a  little  to  abate,  and  the 
bill  of  provision  grows  short,  they  murmur, 
and  are  like  Micah,  Have  ye  taken  awav 


718 


ART  OF  DIVINE  CONTENTMENT. 


mv  gods,   and  do  you  ask  me  what  aileth 
me  ?  Judg.  xviii.  24.     Have  heathens  gone 
so  far  in  contentation,  and  is  it  not  sad  for 
us  to  come  sliort  of  heaven  ?  These  heroes 
of  their  time,  how  did  they  embrace  death 
itself!    Socrates  died  in   prison;  Hercules 
was  burnt  alive  ;  Cato — whom  Seneca  calls 
the  lively  image  and  portraiture  of  virtue — 
thrust    through    with   a  sword ;    but    how 
bravely,  and  with  contentment  of  spirit  did 
they  die?  "  Shall  I  (said  Seneca)  weep  for 
Cato,  or  Regulus,  or  the  rest  of  those  wor- 
thies,  that  died  with  so   much  valour  and 
patience  ?"     Did  not  cross  providence  make 
them  to  alter  their  countenance  ?  And  do  I 
see  a  Christian  appalled  and  amazed  ?    Did 
not  death  affright  them  ?  And  doth  it  dis- 
tract us  ?    Did   the  spring-head   of  nature 
rise  so  high  ?  And  shall  not  grace,  like  the 
waters  of  the  sanctuary,  rise  higher?    We 
that  pretend  to  live  by  faith,  may  we  not 
go  to  school  to  them  who  had  no  other  pilot 
but   reason  to  guide   them?    Nay,  let   me 
come  a  step  lower,  to  creatures  void  of  rea- 
son ;   we  see  every  creature   is   contented 
with  its  allowance, — the  beasts  with  their 
provender, — the  birds  with  their  nests, — 
they  live  only  upon  providence  ;  and  shall 
we   make   ourselves    below   them  ?    Let  a 
Christian  go  to  school  to  the  ox   and  the 
ass  to  learn   contentedness ;  we  think  we 
never  have  enough,  and  are  still  laying  up: 
the  fowls  of  the  air  do  not  lay  up,  they  reap 
not,  nor  gather  into  barns,  Mat.  vi.  26.     It 
is  an  argument  which  Christ  brings  to  make 
Christians  contented  with  their  condition ; 
the  birds  do  not  lay  up,   yet  they  are  pro- 
vided for,  and  are  contented ;  are  ye  not, 
saith  Christ,  '  much  better  than  they  ?'  But 
if  you  are  discontented,  are  you  not  much 
worse    than   they  ?     Let    these    examples 
quicken  us. 

Sect.  12.  The  twelfth  argument  to  contenta- 
tion. 

The  twelftli  argument  to  contentation  is, 
whatever  change  of  trouble  a  cliild  of  God 
meets  with,  it  is  all  the  hell  he  sliall  have. 
Whatever  eclipse  may  be  upon  his  name  or 
estate,  I  may  say  of  it,  as  Athanasius  of  his 
banishment,  it  is  a  little  cloud  tliat  will 
soon  be  blown  over,  and  then  his  gulf  is 
shot,  his  hell  is  past.  Death  begins  a  wick- 
ed man's  hell,  but  it  puts  an  end  to  a  godly 


man's  hell.  Think  with  thyself,  what  if 
I  endure  this  ?  It  is  but  a  temporary  hell  : 
indeed  if  all  our  hell  be  here,  it  is  but  an 
easy  hell.  What  is  the  cup  of  affliction  to 
the  cup  of  damnation  ?  Lazarus  could  not 
get  a  crumb  :  he  was  so  diseased  tliat  the 
dogs  took  j)ity  on  him,  and,  as  if  they  had 
been  his  physicians,  licked  his  sores  :  but 
this  was  an  easy  hell,  the  angels  quickly 
fetched  him  out  of  it.  If  all  our  hell  be  in 
this  life,  in  the  midst  of  this  hall  we  may 
have  the  love  of  God,  and  tlien  it  is  no  more 
hell  but  paradise.  If  our  hell  be  here,  we 
may  see  to  the  bottom  of  it ;  it  is  but  skin- 
deep,  it  cannot  touch  the  soul,  and  we  may 
see  to  the  end  of  it ;  it  is  an  hell  tliat  is 
short-lived ;  after  a  wet  night  of  affliction, 
comes  the  bright  morning  of  the  resurrec- 
tion ;  if  our  lives  are  short,  our  trials  cannot 
be  long;  as  our  riches  take  wings  and  fly, 
so  do  our  sufferings ;  then  let  us  be  con- 
tented. 

Sect.  13.    The  thirteenth  argument  to  con- 
tentation. 

The  last  argument  to  contentment  is  this, 
to  have  a  competency,  and  to  want  content- 
ment, is  a  great  judgment.     For  a  man  to 
have  a  huge  stomach,   that  whatever  meat 
you  give  him  he  is  still  craving  and  never 
satisfied,    you  use   to   say,  this  is  a  great 
judgment  upon  the  man  :   thou  who  art  a 
devourer  of  money,  and  yet  never  hast  e- 
nough,  but  still  criest,  give,  give,   this  is  a 
sad  judgment:    "They  shall  eat,  and  not 
have  enough,"  Hos.  iv.  10.     The  throat  of 
a  malicious  man  is  an  open  sepulchre,  Rom. 
iii.  13.     So  is  the  heart  of  a  covetous  man. 
Covetousness  is  not  only  malum  culpce,  but 
malum  pance, — it  is  not  only  a  sin,  but  the 
punishment  of  a  sin.     It  is  a  secret  curse 
upon  a  covetous  person  ;  he  shall  thirst,  and 
thirst,   and  never  be  satisfied.     "  He  that 
loves  silver  shall  not  be  satisfied  with  sil- 
ver," Eccl.  V.  10.     And  is  not  this  a  curse? 
What  was  it  but  a  severe  judgment  upon 
the  people  of  Judah  ?  "  Ye  eat,  but  ye  lu-n-e 
not  enough  ;  ye  drink,  but  ye  are  not  filled 
with  drink,"  Hag.  i.  6.     O  let  us  take  heed 
of  this  plague  !  Did  Esau  say  to  his  brother, 
'   I    have    abundance,    my   brother,'    Gen. 
xxxvii.  9.     Or,   as  we  translate  it,    I  have 
enough  ;   and  shall  not  a  Christian   say  so 
much  more  ?  It  is  sad  that  our  hearts  should 


ART  OF  DIVINE  CONTENTMENT, 


719 


be  dead  to  heavenly  things,  and  a  spunge 
to  suck  in  earthly.  Yet  all  that  hath  been 
said,  will  not  work  our  minds  to  heavenly 
conteutiition. 

Chap.  XII.  Three  things  inserted  by 
WAY  OF  Caution. 

In   the  next   ])lace,  I  come  to  lay  down 

ome  necessary  cautions.     Though  I  say  a 

man  should  be  content  in  every  estate,  yet 

there  are  three  estates  in  which  he   must 

not  be  contented. 

Caution  \st.  He  must  not  be  contented 
in  a  natural  estate  :  here  he  must  learn  not 
to  be  content.  A  sinner  in  his  pure  natu- 
rals is  under  the  wrath  of  God,  John  iii.  16. ; 
and  shall  he  be  content  when  that  dread- 
ful vial  is  going  to  be  poured  out  ?  Is  it 
nothing  to  be  under  the  scorchings  of  di- 
vine fury  ?  "  Who  can  dwell  with  ever- 
lasting burnings  ?"  A  sinner,  as  a  sinner, 
is  under  the  power  of  Satan,  Acts  xxvi. 
18.,  and  shall  he  in  this  estate  be  content- 
ed? Vf[\o  would  be  contented  to  stay  in 
the  onemios'  quarters  ?  While  we  sleep  in 
the  lap  of  sill,  tlie  devil  doth  to  us  as  the 
Philistines  did  to  Samson,  cut  out  the  lock 
of  our  strength,  and  put  out  our  eyes.  Be 
not  content,  O  sinner,  in  this  estate  !  For 
a  man  to  be  in  debt,  body  and  soul, — in 
fear  every  hour  to  be  arrested  and  carried 
prisoner  to  hell, — shall  he  now  be  content? 
Here  I  preach  against  contentation.  Oh 
get  out  of  this  condition  !  I  would  hasten 
you  out  of  it  as  the  angel  hastened  Lot  out 
of  Sodom,  Gen.  xix.  15.  There  is  the 
smell  of  the  fire  and  brimstone  upon  you. 
The  longer  a  man  stays  in  his  sin,  the  more 
sin  doth  strengthen.  It  is  hard  to  get  out 
of  sin,  when  the  heart  as  a  garrison  is  vic- 
tualled and  fortified.  A  young  plant  is 
easily  removed,  but  when  the  tree  is  once 
rooted,  there  is  no  stirring  of  it :  thou  who 
art  rooted  in  thy  pride,  unbelief,  impcni- 
tency,  it  will  cost  thee  many  a  sad  pull  ere 
tliou  art  plucked  out  of  tliy  natural  estate, 
Jer.  vi.  16.  'Tis  an  hard  thin":  to  have  a 
brazen  face  and  a  broken  heart;  "  he  tra- 
vaileth  with  iniquity,"  Ps.  vii.  14. :  be  as- 
sured, the  longer  you  travail  with  your  sins, 
the  more  and  the  sharper  pangs  you  must 
expect  in  the  new  birth.  O  be  not  con- 
tented with   your  natural    estate  !    David 


saith,  "  WTiy  art  thou  cast  down,  O  my 
soul  ?"  Ps.  xliii.  5.  But  a  sinner  should 
say  to  himself,  why  art  thou  not  disquited, 
O  my  soul  ?  Why  is  it  that  thou  layest  af- 
flictions so  to  heart,  and  canst  not  lay  sin 
to  heart  ?  It  is  a  mercy  when  we  arc  dis- 
quieted about  sin.  A  man  had  better  be 
at  the  trouble  of  setting  a  bone,  than  to  be 
lame,  and  in  pain  all  his  life  ;  blessed  is 
that  trouble  that  brings  the  soul  to  Christ. 
It  is  one  of  the  worst  sights  to  see  a  bad 
conscience  quiet ;  of  the  two,  better  is  a 
fever  than  a  lethargy.  I  wonder  to  soo  a 
man  in  his  natural  estate  content.  What  1 
content  to  go  to  hell  ? 

Caution  2d.  Though,  in  regard  of  exter- 
nals, a  man  should  be  in  every  state  con- 
tent, yet  he  must  not  be  content  in  such  a 
condition  wherein  God  is  apparently  disho- 
noured. If  a  man's  trade  be  such  that  he 
can  hardly  use  it,  but  he  must  trespass  up- 
on a  command,  and  so  make  a  trade  of 
sin,  he  must  not  content  himself  in  such  a 
condition  ;  God  never  called  any  man  to 
such  a  calling  as  is  sinful ;  a  man  in  this 
case,  had  better  knock  off  and  divert, — 
better  lose  some  of  his  gain,  so  he  may  les- 
sen some  of  his  guilt.  So,  for  servants 
that  live  in  a  profane  family — the  suburbs 
of  hell — where  the  name  of  God  is  not  call- 
ed upon,  unless  when  it  is  taken  in  vain, 
they  are  not  to  content  themselves  in  such 
a  place,  they  are  to  come  out  of  the  tents 
of  these  sinners  ;  there  is  a  double  dansrer 
in  living  among  the  profane. 

1.  Lest  we  come  to  be  infected  with  the 
poison  of  their  ill  example.     Joseph,  living 
in  Pharaoh's  court  had  learned   to  swear 
"  by  the   life   of  Pharaoh,"  Gen.   xlii.    1.5. 
We  are  prone  to  suck    in  example:    men 
take  in  deeper  impressions  by  the  eye  than 
by  the  ear.     Dives  was  a  bad  pattern,  and 
he  had  many  brethren  that  seeing  him  sin, 
trode  just  in  his  steps,  therefore  saith  he, 
"  I  pray    thee   send    him    to    my    father's 
house :    for  I  have  five  brethren  ;  that  he 
may  testify  unto  them,  lest  they  also  come 
into  this  place  of  torment,"  Luke  xvi.  27, 
28.     Dives  knew  which    way  they  went ; 
it  is  easy  to  catch  a  disease  from  another 
but   not   to   catch    health.     The    bad    will 
sooner  corrupt  the  good,  than  the  good  will 
convert  the  bad.     Take  an  equal  quantity 


i20 


ART  OF  DIVINE  CONTENTMENT. 


and  proportion,  so  much  sweet  wine  with 
so  much  sour  vinegar ;  the  vinegar  will 
sooner  sour  the  wine  than  tlie  wine  will 
sweeten  the  vinegar.  Sin  is  compared  to 
the  i>lague,  1  Kings  viii.  37.  And  to  lea- 
ven, 1  Cor.  V.  7.  To  shew  of  wliat  a 
spreading  nature  it  is.  A  bad  master  makes 
a  bad  servant.  Jacob's  cattle,  by  looking 
on  the  rods  which  were  speckled  and  ring- 
straked,  conceived  like  the  rods.  We  do  a-i 
we  see  others  do  before  us,  especially  those 
that  are  above  us.  If  the  head  be  sick,  the 
other  parts  of  the  body  are  distempered. 
If  the  sun  shines  not  upon  tlie  mountains, 
it  must  needs  set  in  the  vallies.  We  pray, 
"  lead  us  not  into  temptation  :"  Lot  was 
the  world's  miracle,  who  kept  himself  fresh 
in  Sodom's  salt  water. 

2.  Bv  living  in  an  evil  family,  we  are 
liable  to  incur  their  punishment.  "  Pour 
out  thy  wrath  upon  the  families  that  call 
not  upon  thy  name,"  Jer.  x.  25.  For 
Avant  of  pouring  out  of  prayer,  the  wrath 
of  God  was  ready  to  be  poured  out.  It  is 
dangerous  living  in  the  tents  of  Kedar. 
When  God  sends  his  flying  roll,  written 
within  and  without  with  curses,  it  enters 
into  the  house  of  the  thief  and  the  perjurer, 
"  and  consumes  the  timber  and  the  stonos 
thereof,"  Zech.  v.  4.  Is  it  not  of  sad  con- 
sequence to  live  in  a  profane  perjured  fa- 
mily, when  the  sin  of  the  governor  pulls 
his  house  about  his  ears?  If  the  stones 
and  timber  be  destroyed,  how  shall  the 
servant  escape?  And  suppose  God  send 
not  a  temporal  roll  of  curses  in  the  family, 
there  is  a  spiritual  roll,  and  that  is  Avorse, 
Prov.  iii.  33.  Be  not  content  to  live  where 
religion  dies.  "  Salute  the  brethren,  and 
Nymphas,  and  the  church  which  is  in  his 
house,"  Col.  iv.  15.  The  house  of  the  god- 
ly is  a  little  church,  the  house  of  the  wicked 
a  little  hell,  Prov.  vii.  27.  Oli,  incorporate 
yourselves  into  a  religious  family.  The 
house  of  a  good  man  is  ])erfumcd  with  a 
blessing,  Prov.  iii.  33.  When  llie  holy  oil 
of  grace  is  poured  on  the  head,  the  savour 
of  this  ointment  sweetly  diffuscth  itself, 
and  the  virtue  of  it  runs  down  u])on  the 
skirts  of  the  family.  Pious  examples  are 
very  magiietical  and  forcible.  Seneca  said 
to  his  sister,  though  I  leave  you  not  wealth, 
yet  I  leave  you  a  good  example.     Let  us 


ingraft  ourselves  among  the  saints  ;  by  be- 
ing often  among  the  spices,  we  come  to 
smell  of  them. 

Caution  Sd.  The  third  caution  is,  though 
in  every  condition  we  must  be  content, 
yet  we  are  not  to  content  ourselves  with  a 
little  grace.  Grace  is  the  best  blessing. 
Thoiiffh  we  should  be  contented  with  a  com- 
petency  of  estate,  yet  not  with  a  competency 
of  grace.  It  was  the  end  of  Christ's  ascen 
sion  to  heaven,  to  give  gifts;  and  the  end 
of  those  gifts  "  that  we  may  grow  up  into 
him  in  all  things  who  is  the  head,  even 
Christ,"  Eph.  iv.  15.  Where  the  apostle 
distinguisheth  between  our  being  in  Christ, 
and  our  growing  in  him, — our  ingrafting 
and  our  flourishing ;  be  not  content  with  a 
modicum  in  religion.  It  is  not  enough 
that  there  be  life,  but  there  must  be  fruit. 
Barrenness  in  the  law  was  accounted  a 
curse.  The  farther  we  are  from  fruit,  the 
nearer  we  are  to  cursing,  Heb.  vi.  8.  It  is 
a  sad  thing  when  men  are  fruitful  only  in 
the  unfruitful  works  of  darkness.  Be  not 
content  with  a  drachm  or  two  of  grace ; 
next  to  a  still-born,  a  starveling  in  Christ 
is  worst.  O  covet  more  grace !  Never 
think  thou  hast  enough.  We  are  bid  to 
covet  the  best  things,"  1  Cor.  xii.  31.  It 
is  an  heavenly  ambition  when  we  desire  to 
be  high  in  God's  favour  ;  a  blessed  conten- 
tion when  all  the  strife  is  who  shall  be  most 
holy.  St.  Paul,  though  he  was  content 
with  a  little  of  the  world,  yet  not  a  little 
grace  :  '  he  reached  forward,  and  pressed 
towards  the  mark  of  the  high  callinsf  of 
God  in  Christ  Jesus,'  Phil.  iii.  13,  U.  A 
true  Christian  is  a  wonder;  he  is  the  most 
contented,  and  yet  the  least  satisfied;  he  is 
contented  with  a  morsel  of  bread,  and  a  little 
water  in  the  cruise,  yet  never  satisfied  with 
grace ;  lie  doth  pant  and  breathe  after  more 
this  is  Isis  prayer,  "  Lord,  more  conformity 
to  Christ,  more  communion  with  Christ ;" 
he  would  fain  have  Christ's  image  more 
lively  pictured  upon  his  soul.  True  grace 
is  always  progressive;  as  the  saints  are 
called  lami)s  and  stars,  in  regaid  of  their 
light,  so  trees  of  righteousness,  Isa.  Ixi.  3., 
for  their  cfi'owth  :  they  are  indeed  like  the 
tree  of  life,  bringing  forth  several  sorts  o» 
fruit. 

A  true   Christian  grows,   1.  In  beauty. 


ART  OF  DIVINE  CONTENTMENT. 


721 


Grace  is  the  best  complexion  of  the  soul ; 
it  is  at  the  first  plantation,  like  Rachel,  fair 
to  look  upon  ;  but  still  the  more  it  lives, 
the  more  it  sends  forth  its  rays  of  beauty. 
Abraham's  faith  was  at  first  beautiful ;  but 
at  last  did  shine  in  its  orient  colours,  and 
grew  so  illustrious,  that  God  himself  was 
in  love  with  it,  and  makes  his  faith  a  pat- 
tern to  all  believers. 

2.  A  true  Christian  grows  in  sweetness. 
A  poisonous  weed  may  grow  as  much  as 
the  hyssop  or  rosemary, — the  poppy  in  the 
field  as  the  corn, — the  crab  as  the  pear- 
main  ;  but  the  one  hath  a  harsh  sour  taste, 
the  other  mellows  as  it  grows :  an  hypo- 
crite may  grow  in  outward  dimensions,  as 
much  as  a  child  of  God, — he  may  pray  as 
much,  profess  as  much, — but  he  grows  only 
in  magnitude,  he  brings  forth  only  sour 
grapes,  his  duties  are  leavened  with  pride  ; 
the  other  ripens  as  he  grows  :  he  grows  in 
love,  humility,  faith,  which  do  mellow  and 
sweeten  his  duties,  and  make  them  come 
off  with  a  better  relish.  The  believer  grows 
as  the  flower,  he  casts  a  fragrancy  and 
perfume. 

3.  A  true  Christian  grows  in  strength. 
He  grows  still  more  rooted  and  settled.  The 
more  the  tree  grows,  the  more  it  spreads 
its  root  in  the  earth  :  a  Christian  who  is  a 
plant  of  the  heavenly  Jerusalem,  the  longer 
he  grows,  the  more  he  incorporates  into 
Christ,  and  sucks  spiritual  juice  and  sap 
from  him  ;  he  is  a  dwarf  in  regard  of  hu- 
mility, but  a  giant  in  regard  of  strength, — 
he  is  strong  to  do  duties,  to  bear  burdens, 
resist  tentations. 

4.  He  grows  in  the  exercise  of  his  grace ; 
he  hath  not  only  oil  in  his  lamp,  but  his 
lamp  is  also  burning  and  shining.  Grace 
is  agile  and  dexterous.  Christ's  vines  do 
flourish.  Cant.  vi.  11.  Hence  we  read  of  "  a 
lively  hope,"  1  Pet.  i.  3.,  and  "  a  fervent 
love,"  1  Pet.  i.  22.,  here  is  the  activity  of 
grace.  Indeed  sometimes  grace  is  a  sleepy 
habit  of  the  soul,  like  sap  in  the  vine,  not 
exerting  its  vigour,  which  may  be  occa- 
sioned through  spiritual  sloth,  or  by  rea- 
son of  falling  into  some  sin  :  but  this  is  only 
for  a  while :  the  spring  of  grace  will  come, 
— "  the  flowers  w\\\  appear,  and  the  fig- 
tree  put  forth  her  green  figs."  The  fresh 
gales  of  the  Spirit  do  sweetly  revive  and  j 


refacilitate  grace.     The  church  of  Christ, 
whoso  heart  was  a  gsirdcn,  and  her  graces 
as  precious  spices,  ])rays  for  the  heavenly 
breathings  of  the  Spirit,    that  her  sacred 
spices  might  flow  out,  Cant.  vi.  16.     A  true 
Christian  grows  incremento,  both  in  the  kind 
and  in  the  degree  of  grace.     To  his  sj)iri- 
tual  living  he  gets  an  augmentation :  he  adds 
to  "  faith,  virtue  :    to  virtue,    knowledge : 
to  knowledge,  temperance,"  &c.  2  Pet.  i.  .5,  6. 
Here  is  grace  growing  in  its  kind.     And  he 
goes  on  "  from  faith  to  faith,"  Rom.  i.  17., 
there  is  grace  growing  in  the  degree  :    "  We 
are  bound  to  thank   God  always  for  you, 
brethren,   because  your  faith  groweth  ex-- 
ceedingly,"    2   Thess.   i.    3.     It  increaseth 
over  and  above.     And  the  apostle  speaks  of 
those    spiritual    plants   which    were    laden 
with  gospel-fruit,  Phil.  i.  11.     A  Christian 
is  compared   to  the  vine,    (an   emblem  of 
fruitfulness)  he  must  bear  full  clusters  :  we 
are  bid  to  perfect  that  which  is  lacking  in 
our   faith,    1    Thess.   iii.    10.     A   Christian 
must  never  be  so  old  as  to  be  past  bearing ; 
he  brings  forth  fruit  in  his  old  age,  Ps.  xcii.  14. 
An  heaven-born  plant  is  ever  growing ;  he 
never  thinks  he  grows  enough  ;  he  is  not 
content  unless  he  add  every  day  one  cubit 
to  his  spiritual  stature.     We  must  not  be 
content  just  with  so  much   grace  as  will 
keep  life  and  soul  together,   a  drachm  or 
two  will  not  suffice,  but  we  must  be  still 
increasing,    "  with   the  increase   of  God," 
Col.  ii.  1 9.     We  had  need  renew  our  strength- 
as  the  eagle,   Isa.  xl.  31.     Our  sins  are  re- 
newed, our  wants  are  renewed,  our  tenta- 
tions are  renewed,  and  shall  not  our  strength- 
be  renewed  ?  O  be  not  content  with  the  first 
embryo  of  grace, — grace  in  its  infancy  and 
minority  !  You  look  for  degrees  of  glory,, 
be  ye  Christians  of  degrees.     Though  a  be- 
liever should  be  contented  with  a  modicum 
in  his  estate,  yet  not  with  a  modicum  in  re- 
ligion.    A  Christian  of  the  right  breed  la- 
bours still  to  excel  himself,  and  come  nearer 
to  that  holiness  in  God,  who  is  the  original, 
the  pattern,  and  prototype  of  all  holiness. 

Chap.  XIII.     Use  IV.     Shewing  how  a 
Christian    may   know    whether    he 

HATH  LEARNED  THIS  DiVINE  ArT. 

Thus  having  laid  down  these  three  cau- 
tions, I  proceed,  in  the  next  place,  to  an  use 

4  Y 


722 


ART  OF  DIVINE  CONTENTMENT. 


of  trial.  How  may  a  Christian  know  that 
he  hath  learned  this  lesson  of  contentment? 
I  shall  lay  down  some  characters  by  which 
you  shall  know  it. 

Character  \st.  A  contented  spirit  is  a  si- 
lent spirit ;  he  hath  not  one  word  to  say 
against  God  :  "  I  was  dumb  and  silent,  be- 
cause thou  didst  it,"  Ps.  xxxix.  9.  Con- 
tentment silenceth  all  dispute  :  "  He  sitteth 
alone  and  keepeth  silence,"  Lam.  iii.  28. 
There  is  a  sinful  silence,  when  God  is  dis- 
honoured, his  truth  wounded,  and  men  hold 
their  peace, — this  silence  is  a  loud  sin  ;  and 
there  is  a  holy  silence,  when  the  soul  sits 
down  quiet  and  content  with  its  condition. 
When  Samuel  tells  Eli  that  heavy  message 
from  God,  that  he  would  "  judge  his  house, 
and  that  the  iniquity  of  his  family  should 
not  be  purged  away  witli  sacrifice  for  ever," 
1  Sam.  iii.  13,  14.,  doth  Eli  murmur  or  dis- 
pute ?  No,  he  hatli  not  one  word  to  say  a- 
gainst  God  :  "  It  is  the  Lord,  let  him  do 
what  seemeth  him  good."  A  discontented 
spirit  saith  as  Pharaoh,  "  Who  is  the  Lord  ?" 
Why  should  I  suifer  all  this  ?  Wliy  should 
I  be  brought  into  this  low  condition  ?  "  Who 
is  the  Lord  ?"  But  a  gracious  heart  saith, 
as  Eli,  "It  is  the  Lord,"  let  him  do  what 
he  will  with  me.  When  Nadab  and  Abihu, 
the  sons  of  Aaron,  had  offered  up  strange 
fire,  and  fire  went  from  the  Lord  and  de- 
voured them.  Lev.  x.  1.,  is  Aaron  now  in  a 
passion  of  discontent  ?  No,  "  Aaron  held 
his  peace."  A  contented  spirit  is  never 
angry  unless  with  himself  for  having  hard 
thoughts  of  God.  When  Jonah  said,  "  I 
do  well  to  be  angry,"  this  was  not  a  content- 
ed spirit,  it  did  not  become  a  prophet. 

Character  2d.  A  contented  spirit  is  a 
cheerful  spirit ;  the  Greeks  call  it  euthema. 
Contentment  is  sometliing  more  than  pa- 
tience, for  patience  denotes  only  submis- 
sion,— contentment  denotes  cheerfulness. 
A  contented  Christian  is  more  than  ])assive; 
he  doth  not  only  bear  the  cross,  but  take 
up  the  cross.  Mat.  vi.  24.  He  looks  upon 
God  as  a  wise  God ;  and  whatever  lie  dotli, 
though  it  be  not  willingly,  yet  sensibly,  it 
is  in  order  to  a  cure.  Hence  the  contented 
Christian  is  cheerful,  and  with  the  apostle, 
*'  takes  pleasure  in  infirmities,  distresses," 
&c.  2  Cor.  xii.  10.  He  doth  not  only  sub- 
mit to  God's  dealings,  but  rejoice  in  them ; 


he  doth  not  o  ly  say,  *  Just  is  the  Lord  in 
all  that  hath  befallen  me,'  but  '  Good  is  the 
Lord.'  This  is  to  be  contented.  A  sullen 
melancholy  is  hateful.  It  is  said,  "  God 
loveth  a  cheerful  giver,"  2  Cor.  ix.  7.,  aye, 
and  God  loves  a  cheerful  liver.  We  are 
bid  in  scripture,  "  not  to  be  careful,"  but 
we  are  not  bid  not  to  be  cheerful.  He  that 
is  contented  with  his  condition,  doth  not 
abate  of  his  spiritual  joy ;  and  indeed  he 
hath  that  within  him  which  is  the  ground 
of  cheerfulness  ;  he  carries  a  pardon  sealed 
in  his  heart,  Mat.  ix.  2. 

Character  3d.  A  contented  spirit  is  a 
thankful  spirit.  This  is  a  degree  above  the 
other;  "  In  every  thing  giving  thanks,'* 
1  Thess.  v.  18.  A  gracious  heart  spies  mer- 
cy in  every  condition,  therefore  hath  his 
heart  screwed  vip  to  thankfulness;  others 
will  bless  God  for  prosperity,  he  blesseth 
him  for  affliction.  Tlius  he  reasons  with 
himself:  Am  I  in  want?  God  sees  it  better 
for  me  to  want  than  to  abound ;  God  is 
now  dieting  of  me,  he  sees  it  better  for  my 
spiritual  health  sometimes  to  be  kept  fast- 
ing ;  therefore  he  doth  not  only  submit  but 
is  thankful.  The  malcontent  is  ever  com- 
plaining of  his  condition;  the  contented 
spirit  is  ever  giving  thanks.  O  what  height 
of  grace  is  this  !  A  contented  heart  is  a 
temple  where  the  praises  of  God  are  sung 
forth,  not  a  sepulchre  wherein  they  are  bu- 
ried. A  contented  Christian  in  the  greatest 
straits  hath  his  heart  enlarged  and  dilated 
in  thankfulness;  lie  oft  contemplates  God's 
love  in  election ;  he  sees  that  he  is  a  mo- 
nument of  mercy,  therefore  desires  to  be  a 
pattern  of  praise.  There  is  always  gratu- 
latory  music  in  a  contented  soul ;  the  Spirit 
of  grace  works  in  the  heart  like  new  wine, 
which  under  the  heaviest  pressures  of  sor- 
row will  have  a  vent  open  for  thankfulness 
this  is  to  be  content. 

Character  4th.  He  that  is  content,  no 
condition  comes  amiss  to  him  ;  so  it  is  in 
the  text,  "  in  whatever  state  I  am."  A 
contented  Christian  can  turn  himself  to  any 
thing;  either  want  or  abound.  The  people 
of  Israel  knew  neither  how  to  abound,  nor 
yet  how  to  want ;  when  they  were  in  want 
they  murmured  ;  "  Can  God  prepare  a  table 
in  the  wilderness  ?"  and  when  thcv  ate, 
and  were  filled,  then  they  lifted  up  the  heel. 


ART  OF  DIVINE  CONTENTMENT.' 


723 


Paul  knew  liow  to  manage  every  state ;  he 
could  be  either  a  note  higher  or  lower  ;  he 
was,  in  this  sense,  an  universalist,  he  could 
do  any  thing  that  God  would  have  him ;  if 
he  were  in  prosperity,  he  knew  how  to  be 
thankful ;  if  in  adversity,  he  knew  how  to 
be  patient ;  he  was  neither  lifted  up  with 
the  one,  nor  cast  down  with  the  other.     He 
could  carry  a  greater  sail,  or  lesser.     Thus 
a  contented  Christian  knows  how  to  turn 
himself  to  any  condition.     We  have  those 
who  can  be  contented  in  some  condition, 
but  not  in  every  estate :  they  can  be  con- 
tent in  a  wealthy  estate,  when  they  have 
the  streams  of  milk  and  honey  ;  while  God's 
candle  shines  upon  their  head,   now  they 
are  content,  but  if  the  wind  turn  and  be  a- 
gainst  them,    now  they  are   discontented. 
While  they  have  a  silver  crutch  to  lean  up- 
on, they  are  contented  ;  but  if  God  breaks 
this    crutch,    now    they   are   discontented. 
But  Paul  had  learned  in  every  estate  to 
carry  himself  with  an  equanimity  of  mind. 
Others  could  be  content  with  their  afflic- 
tion, so  God  would  give  them  leave  to  pick 
and  choose.     They  could  be  content  to  bear 
such   a   cross ;    they  could   better  endure 
sickness  than  poverty,  or  bear  loss  of  estate 
than  loss  of  children  ;  if  they  might  have 
such  a  man's  cross  they  could  be  content. 
A  contented  Christian  doth  not  go  to  choose 
his  cross,  but  leaves  God  to  choose  for  him ; 
he  is  content  both  for  the  kind  and  the  du- 
ration.    A  contented   spirit  saith,    '•   Let 
God  apply  what  medicine  he  pleaseth,  and 
let  it  lie  on  as  long  as  it  will ;   I  know  when 
it  hath  done  its  cure,  and  eaten  the  venom 
of  sin  out  of  my  heart,  God  will  take  it  off 
again."     In  a  word,  a  contented  Christian, 
being  sweetly  captivated  under  the  autho- 
rity of  the  word,  desires  to  be  wholly  at 
God's  disposal,  and  is  willing  to  live  in  that 
sphere  and  climate  where  God  has  set  liira  : 
And  if  at  any  time  he  hath  been  an  instru- 
ment of  doing  noble  and  brave  service  in 
the  public,  he  knows  he  is  but  a  rational 
tool,  a  servant  to  authority,  and  is  content 
to  return  to  his  former  condition  of  life. 
Cincinnatus,  after  he  had  done  worthil)', 
and  purchased  to  himself  great  fame  in  his 
dictatorship,  did  notwithstanding  afterwards 
voluntarily  return  to  till  and  manure  his 
four  acres  of  ground  :  thus   should  it  be 


with  Christians,  professing  godliness  with 
contentment,  having  served  Mars,  daring 
to  offend  Jupiter ;  lest  otherwise  they  dis- 
cover only  to  the  world  a  brutish  valour, 
being  so  untamed  and  liead-strong,  that 
when  they  had  conquered  others,  yet  they 
ai*e  not  able  to  rule  their  own  spirits. 

Character  5f./i.  lie  that  is  contented  with 
his  condition,  to  rid  himself  out  of  trouble, 
will  not  turn  himself  into  sin.     I  deny  not 
but  a  Christian  may  lawfully  seek  to  change 
his  condition  :  so  far  as  God's  providence 
doth  go  before,  he  may  follow.     But  when 
men  will  not   follow  providence    but    run 
before  it,  as  he  that  said,  "  This  evil  is  of 
the  Lord,  why  should  I  wait  any  longer  ?" 
2  Kings  vi.  33. ;  if  God  doth  not  open  the 
door  of  his  providence,  they  will  break  it 
open,  and  wind  themselves  out  of  affliction 
by  sin ;  bringing  their  souls  into  trouble ; 
this  is  far  from  holy  contentation,  this  is 
unbelief  broken    into    rebellion.      A    con- 
tented Christian  is  willing  to  wait    God's 
leisure,  and  will  not  stir  till  God  open  a 
door.    As  Paul  said  in  another  case,  "  they 
have  beaten  us  openly,  uncondomned,  be- 
ing Romans,  and  have  cast  us  into  prison : 
and   now  do  they  thrust   us  out    privily  ? 
Nay,  verily,  but  let  them  come  themselves 
and  fetch  us  out,"  Acts  xvi.  37.     So,  with 
reverence,  saith   the    contented    Christian, 
God  hath  cast  me  into  this  condition  ;  and 
though  it  be  sad,  and  troublesome,  yet  I 
will  not  stir,  till  God  by  a  clear  providence 
fetch  me  out.     Tiius  those  brave  spirited 
Christians,  Heb.  xi.  35.,   "  They  accepted 
not  deliverance,"  that  is,  upon  base  disho- 
nourable terms.     They  would  rather  stay 
in  prison   than   purchasii  their   liberty  by 
carnal  compliance.     Estius  observes  on  the 
place,  "  they  might  not  only  have  had  their 
enlargements,   but  been  raised  to  honour, 
and  put  into  offices  of  trust,  yet  the  honour 
of  religion  was  dearer  to  them,  than  either 
liberty  or  honour."    A  contented  Christian 
will  not  remove,   till  as  the  Israelites  he 
sees  a  pillar  of  cloud  and  fire  going  before 
him.     "  It  is  good  that  a  man  should  both 
hope,  and  quietly  wait  for  the  salvation  of 
the  Lord,"  Lam.  iii.  26.     It  is  good  to  stay 
God's  leisure  and  not  to  extricate  ourselves 
out  of  trouble,  till  we  see  the  star  of  God's 
providence  pointing  out  a  way  to  us. 


724 


ART  OF  DIVINE  CONTENTMENT. 


Chap.  XIV.  Use  V.  Containing  a  Chris- 
tian Directory,  or  Rules  about  Con- 
tentment. 

I  proceed  now  to  an  use  of  direction,  to 
shew  Christians  how  tliey  may  attain  to 
this  divine  art  of  contentation.  Certainly 
it  is  feasible,  others  of  God's  saints  have 
reached  to  it.  St.  Paul  here  had  it ;  and 
what  do  we  think  of  those  we  read  of  in 
that  little  book  of  martyrs,  Heb.  xi.,  who 
had  trials  of  cruel  mockings  and  scourgings, 
who  wandered  about  in  deserts  and  caves, 
yet  were  contented  ;  so  that  it  is  possible  to 
be  had.  And  here  I  shall  lay  down  some 
rules  for  holy  contentment. 
Rule  1.  Advance  faith. 
All  our  disquiets  do  issue  immediately 
from  unbelief.  It  is  this  that  raiseth  the 
storm  of  discontent  in  the  heart.  O  set 
faith  a-work  !  It  is  the  property  of  faith  to 
silence  our  doublings, — to  scatter  our  fears, 
— to  still  the  heart  when  the  passions  are  up. 
Faith  works  the  heart  to  a  sweet  serene 
composure ;  it  is  not  having  food  and  rai- 
ment, but  having  faith,  which  will  make  us 
content.  Faith  chides  down  passion  ;  when 
reason  begins  to  sink,  let  faith  swim. 

Quest.  How  doth  faith  work  contentment  ? 
Ans.  1.  Faith  shews  the  soul  that  what- 
ever its  trials  are  yet  it  is  from  the  hand  of 
a  father ;  it  is  indeed  a  bitter  cup,  but 
"  shall  I  not  drink  the  cup  which  my  fa- 
ther hath  given  me  to  drink  ?"  It  is  in  love 
to  my  soul :  God  corrects  me  with  the 
same  love  he  crowns  me :  God  is  now 
training  me  up  for  heaven  ;  he  carves  me, 
to  make  me  a  polished  shaft.  These  suf- 
ferings bring  forth  patience,  humility,  even 
the  peaceful  fruits  of  righteousness,  Heb. 
xii.  11.  And  if  God  can  bring  such  sweet 
fruit  out  of  a  sour  stock,  let  him  graft  me 
where  he  pleases.  Thus  faith  brings  the 
heart  to  holy  contentment. 

2.  Faith  sucks  the  honey  of  contentment 
out  of  the  hive  of  the  promise.  Christ  is 
the  vine, — the  promises  are  the  clusters  of 
grapes  that  grow  upon  this  vine, — and  faith 
presseth  the  sweet  wine  of  contentment  out 
of  these  spiritual  clusters  of  the  promises. 
I  will  shew  you  but  one  cluster,  "  the  Lord 
will  give  grace  and  glory,"  Ps.  Ixxxiv.  11. 
Here  is  enough  for  faith  to  live  upon.  The 


promise  is  the  flower  out  of  which  faith 
distils  the  spirits  and  quintessence  of  divine 
contentment.     In  a  word,  faith  carries  up 
the  soul,  and    makes  it  aspire  after  more 
generous  and  noble  delights  than  the  earth 
affords,  and  to  live  in  the  world  above  the 
world.      Would   ye  live  contented   lives  ? 
Live  up  to  the  height  of  your  faith. 
Rule  2.    Labour  for  assurance. 
O  let  us  get  the  interest  cleared  between 
God  and  our  souls !    Interest   is    a  word 
much  in  use, — a   pleasing  word, — interest 
in  great    friends, — interest-money.     O,    if 
if  there  be  an  interest  worth  looking  after, 
it  is  an  interest  between  God  and  the  soul ! 
Labour  to  say,  "  my  God."       To  be  with- 
out money,  and  without  friends,  and  without 
God  too,  Eph.  ii.  12.,  is  sad;  but  he  whose 
faith  doth  flourish  into  assurance,  that  can 
say,  "  I  know  whom  I  have  believed,"  as 
St.  Paul,  2  Tim.  i.  12.,  that  man  hath  e- 
nough  to  give  his  heart  contentment.  When 
a  man's  debts  are  paid,  and  he  can  go  a- 
broad  without  fear  of  arresting,  what  con- 
tentment is  this  !   O,  let  your  title  be  clear- 
ed !   If  God  be  ours,  whatever  we  want  in 
the  creature,  is  infinitely  made  up  in  him. 
Do  I  want  bread  ?   I  have  Christ  the  bread 
of  life.    Am  I  under  defilement?  His  blood 
is  like  the  trees  of  the  sanctuary ;  not  only 
for   meat,  but    medicine,   Ezek.   xlvii.    12. 
If  any  thing  in  the  world  be  worth  laboui- 
ing  for,  it  is  to  get  sound  evidences   that 
God  is  ours.     If  this  be  once  cleared,  what 
can  come  amiss  ?    No  matter  what  storms 
I   meet  with,  so  that  I  know  where  to  put 
in  for  harbour.     He  that  hath  God  to  be 
his  God,  is  so  well  contented  with  his  con- 
dition, that  he  doth  not  much  cai-e  whether 
he  hath  any  thing  else.     To  rest  in  a  con- 
dition where  a  Christian  cannot  say  God 
is  his  God,  is  matter  of  fear ;  and  if  he  can 
say  so  truly,  and  yet  is  not  contented,  it  is 
matter  of  shame.    "  David  encouraged  him- 
self in  the  Lord  his  God,"  1  Sam.  xxx.  6. 
It    was  sad  with    him,  Ziklag    burnt,  his 
wives  taken  captive,  his  all  lost,  and  like 
to   have  lost  his  soldiers'  hearts  too,   (for 
they  spake  of  stoning  him,)  yet  he  had  the 
ground  of  contentment   within   him,    viz. 
An  interest  in   God,  and  this  was  a  pillar 
of  suppoitment    to    his    spirit.      He    thaf 
knows  God  is  his,  and  all  that  is  in  God  is 


ART  OF  DIVINE  CONTENTMENT. 


725 


for  his  good,  if  this  doth  not  satisfy,  I  know 
nothing  that  will. 

Rule  3.    Get  an  humble  spirit. 

The  humble  man  is  the  contented  man  ; 
if  his  estate  be  low,  his  heart  is  lower  than 
his  estate,  therefore  be  content.  If  his  e- 
steem  in  the  world  be  low,  he  that  is  little 
in  his  own  eyes  will  not  be  much  troubled 
to  be  little  in  the  eyes  of  others.  He  hath 
a  meaner  opinion  of  himself,  than  others 
can  have  of  him.  The  humble  man  studies 
his  own  unworthiness  :  he  looks  upon  him- 
self as  "  less  than  the  least  of  God's  mer- 
cies," Gen.  xxxii.  10.  And  then  a  little 
will  content  him  :  he  cries  out  with  Paul, 
that  he  is  the  chief  of  sinners,  1  Tim.  i. 
15.  Therefore  doth  not  murmur,  but  ad- 
mire. He  doth  not  say  his  comforts  are 
small,  but  his  sins  are  great.  He  thinks 
it  a  mercy  he  is  out  of  hell,  therefore  he  is 
contented.  He  doth  not  go  to  carve  out  a 
more  happy  condition  to  himself;  he  knows 
the  worst  piece  God  cuts  him  is  better  than 
he  deserves.  A  proud  man  is  never  con- 
tented ;  he  is  one  that  hath  an  high  opinion 
of  himself;  therefore  under  small  blessings 
is  disdainful,  under  small  crosses  impatient. 
The  humble  spirit  is  the  contented  spirit; 
if  his  cross  be  light,  he  reckons  it  the  in- 
ventory of  his  mercies ;  if  it  be  heavy,  yet 
he  takes  it  upon  his  knees,  knowing  that 
when  his  estate  is  worse,  it  is  to  make  him 
the  better.  Where  you  lay  humility  for 
the  foundation,  contentment  will  be  the  su- 
perstructure. 

Rule  4.  Keep  a  clear  conscience. 

Contentment  is  the  manna  that  is  laid 
up  in  the  ark  of  a  good  conscience  :  O  take 
heed  of  indulging  any  sin  !  'Tis  as  natural 
for  guilt  to  breed  disquiet,  as  for  putrid 
matter  to  breed  vermin.  Sin  lies  as  Jonah 
in  the  ship,  it  raiseth  a  tempest.  If  dust 
or  motes  be  gotten  into  the  eye,  they  make 
the  eye  water,  and  cause  a  soreness  in  it ; 
if  the  eye  be  clear,  then  it  is  free  from  that 
soreness ;  if  sin  be  gotten  into  the  con- 
science, which  is  as  the  eve  of  the  soul, 
then  grief  and  disquiet  breed  there  ;  but 
keep  the  eye  of  conscience  clear,  and  all 
is  well.  What  Solomon  saith  of  a  good 
stomach,  I  may  say  of  a  good  conscience, 
Prov.  xxvii.  7.,  "  To  the  hungry  soul  every 
bitter  thing  is  sweet :"  so  to  a  good  con- 


science every  bitter  thing  is  sweet ;  it  can 
pick  contentment  out  of  the  cross.    A  good 
conscience  turns  the  waters  of  Marah  into 
wine.     Would  you  have  a  quiet  heart  ?  Get 
a  smiling  conscience.    I  wonder  not  to  hear 
Paul  say  he  was  in  every  state  content,  when 
he  could  make  that  triumph,  "  I  have  lived 
in  all  good  conscience  to  this  day."     When 
once  a  man's  reckonings  are  clear,  it  must 
needs  let  in  abundance  of  contentment  into 
the  heart.     Good  conscience  can  suck  con- 
tentment out  of  the  bitterest  drug,  under 
slanders ;  "  our  rejoicing  is  this,  the  testi- 
mony of  our  conscience,"  2  Cor.  i.  12.     In 
case  of  imprisonment,  Paul  had  his  prison 
songs,  and  could  play  the  sweet  lessons  of 
contentment,   when    his    feet  were  in  the 
stocks.   Acts  xvi.  25.     Augustine  calls    it 
'  the  paradise  of  a  good  conscience ;'  and 
if  it  be  so,  then  in  prison  we  may  be  in  pa- 
radise.    When  the  times  are  troublesome, 
a  good  conscience  makes  a  calm.     If  con- 
science be  clear,  what  though  the  days  be 
cloudy  ?    Is  it  not  a  contentment  to  have  a 
friend  always  by  to  speak  a  good  word  for 
us  ?    Such  a  friend  is  conscience.     A  good 
conscience,  as  David's  harp,  drives  away 
the  evil  spirit  of  discontent.   When  thoughts 
begin  to  arise,  and  the  heart  is  disquieted, 
conscience  saith  to  a  man,  as  the  king  did 
to  Nehemiah,   "  Why  is  thy  countenance 
sad  ?"    Neb.  ii.    2.      So    saith    conscience, 
hast  not  thou  the  seed  of  God  in  thee  ?  Ai't 
not  thou  an  heir  of  the  promise  ?    Hast  not 
thou  a  treasure  that  thou  canst  never  be 
plundered  of?  Why  is  thy  countenance  sad  ? 
O  keep  conscience  clear,  and  you  shall  ne- 
ver want  contentment  !    For  a  man  to  keep 
the  pipes  of  his  body, — the  veins  and  ar- 
teries,— free  from  colds  and  obstructions,  is 
the  best  way  to  maintain  health  :  so,  to  keep 
conscience  cloar,  and  to  preserve  it  from 
the  obstructions  of  guilt,  is  the  best  way  to 
maintain   cojitentinent.     First,    conscience 
is  pure,  and  then  peaceable. 

R  u  1  e  5 .   Learn  to  deny  yo  urfielven. 

Look  well  to  your  affections,  bridle  them 
in.  Do  two  things  :  (1.)  Mortify  your  de- 
sires.     (2.)  Moderate  your  delights. 

1.  Mortify  your  desires.  We  must  not 
be  of  the  dragon's  temper,  who,  they  say,  is 
so  thirsty,  that  no  water  will  quench  his 
thirst :  "  mortify  therefore  your  inordinate 


726 


ART  OF  DIVINE  CONTENTMENT. 


affections,"  Col.  iii.  5.  In  the  Greek  it  is, 
your  evil  affections  ;  to  shew  that  our  de- 
sires, when  they  are  inordinate,  are  evil. 
Crucify  your  desires;  be  as  dead  men;  a 
dead  man  hath  no  appetite. 

Quest.  How  should  a  Christian  martyr 
his  desires  ? 

Arts.  1.  Get  a  right  judgment  of  the 
things  here  below;  they  are  mean  beggarly 
things  ;  "  wilt  thou  set  thine  eyes  upon  that 
whicli  is  not  ?"  Prov.  xxiii.  5.  The  appe- 
tite must  be  guided  by  reason  :  the  affections 
are  the  feet  of  tlie  soul ;  therefore  they  must 
follow  the  judgment,  not  lead  it. 

A.  2.  Often  seriously  meditate  of  morta- 
lity :  death  will  soon  crop  these  flowers 
which  we  delight  in,  and  pull  down  the  fa- 
bric of  those  bodies  which  we  so  garnish 
and  beautify.  Think,  when  you  are  lock- 
ing up  your  money  in  your  chest,  who  shall 
shortly  lock  you  up  in  your  coffin  ? 

2.  Moderate  your  delights.  Set  not  your 
heart  too  much  upon  any  creature,  Isa. 
Ixii.  10.  What  we  over-love,  we  shall 
over-ofrieve.  Rachel  set  her  heart  too  much 
upon  her  children,  and  when  she  had  lost 
them,  she  lost  herself  too ;  such  a  vein  of 
grief  was  opened  as  could  not  be  staunch- 
ed, "  she  refused  to  be  comforted."  Here 
was  discontent.  When  we  let  any  creature 
lie  too  near  our  heart,  when  God  pulls  away 
that  comfort,  a  piece  of  our  heart  is  rent 
away  with  it.  Too  much  fondness  ends  in 
frowardness.  Those  that  would  be  content 
in  the  want  of  mercy,  must  be  moderate  in 
the  enjoyment.  Jonathan  dipt  the  rod  iu 
honey,  he  did  not  thrust  it  in.  Let  us  take 
lieed  of  ingulphing  ourselves  in  pleasure; 
better  have  a  spare  diet,  than,  by  having 
too  much,  to  surfeit. 

Rule  6.  Get  much  of  heaven  into  your 
heart. 

Spiritual  things  satisfy  ;  the  more  of  hea- 
ven is  in  us,  the  less  earth  will  content  us. 
He  that  hath  once  tasted  llie  love  of  God, 
Ps.  Ixiii.  5.,  his  thirst  is  much  quenched  to- 
wards sublunary  things  ;  the  joys  of  God's 
Spirit  are  heart-filling  and  heart-cheering 
joys;  he  that  hath  these,  hatli  heaven  he- 
gun  in  him,  Rom.  xiv.  27.  And  shall  not 
we  be  content  to  be  in  heaven  ?  O  get  a  su- 
blime heart,  "  seek  those  things  wliich  are 
above,"  Col.  iii.  1.  '  Fly  aloft  in  your  affec- 


tions,— thirst  after  the  graces  and  comforts 
of  the  Spirit ;  the  eagle  that  flies  above  iu 
the  air,  fears  not  the  stinging  of  the  serpent; 
the  serpent  creeps  on  his  belly,  and  stings 
only  such  creatures  as  go  upon  the  earth. 

Rule  7.  Look  not  so  much  on  the  dark  side 
of  your  condition,  as  on  the  light. 

God  doth  chequer  his  providences,  white 
and  black,  as  the  pillar  of  cloud  had  its  light 
side  and  dark  :  look  on  tlie  light  side  of  thy 
estate;  who  looks  on  the  back  side  of  aland- 
scape?  Suppose  thou  art  cast  in  a  law-suit, 
— there  is  the  dark  side ;  yet  thou  hast  some 
land  left, — there  is  the  light  side.  Thou 
hast  sickness  in  thy  body, — there  is  the 
dark  side  ;  but  grace  in  thy  soul, — there  is 
the  light  side.  Thou  hast  a  child  taken  a- 
way, — there  is  the  dark  side;  thy  husband 
lives, — there  is  the  light  side.  God's  pro-? 
vidences  in  this  life  are  variously  repre- 
sented by  those  speckled  horses  among  the 
myrtle-trees  which  were  red  and  white, 
Zed),  i.  1.  Mercies  and  afflictions  are  in- 
terwoven. God  doth  speckle  his  work.  O, 
saith  one,  I  want  such  a  comfort  !  But 
weigh  all  thy  mercies  in  the  balance,  and 
that  will  make  thee  content.  If  a  man  did 
want  a  finger,  would  he  be  so  discontented 
for  the  loss  of  that  as  not  to  be  thankful  for 
all  the  other  parts  and  joints  of  his  body? 
Look  on  the  light  side  of  your  condition, 
and  then  all  your  discontents  Avill  easily 
disband  ;  do  not  pore  upon  your  losses,  but 
ponder  upon  your  mercies.  What  !  wonki- 
est thou  have  no  cross  at  all  ?  Why  should 
one  man  think  to  have  all  good  things  when 
himself  is  good  but  in  part  ?  Wouldest  thou 
have  no  evil  about  thee,  who  has  so  much 
evil  in  thee?  Thou  art  not  fully  sanctified 
in  this  life,  how  then  thinkcst  thou  to  be 
fully  satisfied  ?  Never  look  for  perfection  of 
contentment  till  there  be  perfection  of  grace. 

Rule  8.  Consider  in  what  a  posture  we 
stand  here  in  the  world. 

I.  We  are  in  a  military  condition,  we  are 
soldiers,  2  Tim.  ii.  3.  Now  a  soldier  is 
content  with  any  thing ;  what  though  he 
liath  not  his  stately  house,  his  ricli  furni- 
ture, his  soft  bed,  liis  full  table,  yet  he  doth 
not  complain  ;  he  can  lie  on  straw  as  well 
as  down ;  he  minds  not  his  lodging,  but  his 
thoughts  run  upon  dividing  the  spoil,  and 
tlie  garland  of  honour  shall  be  set  upon  his 


ART  OF  DIVINE  CONTENTMENT. 


727 


l)ead ;  and  foi'  hope  of  this,  is  he  content  to 
run  any  hazard,  endure  any  hardship.  Were 
it  not  absurd  to  hear  Iiim  complain,  that  he 
wants  such  provision  and  is  fain  to  lie  out 
in  the  fields  ?  A  Christian  is  a  military  per- 
son, lie  fights  the  Lord's  battles,  he  is 
Christ's  ensign-bearer.  Now,  what  though 
he  endures  hard  fate,  and  the  bullets  fly 
about?  He  fights  foi  a  crown,  and  there- 
fore must  be  content. 

2.  We  are  in  a  peregrine  condition,  pil- 
grims and  travellers.  A  man  that  is  in  a 
strange  country,  is  contented  with  any  diet 
or  usage,  he  is  glad  of  any  thing;  though 
he  hath  not  that  respect  or  attendance  which 
he  looks  for  at  home,  nor  is  capable  of  the 
privileges  and  immunities  of  that  place,  he 
is  content ;  he  knows,  when  he  comes  into 
his  own  country,  he  hath  lands  to  inherit, 
and  there  he  shall  have  honour  and  respect : 
so  it  is  with  a  child  of  God,  he  is  in  a  pil- 
grim condition ;  "  I  am  a  stranger  with 
thee,  and  a  sojourner,  as  all  my  fathers 
were,"  Ps.  xxxix.  12.  Therefore  let  a  Chris- 
tian be  content  he  is  in  the  world,  but  not 
of  the  world  ;  he  is  born  of  God,  and  is  a 
citizen  of  the  New  Jerusalem,  Heb.  xii. 
22.,  therefore,  though  "  he  hunger  and 
thirst,  and  have  no  certain  dwelling-place," 
1  Cor.  iv.  11.,  yet  he  must  be  content;  it 
will  be  better  when  he  comes  into  his  own 
country. 

3.  We  are  in  a  mendicant  condition  ;  we 
are  beggars,  we  beg  at  heaven's  gate,  "  give 
us  this  day  our  daily  bread ;"  we  live  upon 
God's  alms,  therefore  must  be  content  with 
any  thing;  a  beggar  must  not  pick  and 
choose,  he  is  contented  with  the  refuse. 
Oh,  why  dost  thou  murmur  that  art  a  beg- 
gar, and  art  fed  out  of  the  alms-basket  of 
God's  providence  ? 

Rule  9.  Let  not  your  hope  depend  upon 
these  outward  things. 

Lean  not  upon  sandy  pillars ;  we  oft 
build  our  comfort  upon  such  a  friend  or 
estate  ;  and  when  that  ])rop  is  removed,  all 
our  joy  is  gone,  and  our  hearts  begin  either 
to  fail  or  fret.  A  lame  man  leans  on  his 
crutches  ;  and  if  they  break,  he  is  undone. 
Let  not  thy  contentment  go  u]>on  crutches, 
which  may  soon  fail ;  the  ground  of  con- 
tentment must  be  within  thyself.  The 
Greek  word  which  is  used  for  contentment 


signifies  self-sufficiency.  A  Christian  hath 
that  from  within  that  is  able  to  support 
him ;  that  strength  of  faith,  and  good  hope 
through  grace,  as  bears  up  his  heart  in 
the  deficiency  of  outward  comforts.  The 
philosophers  of  old,  when  their  estates 
were  gone,  yet  could  take  contentment  in 
the  goods  of  the  mind,  learning  and  vir- 
tue ;  and  shall  not  a  believer  much  more 
in  the  graces  of  the  Spirit,  that  rich  enamel 
and  embroidery  of  the  soul  ?  Say  with  thy- 
self, "  if  friends  leave  me,  if  riches  take 
wings,  yet  I  have  that  within  which  com- 
forts me,  viz.  an  heavenly  treasure ;  when 
the  blossoms  of  my  estate  are  blown  oflF, 
still  there  is  the  sap  of  contentment  in  the 
root  of  my  heart;  I  have  still  an  interest  in 
God,  and  that  interest  cannot  be  broken 
off."  O  never  place  your  felicity  in  these 
dull  and  beggarly  things  here  below  ! 

Rule  10.  Let  us  often  compare  our  condition. 

Quest.  How  should  I  compare  ? 

Ans.  Make  this  five-fold  comparison. 

Comparison  \st.  Let  us  compare  our  con- 
dition and  our  desert  together  ;  if  we  have 
not  what  we  desire,  we  have  more  than  we 
deserve.  For  our  mercies  we  have  deserv- 
ed less ;  for  our  afflictions,  we  have  deserv- 
ed more.  ^ 

First,  In  regard  of  our  mercies,  we  have 
deserved  less.  What  can  we  deserve  ?  Can 
man  be  profitable  to  the  Almighty?  We 
live  upon  free  grace.  Alexander  gave  a 
great  gift  to  one  of  his  subjects  ;  the  man 
being  much  taken  with  it,  "  This,"  saith 
he,  "  is  more  than  I  am  worthy  of."  "  I 
do  not  give  thee  this,"  saith  the  king,  "  be- 
cause thou  art  worthy  of  it,  but  I  give  a 
gift  like  Alexander."  Whatever  we  have 
is  not  merit,  but  bounty ;  the  least  bit  of 
bread  is  more  than  God  owes  us;  we  can 
bring  faggots  to  our  own  burning,  but  not 
one  flower  to  the  garland  of  our  salvation  ; 
he  that  hath  the  least  mercy,  will  die  in 
God's  debt. 

Secondly,  In  regard  of  our  afflictions,  we 
have  deserved  more.  "  Th.ou  hast  punish- 
ed us  less  than  our  iniquities  deserve,"  Ezra 
ix.  13.  Is  our  condition  sad  ?  We  have  de- 
served it  should  be  worse.  Hath  God  taken 
away  our  estate  from  us  ?  He  might  have 
taken  away  Christ  from  us.  Hath  he  thrown 
us  into  prison  ?  he  might  have  thrown  us 


728 


ART  OF  DIVINE  CONTENTMENT. 


into  licll  ;   lie  miglit  as  well  damn    us,   as 
wliip  us;  this  should  make  us  contented. 

Comparison  2d.  Let  us  compare  our  con- 
dition with  others ;  and  this  will  make  us 
content.  We  look  at  them  w  ho  are  above 
us,  let  us  look  at  them  who  are  below  us ; 
we  see  one  in  his  silks,  another  in  his  sack- 
cloth ;  one  hath  the  waters  of  a  full  cup 
wrung  out  to  him,  another  is  mingling  his 
drink  with  tears ;  how  many  pale  faces  do 
we  behold,  whom  not  sickness,  but  want 
bath  brought  into  a  consumption  !  Think 
of  this,  and  be  content.  It  is  worse  with 
them,  who  perhaps  deserve  better  than  we, 
and  are  higher  in  God's  favour.  Am  I  in 
prison  ?  Was  not  Daniel  in  a  worse  place, 
viz.  the  lion's  den  ?  Do  I  live  in  a  mean 
cottaffe  ?  Look  on  them  who  are  banished 
from  their  houses.  We  read  of  the  primi- 
tive saints,  "  that  they  wandered  in  sheep's 
skins  and  goats'  skins,  of  whom  the  world 
was  not  worthy,"  Heb.  xi.  37,  38.  Hast 
thou  a  gentle  fit  of  an  ague  ?  Look  on 
them  who  are  tormented  with  the  stone  and 
gout,  &c.  Others  of  God's  children  have 
had  greater  afflictions,  and  have  borne  them 
better  than  we.  Daniel  fed  upon  pulse  and 
drank  water,  yet  was  fairer  than  they  who 
ate  of  the  king's  portion,  Dan.  i.  15.  Some 
Christians  who  have  been  in  a  lower  condi- 
tion, that  have  fed  upon  pulse  and  water, 
have  looked  better,  viz.  been  more  patient 
and  contented  than  we  who  enjoy  abun- 
dance. Do  others  rejoice  in  affliction,  and 
do  we  repine  ?  Can  they  take  up  their 
cross  and  walk  cheerfully  under  it,  and  do 
we  under  a  lighter  cross  murmur  ? 

Comparison  Sd.  Let  us  compare  our  con- 
dition with  Christ's  upon  earth.  What  a 
poor,  mean  condition  was  he  pleased  to  be 
in  for  us  ?  He  was  contented  with  any 
thing.  "  For  ye  know  the  grace  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  that  though  he  was 
rich,  yet  for  our  sakes  he  became  poor," 
2  Cor.  viii.  9.  He  could  have  brou<rht 
down  an  house  from  heaven  with  him,  or 
challenged  the  high  places  of  the  earth,  but 
he  was  contented  to  be  in  the  wine-pross, 
that  we  might  be  in  the  wine-cellar,  and  to 
live  poor  that  we  might  be  rich  ;  the  manger 
was  his  cradle,  the  cobwebs  his  canopy ; 
he  who  is  now  ])reparing  mansions  for  us 
in  heaven,  had  none  for  himself  on  earth, 


*  he  had  no  where  to  lay  his  head.'  Christ 
came  in  forma  pauperis  ;  who,  "  being  in 
the  form  of  God,  took  upon  him  the  form 
of  a  servant,"  Phil.  ii.  7.  We  read  not  of 
of  any  sums  of  money  he  had ;  when  he 
wanted  money,  he  was  fain  to  work  a  mi- 
racle for  it,  Mat.  xvii.  27.  Jesus  Christ 
was  in  a  low  condition,  he  was  never  high, 
but  when  he  was  lifted  up  upon  the  cross, 
and  that  was  his  humility  :  he  was  content 
to  live  poor,  and  die  cursed.  O  compare 
your  condition  with  Christ's  ! 

Comparison  Ath.  Let  us  compare  our  con- 
dition with  what  it  was  once,  and  this  will 
make  us  content. 

First,  Let  us  compare  our  spiritual  estate 
with  what  it  was  once.  What  were  we 
when  we  lay  in  our  blood  ?  We  were  heirs 
apparent  to  hell,  having  no  right  to  pluck 
one  leaf  from  the  tree  of  promise ;  it  was 
a  Christless  and  hopeless  condition,  Eph. 
ii.  12.  But  now  God  hath  cut  off  the  en- 
tail of  hell  and  damnation ;  he  hath  taken 
you  out  of  the  wild  olive  of  nature,  and  in- 
gx'afted  you  into  Christ,  making  you  living 
branches  of  that  living  vine ;  he  hath  not 
only  caused  the  light  to  shine  upon  you, 
but  into  you,  2  Cor.  vi.  6.,  and  hath  inte- 
rested you  in  all  the  privileges  of  sonship ; 
is  not  here  that  which  may  make  the  soul 
content. 

Secondly,  Let  us  compare  our  temporal 
estate  with  what  it  was  once.  Alas  !  we 
had  nothing  when  we  stepped  out  of  the 
womb ;  "  For  we  brought  nothing  into  this 
world,"  1  Tim.  vi.  7.  If  we  have  not  that 
which  we  desire,  we  have  more  than  we 
did  bring  with  us;  we  brought  nothing 
with  us  but  sin  ;  other  creatures  bring 
something  with  them  into  the  world  ;  the 
lamb  brings  wool,  the  silk-worm  silk,  &c. 
but  we  brought  nothing  with  us.  What  if 
our  condition  at  present  be  low?  It  is  bet- 
ter than  it  was  once;  therefore,  having 
food  and  raiment,  let  us  be  content.  What- 
ever we  have,  God's  providence  fetcheth  it 
unto  us ;  and  if  we  lose  all,  yet  we  liave  as 
much  as  we  brought  with  us.  This  was 
what  made  Job  content,  "  Naked  came  I 
out  of  my  mother's  womb,"  Job  i.  21.  As 
if  ho  h;id  said,  though  God  hath  taken 
away  all  from  me,  yet  why  should  I 
murmur  ?     I  am  as  rich  as  I  was  when  I 


ART  OF  DIVINE  CONTENTMENT. 


729 


came  into  the  world  ?  I  liave  as  much  left 
as  I  brought  with  me ;  naked  came  I  hi- 
ther ;  tlierefore  blessed  be  the  name  of  the 
Lord. 

Comparison  5th.  Let  us  compare  our  con- 
dition uith  what  it  shall  be  shortly.  There 
is  a  time  shortly  coming,  when,  if  we  had 
all  the  riches  of  India,  they  would  do  us  no 
good ;  we  must  die,  and  can  carry  nothing 
with  us ;  so  saith  the  apostle,  "  It  is  cer- 
tain we  can  carry  nothing  out  of  the  world," 
1  Tim.  vi.  7.  Therefore  it  follows,  "  hav- 
ing food  and  raiment,  let  us  therewith  be 
content."  Open  the  rich  man's  grave  and 
see  what  is  there  ;  you  may  find  the  miser's 
bones,  but  not  his  riches,  says  Bede.  Were 
we  to  live  for  ever  here,  or  could  we  carry 
our  riches  into  another  world,  then  indeed 
we  might  be  discontented,  when  we  look 
upon  our  empty  bags.  But  it  is  not  so  : 
God  may  presently  seal  a  warrant  for  death 
to  apprehend  us :  and  when  we  die,  we 
cannot  carry  our  estate  with  us  :  honour 
and  riches  descend  not  into  the  grave,  why 
then  are  we  troubled  at  our  outward  con- 
dition ?  Why  do  we  disguise  ourselves 
with  discontent  ?  O  lay  up  a  stock  of 
grace  !  Be  rich  in  faith  and  good  works, 
these  riches  will  follow  us.  Rev.  xiv.  13. 
No  other  coin  but  grace  will  pass  current 
in  heaven,  silver  and  gold  will  not  go 
there  ;  labour  to  be  rich  towards  God, 
Luke  xii.  21.  And  as  for  other  things,  be 
not  solicitous,  we  shall  carry  nothing  with 
us. 

Rule  II.  Go  not  to  bring  your  condition  to 
your  7nind,  hut  bring  your  mind  to  your  con- 
dition. 

The  way  for  a  Christian  to  be  contented, 
is  not  by  raising  his  estate  higher,  but  by 
bringing  his  spirit  lower ;  not  by  making 
his  barns  wider,  but  his  heart  narrower. 
One  man,  a  whole  lordship  or  manor  will 
not  content ;  another  is  satisfied  with  a  few 
acres  of  land  ;  what  is  the  difference  ?  The 
one  studies  to  satisfy  curi<tsity,  the  other 
necessity ;  the  one  thinks  what  he  may 
have,  the  other  what  he  may  spare. 

Rule  12.  Study  the  vanity  of  the  creature. 

It  matters  not  whether  we  have  less  or 
more  of  these  things,  they  have  vanity  writ- 
ten upon  tlie  frontispiece  of  them  ;  the 
world  is  like  a  shadow  that  declineth ;  it 


is  delightful,  but  deceitful ;  it  promiseth 
more  than  we  find,  and  it  fails  us  when  we 
have  most  need  of  it.  All  the  world  rings 
changes,  and  is  constant  only  in  its  disap- 
pointments :  what  then,  if  we  have  less  of 
that  which  is  at  best  but  voluble  and  fluid? 
Tiie  world  is  as  full  of  mutation  as  motion  ; 
and  what  if  God  cut  us  short  in  subluna- 
ries  ?  The  more  a  man  hath  to  do  with 
the  world,  the  more  he  hath  to  do  with  va- 
nity. The  world  may  be  compared  to  ice, 
which  is  smooth,  but  slippery ;  or  to  the 
Egyptian  temples,  without  very  beautiful 
and  sumptuous,  but  within  nothing  to  be 
seen  but  the  image  of  an  ape  ;  every  crea- 
ture saith  concerning  satisfaction,  it  is  not 
in  me.  The  world  is  not  a  filling,  but  a 
flying  comfort.  It  is  like  a  game  at  ten- 
nis ;  providence  bandies  her  golden  balls, 
first  to  one,  then  to  another.  Why  are  we 
discontented  at  the  loss  of  these  things,  but 
because  we  expect  that  from  them  which 
is  not,  and  repose  that  in  them  which  we 
ought  not  ?  "  Jonah  was  exceeding  glad 
of  the  gourd,"  Jonah  iv.  6.  What  a  vanity 
was  it  ?  It  is  much  to  see  a  withering 
gourd  smitten  ?  Or  to  see  the  moon  dress- 
ing itself  in  a  new  shape  and  figure  ? 

Rule  13.   Get  fancy  regulated. 

It  is  the  fancy  which  raiseth  the  price  of 
things  above  their  real  worth.  What  is  the 
reason  one  tulip  is  worth  five  pounds,  ano- 
ther perhaps  not  worth  one  shilling?  Fan- 
cy raiseth  the  j)rice ;  the  diff'erence  is  ra- 
ther imaginary  than  real ;  so,  why  it  should 
be  better  to  have  thousands  than  hundreds, 
is,  because  men  fancy  it  so  ;  if  we  could 
fancy  a  lower  condition  better,  as  having 
less  care  in  it,  and  less  account,  it  would 
be  far  more  eligible.  The  water  that  springs 
out  of  the  rock,  drinks  as  sweet  as  if  it 
came  out  of  a  golden  chalice ;  things  are 
as  we  fancy  them.  Ever  since  the  fall,  the 
fancy  is  distempered ;  God  saw  that  the 
imagination  of  the  thoughts  of  his  heart 
were  evil.  Gen.  vi.  5.  Fancy  looks  through 
wrong  spectacles  ;  pray  that  (iod  will  sanc- 
tify your  fancy  ;  a  lower  condition  wouhl 
content,  if  the  mind  and  fancy  were  set 
right.  Diogenes  preferred  his  cynical  life 
before  Alexander's  royalty  :  he  fancied  his 
little  cloister  best.  Fabricius  a  poor  man, 
yet    despised    the    gold    of  king  Pyrrhus, 

4Z 


'30 


ART  OF  DIVINE  CONTENTMENT. 


Could  we  cure  a  distempered  fancy,  we 
mi^ht  soon  conquer  a  discontented  heart. 

Rule  14.  Consider  how  little  will  svffice 
nature. 

The  body  is  but  a  small  continent,  and 
is  easily  recruited.  Christ  hath  taught  us 
to  pray  for  our  daily  bread ;  nature  is  con- 
tent with  a  little.  Not  to  thirst,  not  to 
starve,  is  enough,  saitli  Gregory  Nazianzen  ; 
meat  and  drink  are  a  Christian's  riches, 
saith  St.  Hierom ;  and  the  apostle  saith, 
'•  having  food  and  raiment  let  us  be  content." 
The  stomach  is  sooner  filled  than  the  eye ; 
how  quickly  would  a  man  be  content,  if  he 
would  study  rather  to  satisfy  his  hunger 
than  his  humour  ? 

Rule  15.  Believe  the  present  condition  is 
best  for  its. 

Flesh  and  blood  is  not  a  competent  judge. 
Surfeiting  stomachs  are  for  banqueting 
stuff,  but  a  man  that  regards  his  health,  is 
rather  for  solid  food.  Vain  men  fancy  such 
a  condition  best  and  would  flourish  in  their 
bravery ;  whereas  a  wise  Christian  hath  his 
will  melted  into  God's  will,  and  thinks  it 
best  to  be  at  his  finding.  God  is  wise,  he 
knows  whether  we  need  food  or  physic ; 
and  if  we  could  acquiesce  in  providence, 
the  quarrel  would  soon  be  at  an  end.  O 
wliat  a  strange  creature  would  man  be,  if 
he  were  what  he  could  wish  himself!  Be 
content  to  be  at  God's  allowance;  God 
knows  which  is  the  fittest  pasture  to  put 
his  sheep  in ;  sometimes  a  more  barren 
ground  doth  well,  whereas  rank  pasture 
may  rot.  Do  I  meet  with  such  a  cross? 
God  shews  me  what  the  world  is  ;  he  hath 
no  better  way  to  wean  me,  than  by  putting 
me  to  a  step-mother.  Doth  God  stint  me 
in  my  allowance?  lie  is  now  dieting  me. 
Do  I  meet  with  losses  ?  It  is,  that  God  may 
keep  me  from  being  lost.  Every  cross 
wind  shall  at  last  blow  me  to  the  rio-ht  port. 
Did  we  believe  that  condition  best  which 
God  doth  parcel  out  to  us,  we  should  cheer- 
fidly  submit,  and  say,  *'  the  lines  are  fallen 
in  ])leasant  places." 

Rule  IG.  Do  not  too  much  indulge  the 
flesh. 

We  have  taken  an  oath  in  baptism  to 
forsake  the  flesh.  The  flesh  is  a  worse  ene- 
my than  the  devil,  it  is  a  bosom-traitor ;  an 
enemy  within  is  worst.     If  thei*e  were  no 


devil  to  tempt,  the  flesh  would  be  another 
Eve,  to  tempt  to  the  forbidden  fruit.  O  take 
heed  of  giving  way  to  it !  Whence  is  all 
our  discontent  but  from  the  fleshy  part  ? 
The  flesh  puts  us  upon  the  immoderate 
pursuit  of  the  world  ;  it  consults  for  ease 
and  plenty,  and  if  it  be  not  satisfied,  then 
discontents  begin  to  arise.  O  let  it  not 
have  the  reins !  Martyr  the  flesh !  In 
spiritual  things  the  flesh  is  a  sluggard,  in 
secular  things  an  horse-leech,  crying,  "  give, 
give."  The  flesh  is  an  enemy  to  suffering 
it  will  sooner  make  a  man  a  courtier,  than 
a  martyr.  O  keep  it  under  !  Put  its  neck 
under  Christ's  yoke, — stretch  and  nail  it  to 
his  cross, — never  let  a  Christian  look  for 
contentment  in  his  spirit,  till  there  be  con- 
finement in  his  flesh  ! 

Rule  17.  Meditate  much  on  the  glory  which 
shall  be  revealed. 

There  are  great  things  laid  up  in  heaven. 
Though  it  be  sad  for  the  present  yet  let  us 
be  content  in  that  it  shortly  will  be  better; 
it  is  but  a  while  and  we  shall  be  with  Christ, 
bathing  ourselves  in  the  fountain  of  love; 
we  shall  never  complain  of  wants  and  inju- 
ries any  more;  our  cross  may  be  heavy, 
but  one  sight  of  Christ  will  make  us  forget 
all  our  former  sorrows.  There  are  two 
things  should  give  contentment. 

1.  That  God  will  make  us  able  to  bear 
our  troubles,  1  Cor.  x.  13.  God,  saith  Chry- 
sostom,  doth  like  a  lutanist,  who  will  not 
let  the  strings  of  his  lute  be  too  slack  lest 
it  spoil  the  music  of  prayer  and  repentance  ? 
nor  yet  too  much  adversity,  "  lest  the  spirit 
fail  before  me ;  and  the  souls  that  I  have 
made,"  Isa.  Ivii.  16. 

2.  When  we  have  suffered  a  while,  1  Pet. 
V.  10.,  we  shall  be  perfected  in  glory;  the 
cross  shall  be  our  ladder  by  which  we  shall 
climb  up  to  heaven.  Be  then  content,  and 
then  the  scene  will  alter ;  God  will  ere  long 
turn  our  water  into  wine ;  the  hope  of  this 
is  enough  to  drive  away  all  distempers  from 
the  heart.  Blessed  be  God  it  will  be  bet- 
ter :  "  We  have  no  continuing  city  here," 
Heb.  xiii.,  therefore  our  afflictions  cannot 
continue.  A  wise  niiui  looks  still  to  the 
end;  "  The  end  of  the  just  man  is  peace," 
Ps,  xxxvii.  37.  Methinks  the  smoothness  of 
the  end  should  make  amends  for  the  rug- 
gedness  of  the  way.     O  eternity,  eternity  I 


ART  OF  DIVINE  CONTENTMENT. 


731 


Tliink  often  of  tlie  kingdom  prei)arcMl.  Da- 
vid was  advanced  from  the  field  to  tlie 
throne  :  first  4ie  held  his  shoi)herd's  staff', 
and  shortly  after  the  royal  scej)tre.  God's 
people  may  be  put  to  hard  services  here  : 
but  Ciod  hath  chosen  them  to  be  kings,  to 
eit  upon  the  throne  with  the  Lord  Jesus. 
This  being  weighed  in  the  balance  of  faith, 
would  be  an  excellent  means  to  bring  the 
heart  to  contentment. 

Rule  18.  Be  much  in  prayer. 

The  last  rule  for  contentment  is,  be  much 
in  prayer.  Beg  of  God,  that  he  will  work 
our  hearts  to  this  blessed  frame.  "  Is  any 
man  afflicted,  let  him  pray,"  James  v.  14. : 
so,  is  any  man  discontented  ?  Let  him  pray. 
Prayer  gives  vent :  the  opening  of  a  vein 
lets  out  bad  blood  ;  when  the  heart  is  filled 
with  sorrow  and  disquiet,  prayer  lets  out  the 
bad  blood.  The  key  of  prayer  oiled  with 
tears,  unlocks  the  heart  of  all  its  discon- 
tents. Prayer  is  an  holy  spell,  or  charm 
to  drive  away  trouble ;  prayer  is  the  unbo- 
Boming  of  the  soul,  the  unloading  of  all  our 
cares  in  God's  breast;  and  this  ushers  in 
sweet  contentment.  When  there  is  any 
burden  upon  our  spirits,  by  opening  our 
mind  to  a  friend  we  find  our  hearts  finely 
eased  and  quieted.  It  is  not  our  strong  re- 
solutions, but  our  strong  requests  to  God, 
which  must  give  the  heart  ease  in  trouble ; 
by  prayer  the  strength  of  Christ  comes  into 
the  soul,  and  where  that  is,  a  man  is  able 
to  go  through  any  condition.  Paul  could 
be  in  every  state  content ;  but  that  you 
may  not  think  he  was  able  to  do  this  him- 
self, he  tells  you  that  though  he  could  want 
and  abound,  and  "  do  all  things  ;"  yet  it 
was  through  Christ  strengthening  him, 
Phil,  iv  13.  It  is  the  child  that  writes,  but 
it  is  the  scrivener  guides  his  hand. 

Chap.  XV.     Use   VI.    Of   Consolation 
TO  THE  Contented  Christian. 

The  last  use  is  of  comfort,  or  an  encou- 
raging word  to  the  contented  Christian.  If 
there  be  an  heaven  upon  cai'th  thou  hast  it. 
O  Christian  !  thou  mayest  insult  over  thy 
troubles,  and,  with  the  leviathan,  laugh  at 
the  shaking  of  a  spear.  Job  xli.  7.  WHiat 
shall  I  say  ?    Thou  art  a  crown  to  thy  pro- 


fession ;  thou  dost  hold  it  out  to  all  the 
world,  that  there  is  virtue  enough  in  reli- 
gion to  give  the  soul  contentment ;  thou 
shewest  the  highest  of  grace.  When  grace 
is  crowning,  it  is  not  so  much  for  us  to  be 
content ;  but  when  grace  is  conflicting,  and 
meets  with  crosses,  temptations,  agonies, — 
now  to  be  content,  this  is  a  glorious  thing 
indeed.  To  a  contented  Christian,  I  shall 
say  two  things  for  a  farewell. 

lurst,  God  is  exceedingly  taken  with 
such  a  frame  of  heart.  God  saith  of  a  con- 
tented Christian,  as  David  once  said  of  Go- 
liath's sword,  "  there  is  none  like  that,  give 
it  me,"  1  Sam.  xxi.  9.  If  you  would  please 
God,  and  be  men  of  his  heart,  be  contented 
God  hates  a  froward  spirit. 

Secondly^  The  contented  Christian  shall 
be  no  loser.  What  lost  Job  by  his  patience? 
God  gave  him  twice  as  much  as  he  had  be- 
fore. What  lost  Abraham  by  his  content- 
ment? He  was  content  to  leave  his  coun- 
try at  God's  call.  The  Lord  makes  a  cove- 
nant with  him,  that  he  Avould  be  his  God, 
Gen.  xvii.  lie  changeth  his  name;  no 
more  Abram,  but  Abraham,  the  father  of 
many  nations.  God  makes  his  seed  as  the 
stars  of  heaven  ;  nay,  honours  him  with 
this  title,  "  the  father  of  the  faithful."  Gen. 
xviii.  ]  7  ,  The  Lord  makes  known  his  se- 
crets to  him,  "  shall  I  hide  from  Abraham 
the  things  that  I  will  do?"  God  settles  a 
rich  inheritance  upon  him,  that  land  which 
was  a  type  of  heaven,  and  afterwards  trans- 
lated him  to  the  blessed  paradise.  God 
will  be  sure  to  reward  the  contented  Chris- 
tian. As  our  Saviour  said  in  another  case, 
to  Nathaniel,  "  because  I  said  I  saw  thee 
under  the  fig-tree,  believest  thou  ?  Tliou 
shalt  see  greater  things  than  these,"  Jtthn 
i.  50.  :  so  I  say.  Art  thou  contented  (O 
Christian)  with  a  little?  Thou  shalt  see 
greater  things  than  these.  God  will  distil 
the  sweet  influences  of  his  love  into  the 
soul ;  he  will  raise  thee  up  friends  ;  he  will 
bless  the  oil  in  the  cruise;  and  when  that 
is  done,  he  will  crown  thee  with  an  eternal 
enjoyment  of  himself;  he  will  give  thee 
heaven,  where  tlicu  shalt  have  as  much 
contentment  as  thy  soul  can  possibly  thirst 
after. 


732 


PRECIOUSNESS  OF  THE  SOUL. 


THE  PRECIOUSNESS  OF  THE  SOUL. 

Mat.  xvi.  26.  "  JFbr  what  is  a  man  profited  if  he  shall  gain  the  whole  world  and  lose 
his  own  soul?  or  what  shall  a  man  give  in  exchange  for  his  soul?" 


JUiVERY  man  doth  carry  a  treasure  about 
wath  liim,  a  Divine  Soul;  and  that  this 
jewel  should  not  be  undervalued,  our  Saviour 
here  sets  a  price  upon  it,  he  lays  the  soul  in 
balance  with  the  whole  world,  and  being  put 
in  the  scales,  the  soul  weighs  heaviest. 
"What  is  a  man  profited  if  he  gain  the  whole 
world  and  lose  his  own  soul?" 

The  world  is  a  stately  fabric,  enriched 
with  beauty  and  excellency,  it  is  like  a 
curious  piece  of  arras,  set  about  with  divers 
colours;  it  is  a  bright  mirror  and  crystal,  in 
which  much  of  the  wisdom  and  majesty  of 
God  is  resplendent;  but  as  glorious  as  this 
world  is,  every  man  doth  carry  a  more 
glorious  world  about  him,  a  precious  soul. 
It  would  bankrupt  the  world  to  give  half  the 
price  of  a  soul;  it  will  undo  the  world  to 
buy  it,  and  it  will  undo  him  that  shall  sell  it. 
If  we  can  save  our  souls,  though  we  lose  the 
world,  it  is  a  gainful  loss;  if  we  lose  our 
souls,  though  we  gain  the  world,  our  very 
gains  will  undo  us.  "For  what  is  a  man 
profited  if  he  shall  gain  the  whole  world  and 
lose  his  own  soul?  or  what  shall  a  man  give 
in  exchange  for  his  soul?" 

The  words  branch  themselves  into  these 
five  parts: 

1.  A  supposal  of  a  purchase,  "if  a  man 
shall  gain."  The  proposition  is  hypothetical; 
Christ  doth  not  say  he  shall  gain,  but  puts 
a  case;  it  is  not  a  certain  purchase,  it  is  only 
supposed. 

2.  The  purchase  itself,  the  world. 

3.  The  extent  of  the  purchase,  the  whole 
world,  the  world  with  all  its  revenues  and 
perquisites. 

4.  The  terms  of  this  purchase,  "he  shall 
lose  his  soul,"  not  that  his  soul  shall  be 
annihilated  (that  were  happy),  but  he  shall 
lose  the  end  of  his  creation;  he  shall  miss  of 
glory,  he  shall  lose  his  soul.  And  the  loss 
of  the  soul  is  amplified  by  two  things : 

First,  The  propriety,  his  own  soul,  that 
which  is  nearest  to  him,  that  which  is  most 
himself;  the  soul  is  tlie  most  noble  part,  it  is 


the  man  of  the  man,  he  shall  lose  his  ovnx 
soul. 

Secondly,  The  irrecoverableness  of  tli  ^ 
loss;  "what  shall  a  man  give  in  exchange  for 
his  soul?"  The  words  are  a  miosis,  there  is 
less  said,  and  more  intended.  What  shall 
he  give?  as  if  Christ  had  said,  alas!  he  hath 
nothing  to  give;  or,  if  he  had  something  to 
give,  yet  nothing  will  be  taken  for  it;  the 
soul  cannot  be  exchanged,  there  shall  be  no 
bail  or  mainprise  taken  for  it.  "  What  shall 
a  man  give  in  exchange  for  his  souL" 

5.  Our  Saviour's  verdict  upon  this  pur- 
chase, "for  what  is  a  man  profited?"  as  if 
Christ  had  said,  he  will  have  a  hard  bargain 
of  it,  he  will  repent  him  at  last,  it  is  but  the 
fool's  purchase:  for  what  is  a  man  profited, 
&c. 

Doct.  The  observation  is,  that  the  soul  of 
man  is  a  jewel  more  precious  than  a  world; 
all  souls  are  of  one  price:  in  this  sense  that 
maxim  in  philosophy  holds  true,  all  souls 
are  alike.  The  soul  of  prince  and  peasant, 
all  are  equal;  and  every  soul  of  more  value 
than  a  world.  For  the  illustration  of  the 
doctrine  there  are  two  things  to  be  demon- 
strated. 

First,  That  the  soul  is  very  precious. 

Secondly,  That  it  is  more  precious  than  a 
world. 

1.  That  the  soul  is  very  precious.  What 
Job  saith  of  wisdom,  I  may  fitly  apply  to  the 
soul.  "Man  knows  not  the  price  thereof,  it 
cannot  be  valued  with  the  gold  of  Ophir, 
with  the  precious  onyx,  or  the  sapphire,  the 
gold  and  the  crystal  cannot  equal  it;  and  the 
exchange  of  it  shall  not  be  for  jewels  of  fine 
gold,"  Job  xxviii.  13,  16,  17.  The  soul  is 
the  glory  of  the  creation ;  the  soul  is  a 
beam  of  God;  it  is  a  sparkle  of  celestial 
brightness,  as  Demascen  calls  it;  it  is,  accord- 
ing to  Plato,  a  glass  of  the  Trinity.  There 
is,  in  the  soul,  an  idea  and  resemblance  of 
God:  an  analogy  of  similitude,  not  propor- 
tion, as  the  schoolmen  speak.  If  David  did 
so  admire  the  rare  texture  and  workmanship 


PRECIOUSNESS  OF  THE  SOUL. 


733 


of  liis  body,  Psal.  cxxxix.  13,  15.     "I  am 

wonderfully  made,  I  was  curiously  \vTought 
in  the  lowest  parts  of  the  earth."  If  the 
cabinet  be  so  curioxisly  ^\Tought,  what  is  the 
jewel?  how  richly  and  gloriously  is  the  soul 
embroidered!  it  is  divinely  inlaid  and  enam- 
elled. The  body  is  but  the  sheath,  Dan. 
vii.  15.  "I  wiis  grieved  in  the  midst  of  my 
body;"  in  the  Chaldee  it  is,  in  the  midst  of 
my  sheath.  The  most  beautiful  body  is  but 
like  a  velvet  sheath,  the  soul  is  the  blade  of 
admirable  metal.  The  soul  is  a  sparkling 
diamond  set  in  a  ring  of  clay,  &c.  The 
soul  is  a  vessel  of  honour;  God  himself 
is  served  in  this  vessel.  The  soul  is  the 
bird  of  paradise  that  soars  aloft;  it  may  be 
compared  to  the  wings  of  the  cherubims,  it 
hath  a  winged  iwiftness  to  fly  to  heaven. 
The  soul  is  capable  of  communion  with  God 
and  anjrels.  The  soul  is  God's  house  he 
hath  made  to  dwell  in,  Heb.  iii.  6.  The 
understanding,  will,  and  affections  are  the 
three  stories  in  this  house.  What  pity 
is  it  that  this  goodly  building  should  be  let 
out,  and  the  devil  become  tenant  in  it.  The 
preciousness  of  the  soul  is  seen  in  two  parti- 
culars. 

It  hath  I.  An  intrinsical  worth.  II.  An 
estimative  worth. 

I.  The  soul  hath  an  intrinsical  worth. 
Which  appears  in  two  things:  1.  Spirituality. 
2.  Immortality. 

1.  Spirituality.  The  soul  is  a  spiritual 
substance.  It  is  a  saying  among  the  ancients, 
our  souls  are  tempered  in  the  same  mortar 
with  the  heavenly  spirits.  Now  the  soul  is 
spiritual  three  manner  of  ways:  In  its  essence, 
object,  operation. 

(1.)  The  soul  is  spiritual  in  its  essence. 
God  breathed  it  in.  Gen.  ii.  7.  It  is  a 
sparkle  lighted  by  the  breath  of  God.  The 
soul  may  be  compared  to  the  spirits  of  the 
wine,  the  body  to  the  dregs:  the  spirits  are 
the  more  pure  refined  part  of  the  wine,  such 
is  the  soul;  the  body  is  more  feculent,  the 
soul  is  the  more  refined,  sublimated  part  of 
man.  Mistake  me  not,  when  I  say  the  soul 
is  spiritual,  and  that  it  is  a  beam  of  God; 
I  do  not  mean  that  it  is  of  the  same  substance 
with  him,  as  Servetus,  Osiander,  and  others 
have  held;  for  when  it  is  said  God  breathed 
mto  man  the  breath  of  life,  they  erroneously 


thought  that  the  soul  being  infused  did  con- 
vey into  man  the  spirit  and  substance  of 
God,  which  opinion  is  absurd  and  sinful:  tor 
if  the  soul  should  be  part  of  the  Divine 
essence,  then  it  will  follow,  that  the  essence 
of  God  should  be  subject  not  only  to  change 
and  passion,  but  which  is  worse,  to  sin,  which 
were  blasphemy  to  assert;  so  that  when  we 
say  the  soul  is  spiritual,  the  meaning  is, 
God  hath  invested  it  with  many  noble  en- 
dowments, he  hath  made  it  a  mirror  of 
beauty,  and  printed  upon  it  a  surpassing 
excellency;  as  the  sun  shining  upon  crystal, 
conveys  its  beauty,  not  its  being. 

(2.)  The  soul  is  spiritual  in  its  object,  it 
contemplates  God  and  heaven;  God  is  the 
orb  and  centre  where  the  soul  doth  fix;  if 
you  could  lift  up  a  stone  into  the  highest 
region,  though  it  did  break  in  a  hundred 
pieces,  it  would  fall  to  its  centre.  The  soul 
moves  to  God,  as  to  its  rest,  Psal.  cxvi.  7. 
"  Return  to  thy  rest,  O  my  soul."  He  is  the 
ark  to  which  this  dove  flies;  nothing  but 
God  can  fill  a  heaven-born  soul ;  if  the  earth 
were  turned  into  a  globe  of  gold,  it  could 
not  fill  the  heart,  it  would  still  cry.  Give, 
give.  The  soul  being  spiritual,  God  only 
can  be  the  adequate  object  of  it. 

(3.)  The  soul  is  spiritual  in  its  operation, 
it  being  immaterial,  doth  not  depend  upon 
the  body  in  its  working.  The  senses  of 
seeing,  hearing,  and  the  rest  of  those  organs 
of  the  body,  cease  and  die  with  the  body, 
because  thej'^  are  parts  of  the  body,  and  have 
their  dependence  on  it;  but  the  soul  (as 
Aristotle  saith)  hath  a  nature  distinct  from 
the  body,  it  moves  and  operates  of  itself 
though  the  body  be  dead,  and  hath  no 
dependence  upon,  or  co-existence  with  the 
body.  Thales  Milesius,  an  ancient  j)hiloso- 
pher,  calls  the  soul  a  self-moveable,  it  hath 
an  intrinsical  principle  of  life  and  motion, 
though  it  be  separate  from  the  body.  And 
thus  you  have  seen  the  soul's  spirituality. 

2.  The  preciousness  of  the  soul  appears  in 
its  immortality.  There  are  some  that  say 
the  soul  is  mortal;  indeed  it  were  well  for 
those  who  do  not  live  like  men,  if  they 
might  die  like  beasts;  but  as  Julius  Scaliger 
well  observes,  it  is  impossible  for  any  thing 
of  a  spiritual,  uncompounded  nature,  to  be 
subject  to  death  and  corruption:  the  souls  of 


PRECIOUSNESS  OF  THE  SOUL. 


believers  are  with  Clirist  atter  deatli,  Pliil. 
i.  23.  Qi^colampadias  said  to  his  friend, 
who  came  to  visit  liim  on  his  death  bed, 
Good  news,  I  shall  be  shortly  with  Christ 
my  Lord.  And  the  devout  soul  shall  be 
ever  with  the  Lord,  1  Thess.  iv.  ult.  The 
heathens  had  some  glimmerings  of  the  sovd's 
immortality.  Cicero  saith  that  the  swan  was 
dedicated  to  Apollo,  because  she  sings  sweetly 
before  her  death ;  by  which  hieroglyphic  they 
intimated  the  joyfulness  of  virtuous  men  be- 
fore their  death,  as  supposing  the  Elysian 
delights,  which  they  should  always  enjoy 
.  after  this  life.  And  we  read  it  was  a  cus- 
tom among  the  Romans,  that  when  their 
great  men  died,  they  caused  an  eagle  to 
fly  aloft  in  the  air,  signifying  hereby  that 
the  soul  was  immortal,  and  did  not  die  as 
the  body. 

The  soid's  immortality  may  be  proved  by 
this  arginnent,  That  which  is  not  capable  of 
•killing,  is  not  capable  of  dying ;  but  the  soul 
is  not  capable  of  killing ;  our  Saviour  Christ 
proA'es  the  minor  proposition,  that  it  is  not 
capable  of  killing.  Luke  xii.  4.  "  Fear  not 
them  that  kill  the  body,  and  after  that  have 
no  more  that  they  can  do."  Therefore  the 
soul  not  being  capable  of  killing,  is  not  in  a 
possibility  of  dying ;  the  essence  of  the  soul 
is  metaphysical,  it  hath  a  beginning,  but  no 
end ;  it  is  eternal,  a  parly  post.  The  soul 
doth  not  wax  old,  it  lives  for  ever,  which  can 
be  said  of  no  sublunary  created  glory. 
Worldly  things  are  as  full  of  mutation  as  mo- 
tion, and  like  Jonah's  gourd,  have  a  worm 
eating  at  the  root. 

II.  The  soul  hath  an  estimative  worth. 

1.  Jesus  Christ  hath  set  a  high  value  and 
estimate  upon  the  soul ;  he  made  it,  and  he 
bought  it,  therefore  he  best  knows  the  price 
of  it.  He  did  sell  himself  to  buy  the  soul. 
Zech.  xi.  12.  "  They  weighed  for  my  price 
tliirty  pieces  of  silver."  Nay,  he  was  content 
not  only  to  be  sold,  but  to  die ;  this  enhanc- 
eth  the  price  of  the  soul,  it  cost  the  blood  of 
God.  Acts  XX.  28.  1  Pet.  i.  19.  "Ye were 
not  redeemed  with  corruptible  things,  as  sil- 
ver and  gold,  but  with  the  precious  blood  of 
Christ."  God  must  die,  tliat  the  soul  may 
live ;  the  heir  of  heaven  was  mortgaged,  and 
laid  to  pawn  for  the  soul  of  man.  What 
could  Christ  give  more  than  himself?  what 


in  himself  dearer  than  his  blood  ?  O  precious 
soul,  that  hast  the  image  of  God  to  beautify 
thee,  and  the  blood  of  God  to  redeem  thee  ! 
Christ  was  the  priest,  his  divine  nature  the 
altar,  his  blood  the  sacrifice  which  he  did  of- 
fer up  as  an  atonement  for  our  souls.  Now 
reckon  what  a  drop  of  Christ's  blood  is  worth, 
and  then  tell  me  what  a  soul  is  worth. 

2.  Satan  doth  value  souls,  he  knows  their 
worth ;  he  saith  as  the  king  of  Sodom  did 
to  Abraham,  <  Give  me  the  persons,  and  take  , 
the  goods  to  thyself.'  So  saith  Satan,  '  Give  I 
me  the  persons.'  He  cares  not  how  rich  you 
are,  he  doth  not  strive  to  take  away  your  j 
estates,  but  your  souls.  Give  me  the  per- 
sons, saith  he,  take  you  the  goods ;  whence 
are  all  his  noemata^  his  warlike  stratagems, 
his  subtle  snares,  but  to  catch  souls  ?  Wliy 
doth  this  lion  so  roar  but  for  his  prey  ?  he 
envies  the  soul  its  happiness,  he  lays  the 
whole  train  of  tentation  to  blow  up  the  whole 
fort-royal  of  the  soul.  Why  doth  he  lay 
such  suitable  baits  ?  he  allures  the  ambitious 
man  with  a  crown,  the  covetous  man  with  a 
golden  apple  ;  the  sanguine  man  with  beau- 
ty ;  why  doth  he  tempt  to  Delilah's  lap,  but 
to  keep  you  from  Abraham's  bosom  ?  the 
devil  is  angling  for  the  precious  soul ;  to 
undo  souls  is  his  pride ;  he  glories  in  the 
damnation  of  souls ;  it  is  next  to  victory  to 
die  revenged.  If  Samson  must  die,  it  is 
some  comfort  that  he  shall  make  more  die 
with  him ;  if  Satan,  that  lion,  must  be  kept 
in  his  hellish  den,  it  is  all  the  heaven  he  ex- 
pects, to  reach  forth  his  paw,  and  pull  others 
into  the  den  with  him. 

2.  Having  showed  you  the  soul's  precious- 
ness ;  the  next  thing  to  be  demonstrated,  is, 
that  the  soul  is  more  precious  than  a  world ; 
the  world  is  made  of  a  more  impure  lump  ; 
the  world  is  of  a  coarser  make,  of  an  earthly 
extract ;  the  soul  is  heaven-born,  of  a  finer 
spinning,  of  a  more  noble  descent ;  the  world 
is  a  great  book  or  volume,  wherein  we  read 
the  majesty  and  wisdom  of  him  that  made 
it ;  but  the  soul  is  the  image  of  God,  Gen.  i. 
The  soul  is  a  studied  piece  ;  when  God  made 
the  world,  it  was  but  jiat^  let  it  be,  and  it 
was  done ;  but  when  he  made  the  soul,  all 
the  persons  in  the  Trinity  sat  together  at  the 
council  table,  Gen.  i.  26.  "  Come,  let  us 
make  man  in  our  own  likeness."     The  soul 


TRECIOUSNESS  OF  THE  SOUL. 


735 


is  a  glass  vLerein  some  rays  of  divine  glory 
shine,  much  of  God  is  to  be  seen  in  it; 
tiiongh  this  glass  be  cracked  by  the  fall,  yet 
it  shall  one  day  be  perfect ;  we  read  of  spirits 
of  just  men  made  })erfect,  Heb.  xii.  23.  The 
soul  since  the  fall  of  Adam,  may  be  compared 
to  the  moon  in  its  conjunction,  very  much 
obscured  by  sin ;  but  when  it  is  sanctified  by 
the  Spirit,  and  translated  from  hence,  it  shall 
be  as  the  moon  in  the  full,  it  shall  shine  forth 
in  its  perfect  glory. 

1.  If  the  soul  be   so   precious,   see  then 
what  that  worship  is  that  God  doth  expect 
and  accept ;  namely,  that  which  comes  from 
the  more  noble  part  of  the  soul.     Psal.  xxv. 
1.  "  To  thee,  O  Lord,  do  I  lift  up  my  soul." 
David  did  not  only  lift  up  his  voice,  but  his 
soul ;  though  God  will  have  the  eye  and  the 
knee,  the  service  of  the  body ;  yet  he  com- 
plains of  them  that  draw  near  with  their  lips, 
when  their  hearts  were  far  from  him,    Isa. 
xxix.  13.     The  soul  is  the  jewel ;  David  not 
only  put  his  lute  and  viol  in  tune,  but  his 
soul  in  tune  to  praise  God.     Psal.  ciii.  1. 
"  Bless  the  Lord,  O  my  soul ;"  his  affections 
joining  together  in  worship,  made  up  the 
concert.     The  soul  is  both  altar,  fire  and  in- 
cense ;  it  is  the  altar  on  which  we  offer  up 
our  prayers,  the  fire  which  kindles  our  pray- 
ers, and  the  incense  which  perfumes  them. 
God's  eye  is  chiefly  upon  the  soul :  bring  an 
hundred  dishes  to  table,  he  will  carve  of  none 
but  this ;  this  is  the  savoury  meat  he  loves. 
He  who  is  best,  will  be  served  with  the  best ; 
when  we  give  him  the  soul  in  a  duty,  now 
we  give  him  the  flower  and  the  cream ;  by 
a  holy  chemistry  we  still  out  the  spirits.    A 
soul  inflamed  in  service,  is,  "  the  cup  of  spic- 
ed wine,  and  the  juice  of  the  pomegranate," 
Cant.  viii.  2.  which  the  spouse  makes  Christ 
to  drink  of :  without  the  worship  of  the  soul, 
all  Qur  religion  is  but  bodily  exercise,  1  Tim. 
iv.    8.  which  profits  nothing ;   \\dthout  the 
soul  we  give  God  but  a  carcase.     What  are 
all   the   Papists'    fastings,    penance,    pilgri- 
mages, but  going  to  hell  in  more  pomp  and 
state  ?     What   are    the   formalist's  prayers, 
which  do  even  cool  between  his  lips,  but  a 
dead  devotion  ?     It  is  not  sacrifice  but  sa- 
crilege ;  he  robs  God  of  that  which  he  hath 
a  right  to,  his  soul. 

2.  Branch.     If  tho  soul  be  so  precious, 


then  of  what  precious  account  should  ordi- 
nances and  ministers  be  ? 

L  Ordinances  are  the  golden  ladder  by 
which  the  soul  climbs  up  to  heaven,  they 
are  conduits  of  the  water  of  life.  C)  how 
precious  should  these  be  to  us  !  they  that  are 
against  ordinances,  are  against  being  saved. 

2.  Of  how  precious  account  should  minis- 
ters be,  whose  very  work  is  to  save  souls ; 
their  feet  should  be  beautiful. 

L  Their  labours  should  be  precious;  they 
are,  in  the  Greek,  sunergoi,  2  Cor.  vi.  \. 
They  labour  with  God,  and  they  labour  for 
your  souls ;  all  their  sweat,  their  tears,  their 
prayers  are  for  you  ;  they  woo  for  your  souls, 
and  oftentimes  spend  their  lives  in  the  suit. 

2.  Their  liberty  should  be  precious.    Con- 
stantine  was  a  great  honourer  of  the  ministry ; 
it  indeed  you  see  any  of  them  who  are  of  this 
holv  and  honourable  function,  like  that  druir 
the  physicians  si)eak  of,  which  is  hot  in  the 
mouth,    but   cold  in    operation;  if  you  see 
them  either  idle  or  ravenous,  if  they  do  not 
divide  the  word  rightly,  and  live  uprightly, 
censure  and  spare  not.     God  forbid  I  shoidd 
open  my  mouth  for  such.     In  the  law,  the 
lips  of  the  leper  were  to  be  covered ;  that 
minister  who  is  by  office  an  angel,  but  by  his 
life  a  leper,  ought  to  have  his   lips  covered, 
he    deserves  silencing.      A  good  preacher, 
but  a  bad  liver,  is  like  a  physician  that  hath 
the  plague  ;  though  his  advice  and  receipts 
which  he  gives  may  be  good,  yet  his  plague 
infects  the  patient :  so  though  ministers  may 
have  good  words,  and  give  good  receij)ts  in 
the  pulpit,  yet  the  plague  of  their  lives  in- 
fects their  people.     Jf  you  find  a  II<)])hni 
and  Phinehas  among  the  sons  of  Levi,  wlK)>e 
unholy  carriage  makes  the  offering  of  CukI  to 
be  abhorred,  you  will  save  God  a  labour  in 
ejecting  them;  but  be  sure  you  distii'guish 
between  the  precious  and  the  vile ;  while  you 
let  out  the  bad  blood,  have  a  care  to  preserve 
the  heart-blood ;  while  you  purge  out  tlie  ill 
humours,  do  not  destroy  the  sjiirits;  while 
you  are  taking  away  the  snufl's  do  not  eclipse 
the  lights  of  God's  sanctuary;  it  is  a  work 
fit  for  a   Julian    to   suppress    the    orthodox 
ministry,  and  open  the  temple  of  tlie  idol. 
The  Romans  sacked  the  city  of  Corinth,  and 
rased  it  doAVTi  to  the  ground  for  some  inci- 
vility offered  to  their  ambassador,     God  will 


736 


PRECIOUSNESS  OF  THE  SOUL. 


avenge  the  affronts  offered  to  his  ministers, 
Psal.  cv.  15.  O  take  heed  of  this  !  if  souls 
be  of  such  infinite  value,  how  precious  should 
their  liberties  be,  whose  very  design  and  ne- 
gotiation is  to  save  souls;  1  Tim.  iv.  16. 
Jude  23. 

Use  2.  Exhort.  Branch  1.  If  the  soul  be 
80  precious,  take  heed  of  abusing  your  souls. 
Socrates  exhorted  young  men  that  they 
should  look  their  faces  in  a  glass,  and  if  they 
saw  they  were  fair,  they  should  do  nothing 
unworthy  of  their  beauty.  Christians,  God 
hath  given  you  souls  that  sparkle  with  divine 
beauty ;  O  do  nothing  unworthy  of  these 
souls,  do  not  abuse  them  :  there  are  four  sorts 
of  persons  that  abuse  souls. 

1.  They  that  degrade  their  souls. 

(1.)  That  set  the  world  above  their  souls; 
"  Who  pant  after  the  dust  of  the  earth,"  Amos 
ii.  7.  As  if  a  man's  house  were  on  fire,  and 
he  should  take  care  to  preserve  the  lumber, 
but  let  his  child  be  burnt  in  the  fire. 

(2.)  That  make  their  souls  lackeys  to  their 
bodies.  The  body  is  but  the  brutish  part, 
the  soul  is  the  angelical;  the  soul  is  the 
queen-regent,  who  is  adorned  with  the  jewels 
of  knowledge,  and  sways  the  sceptre  of  liber- 
ty ;  oh  what  a  pity  it  is  that  this  excellent 
soul  shall  be  made  a  vassal,  and  be  put  to 
grind  in  the  mill,  when  the  body  in  the 
meantime  sits  in  a  chair  of  state  !  Solomon 
complains  of  an  evil  under  the  sun,  Eccl.  x. 
7.  "1  have  seen  servants  upon  horses,  and 
princes  walking  as  servants  upon  the  earth." 
Is  it  not  an  evil  under  the  sun  to  see  the 
body  riding  in  pomp  and  triumph,  and  the 
soul  of  man,  that  royal  and  heaven-born  thing, 
as  a  lackey  walking  on  foot. 

2.  They  abuse  their  souls  that  sell  their 
Kouls. 

(1.)  The  covetous  person  sells  his  soul  for 
money ;  as  it  is  said  of  the  lawyer,  he  hath 
a  tongue  that  will  be  sold  for  a  fee ;  so  the 
covetous  man  hath  a  soul  that  is  to  be  set  for 
money.  Achan  did  sell  his  soul  for  a  wedge 
of  gold.  Judas  did  sell  his  soul  for  silver ; 
Judas  sold  cheap  pennyworths;  for  thirty 
pieces  of  silver  he  did  sell  Christ,  who  was 
more  worth  than  heaven ;  and  his  own  soul 
which  was  more  worth  than  a  world  !  how 
many  have  damned  their  souls  for  money  ? 
I  Tim.  vL  9,  10.     It  is  observed  that  the 


eagles'  quills  or  feathers  mixed  with  hens' 
feathers,  will  in  time  consume  them;  such  is 
the  world  to  the  soul ;  if  you  mix  these 
earthly  things  with  your  souls,  and  let  them 
lie  too  near  you,  they  will  in  time  consume 
and  undo  your  souls. 

(2.)  The  ambitious  person  sells  his  soul  for 
honour;  as  Alexander  the  sixth  did  sell  his 
soul  to  the  devil  for  a  popedom ;  and  what  is 
that  honour  but  res  imaginaria  ?  a  torch 
lighted  by  the  breath  of  people,  with  the  least 
puff  of  censure  blown  out !  how  many  souls 
have  been  blown  into  hell  with  the  wind  of 
popular  applause  ? 

(3.)  The  voluptuous  person  sells  his  soidfor 
pleasure.  Heliogabalus  drowned  himself  in 
sweet  water;  so  many  drown  their  souls  in  the 
sweet  perfumed  waters  of  pleasure.  Plato 
calls  pleasure  the  bait  that  catcheth  souls : 
Pleasure  is  a  silken  halter,  a  flattering  devil, 
it  kills  with  embracing. 

(4.)  Theyabuse  their  souls  that  poison  their 
souls ;  error  is  a  sweet  poison.  Ignatius 
calls  it  the  invention  of  the  devil.  A  man 
may  as  well  damn  his  soul  by  error  as  vice, 
and  may  as  soon  go  to  hell  for  a  drunken 
opinion  as  for  a  drunken  life. 

( 5. )  They  abuse  their  souls  that  starve  their 
souls ;  these  are  they  that  say  they  are  above 
ordinances ;  but  sure  we  shall  not  be  above 
ordinances,  till  we  are  above  sin.  The 
apostle  saith,  that  in  the  blessed  sacrament 
we  are  to  remember  the  Lord's  death  till  he 
come,  1  Cor.  xi.  26.  that  is,  imtil  Christ 
comes  to  judgment.  How  then  can  any  omit 
sacraments  without  a  contempt  and  affront 
offered  to  Christ  himself?  if  Saint  Paul  and 
the  apostles,  those  giants  in  grace,  needed 
the  Lord's  supper  to  confirm  and  corroborate 
them,  much  more  do  we  need  such  holy  or- 
dinances, who  have  but  an  infant  faith ;  but 
Satan  likes  these  fasting  days,  he  would  have 
men  fast  from  ordinances:  if  the  body  be 
kept  from  food,  it  cannot  live  long. 

Branch  2.  If  the  soul  be  so  precious  a 
thing,  take  heed  you  do  not  lose  your  souls ; 
consider  what  a  loss  it  is,  as  appears  in  two 
things. 

1.  It  is  a  foolish  loss  to  lose  the  soul, 
"  Thou  fool,  this  night  thy  soul  shall  be  re- 
quired of  thee,"  Luke  xii.  20.  It  is  a  foolish 
loss  to  lose  the  soul,  iu  a  threefold  respect. 


PRECIOUSNESS  OF  THE  SOUL. 


73T 


(1.)  Because  there  is  a  possibility  of  saving 
the  soul ;  we  have  time  to  work  in,  we  have 
light  to  work  by,  we  have  the  Spirit  offering 
us  help.  The  soul  is  like  a  ship  laden  with 
jewels,  the  Spirit  is  a  gale  of  wind  to  blow; 
if  we  would  but  loosen  anchor  from  sin,  we 
might  arrive  at  the  port  of  happiness. 

(2.)  It  is  a  foolish  loss,  because  we  lose  the 
soul  for  things  of  no  value ;  worldly  things 
are  infinitely  below  the  soul,  they  are  nonen- 
tities. Prov.  xxiii.  5,  "  Wilt  thou  set  thine 
eyes  on  tliat  which  is  not?"  The  world  is 
but  a  bewitchery,  these  things  glister  in  our 
eyes ;  but  at  death  we  shall  say,  we  have  set 
our  eyes  on  that  which  is  not :  he  that  thinks 
to  find  happiness  here  is  like  Ixion,  that 
hugged  the  cloud  instead  of  Juno,  and  like 
Apollo,  that  embraced  the  laurel-tree  instead 
of  Dajihne.  Now  to  lose  the  soul  for  such 
poor  inconsiderate  things,  is  a  foolish  thing ; 
it  is  as  if  one  should  throw  a  diamond  at  a 
pear-tree,  he  loseth  his  diamond. 

(8.)  It  is  a  foolish  loss,  for  a  man  to  lose  his 
soul,  because  he  himself  hath  a  hand  in  it ; 
is  it  not  folly  to  give  one's  self  poison?  a 
sinner  hath  his  hands  imbrued  in  the  blood 
of  his  own  soul :  "  thy  destruction  is  of  thy- 
self," Hos.  xiii.  9.  "  They  lay  wait  for  their 
own  blood,"  Prov.  i.  18.  The  foolish  sinner 
nourisheth  those  lusts  that  kill  his  soul ;  the 
tree  breeds  the  worm,  and  the  worm  eats  the 
tree ;  were  it  not  folly  for  a  garrison  to  open 
to  the  enemy  that  besiegeth  it ;  the  sinner 
opens  to  those  lusts  which  war  against  his 
soul,  1  Pet.  ii.  11.  this  is  a  foolish  loss. 

2.  It  is  a  fatal  loss  to  lose  the  soul. 

(1.)  It  is  an  unparalleled  loss,  because  in 
losing  the  soul  there  are  so  many  things  lost 
with  it ;  as  a  merchant  in  losing  his  ship, 
loseth  many  things  with  it;  his  money, 
plate,  jewels,  spices.  Thus  he  that  loseth 
his  soul,  he  loseth  Christ,  he  loseth  the  Com- 
forter, he  loseth  the  society  of  angels,  he 
loseth  heaven. 

(2.)  It  is  an  irreparable  loss :  other  losses 
niay  be  made  up  again ;  if  a  man   lose  his 


health,  he  may  recover  it  again ;  if  he  lose 
his  estate,  he  may  get  it  up  again ;  but  if 
he  lose  his  soul,  this  loss  can  never  be  made 
up  again.  Are  there  any  more  saviours  to 
die  for  the  soid?  as  Naomi  said  to  her 
daughters,  "  Are  there  yet  any  more  sons  in 
my  womb?"  Ruth  i.  11.  Hath  God  any 
more  sons?  or  will  he  send  his  son  anymore 
into  the  world  ?  Oh  no,  if  the  soul  bo  lost ! 
Christ's  next  coming  is  not  to  save  it,  but  to 
judge  it.  Christi-ui,  remember  thou  hast 
but  one  soul,  and  if  that  be  gone,  all  is  gone. 
God,  saith  Chrysostom,  hath  given  thee  two 
eyes,  if  thou  losest  one,  thou  hast  another ; 
but  thou  hast  but  one  soul,  and  if  that  perish, 
thou  art  quite  undone.  The  merchant  that 
ventures  all  in  one  ship,  if  that  ship  be  lost, 
he  is  quite  broken. 

(3.)  The  loss  of  the  soul  is  an  eternal  loss; 
the  soul  once  lost,  is  lost  for  ever ;  the  sinner 
and  the  furnace  shall  never  be  parted,  Isa. 
xxxiii.  14.  As  the  sinner's  heart  will  never 
be  emptied  of  sin,  so  God's  vial  shall  never 
be  emptied  of  ^^Tath  :  it  is  an  eternal  loss. 

Branch  3.  Do  what  you  can  to  secure  the 
main  chance,  to  save  these  precious  souls. 
In  times  of  danger  men  call  in  their  debts, 
and  labour  to  secure  their  estates;  let  me 
tell  you,  all  you  who  are  yet  in  your  natural 
estate,  your  souls  are  mortgaged;  if  your 
land  were  mortgaged,  you  would  endeavour 
to  redeem  it ;  your  souls  are  mortgaged : 
sin  hath  mortgaged  them,  sin  hath  laid  your 
souls  to  pawn,  and  where  do  you  think  your 
souls  are  ?  the  pawn  is  in  the  devil's  hand, 
therefore  a  man  in  the  state  of  nature  is  said 
to  be  "  under  the  power  of  Satan,"  Acts 
xxvi.  18.  Now  there  are  but  two  ways  to 
fetch  home  the  pawn ;  and  both  are  set  down. 
Acts  XX.  21.  "  Repentance  towards  God,  and 
faith  towards  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ"  Un- 
ravel all  your  works  of  sin  by  repentance, 
honoiu:  Christ's  merits  by  believing :  divines 
call  it  saving  faith,  because  upon  tliis  wing 
the  soul  flies  to  the  ark  Christ,  and  is  secured 
from  danger. 


5  A 


738 


THE  SOUL'S  MALADY  AND  CURE. 


THE  SOUL'S  MALADY  AND  CURE. 


Luke  V.  31 .  "  They  that  are  whole  need  not  a  physician^  hut  they  that  are  sich.^* 


J.  HE  occasion  of  the  words  is  set  down  in 
the  context ;  Levi  was  called  from  the  receipt 
of  custom  (he  was  a  custom-house  man),  but 
Christ  called  him,  and  there  went  out  power 
wdth  the  word,  "  he  left  all,  rose  up,  and  fol- 
lowed him,"  ver.  28.     Levi  did  not  consult 
with  flesh  and  blood,  he  did  not  say,  "  What 
shall  I  do  for  the  hundred  talents?"  2  Chron. 
XXV.  9.  how  shall  I  live  and  maintain  my 
charge  ?     I  shall  lose  many  a  sweet  bit  at 
the  custom-house ;  poverty  is  like  to  be  my 
patrimony;  nay,  in  case  I  follow  Christ,  I 
must  espouse  persecution ;  he  doth  not  reason 
thus;  but  having  a  call,   he   hastens   away 
after  Christ,  "  he  rose  up  and  followed  him ;  " 
and  that  he  might  give  Christ  a  pledge  and 
specimen  of  his  love,  he  makes  him  a  feast, 
ver.  29.  "  And  Levi  made  him  a  great  feast 
in  his  own  house ;  "  a  better  guest  he  coidd 
not   invite.  .    Christ  always    came  with  his 
cost;  Levi   feasted   Christ  with   his  cheer, 
and  Christ  feasted  him  with  salvation.  Well, 
Christ  being  at  this  feast,  the  Pharisees  begin 
to  murmur,  ver.  30.   "  Why  do  ye  eat  and 
drink  with  publicans  ?  "     The  Pharisees,   1. 
were  offended  at  him  that  he  should  go  in 
and  eat  with  publicans.     The  publicans  were 
counted  the  worst  of  sinners ;  sinners  of  the 
deepest  dye ;  yet  the  Pharisees  were  not  so 
much  offended  at  the  sins  of  the  publicans, 
as  they  had  a  mind  to  pick  a  quarrel  with 
Christ.     He  who  was  the  horn  of  salvation 
to  some,  was  a  rock  of  offence  to  these  Jews ; 
others  did  feed  on  him,  these  did  stumble  at 
him.    2.  They  accuse  Christ :  for  these  words 
carry    in    them   a    charge    and   accusation, 
"  Why  do  ye  eat  with  publicans  and  sinners  ?  " 
The  Pharisees  impeached  Christ  for  eating 
with  sinners ;  malice  will  never  want  matter 
of  accusation.   Though  the  devils  proclaimed 
Christ's  holiness,  Luke  iv.  34.  "  Let  us  alone, 
I  know  thee  who  thou  art,  the  Holy  One  of 
God."     Yet   the   Pharisees  tax  him  for    a 
sinner :  see  what  malice  will  do,  it  will  make 
a  man  speak  that  which  the  devil  himself  will 
not  speak.     The  devils  justify  Christ,  the 
Pharisees  accuse  him.    And  Christ,  who  was 


a  Lamb  without  spot,  could  not  escape  the 
world's  censm^es,  no  wonder  if  his  people  are 
loaded  with  the  calumnies  and  censures  oi 
the  wicked. 

But  let  us  examine  the  matter  of  the 
charge  they  bring  against  Christ,  and  see  how 
groundless  it  was.  They  indict  Christ  for 
going  in  with  sinners. 

First,  Christ  did  nothing  but  what  was 
according  to  his  commission;  the  commis- 
sion he  received  from  his  Father,  was,  that 
he  should  come  to  save  sinners,  1  Tim. 
i.  15. 

Secondly,  Christ  went  in  with  sinners,  not 
to  join  with  them  in  their  sins,  but  to  heal 
them  of  their  sins ;  to  accuse  Christ,  was,  as 
Austin  saith,  as  if  the  physician  should  be 
accused,  because  he  goes  among  them  that 
are  sick  of  the  plague.  This  groundless  ac- 
cusation Christ  overhears,  and  in  the  text 
gives  these  envious  Pharisees  a  silencing  an- 
swer, "  They  that  are  whole  need  not  a  phy- 
sician, but  they  that  are  sick."  As  if  Christ 
had  said.  You  Pharisees  think  yourselves 
righteous  persons,  you  need  no  Saviour ;  but 
these  poor  publicans  are  sick  and  ready  to 
die,  and  I  come  as  a  physician  to  cure  them; 
therefore  be  not  angry  at  a  work  of  mercy ; 
though  you  will  not  be  healed,  yet  do  not 
hinder  me  from  healing  others.  "  They  that 
are  whole  need  not  a  physician,  but  they  that 
are  sick." 

In  the  words  there  are  two  general  parts : 

1.  The  dying  patients. 

2.  The  healing  physician. 

1.  The  dying  patients.  Them  that  are  sick. 
Whence  observe, 

Doct.  1.  That  sin  is  a  soul-disease,  Psal. 
ciii.  3.  Isa.  liii.  4.  "  He  hath  borne  our  griefs," 
in  the  Hebrew  it  is  our  sicknesses.  Man  at 
first  was  created  in  a  healthful  temper,  he 
had  no  sickness  of  soul,  he  ailed  nothing; 
the  soul,  in  the  Greek,  had  its  eukrasia^  its 
perfect  beauty  and  glory.  The  eye  was 
clear,  the  heart  pure,  the  affections  tuned 
^vith  the  finger  of  God  into  a  most  sweet 
harmony.     God  made  man  upright,  Eccies. 


THE  SOUL'S  MALADY  AND  CURE. 


739 


vll.  29. ;  but  Adam,  by  eating  the  apple,  fell 
Kick;  and  had  died  for  ever,  had  not  God  found 
out  a  way  for  his  recovery.  For  the  ampli- 
fication of  the  doctrine,  there  are  three  things 
to  be  considered. 

1.  In  what  sense  sin  is  resembled  to  sick- 
ness. 

2.  Wliat  the  diseases  of  the  soul  are. 

3.  That  sin-sickness  is  the  worst. 

1.  In  what  sense  sin  is  resembled  to  sick- 
ness. 

1.  Sin  may  be  compared  to  sickness  for  the 
manner  of  catching. 

First,  Sickness  is  caught  often  through 
carelessness;  some  get  cold  by  leaving  off 
clothes.  So  when  Adam  grew  careless  of 
God's  command,  and  left  off  the  garment  of 
his  innocency,  he  caught  a  sickness ;  he  could 
stay  no  longer  in  the  garden,  but  lay  bedrid ; 
his  sin  hath  turned  the  world,  which  was  a 
paradise,  into  an  hospital. 

Secondly,  Sickness  is  caught  sometimes 
through  superfluity  and  intemperance.  Ex- 
cess produceth  sickness.  When  our  first  pa- 
rents lost  the  golden  bridle  of  temperance, 
and  did  eat  of  the  forbidden  tree,  they,  and 
all  their  posterity  surfeited  on  it,  and  took  a 
sickness.  The  tree  of  knowledge  had  sick- 
ness and  death  under  the  leaves ;  it  was  fair 
to  the  eye,  Gen.  iii.  G.,  but  poison  to  the 
taste  ;  we  all  grew  desperately  sick  by  eating 
of  this  tree.  Adam's  intemperance  hath 
brought  us  to  fasting  and  weeping ;  and  be- 
sides that  disease  at  first  by  propagation,  we 
have  added  to  it  by  actual  perpetration.  We 
have  increased  our  sickness,  therefore  sin- 
ners are  said  to  wax  worse  and  worse,  2  Tim. 
iii.  13. 

2.  Sin  may  be  resembled  to  sickness  for 
the  nature  of  it.  As,  1.  Sickness  is  of  a 
spreading  nature,  it  spreads  all  over  the  body, 
it  works  into  every  part,  the  head,  stomach, 
it  disorders  the  whole  body.  So  sin  doth  not 
rcHt  in  one  part,  but  spreads  into  all  the  fa- 
culties of  the  soul,  and  members  of  the  body, 
Isa.  i.  5,  6.  "  The  whole  head  is  sick,  the 
whole  heart  is  faint;  from  the  sole  of  the 
foot,  even  unto  the  head,  there  is  no  sound- 
ness in  it,  but  wounds  and  bruises,  and  pu- 
trefying sores,"  &c. 

1.  Sin   doth   corrupt   the  understanding, 
Gregory  Nazianzene  calls  the  xmderstanding 


the  lamp  of  reason,  this  lamp  burns  dim, 
Eph.  iv.  18.  "  Having  their  underst^mding 
darkened ;"  sin  hath  drawn  a  vail  over  the 
understanding,  it  hath  cast  a  mist  before  our 
eyes,  that  we  neither  know  God  nor  our- 
selves ;  naturally  we  are  only  wise  to  do  evil, 
Jer.  iv.  21.  Witty  at  sin,  wise  to  damn  our- 
selves; the  understanding  is  defiled,  1  Cor 
ii.  14.  We  can  no  more  judge  of  spiritual 
objects  till  the  Spirit  of  God  anoint  our  eyes, 
than  a  blind  man  can  judge  of  colours ;  oiu: 
understandings  are  subject  to  mistakes ;  "  we 
call  evil  good,  and  good  evil ;  we  put  bitter 
for  sweet,  and  sweet  for  bitter,"  Isa.  v.  20. 
A  straight  stick  underwater  seems  crooked;  so 
to  a  natural  understanding  the  straight  line  of 
truth  seems  crooked. 

2.  The  memory  is  diseased ;  the  memory 
at  first  was  like  a  golden  cabinet  in  which 
divine  truths  were  locked  up  safe  ;  but  now 
it  is  like  a  colander  or  leaking  vessel,  which 
lets  all  that  is  good  run  out.  The  memory 
is  like  a  scarcer,  which  sifts  out  the  flour, 
but  keeps  the  bran.  So  the  memory  lets 
saving  truths  go,  and  holds  nothing  but  froth 
and  vanity.  Many  a  man  can  remember  a 
story,  when  he  hath  forgot  his  creed.  Thus 
the  memory  is  diseased ;  the  memory  is  like  a 
bad  stomach  that  wants  the  retentive  faculty, 
all  the  meat  comes  up  again :  so  the  most 
precious  truths  will  not  stay  in  the  memory, 
but  are  gone  again. 

3.  The  will  is  diseased;  the  will  is  the 
soul's  commander-in-chief,  it  is  the  master- 
wheel;  but  how  irregular  and  eccentric  is  it! 
The  will  in  the  creation  was  like  that  golden 
bridle  which  Minerva  was  said  to  put  upon 
Pegjisus  to  guide  and  rule  him ;  it  did  answer 
to  God's  will :  this  was  the  language  of  the 
will  in  innocency,  "  I  delight  to  do  thy  will, 
O  God,"  Psal.  xL  8.  but  now  it  is  distemp- 
ered, it  is  like  an  iron  sinew  that  refuseth  to 
yield  and  bend  to  God,  Isa.  xlviii.  4.  John 
V.  40.  "  Ye  will  not  come  to  me  that  ye  may 
have  life."     Men  ^vill  rather  die  than  come 
to  their  physician.     The  Arminians  talk  of 
free  will ;  the  will  is  sick,  what  freedom  hath 
a  sick  man  to  walk ;  the  will  is  a  rebel  against 
God,  Acts  \'ii.  51 .     "  Ye  do  always  resist  the 
Holy  Ghost."     The  will  is  diseased. 

4.  The  affections  are  sick. 

First,  The  affection  of  desire ;  a  sick  man 


740 


THE  SOUL'S  MALADY  AND  CURE. 


desires  that  which  is  hurtful  for  him,  he  calls 
for  wine  in  a  fever.  So  the  natural  man  be- 
ing sick,  he  desires  that  which  is  prejudicial 
for  him ;  he  hath  no  desire  after  Christ,  he 
doth  not  hunger  and  thirst  after  righteous- 
ness ;  but  he  desires  poison,  he  desires  to 
take  his  fill  of  sin,  he  loves  death,  Prov. 
viii.  36. 

Secondly,  The  affection  of  grief;  a  man 
grieves  for  the  want  of  an  estate,  but  not  for 
the  want  of  God's  favour :  he  grieves  to  see 
the  plague  or  cancer  in  his  body,  but  not  for 
the  plague  of  his  heart. 

Thirdly,  The  affection  of  joy;  many  can 
rejoice  in  a  wedge  of  gold,  not  in  the  cross 
of  Christ.  The  affections  are  sick  and  dis- 
tempered. 

5.  The  conscience  is  diseased,  Titus  i. 
15.  "  Their  mind  and  conscience  is  defiled." 
Conscience  is  either,  1.  Erroneous,  binding 
to  that  which  is  sinful,  John  xvi.  2.  Acts 
xxvi.  9.  "  I  verily  thought  with  myself  I 
ought  to  do  many  things  contrary  to  the 
name  of  Jesus."  Conscience  is  an  ignis  fa- 
tuus,  leading  out  of  the  right  way.  Or,  2. 
Dumb,  it  will  not  tell  men  of  sin ;  it  is  a  si- 
lenced preacher.  Or,  3.  Dead,  Ephes.  iv. 
19.  Conscience  is  stupified  and  senseless; 
the  custom  of  sinning  hath  taken  away  the 
sense  of  sinninof.  Thus  the  sickness  of  sin 
hath  gone  over  the  whole  soul,  like  that  cloud 
which  overspread  the  face  of  the  heavens, 
1  Kings  xviii.  45. 

2.  Sickness  doth  debilitate  and  weaken 
the  body ;  a  sick  man  is  unfit  to  walk ;  so 
this  sickness  of  sin  weakens  the  soul,  Ro- 
mans V.  6.  "  When  we  were  without  strength 
Christ  died."  In  innocency  Adam  was,  in 
some  sense,  like  the  angels,  he  could  serve  God 
with  a  winged  swiftness,  and  filial  cheerful- 
ness ;  but  sin  brought  sickness  into  the  soul, 
and  this  sickness  hath  cut  the  lock  where  his 
strength  lay ;  he  is  now  disarmed  of  all  ability 
for  service;  and  where  grace  is  wrought, 
though  a  Christian  be  not  so  heart-sick  as 
before,  yet  he  is  very  faint.  The  saints' 
prayers  do  but  whisper  in  God's  ears,  and  if 
Christ  did  not  pray  them  over  again,  God 
coidd  not  hear  them ;  we  sin  fervently,  but 
pray  faintly ;  as  David  said,  2  Sam.  iii.  39. 
*'  I  am  this  day  weak,  though  anointed  king ;" 
80  Christians,  though  they  have  the  oil  of 


grace  poured  upon  them,  and  they  are  anoint- 
ed spiritual  kings,  yet  they  are  weak:  sin  hath 
enfeebled  them  ;  they  take  their  breath  short, 
and  cannot  put  forth  such  strong  desires  after 
God  as  they  ought.  When  we  find  ourselves 
dead  in  duty,  our  holy  affections  languishing, 
think  thus,  This  is  my  sickness,  sin  hath  made 
me  weak ;  as  Jephtha  said  to  his  daughter, 
Judges  xi.  35.  "  Alas,  my  daughter,  thou 
hast  brought  me  very  low ;"  so  may  the  soul 
say,  Alas,  my  sin,  thou  hast  brought  me  very 
low,  thou  hast  brought  me  almost  to  the  gates 
of  death. 

3.  Sickness  doth  eclipse  the  beauty  of 
the  body  :  This  I  ground  on  that  scripture, 
Psal.  xxxix.  11.  "  When  thou  with  rebukes 
dost  correct  man,  thou  makest  his  beauty  to 
consume  away  like  a  moth."  The  moth 
consumes  the  beauty  of  the  cloth ;  so  a  fit  of 
sickness  consumes  the  beauty  of  the  body. 
Thus  sin  is  a  soul-sickness,  it  hath  eclipsed 
the  glory  and  splendour  of  the  soul,  it  hath 
turned  ruddiness  into  paleness ;  that  beauty 
of  grace  which  once  sparkled  as  gold,  now  it 
may  be  said,  "  How  is  this  gold  become 
dim  !"  Lam.  iv.  1.  That  soul  which  once 
had  an  orient  brightness  in  it,  it  was  more 
ruddy  than  rubies,  its  polishing  was  of  sap- 
phire, the  understanding  bespangled  with 
knowledge,  the  will  crowned  with  liberty, 
the  affections  like  so  many  seraphim,  burning 
in  love  to  God,  now  the  glory  is  departed. 
Sin  hath  turned  beauty  into  deformity;  as 
some  faces  by  sickness  are  so  disfigured,  and 
look  so  ghastly,  they  can  hardly  be  known : 
so  the  soul  of  man  is,  by  sin,  so  sadly  me- 
tamorphosed (having  lost  the  image  of  God) 
that  it  can  hardly  be  known.  Joel  ii.  31. 
"  The  sun  shall  be  turaed  into  darkness." 
Sin  hath  turned  that  sxui  of  beauty  which 
shined  in  the  soul  into  a  Cimmerian  dark- 
ness; and  where  grace  is  begun  to  be 
wrought,  yet  the  soul's  beauty  is  not  quite 
recovered,  but  is  like  the  sun  under  a  cloud. 

4.  Sickness  takes  away  the  taste ;  a  sick 
man  doth  not  taste  that  sweetness  in  his 
meat;  so  the  sinner  by  reason  of  soul-sick- 
ness, hath  lost  his  taste  to  spiritual  things. 
The  word  of  God  is  pabulum  animce,  it  is 
bread  to  strengthen,  wine  to  comfort ;  but 
the  sinner  tastes  no  sweetness  in  the  word. 
A  child  of  God  who  is  spiritualized  by  grace, 


THE  SOUL'S  MALADY  AND  CURE. 


7a 


tastes  a  savouriiiess  in  ordinances,  the  pro- 
mise drops  as  an  honey-comb,  Psal.  xix.  10. 
but  a  natural  man  is  sick,  and  his  taste  is 
gone ;  since  the  tasting  of  the  forbidden  tree, 
he  hath  lost  his  taste. 

5.  Sickness  takes  away  the  comfort  of 
life;  a  sick  person  hath  no  joy  of  any  thing, 
his  life  is  a  burden  to  him.  So  the  sin-sick 
soul  is  void  of  all  true  comfort,  and  his 
laughter  is  but  the  pleasing  dream  of  a  sick 
man;  he  hath  no  true  title  to  comfort,  his 
sin  is  not  pardoned,  he  may  be  in  hell  before 
night  for  any  thing  he  knows. 

6.  Sickness  ushers  in  death,  it  is  the 
prologue  to  death;  sickness  is  as  it  were  the 
cutting  of  the  tree,  and  death  is  the  falling 
of  the  tree;  so  this  disease  of  sin  (if  not 
cured  in  time)  brings  the  second  death. 

2.  What  the  diseases  of  the  soul  are. 
Adam  by  breaking  the  box  of  original  righ- 
teousness, hath  filled  the  soul  full  of  diseases; 
the  body  is  not  subject  to  so  many  diseases 
as  the  soul:  I  cannot  reckon  them  all  up, 
Psal.  xix.  12.  "Who  can  understand  his 
errors?"  Psal.  xl.  12.  Only  I  shall  name 
some  of  the  worst  of  these  diseases.  Pride 
is  the  t}'mpany  of  the  soul,  lust  is  the  fever, 
error  the  gangrene,  unbelief  the  plague  of 
the  heart,  hypocrisy  the  scurvy,  hardness  of 
heart  the  stone,  anger  the  phrenzy,  malice 
the  wolf  in  the  breast,  covetousness  the 
dropsy,  spiritual  sloth  the  green  sickness, 
apostasy  the  epilepsy;  here  are  eleven  soul- 
diseases,  and  when  they  come  to  the  full 
height  they  are  dangerous,  and  most  fre- 
quently prove  mortal. 

3.  The  third  thing  to  be  demonstrated  is, 
that  sin  is  the  worst  sickness.  To  have  a 
body  full  of  plague  sores  is  sad;  but  to  have 
the  soul,  which  is  the  more  noble  part, 
spotted  with  sin,  and  full  of  the  tokens,  is 
far  worse;  as  appears: 

(1.)  The  body  may  be  diseased,  and  the 
conscience  quiet.  Isa.  xxxiii.  24.  "The 
inhabitant  of  the  land  shall  not  say  I  am 
sick."  He  should  scarce  teel  his  sickness, 
because  sin  was  pardoned;  but  when  the 
soul  is  sick  of  any  reigning  lust,  the  con- 
science is  troubled.  Isa.  Ivii.  ult.  "There 
is  no  peace  to  the  wicked,  saith  my  God." 
When  Spira  had  abjured  his  former  faith, 
he  was  put  IN  LITTLE  EASE,  his  con- 


science burned  as  hell,  and  no  Rjiiritual 
physic  that  divines  did  apply,  could  ever 
allay  that  inflammation. 

(2.)  A  man  may  have  bodily  diseases,  yet 
God  may  love  him.  "Asa  was  diseased  in 
his  feet,"  2  Kings  xv.  23.  He  had  the  gout, 
yet  a  favourite  with  God.  God's  hand  may 
go  out  against  a  man,  yet  his  heart  may  be 
towards  him;  diseases  are  the  arrows  which 
God  shoots;  pestilence  is  called  God's  arrow, 
Psal.  xci.  5.  This  arrow  (as  Gregory 
Nazianzene  saith)  may  be  sent  from  the 
hand  of  an  indulgent  father:  but  soul  diseases 
are  symptoms  of  God's  anger,  as  he  is  a  holy 
God,  he  cannot  but  hate  sin,  "  he  beholds 
the  proud  afar  off,"  Psal.  cxxxviii.  6.  God 
hates  a  sinner  for  his  plague-sores:  Zech.  xi. 
8.  "My  soul  loathed  them." 

(3.)  Sickness,  at  worst,  doth  but  separate 
from  the  society  of  friends;  but  this  disease 
of  sin,  if  not  cured,  separates  from  the  society 
of  God  and  angels.  The  leper  was  to  be 
shut  out  of  the  camp;  the  leprosy  of  sin, 
without  the  interposition  of  mercy,  shuts 
men  out  of  the  camp  of  heaven.  Rev.  xxi. 
8.  This  is  the  misery  of  them  that  die  in 
their  sins,  they  are  allowed  neither  friend 
nor  physician  to  come  at  them,  they  are 
excluded  God's  presence  for  ever,  in  whose 
presence  is  fulness  of  joy. 

Use  1.  Information.  Branch  1.  See  into 
what  a  sad  condition  sin  hath  brought  us;  it 
hath  made  us  desperately  sick;  nay,  we  die 
away  in  our  sickness,  till  we  are  fetched 
again  with  the  water  of  life.  O  how  many 
sick  bedrid  souls  are  there  in  the  world! 
sick  of  pride,  sick  of  lust;  sin  hath  turned 
our  houses  and  churches  into  hospitals,  they 
are  full  of  sick  persons.  What  David's 
enemies  said  reproachfully  of  him,  is  true  of 
every  natural  man,  Psal.  xli.  8.  "An  evil 
disease  cleaveth  fast  unto  him."  He  hath 
the  "plague  of  the  heart,"  1  Kings  viii. 
And  even  those  who  are  regenerate  are 
cured  but  in  part,  they  have  some  grudgings 
of  the  disease,  some  ebullitions  and  stirrings 
of  corruption;  nay,  sometimes  the  king's 
evil  breaks  forth  to  the  scandal  of  religion, 
and  from  this  sin-sickness  ariseth  all  other 
diseases,  plague,  gout,  stone,  fever,  1  Cor. 
xi.  29,  30.  "He  that  eateth  and  drinketh 
unworthily,  eateth  and  drinketh  damnation 


742 


THE  SOUL'S  MALADY  AND  CURE. 


to  himself;   for  this  cause  many  are  weak 
and  sickly  among  you." 

Branch  2.  If  sin  be  a  soul-sickness,  then 
how  foolish  are  they  that  hide  their  sins;  it 
is  folly  to  hide  a  disease!  Job  xxxi.  33, 
40.  "If  I  covered  my  transgression  as  Adam, 
by  hiding  my  iniquity  in  my  bosom,  let 
thistles  grow  instead  of  wheat,"  &c.  The 
wicked  take  more  care  to  have  sin  covered 
than  cured;  if  they  can  but  sin  in  private 
and  not  be  suspected,  they  think  all  is  well; 
there  is  a  curse  belongs  to  him  who  puts  sin 
in  a  secret  place,  Deut.  xxvii.  15.  The 
hiding  and  concealing  a  disease  proves 
mortal.  Pro  v.  xxviii.  13.  "He  that  covereth 
his  sins,  shall  not  prosper." 

Branch  3.  If  sin  be  a  soul-sickness,  then 
what  need  is  there  of  the  ministry?  Min- 
isters are  physicians  under  God  to  cure  sick 
souls;  God  hath  set  in  his  church  pastors  and 
teachers,  Eph.  iv.  11.  The  ministers  are  a 
college  of  physicians,  their  work  is  to  find 
out  diseases  and  apply  medicines;  it  is  a 
hard  work,  while  ministers  are  curing  others, 
they  themselves  are  nigh  unto  death,  Phil. 
ii.  30.  They  find  their  people  sick  of  several 
diseases;  some  have  poisoned  themselves  with 
error,  some  are  surfeited  with  the  love  of  the 
creature,  some  have  stabbed  themselves  at 
the  heart  with  gross  sin.  O  how  hard  is  it 
to  heal  all  these  sick  gangrened  souls ! 
many  ministers  do  sooner  kill  themselves  by 
preaching  than  cure  their  patients;  but 
though  the  work  of  the  ministry  be  a  labor- 
ious work,  it  is  a  needful  work ;  while  there 
are  sick  souls,  there  will  be  need  of  spiritual 
physicians.  How  unworthy  then  are  they 
who  malign  and  persecute  the  ministers  of 
God!  1  Cor.  iv.  9.  O  uid^ind  world,  thus 
to  use  thy  physician ;  can  there  be  a  greater 
injury  to  souls?  would  it  not  be  a  piece  of 
the  highest  cruelty  and  barbarism,  if  there 
were  an  act  made  that  all  j)hysicians  should 
be  banished  out  of  the  land?  and  is  it  not 
worse  to  see  multitudes  of  sick  souls  lie 
bleeding,  and  to  have  tlieir  spiritual  physi- 
cians removed  from  them,  which  sliould 
under  God  heal  them?  this  is  a  wrath-pro- 
curing sin,  2  Chron.  xxxvi.  16.  "They  mis- 
used his  prophets,  until  the  WTath  of  the 
Lord  arose  against  his  people,  till  there  was 
no  remedy."     See  what  is  inscribed  in  Levi's 


blessing,  Deut.  xxxiii.  8,  11.  "And  of  LeW 
he  said,  let  thy  Thummim  and  thy  Urim  be 
with  thy  holy  one;  bless.  Lord,  his  substance, 
and  accept  the  work  of  his  hands;  smite 
through  the  loins  of  them  that  rise  against 
him,  and  of  them  that  hate  him,  that  they 
rise  not  arain."  The  Lord  will  wither  that 
arm  which  is  stretched  out  against  his  pro- 
phets. 

Use  2.  Exhort.  Branch  1.  If  sin  be  a  soul- 
disease,  let  this  serve  to  humble  us;  the 
scripture  often  calls  upon  us  to  humility, 
1  Pet.  V.  5.  "Be  ye  clothed  with  humility;" 
if  any  thing  will  humble,  this  consideration 
may ;  sin  is  a  soul-disease :  if  a  woman  had  a 
fair  face,  but  a  cancer  in  her  breast,  it  would 
keep  her  from  being  proud  of  her  beauty. 
So  Christian,  though  thou  art  endued  with 
knowledge  and  morality,  which  are  fair  to 
look  upon,  yet  remember  thou  art  diseased 
in  thy  soul,  here  is  a  cancer  in  the  breast  to 
humble  thee;  this  certainly  is  one  reason 
why  God  leaves  sin  in  his  own  children; 
(for  though  sin  be  healed  as  to  the  guilt  of 
it,  yet  not  as  to  the  stain  of  it)  that  the  sight 
of  their  sores  may  make  their  plumes  of 
pride  fall.  There  are  two  humbling  sights; 
a  sight  of  God's  glory,  and  a  sight  of  our 
diseases.  Uzziah  the  kinjj  had  no  cause  to 
be  proud;  for  though  he  had  a  crown  of  gold 
on  his  head,  he  had  the  leprosy  in  his  fore- 
head, 2  Chron.  xxvi.  19.  Though  the  saints 
have  their  golden  graces,  yet  they  have  their 
leprous  spots;  seeing  sin  hath  made  us  vile, 
let  it  make  us  humble;  seeing  it  hath  taken 
away  our  beauty,  let  it  take  away  our  pride; 
if  God  (saith  Saint  Austin)  did  not  spare  the 
proud  angels,  will  he  spare  thee,  who  art 
but  dust  and  rottenness?  O  look  upon  your 
boils  and  ulcers,  and  be  humble !  Christians 
arc  never  more  lovely  in  God's  eyes,  than 
when  they  are  loathsome  in  their  own;  those 
sins  which  humble,  shall  never  damn. 

Branch  2.  If  sin  be  a  soul-disease,  and  the 
most  damnable  disease,  let  us  be  afraid  of  it. 
Had  we  diseases  in  our  bodies,  an  ulcer  in 
the  lungs,  or  hectic  fever,  we  would  fear  lest 
they  should  bring  death;  O  fear  sin-sickness, 
lest  it  brinof  the  second  death.  Thou  who 
art  a  drunkard  or  a  swearer,  tremble  at  thy 
soul-maladies.  I  wonder  to  see  sinners  like 
the  leviathan,  made  without  fear.     Why  do 


THE  SOUL'S  MALADY  AND  CURE. 


743 


not  men  fear  sin?  why  do  they  not  shake 
with  this  disease?  surely  the  reason  is, 

1.  Stupidity;  as  tliey  have  the  fever  of 
Bin,  so  withal  a  lethargy,  1  Tim.  iv.  2. 
"  Having  their  conscience  seared  with  a  hot 
He  that  hath  an  unbelieving  heart, 


iron. 


and  a  seared  conscience,  you  may  ring  out 
the  bell ;  that  man's  case  is  desperate. 

2.  Presumption.  Many  fancy  that  they 
can  lay  a  fig  upon  the  boil ;  though  they  be 
sick,  they  can  make  themselves  well;  it  is 
but  saying  a  few  prayers,  it  is  but  a  sigli  or 
a  tear,  and  they  shall  presently  recover;  but 
is  it  so  easy  to  be  healed  of  sin  ?  is  it  easy 
to  make  old  Adam  bleed  to  death  ?  is  it  easy 
when  the  pangs  of  death  are  on  thee,  in  an 
instant  to  have  the  pangs  of  the  new  birth  ? 
O  take  heed  of  a  spiritual  lethargy,  fear  your 
disease,  lest  it  prove  mortal  and  damnable. 
Physicians  tell  of  a  disease  that  makes  men 
die  laughing ;  so  Satan  tickles  many  with 
the  pleasure  of  sin,  and  they  die  laughing. 

3.  If  sin  be  a  soul  distemper,  then  ac- 
count them  your  best  friends  that  would 
reclaim  ^^ou  from  your  sins.  The  patient  is 
thankful  to  the  physician  that  tells  him  of 
his  disease,  and  useth  means  to  recover  him. 
When  ministers  tell  you,  in  love,  of  your 
Bins,  and  would  reclaim  you,  take  it  in  good 
part ;  the  worst  they  intend  is  to  cure  you 
of  your  sickness.  David  was  glad  of  a 
healing  reproof,  Psal.  cxli.  5.  "  Let  the 
righteous  smite  me,  it  shall  be  a  kindness ; 
and  let  him  reprove  me,  it  shall  be  an  ex- 
cellent oil  which  shall  not  break  my  head." 
Ministers  are  charged  by  virtue  of  their 
office  to  reprove,  2  Tim.  iv.  2.  They  must 
as  well  come  with  corrosives  as  lenitives.  Tit. 
i.  13.  "  Rebuke  them  sharply,  that  they  may 
be  sound  in  the  faith."  The  Greek  word  is 
cuttingly ;  as  a  surgeon  searcheth  a  wound 
and  then  lanceth,  and  cuts  out  the  gangrened 
flesh ;  or  as  a  physician  useth  leeches  and 
cuppiug  glasses,  which  put  the  patient  in 
pain,  but  it  is  to  restore  him  to  health ;  so 
must  the  ministers  of  Christ  rebxdce  sharply, 
that  they  may  help  to  save  their  dying  pa- 
tients. Who  is  angry  with  the  physician 
for  prescribing  a  bitter  potion  ?  Why  should 
any  be  angry  with  Christ's  ministers  for  re- 
proNnng,  when,  in  regard  of  their  office,  they 
are  physicians,  and,  in  regard  of  their  bowels. 


they  are  fathers  ?  But  how  tew  are  they 
who  will  take  a  reproof  kindly  !  Amos  . 
10,  "  They  hate  him  that  rebuketh  in  the 
gate."  But  why  do  not  men  love  a  re- 
proof ? 

(1.)  Because  they  are  in  love  with  their 
sins ;  a  strange  thing  that  any  should  love 
their  disease,  but  so  it  is,  Prov.  i.  22.  "  How 
long,  ye  simple  ones,  will  ye  love  simpli- 
city?" Sin  is  the  poison  of  the  soul,  yet 
men  love  it ;  and  he  who  loves  his  sin,  hates 
a  reproof. 

(2.)  Sin  pos^sseth  men  with  a  lunacy, 
Luke  XV.  7.  People  are  mad  in  sin,  Jer.  I. 
38.  "  THEY  ARE  MAD  ON  THEIR 
IDOLS."  When  sickness  grows  so  violent 
that  men  lie  raving,  and  are  mad,  they  then 
quarrel  with  their  physician,  and  say  he 
comes  to  kill  them.  So  when  sin  is  grown 
to  a  head,  the  disease  turned  to  a  phrenzy, 
then  men  quarrel  with  those  that  tell  them 
of  their  sins,  and  are  ready  to  offer  violence 
to  their  physicians.  It  argues  wisdom  to 
receive  a  reproof.  Prov.  ix.  8.  "  Rebuke  a 
wise  man,  and  he  will  lore  thee."  A  wise 
man  had  rather  drink  a  sharp  potion,  than 
die  of  his  disease. 

Branch  4.  If  sin  be  a  soul-sickness,  then 
do  not  feed  this  disease ;  he  that  is  wise,  will 
avoid  those  thino^s  which  will  increjise  his 
disease;  if  he  be  feverish,  he  will  avoid  wine 
which  would  inflame  the  disciise ;  if  he  have 
the  stone,  he  will  avoid  salt  meats ;  he  will 
forbear  a  dish  he  loves,  because  it  is  bad  for 
his  disease ;  why  should  not  men  be  as  wise 
for  their  souls  ?  Thou  that  hast  a  drunken 
lust,  do  not  feed  it  with  wine ;  thou  that  hast 
a  malicious  lust,  do  not  feed  it  with  revenge; 
thou  that  hast  an  unclean  lust,  make  not  pro- 
vision for  the  flesh,  Rom.  xiii.  14.  He  that 
feeds  a  disease,  feeds  an  enemy.  Some  dis- 
eases are  starved.  Starve  thy  sins  by  fasting 
and  humiliation.  Either  kill  thy  sin,  or  thy 
sin  will  kill  thee. 

Branch  .5.  If  sin  be  a  soul-disease,  and 
worse  than  any  other,  then  labour  to  be  sen- 
sible of  this  disease.  There  are  few  who 
are  sensible  of  their  soul-sickness;  they  think 
they  are  well  and  ail  nothing ;  they  are  whole 
and  need  not  a  physician.  It  is  a  bad  symp- 
tom to  hear  a  sick  dying  man  say  he  is  weU. 
The  church  of  Laodicea  was  a  sick  patien^ 


744 


THE  SOUL'S  MALADY  AND  CURE. 


but  slie  thought  she  was  well,  Rev.  iii.  17. 
"  Thou  sayest  I  am  rich,  and  have  need  of 
nothing."  Come  to  many  a  man  and  feel 
his  pulse,  ask  him  about  the  state  of  his  soul, 
he  will  say,  he  hath  a  good  heart,  and  doubts 
not  but  he  shall  be  saved.  What  should  be 
the  reason  that  when  men  are  so  desperately 
sick  in  their  soids,  and  ready  to  drop  into 
hell,  yet  they  conceit  themselves  in  a  very 
good  condition? 

1.  There  is  a  spiritual  cataract  upon 
their  eye,  they  see  not  their  sores.  Laodicea 
thought  herself  rich,  because  she  was  blind. 
Rev.  iii.  17.  The  god  of  this  world  blinds 
men's  eyes,  that  they  can  neither  see  their 
disease  nor  their  physician.  Many  bless 
God  their  estate  is  good,  not  from  the  know- 
ledge of  their  happiness,  but  from  the  igno- 
rance of  their  danger ;  when  Haman's  face 
was  covered,  he  was  near  execution.  Oh 
pray  with  David,  "  Lighten  mine  eyes,  that 
I  sleep  not  the  sleep  of  death,"  PsaL  xiii.  3. 

2.  Men  that  are  sick  think  themselves 
well,  from  the  hauglitiness  of  their  spirits. 
Alexander  thouijht  himself  a  wlule  to  be  the 
son  of  Jupiter,  and  no  less  than  a  god; 
what  an  arrotjant  creature  is  man  !  though 
he  be  sick  unto  death,  he  thinks  it  too  much 
a  disparagement  to  acknowledge  a  disease ; 
either  he  is  not  sick,  or  he  can  heal  himself. 
If  he  be  poisoned,  he  runs  to  the  herb,  or 
rather  weed,  of  his  own  righteousness  to  cure 
him. 

3.  Men  that  are  sick  conceit  themselves 
well,  tlirough  self-love.  He  that  loves  an- 
other, will  not  credit  any  evil  report  of  him. 
Men  are  self-lovers,  2  Tim.  iii.  2.  Every 
man  is  a  dove  in  his  own  eye,  therefore  doth 
not  suspect  himself  of  any  disease ;  he  will 
rather  question  tlie  scripture's  verity  than 
his  own  malady. 

4.  Self-deceit  and  tlie  deceit  of  the  heart 
appear  in  two  things. 

(1.)  In  hiding  the  disease;  the  heart  hides 
sin  as  Rachel  did  her  father's  images.  Gen. 
xxxi.  34.  Hazael  did  not  think  he  was  |o 
sick  as  he  was ;  he  could  not  imagine  that 
so  much  wickedness,  like  a  disease,  should 
lie  lurking  in  him,  2  Kings  viii.  13.  "  Is  thy 
servant  a  dog,  that  he  should  do  this  great 
thing  ?  "  As  the  viper  hath  his  teeth  hid  in 
Jiis  gums,  so  that  if  one  should  look  into  his 


mouth  he  would  think  it  a  harmless  crea- 
ture ;  so  though  there  be  much  corruption 
in  the  heart,  yet  the  heart  hides  it,  and 
draws  a  vail  over,  that  it  be  not  seen 

(2.)  The  heart  holds  a  false  glass  before 
the  eye,  making  a  man  appear  fair,  and  his 
estate  very  good.  The  heart  can  deceive 
with  counterfeit  grace ;  hence  it  is  that  men 
are  insensible  of  their  spiritual  condition,  and 
think  themselves  well  when  they  are  sick 
imto  death. 

5.  Men  take  up  a  reverend  opinion  of 
themselves,  and  fancy  their  spiritual  estate 
better  than  it  is,  through  mistake.  And  this 
mistake  is  double. 

(1.)  They  enjoy  glorious  privileges;  they;, 
were  born  within  the  sound  of  Aaron's  bells, 
they  were  baptized  with  holy  water,  they 
have  been  fed  with  manna  from  heaven, 
therefore  they  hope  they  are  in  a  good  con- 
dition. Judges  xvii.  13.  "  Then  Micah  said, 
Now  I  know  the  Lord  will  do  me  good, 
seeing  I  have  a  Levite  to  my  priest."  But 
alas !  this  is  a  mistake ;  outward  pri\aleges 
save  not.  What  is  any  man  the  better  for 
the  ordinances,  imless  he  be  the  better  by 
ordinances?  A  child  may  die  with  the 
breast  in  its  mouth.  Many  of  the  Jews 
perished,  though  Christ  himself  was  their 
preacher. 

(2.)  The  other  mistake  is  set  down  by 
the  apostle,  2  Cor.  x.  12.  "  They,  measur- 
ing themselves  by  themselves,  and  comparing 
themselves  amongst  themselves,  are  not 
wise."     Here  is  a  double  error  or  mistake. 

First,  "  They  measure  themselves  by 
themselves :  "  that  is,  they  see  they  are  not 
so  bad  as  they  were,  therefore  they  judge 
their  condition  is  good.  A  dwarf  may  be 
taller  than  he  was,  yet  a  dwarf  still ;  the  pa- 
tient may  be  less  sick  than  he  was,  yet  far 
from  well ;  a  man  may  be  better  than  he  was, 
yet  not  good. 

Secondly,  "  They  compare  themselves 
amongst  themselves."  They  see  they  are 
not  so  flagitious  and  profane  as  others ;  there- 
fore they  think  themselves  well,  because  they 
are  not  so  sick  as  others :  this  is  a  mistake , 
one  may  as  well  die  of  a  consumption  as  the 
plague.  One  man  may  not  be  so  far  oflf 
heaven  as  another,  yet  he  may  not  be  near 
heaven ;  one  line  may  not  be  so  crooked  as 


THE  SOUL'S  MALADY  AND  CURE 


745 


another,  yet  not  straight.  To  the  law,  to 
the  testimony ;  the  word  of  God  is  the  true 
standard  and  measure  by  which  we  are  to 
judge  of  the  state  and  temper  of  our  souls. 

Oh  let  us  take  heed  of  this  rock,  the  fan- 
cying of  our  condition  better  than  it  is ;  let 
lis  hike  heed  of  a  spiritual  apoplexy,  to  be 
sick  in  our  soids,  yet  not  sensible  of  this 
sickness.  What  do  men  talk  of  a  li":ht  within 
them?  the  light  within  them  by  nature  is 
not  sufficient  to  show  them  the  diseases  of 
their  souls;  this  light  tells  them  they  are 
whole,  and  have  no  need  of  a  physician. 

Oh  what  infinite  mercy  is  it  for  a  man  to 
be  made  sensible  of  sin,  and  seeing  himself 
sick,  to  cry  out  with  David,  2  Sam.  xii.  13. 
"  I  have  sinned  against  the  Lord."  Were  it 
not  a  mercy  for  a  person  that  is  distracted, 
to  be  restored  to  the  use  of  his  reason ;  so 
for  him  that  is  spiritually  distempered,  and  in 
a  lethargy,  to  come  to  himself,  and  see  both 
his  wound  and  his  remedy  :  till  the  sinner  be 
sensible  of  his  disease,  the  medicine  of  mercy 
doth  not  belong  to  him. 

Branch  6.  If  sin  be  a  soul  sickness,  then 
labour  to  get  this  disease  healed ;  if  a  man 
had  a  disease  in  his  body,  a  pleurisy  or  can- 
cer, he  would  use  all  the  means  for  a  cure ; 
the  woman  in  the  gospel  who  had  a  bloody 
issue,  spent  her  whole  estate  upon  the  phy- 
sicians, Luke  viii.  43.  Be  more  earnest  to 
have  thy  soul  cured  tlian  thy  body.  Make 
David's  prayer,  Psal.  xli.  4.  "  Heal  my 
soul  for  I  have  sinned."  Hast  thou  a  con- 
sumptive body,  rather  pray  God  to  heal  the 
consumption  in  thy  soul ;  go  to  God  first  for 
the  cure  of  thy  soul,  James  v.  14.  "Is  any 
sick  among  you  ?  let  him  call  for  the  elders 
of  the  church,  and  let  them  pray  over  him ;" 
the  apostle  doth  not  say,  let  him  call  for  the 
physician,  but  the  elders,  that  is,  the  minis- 
ters. Physicians  are  to  be  consulted  in  their 
due  place,  but  not  in  the  first  place.  Most 
men  send  first  for  the  physician,  and  then  for 
the  minister ;  which  shows  they  are  more  de- 
sirous and  careful  for  the  recovery  of  their 
bodies  than  their  souls;  but  if  soul  diseases 
are  more  dangerous  and  deadly,  then  we 
should  prefer  the  spiritual  cure  before  the 
bodily ;  "  Heal  my  soul,  for  1  have  sinned ;" 
let  us  consider, 

1.    Till  we  are  cured,  we  are  not  fit  to  do 


God  any  service.  A  sick  man  cannot  work ; 
while  the  disease  of  sin  is  violent,  we  are  not 
fit  for  any  heavenly  employment ;  we  can 
neither  work  for  God  nor  work  out  our  sal- 
vation. The  philosopher  defines  happiness 
the  operation  of  the  mind  about  virtue.  To 
be  working  for  God,  is  both  the  end  of  our 
life,  and  the  perfection.  Would  we  be  active 
in  our  sphere  ?  let  us  labour  to  have  our  souls 
cured.  So  long  as  we  are  diseased  with  sin, 
we  are  lame  and  bed-rid,  we  are  unfit  for 
work.  We  read  indeed  of  a  sinner's  worlts, 
but  they  are  dead  works,  Heb.  vi.  1. 

2.  If  we  are  not  cured,  we  are  cursed ; 
if  our  diseases  abide  on  us,  the  wrath  of  God 
abides  on  us. 

Quest  But  how  shall  we  get  this  dij,f  ase 
of  sin  cured?  this  brings  to  the  second  t)  mg 
in  the  text — The  healing  physician ;  Tiie 
whole  need  not  a  physician.  Whence  ob- 
serve : 

Doct.  2.  That  Jesus  Christ  Is  a  soul-phy- 
sician. Ministers  (as  was  said  before)  are 
physicians,  whom  Christ  doth  in  his  name 
delegate,  and  send  abroad  into  the  world. 
He  saith  to  the  apostles,  and  in  them  to  all 
his  ministers,  "  Lo  I  am  witii  you  to  the 
end  of  the  world,"  ISlatt.  xxviii.  20.  That 
is,  I  am  with  you  to  assist  and  bless  you,  and 
to  make  your  ministry  heiding ;  but  though 
ministers  are  physicians,  yet  but  undor-j>hy- 
sicians.  Jesus  Christ  is  the  chief  jdiysician; 
he  it  is  that  teacheth  us  all  our  receipts,  and 
goes  forth  Avith  our  labours,  else  the  physic 
we  prescribe  would  never  work;  all  the  mi- 
nisters under  heaven  would  not  do  any  cure 
without  the  help  of  this  great  Physician. 
For  the  amplification  of  this  I  shall  show, 

1.  That  Christ  is  a  physician. 

2.  Why  he  is  a  physician. 

3.  That  he  is  the  oidy  physician. 

4.  How  he  heals  his  ])aticnts. 

5.  That  he  is  the  best  physician. 

1.  That  Christ  is  a  physician;  it  is  one 
of  his  titles,  Exod.  xv.  2G.  "  I  am  the  Lord 
that  healeth  thee."  He  is  a  physician  for 
the  body;  he  "anointed  the  blind,  cleansed 
the  le))ers,  healed  the  sick,  raised  the  dead," 
Matt.  viii.  16.  He  it  is  that  puts  virtue  in- 
to physic,  and  makes  it  healing ;  and  he  is  a 
physician  for  the  soul,   Psal.  cxlvii.  3.  "  He 

healeth  the  broken  in  heart."  We  are  ail  as 

b  B 


74G 


THE  SOUL'S  MALADY  AND  CURE. 


so  many  impotent,  diseased  persons;  one 
man  hath  a  fever,  another  a  dead  palsy, 
another  hath  a  bloody  issue,  he  is  under  the 
power  of  some  hereditary  corruption ;  now 
Christ  is  a  soul-physician,  he  healeth  these 
diseases,  therefore  in  scripture,  the  Lord 
Jesus,  to  set  forth  his  healing  virtue,  is  re- 
sembled, 

(1.)  By  the  brazen  serpent,  Numb.  xxi.  9. 
Those  who  were  stung,  were  cured  by  look- 
ing on  the  brazen  serpent ;  so  when  the  soul 
is  stung  by  the  old  serpent,  it  is  cured  by 
that  healing  under  Christ's  wings. 

(2.)  Christ  is  resembled  by  the  good  Sa- 
maritan, Luke  X.  33,  34.  "  A  certain  man 
went  down  from  Jerusalem  to  Jericho,  and  fell 
among  thieves,  which  stripped  him  of  his 
raiment,  and  wounded  him,  and  departed, 
leaving  him  half  dead ;  but  a  certain  Samari- 
tan as  he  journeyed,  came  where  he  was,  and 
when  he  saw  him  he  had  compassion  on  him, 
and  went  to  him,  and  bound  up  his  wounds, 
pouring  in  wine  and  oil,"  &c.  We  have 
wounded  ourselves  by  sin,  and  the  wound 
had  been  incurable,  had  not  Christ,  that  good 
Samaritan,  poured  in  wine  and  oil. 

(3.)  Christ  as  a  physician  is  resembled  by 
the  trees  of  the  sanctuary,  Ezek.  xlvii.  12. 
"  The  fruit  thereof  shall  b^  for  meat,  and  the 
leaf  thereof  shall  be  for  medicine."  Thus 
the  Lord  Jesus,  that  tree  of  life  in  paradise, 
hath  a  sanative  virtue  ;  he  heals  our  pride, 
unbelief,  &c.  As  he  feeds  our  graces,  so  he 
heals  our  corruptions. 

2.   Why  Christ  is  a  physician. 

( L)  In  regard  of  his  call ;  God  the  Father 
called  him  to  j)ractise  physic,  he  anointed  him 
to  the  work  of  healing,  Luke  iv.  18.  "The 
Spirit  of  the  Lord  is  upon  me,  because  he 
liath  anointed  me  to  preach  the  gospel :  he 
hath  sent  me  to  heal  the  broken  hearted." 
Christ  came  into  the  world  as  into  an  hospi- 
tiil,  to  heal  sin-sick  souls :  this,  though  it  was 
a  glorious  work,  yet  Christ  would  not  under- 
take it,  till  he  was  commissioned  by  his  Fa- 
ther. "  The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  is  upon  me, 
lie  hath  sent  me."  Christ  was  anointed  and 
appointed  to  the  work  of  a  physician,  this 
was  for  our  imitation;  we  are  not  to  meddle 
many  matters  without  a  call ;  that  is  acting 
out  of  our  sphere. 

(2.)  Jesus  Christ  undertook  this  healing 


work,  because  of  that  need  we  were  in  of  a 
physician.  Christ  came  to  be  our  physician, 
not  because  we  deserved  him,  but  because  we 
needed  him ;  not  our  merit,  but  our  misery, 
drew  Christ  from  heaven ;  had  he  not  come, 
we  must  of  necessity  have  perished,  and  died 
of  our  wounds ;  our  disease  was  not  ordinary, 
it  had  seized  on  every  part;  it  made  us  not 
only  sick  but  dead ;  and  such  receipts  were 
necessary  as  none  but  Christ  could  give. 

(3.)  Christ  came  as  a  physician  out  of  the 
sweetness  of  his  nature ;  he  is  like  the  good 
Samaritan,  who  had  compassion  on  the 
wounded  man,  Luke  x.  33.  A  physician 
may  come  to  the  patient  only  for  gain ;  not 
so  much  to  help  the  patient  as  to  help  him- 
self: but  Christ  came  purely  out  of  sympathy ; 
there  was  nothing  in  us  to  tempt  Christ  to 
heal  us ;  for  we  had  no  desire  of  a  physician, 
nor  had  we  any  thing  to  give  our  physician; 
as  sin  made  us  sick,  so  it  made  us  poor ;  so 
that  Christ  came  as  a  physician,  not  out  of 
hope  to  receive  any  thing  from  us,  but  was 
prompted  to  it  out  of  his  own  goodness,  Hos. 
xiv.  4.  "  I  will  heal  their  backslidings,  I 
will  love  them."  Love  set  Christ  a  work ; 
not  only  his  Father's  commission,  but  his 
own  compassion  moved  him  to  his  spiritual 
physic  and  cliirurgery.  King  David  banished 
the  blind  and  lame  out  of  the  city,  2  Sam.  v. 
8.  Christ  comes  to  the  blind  and  lame,  and 
cures  them ;  it  is  the  sounding  of  his  bowels 
that  causeth  the  healing  under  his  wings. 

3.  The  third  particular  is,  that  Christ  is 
the  only  physician.  Acts  iv.  12.  "  Neither 
is  there  salvation  in  any  other,"  &c.  There 
is  no  other  physician  besides.  The  papists 
would  have  other  healers  besides  Christ,  tliey 
would  make  angels  their  physicians;  all  the 
angels  in  heaven  cannot  heal  one  sick  soul ; 
indeed  they  are  described  by  their  wings, 
Isa.  vi.  2.  but  they  have  no  healing  under 
their  wings.  Papists  would  heal  themselves 
by  their  own  merits.  Adam  did  eat  that 
apple  which  made  him  and  his  posterity  sick ; 
but  he  could  not  find  any  herb  in  paradise  to 
cure  him ;  our  merits  are  rather  damning 
than  healing ;  to  make  use  of  other  physicians 
and  medicines,  is  as  if  the  Israelites,  in  con- 
tempt of  that  brazen  serpent  which  Moses  set 
up,  had  erected  other  brazen  serpents.  O 
let  us  take  iieed  of  that  turba  medicorum. 


THE  SOUL'S  MALADY  AND  CURE. 


4< 


Indeed  in  bodily  sickness  it  is  lawful  to  mul- 
tiply physicians ;  when  the  patient  hath  ad- 
vised with  one  physician,  he  desires  to  have 
others  joined  with  him;  but  the  sick  soul,  if 
it  joins  any  other  physician  with  Christ  it 
surely  dies. 

4.  How  Christ  heals  his  patients. 

j471s.  There  are  four  things  in  Christ  that 
are  healing. 

1.  His  word  is  healing,  Psal.  cvii.  20. 
"He  sent  his  word,  and  healed  them."  His 
word  in  the  mouth  of  his  ministers  is  healing; 
when  the  spirit  is  wounded  in  desertion, 
Christ  doth  create  the  lips  that  speak  peace, 
Isa.  Ivii.  19.  The  word  written  is  a  repo- 
sitory in  which  God  hath  laid  up  sovereign 
oils  and  balsams  to  recover  sick  souls;  and 
the  word  preached  is  the  pouring  out  of 
these  oils,  and  applying  them  to  the  sick 
patient.  "  He  sent  his  word  and  healed  them." 
We  look  upon  the  word  as  a  weak  thing. 
What  is  the  breath  of  a  man  to  save  a  soul? 
but  "The  power  of  the  Lord  is  present  to 
heal,"  Luke  v.  17.  Christ  makes  use  of  his 
word  as  a  healing  medicine;  the  receipts 
which  his  ministers  prescribe,  he  himself 
applies;  he  makes  his  word  convincing,  con- 
verting, comforting. 

Caution^  Not  that  the  word  heals  all;  to 
some  it  is  not  a  healing  but  a  killing  word, 
2  Cor.  ii.  16.  "To  the  one  we  are  a  savour 
of  death  unto  death."  Some  die  of  their 
disease;  two  sorts  of  patients  die. 

1.  Such  as  sin  presumptuously;  though 
they  know  a  thing  to  be  sin.  Job  xxiv.  13. 
They  are  of  those  that  rebel  against  the 
light;  this  is  dangerous.  David  prays,  Psal. 
xix.  "  Keep  back  thy  servant  from  presump- 
tuous sins." 

2.  Such  as  sin  maliciously;  when  the 
disease  comes  to  this  head,  the  patient  will 
die,  Heb.  x.  29.  But  to  them  who  belong 
to  the  election  of  grace,  the  word  is  the 
healing  medicine  Christ  useth,  "He  sent  his 
word,  and  healed  them." 

2.  Christ's  wounds  are  healing,  Isa.  Iv.  3. 
"with  his  stripes  we  are  healed."  Christ 
made  a  medicine  of  his  own  body  and  blood; 
the  physician  died  to  cure  the  patient.  The 
pelican  when  her  young  ones  are  bitten  by 
serpents,  feeds  them  with  her  own  blood  to 
recover  tiiem.     Thus  when  we  were  bitten 


by  the  old  serpent,  then  Jesus  Christ  pro- 
scribes a  receipt  of  his  own  blood  to  heal  ami 
restore  us.  The  blood  of  Christ  beinif  the 
blood  of  him  who  was  God  as  well  as  man, 
had  infinite  merit  to  appease  God,  and  in- 
finite virtue  to  heal  us:  this,  this  is  the  balm 
of  Gilead,  that  recovers  a  soul  which  is  sick 
even  unto  death.  Balm,  as  naturalists  say, 
is  a  juice  which  a  little  shrub,  being  cut 
with  glass,  doth  weep  out.  This  was  an- 
ciently of  very  precious  esteem,  the  savour 
of  it  was  odoriferous,  the  virtue  of  it  sove- 
reign; it  would  cure  ulcers,  and  the  stinging 
of  serpents.  This  balm  may  be  an  emblem 
of  Christ's  blood;  it  hath  a  most  sovereiirn 

'  CD 

virtue  in  it,  it  heals  the  ulcer  of  sin,  the 
stinging  of  tentation,  it  merits  for  us  justifi- 
cation, Rom.  V.  9.  O  how  precious  is  this 
balm  of  Gilead!  by  this  blood  we  enter  into 
heaven. 

3.  Christ's  Spirit  is  healing;  the  blood  of 
Christ  heals  the  guilt  of  sin;  the  Spirit  of 
Christ  heals  the  pollution  of  sin;  the  Spirit  is 
compared  to  oil,  it  is  called  the  anointing  of 
the  Spirit,  Isa.  Ixi.  to  show  the  healing 
virtue  of  the  Spirit;  oil  is  healing.  Christ 
by  his  Spirit  heals  the  rebellion  of  the  will, 
the  stone  of  the  heart;  though  sin  be  not 
removed,  it  is  subdued. 

4.  Christ's  rod  is  healing,  Isa.  xxvii.  9. 
Christ  never  wounds  but  to  heal;  the  rod  of 
affliction  is  to  recover  the  sick  patient. 
David's  bones  were  broken  that  his  soul 
might  be  healed.  God  useth  affliction  as 
the  surgeon  doth  his  lance,  to  let  out  the 
venom  and  corruption  of  the  soul,  and  make 
way  for  a  cure. 

Quest.  But  if  Christ  be  a  physician,  why 
are  not  all  healed? 

Ans.  1.  Because  all  do  not  know  they  are 
sick;  they  see  not  the  sores  and  ulcers  of 
their  souls;  and  will  Christ  cure  them  who 
see  no  need  of  him?  many  ignorant  people 
thank  God  they  have  good  hearts;  but  that 
heart  can  no  more  be  good  which  wants 
grace,  than  that  body  can  be  sound  which 
wants  health. 

2.  All  are  not  healed,  because  they  love 
their  sickness,  Psal.  lii.  3.  "Thou  lovest 
evil;"  many  men  hug  their  disease.  Augus- 
tine saith,  before  his  conversion,  he  prayed 
against  sin,  but  his  heart  whispered,  Not  yet 


748 


THE  SOUL'S  MALADY  AND  CURE. 


Lord;  he  was  loath  to  leave  his  sin  too  soon; 
how  many  love  their  disease  better  than 
their  physician!  while  sin  is  loved,  Christ's 
medicines  are  loathed. 

3.  All  are  not  healed,  because  they  do  not 
look  out  after  a  physician.  If  they  have  any 
bodily  distemper  upon  them,  they  presently 
send  to  the  physician;  their  souls  are  sick, 
but  mind  not  their  physician  Christ,  John  v. 
40.  "  Ye  will  not  come  unto  me  that  ye  may 
have  life."  Christ  takes  it  as  an  undervaluing 
of  him  that  we  will  not  send  to  him;  some 
send  for  Christ  when  it  is  too  late;  when 
other  physicians  have  given  them  over,  and 
there  is  no  hope  of  life,  then  they  cry  to 
'Christ  to  save  them,  but  Christ  refuseth 
such  patients  as  make  use  of.  him  only  for  a 
shift:  thou  that  scornest  Christ  in  time  of 
health,  Christ  may  despise  thee  in  the  time 
of  sickness. 

4.  All  are  not  healed,  because  they  would 
be  self-healers;  they  would  make  their  duties 
their  saviours;  the  papists  would  be  their 
own  physicians;  their  daily  sacrifice  of  the 
mass  is  a  blasphemy  against  Christ's  priestly 
office;  but  Christ  will  have  the  honour  of  the 
cure,  or  he  will  never  heal  us;  not  our  tears, 
but  his  blood  saves. 

5.  All  are  not  healed,  because  they  do  not 
take  the  physic  which  Christ  prescribes  them; 
they  would  be  cured,  but  they  are  loath  to 
put  themselves  into  a  course  of  physic. 
Christ  prescribes  them  to  drhik  the  bitter 
potion  of  repentance,  and  to  take  the  pill  of 
mortification,  but  they  cannot  do  this,  they 
had  rather  die  than  take  physic;  if  the  patient 
refuseth  to  take  the  receipts  the  physician 
prescribes,  no  wonder  he  is  not  healed. 
Christians,  you  have  had  many  receipts  to 
take,  have  you  taken  them?  ask  conscience. 
'I'here  are  many  hearers  of  the  word  do  like 
foolish  patients,  who  send  to  tlie  doctor  for 
physic,  but  when  they  have  it,  they  let  the 
physic  stand  by  in  the  glass,  but  do  not  take 
it;  it  is  probable  you  have  not  taken  the 
receipts  which  the  gospel  prescribes,  because 
the  word  hath  no  operation  on  your  hearts, 
you  are  as  proud,  as  earthly,  as  malicious  as  \ 
ever.  j 

6.  All  are  not  healed,  because  they  have  j 
not  confidence  in  their  physician ;  it  is  ob- ' 
servable  when  Christ  came  to  work  any  cure,  I 


he  first  put  this  question,  "  Believe  ye  that 
I  am  able  to  do  this?"  Matt.  ix.  28.  This 
undoes  many;  O,  saith  the  sinner.  There  is 
no  mercy  for  me,  Christ  cannot  heal  me. 
Take  heed,  thy  unbelief  is  worse  tlian  all 
thy  other  diseases.  Did  not  Christ  pray  for 
them  that  crucified  him?  "Father,  forgive 
THEM ! "  Some  of  those  were  saved  that  had 
a  hand  in  shedding  his  blood!  Acts  ii.  36, 
37.  Why  then  dost  thou  say  Christ  cannot 
heal  thee?  unbelief  dishonours  Christ,  it 
hinders  from  a  cure,  it  closeth  the  orifice  of 
Christ's  wounds,  it  stauncheth  his  blood, 
Matt.  XV.  58.  Millions  die  of  their  disease, 
because  they  do  not  believe  in  their  physician. 

5.  The  fifth  and  last  particular  is,  that 
Christ  is  the  best  physician.  That  I  may 
set  forth  the  praise  and  honour  of  Jesus 
Christ,  I  shall  show  you  wherein  he  excels 
other  physicians;  no  physician  like  Christ. 

1.  He  is  the  most  skilful  physician;  there 
is  no  disease  too  hard  for  him,  Psal.  ciii.  3. 
"Who  healeth  all  thy  diseases."  The  pool 
of  Bethesda  might  be  an  emblem  of  Christ's 
blood,  John  v.  5.  "  Whosoever  first  after  the 
troubling  of  the  water  stepped  in,  was  made 
whole  of  whatsoever  disease  he  had."  There 
are  certain  diseases  physicians  cannot  cure; 
as  a  consumption  in  the  lungs,  some  kind  of 
obstructions  and  gangrenes.  Some  diseases 
are  the  reproach  of  physicians,  but  there  is 
no  disease  can  pose  Christ's  skill;  he  can 
cure  the  gangrene  of  sin  when  it  is  come 
to  the  heart;  he  healed  Mary  ^Magdalene, 
an  unchaste  sinner;  he  healed  Paul,  who 
breathed  out  threatcnuigs  against  the  church; 
insomuch  that  Paid  stands  and  wonders  at 
the  cure,  1  Tim.  i.  13.  "But  I  obtained 
mercy;"  I  was  bemercied.  Christ  heals 
head  distempers  and  heart  distempers,  which 
may  keep  poor  trembling  souls  from  despair. 
Oh,  saith  the  sinner,  never  was  any  so 
diseased  as  I !  but  look  up  to  thy  physician 
Christ,  who  hath  healing  under  his  wings; 
he  can  melt  a  heart  of  stone,  and  wash  away 
black  sins  in  the  crimson  of  his  blood;  there 
are  no  desperate  aises  with  Christ;  he  hath 
tliose  salves,  oils,  balsams,  which  can  cure 
the  worst  disease.  Indeed,  there  is  one 
disease  which  Christ  doth  not  heal,  namely, 
the  sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost;  this  is  called 
"a  sin  unto  death;"   if  we  knew  any  who 


THE  SOUL'S  MALADY  AND  CURE. 


'49 


had  wniicd  this  sin,  we  were  to  shut  tliem 
out  of  our  prayers:  "There  is  a  sin  unto 
death,  I  do  not  say  that  he  shall  pray  for  it," 
1  John  V.  l(j.  Tliere  is  no  healing  of  this 
disea<ie;  not  but  that  Christ  could  cure  this, 
but  the  sinner  will  not  be  cured.  The  king 
could  j)ardon  a  traitor,  but  if  he  will  have  no 
pardon  he  must  die.  The  sin  against  the 
Holy  Ghost  is  unpardonable,  because  the 
sinner  will  have  no  pardon ;  he  scorns  Clirist's 
blood,  despites  his  Spirit,  therefore  his  sin 
hath  no  sacrifice,  Heb.  x.  26,  29. 

2.  Christ  is  the  best  physician,  because  he 
cures  the  better  part,  the  soul;  other  physi- 
cians can  cure  the  liver  or  spleen,  Christ 
cures  the  heart;  they  can  cure  the  blood 
when  it  is  tainted,  Christ  cures  the  conscience 
when  it  is  defiled,  Heb.  ix.  14.  "How  much 
more  shall  the  blood  of  Christ  purge  your 
conscience  from  dead  works?"  Galen  and 
Hippocrates  might  cure  the  stone  in  the 
kidneys,  but  Christ  cures  the  stone  in  the 
heart;  he  is  the  best  physician  which  cures 
the  most  excellent  jiart.  The  soul  is  im- 
mortal, angelical;  man  was  made  in  the  image 
of  God,  Gen.  i.  27.  Not  in  regard  of  his 
body,  but  his  soul.  Now  if  the  soul  be  so 
divine  and  noble,  then  the  cure  of  the  soul 
doth  far  exceed  the  cure  of  the  body. 

3.  Christ  is  the  best  physician,  for  he 
causeth  us  to  feel  our  disease.  The  disease 
of  sin,  though  it  be  most  damnable,  yet  is 
least  discernible;  many  a  man  is  sin-sick, 
but  the  devil  hath  given  him  such  stupifying 
physic,  that  he  sleeps  the  sleep  of  death,  and 
all  the  thunders  of  the  word  cannot  awaken 
him;  but  the  Lord  Jesus,  this  blessed  physi- 
cian, awakes  the  soul  out  of  its  lethargy,  and 
then  it  is  in  a  hopeful  way  of  recovery. 
The  jailer  was  never  so  near  a  cure,  as  when 
he  cried  out,  "Sirs,  what  must  I  do  to  be 
saved?"  Acts  xvi.  30. 

4.  Christ  shows  more  love  to  his  patients 
than  any  physician  besides;  which  appears 
five  ways: 

(1.)  In  that  long  journey  he  took  from 
heaven  to  earth. 

(2.)  In  that  he  comes  to  his  patients  with- 
out sending  for.  The  sick  s-cnd  to  their 
physicians,  and  use  many  entreaties;  here 
the  physician  comes  unsent  for,  Isa.  Ixv.  1. 
*'I  am  found  of  them  tliat  sought  me  not," 


He  doth  prevent  us  witli  mercy,  he  entreats 
us  to  be  healed;  if  Christ  had  not  first  come  to 
us,  and,  with  the  good  Samaritan,  poured  in 
wine  and  oil,  we  must  have  died  of  our  wounds. 

(3.)  The  physician  lets  himself  blood  to 
cure  his  patient,  Isa.  liii.  5.  "But  he  was 
wounded  for  our  transgressions;"  through 
his  wounds  we  may  see  his  bowels. 

(4.)  Our  repulses  and  unkindnesses  do 
not  drive  Christ  away  from  us.  Physicians, 
if  provoked  by  their  patients,  go  away  in  a 
rage,  and  will  come  no  more.  We  abuse 
our  physician,  thrust  him  away,  we  bolt  out 
our  physician,  yet  Christ  will  not  forsake  us, 
but  comes  again,  and  applies  his  sovereign 
oils  and  balsams,  Isa.  Ixv.  3.  "I  have  spread 
out  my  hands  all  the  day  unto  a  rebellious 
people."  Christ  puts  up  wTongs  and  in- 
civilities, and  is  resolved  to  go  through  with 
the  cure.  O  the  love  of  this  heavenly 
physician ! 

(5.)  Christ  himself  drank  that  bitter  cup 
which  we  should  have  drunk;  and  by  his 
taking  the  potion  we  are  healed  and  saved. 
Thus  Christ  hath  shown  more  love  than  ever 
physician  did  to  the  patient. 

5.  Christ  is  the  most  cheap  physician: 
sickness  is  not  only  a  consumption  to  the 
body  but  the  purse,  Luke  viii.  43.  Physi- 
cians' fees  are  chargeable,  but  Jesus  Christ 
gives  us  our  physic  freely,  he  takes  no  fee, 
Isa.  Iv.  L  "Come  without  money  and  without 
price."  He  desires  us  to  bring  nothing  to 
him  but  broken  hearts;  and  when  he  hath 
cured  us  he  desires  us  to  bestow  nothing 
upon  him  but  our  love;  and  one  would  think 
that  were  very  reasonable. 

6.  Christ  heals  with  more  ease  than  any 
other:  other  physicians  apply  pills,  potions, 
bleeding;  Christ  cures  with  more  facility. 
Christ  made  the  devil  go  out  with  a  word 
speaking,  Mark  ix.  25.  So  when  the  soul 
is  spiritually  possessed,  Christ  can  with  a 
word  heal,  nay,  he  can  cure  with  a  loolc 
When  Peter  had  fallen  into  a  relapse,  Christ 
looked  on  Peter,  and  he  wept.  Christ's 
look  melted  Peter  into  repentance;  it  was  a 
healing  look.  If  Christ  doth  but  aist  a  look 
upon  the  soul,  he  can  recover  it.  Therefore 
David  prays  to  have  a  look  from  God,  Psal. 
cxLx.  132.  "Look  thou  upon  me,  and  b« 
merciful  unto  me." 


750 


THE  SOUL'S  MALADY  AND  CURE. 


7.  Christ  is  the  most  tender-hearted 
physician.  He  hath  ended  his  passion,  yet 
not  his  compassion.  How  doth  he  pity  sick 
souls !  he  is  not  more  full  of  skill  than  sym- 
pathy, Hos.  xi.  8.  "  My  heart  is  turned 
within  me."  Christ  shows  his  compassion  in 
that  he  doth  proportion  his  physic  to  the 
strength  of  the  patient.  Physic,  if  it  be  too 
sharp  for  the  constitution,  endangers  the  life. 
Christ  gives  such  gentle  physic  as  works 
kindly  and  savingly.  Though  he  will  bruise 
sinners,  yet  "  he  will  not  break  the  bruised 
reed."  O  the  soundings  of  Christ's  bowels 
to  poor  souls  that  feel  themselves  heart-sick 
with  sin  !  he  holds  their  head  and  heart  when 
they  are  fainting ;  he  brings  the  cordials  of 
his  promises  to  keep  the  sick  patient  from 
dying  away.  Christians,  you  perhaps  may 
have  hard  thoughts  of  your  phj^sician  Christ, 
and  think  he  is  cruel,  and  intends  to  destroy 
you ;  but  O  the  workings  of  his  bowels  to- 
wards humble  broken-hearted  sinners  !  Psal. 
cxlvii.  3.  "  He  heals  the  broken  in  heart,  and 
bindeth  up  their  wounds."  Every  groan  of 
the  patient  goes  to  the  heart  of  this  physician. 

8.  Physicians  oft  prescribe  such  physic  as 
is  prejudicial  to  the  patient,  in  two  cases;  1. 
Either  in  case  they  find  not  out  the  cause  of 
the  disease,  and  then  they  may  2:i^'e  that 


p:n'e 

which  is  contrary,  hot  things  instead  of  cool- 
ing 


or,  2.  In  case  tliey  do  find  out  the 
cause,  they  may  give  that  which  is  good  for 
one  thing  and  bad  for  another.  As  it  falls 
out  when  the  liver  and  spleen  are  both  dis- 
tempered, the  physic  which  helps  the  liver 
may  hurt  the  spleen.  But  Christ  always 
prescribes  that  physic  which  is  suitable,  and 
withal  he  blesseth  the  physic,  If  the  disease 
of  the  soul  be  pride,  he  humbles  it  with  af- 
fliction. God  turned  Nebuchadnezzar  to 
grass  to  cure  him  of  his  tympany.  If  the  dis- 
ease of  the  soul  be  sloth,  Christ  applies  some 
awakening  scripture.  Matt.  xii.  11.  Luke 
xiii.  24.  1  Pet.  iv.  18.  If  the  disease  be  the 
Btone  of  the  heart,  Christ  uscth  proper  me- 
dicines; sometimes  the  terrors  of  the  law, 
sometimes  mercies,  sometimes  he  dissolves 
the  stone  in  his  own  blood.  If  the  soul  be 
fainting  through  unbelief,  Christ  brings  some 
scripture  cordial  to  revive  it.  Matt.  xii.  20. 
"  A  bruised  reed  he  will  not  break,"  Isa.  Ivii. 
16.  "  I  will  not  contend  for  ever,  neither  will 


I  be  always  wroth :  for  the  spirit  should  fail 
before  me,  and  the  souls  wliich  I  have  made." 
Thus  the  Lord  Jesus  always  prescribes  that 
physic  which  is  proper  for  the  disease,  and 
shall  work  effectually  to  the  cure. 

9.  Christ  never  fails  of  success.  Physicians 
may  have  skill,  but  not  always  success ;  pa- 
tients often  die  under  their  hands ;  but  Christ 
never  undertakes  to  heal  any  but  he  makes 
a  certain  cure,  John  xvii.  1 2.  "  Those  that 
thou  gavest  me  I  have  kept,  and  none  of  them 
is  lost."  Judas  was  not  given  to  Christ  to  be 
healed;  but  never  any  who  was  given  to 
Christ  did  miscarry. 

Quest  How  shall  I  know  that  I  am  given 
to  Christ  to  be  cured  ? 

Ans.  If  it  be  with  thee  as  with  a  sick  pa- 
tient, who  sees  himself  dying  without  a  phy- 
sician. Art  thou  undone  without  Christ? 
dost  thou  perceive  thyself  bleeding  to  death 
without  the  balm  of  Gilead  ?  then  thou  art  one 
of  Christ's  sick  patients,  and  thou  shalt  never 
miscarry  under  his  hands.  How  can  any  of 
those  be  lost  whom  Christ  undertakes  to 
cure?  as  he  pours  in  the  balsam  of  his 
blood,  so  he  pours  out  the  perfume  of  his 
prayers  for  them  :  John  xvii.  11.  "  Holy  Far- 
ther, keep  through  thy  own  name  those 
whom  thou  hast  given  me."  Satan  could  ne- 
ver upbraid  Christ  with  this,  that  any  of  his 
sick  patients  were  lost. 

10.  Other  physicians  can  only  cure  them 
that  are  sick,  but  Christ  cures  them  that  are 
dead:  Ephes.  ii.  1.  "  You  hath  he  quickened 
who  were  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins."  A  sin- 
ner hath  all  the  signs  of  death  on  him ;  the 
pulse  of  his  affections  doth  not  beat,  he  is 
without  breath,  he  breathes  not  after  holiness, 
he  is  dead ;  but  Christ  is  a  physician  for  the 
dead ;  of  every  one  whom  Christ  cures,  it 
may  be    said,  "  He   was  dead   and  is  alive 


agani. 


Luke  XV.  32. 


11.  Christ  cures  not  only  our  diseases, 
but  our  deformities.  The  physician  can 
make  the  sick  man  well ;  but  if  he  be  de- 
formed, he  cannot  make  him  fair.  Christ 
gives  not  only  health,  but  beauty.  Sin  hath 
made  us  ugly  and  misshapen ;  Christ's  medi- 
cines do  not  only  take  away  our  sickness, 
but  our  spots;  he  doth  not  only  make  us 
whole,  but  fair,  Hos.  xiv.  4.  "  I  will  heal 
their  backslidings,"  ver.  6.  "  His  beauty  shall 


THE  SOUL'S  MALADY  AND  CURR 


'nl 


be  as  the  oHve-trcc."  Jesus  Christ  never 
thinks  he  hath  fully  healed  us,  till  he  hath 
drawn  his  own  beautiful  image  upon  us. 
Cant.  ii.  13.  "Arise  my  fair  one;"  fair  with 
justification,  fair  with  sanctification.  Christ 
doth  not  only  heal,  but  adorn ;  he  is  called 
the  Sun  of  righteousness,  Mai.  iv.  2.  Not 
only  because  of  the  healing  under  his  wings, 
but  because  of  those  rays  of  beauty  which  he 
puts  upon  the  soul,  Rev.  xii.  1. 

12.  And  lastly,  Christ  is  the  most  bounti- 
ful physician.  Other  patients  do  enrich  their 
physicians,  but  here  the  physician  doth  en- 
rich the  patient.  Christ  prefers  all  his  pa- 
tients ;  lie  doth  not  only  cure  them,  but  crowTi 
them.  Rev.  ii.  10.  Christ  doth  not  only  raise 
from  the  bed,  but  to  the  throne ;  he  gives 
the  sick  man  not  only  health,  but  heaven. 

Use  1.  Good  news  this  day,  there  is  balm 
in  Gilead ;  there  is  a  physician  to  heal  sin- 
sick  souls ;  the  angels  that  fell  had  no  phy- 
sician sent  them,  we  have  ;  there  are  but  few 
in  the  w^orld  to  whom  Christ  is  revealed ;  they 
that  have  the  gold  of  the  Indies  want  the 
blood  of  the  Lamb;  but  the  Sun  of  righteous- 
ness is  risen  in  our  hemisphere,  with  healing 
in  his  wings.  If  a  man  were  poisoned,  what 
a  comfort  would  it  be  to  him  to  hear  that 
there  was  an  herb  in  the  garden  could  heal 
him  !  If  he  had  a  gangrene  in  his  body,  and 
were  given  over  by  all  his  friends,  how  glad 
would  he  be  to  hear  of  a  surgeon  that  could 
cure  him  !  O  sinner,  thou  art  full  of  peccant 
humoiu-s,  thou  hast  a  gangrened  soul ;  but 
there  is  a  physician  that  can  recover  thee. 
"  There  is  hope  in  Israel  concerning  this  ;" 
though  there  be  an  old  serpent  to  sting  us 
with  his  tentations,  yet  there  is  a  brazen  ser- 
pent to  heal  us  with  his  blood. 

Use  2.  If  Christ  be  a  physician,  then  let  us 
make  use  of  this  physician  for  our  diseased 
souls :  Luke  iv.  40.  "  When  the  sun  was 
setting,  all  they  that  had  any  sick  with  divers 
diseases,  brought  them  unto  him,  and  he  laid 
his  hands  on  every  one  of  them  and  healed 
tliem."  You  that  have  neglected  a  physician 
all  this  while,  now  when  the  sun  of  the  gos- 
pel, and  the  sun  of  your  life  is  even  setting, 
bring  your  sick  souls  to  Christ  to  be  cured. 
Christ  complains  that  though  men  are  sick 
even  to  death,  yet  they  will  not  come  or  send 
to  the  physician  ;  John  v.  40.  "  Ye  yd]l  not 


come  to  me  that  ye  might  have  life."  In 
bodily  diseases  the  physician  is  the  first  that 
is  sent  to ;  in  soul  diseases  the  Physician  is 
the  last  that  is  sent  to.  But  here  there  are 
many  sad  objections  that  poor  souls  make 
agcrinst  themselves,  why  they  do  not  come  to 
Christ  their  soul  physician. 

Object.  1.  Alas,  I  am  discouraged  to  go  to 
Clirist  to  cure  me,  because  of  my  unworthi- 
ness;  just  like  the  centurion,  who  sent  to 
Christ  about  his  sick  servant,  Luke  vii.  6 
"  Lord,  trouble  not  thyself,  for  I  am  not  wor- 
thy that  thou  shouldest  enter  under  my  roof." 
Christ  was  coming  to  heal  his  servant,  but 
the  centurion  would  have  staved  off  Christ 
from  coming  :  "  I  am  not  worthy."  So  saith 
many  a  trembling  soul,  Christ  is  a  physician, 
but  who  am  I  that  Christ  should  come  under 
my  roof,  or  heal  me  ?  I  am  unworthy  of  mer- 
cy :  as  Mephibosheth  said  to  king  David,  2 
Sam.  ix.  8.  "  WTiat  is  thy  servant,  that  thou 
shouldest  look  upon  such  a  dead  dog  as  I  am  ?" 
Now  to  such  as  have  their  hearts  broken  with 
a  sense  of  their  unworthiness,  and  are  dis- 
couraged from  coming  to  Christ  to  heal  them, 
let  me  say  these  five  things  by  way  of  reply. 

1.  Who  did  Christ  shed  his  blood  for  but 
such  as  are  unworthy  ?  1  Tim.  i.  14.  "  Jesu3 
Christ  came  into  the  world  to  save  sinners." 
Christ  came  into  the  world  as  into  an  liospi- 
tal,  among  a  company  of  lame,  bed-rid  souls. 

2.  Though  we  are  not  legally  worthy,  we 
may  be  evangelically ;  it  is  part  of  our  worthi- 
ness to  see  our  unworthiness,  Isa.  xli.  14. 
"  Fear  not,  thou  worm  Jacob."  Thou  mayest 
be  a  worm  in  thine  own  eye,  yet  a  dove  in 
God's  eye. 

3.  Though  we  are  unworthy,  yet  Christ 
is  worthy ;  we  do  not  deserve  a  cure,  but 
Christ  hath  merited  mercy  for  us ;  he  hath 
store  of  blood  to  supply  our  want  of  tears. 

4..  Who  was  ever  yet  saved  because  he  was 
worthy  ?  what  man  could  ever  plead  this  title, 
Lord  Jesus  heal  me,  because  I  am  worthy  ? 
^^hat  worthiness  was  in  Paul  before  his  con- 
version ?  what  worthiness  was  there  in  ]\rary 
Magdalene,  out  of  whom  seven  devils  were 
cast?  but  free  grace  did  pity  and  heal  them  ; 
God  doth  not  find  us  worthy,  but  makes  us 
worthy 

5.  If  we  never  come  to  Christ  to  be  healed 
till   we   are  worthy,  we  must  never  come; 


THE  SOUL'S  MALADY  AND  CURE. 


and  let  me  tell  you,  tliis  talking  of  worthiness 
savours  of  pride,  we  would  have  something 
of  our  own ;  had  we  such  preparations  and 
self-excellencies,  then  we  think  Christ  would 
accept  of  us,  and  we  might  come  and  be 
healed;  this  is  to  fee  our  physician;  O'let 
not  the  sense  of  unworthiness  discourage : 
go  to  Christ  to  be  healed:  "  Arise,  he  calleth 
thee,"  Mark  x.  49. 

Obj.  2.  But  I  fear  I  am  not  within  Christ's 
commission,  I  am  not  of  the  number  that 
shall  be  saved ;  and  then  though  Christ  be  a 
physician,  I  shall  not  be  healed. 

Ans.  1.  We  must  take  heed  of  drawing 
desperate  conclusions  against  ourselves ;  it 
is  high  presumption  for  us  to  make  ourselves 
•wiser  than  the  angels.  All  the  angels  in 
heaven  are  not  able  to  resolve  this  question. 
Who  are  elected,  and  who  are  reprobated? 

2.  Thou  that  sayest  thou  art  not  within 
Christ's  commission,  read  over  Christ's  com- 
mission, see  who  he  comes  to  heal,  l^vike  iv. 
18.  "  He  hath  sent  me  to  heal  the  broken- 
hearted." Hath  God  touched  thy  heart  with 
remorse  ?  dost  thou  lay  to  heart  thy  gospel 
imkindnesses  ?  dost  thou  weep  more  out  of 
iove  to  Christ,  than  fear  of  hell?  then  thou 
art  a  broken-hearted  sinner,  and  art  within 
Christ's  commission ;  a  bleeding  Christ  will 
heal  a  broken  heart. 

Ohj.  3.  But  my  sins  are  so  many  that  sure 
I  shall  never  be  healed,  I  am  sick  of  many 
diseases  at  once. 

Ans.  Thou  hast  the  more  need  of  a  phy- 
sician ;  one  would  think  that  was  a  strange 
speech  of  Peter  to  Christ,  Luke  v.  8.  "  De- 
part from  me,  for  I  am  a  sinful  man,  O 
Lord; "  rather.  Lord  come  near  to  me.  Is 
it  a  good  argument  to  say  to  a  physician,  I 
am  diseased,  therefore  depart  from  me  ?  No, 
therefore  come  and  heal  me.  Our  sins  should 
serve  to  humble  us,  not  to  beat  us  from 
Christ.  I  tell  you,  if  we  had  no  diseases, 
Christ  would  have  no  work  to  do  in  the 
world. 

Obj.  4.  But  my  disease  is  inflamed,  and 
grown  to  a  paroxysm ;  my  sin  is  greatly 
heightened. 

Alls.  The  plaster  of  Christ's  blood  is 
broader  than  thy  sore,  1  John  i.  7.  "  The 
blood  of  Jesus  Christ  cleanseth  us  from  all 
sin."     The  blood  of  the  Lamb  takes  away 


the  poison  of  the  serpent :  all  diseases  are 
alike  to  Christ's  blood ;  he  can  cure  the 
greatest  sin  as  well  as  the  least.  Hast  thou 
a  bloody  issue  of  sin  running?  the  issue  of 
blood  in  Christ's  side  can  heal  thine. 

Ohj.  5.  But  mine  is  an  old  inveterate  dis- 
ease, and  I  fear  it  is  incurable. 

Ans.  Though  thy  disease  be  chronical, 
Christ  can  heal  it.  Christ  doth  not  say,  if 
this  disease  had  been  taken  in  time,  it  might 
have  been  cured :  he  is  good  at  old  sores. 
The  thief  on  the  cross  had  an  old  festering 
disease,  but  Christ  cured  it ;  it  was  well  for 
him  his  physician  was  so  near.  Zaccheus, 
an  old  sinner,  a  custom-house  man,  he  had 
wronged  many  a  man  in  his  time,  but  Christ 
cured  him.  Christ  sometimes  grafts  his 
grace  upon  an  old  stock ;  we  read  Christ 
cured  at  sunsetting,  Luke  iv.  40.  He  heals 
some  sinners  at  the  sunsetting  of  their  lives. 

Obj.  6.  But  after  I  have  been  healed,  my 
disease  hath  broken  out  again;  I  have  re- 
lapsed into  the  same  sin ;  therefore  I  fear 
there  is  no  healing  for  me. 

A71S.  It  is  rare  that  the  Lord  leaves  his 
children  to  these  relapses,  though,  through 
the  suspension  of  grace,  and  the  prevalency 
of  temptation,  it  is  possible  they  might  fall 
back  into  sin ;  these  sins  of  relapse  are  sad. 
It  was  an  aggravation  of  Solomon's  offence, 
that  he  sinned  after  the  Lord  had  appeared  to 
him  twice,  1  Kings  xi.  9.     These  sins  after 
healing,   open  the   mouth   of  conscience  to 
accuse,  and  stop  the  mouth  of  God's  Spirit, 
which  should  speak  peace.     These  sins  ex- 
clude from  the  comfort  of  the  promise ;  it  is 
as  it  were  sequestrated ;  but  if  the   soul  be 
deeply  humbled,  if  the  relapsing  sinner  be  a 
relenting  sinner,  let  him  .not  cast  away  the 
anchor  of  hope,  but  have  recourse  to  his  soul- 
physician  ;  Jesus  Christ  can  cure  a  relapse, 
he  healed  David's   and    Cranmer's  relapse, 
1  John  ii.  L  "  If  any  man  sin,  we  have  an 
advocate    with    the    Father,   Jesus   Christ." 
Christ  appears  in  the  court  as  the  advocate 
for  the  client.     As  he  poured  out  his  blood 
upon  the  brjizen  altar  of  the  cross :  so  he 
pours  out  his  prayers  at  the  golden  altar  in 
heaven,   Ileb.  vii.  25.   "  He  ever  liveth  to 
make  intercession  for  us."     Christ,  in  the 
golden    work   of  intercession,  presents   the 
merit  of  his  blood  to  his  Father,  and  so  ob 


THE  SOUL'S  MALADY  AND  CURE. 


753 


tains  our  pardon,  and  applies  the  virtue  of 
liis  blood  to  us,  and  so  works  our  cure; 
therefore  be  not  discouraged  from  going  to 
thy  physician ;  though  thy  disease  hath 
broken  out  again,  yet  Christ  hath  fresh 
sprinklings  of  his  blood  for  thee,  he  can  cure 
a  relapse. 

Obj.  7.  But  there  is  no  healing  for  me,  I 
fear  I  have  sinned  the  sin  against  the  Holy 
Ghost  ? 

Ans.  1.  The  fear  of  sinning  it,  is  a  sign 
thou  hast  not  sinned  it. 

2.  Let  me  ask.  Why  dost  thou  think  thou 
hast  sinned  the  sin  against  tlie  Holy  Ghost? 
I  have  grieved  the  Spirit  of  God. 

Ans.  Every  grieving  the  Spirit  of  God  is 
not  that  fatal  sin.  We  grieve  the  Spirit  when 
we  sin  against  the  illumination  of  it;  the 
Spirit  being  grieved,  may  depart  for  a  time, 
and  carry  away  all  its  honey  out  of  the  hive, 
leaving  the  soul  in  darkness,  Isa.  1.  10.  But 
every  grieving  the  Spirit  is  not  the  sin 
against  the  Holy  Ghost.  A  child  of  God 
when  he  hath  sinned,  his  lieart  smites  him;  and 
he  whose  heart  smites  him  for  sin,  hath  not 
committed  the  unpardonable  sin.  A  child  of 
God  having  grieved  the  Spirit,  doth  as  Noah, 
when  the  dove  did  fly  out  of  the  ark,  he 
opened  the  windows  of  the  ark  to  let  it  in 
again.  A  godly  man  doth  not  shut  his  heart 
against  the  Spirit,  as  a  wicked  man  doth. 
Acts  -vdi.  51.  The  Spirit  of  God  would  come 
in,  he  keeps  him  out ;  but  a  gracious  soul 
opens  his  heart  to  let  in  the  Spirit,  as  Noah 
opened  the  door  of  the  ark  to  let  in  the  dove. 
Christian,  is  it  not  so  with  thee  ?  then  be  of 
good  comfort,  thou  hast  not  sinned  the  sin 
against  the  Holy  Ghost;  that  sin  is  a  mali- 
cious despiting  of  the  Spirit,  which  thou 
tremblest  to  think  of. 

Therefore,  laying  aside  these  arguments 
and  disputes,  whatever  the  diseases  of  the  soul 
are,  come  to  Christ  for  a  cure,  believe  in  his 
blood,  and  thou  maycst  be  saved?  You  see 
what  a  skilful  and  able  physician  Christ  is, 
what  sovereign  oils  and  balsams  he  hath,  how 
willing  he  is  to  cure  sick  souls ;  O  then  what 
remains,  but  that  you  cast  yourselves  upon 
his  merits  to  heal  and  save  you  !  of  all  sins 
unbelief  is  the  worst,  because  it  cjists  dis- 
paragement on  Christ,  as  if  he  were  not  able 
to  work  a  cure.     O  Christian,  believe  in  thy 


physician,  John  iii.  15.  "  That  whosoever 
believeth  in  him  shall  not  perish."  Say  as 
queen  Esther,  Esther  iv.  16.  "I  will  go  in 
unto  the  king,  which  is  not  according  to  the 
law,  and  if  I  perish,  I  perish."  So  say.  The 
Lord  Jesus  is  a  physician  to  heal  me,  I  will 
adventure  on  his  blood,  if  I  perish,  I  perish. 
Queen  Esther  ventured  against  the  law,  she 
had  no  promise  that  the  king  would  hold  out 
the  golden  sceptre;  but  I  have  a  promise 
which  invites  me  to  come  to  Christ :  "  He 
that  comes  imto  me  I  will  in  no  wise  cast 
him  out,"  John  vi.  37.  Faith  is  a  healing 
grace:  we  read,  when  the  Israelites  were 
burying  a  man,  for  fear  of  the  soldiers  of  the 
Moabites,  they  cast  him  for  haste  into  the 
grave  of  Elisha;  now  the  man,  as  soon  as 
he  was  down,  and  had  touched  the  dead  body 
of  the  prophet,  revived,  and  stood  up  on  his 
feet,  '2  Kings  xiii.  21.  So  if  a  man  be  dead 
in  sin,  yet  let  him  be  cast  in  Christ's  grave, 
and  by  faith  touch  Christ,  who  was  dead  and 
buried,  he  will  revive,  and  his  soul  will  be 
healed.  Remember  there  is  no  way  for  a 
cure  but  by  believing ;  Christ  himself  will 
not  avail  us,  Rom.  iii.  25.  "  Whom  God  hatL 
set  forth  to  be  a  propitiation  through  faith  in- 
his  blood."  Faith  is  the  applying  of  Christ's 
merits.  A  plaster,  though  it  be  ever  so  rare 
and  excellent,  yet  if  it  be  not  applied  to  the 
wound,  will  do  no  good ;  though  the  plaster 
be  made  of  Christ's  blood,  yet  it  will  not  heal, 
unless  applied  by  faith.  The  bra/en  serpent 
was  a  sovereign  remedy  for  the  cure  of  those 
that  were  stung  ;  but  if  they  had  not  look  cd 
upon  it,  they  received  no  benefit :  So  tho  ugh 
there  be  a  healing  virtue  in  Christ,  yet 
unless  we  look  upon  him  by  the  eye  of  faith, 
we  cannot  be  cured.  Above  all  things  labour 
for  faith  ;  this  is  the  all-healing  grace  ;  this 
hand  touching  Christ  fetcheth  virtue  from 
him. 

Not  that  faith  hath  more  worthiness  than 
other  graces ;  but  only  it  is  influential,  as  it 
makes  us  one  with  Christ  If  a  man  had  a 
stone  in  a  ring  that  could  cure  many  diseases, 
we  say  this  ring  heals;  but  it  is  not  the 
ring,  but  the  stone  in  that  ring  that  doth  the 
cure  ;  so  faith  saves  and  heals,  not  by  its 
own  virtue,  but  as  it  lays  hold  on  Christ,  and 
fetcheth  down  his  sacred  influences  into-  the 
soul.  ^  ^ 


T.Vl 


TPIE  SOUL'S  MALADY  AND  CUTIE. 


t2.  Tf  Jesus  Christ  be  a  spiritual  physician, 
let  us  labour  to  hasten  the  cure  of  our  souls. 
Consider, 

(1.)  What  a  little  time  we  have  to  stay 
here,  and  let  that  hasten  the  cure.  Solomon 
saith,  "  There  is  a  time  to  be  born,  and  a 
time  to  die,"  Eccles.  iii.  2.  but  mentions  no 
time  of  living,  as  if  that  were  so  short  that 
it  were  not  worth  the  naming :  the  body  is 
called  a  vessel,  1  Thess.  iv.  4.  This  vessel 
is  filled  with  breath,  sickness  broacheth  it, 
and  death  draws  it  out.  O  hasten  thy  soul's 
cure,  death  is  upon  its  swift  march,  and  if 
tliat  surprise  you  suddenly,  there  is  no  cure 
to  be  wrought  in  the  grave,  Eccl.  ix.  10. 
"  There  is  no  work,  nor  device,  nor  wisdom 
in  the  grave  whither  thou  goest." 

(2.)  Now  is  properly  the  time  of  healing, 
now  is  the  day  of  grace,  now  Christ  pours 
out  his  balsams,  now  he  sends  abroad  his 
ministers  and  Spirit,  2  Cor.  vi.  2.  "  Now  is 
the  accepted  time."  There  were  certain 
healing  days,  wherein  the  king  healed  them 
that  had  the  evil.  The  day  of  grace  is  a 
healing  day :  if  we  neglect  the  day  of  grace, 
the  next  day  will  be  a  day  of  wrath,  Rom. 
ii.  5.  O  therefore  hasten  the  cure  of  thy 
soul;  rather  neglect  thy  food  than  thy  cure; 
sin  will  not  only  kill,  but  damn.  To  get  a 
cure, 

[1.]  Come  to  the  healing  pool  of  the  sanc- 
tuary; the  Spirit  of  God  may  on  a  sudden 
stir  these  waters;  the  next  Sabbath,  for 
ought  thou  knowest,  may  be  a  healing  day 
to  thy  soul. 

[2.]  Pray  others  to  pray  for  you;  when 
any  disease  is  upon  your  body  you  desire  the 
prayers  of  others ;  the  prayers  of  the  saints 
•  e  precious  balms  and  medicines  to  cure 
i.ick  souls. 

3.  Is  Jesus  Christ  a  soul  physician  ?  then 
let  me  speak  to  you  who  are  in  some  mea- 
sure healed  of  your  damnable  disease.  I  have 
four  things  to  say. 

1.  Break  forth  into  thankfulness;  though 
sin  be  not  quite  cured  (there  are  still  some 
grudgings  of  the  disease),  yet  the  reigning 
power  of  it  is  taken  away ;  you  are  so  healed 
that  you  shall  not  die,  John  iii.  16.  xi.  26. 
*'  Those  that  were  cured  by  the  brazen  ser- 
pent afterwards  died;  but  such  as  are  healed 
by  Christ,  shall  never  die."   Sin  may  molest, 


it  shall  not  damn ;  O  then  what  cause  fiava 
you  to  admire  and  love  your  physician  ?  The 
Lord  Jesus  hath  taken  out  the  core  of  your 
disease,  and  tlie  curse ;  publish  your  expe- 
riences, Psal.  Lxvi.  16.  "I  will  tell  you  what 
God  hath  done  for  my  soul:"  as  a  man  that 
hath  been  cured  of  an  old  disease,  how  glad 
and  thankful  is  he  ?  he  ^vill  tell  others  of  the 
medi<;ine  that  cured  him.  So  say,  "I  will 
tell  you  what  God  hath  done  for  my  soul:" 
he  hath  cured  me  of  an  old  disease,  a  liard, 
unbelieving  heart,  a  disease  that  hath  s>3nt 
millions  to  hell.  Truly  we  may  cheerfully 
bear  any  other  sickness,  if  this  soul-sickness 
be  cured.  Lord  (saith  Luther)  strike  and 
wound  where  thou  wilt,  if  sin  be  pardoned, 
O!  "Let  the  high  praises  of  God  be  in  your 
mouth,"  Psal.  cxlix.  6.  God  expects  thank- 
fulness as  a  tribute;  he  wonders  men  bring 
not  their  thank-offering,  Luke  xvii.  17. 
"Were  there  not  ten  cleansed,  but  where 
are  the  nine?" 

2.  Are  you  healed?  take  heed  of  coming 
into  infected  company,  lest  you  take  the  in- 
fection; the  wicked  are  devils  to  tempt  to 
sin.  Lot  was  the  world's  wonder  that  lived 
in  Sodom  when  it  was  a  pest-house,  yet  did 
not  catch  the  disease. 

3.  Take  heed  of  relapses;  men  are  afraid 
of  a  relapse  after  they  are  cured;  beware  of 
soul  relapses.  Hath  God  softened  thy  heart? 
take  heed  of  hardening  it.  Hath  he  cured 
thee  in  some  measure  of  deadness?  do  not 
relapse  into  a  drowsy  security.  Thou  mayest 
have  such  an  uproar  and  agony  in  thy  con- 
science, as  may  make  thee  go  weeping  to 
thy  grave.  O  take  heed  of  falling  sick 
ajrain!  "sin  no  more  lest  a  worse  thiniJj  come 
unto  thee,"  John  v.  14. 

4.  Pity  your  friends  that  are  sick  unto 
death;  show  your  piety  in  your  pity.  Hast 
thou  a  child  that  is  well  and  lusty,  but  hatli 
a  sick  soul?  pity  him,  pray  for  him,  David 
wept  and  fasted  for  his  sick  child,  2  Sam. 
xii.  16.  Thy  child  hath  the  plague  sore  of 
the  heart,  and  thou  hast  conveyed  the  plague 
to  him;  weep  and  fast  for  thy  child-  Hast 
thou  a  wife  or  a  husband  that  though  they 
do  not  keep  their  bed,  yet  the  Lord  knows 
they  are  sick,  they  are  under  the  raging 
power  of  sin?  O  let  thy  bowels  yearn  over 
them !  lift  up  a  prayer  over  them;  the  prayer 


THE  BEAUTY  OF  GRACE. 


755 


of  fulth  may  save  a  sick  soul.  Prayer  is  the 
best  physic  caii  be  used  in  a  desperate  case; 
you  that  have  felt  the  disease  of  sin,  and 
the  mercy  of  your  physician,  learn  to  pity 
ctliers. 

4.  And  lastly.  Is  Christ  a  soul  physician? 
then  let  us  go  to  Christ  to  cure  this  sick, 
dying  nation.  Britain,  God  knows,  is  a  sick 
patient,  "The  whole  head  is  sick,  the  whole 
heart  is  faint."  The  body  politic  hath  a 
cachexy,  it  is  ill  all  over:  magistracy,  minis- 
try, commonalty  are  diseased ;  and  those  who 
pretend  to  be  our  healers,  are  physicians  of 
no  value.  We  have  spent  our  money  upon 
tliese  physicians,  but  yet  our  sores  are  not 
healed,  Jer.  xiv.  19.  "Why  hast  thou  smitten 
us,  and  there  is  no  healing  for  us?"  Instead 
of  healing  us,  those  who  should  have  been 
our  physicians,  have  increased  the  nation's 
malady,  by  giving  a  toleration;  this  is  like 
giving  strong  water  in  a  fever,  which  doth 
more  inflame  the  disease.  Ah,  sick  Britain, 
because  sinful  Britain !  sick  of  error,  unclean- 
ness,  drunkenness;  so  sick,  that  we  may  fear 
our  funerals  are  approaching:  and,  which  is 
the  worst  sjonptom,  though  balm  hath  been 
poured  into  our  wounds,  the  precious  ordi- 
nances of  God  have  been  applied,  yet  we 


are  not  healed;  a  sign  of  bad  flesh  that  is  so 
ill  to  be  cured. 

This  sin-sickness  in  the  land  hath  pro- 
duced many  direful  effects;  division,  oppres- 
sion, bloodshed,  the  very  bowels  and  arteries 
of  the  nation  are  almost  torn  asunder,  so 
that  now  God  hath  fulfilled  that  threatening 
upon  us,  Mic.  vi.  13.  "I  will  make  thee  sick 
with  smiting  thee."  We  had  made  ourselves 
sick  with  sinning,  and  God  hath  made  us 
sick  with  smiting.  Now  what  remains,  but 
that  we  should  go  to  the  great  physician, 
whose  blood  sprinkles  many  nations,  that  he 
shoidd  apply  some  healing  medicines  to 
dying  Britain;  God  can  with  a  word  heal; 
he  can  give  repentance  as  well  as  deliverance; 
he  can  put  us  in  joint  again.  Let  all  the 
people  of  the  land  lie  between  the  porch  and 
the  altar,  saying,  "Spare  thy  people,  O 
Lord,"  Joel  iii.  17.  Our  prayers  and  tears 
may  set  Christ  on  work  to  heal  us,  Psal.  cvi, 
23.  "  Therefore  he  said  that  he  would  destroy 
them,  had  not  Moses  his  servant  stood  in  the 
breach  to  turn  away  his  Avrath,"  Let  us 
never  leave  imploring  our  heavenly  physi- 
cian, till  he  lay  a  fig  on  England's  boil,  and 
cause  it  to  recover. 


THE  BEAUTY  OF  GRACE. 
Pet  i.  2.  Grace  unto  you,  and  peace  he  multiplied. 


X.  HE  blessed  apostle  having  felt  the  efficacy 
and  sovereignty  of  grace,  is  taken  up  with 
the  thoughts  of  it ;  and  so  sweet  is  this  wine 
of  paradise,  that  he  commends  it  to  those  dis- 
persed Christians  to  whom  he  wTites,  wish- 
ing them  all  increase.  Grace  unto  you,  and 
jieace  he  midtiplied. 

The  words  rim  in  the  form  of  a  salutation, 
"  grace  unto  you,  and  peace."  When  we  sa- 
lute our  friends,  we  cannot  wish  tliem  a  great- 
er blessing  than  grace  and  peace :  other  mer- 
cies lie  without  the  pale,  and  are  dispersed  in 
common  to  men ;  but  grace  is  a  special  con- 
giary  and  gift  bestowed  on  them  who  are  the 
favourites  of  heaven.     In  the  words  observe, 

1.  The  connexion.     2.  The  order. 

1 .  The  connexion,  Grace  and  peace.    The 


way  to  have  peace,  is  to  have  grace ;  grace 
is  the  breeder  of  peace ;  the  one  is  the  root, 
the  other  the  flower ;  peace  is  the  sweet  wa- 
ter that  drops  from  the  limbeck  of  a  gracious 
heart. 

2.  The  order.  First  grace,  then  peace ; 
grace  hath  the  priority  ;  grace  and  peace  are 
two  sisters,  but  grace  is  the  eldest  sister ;  and 
give  me  leave  at  this  time  to  prefer  the  el- 
der before  the  younger.  "  Grace  unto  you 
be  multiplied."  For  the  illustration,  con- 
sider, 

1.  Wliat  is  meant  by  grace. 

2.  The  Author  of  it 

3.  Why  it  is  called  grace. 

4.  The  cogency  of  it. 

1.  What  is  meant  by  grace.     This  word 


756 


THE  BEAUTY  OF  GRACE. 


GRACE   hath   various  acceptations  in  scrip- 
ture. 

1.  Grace  is  sometimes  taken  for  the  favour 
of  God,  Gen.  vi.  8.  "  Noah  found  grace  in 
the  eyes  of  the  Lord;"  God  did  cast  a  gra- 
cious aspect  upon  him. 

2.  Grace  is  taken  for  beauty ;  as  we  say 
such  a  thing  is  graceful,  James  i.  11.  "  The 
flower  falleth,  and  the  grace  of  the  fashion  of 
it  perisheth." 

3.  Grace  is  taken  figuratively,  and  impro- 
perly, for  the  show  of  grace  ;  as  we  call  that 
a  face  in  a  glass  which  is  but  the  idea  and 
resemblance  of  a  face;  so  John  ii.  23.  "  Many 
believed  in  his  name  :"  that  believing  was 
but  a  show  of  faith,  as  Austin  and  Theophi- 
lact  note. 

4.  Grace  is  taken  in  a  genuine  and  proper 
sense  ;  so  in  the  text,  "  Grace  be  multipli- 
ed ;"  it  may  admit  of  this  description  ;  grace 
is  the  infusion  of  a  new  and  holy  principle  into 
the  heart,  whereby  it  is  changed  from  what  it 
was,  and  is  made  after  God's  own  heart. 
Grace  makes  not  only  a  civil,  but  sacred 
change ;  it  biasseth  the  soul  heaven-ward, 
and  stamps  upon  it  the  image  and  super- 
scription of  God. 

2.  The  author  or  efficient  of  grace  ;  name- 
ly, the  Spirit  of  God,  who  is  therefore  called 
the  Spirit  of  grace,  Zech.  xii.  10.  The  spirit 
is  the  fountain  from  whence  crystal  streams 
of  grace  flow.  Man,  as  Clemens  Alexandri- 
nus  observes,  is  God's  harp  or  timbrel ;  the 
harp  will  not  sound  unless  touched  with  the 
finger ;  so  the  heart  of  man  cannot  put  forth 
any  sweet  melody  or  harmony,  till  first  it  be 
touched  with  the  finger  of  God's  Spirit ;  this 
blessed  Spirit  works  grace  in  the  subject, 

1.  Universally.     2.  Progressively. 

'  1.  Universally;  1  Thess.  v.  10.  "The 
God  of  peace  sanctify  you  wholly."  The 
Spirit  of  God  infuseth  grace  into  all  the  fa- 
culties of  the  soul ;  though  grace  be  wrought 
but  in  part,  yet  in  every  part ;  in  the  under- 
standing light,  in  the  conscience  tenderness, 
in  tlie  will  consent,  in  the  affections  harmo- 
ny ;  therefore  grace  is  compared  to  leaven, 
Matt.  xiii.  33.  because  it  swells  itself  in  the 
whole  soul,  and  makes  the  conversation  to 
swell  and  rise  as  high  as  heaven. 

2.  Tlie  Spirit  of  God  works  grace  progres- 
ttvely,  he  carries  it  on  from  one  degree  to 


another.  The  Pelagians  hold  that  the  be- 
ginning of  grace  is  from  God ;  but  the  pro- 
gress of  grace  is  from  ourselves ;  so  God 
shall  be  the  author  of  our  faith,  and  we  the 
finishers.  God  shall  lay  the  first  stone,  and 
we  the  superstructure  ;  but  alas,  there  needs 
the  continual  influence  of  the  Spirit  to  the 
carrying  on  the  work  of  grace  in  our  hearts. 
Should  God  withdraw  his  Spirit  from  the 
most  holy  men,  their  grace  might  fail  and 
annihilate :  if  the  sun  withdraw  its  light, 
though  ever  so  little,  there  follows  darkness  in 
the  air  ;  we  need  not  only  habitual  grace,  but 
assisting,  exciting,  subsequent  grace.  The 
ship  needs  not  only  the  sails,  but  the  winds 
to  carry  it ;  there  needs  not  only  the  sails  of 
our  abilities  and  endeavours,  but  the  wind  of 
the  Spirit  to  blow  us  to  the  heavenly  port. 
3.  Why  is  the  work  of  holiness  in  the  heart 


called 


grace 


Ans.  1.  Because  it  hath  a  supereminency 
above  nature ;  it  is  a  flower  which  doth  not 
grow  in  nature's  garden  ;  it  is  of  a  divine  ex- 
traction, James  iii.  17.  By  reason  we  live  the 
life  of  men,  by  grace  we  live  the  life  of  God. 

2.  It  is  called  grace,  because  it  is  a  work 
of  free  grace  ;  every  link  in  the  golden  chain 
of  our  salvation  is  wrought  and  enamelled 
with  free-grace  ;  that  one  should  be  sanctifi- 
ed, and  not  another,  this  is  of  grace ;  that 
God  should  pass  by  many  of  the  noble,  rich, 
learned,  and  graft  his  heavenly  endowments 
upon  a  more  wild  and  luxuriant  stock,  a  crab- 
bed nature,  weaker  parts,  well  may  it  be  call- 
ed grace. 

Quest.  But  why  is  not  grace  bestowed 
upon  all  ? 

Ans.  We  must  hold  with  Zanchy,  there  is 
always  a  just  reason  of  God's  will ;  but  in 
particular,  I  answer, 

1.  God  gives  grace  to  one,  and  denies  it 
to  another,  to  show  his  prerogative  ;  God  is 
not  bound  to  give  grace  to  all,  Rom.  ix.  15. 
"  I  will  have  mercy  on  whom  I  will  have 
mercy."  Suppose  two  malefactors  brought 
before  the  king,  one  he  will  pardon,  but  not 
the  other ;  if  any  demand  the  reason,  he  will 
answer,  it  is  my  prerogative  :  so  God  will 
give  grace  to  one,  not  to  another ;  he  will 
make  one  a  vessel  of  mercy,  the  other  a  ves- 
sel of  wrath,  this  is  his  prerogative.  The 
apostle  hath  silenced  all  disputes  of  this  kind, 


THE  BEAUTY  OF  GRACE. 


/  Ol 


Rom.  ix.  20,  21.  «  Wlio  art  thou  that  repli- 
est  against  God  ?  hath  not  the  potter  power 
over  the  chiy  ?"  If  we  could  suppose  a 
phuit  to  speak,  why  was  not  I  made  a  bird, 
or  a  beast  ?  why  should  not  I  have  reason  ? 
■jUst  so  it  is  when  vain  man  enters  into  con- 
test with  Ciod  ;  why  should  not  I  have  grace 
as  well  as  another  ?  dispute  not  against  pre- 
rogative ;  let  not  the  clay  syllogize  with  the 
potter. 

2.  I  answer,  God  may  justly  deny  his 
grace  to  any  wicked  man,  for  two  reasons. 

1.  Because  once  he  had  grace,  and  lost  it; 
if  a  father  gave  his  son  a  stock  to  trade  with, 
and  the  son  breaks,  the  father  is  not  bound  to 
set  him  up  again.  God  gave  Adam  a  stock 
of  grace  to  begin  the  world  with  ;  Adam  did 
break,  and  make  all  his  children  bankrupts ; 
God  is  not  tied  to  give  him  grace  again. 

2.  God  may  justly  deny  his  grace  to  every 
wicked  man,  because  he  is  a  despiser  of  grace, 
he  tramples  this  pearl  under  foot,  Prov.  i.  7. 
Is  God  bound  to  give  grace  to  them  that  de- 
spise it  ?  if  a  king's  pardon  be  rejected  once, 
he  is  not  bound  to  tender  it  any  more  ;  but 
I  shall  not  launch  forth  any  further  into  this. 

4.  The  cogency  and  necessity  of  grace ; 
it  is  most  needful,  because  it  fits  us  for  com- 
munion with  God,  2  Cor.  vi.  14.  "  What 
communion  hath  li"^ht  with  darkness  ?"  God 
can  no  more  converse  with  an  ungracious 
soul,  than  a  king  can  converse  with  a  sow; 
it  is  by  grace  that  we  keep  a  constant  inter- 
course with  heaven. 

Use  1.  Exhort.  Let  me  with  the  greatest 
zeal  and  earnestness  persuade  all  who  have 
soiiis  to  save,  to  endeavour  after  grace  ;  grace 
will  be  desirable  at  death  ;  it  is  as  useful 
now,  and  more  seasonable  to  look  after,  Prov. 
iv.  7.  "  With  all  thy  getting  get  understand- 
ing." Alexander  being  presented  with  a 
rich  cabinet  of  king  Darius,  he  reserved  it  to 
put  Homer's  works  in,  as  being  of  great 
value.  The  heart  is  a  spiritual  cabinet  into 
which  the  jewel  of  grace  should  be  put;  we 
.should  desire  grace  above  other  things  ;  above 
the  gifts  of  the  Spirit ;  nay,  above  the  com- 
forts of  the  Spirit.  Comfort  is  sweet,  but 
grace  is  better  than  comfort ;  bread  is  better 
than  lioney  :  we  may  go  to  heaven  without 
comfort,  not  without  grace ;  it  is  grace 
makes  us  blessed  in  life  and  death.     I  shall 


show  you  twelve  rare  excellencies  in  grace : 
I  shall  set  this  fair  virgin  of  grace  before  yon, 
hoping  that  you  will  be  tempted  to  fall  in 
love  with  it. 

1.  Grace  hath  a  soul-quickening  excellen- 
cy in  it,  Heb.  x.  38.  "  The  just  shall  live 
by  faith."  Men  void  of  grace  are  dead ; 
they  have  breath,  yet  want  life ;  they  are 
walking  ghosts,  Eph.  ii.  1.  The  life  of  sin  in 
the  death  of  the  soul:  a  sinner  hath  all  the 
signs  of  one  that  is  dead  ;  he  hath  no  pulse ; 
the  affections  are  the  pulse  of  the  soul ;  his 
pulse  doth  not  beat  after  God,  he  hath  no 
sense,  Eph.  iv.  19.  "  Who  being  past  feel- 
ino-."  Dead  things  have  no  beauty,  there  is 
no  beauty  in  a  dead  flower  ;  dead  things  are 
not  capable  of  privilege  ;  the  dead  heir  is  not 
crowned  ;  but  grace  is  the  vital  artery  of  the 
soul ;  it  doth  not  only  irradiate,  but  auimate; 
therefore  it  is  called  "  the  light  of  life," 
John  viii.  12.  And  believers  are  said  to  have 
their  grave  clothes  pulled  off,  and  to  be  alive 
from  the  dead,  Rom.  vi.  13.  By  grace  the 
sold  is  grafted  into  Christ  the  true  vine, 
John  XV.  5.  and  is  made  not  only  living  but 
lively,  1  Pet  i.  3.  Grace  puts  forth  a  divine 
energy  into  the  soul. 

2.  Grace  hath  a  soul-enriching  excellency, 
1  Cor.  i.  5.  "  Ye  are  enriched  in  all  know- 
ledare."  As  the  sun  enricheth  the  world  with 
its  golden  beams,  so  doth  knowledge  be- 
spangle and  enrich  the  miiul.  Faith  is  an 
enriching-  grace,  James  ii.  5.  "  Rich  in 
faith;"  faith  brings  Christ's  riches  into  th# 
soul,  it  entitles  to  the  promises  ;  the  promises 
are  full  of  riches,  justification,  adoption,  gh> 
ry  :  faith  is  the  key  that  unlocks  this  cabi- 
net of  the  promises,  and  empties  out  their 
treasure  into  the  soul.  The  riches  of  grace 
excel  all  other  riches.  "  The  merchandise 
of  it  is  better  than  the  merchandise  of  silver," 
Prov.  iii.  14. 

1.  These  riches  make  a  man  wise  :  wisdom 
is  the  best  possession  ;  other  riches  c-ann(»t 
make  one  wise.  A  man  may  hiwo  a  tiiil 
purse,  and  an  empty  brain.  Many  a  rich 
heir,  though  he  lives  till  he  become  of  age, 
yet  he  never  comes  to  years  of  discretion: 
but  these  riches  of  grace  have  power  to  make 
a  man  wise,  Psal.  cxi.  10.  "  The  fear  of  the 
Lord  is  the  beginning  of  wisdom."  Tiie 
saints  are  compared  to  wise  virgins,  Maiw 


758 


THE  BEAUTY  OF  GRACE, 


XXV.  Grace  makes  a  man  wise  to  know  Sa- 
tan's devices  and  subtleties,  2  Cor.  ii.  11.  it 
makes  him  wise  unto  salvation,  2  Tim.  iii. 
15.  Grace  gives  the  serpent's  eye  in  the 
dove's  head. 

2.  These  spiritual  riches  sanctify  other 
riches.  Riches  without  grace  are  hurtful, 
they  are  golden  snares ;  they  are  the  bellows 
of  pride,  the  fuel  of  lust;  they  set  open  hell 
gates  for  men ;  they  are  unblest  blessings ; 
but  grace  sanctifies  our  riches,  it  corrects  the 
poison,  it  takes  away  the  curse,  it  makes  them 
beneficial  to  us ;  riches  shall  be  certificates 
of  God's  love,  wings  to  lift  us  up  to  para- 
dise. Thus  grace,  by  a  divine  chemistry, 
extracts  heaven  out  of  earth,  and  gives  us 
not  only  venison  but  the  blessing. 

3.  Grace  satisfies ;  other  riches  cannot, 
Eccl.  v.  10.  Riches  can  no  more  fill  the  heart, 
than  a  triangle  can  fill  a  circle ;  but  grace 
fills  up  every  chink  and  hiatus  of  the  soul ; 
it  dilates  the  heart,  it  ravisheth  the  affections 
with  joy,  Rom,  xv.  13.  which  joy,  as  Chry- 
sostom,  saith,  is  a  foretaste  of  heaven. 

3.  Excellency.  Grace  hath  a  soul-adorning 
excellency,  it  puts  a  beauty  and  lustre  upon 
a  person,  1  Pet.  iii.  4,  5.  "  Whose  adorning 
let  it  not  be  that  outward  adorning  of  plaiting 
the  hair,  and  of  wearing  of  gold,  but  let  it  be 
the  hidden  man  of  the  heart,  even  the  orna- 
ment of  a  meek  and  quiet  spirit,  which  is  in 
the  sight  of  God  of  great  price;  for  after 
this  manner  in  the  old  time,  the  holy  women 
also  who  trusted  in  God  adorned  themselves." 
If  a  man  hath  plate  and  jewels,  cloth  of  gold, 
hangings  of  arras,  these  adorn  the  house,  not 
the  man ;  the  glory  of  a  man  is  grace,  Prov. 
iv.  9.  "  She  shall  give  to  thine  head  an  or- 
nament of  grace."  The  graces  are  a  chain 
of  pearl  that  adorns  Christ's  bride  ;  the  heart 
inlaid  and  enamelled  with  grace,  is  like  the 
*'  King's  daughter,  all  glorious  within," 
Psal.  xlv.  13.  A  gracious  soul  is  the  image 
of  God,  curiously  drawn  with  the  pencil  of 
the  Holy  Ghost ;  a  heart  beautified  with 
grace,  is  the  angels*  joy.  Luke  xv.  7.  and  is 
God's  lesser  heaven,  Isa.  Ivii.  15.  Eph.  iii. 
17.  Reason  doth  not  so  far  exceed  sense,  as 
grace  doth  reason  ;  grace  changeth  corrup- 
tion into  perfection ;  nothing  so  graceth  a 
man  as  grace  doth  ;  grace  is  the  purest  com- 
plexion of  the  soul,  for  it  makes  it  like  God. 


Grace  is  the  flower  of  delight  which  Christ 
loves  to  smell  to ;  grace  is  to  the  soul,  as  the 
eye  to  the  body,  as  the  sun  to  the  world,  as 
the  diamond  to  the  ring,  it  doth  bespangle 
and  beautify.  A  soul  decked  with  grace,  is 
as  the  dove  covered  with  silver  wings,  and 
golden  feathers. 

4.  Excellency.  Grace  hath  a  soul-cleansing 
excellency.  By  nature  we  are  defiled ;  sin 
is  an  impure  issue,  it  is  a  befilthying  thing, 
2  Cor.  vii.  1.  A  sinner's  heart  is  so  black, 
that  nothing  but  hell  can  pattern  it ;  but 
grace  is  a  spiritual  laver;  therefore  it  is 
called  "  the  washing  of  regeneration,"  Tit. 
iii.  5.  The  grace  of  repentance  cleanseth ; 
Mary's  tears,  as  they  washed  his  feet,  so 
they  washed  her  heart ;  faith  hath  a  cleans- 
ing virtue.  Acts  xv.  9.  "  Having  purified 
their  hearts  by  faith."  Grace  lays  the  soul 
a-whitening,  it  takes  out  the  leopard  spots, 
and  turns  the  cypress  into  an  azure  beauty. 
Grace  is  of  a  celestial  nature ;  though  it  doth 
not  wholly  remove  sin,  it  doth  subdue  it; 
though  it  doth  not  keep  sin  out,  it  keeps  it 
under ;  though  sin  in  a  gracious  soul  doth 
not  die  perfectly,  yet  it  dies  daily.  Grace 
makes  the  heart  a  spiritual  temple,  which 
hath  this  inscription  upon  it,  "  Holiness  to 
the  Lord." 

5.  Excellency.  Grace  hath  a  soul-strength- 
ening excellency,  it  enables  a  man  to  do 
that  which  exceeds  the  power  of  nature. 
Grace  teacheth  to  mortify  our  sins,  to  love 
our  enemies,  to  prefer  the  glory  of  Christ 
before  our  own  lives.  Thus  the  three  chil- 
dren by  the  power  of  grace  marched  in  the 
face  of  death ;  neither  the  sound  of  !he 
music  could  allure  them,  nor  the  heat  of  the 
furnace  affright  them,  Dan.  iii.  17.  Grace 
is  a  Christian's  armour  of  proof,  which  doth 
more  than  any  other  armour  can ;  it  not  only 
defends  him,  but  puts  courage  into  him. 
Tertullian  calls  Athanasius  an  invincible 
adamant;  grace  makes  us  not  only  bear  suf- 
fering, but  glory  in  suff"ering,  Rom.  v.  3. 
A  soul  steeled  and  animated  with  grace,  can 
tread  upon  the  lion  and  adder,  Ps.  xciii.  13. 
and  with  the  leviathan,  can  laugh  at  the 
shaking  of  a  spear.  Job  xli.  29.  Thus  doth 
grace  infuse  an  heroic  spirit,  and  drive 
strength  into  a  man,  making  him  act  above 
the  sphere  of  nature. 


THE  BEAUTY  OF  GRACE. 


759 


6.  Excellency.    Grace  hatli  a  soul-raising   Who  can  endure  tlie  smell  of  a  dead  corpse '. 


excellency;  it  is  a  divine  sparkle  that  ascends; 
when  tlie  heart  is  divinely  touched  with  the 
bad-stone  of  the  Spirit,  it  is  drawn  up  to 
God.  Prov.  XV.  24.  "  The  way  of  life  is 
above  to  the  wise : "  grace  raiseth  a  man 
above  others ;  he  lives  in  the  altitudes,  while 
others  creep  on  the  earth,  and  are  almost 
buried  in  it;  a  Christian  by  the  wings  of 
grace  flies  aloft ;  the  saints  "  mount  up  as 
eagles,"  Isa.  xl.  31.  A  believer  is  a  citizen 
of  heaven,  there  he  trades  by  faith.  Grace 
shoots  the  heart  above  the  world,  Ps.  cxxxix. 
17.  Phil.  iii.  idt.  Grace  gives  us  conformity 
to  Christ,  and  communion  with  Christ,  I  John 
i.  3.  "  Our  fellowship  is  with  the  Father, 
and  with  his  Son  Jesus."  A  man  full  of 
grace,  hath  Christ  in  his  heart,  and  the 
world  under  his  feet;  grace  humbles,  yet 
elevates. 

7.  Excellency.  Grace  hath  a  perfuming  ex- 
cellency ;  it  makes  us  a  sweet  odour  to  God. 
Hence  grace  is  compared  to  those  spices 
which  are  most  odoriferous  and  fragrant. 
"  Myrrh,  cinnamon,  frankincense,"  Cant.  iv. 
13.  There  is  a  double  perfume  that  grace 
sends  forth. 

1.  It  perfumes  our  names,  Heb.  xi.  2. 
"  By  faith  the  elders  obtained  a  good  report." 
Grace  was  the  spice  which  perfumed  their 
names.  How  renowned  was  Abraham  for 
his  faitli,  Moses  for  his  meekness,  Phinehas 
for  his  zeal  ?  what  a  fresh  perfume  do  their 
names  send  forth  to  this  day  !  the  very  wicked 
cannot  but  see  a  resplendent  majesty  in  the 
graces  of  the  saints ;  and  though  with  their 
tongues  they  revile  grace,  yet  with  their 
hearts  they  reverence  it.  Thus  grace  is 
aromatical,  it  embalms  the  names  of  men ;  a 
gracious  person  when  he  dies,  carries  a  good 
conscience  with  him,  and  leaves  a  good  name 
behind  him. 

2.  Grace  perfumes  our  duties,  Psal.  cxli.  2. 
"  Let  my  prayer  be  set  forth  before  thee  as 
incense."  Noah's  sacrifice  was  a  perfume. 
Gen.  viii.  21.  The  Lord  smelled  a  sweet 


but  grace  gives  a  fragrancy  and  redolency  to 
our  holy  things,  Heb.  xi.  4.  «  By  faith  Abel 
offered  a  more  excellent  sacrifice  than  Cain, 
God  testifying  of  his  gifts."  Abel's  sacrifice 
was  better  scented,  God  smelled  a  sweet 
savour  of  it ;  for  he  testified  of  his  gifts.  If 
it  be  asked  what  this  testimony  was  God 
gave  of  Abel's  sacrifice  ?  Hierom  saith,  God 
set  his  sacrifice  on  fire ;  1  Kings  xviii.  38. 
so  from  heaven  testifying  his  acceptance  of 
Abel's  offering ;  and  if  grace  doth  so  perfume 
you,  wear  this  flower,  not  in  your  bosoms, 
but  in  your  hearts. 

8.  Excellency.  Grace  hath  a  soul-ennobling 
excellency,  it  doth  ennoble  a  man:  grace 
makes  xis  vessels  of  honour,  it  sets  us  above 
princes  and  nobles.  Theodosius  thought  it 
more  dignity  to  be  Christ's  servant,  and  wear 
his  livery  laced  with  the  silver  graces  of  the 
Spirit,  than  to  be  great  and  renowned  in  the 
world,  Isa.  Ixiii.  4.  "  Since  thou  wert  pre- 
cious in  my  sight  thou  hast  been  honour- 
able." Sin  doth  debase  a  man,  Christ  tells 
wicked  men  their  pedigree,  John  viii.  44. 
"  Ye  are  of  your  father  the  devil : "  they 
may  put  the  cloven  foot  in  their  scutcheon ; 
an  ungracious  person  is  a  vile  person  ;  Nah. 
i.  14.  "  I  will  make  thy  grave,  for  thou  art 
vile :  "  the  Hebrew  word  for  vile  sig-nifies  to 
be  lightly  esteemed :  there  is  nothing  so  vile 
but  an  ungracious  man  will  do ;  he  is  ductile 
and  facile  to  any  thing,  like  wire,  which  will 
be  bent  awry ;  he  will  snare  his  conscience, 
stain  his  credit,  run  as  a  lackey  after  the  sinful 
injunctions  of  men ;  but  grace  ennobles  ;  he 
who  is  divinely  inspired,  as  he  is  high  l)orn, 
1  John  iii.  1.  so  he  acts  suitably  to  his  birth, 
he  hates  whatever  is  disingenuous  and  sordid. 
The  saints  are  called  kings  and  priests  for 
their  dignity,  Rev.  i.  6.  and  jewels  for  their 
value,  Mai.  iii.  17. 

9.  Excellency.  Grace  hath  a  soul-securing 
excellency,  it  brings  safety  along  with  it. 
You  all  desire  to  be  safe  in  dangerous  times; 
if  sword  or  pestilence  come,  if  death  peep  in 


savour.  The  sighs  of  a  wicked  man  are  an  at  your  windows,  would  you  not  now  be  safe; 
unsavoury  breath,  his  solemn  sacrifice  is  nothing  will  secure  you  in  times  of  danger 
dung,  Mai.  ii.  3.  There  is  such  a  noisome  but  grace ;  grace  is  the  best  life-guard ;  it 
stench  comes  from  a  sinner's  duties,  that  sets  Christians  out  of  gunshot,  and  frees  thera 
God  will  not  come  near,  Amos  v.  21.  "  I  -from  the  power  of  hell  and  damnation,  Prov. 
will  not  smell  in  your  solemn  assemblies."  1  x.  2.  "  Righteousness  delivers  from  death.'* 


7G0 


THE  BEAUTY  OF  GRACE. 


Do  not  riirhteoiis  men  die  ?  yes,  but  rig-ht- 
cousness  delivers  from  the  sting-  of  the  first 
death,  and  the  fear  of  the  second.  It  was 
the  saying  of  one,  "  I  am  not  afraid  to  die, 
but  to  be  damned :  "  but  here  is  a  believer's 
comfort,  the  fire  of  God's  wrath  can  never 
kindle  upon  him;  grace  is  God's  own  image 
stamped  on  the  soul,  and  he  will  not  destroy 
his  own  image.  Xerxes,  the  Persian,  when 
he  destroyed  all  the  temples  in  Greece,  he 
caused  the  temple  of  Diana  to  be  preserved 
for  its  beautiful  structure;  that  soul  which 
hath  the  beauty  of  holiness  shining  in  it, 
shall  be  preserved  for  the  glory  of  the  struc- 
ture ;  God  will  not  suifer  his  own  temple  to 
be  destroyed :  would  you  be  secured  in  evil 
times?  get  grace  and  fortify  this  garrison; 
a  good  conscience  is  a  Christian's  fort-royal. 
David's  enemies  lay  round  about  him ;  yet, 
saith  he,  "  I  laid  me  down  and  slept,"  Psal. 
iii.  5.  A  good  conscience  can  sleep  in  the 
mouth  of  a  cannon;  grace  is  a  Christian's 
coat  of  mail,  which  fears  not  the  arrow  or 
bullet.  True  grace  may  be  shot  at,  but  can 
never  be  shot  through ;  grace  puts  the  soul 
into  Christ,  and  there  it  is  safe,  as  the  bee  in 
the  hive,  as  the  dove  in  the  ark,  Rom.  viii.  1 . 
"  There  is  no  condemnation  to  them  which 
are  in  Christ  Jesus." 

10.  Excellency.  Grace  hath  a  heart-esta- 
blishing excellency,  Heb.  xiii.  9.  "  It  is  a 
good  thing  that  the  heart  be  established  with 
grace."  Before  the  infusion  of  grace,  the 
heart  is  like  a  ship  without  a  ballast ;  it  wavers 
and  tosseth,  being  ready  to  overturn ;  there- 
fore a  man  void  of  grace  is  called  a  double- 
minded  man,  James  i.  8.  He  acts  for  and 
against,  as  if  he  had  two  souls ;  he  is  unre- 
solved, to-day  of  one  mind,  to-morrow  of 
another ;  to-day  he  will  hear  a  preacher  that 
is  orthodox,  to-morrow  one  that  is  heterodox : 
he  will  be  as  the  times  are,  and  chanare  his 
religion  as  fast  as  the  chameleon  doth  his 
colour.  Hearts  unsanctified  will  be  un- 
settled ;  they  will  face  about  to  the  rising 
side ;  they  will  follow  not  what  is  best,  but 
what  is  safest ;  they  are  not  for  that  religion 
which  hath  the  word  to  guide  it,  but  for  that 
which  hath  the  sword  to  back  it ;  this  Seneca 
calls  a  mind  that  rolls  up  and  down,  and 
settles  no  where.  " 

But  grace  doth  consolidate  and  fix   the 


heart,  Psal.  Ivii.  7.  "  My  heart  is  fixed,  O 
God."  Hypocrites  are  like  meteors  in  the 
air;  David  was  a  fixed  star;  grace  keeps  the 
heart  upright;  and  the  more  sincere,  the 
more  steadfast;  grace  carries  the  heart  to 
God  as  the  centre,  and  there  it  rests,  Psal. 
cxvi.  Psal.  vii.  A  gracious  heart  cleaves  to 
God,  and  let  whatever  changes  come,  the 
soul  is  settled  as  a  ship  at  anchor. 

11.  Excellency.  Grace  hath  a  preparatory 
excellency  in  it;  it  prepares  and  fits  for 
glory.  Glory  is  the  highest  peg  of  our  fe- 
licity, it  transcends  all  our  thoughts ;  glory 
can  have  no  hyperbole.  Now  grace  tunes 
and  fits  the  soul  for  glory,  2  Pet.  i.  3.  "  Who 
hath  called  us  to  glory  and  virtue."  Virtue 
leads  to  glory.  First  you  cleanse  the  vessel, 
and  then  pour  in  wine.  God  doth  first 
cleanse  us  by  his  grace,  and  then  pour  in 
the  wine  of  glory ;  the  silver  link  of  grace 
draws  the  golden  link  of  glory  after  it :  in- 
deed grace  ditfers  little  from  glory ;  grace  is 
glory  in  the  bud,  and  glory  is  grace  in  the 
flower.  In  short,  glory  is  nothing  else  but 
grace  commencing  and  taking  its  degrees. 

12.  Excellency.  Grace  hath  an  abiding 
excellency;  temporal  things  are  for  a  season, 
but  grace  hath  eternity  stamped  upon  it,  it 
is  called  durable  riches,  Prov.  viii.  18. 
Other  riches  take  wings  and  fly  from  us; 
grace  takes  wings  and  flies  with  us  to  heaven. 
Some  tell  us  of  falling  away  from  grace;  I 
grant  seeming  grace  may  be  lost;  a  blazing 
comet  will  spend  and  evaporate;  na.y,  saving 
grace  may  fail  in  the  degree,  it  may  suff"er 
an  eclipse,  it  may  lose  all  its  sweet  fruit  of 
joy  and  peace;  but  still  there  is  sap  in  the 
vine,  and  "the  seed  of  God  remains,"  1  John 
iii.  4.  Grace  is  a  blossom  of  eternity;  1 
John  ii.  27.  "The  anointing  that  abides;" 
colours  laid  in  oil  are  durable;  those  hearts 
which  are  laid  in  oil,  and  have  the  anointing 
of  God,  hold  their  colours,  and  endure  for 
ever:  grace  is  compared  to  a  "river  of  the 
water  of  life,"  John  vii.  38.  Tliis  river  can 
never  be  dried  up,  for  the  Spirit  of  God  is 
the  spring  that  feeds  it.  Grace  is  not  like  a 
lease  which  soon  expires;  so  the  Pelagians 
would  make  it;  to-day  a  believer,  to-morrow 
an  unbeliever;  to-day  justified,  to-morrow 
unjustified;  this  would  be  like  a  lease  soon 
run  out;  but  God  settles  grace  on  the  saints 


THE  BEAUTY  OF  GRACE. 


'Gl 


OS  an  inheritance,  and  he  will  see  that  the 
entail  shall  never  be  cut  off.  He  who  hath 
true  grace,  can  no  more  fall  away  than  the 
angels,  which  are  fixed  stiirs  in  their  heavenly 
orbs. 

The  arguments  to  prove  the  perpetuation 
of  grace  are : 

1.  God's  election;  this  I  ground  upon 
Rom.  viii.  29,  30.  "Whom  he  did  foreknow, 
he  also  did  predestinate."  Predestination  is 
the  grand  cause  of  the  saints'  preservation; 
God  chooseth  as  well  to  salvation  as  to  faith, 
2  Thess.  ii.  13.  What  shall  make  God's 
election  void? 

2.  The  power  of  God,  1  Pet.  i.  5.  "We 
are  kept  by  the  power  of  God  through  faith 
imto  salvation."  I  deny  not  but  grace  in 
itself  may  perish,  (our  grace  is  no  better  coin 
than  Adam's,)  but  grace  in  God's  keeping 
cannot;  the  saints'  graces  of  themselves  may 
break  as  glasses,  but  these  glasses  in  the 
hand  of  God  never  break. 

3.  God's  solemn  engagement;  the  Lord 
hath  passed  it  under  hand  and  seal;  he  hath 
given  bond  for  .the  saints'  perseverance,  Jer. 
xxxii.  40.  "  I  will  make  an  everlastinaf  cove- 
nant  with  them,  that  I  will  not  turn  away 
from  them,  and  they  shall  not  depart  from 
me."  A  believer's  charter  is  confirmed 
under  the  broad  seal  of  heaven;  and  if  grace 
doth  not  endure  to  eternity,  it  is  either 
because  God  wants  power  to  make  good 
what  he  hath  decreed,  or  truth  to  make  good 
what  he  hath  promised;  either  of  which  to 
assert  were  blasphemy. 

Besides  all  this,  Jesus  Christ  our  blessed 
high  priest,  who  hath  the  golden  plate  on 
his  forehead,  appears  in  the  court;  and  as  he 
poured  out  blood  on  the  cross,  so  he  pours 
forth  piavers  in  heaven  for  the  saints'  perse- 
verance, Heb.  vii.  2.').  "He  ever  liveth  to 
make  intercession  for  them."  And  Christ 
is  not  only  a  priest,  but  a  son;  therefore 
likely  to  prevail;  and  which  puts  the  matter 
out  of  doubt,  what  Christ  prays  for  as  he  is 
man,  he  hath  power  to  give  as  he  is  God, 
John  xvii.  24.  "Father,  I  will:"  "Father," 
there  he  prays  as  man;  "I  will,"  there  he 
gives  as  God. 

So  that  grace  is  an  abiding  thing;  Christ- 
ians, you  may  lose  your  friends,  your  estates, 
your  lives,  but  you  shall  never  lose  your 


grace.  Those  who  hold  falling  away  from 
grace,  woidd  make  a  believer  wear  Cain's 
mark,  which  was  a  continual  shaking  and 
trembling  in  his  flesh;  they  would  spill  a 
Christian's  cordial,  and  break  a  link  of  the 
chain  of  salvation. 

2.  Use.  Trial:  let  us  try  whether  our  grace 
be  true;  there  is  something  looks  like  grace 
which  is  not.  Chrysostom  saith  the  devil 
hath  a  counterfeit  chain  to  all  the  graces, 
and  he  would  deceive  us  with  it.  Lapidaries 
have  ways  to  try  their  precious  stones;  let 
us  try  our  grace  by  a  Scripture  touchstone: 
the  painted  Christian  shall  have  a  painted 
paradise. 

L  The  truth  of  grace  is  seen  by  a  dis- 
placency  and  antipathy  against  sin,  Psal. 
cxix.  104.  "I  hate  every  false  way:"  grace 
sets  itself  against  complexion  sins,  Psal. 
xviii.  23.  and  against  the  sins  of  the  times, 
Rev.  ii.  2. 

2.  Grace  is  known  by  the  growth  of  it, 
growth  evidenceth  life.  Dead  things  grow 
not;  a  picture  will  not  grow;  a  hypocrite, 
who  is  but  a  picture  of  religion,  doth  not 
grow;  a  good  Christian  grows  in  love  to 
Christ,  in  humility,  in  good  works,  Psal. 
xcii.  12.  Hos.  xiv.  5.  "He  shall  grow  as  the 
lily,  his  branches  shall  spread,  and  his  beauty 
shall  be  as  the  olive  tree,  and  his  smell  as 
Lebanon."  When  the  Spirit  of  God  distils 
as  dew  upon  the  soul,  it  makes  grace  flourish, 
and  put  forth  into  maturity. 

3.  True  grace  will  make  us  willing  to 
suffer  for  Christ.  Grace  is  like  gold,  it  will 
abide  the  "fiery  trial,"  1  Pet.  i.  7.  And  if 
upon  a  serious  scrutiny  and  trial  we  find  that 
we  have  the  right  jewel,  "the  grace  of  God 
in  truth,"  Col.  i.  6.  this  will  be  a  deathbed 
cordial;  we  may  with  Simeon,  "depart  in 
peace,"  being  assured  that  though  we  can- 
not resist  death,  yet  we  shall  overcome  it. 

Use  3.  Direction.  Let  me  lay  down  two 
or  three  directions  for  the  attaininof  of 
grace. 

1st  Direction.  If  we  would  be  enriched 
with  this  jewel  of  grace,  let  us  take  pains  for 
it;  we  are  bid  to  make  a  hue  and  crv  after 
knowledge,  and  to  search  for  it,  as  a  man 
that  searcheth  for  a  vein  of  gold,  Prov.  ii.  2, 
3.  Our  salvation  cost  Christ  blood,  it  will 
cost  us  sweat,  5  D 


7G2 


TREES  OF  RIGHTEOUSNESS. 


2.  Let  lis  go  to  God  for  grace;  he  is  called 
*'the  God  of  all  grace,"  1  Pet.  v.  10.  We 
could  lose  grace  of  ourselves,  but  we  cannot 
find  it  of  ourselves.  The  sheep  can  wander 
from  the  fold,  but  cannot  return  without  the 
help  of  the  shepherd;  go  to  the  God  of  all 
grace ;  God  is  the  first  planter,  the  promoter, 
the  perfecter  of  grace;  God  is  the  Father  of 
lights,  James  i.  17.  He  must  light  up  this 
candle  of  grace  in  the  soul;  grace  is  in  his 
gift;  it  is  not  an  impropriation,  but  a  dona- 
tive: O  then  go  to  God  in  prayer,  lay  thy 
heart  before  him;  Lord,  I  want  grace;  I 
want  an  humble,  believing  heart,  and  thou 
art  "the  God  of  all  grace,  all  my  springs  are 
in  thee."  O  enrich  me  with  grace,  deny 
me  not  this  before  I  die:  what  is  gold  in  the 
bag,  if  I  have  no  oil  in  the  lamp  ?  give  me 
"that  anointing  of  God."  I  read  in  thy 
word  of  "the  fruits  of  the  Spirit;"  Lord, 
my  heart  is  a  barren  soil,  plant  some  of 
these  supernatural  fruits  in  me,  that  I  may 
be  more  useful  and  serviceable;  Lord,  I 
cannot  be  put  off  with  other  things.  Who 
wilt  thou  give  grace  to,  if  not  to  such 
as  ask,  and  are  resolved  not  to  give  over 
asking? 

3.  if  you  would  have  grace,  engage  the 
prayers  of  others  in  your  behalf;  he  is  like 
to  be  rich,  who  hath  several  stocks  going; 
he  is  in  the  way  of  spiritual  thriving,  who 
hath  several  stocks  of  prayer  going  for  him. 
If  you  had  a  child  that  were  sick,  you  would 
beg  the  prayers  of  others;  thou  hast  a  soul 
that  is  sick,  sick  of  pride,  lust,  "sick  unto 
death;"  O  beg  the  prayers  of  godly  friends, 
that  God  will  heal  thee  with  his  grace;  a 
ISIoses  and  Jacob  liave  much  power  with 
God:  believers  can  prevail  sometimes  not 
only  for  themselves,  but  for  their  friends, 
Jumes  v.  16.     A  godly  man's  prayers  may 


do  you  more  good  than  if  he  should  bestov 
upon  you  all  his  lands  of  inheritance. 

4.  If  you  would  have  grace,  frequent  the 
means  of  grace,  lie  at  the  pool  of  Bethesda, 
wait  at  the  posts  of  wisdom's  door.  Inward 
grace  is  wrought  by  outward  means;  the 
preaching  of  the  word  is  God's  engine  that 
he  useth  for  working  grace;  it  is  called  "the 
rod  of  his  strength,"  Psal.  ex.  2.  and  "the 
breath  of  his  lips,"  Isa.  xi.  4.  By  this  he 
cause th  breath  to  enter;  out  of  this  golden 
pipe  of  the  sanctuary,  God  empties  the 
golden  oil  of  grace  into  the  soul;  the  ministry 
of  the  gospel  is  called  "the  ministry  of  the 
Spirit,"  2  Cor.  viii.  because  the  Spirit  of 
God  ordinarily  makes  use  of  this  to  work 
grace;  this  ministry  of  the  Spirit  is  to  be 
preferred  before  the  ministry  of  angels. 

Qiiest.  Why  is  the  word  preached  the  ordi- 
nary means  to  convey  grace?  why  not  con- 
ference or  reading? 

Alls.  The  reason  is,  because  God  hath 
appointed  it  to  this  end,  and  he  will  grace 
his  own  ordinances,  1  Cor.  i.  21.  "it  })leased 
God."  What  reason  could  be  given  why 
the  waters  of  Damascus  should  not  have  as 
sovereign  virtue  to  heal  Naaman's  leprosy 
as  the  waters  of  Jordan?  only  this,  because 
the  Lord  did  appoint  and  sanctify  the  one  to 
this  work,  and  not  the  other;  if  therefore  we 
would  have  grace,  let  us  wait  where  the 
manna  falls,  and  there  expect  the  dew  of  the 
Spirit  to  fall  with  manna;  the  power  of  God 
goes  along  with  his  word. 

How    should   we  ^ 

Sleidan  saith  there  was  a  church  in  France 
formerly,  which  the  Protestants  called  Para- 
dise; as  if  they  thought  themselves  in  para- 
dise while  they  were  in  the  house  of  (too  ; 
those  ordinances  should  be  our  jxiradise 
which  are  "  the  power  of  God  to  saKation." 


delight  in   ordinances! 


THE  TPvEES  OF  RIGHTEOUSNESS  BLOSSOMING,  AND  BRINGING 

FORTH  FRUIT. 

Pini„  i.  1 1.  "  Being  filled  with  the  fruits  of  righteorisness  which  are  hy  Jesus  Christ,  unto  tU 

glory  and  praise  of  God" 

J.  HE  blessed  apostle  in  this  chapter  makes   and  amongst  the  rest,  he  puts  up  two  rare 
a  solemn  prayer  to  God  for  these  Philippians ;   petitions  for  them. 


TREES  OF  RIGHTEOUSNESS. 


763 


1.  Thatthey  might  be  sincere.  Verse  10. 

2.  Tliiit  they  might  be  fruitful,  in  the 
words  of  the  text,  "Being  filled  with  the  fruits 
of  righteousness,"  &c.  Where  is  observable, 

1.  The  matter,  "  Being  filled  with  fruits." 

2.  The  manner  of  production,  "  by  Jesus 
Christ." 

3.  The  end,  "  which  are  to  the  glory  and 
praise  of  God." 

Doctrine  from  whence  this  great  truth 
doth  result,  "  That  Christians  should  above 
all  thinors  endeavour  after  fruitfulness."  The 
saints  are  called  "  trees  of  righteousness," 
Isa.  Ixi.  3.  These  rational  trees  must  not 
only  bring  forth  leaves,  but  fruit ;  "  Being 
filled  with  the  fruits  of  righteousness."  For 
the  further  amplifying  of  this,  there  are  two 
things  to  be  inquired  into. 

1.  How  a  Christian  brings  forth  fruit. 

2.  What  is  the  fruit  he  brings  forth. 
1.  How  a  Christian  brings  forth  fruit.     I 

answer ;  he  brings  forth  fruit  "  in  the  vine ;" 
by  nature  we  are  barren ;  there  is  not  one 
good  blossom  growing  on  us ;  but  when  by 
faith  we  are  ingrafted  into  Christ,  then  we 
grow  and  fructify,  John  xv.  4.  "  As  the 
branch  cannot  bear  fruit  of  itself,  except  it 
abide  in  the  vine,  no  more  can  ye  except  ye 
abide  in  me."  Jesus  Christ  is  that  blessed 
root  which  shoots  up  that  sap  of  grace  into 
his  branches.  The  Pelagians  tell  us  we  have 
sufficiency  of  ourselves  to  bring  forth  good 
fruit :  but  how  improper  is  this  ?  doth  not 
the  root  contribute  to  the  branches  ?  is  it  not 
of  Christ's  precious  fulness  that  we  receive  ? 
John  i.  16.  Therefore  it  is  observable  Christ 
calls  the  spouse's  grace  his  grace,  Cant  v.  1. 
*'  I  have  gathered  my  myrrh  with  my  spice." 
Christ  saith  not,  thy  myrrh,  but  my  myrrh. 
If  the  saints  bear  any  spiritual  fruit,  they  are 
beholden  to  Christ  for  it,  it  is  his  myrrh, 
Hos.  x'lv^.  8.   "  From  me  is  thy  fruit  found." 

2.  What  that  fruit  is  which  a  good  Chris- 
tian brings  forth.     Answer  ;  it  is 

1.  Inward  fruit.  2.  Outward  fruit.  3. 
Kindly  fruit.     4.   Seasonable  fruit. 

1.  A  Christian  brings  forth  inward  fruit: 
"  Love,  joy,  peace,  long-suffering,  gentle- 
ness, goodness,  faith,"  Gal.  v.  22.  Thus 
fruit  is  sweet,  and  mellow,  growing  under  the 
Sun  of  righteousness ;  this  is  that  ripe  fruit 
God  delights  to  taste  of,  Micah  vii.  1. 


2.  A  Christian  brings  forth  outward  fruit. 
(1.)   The  fruit  of  good  discourse,  Prov.  xv. 
4.  «  A  wholesome  tongue  is  a  tree  of  life." 
Gracious  speeches  fall  from  the  lips  of  a  god- 
ly man,  as  fruit  from  a  tree. 

(2.)  The  fruit  of  good  works.  Col.  i.  10. 
God  will  say  at  the  last  day,  show  me  thy 
faith  by  thy  works,  James  ii.  18.  A  true 
saint  doth  all  the  good  he  can,  "  honourino- 
the  Lord  with  his  substance  ;"  he  knows  he 
is  to  be  in  the  world  but  a  while,  therefore 
lives  much  in  a  little  time,  and  crowds  up  a 
great  deal  of  work  in  a  little  room ;  it  was 
Christ's  speech  not  long  before  his  suffering, 
"  I  have  finished  the  work  which  thou  gavest 
me  to  do,"  John  xvii.  4.  How  can  they  be 
said  to  finish  their  work,  that  never  yet  be- 
gan a  good  work  ? 

3.  A  Christian  brings  forth  kindly  fruit. 
The   godly   man    bringeth  forth  "  liis   fruit, 
Psal.  i.  3.  That  is,  he  brings  forth  that  fruit 
which  is  proper  for  him  to  bear.     But  what 
is  this  kindly  and   proper  fruit?  I  answer, 
when  we  are  good  in  our  callings  and  rela- 
tions :  in  a  magistrate,  justice  is  kindly  fruit, 
Deut.  xvi.  19.  in  a  minister,  zeal,  Acts  xvii. 
16.  in  a  parent,  instruction,  Deut.  iv  10.  in 
a  child,   reverence,   Eph.  vi.  1.  in  a  master, 
good  example,  Gen.  xviii.  19.  Eph  vi.  9.  in 
a  servant,   obedience,    1    Pet.  ii.    18.  in  the 
husband,  love,  Eph.  v.  25.  in  the  wife,  sub- 
mission,  Eph.  V.   22.  in  a  tradesman,   dili- 
gence, Exod.  XX.  9.  in  a  soldier,  innocence, 
Luke  iii.  14.   A  tree  of  God's  planting  brino-s 
forth  his    fruit,    that   which  is  suitable   and 
proper.     I   shall    never  believe    him   to   be 
good,  that  doth  not  bear  kindly  fruit;  a  good 
Christian,  but  a  bad  master ;  a  good  Chris- 
tian, but  a  bad  parent,  doth  not  sound  well. 
That  minister  can  no  more  be  good  which 
wants  zeal,  than  tliat  wine  is  good  which  wants 
spirits  ;  that  magistrate  can  no  more  be  good 
which  wants  justice,   than  that  pillar  is  good 
which   is  not  upright.     That  child  can  no 
more  be  good  who  doth  not  honour  his  pa- 
rent, than  a  traitor  can  be  said  to  be  loyal. 
When    Absidom    did    rise    up    in    rebellion 
against  his  father,  the  mule  which  he  rode 
upon  (a-s  if  she  were  weary  of  carrying  such 
a  burden)   resigns  up  her  load  to  the  great 
thick  oak,  and  there  left  him  hanging  by  the 
head  betwixt  heaven  and  earth,  as  neither  fit 


76 1 


TEEES  OF  RIGHTEOUSNESS. 


to  ascend  the  one,  nor  worthy  to  tread  upon 
the  other. 

Let  Christians  be  persuaded  to  bring  forth 
proper  and  genuine  fruit,  and  shine  forth  in 
their  relations :  consider, 

1.  He  who  is  not  good  in  his  relations, 
goes  under  the  just  suspicion  of  an  hypocrite  ; 
let  a  man  seem  to  be  a  penitent,  or  zealot, 
yet  if  he  bear  not  fruit  proper  to  his  station, 
he  is  no  tree  of  righteousness,  but  some  wild 
degenerate  plant.  There  are  some  will  pray, 
hear  sermons,  discourse  well ;  this  is  good  : 
but  "  what  means  the  bleating  of  the  sheep  ?" 
they  are  not  good  in  their  relations;  this 
discovers  they  are  foundered  and  unsound.  A 
good  Christian  labours  to  fill  his  relations, 
and  to  go  through  all  the  parts  of  religion, 
as  the  sun  through  all  the  signs  of  the  zodiac. 
I  like  not  those  Christians,  who,  though  they 
seem  to  be  travelling  to  heaven,  yet  leave  the 
duties  of  their  relations  as  a  terra  incognita^ 
which  they  never  come  near. 

2.  The  excellency  of  a  Christian  is  to 
bring  forth  proper  fruit ;  wherein  lies  the 
goodness  of  a  nieniber  in  the  body,  but  to 
discharge  its  proper  office  ?  the  eye  is  to 
see,  the  ear  to  lieur,  ^c.  So  the  excellency 
of  a  Christian  is  to  brino:  forth  that  fruit  which 
God  hath  assigned  to  him :  what  is  a  thing 
good  for  which  doth  not  do  its  proper  work  ? 
what  is  a  clock  good  for  that  will  not  strike  ? 
what  is  a  ship  good  for  that  will  not  sail  ? 
what  is  a  rose  good  for  that  doth  not  smell ; 
what  is  that  professor  good  for  that  doth  not 
send  forth  a  sweet  perfume  in  his  relation  ? 
the  commendation  of  a  thing  is  when  it  puts 
forth  its  proper  virtue. 

3.  Not  to  bring  forth  suitable  fruit,  spoils 
all  the  other  fruit  which  we  brina:  forth.  If  a 
man  were  to  make  a  medicine,  and  should 
leave  out  the  chief  ingredient,  the  medicine 
would  lose  its  virtue.  If  one  were  to  draw 
a  picture,  and  should  leave  out  an  eye,  it 
would  spoil  the  picture ;  there  are  many  to 
whom  Christ  will  say  at  the  day  of  judgment 
as  to  the  young  man,  Luke  xviii.  22.  "  Yet 
lackest  thou  one  thing."  Thou  hast  prayed, 
and  fasted,  and  heard  sermons,  "  yet  lackest 
thou  one  thing,"  thou  hast  not  been  good  in 
thy  relations. 

4.  Relative  graces  do  much  beautify  and 
set  off  a  Christian :  it  is  the  beauty  of  a  star 


to  shine  in  its  proper  orb ;  relative  grace 
doth  bespangle  a  Christian. 

5.  A  good  Christian  brings  forth  season- 
able fruit,  Psal.  i.  3.  he  that  bringeth  forth 
fruit  in  his  season  ;  every  thing  is  beautiful 
in  his  time,  Eccl.  ill.  11.  That  may  be  good 
at  one  time,  which  at  another  may  be  out  of 
season.  There  is  a  great  deal  of  skill  in  the 
right  timing  of  a  thing ;  duties  of  religion 
must  be  performed  in  the  fit  juncture  of 
time. 

1.  Christian  duties  that  relate  to  our 
neighbour  must  be  observed  In  their  season. 

(1.)  Our  reproving  others  must  be  sea- 
sonable. Reproof  is  a  duty  ;  when  we  see 
others  walk  irregularly,  like  soldiers  that 
march  out  of  rank  and  file,  we  ou^-ht  mildly, 
yet  gravely,  to  tell  them  of  their  sin,  Lev. 
xix.  17.  but  let  this  fruit  be  brought  forth  in 
its  season. 

[1,]  Do  it  privately;  Matt,  xviii.  15. 
"Go  and  tell  him  his  faults  between  him  and 
thee  alone." 

[2.]  Do  it  when  thou  seest  him  in  the 
best  temper,  not  when  his  passions  are  up ; 
that  were  pouring  oil  on  the  flame ;  but 
when  his  spirit  is  meekened  and  calmed: 
you  put  the  seal  on  the  wax  when  it  is  soft 
and  pliable;  there  is  a  time  when  men's 
spirits  are  more  flexible  and  yielding ;  now 
is  the  fittest  time  to  stamp  a  reproof  upon 
them,  and  it  is  likeliest  to  take  Imj^resslon. 
When  Abigail  reproved  Nabal,  It  was  in  the 
right  season;  not  when  he  was  in  wine,  but 
when  he  was  in  his  wits,  and  was  fit  to  hear 
a  reproof,  1  Sam.  xxv.  37. 

[3.]  Another  season  for  reproof  is  in  the 
time  of  affliction :  Affliction  tames  men's 
spirits,  and  now  a  word  of  reproof  spoken 
prudentially  may  work  with  the  affliction :  a 
bitter  potion  is  not  refused  if  in  case  of  ex- 
tremity of  pain.  Affliction  opens  tJie  ear  to 
discipline. 

(2.)  Our  comforting  others  must  be  sea- 
sonable ;  Prov.  XV.  23.  "  A  word  snoken  in 
due  season,  how  good  is  it?"  WIumi  we 
see  one  fallen  Into  sin,  and  with  Pef.er  weeji- 
Insj  bitterly,  O  now  a  word  of  comfort  will 
do  well.  The  incestuous  Corinthiau  being 
deeply  humbled,  the  apostle  calls  for  oil  and 
wine  to  be  poured  into  his  wounds;  2  Cor. 
ii.  7.  "Y§  ought  rather  to  comfort  him," 


TREES  OF  RIGHTEOUSNESS. 


765 


and  the  reason  is  given,  "  lest  perhaps  such 
an  one  should  be  swallowed  up  of  sorrow." 
Wlien  the  soul  is  wounded  for  sin,  now  bring 
the  mollifying  ointment  of  a  promise,  Jer. 
iii.  1.  hang  out  free  grace's  colours,  display 
the  glory  of  God's  attributes,  his  mercy  and 
truth  to  the  sinner ;  wlien  the  spirit  is  broken, 
a  word  of  comfort  spoken  in  season,  is  the 
putting  it  in  joint  again,  this  is  to  bring 
forth  seasonable  fruit,  when  we  give  wine  to 
them  that  are  of  a  heavy  heart;  "  Pleasant 
words  are  as  an  honey-comb,  sweet  to  the 
soul."  Job's  friends  pretended  to  comfort 
him,  but  instead  of  pouring  oil  into  the 
wound,  they  poured  in  vinegar. 

2.  Duties  of  religion  that  relate  to   God 
must  be  performed  in  their  season. 

(1.)  Mourning  for  sin  is  a  duty ;  God  loves 
a  contrite  heart;  Psal.  li.  17.  how  powerful 
with  God  is  the  weeping  rhetoric  that  a  poor 
sinner  useth !  but  yet  there  is  a  time  when 
wee[)ing  may  not  be  so  seasonable;  when 
God  hath  given  us  some  eminent  signal  de- 
liverance, and  this  mercy  calls  aloud  to  us  to 
rejoice,  hut  we  hang  our  harps  on  the  willows 
and  sit  weeping;  this  sadness  is  fruit  out  of 
season  ;  there  was  a  special  time  at  the  feast 
of  tabernacles,  when  God  called  his  people 
to  rejoicing;  "  Seven  days  shalt  thou  keep  a 
solemn  feast  unto  the  Lord  thy  God,  and 
thou  shalt  surely  rejoice." 

Now,  if  the  Israelites  had  sat  lieavy  and 
disconsolate  at  that  time  when  God  called 
them  to  rejoicing,  it  had  been  very  unsea- 
sonable, like  mourning  at  a  wedding ;  when 
we  are  called  to  thaidcsgiving,  and  we  mingle 
our  drink  with  tears,  is  not  this  to  be  highly 
unthankful  for  mercy?  God  would  have  his 
people  humble,  but  not  ungrateful.  It  is  the 
devil's  policy  either  to  keep  us  from  duty,  or 
else  to  put  us  upon  it  when  it  is  least  in 
season. 

{'2.)  Rejoicing  is  a  duty;  Psal.  xxxiii.  1. 
But  wlien  God  by  some  special  providence 
culls  us  to  weeping,  now  joy  is  unseason- 
able; this  is  tliat  which  God  complains  of, 
\<i\.  XX ii.  12.  "  In  tliat  day  did  the  Lord  of 
hosts  call  to  weeping,  and  behold  joy  and 
gladness,"  ike.  CEcolampadius  and  others 
tliiiik  it  was  in  the  time  of  king  Ahaz,  when 
the  signs  of  God's  anger,  like  a  blazing  star, 
did  appear ;  now  to  be  ^iven  to  mirth  was 


very  unseasonable,  ver.  14.  "  Surely  this  ini- 
quity shall  not  be  purged  from  you  till  ye 
die,  saith  the  Lord  God  of  hosts;"  it  is  a 
concise  form  of  an  oath,  as  if  God  liad  said, 
I  swear  it  shall  not  by  any  prayer  or  sacrifice 
be  expiated ;  the  fruit  of  joy  must  be  brought 
forth  in  its  season.     To  read  at  home,  when 
the  word  is  a-preaching,  or  the  sacrament 
celebrating,   is  unseasonable,  nay  sinful,  as 
Hushai  said,  2  Sam.  xvii.  7.  *'  The  counsel 
is  not  good  at  this  time : "  one  duty  is  to 
prepare  for  another,  but  not  to  jostle  out 
another ;  fruit   must   put   forth   seasonably. 
The    great   God    who    hath   appointed    the 
duties  of  his  worship,   hath  appointed  also 
the   time.     If,  when  public  ordinances  are 
administered,    any    person,    whether  out  of 
pride  or  sloth,  shall  stay  at  home,  though  he 
may  have  his  private  devotions,  yet  he  brings 
forth  fruit  out  of  season,  and  let  that  man 
know  he  shall  bear  his  sin. 

Let  all  the  trees  of  righteousness  bring 
forth  seasonable  fruit;  in  prosperity  be 
thankful,  in  adversity  patient.  "  To  every 
thino:  there  is  a  season,"  Eccl.  iii.  1.  The 
Psalmist  saith,  "  He  appointed  the  moon  for 
seasons,"  Psal.  civ.  19. 

To  excite  to  seasonable  fruit,  consider, 

1.  The  seasonableness  of  a  thing  puts  a 
value  and  preciousness  upon  it.  Duties  of 
religion  performed  in  their  season  are  glo- 
rious. 

2.  Creatures,  by  the  instinct  of  nature, 
observe  their  season ;  Jer.  viii.  7.  "  Yea  the 
stork  in  the  heaven  knoweth  her  appointed 
times,  and  the  turtle,"  &c.  and  shall  not 
Christians  observe  their  seasons,  when  to 
mourn,  when  to  rejoice  ? 

3.  Duties  of  religion  not  well  timed  are 
dangerous :  mourning  in  a  time  of  joy,  pri- 
vate duties  in  time  of  public,  is  unseasonable, 
and  will  prove  prejudici;d. 

Use  1.  Inform.  It  shows  us  who  is  a 
Christian  in  God's  calendar,  namely,  the 
fruit-bearing  Christian.  As  soon  as  the  sap 
of  grace  is  infused,  it  puts  forth  itself  in 
evanarelical  fruit.  No  sooner  was  Paul  con- 
verted,  but  he  became  a  plant  of  renown,  he 
did  bring  forth  rare  fruit,  humility,  faith, 
heavenly-mindedness ;  he  was  one  of  the 
most  fruitful  trees  that  ever  God  planted  in 
his  vineyard.     The   jailer,  when  God  hM 


7G6 


TREES  OF  RIGHTEOUSNESS. 


chanffcd  him  from  a  wild  tree,  to  a  tree  of 
righteousness,  brought  forth  sweet  and  gen- 
erous fruit.  How  kindly  did  he  use  the 
apostles  ?  he  set  meat  before  them,  and 
washed  their  wounds ;  he  who  was  before 
their  jailer,  becomes  now  their  nurse  and 
physician. 

Use  2.  Reproof.  Here  is  an  indictment 
against  three  sorts. 

Branch  1.  Such  as  bring  forth  no  fruit; 
Hos.  X.  1.  "  Israel  is  an  empty  vine."  O 
how  many  unfruitful  hearers  are  there,  who 
evaporate  into  nothing  but  froth  and  fume, 
being  like  those  ears  which  run  out  all  into 
straw  !  they  give  God  neither  the  early  fruit 
nor  the  latter.  There  are  many  Christians 
like  arbours,  covered  only  with  the  leaves  of 
profession ;  they  may  be  compared  to  the 
wood  of  the  vine,  which  is  good  for  nothing, 
Ezek,  XV.  2.  He  who  hath  not  the  fruits  of 
the  Spirit,  hath  not  the  Spirit,  and  "  he  who 
hath  not  the  Spirit  is  none  of  Christ's,"  Rom. 
viii.  9.  and  if  he  be  not  Christ's,  whose  is  he 
then  ?  I  fear  the  sin  of  this  age  is  unfruit- 
fulness.  Never  more  labouring  in  God's 
vineyard,  and  yet  never  less  fruit ;  instead  of 
the  fig-tree  and  the  pomegranate,  we  have 
abundance  of  barren  willows  growing  among 
ns ;  ministers  say  they  fear  they  "  spend 
their  labour  in  vain ; "  many  are  perverted, 
few  converted.  To  the  imfruitful  Christian 
let  me  say  four  things. 

1.  Unfruitfulness  is  a  shame :  barrenness 
of  old  was  counted  a  great  shame.  For  a 
tree  in  winter  to  be  unfruitful  is  no  great 
wonder ;  but  in  the  spring  and  summer,  to 
be  without  fruit,  is  a  reproach  to  the  tree : 
60,  in  the  winter  of  ignorance  and  popery,  to 
have  less  fruit  was  less  culpable ;  but  in  the 
spring-time  of  the  gospel,  when  the  Sun  of 
Righteousness  hath  shined  so  gloriously  in 
our  horizon,  now  to  be  without  fruit  is  a  re- 
proach not  to  be  wiped  away. 

2.  What  account  can  the  unfruitful  Chris- 
tian give  to  God?  God  will  come  with  this 
question.  Where  is  your  fruit?  a  godly  man 
dies  full  of  fruit;  Job  v.  26.  "  Thou  shalt 
come  to  thy  grave  in  full  age,  like  as  a  shock 
of  corn,"  &c.  The  unfruitful  Christian 
comes  to  his  grave,  not  as  a  shock  of  corn, 
but  as  a  bundle  of  straw,  fit  only  for  the 
fire ;  it   is  good  to  bethink  ourselves  what 


answer  we  shall  give  to  God  for  ojir  barren- 
ness. The  Lord  hath  planted  us  in  a  rich 
soil;  he  may  say  to  us  as  to  his  vineyard, 
Isa.  V.  1.  "  My  beloved  hath  a  vineyard  in  a 
very  fruitful  hill,  and  he  fenced  it,  and 
planted  it  with  the  choicest  vine,"  &c.  "  and 
he  looked  that  it  should  bi  ing  forth  grapes, 
and  it  brought  forth  wild  grapes,"  (in  a  hill) 
hilly  places  are  judged  the  fittest  for  vines  to 
grow  in,  Psal.  Ixxx.  10.  there  the  sun  comes 
best,  and  is  of  more  force  for  ripening  the 
grapes. 

In  a  fruitful  hill,  that  is  in  a  very  fat,  rich 
soil.  So  may  God  say  to  us,  I  have  planted 
you  in  a  hilly  place,  you  have  been  higher 
than  the  nations  round  about  you,  you  have 
even  been  lifted  up  to  heaven  with  ordi- 
nances ;  the  sunbeams  of  mercy,  and  Sion's 
silver  drops,  have  faUen  upon  you ;  but  where 
is  your  fruit?  your  enjoyments  are  great, 
but  what  are  your  improvements?  whom 
God  finds  without  fruit,  he  leaves  without 
excuse. 

3.  They  that  do  not  bring  forth  good  fruit, 
shall  never  taste  of  the  fruits  that  grow  in 
heaven.  Heaven  is  the  garden  of  God,  the 
paradise  of  pleasure,  where  the  most  rare 
delicious  fruits  grow ;  there  are  fruits  that 
the  angels  themselves  delight  to  feed  on: 
now,  if  you  do  not  bring  God  your  fruit, 
you  shall  never  taste  his  frmt :  you  that  do 
not  bring  forth  the  fruits  of  righteousness, 
shall  never  taste  the  fruits  of  paradise.  O 
present  Christ  with  your  sweet  spices,  give 
him  your  myrrh,  your  spiced  wine ;  your 
myrrh,  that  is,  repentance ;  this,  though  it 
be  bitter  to  you,  is  sweet  to  Christ.  Those 
who  have  no  myrrh  or  wine  to  give  to  God, 
shall  never  feed  upon  the  Tree  of  Life,  which 
bears  several  sorts  of  fruit. 

4.  Think  of  the  heavy  doom  which  will  be 
passed  upon  the  unfruitful  person,  ISIatt. 
XXV.  30.  "  Cast  ye  the  unprofitable  servant 
into  outer  darkness."  This  man  had  not 
embezzled  his  tident,  but  because  he  did  not 
trade  with  it,  and  bring  forth  fruit,  he  is 
therefore  sentenced. 

Branch  2.  It  reproves  such  as  bring  forth 
evil  fruit.  They  are  not  the  trees  of  the 
garden,  but  the  wilderness ;  their  hearts  are 
a  fruitful  soil  for  sin,  they  bring  forth  pride, 
malice,  superstition.  &c. 


TREES  OF  RIGHTEOUSNESS. 


7C7 


Branch  3.  It  reproves  such  as  bring  forth 
good  fruit,  but  to  a  bad  end,  IIos.  x.  1.  "  Is- 
rael is  an  empty  vine,  he  bringeth  forth 
fruit  unto  liimself:"  a  man  had  as  good  bring 
forth  no  fruit,  as  bring  forth  fruit  unto 
himself. 

Quest.  What  is  it  for  one  to  bring  forth 
fruit  unto  himself? 

Ans.  When  all  the  good  he  doth  is  for  the 
magnifying  of  himself;  the  worm  of  pride 
gets  into  his  fruit  and  spoils  it.  Prayer  is 
good ;  but  when  a  man  prays  only  to  show 
his  parts,  this  is  to  bring  forth  fruit  unto 
liim.self:  some  pride  it  in  their  humbling 
confessions,  which  is  as  if  Benhadad's  ser- 
vants had  been  proud  when  they  came  before 
the  king  with  ropes  upon  their  heads,  1  Kings 
XX.  31.  Works  of  mercy  are  good,  but 
when  a  man  gives  alms,  not  so  much  to  feed 
the  poor,  as  to  feed  his  pride,  now  he  brings 
forth  fruit  to  himself,  and  this  fruit  is  worm- 
eaten.  God  will  say  to  all  such  self-seekers, 
as  once  he  did  to  the  people  of  the  Jews, 
Zech.  vii.  5.  "  When  ye  fasted  and  mourned, 
did  ye  at  all  fast  unto  me,  even  to  me  ?  " 
Sinners,  did  ye  not  bring  forth  fruit  unto 
yourselves  ? 

Use  3.  Exhort.  Branch  1.  Let  this  exhort 
all  to  fruitfulness.  How  happy  were  it,  if  it 
might  be  said  of  us  as  of  Joseph,  Gen.  xlix. 
22.  "  Joseph  is  a  fruitful  bough?"  We  love 
to  see  every  thing  fruitful :  if  there  be  a  tree 
in  our  orchard,  though  with  ever  such  fair 
leaves,  we  value  it  not  unless  there  be  fruit; 
when  you  come  into  your  garden,  you  com- 
plain if  you  see  no  fruit ;  such  a  root  is  set, 
but  it  doth  not  grow ;  we  love  to  see  fruit- 
fulness  every  where,  and  why  not  in  our 
liearts?  O  let  the  precious  grapes  and  figs 
we  bear,  evidence  that  we  are  trees  of  God's 
planting.  We  often  plant  trees  to  be  a  shade 
to  the  house  ;  God  cares  for  no  such  trees  as 
are  only  for  shade,  he  loves  fruit.  Arabia  is 
culled  Felix,  because  of  the  sweet  fruits 
which  grow  there,  frankincense,  with  other 
perfumes  and  spices.  '^I'liat  Christian  may 
be  entitled  Felix,  happy,  that  hath  the  sweet 
fruits  of  the  Spirit  growing  in  his  heart ;  be 
fruit-bearing  trees.  This  is  the  emblem  of 
a  good  Christian,  he  is  never  without  fruit, 
either  blooming  in  his  aft'ections,  or  fructi- 
ying  in  his  conversation. 


That  I  may  persuade  Christians  to  fruit- 
fulness,  I  desire  them  to  weigh  these  five 
things. 

1.  Fruit  is  that  which  God  expects  from 
us,  we  are  his  plantations ;  and,  "  Who 
planteth  a  vineyard,  and  eateth  not  of  the 
fruit  thereof?"  1  Cor.  ix.  7.  Let  us  not  be 
as  Pharaoh's  kine,  which  devoured  the  fat, 
and  yet  still  were  lean ;  let  us  not  be  still 
devouring  sermons,  yet  never  the  fatter. 

2.  Fruitfulness  is  one  of  the  most  distinc- 
tive characters  of  a  Christian;  Prov.  xii.  12. 
"  The  root  of  the  riy^hteous  yiehleth  fruit" 
Fruitfulness  differeth  a  saint  from  a  hypo- 
crite ?  the  hypocrite  is  all  for  show  and  pre- 
tence, he  hath  fair  leaves,  but  the  "  root  of 
the  righteous  yieldeth  fruit;"  fruit  can  no 
more  be  separated  from  fuith,  than  moisture 
from  the  air,  it  is  the  very  definition  of  a 
branch  in  Christ,  "  it  bears  fruit,"  John  xv. 
2.  As  a  man  differs  from  a  beast  by  reason, 
a  beast  differs  from  a  plant  by  sense,  a  plant 
differs  from  a  stone  by  vegetation  ;  so  a  good 
Christian  differs  from  a  hypocrite  by  fruit 
Fruitfulness  puts  a  difference  between  the 
sound  tree  and  the  hollow  tree. 

Quest.  But  may  not  hypocrites  bring  forth 
fruit  ? 

Ans.  1.  They  do  not  bring  forth  fruit  in 
the  Vine  ;  they  bring  forth  iii  the  strength 
of  parts,  not  in  the  strength  of  Christ. 

2.  Hypocrites  bring  forth  something  like 
fruit,  but  it  is  not  the  right  fruit 

1.  The  fruit  they  bear  is  not  sweet  The 
crab  may  bear  fruit  as  well  as  the  pearmain ; 
but  this  excels  in  sweetness.  The  hypo- 
crite may  pray  and  give  alms  as  well  as  a 
child  of  God,  but  there  is  a  difference  in  the 
fruit;  the  fruit  of  the  regenerate  is  mellow, 
it  is  sweetened  with  faith,  it  is  ripened  with 
love.  The  hypocrite's  fruit  is  sour  and 
harsh ;  he  doth  not  bring  forth  pomegranates, 
but  crabs,  not  figs,  but  wild  grapes. 

2.  The  seeming  fruit  of  hypocrites  dies 
and  comes  to  nothing,  John  xv.  6.  "  He  is 
cast  forth  as  a  l)ranch,  and  is  withered."  The 
hypocrite's  fruit  is  like  the  grass  upon  the 
house  tops,  which  withereth  before  it  grow- 
eth  up,  Psal.  cxxix.  6.  Matt.  xiii.  6. 

3.  Fruitfulness  adorns  a  Christian;  the 
fruit  adorns  the  tree ;  a  fruit-bearing  Chris- 

1  tian  is  an  ornament  to  religion ;  the  more 


768 


TREES  OF  RIGHTEOUSNESS. 


fruitful  the  branch  is,  the  more  fair  to  look 
on.  A  dead  tree,  as  it  is  unserviceable,  so  it 
is  uncomely.  A  C  hristian,  decked  with  the 
fruits  of  righteousness,  is  beautiful  and  glo- 
rious. 

4.  Fruitfulness  is  a  good  evidence  to  show 
for  heaven ;  the  fruits  of  love,  humility,  good 
works,  are  (as  St  Bernard  saith)  seeds  of 
hope,  signs  of  predestination,  the  happy 
presages  of  future  glory.  The  righteousness 
of  faith  is  always  accompanied  with  the  fruits 
of  righteousness.  He  that  can  show  good 
fruit,  goes  full  sail  to  heaven. 

5.  God  delights  in  his  fruitful  trees ;  when 
his  garden  flourisheth  he  will  walk  there  ;  he 
who  curseth  the  barren  tree,  will  taste  of  the 
fruitful  tree,  Cant.  v.  1.  "I  am  come  into 
my  garden,  my  sister,  my  spouse :  I  have 
gathered  my  mjorh  with  my  spice." 

2.  Branch.  It  exhorts  them  that  do  bear 
fruit,  that  they  would  bring  forth  more  fruit ; 
do  not  think  you  have  fruit  enough,  but 
bring  forth  further  degrees  of  sanctity,  John 
XV.  2.  "  Every  branch  that  beareth  fruit, 
he  purgeth  it  that  it  may  bring  forth  more 
fruit."  Grace  is  like  the  morning  light  which 
increaseth  more  and  more  to  the  full  meri- 
dian of  glory.  Christians  should  be  like  that 
ground  in  the  parable  which  brought  forth 
"  some  sixty,  some  an  hundred  fold,"  Matt, 
xiii.  8.  He  who  hath  a  little  gold,  labours  to 
increase  it;  and  is  not  grace  more  precious 
than  gold  ?  some  Christians  have  a  little  fruit, 
and  they  think  that  is  well;  like  trees  that 
have  an  apple  or  two  growing  upon  them  to 
show  that  tl)oy  arc  of  the  right  kind,  Isa. 
xvii.  6.  "  Two  or  three  berries  in  the  top  of 
the  uppermost  bough."  They  are  like  the 
churcii  of  Philadelphia  which  had  "  a  little 
strength,"  Rev.  iii.  8.  so  they  have  a  little 
faith,  a  spark  of  love.  Christ  chides  a  little 
faith,  Matth.  xiv.  31.  Christians  should  in- 
crease \\\i\\  the  increase  of  God,  Col.  ii.  19. 
Christ  compares  the  breasts  of  the  spouse  to 
clusters  of  grapes,  for  fruitfulness.  Cant.  vii. 
7.  O  labour  to  be  Christians  of  degrees ;  the 
apostle  prays  for  the  Philippians  that  their 
love  might  abound  "  yet  more  and  more," 
Phil.  i.  9. 

Now  that  I  may  press  Christians  who  ha"\e 
fruit,  to  bring  forth  more  fruits  of  patience, 
humility,  love,  &c.  Consider, 


1.  This  is  the  end  why  we  have  new  cost 
laid  out  upon  us,  that  we  should  bring  forth 
more  fruit.  The  Lord  is  still  manuring  us ; 
not  a  week,  not  a  day,  but  he  is  at  new  cost 
with  us,  he  rains  down  golden  showers ;  and 
why  is  God  at  all  this  charge  with  us,  but 
that  we  may  bring  forth  more  fruit? 

2.  The  fuller  we  are  of  fruit,  the  more  we 
are  like  Christ,  who  was  "  full  of  grace  and 
truth,"  John  i.  14.  he  received  the  Spirit 
without  measure,"  John  iii.  34.  This  tree  of 
life  was  ever  bearing ;  and  he  brought  forth 
several  sorts  of  fruit,  wisdom,  righteousness, 
sanctification,  &c.  The  more  we  are  filled 
with  the  fruits  of  righteousness,  the  more  we 
resemble  the  Sim  of  Righteousness.  We 
were  elected  to  this  end,  to  be  made  like 
Christ,  Rom.  viii.  30.  and  then  are  we  most 
like  this  blessed  Vine  when  we  bear  full 
clusters. 

3.  The  more  fruit  a  Christian  brinofs 
forth,  the  more  will  Christ  love  him.  "  Now, 
saith  Leah,  will  my  husband  be  joined  unto 
me,  because  I  have  born  him  three  sons," 
Gen.  xxix.  34.  When  we  bear  much  fruit, 
now  will  Christ's  heart  be  joined  to  us. 
Christ  will  pardon  a  weak  faith,  he  will  honour 
a  great  faith.  It  was  not  a  sparkle  of  faith 
Christ  commended  in  Mary  Magdalene,  but 
love  flaming,  Luke  vii.  74.  "she  loved  much." 
Christians,  would  you  be  like  that  beloved 
disciple  which  "  leaned  on  the  bosom  of 
Jesus  ? "  would  you  have  much  love  from 
Christ?  let  him  have  much  fruit  from 
you. 

4.  Bearing:  much  fruit  will  usher  in  abun- 
dance  of  comfort  into  the  soul  in  these  two 
exigencies. 

(1.)  In  the  hour  of  tentation.  Satan  will 
be  sure  to  besiege  the  weakest  Christian;  all 
his  darts  fly  that  way,  and  a  strong  tentation 
may  overcome  a  weak  faith;  but  a  flourishing 
faith  stands  like  a  cedar,  and  is  not  blown 
down  by  the  wind  of  tentation;  a  strong  faith 
can  stop  the  mouth  of  the  devil,  that  roaring 
lion,  1  Pet.  V.  9. 

(2.)  Store  of  fruit  will  give  comfort  in  the 
hour  of  death;  a  little  grace  will  make  us 
above  the  fear  of  death;  O  what  joy  will  it 
be  on  the  deathbed,  when  a  Christian  can 
bring:  his  sheaves  full  of  corn!  when  he  can 
[  show  his  five  talents  that  he  hath  gained  by 


TREES  OF  RIGHTEOUSNESS. 


■00 


trading!  when  there  is  not  only  a  drop  or 
two  of  oil,  but  his  lamp  full  of  oil!  what 
though  the  deA-il  show  God  our  debts,  if  we 
can  show  him  our  fruit.  O  how  sweet  will 
death  be !  it  will  not  be  a  destruction,  but  a 
deliverance. — Death,  like  a  whirlwind,  may 
blow  down  the  tree  of  the  body,  but  it  can- 
not blast  the  fruit  of  our  graces.  The  trees 
of  righteousness  carry  tlieir  fruit  with  them. 
Rev.  xiv.  13.  "Their  works  follow  them." 
The  Christian  who  abounds  in  holiness  may 
say  as  Simeon,  Luke  ii.  29.  "Lord,  now 
lettest  thou  thy  servant  depart  in  peace." 
He  who  bears  but  a  little  fruit  departs  in 
safety;  but  he  who  bears  much  fruit  departs 
in  peace. 

5.  Consider  what  need  we  have  to  be 
jnitting  forth  still  more  fruit;  our  graces  are 
\et  in  their  nonaefe;  indeed  in  heaven  this 
doctrine  will  be  out  of  seasoo,  we  shall  not 
need  to  hear  it;  then  we  shall  have  done 
growing,  being  arrived  at  our  full  stature; 
then  our  light  shall  be  clear,  and  our  love 
perfect;  but  while  we  live  here,  there  is 
something  "lacking  in  our  faith,"  1  Thess. 
iii.  10.  therefore  we  had  need  increase  the 
stock  of  grace,  and  bring  forth  more  fruit. 
Our  grace  is  eclipsed  with  sin,  our  faith  is 
full  of  unbelief;  now  as  when  the  sun  is 
eclipsed,  it  is  by  degrees  getting  out  of  the 
cclij)se,  and  it  shines  brighter  and  brighter, 
till  it  recovers  its  perfect  lustre;  so  it  must 
be  with  us,  we  must  be  getting  out  of  the 
eclipse  till  once  we  shall  arrive  at  our  perfect 
lustre  in  glory. 

G.  He  who  doth  not  increase  to  more 
fruitfulness  will  soon  be  on  the  losing  hand; 
he  that  hath  not  more  faith  will  quickly  have 
less;  "Thou  hast  left  thy  first  love."  It  is 
with  grace  as  it  is  with  fire;  if  it  be  not 
blown  up  and  increased,  it  will  soon  decay. 
Such  as  thrive  not  in  their  spiritual  estate, 
we  may  perceive  sadly  to  decline.  Thougn 
a  Christian  cannot  lose  the  seed  of  grace, 
yet  he  may  lose  the  actings  of  grace,  and 
the  comfort;  therefore  bring  forth  more  fruit: 
no  sooner  doth  a  Christian  bej^in  to  stand 
still,  but  you  may  perceive  him  going  back- 
ward. 

7.  The  more  your  fruit  is  increased,  the 
more  your  glory  is  increased;  he  whose 
pound  gained  ten,  was  made  ruler  over  ten 


cities.  If  you  would  liave  your  crown  hung 
full  of  jewels,  let  your  boughs  be  hung  full 
of  fruit. 

Use  4.  Direction.  The  last  use  is  of  direc- 
tion. I  shall  lay  down  some  means  to  fruit- 
fulness. 

1.  Be  sensible  of  uufruitfiduess.  Many 
might  have  been  fruitful  in  grace,  if  they 
had  not  conceited  themselves  so;  he  that 
thinks  himself  fruitful  enough,  is  barren 
enough;  be  sensible  of  your  wants;  it  is 
better  to  complain  than  presume. 

2.  If  you  would  be  fruitful,  remove  thoso 
things  which  will  hinder  fruitfulness. 

(1.)  Cherishiug  any  secret  lust  in  the 
heart;  sin  lived  in,  is  like  vermin  to  the  tree, 
which  destroys  the  fruit;  grace  cannot  thrive 
in  a  sinful  heart. 

(2.)  The  love  of  riches;  "The  cares  of 
the  world  choked  the  seed,"  Matt.  xiii.  The 
love  of  sin  poisons  the  fruit,  the  love  of 
riches  chokes  it. 

3.  The  third  means  to  fruitfulness  is  weep- 
ing for  sin.  Moisture  helps  germination  in 
trees;  holy  tears  do  water  the  trees  of  God, 
and  make  them  more  fruitful,  ^yiary  Mag- 
dalene, a  weeping  plant,  how  fruitful  was 
she  in  love  to  Christ?  moist  ofrounds,  as  vour 
marshes,  are  most  fertile:  the  soul  that  is 
moistened  and  steeped  in  tears,  is  most  fru- 
giferous:  never  did  David's  graces  flourish 
more,  than  when  he  watered  his  couch  with 
tears. 

4.  If  you  would  be  fruitful,  often  apply  the 
blood  of  Christ,  and  the  promises. 

(1.)  Aj)ply  the  blood  of  Christ.  Natural- 
ists say,  that  blood  ajiplied  to  the  root  of 
some  trees  makes  them  bear  better.  Sure  I 
am,  the  blood  of  Christ  apjilied  to  the  heart, 
makes  it  flourish  more  in  holiness.  None  so 
fruitful  as  a  believer;  "1  know,"  saith  St 
Paul,  "whom  I  have  believed;"  there  was 
the  applying  blood  to  the  root  of  the  tree, 
aiul  how  fruitful  was  he  in  zeal,  love  to 
Christ,  heroical  courage!  He  that  believes 
Christ  died  for  him,  never  thinks  he  can  do 
or  suffer  enough  for  Christ.  When  we  read 
and  pray,  now  we  do  but  water  the  branches: 
when  we  believe,  now  we  water  the  root  of 
the  tree  and  make  it  fruitfuL 

(2.)  Apply  the  promises.  Husbandmen 
have  an  art  to  comfort  the  spiiils  of  the  root 


770 


TREKS  OF  RIGHTEOUSNESS. 


to  make  the  tree  bear  better:  apply  the  pro- 
mises; these  are  for  comfortino-  the  spirits  of 
a  Christian,  and  then  he  puts  forth  fruit  more 
vigorously.  It  is  an  experiment  in  nature, 
the  root  of  the  pine  tree  watered  with  wine, 
doth  cause  it  to  flourish;  the  promises  are  as 
vnne  to  water  the  trees  of  righteousness, 
whereby  they  spread  and  augment  more  in 
grace.  Ever  preserve  the  spirits  of  the  tree 
if  you  would  have  it  bear;  a  pensive  dejected 
soul  is  less  fruitful;  but  when  through  the 
promises,  a  Christian's  heart  is  cheered  and 
comforted,  now  he  is  enriched  with  pleasant 
fruits;  he  is  like  a  tree  laden  with  fruit. 

5.  Another  means  to  fruitfulness  is  humil- 
ity. The  low  grounds  are  most  fruitful: 
"The  valleys  are  covered  with  corn,"  PsaL 
Ixv.  13.  The  humble  heart  is  the  fruitful 
heart.  The  largrest  and  fairest  fruits  of  the 
Spirit  grow  in  a  lowly  Christian;  1  Pet.  v. 
5.  "  God  gives  grace  to  the  humble."  Saint 
Paul  calls  himself  the  least  of  saints,  yet  he 
was  the  chief  of  the  apostles.  The  Virgin 
Mary  was  low  in  her  own  eyes,  but  this 
lowly  plant  did  bear  that  blessed  Vine  which 
brouo-ht  the  fruit  of  salvation  into  the  world. 

6.  If  you  would  be  fruitful  in  grace,  be 
much  in  good  conference;  Mah  iii.  16. 
"Then  they  that  feared  the  Lord  spake  often 
one  to  another."  There  is  an  observation 
some  have  concerning  the  sympathy  of 
plants ;  some  plants  will  bear  better  near 
other  trees  than  when  they  grow  alone,  as  is 
seen  in  the  myrtle  and  olive :  this  holds  true 
in  divinity ;  the  trees  of  righteousness,  when 
they  associate  and  grow  near  together,  thrive 
best  in  godliness.  The  communion  of  saints 
is  an  excellent  means  for  fruitfulness. 
Christians  increase  one  another's  knowledge, 
strensfthcn  one  another's  faith,  clear  one 
another's  evidences.  When  the  trees  planted 
in  God's  orchard  stand  at  a  distance,  and 
grow  strange  one  to  another,  they  are  less 
fruitful. 

7.  If  you  would  be  fruit-bearing  trees,  be 
near  the  water  of  the  sanctuary ;  Jer.  xvii. 
8.  "  He  shall  be  like  a  tree  planted  by  the 
waters,  and  that  spreadeth  out  the  roots  by 
the  river;  her  leaf  shall  be  green,  nor  shall 
it  cease   from   yielding   fruit."     The   word 


preached  will  not  only  make  us  knowing 
Christians,  but  growing  Christians.  Mini- 
sters are  compared  to  clouds,  Isa.  v.  6.  their 
doctrine  drops  as  the  rain,  and  makes  the 
trees  of  God  fruitful.  I  wonder  not  thai 
they  are  barren  trees  and  nigh  unto  cursing, 
tliat  are  not  under  the  droppings  of  the 
sanctuary;  a  Christian  can  no  more  be  fruit- 
ful without  ordinances,  than  a  tree  without 
showers. 

8.  And  lastly,  if  you  wovild  fructify  apace, 
go  to  God  and  desire  him  to  make  you 
fruitful;  God  is  called  the  husbandman, 
John  XV.  I.  and  he  hath  an  art  above  all 
other  husbandmen ;  they  can  plant  and  prune 
:  trees,  but  if  they  be  dead  they  cannot  make 
I  them  bear.  God  can  make  the  barren  tree 
bear,  he  can  put  life  into  a  dead  tree,  Eph. 
ii.  5.  It  is  not  Paul's  planting,  but  the 
Spirit's  watering^  must  give  the  increase. 

Pray  to  God  to  make  you  fruitful,  though 
it  be  by  affliction ;  oftentimes  God  makes  us 
grow  in  grace  this  way,  Heb.  xii.  11.  "No 
chastening  for  the  present  seemeth  to  be 
joyous,  but  grievous ;  nevertheless  afterward 
it  yieldeth  the  peaceable  fruit  of  righteous- 
ness." The  bleeding  vine  bears  best :  it  is 
an  observation  that  the  pulling  off  some  of 
the  blossoms  of  a  tree  makes  the  fruit  fairer; 
the  reason  is,  because  the  sap  hath  the  less 
to  nourish ;  some  Avriters  say,  they  have 
known  a  tree  by  having  too  many  blossoms, 
hath  blossomed  itself  dead.  The  notion 
holds  true  in  a  spiritual  sense;  God,  by 
pulling  off  some  of  the  blossoms  of  our 
comforts,  makes  us  bring  forth  fairer  fruit; 
some  have  so  blossomed  in  prosperity,  that 
they  have  blossomed  themselves  into  hell. 
It  is  an  ancient  experiment,  that  the  planting 
some  tender  trees  near  the  west  sun  doth 
them  hurt,  and  parcheth  the  fruit,  the  sun 
being  so  extremely  hot:  too  much  prosperity, 
like  the  west  sun,  doth  Christians  much  hurt, 
and  parcheth  all  good  affections,  .Tcr.  xxii. 
21.  O  pray  to  God  that  he  would  make 
you  fruitful,  though  it  be  by  bleeding.  Say, 
as  Luther,  Lord,  wound  where  thou  wilt, 
prune  and  cut  me  till  I  bleed,  so  that  I  may 
"  have  my  fruit  unto  holiness,  and  my  end 
,  everlasting  life."  Uom. 


VI.  22. 


A.N 


ALPIIAEI/nCAL    liSDEX 


OP  TMR 


CHIEF   SUBJECTS  OF   THIS   BOOK- 


Abstaining  from  external  act"?  of  sin,  not 

sufficient  to  entitle  us  to  salvation,  604 

Acts  of  sin,  how  we  may  keep  from  them,  596 
Adam,  how  long  he  continued  in  Paradise 

before  he  fell,  95 

Adam's  sin,  how  made  ours,  98 

Adopted  son,  how  free,  156 

Adoption,  the  instrumental  cause  of  it,  156 

Adultery,  the  heinousness  of  it,  wherein  it 

appears,  318 

Afflictions  of  the  godly,  how  they  differ 

from  those  of  the  wicked,  232 

Affliction,   what   kindness  there   is   in   it, 

when  God  seems  most  unkind,  497 

Afflictions,    how  they  contribute   to   our 

liappiness,  502 

Afflictions,  how  they  magnify  us,  589 

Aggravations  of  Adam's  sin,  97 

Aggravations  of  tiie  loss  of  the  kingdom 

of  heaven,  455 

Angels,  their  society,  how  can  it  add  to 

the   happiness   of  souls,   when    God    is 

infinite  to  fill  the  soul  with  delight  ?  439 

Anthropomorphites'  objection  answered,  35 
Apostasy  from  religion,  whence  it  proceeds,  451 
Appearance  of  evil,  the  mischief  of  it,  596 

Arguments   to  persuade  us  to  seek  after 

the  obtaining  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  472 
Arian  errors  about  the  Holy  Ghost  re- 
futed, 78 
Arminians  deny  saints'  perseverance,  and 

why,  1 88 

Assurance,  what  it  is,  J  P" 

Assurance,  true,  the  difference  between  it 

and  presumption,  168 

Assurance,  how  to  know  if  we  have  right 

to  it,  170 

Assurance,  what  we  must  do  to  get  it,  172 

Assurance,  they  that  have  it,  how  they 

must  carry  themselves,  172 

Atheist,  t4ie  wickedest  creature  that  is,  33 

B 

Baptism,  what  it  is,  362 

Believers,  whv  thov  have  not  all  the  full 


Believers,  privileges  of.  at  death.  193 

Believers,   how  they  come  to  have  those 

privileges,  1 9o» 

Believers,    how   shall   we    know   that   we 

shall  gain  them  at  death?  199 

Believers,  privilege  of,  after  death,  200 

Believers,  when  they  enter  upon  possession 

of  glory,  202 

Benefits  of  believers  at  the  resurrection,  203 
Benefits  of  God's  children,  what  they  are,  159 
Bodies,  how  sliall  we  know  they  shall  be 

raised  at  the  resurrection,  205 

Bodies,   since   they  must   lie  long   in   the 

grave,  what  shall  support  us  till  then  ?  206 
Bodies  of  the  saints  shall  be  glorious  at  the 

resurrection,  206 


Cain  went  out  from  the  presence  of  the 

Lord,  what  meant  by  it,  40 

Call,  eftectual,  the  means  of  it,  148 

Call,  effectual,  the  qualifications  of  it,  149 

Cerinthian  heretics,  their  error,  HI 
Change   in   the  new  creature,  wherein  it 

consists,  625 

Charity,  the  excellency  of  it,  314 
Children,  wherein  they  are  to  show  their 

respect  to  their  parents,  300 
Child  of  God,  how  it  appears  that  he  has 

worldly  things  in  love,  389 

Christ,  why  called  the  '^'ord,  111 

Christ  a  prophet,  how  he  teaches,  ll3 

^'  .ist,  what  are  the  lessons  he  teaches,  113 
Christ's  teaching,  how  it  differs  from  others' 

teaching,  114 
Christ,  what  we  shall  do  to  have  him  for 

our  teacher,  116 

Christ,  the  parts  of  his  priestly  office,  117 
Christ's  sutt'erings,  wherein  the  greatness 

of  them  did  appear,  117 

Christ,  why  he  did  suffer,  118 
Christ,  who  he  intercedes  for,  and  what  he 

doeth  in  the  work  of  intercession,  121 
Christ,  how  we  may  know  that  he  inter- 
cedes for  us,  125 


772 


INDEX. 


rage 

Christ,   in   what  sense  he  is  a  king,  and 

where  lie  rules,  and  what  he  rules  by,  127 
Christ,  when  will  he  deliver  his  people,  128 
Christ,  why  born  of  a  woman,  130 

Christ,  why  born  of  a  virgin,  130 

Christ,  why  made  flesh,  131 

Christ,  how  we  shall  know  that  he  is  formed 

in  us,  134 

Christ,  in  what  sense  God  exalted  him, 

and  how  many  ways,  137 

Christ's  sitting  at  the  right  hand  of  God, 

what  is  meant  by  it,  138 

Christ,  how  he  was  made  a  curse  for  us,  241 
Christ,   how   he   will   preserve  the   saints' 

grace  till  they  come  to  heaven,  398 

Christ's  glory  in  heaven,  how  it  can  stand 

with  it  to  have  a  i'ellow-feeling  in  our 

miseries,  573 

Christ,   how  he  succours  them   that   are 

tempted,  574 

Comforts  of  a  pardoned  soul,  544 

■Comforts  for  those  that  bewail  their  want 

of  growth,  434 

Commandments  of  God,  how  we  must  keep 

them,  265 

Convictions,     what    makes    them    prove 

abortive,  425 

Covenant,  why  God  made  one  with  Adam 

and   his   posterity,    in   innocency,    and 

what  it  was,  89 

Covenant,  why  he  gave  it  to  Adam,  since 

he  saw  he  would  transgress,  89 

Covenant  of  grace,  what  it  is,  105 

Covenant  of  grace,  why  God  would  make 

such  a  covenant  with  us,  106 

Covenant  of  grace,  how  it  differs  from  that 

made  with  Adam,  106 

Covenant  of  grace,  if  works  be  required  in 

it,  106 

Covet,  what  it  is,  333 

Covetousness,  the  danger  of  it,  334 

Creation,  what  it  is,  80 

Creation  and  generation,  difference  between 

them,  80 

D 

Darling-sin,  otherwise  called  our  own. 
how  it  may  be  known,  4G0,  595 

Day  of  judgment,  how  it  appears  there 
shall  be  one,  207 

Day  of  judgment,  why  must  it  be,  207 

Deceits,  how  many  sorts  there  are,  G04 

Decrees  of  God,  what  they  are,  and  execu- 
tion of  them,  79 

Deliverance  of  the  godly  and  wicked  out 
of  trouble,  how  they  differ,  235 

Deliverances,  how  it  may  be  known  that 
they  come  out  of  love,  236 

Deliverances,  when  we  are  fitted  for  them,  236 

Deliverances,  how  we  praise  God  in  a 
right  manner  for  them,  237 

Desires,  unfeigned,  how  they  may  be  known,  426 


Page 
Desires  after  heaven,  wherein  tliey  come 

short,  454 

Dignity  of  such  as  have  God  for  their  Fa- 
ther, wherein  it  lies,  383 
Directions  to  obtain  pardon  of  sin,                 548 
Doing  of  God's  will,  why  so  requisite,           483 
Doing    duty    unseasonably,    an    effect    of 

Satan's  temptation,  568 

Doves,  we  should  be  like  thera  in  three 

respects,  616 

Drunkenness  defaces  God's  image  as  much 

as  any  sin,  613 

Duty  of  Christians,  is  to  be  settled  in  the 

doctrine  of  faith. — Prelim.  Disc.  5 

Duties  of  such  as  have  their  sins  forgiven,    547 


Earth,  wherein  did  it  bear  thorns  in  inno- 
cence, 82 
Elect  people,  how  we  shall  know  that  we 

are  such,  542 

Encouragements  to  faith  in  prayer,  403 

Encouragements  to  perseverance,  469 

End,  chief,  of  man,  what  it  is,  8 

Enjoying  of  God,  twofold,  and  what,  18 

Eternity  of  God,  45 

Eternity  of  God,  comfortable  to  the  godly, 

and  frightening  to  the  wicked,  45,  46 

Evidence  of  pardon,  why  it  may  not  appear 

for  a  time,  540 

Evil,  what,  we  should  pray  to  be  delivered 

from,  584 

Examine,  we  must,  our  sins  and  graces,        373 


Faith,  why  more  the  condition  of  the  new 

covenant,  than  any  other  grace,  106 

Faith,  justifying,  what  it  is,  144 

Faith,  how  it  is  wrought,  145 

Faith,  the  preciousness  of  it,  wherein  it  lies,   145 
Faith,  why  it  should  justify  and  save  more 

than  any  other  grace,  146 

Faith,  how  to  know  if  it  be  true,  146 

Faith,  a  most  precious  grace,  and  how  it 

comes  to  be  so,  350 

Faith,  true,  how  it  may  be  known,  352 

Fallen  man  could  be  restored  no  other  way 

but  by  God's  assuming  flesh,  130 

False  witnessing,  what  is  condemned  under 

it,  329 

Father,  what  meant  by  it  In  the  fifth  com- 
mandment, 296 
Father  in  heaven,  how  we  show  our  honour 

to  him,  387 

Forgiveness  of  sin,  what  it  is,  525 

Forgive  others,   how  can  we,  when  God 

only  forgives  sin,  551 

Forgive,  how  we  must,  553 

G 

Gifts,  whetlier  sufficient  for  the  ministerial 
office,  609 


INDEX. 


773 


rapn 


Gifts,  why  it  is  said,  give  us,  in  the  plural,  516 
Gifts,  why  they  are  called  our  bread,  517 

Gifts,  bread,  what  is  meant  by  it,  518 

Glory,  what  is  comprehended  in  it,  435 

Glorify  God,  to,  wherein  it  consists,  9 

Glorify  God,  why  we  must  do  it,  10 

God's  glory,  how  we  shall  aim  at  it,  1 1 

God's  glory,  who  fight  against  it,  17 

Glory  of  God  ought  to  be  preferred  before 

our  personal  concerns,  511 

God  is  the  chief  good,  and  how,  20 

God,  that  he  is,  proved,  30 

God  is  a  spirit,  what  is  meant  by  it,  34 

God,  how  he  differs  from  other  spirits,  35 

God,  how  we  may  conceive  his  being  a 

spirit,  without  making  an  image  or  re- 
semblance of  him,  36 
God,  wiiat  kind  of  spirit  he  is,  38 
God,  from  what,  and  to  what  he  calls  men,  148 
God  is  a  king,  and  how,  417 
God  is  a  king,  what  this  requires  of  us,  418 
God  is  a  king,  a  comfort  to  the  godly,  and 

terror  to  the  wicked,  419 

God,  what  it  is  to  make  him  a  God  to  us,  244 
God,  what  it  is  to  have  others  besides  the 

true  God,  249 

[God  spake  all  these  words  saying,]  how 

we  nmst  understand  them  since  he  hath 

no  bodily  organs,  219 

God,  how  he  comes  to  be  our  God,  and 

what  it  implies,  222 

God,  in  what  sense  he  is    a  Father,  382 

God's  being  Father  to  Christ,  and  to  the 

elect,  how  differ,  382 

God,  what  makes  him  our  Father,  382 

God,  that  he  is  a  Father,  how  to  know  it,  385 
God,  that  he  is  in  heaven,  what  we  may 

learn  from  it,  402 

God's  name,  what  is  meant  by  it,  406 

God's   name   dishonoured  by  all  sorts  of 

persons,  and  how,  411 

Grace,   how  a   Christian   may  be  said  to 

grow  in  it,  182 

Grace,  why  it  must  needs  grow,  183 

Grace,  why  we  should  grow  in  it,  183 

Grace,  how  to  comfort  them  that  do  not 

grow  in  it,  185 

Grace,  why  called  a  kingdom,  423 

Greatness  of  sin,  an  argument  for  pardon,    538 

H 

Happiness  of  having  God  for  our  Father, 

wherein  it  lies,  391 

Hallowing  of  God's  name,  what  is  meant 

by  it,  406 

How  we  may  hallow  God's  name,  416 

Heart,  how  it  may  be  bettered,  635 

Hell,  how  we  shall  know  we  are  delivered 

from  it,  240 

Hell's  torments  consist  of  two  parts,  590 

Holiness  of  God,  what  it  is,  59 

Holiness,  how  we  may  resemble  God  in  it,     62 


rag-e 

Holy  Ghost,  what  is  meant  by  his  power 
overshadowing  the  Virgin,  131 

Honour,  what,  is  due  to  spiritual  fathers,      297 

House  of  bondage,  a  type  of  Israel's  de- 
liverance from  sin,  237 

House,  why  it  is  put  before  the  wife  in  the 
tenth  commandnicnt,  337 

Humiliation,  wherein  it  comes  short  of 
grace,  425 


Idolatrous  places,  a  great  blessing  to  be 

delivered  fi-om  them,  228 

Idolatry,  how  we  may  be  kept  from,  253 

Idolatry,  why  we  are  so  prone  to  it,  228 

Illumination,  when  it  comes  short  of  grace,  425 
Image-worship,  the  evil  of  it,  252 

Image  of  Christ,  whether  we  may  lawfully 

make  it,  253 

Image,  resemblance  of  God,  if  none  law- 
ful, how  shall  we  conceive  of  God  aright,  253 
Indwelling  presence  of  the  Spirit,  how  to 

know  if  we  have  it,  171 

Infallibility  and  certainty  of  the  kingdom 

of  glory,  wherein  it  appears,  444 

Infant  baptism  proved,  363 

Infant  baptism,  the  benefit  thereof,  363 

Intercession  of  Christ,  what  the  fruits  of 

it,  123 

Invocation  of  saints  unlawful,  605 


Joys,  divine,  when  God  usually  gives  his 

people  them,  178 

Joys,  worldly  and  spiritual,  the  difference 

between  them,  178 

Joy,  spiritual,  to  be  sought  for,  and  why,  180 
Joy,  spiritual,  those  that  want  it,  how  we 

shall  comfort  them,  181 

Judgment,  general,  when  it  will  be,  208 

Justice  of  God,  what  it  is,  63 

Justice  of  God,  how  it  stands  with  it  for 

sin  committed  in  a  moment,  to  punish  it 

with  eternal  torment,  240 

Justified  persons,  in  what  sense  they  are 

redeemed  from  sin,  141 

Justification,  what  is  meant  by  it,  152 

Justification,  the  material,  meritorious,  and 

efficacious  cause  of  it,  152 

Justification,  the  instrument  of  it,  152 

Justification,  the  end  of  it,  152 

Justification,  our,  whether  from  eternity,  152 
Justification  and  sanctification,  how  they 

differ,  529 

K 

Kingdom,  what  is  meant  by  it  in  the 
Lord's  prayer,  420 

Kingdom  of  darkness,  how  many  ways  a 
natural  man  is  in  it,  421 

Kingdom  of  grace,  why  we  should  pray 
that  it  may  come  into  our  hearts,  423 


774 


INDEX. 


rage 

Kingdom  of  grace,  what  we  shall  do  to 
obtain  it.  431 

Kingdom  of  grace,  Mhen  it  increases  in 
the  soul,  432 

Kingdom  of  glory,  what  is  meant  by  it,        441 

Kingdom  of  heaven,  what  it  implies,  441 

Kingdom  of  heaven,  wherein  it  excels  all 
other  kingdoms,  442 

Kingdom  of  heaven,  when  it  shall  be  be- 
stowed 444 

Kingdom  of  heaven,  why  we  should  so 
earnestly  pray  for  it,  446 

Kingdom  of  heaven,  how  we  shall  know  it 
is  prepared  for  us,  452 

Kingdom  of  heaven,  what  we  shall  do  that 
we  may  not  miss  of  it,  456 

Knowledge  the  chief  work  of  conversion,      641 

Knowledge  to  do  good,  why  not  followed 
with  practice,  642 


Law,  whether  we  may  go  to  it  for  debt,  551 
Lead  us  not  into  temptation,  the  meaning 

of  it,  555 

Live  to  God,  what  it  is,  13 

Lord's  death,  how  we  are  to  remember  it 

in  the  sacrament,  368 

Lord's  Supper,  what  it  is,  366 

Lord's  Supper,  whether  it  be  oft  to  be  ad- 
ministered, 370 
Lord's    Supper,    how  we  may  receive   it 

worthily,  370 

Loss  will  befall  us,  if  we  give  over  doing 

God's  will,  490 

Love,  what  it  is,  215 

Love  to  God,  how  it  must  be  qualified,  215,  262 
Love  to  God,  what  are  the  visible  signs  of  it,  216 
Love  to  God,  how  we  may  know  whether 

we  do  it,  262 

Love  to  God,  incentive  to  inflame  it,  264 

Loving  any  thing  more  than  God,  is   to 

make  it  a  God,  249 

M 

Man  being  in  honour,  abideth  not;  how 

read,  95 

Mercy,  how  we  may  know  if  it  belong  to  us,  26 1 
Misery  of  man  by  the  fall,  twofold,  and 

what,  102 

Mistakes  of  sin  being  pardoned  when  it  is 

not,  548 

Moderation,  in  what  case  it  is  good,  619 

Moral  law,  is  it  still  in  force  to  believers?  241 
Motions  of  the  Spirit,  how  they  may  be 

known  from  a  delusion,  467 

Motion,  how  to  know  when  it  comes  from 

our  own  hearts,  and  when  from  Satan,  557 
Murder,  how  many  ways  it  is  committed,  307 
Murder,  the  heinousness  of  it,  308 

N 
Name  of  God,  how  we  may  take  it  in  vain,  269 


Pppo 
Necessity    why    the     kingdom    of    grace 

should  be  increased,  433 
Neighbour,    how  we    may   be  kept  from 

coveting  what  is  his,  338 

New  creature,  what  it  is,  621 
New  creature,  does  God  give  a  new  soul 

in  it?  622 

New  creature,  M'hat  kind  of  work  it  is,  622 

New  creature,  the  counterfeits  of  it,  623 

New  creature,  the  necessity  of  being  so,  628 

O 

Obedience,  how  it  must  be  qualified  so  as 

to  be  acceptable,  212 

Obedience,  means  in  order  to  attain  it,         214 
Obedience,  perfect,  to  the  moral  law,  can- 
not be  given,  339 
Original  sin,  what  names  it  has,  98 
Original  sin  has  something  privative  and 

positive  in  it,  98 

Original  sin,  the  effects  of  it,  99 

Original  sin,  why  God  leaves  it  in  us  after 
regeneration,  101 


Pardon  of  sin,  why  so  few  seek  after  it,  532 
Parents,  how  they  should  carry  it  towards 

their  children,  305 

Participation,   right,   of  the  sacrament  in 

tliree  things,  376 

Peace,  the  several  kinds  of  it,  174 

Peace,  whether  graceless  persons  have  it,  175 
Peace,  true,  the  signs  of  it,  175 

Perseverance,  by  what  means  afiected,  187 

Perseverance,  motives  to  it,  190 

Perseverance  of  saints    built  upon  three 

immoveable  pillars,  469 

People  of  God,  why  so  frequently  in  an 

afflicted  state,  231 

People  of  God,  how  he  delivers  them  out 

of  trouble,  234 

Pleasing  God,  what  it  implies,  74 

Power  of  God,  how  it  is  seen,  56 

Prayer,  what  it  is,  377 

Prayer,  why  made  to  God  only,  377 

Prayer,  what  are  the  parts  of  it,  377 

Prayers,    in   what  order  we   must    direct 

them  to  God,  382 

Praying  in  faith,  ^^■hat  it  implies,  4U3 

Pray  in  faith,  how  we  may  do  it,  404 

Prayer  a  sovereign  means  to  elude  tempta- 
tion, 581 
Presumptuous  sin,  how  we  may  keep  from 

it,  646 

Promises  of  God,  two  things  in  them  to 

comfort  us,  70 

Properties  of  bad  debtors,  wherein  Me  have 

them,  524 

Prosperity,  the  danger  of  it,  504 

Providence  of  God,  that  and  what  it  is,  83 

Providence  of  God,  how  exerted  towards 

sin,  85 


INDEX- 


775 


rage 

Prudence  and  holiness,  wherein  a  Christian 

joins  them  together,  617 

Punishment  of  Sabbath-breaking,  294 

Q 

Qualifications  and  properties  of  the  king- 
dom of  heaven,  441 
Qualifications  of  God's  mercy,                       258 
Qualifications  of  our  Intercessor,  what  they 
are,  121 

R 

Redeemed,  how  we  shall  know  that  we  are 

of  the  number,  143 

Regenerate  person,  what  comfort  he  may 
have  under  the  imperfections  of  his 
obedience,  341 

Repentance,  the  counterfeits  of  it,  354 

R(])oiitance,  the  ingredients  in  it,  527 

Resignation  to  God's  will  in  affliction,  how 

it  may  be  obtained,  496 

Resurrection,  by  what  arguments  it  may 

be  proved,  204 

Righteous,  shall  they  only  be  raised  ?  204 

Rocks  of  support  for  the  tempted,  572 

Rule  of  obedience,  what  it  is,  211 


Sabbath,  why  God  appointed  it,  276 
Sabbatli,  why  the  first  day  of  the  week  is 

substituted  in  place  of  it,  276 

Sabbath,  how  we  are  to  sanctify  it,  279 
Sacrament,  what  names  and  titles  are  given 

it  in  Scrijiture,  366 
Saints  in  glory,  whether  tliey  will  know 

each  other,  201 
Saints,  wliy  God  suflfers  them  to  be  buf- 

fetted  by  Satan's  temptations,  571 
Sanctification,  vhat  it  is,  161 
Sanctification,  the  counterfeits  of  it,  162 
Sanctification,  its  necessity',  wherein  it  ap- 
pears, 163 
Sanctification,  what  are  the  signs  of  it,  164 
Sanctification,  how  it  may  be  attained,  166 
Sanctified  persons,  have  they  all  assurance?  167 
Sanctified    persons,    whether    they    have 
such  an  assurance  as  excludes  all  doubt- 
ing, 167 
Sanctified  persons,  whether  they  have  all 

true  peace,  175 

Satan's  malice  in  temptation,  555 

j  Satan's  temptation,  the  subtilty  of  it,  96 

Satan's  diligence  and  power  in  tempting,  556 

'  Satan's  subtilty  in  tempting,  £57 
I  Satan  comes  upon  us  at  two  times  in  our 

!      weakness,  558 
!  Satan  tempts  five  sorts  of  persons   more 

than  others,  560 

Satan,  why  he  sets  chiefly  on  our  faith,  576 
Satan,  by  what  methods  he  disturbs  the 

saints'  peace,  569 

Satan,  in  what  respect  he  is  the  evil  one,  602 


Page 

Scriptures,  how  proved  to  be  the  word  of 

God,  22 

Scriptures,  why  called  canonical,  25 

Scriptures,  a  complete  rule,  25 

Scriptures,  what  is  the  main  scope  and  end 

of  them,  25 

Scriptures,  how  we  should  so  search  them 

as  to  find  life,  28 

Seasons  Satan  tempts  in,  557 

Seasons  when  God  (k'livers  his  people  out 

of  trouble,  what  they  are,  234 

Self  examination,  wliat  is  required  to  it,        371 
Self-examination,  what  it  is,  37  ] 

Self-examination,  by  what  rules  it  must  be 

done,  371 

Self-examination,    why   it    must    be    done 

before  we  approach  the  Lord's  table,         371 
Self-murder,  how  many  ways  one  may  be 

guilty  of  it,  312 

Servant,  how  he  must  honour  his  master,     2D8 
Serpents,  how  we  nmst  be  like  them,  and 

wherein  not,  611 

Seventh-day  Sabbath,  why  we  do  not  keep 

it,  276 

Sin,  committed  in  time,  why  it  should  be 

punished  to  eternity,  46 

Sin,  the  evil  of  it  obvious  in  its  original  and 

nature,  ^2 

Sin,  the  evil  of  it  obvious  in  the  price  paid 

for  it,  and  tlie  effects  of  it,  93 

Sin  of  our  first  parents,  w  hat  it  is,  95 

Sin,  why  called  a  debt,  522 

Sin,  in  what  sense  it  is  the  worst  debt,  523 

Sin,  how  we  may  know  that  it  is  forgiven,  541 
Sin,  the  evil  of  it,  585 

Sin,  worse  than  affliction,  587 

Sin,  how  we  may  so  reprove  it  as  to  love 

the  person,  618 

Sins,  how  we  may  know  they  are  pardoned,  260 
Sins  of  God's  people  more  provoke  him 

than  tiiose  of  the  Micked,  599 

Sin,  worse  than  death  and  hell,  590 

Sin,    what,    we   should    particularly    take 

heed  of,  595 

Socinians'  error  about  the  second  person 

of  tiie  Trinity,  78 

Soul,  the  excellency  of  it,  521 

Soul-dress,    for   receiving   the  sacrament, 

'V  lerein  it  consists,  374 

Souls  deserted,  that  want  assurance,  how 

they  may  be  comforted,  171 

Soul-murder,  who  are  guilty  of  it,  313 

Sorrow,  what,  goes  belbre  forgiveness,  527 

Ci  Irit,  how  he  can  be  said  to  be  grieved,  92 
Spiritual,  what  it  is  to  be  so,  36 

State  of  nature  is  a  kingdom  of  darkness,  421 
Submission  to  God's  will,  what  it  is  not,  493 
Submission  to  God's  will,  what  may  stand 

with  it,  and  what  not,  493 

Submission  to  God's  will,  what  it  is,  494 

Submit  to  God's  will  in  affliction,  when 
we  do  not,  496 


776 


INDEX. 


Pago 


Subtilty  of  Satan  to  make  men  miscarry 
in  the  use  of  means,  561 


Temptations,  whence  they  come, 
Temptations  of  Satan,  means  to  defeat  them. 
Temptation,  what  good  may  come  out  of  it, 
Tempted,  two  cases  of  them  spoken  to, 
Theft,  whence  it  doth  arise, 
Theft,  how  many  sorts  of  it  there  are, 
Theft,  what  are  the  aggravations  of  it. 
Thoughts,    vain,    how   they   come   in. 


m 


hearing  the  word, 
rhts, 


Thoughts 


Thoughts,   vain,    how  we   may   get   help 

against  them. 
Thoughts,  vain,  the  evil  of  them, 

vain,  in  prayer,   how  we  may 

cure  them. 
Tongue,  how  it  is  evil, 
Tongue,  evil,  the  several  sorts  of,  630,  631, 
Tongue,  rules  for  governing  it, 
Tongue  sins,  motives  to  beware  of  them. 
Trinity  of  persons  proved. 
Truth  of  God, 


555 

579 
583 
576 
325 
326 
327 

286 

287 
286 

379 
630 
632 

635 

636 

77 

69 


U 

Unchangeableness  of  God,  48 

Unciiangeable  God,  how  to  get  a  part  in 

him,  50 

Unpardoned  soul,  how  miserable  it  is,  536 


Visiting  iniquity,  what  is  meant  by  it, 
Vorstius'  objection  against  God's  ubiquity 
answered, 


W 


Pace 


9.55 


35 


578 


Ways  of  Satan  to  tempt  men. 
Weariness  in  well-doing,  what  occasions  it,  637 
Weariness  in  well-doing,  the  evil  of  it,  638 

Weariness  in  well-doing,  means  to  keep  us 

from,  640 

Will  of  God,  what  is  meant  by  it,  482 

Will  of  God,  how  we  are  to  do  it,  that  we 

may  find  acceptance,  486 

Will  of  God,  how  we  may  evangelically  do  it,  487 
Will  of  God,  how  we  may  come  to  do  it 

aright,  492 

Wisdom  of  God,  wherein  it  appears,  52 

Wisdom  and  innocency,  necessary  qualifi- 
cations of  a  Christian,  610 
Wisdom,  wherein  it  chiefly  consists,  610 
Word,    what    is    meant    by    its    effectual 

working,  357 

Word,  how  we  may  read  it  effectually,  357 
Woril,  how  it  may  be  heard  effectually,  359 
World,  why  God  made  it,  81 

World,  in  wliat  sense  it  is  evil,  602 

Worsliip,  wliat,  is  most  worthy  of  God,  36 

Worship  God  in  the  spirit,  wliat  it  is  to,  36 
VVratb  to  come,  whatwe  shall  do  toescape  it,  849 


TllR     I  NO, 


RECENTLY  ISSUED  BY 

ROBERT  CARTER  &  BROTHERS, 

235  BROi^'W.'i.Y,  IT3V7  TOP.E. 


^»  ♦ 


The  Footsteps  of  St.  Paul. 

By  the  author  of  "  Morning  and  Night 
Watches,"  "  "Words  of  Josus,"  &c. 

12mo.     Illustrated.     $1.00. 

"  TiTE  Footsteps  of  St.  Paitl,  is  the  title  of  an  aWo 
and  instructive  worlc,  presenting  a  eonsecutivo 
history  of  tlie  life,  labors,  and  teachings  of  the 
fjreat  Apostle.  It  interweaves  in  the  narrativ  o 
all  the  direct  disclosures  of  the  Acts,  the  inci- 
dental intimations  of  the  Epistles,  all  the  out!-iile 
information  extant,  and  many  conjectural  stj^te- 
ments  derived  from  a  comparison  of  different 
parts  of  the  Scriptures.  So  much  has  been  done 
In  this  field,  that  the  author,  in  merely  cleanini: 
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iJL012  01018  8581 


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